December 31

New Year's Eve

Menu

• Cheesies
• Crackers and Crudité with Brie
• Alaskan King Crab Legs
• Asparagus Salad
• Risotto Cakes garnished with pimentos
• Shrimp Bisque [View Recipe]

  Quick View

  Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp
  • .25 small onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 rib celery (cleaned)
  • salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon onion (finely minced)
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • .5 cup cream
  • peppercorns
  • lemon (sliced)
  • 4 long chives (cleaned)
  • paprika

  Instructions

  First we have to cook our shrimp. This could also have been done earlier in the day and refrigerated or we could have used already cooked shrimp. We heat a large pot (half filled with water) with a piece of onion, garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and some celery over medium heat. While the water is coming to a boil, we defrost the shrimp in a colander in the sink with cold running water (according to the package directions.)

  When the water for the stock boils, we add a pinch of salt and the defrosted shrimp, then simmer for 3 minutes. We drain the cooked shrimp in the sink in a clean colander and cool 2 minutes under cold running water. We pull the tails off the shrimp and add to our food processor. We count that we have 30 shrimp. We keep 22 in the food processor and the remaining 8 go right into the fridge - covered in a small bowl. The shrimp in the food processor, we pulse to mince. We put the ground shrimp in the fridge in a covered bowl while we get the rest of the soup ready.

  We set up a double boiler - we have a large glass bowl above a pot half filled with water. When the water comes to a boil, we add the butter and onion and a pinch of salt to the large bowl. We cook about 8 minutes, the butter melts and the onion softens. We heat the milk in a large measuring cup in the microwave for a minute and add to the butter and onion along with the ground shrimp. We cook, stirring with a flat whisk, for a few minutes. We want the mixture hot but not boiling. We slowly stir in the cream and cook, covered with a piece of foil for just a few minutes to heat. We keep checking and stirring to see when the bisque is hot enough. We taste for salt and add freshly ground white pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

  We divide the shrimp bisque in 4 shallow soup bowls. We re-heat the refrigerated shrimp for 10 seconds in the microwave and use them to garnish the soup along with the chives, which are snipped with scissors. We sprinkle on a little paprika and finish the dish with a lemon slice.

• Strufoli [View Recipe]

  Quick View

  Ingredients

  • 1 large orange (rinsed)
  • 1 large lemon (rinsed)
  • 4 large eggs
  • .5 cup oil
  • .25 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2.5 cups flour (divided, plus more for flouring)
  • 1 pound honey
  • nonpareils DÉCORS

  Instructions

  We start by zesting our orange and lemon with our microplane, yielding 1 tablespoon of each. In a large bowl, we combine the eggs, orange and lemon peels, oil and salt. We whisk well and then stir in the sugar, baking powder, and 2 cups of the flour with a wooden spoon.

  When the flour is just incorporated, we dump out the sticky dough onto a lightly floured counter (using some of the remaining flour) and we attempt to knead it. It is rather sticky so we gradually add more flour and continue to knead for a couple of minutes. We then set the dough aside on a piece of plastic wrap and clean up the counter. We then lightly flour the counter again.

  We begin heating our Dutch oven over medium heat with 3 inches of oil. We have our deep-fry thermometer in the pot to be sure the oil does not get too hot. We want the oil to be between <temp val="350"/> and <temp val="360"/>.

  We cut off a piece of the dough with a butter knife, and stretch it on the floured counter. We want a ½ inch diameter cylinder. We use the butter knife to cut ¼ - ½ inch pieces and then roll into balls between the palms of our hands. We set the balls on wax-paper covered dinner plates. We continue until all of the dough is used. The balls of dough will dry slightly while waiting to fry. We are beginner-strufoli makers so we are not able to maintain consistent sizes. In the end, we have around 150 balls.

  Into a medium pot, we pour out the jar of honey, about 1¼ cups, and cook over medium heat. When it comes to a boil, we reduce the heat to low, being careful the honey does not boil over. We continue to cook over low heat until the foam subsides and the honey is warm and thinned.

  When our oil is around <temp val="350"/>, we use our chinese strainer - our spider - to carefully lower 15 balls into the oil. We cook, turning occasionally with the spider, for about 3 minutes until golden brown. We drain on a paper towel lined plate and continue with another 15 balls. While these are frying, we put the fried strufoli into the honey and stir with a slotted spoon. When they are coated, we place them on a plate in a cone shape (Robin's grandmother used to use the disposable pie plates). We sprinkle with the DÉCORS, Nanny always called them "confetti", and continue frying in the oil, draining, and then soaking in the honey. After a few batches, we start putting 30 balls in the oil at a time, making sure the oil always reaches <temp val="350"/> between fryings.

  When all the dough is fried and coated with honey, we pour the rest of the honey over the balls to "pool" around the bottom and add some more confetti. We set aside to cool.

  The strufoli that are not eaten tonight, are covered with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for a few days.

• Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
• Chocolates
• {"amazon":{"#text":"Harry & David Dessert Squares","@_asin":"B0000DH8V1"},"isRecipe":false}