That 70's Cooking - Perfect End To The Year

Originally, I had planned a boozed ladened appetizer buffet to end the year off.  However, in the end, I decided that it was not something that neither my wife nor I would partake of.  So instead, I have tuned down the booze in a fancy-shmancy late supper.

New Year's Eve Menu

Gazpacho

Pepper Steak Flambe

Noodles Polonaise

Buttered Peas

Cherries Jubilee

Gazpacho

Yield: 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 2 tablespoon minced onions
• 1 small garlic clove, finely mined
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• Dash ground cumin
• Dash tabasco sauce
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1/3 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
• 3 tablespoon minced green pepper
• 1/4 cup croutons

Directions:

• Whip oil and vinegar together in a medium bowl.
• Blend in remaining ingredients except cucumber, green pepper, and croutons.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Serve in mug, with an ice cube in each serving.
• Sprinkle with cucumber, green pepper, and croutons.

Pepper Steak Flambe
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 boneless tender steaks (3/4 inch thick)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon dry red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon brandy
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley

Directions:

• Crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle.
• Trim excess fat from steaks and slash remaining fat around edges to prevent curling.
• About 1 hour before serving, sprinkle crushed peppercorns evenly over both sides of each steak.
• Place steaks on wax paper and, using heel of hand, press peppercorns into meat on both sides.
• Cover steaks with wax paper and let stand at room temperature.
• About 10 minutes before serving, heat butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Sprinkle steaks with salt.
• Place in hot pan to sear.
• Turn steaks when browned and brown other sides.
• lace on dinner plates; cover loosely to keep warm.
• Reduce heat and quickly add wine to skillet.
• Stir to dissolve pan brownings.
• Add worchestershire sauce.
• Boil until syrupy.
• Remove skillet from heat to cool slightly.
• Add brandy and carefully ignite with a long match. 
• Shake pan until flames subside.
• Pour sauce over steaks.
• Garnish with minced parsley.

Noodles Polonaise
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients:

• 1 quart water
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1-1/2 cup uncooked wide egg noodles
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs (see recipes page - basics)
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

• Combine water, salt, and oil in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to a full boil.
• Add noodles, stir once and boil gently 8 to 10 minutes until tender.
• Drain in a strainer.
• Immediately add 1 tablespoon butter and soft breadcrumbs to saucepan.
• Saute until breadcrumbs are crisp and golden brown.
• Remove pan from heat.  Add remaining tablespoon of butter.
• Stir to melt.
• Toss in noodles.
• Add minced parsley and salt and pepper.
• Toss again.

Buttered Peas
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients:

• 2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/3 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Combine water and salt in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to a full boil.
• Add frozen peas.
• Return to a full boil then reduce to a simmer.
• Cover and cook 1 minute.
• Drain.
• Push peas to side of pan.
• Place butter and basil in pan.
• Heat briefly to boil off any moisture.
• Stir peas into butter.
• Add salt and pepper.

Cherries Jubilee
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients:

• 1 can dark sweet pitted cherries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Dash cinnamon
• Dash cloves
• 1 (3 inch) strip lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 large coops vanilla ice cream
• 2 tablespoon kirsch

Directions:

• Drain juice from cherries into a small saucepan
• Add sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and strip of lemon peel.
• Simmer uncovered until juice measures about 1/4 cup.
• Remove lemon peel.
• In a small bowl, blend cornstarch and water until completely smooth.  
• Drizzle into simmering cherry juice, stirring constantly until clear and thickened.
• Add drained cherries.
• Heat to serving temperature.
• Pour into a small chaffing dish.
• Place ice cream in 2 heat-proof dessert dishes.
• Warm kirsch in a small long-handled pot.
• Ignite warm kirsch with a long match.  
• Pour over cherries.
• Shake or stir until flames subside.
• Ladle cherries and sauce over ice cream.