Recipes

In Scotland it is called Hogmanay and superstition has it that the first person to set foot in your household in the New Year, decides on your luck for the coming year. A tall, dark stranger is said to be the ideal, and certainly not someone cross-eyed or flat footed. This person carries with them three lucky objects: a piece of coal, some money and a sprig of mistletoe.
After- wards there is the traditional toast to absent friends and Auld Lang Syne is sung. The Miracle of the Poinsettia’. Mexicans call the poinsettia the ‘Flower of the Holy Night’, and the legend of a little peasant girl who, on Christmas Eve, wanted to go to Midnight Mass with her gift for Jesus. Alas, the little girl had nothing she could give.

Outside the church angels appeared to her and told her to pick weeds and take them into the cathedral. She walked in to everyone’s laughter and mirth, when, quite suddenly, the top leaves on every stem turned scarlet. The congregation fell to their knees and the little peasant girl marched proudly to make her offering at the crib.

Traditions to bring good luck for the New Year are as old as the celebrations and come from all corners of the world. Many cultures count a tall, dark and handsome man crossing the threshold as a sign of good luck, but if the first person to enter the house is a red headed woman…the year is sure to be stressful. What single girl would argue with that one!

Others involve housecleaning…brushing the bad luck of the past out with the dust. Holding a piece of silver or gold as the New Year begins is said to increase the chances of prosperity in the coming year…some place a silver coin over the doorway or a penny on the windowsill.

An Irish tradition involves banging on the door and walls with Christmas bread to chase the bad luck out and bring good spirits to the household with the promise of bread enough in the New Year. This is probably related to the tradition of banging pots and pans in Iran, or the ancient tradition of using firecrackers to welcome in the Chinese New Year.

The youngest boy in the household lighting a candle at dusk to burn through the night until morning light is another Celtic tradition that may be a citified version of lighting bonfires to keep away the evil spirits or a carryover of the Samhain tradition of lighting tapers in the windows to chase the evil spirits.

In the Philippines children jump up and down at midnight to make sure they will grow tall. In Asia, sunrise celebrations and honoring of the ancestors and elders brings luck. German’s drop melted lead into cold water and take turns interpreting the results. This tradition has become so popular that kits are sold that include the lead pellets and suggestions for reading the results.

Then there are the foods. Chiacchiere, honey drenched balls of dough ensure a sweet year in Italy. Grapes, one for each month, make for a lucky year in Spain and many Latin countries. Eating pork, all kinds of greens, cabbage, sauerkraut, the Southern U.S. tradition of black eyed peas or anything that forms a circle – such as donuts or pretzels – make for good fortune in the coming year. In Korea, bowing to the elders and deokguk, Rice Cake Soup, are part of the sun rise celebrations. The traditions are as varied as the lands where they are from, but they all involve sharing with friends and family and wishes for happiness, health and prosperity in the New Year…

Classic Roast Dinner

INGREDIENTS:

2.25kg large piece beef
25g beef dripping or 2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp plain flour
gravy browning

For the Yorkshire pudding:
150g plain flour
2 large eggs
300ml milk
3 tbsp fat from the roast beef or use beef dripping or vegetable oil

For the roasted vegetables:
1.35kg medium potatoes, cut into even pieces
4 carrots, quartered lengthways
4 large parsnips, quartered lengthways
6 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Calculate the meat cooking time, allowing about 20-25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 20-30 minutes extra depending on whether you like meat that?s cooked pink, medium with a touch of pink in the middle, or well done throughout.
2. Season the surface of the meat with salt and black pepper and place in a roasting tin. The size of the tin you choose really depends on whether you are going to cook the roast vegetables around the meat, or in a separate tin. Add the dripping or oil.

3. Cook for the calculated time less 40 minutes, basting occasionally. If you think the outside of the meat is getting too brown, cover it lightly with kitchen foil.

4. Meanwhile, make the Yorkshire pudding batter and prepare the vegetables. For the batter, put the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the eggs and then the milk a little at a time, beating to give a thick, smooth batter. Stir in 150 ml/¼ pint cold water. Cover and leave to one side until required. Alternatively, you can whizz all of the ingredients together in a liquidiser goblet if you have one, but you have to remember to make the milk up to 450ml (¾ pint) with cold water.

5. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and just cover with cold water. Bring to a fast, rolling boil then drain, reserving the water. Return them to the pan and shake vigorously to soften the edges and leave to one side.

6. Place the carrots and parsnips in a large saucepan and cover with the reserved water (add more water if necessary) and bring just to the boil. Drain, reserving 750ml/1¼ pints of the water for the gravy.

7. Forty minutes before the end of the calculated cooking time, remove the meat from the oven and add all the vegetables to the roasting tin. Season generously and toss well. Return to the oven.

8. Ten minutes before the end of the calculated cooking time, remove the meat from the oven and pour off 3tbsp roasting fat (if available, otherwise use melted beef dripping or vegetable oil). Return the meat to the oven and pour ½ tsp fat into each of 18 bun tins. Increase the oven temperature to 220C/425F/gas mark 7 and place the tins at the top of the oven for the fat to heat ? it needs to be very hot before you add the batter

9. Remove the meat from the oven but leave the vegetables to cook. Wrap the beef in kitchen foil and leave to rest.

10. Stir the batter, then remove the tins from the oven and pour in the batter to fill each space and return to the oven. The puddings will take 25 to 30 minutes, to rise and crisp.

11. After 25 minutes, check on the puddings and quickly remove the vegetables from the oven. Test them with a skewer to check they are tender and cooked right through, then transfer to a warmed serving plate or dish.

12. Stir the flour into the meat juices in the roasting tin and cook over a gentle heat until absorbed and browned. Stir in the reserved vegetable water. Simmer until lightly thickened. Add gravy browning if you like your gravy to be dark in colour. Season the gravy, strain into a warmed jug and serve with the meat, veg and Yorkshire puddings.

CHOCOLATE CREPES WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES
Ingredients:

For the crepes:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, as needed for cooking
16 (6-inch) squares parchment or waxed paper
For the filling:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup pureed fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the sauce:

1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered
1/4 cup strawberry liqueur
1 cup chocolate sauce, store bought or home made
Instructions:

For the crepes:
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the butter, milk, eggs and vanilla and whisk until blended.
Add the liquid mixture a little at a time to the dry mixture, whisking to dissolve any lumps. Whisk until smooth.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Lightly brush a 6-inch skillet with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat.
When the pan is hot, remove from the heat and pour in 1/4 cup of the batter. Swirl the pan around to spread the batter evenly over the bottom. Return the pan to the heat and cook until lightly golden, 30 to 40 seconds. Turn the crepe over and cook the second side for about 15 seconds. Remove from the pan.
Repeat the process until all of the batter is used, stacking the crepes between the squares of parchment or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Set the crepes aside.
For the filling:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Add the sour cream, sugar, strawberries and vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Put 3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the lower third of each crepe. Fold the bottom of the crepe over the filling and roll up gently but firmly.
Place the filled crepes on a large platter or baking sheet, cover lightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Add the sugar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the strawberries and continue to cook for 1 minute.
Add the liqueur and simmer for 2 minutes.
Add the chocolate sauce and continue to cook for 1 minute.
Add 8 of the filled crepes to the pan and cook for 1 minute, basting with the sauce.
Remove the crepes from the pan, set aside and keep warm.
Add the remaining crepes and cook for 1 minute, basting with the sauce.
To serve, crisscross 2 crepes on each dessert plate and drizzle with the sauce.

Yield: 8 servings

QUICK CHOCOLATE FUDGE

For a big batch (1 1/4 lbs.) of fudge you will need:

1 pkg. (12 oz.) milk chocolate chips 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 3 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp vanilla extract 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler over very low heat. Stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in condensed milk, butter and vanilla. Blend well. Stir in nuts. Spread mixture immediately into a lightly-oiled, 8-inch square pan. Cool at room temperature. Cut into even squares.

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS

1/2 cup sugar 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 cup chopped nuts 1 egg 1 cup molasses 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Butter muffin tins.

Combine sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and nuts in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix egg, molasses, buttermilk and melted butter, and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until just blended.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick: muffins are done when it comes out clean. Can also be served warmed with whipped cream or ice cream as a dessert. Serves 12.