Festive Feasts: Delightful Dishes to Elevate Your New Year’s Table Beyond Olivier Salad
Festive Feasts: Delightful Dishes to Elevate Your New Year’s Table Beyond Olivier Salad
With just a couple of weeks left until the New Year, it’s the perfect time to plan your festive menu that will impress your guests. Here are several recipes that are easy to prepare, regardless of your time constraints or culinary skills.
Rosemary Potatoes
You’ll need: peeled potatoes, two tablespoons of olive oil, four minced garlic cloves, chopped rosemary for cooking and sprigs for garnish, salt, and pepper. Preheat your oven to the maximum temperature and arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Be cautious with salt and pepper—the dish should be a tender side. Bake until crispy, about an hour. Garnish with rosemary sprigs before serving.
Salted Caramel
For this treat, you’ll need: six tablespoons of butter, three-quarters of cream, a quarter of water, vanilla, a cup of sugar, and coarse sea salt. Mix the butter and cream, and slightly heat them in the microwave to melt. Then, place a saucepan on low heat, add water, vanilla, and sugar, and stir constantly. Bring to a boil and watch the caramel’s color. Once it turns golden, add the butter and cream mixture slowly while stirring. Continue heating until the temperature reaches 240°F—use a thermometer. Pour the mixture into prepared molds and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt and let it sit for another 2-3 hours before cutting into small pieces.
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
For this extravagant dish, you’ll need: halved Brussels sprouts, bacon slices, three minced garlic cloves, vinegar, honey, and rosemary. Arrange the Brussels sprouts, bacon, garlic, and pepper on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and let them marinate briefly. Bake for 30 minutes until the sprouts are tender. Prepare the glaze: in a small saucepan, mix vinegar, honey, and rosemary. Simmer for 15 minutes, then let it cool slightly. Before serving, drizzle the glaze over the Brussels sprouts.
Salad with Pine Nuts and Pomegranate
For this recipe, you’ll need a handful of pine nuts, three tablespoons of olive oil, three tablespoons of wine vinegar, pomegranate seeds, a diced apple, chopped parsley, and salt. Crush the pine nuts in a cup and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes until golden. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Add pre-cooked pearl barley, pine nuts, apple, pomegranate seeds, and garnish with greens!
Cranberry Salad with Pineapple
You’ll need: cranberries, marshmallows, pineapple pieces, pomegranate seeds, and cream. Whip the cream, add a bit of powdered sugar and vanilla, pineapple pieces, and mix with cranberries. Blend thoroughly to achieve a mostly smooth consistency. Spread the mixture into a mold and garnish the top with pomegranate seeds. Chill before serving.
Beet Salad with Nuts and Cheese
This salad can be made ahead of time and stored in your fridge without any issues. You’ll need: six boiled beets, diced, two tablespoons of olive oil, half a cup of walnuts, greens, pomegranate seeds, and 200 grams of cheese. For the dressing, use a bit of olive oil combined with orange zest and juice. Finely chop all the ingredients and remember to add the dressing just before serving.
Don’t Forget the Presentation
The most important ingredient to add to each dish is the New Year’s presentation. There are countless options, and experiments are encouraged, so get inspired by our ideas and create your own signature recipes.
For more inspiration, check out this guide on calculating optimal portions to avoid overeating during the festivities.
