The new year is like a clean slate, and many will celebrate the start of 2014 on Tuesday night with parties, dancing, music and food.
Chips, dips, cheese and champagne are usually on the menu. This year, however, spice up the night and the new year by serving up a new take on old favorites.
PICKLED SHRIMP
3 pounds boiled shrimp
2 medium onions, quartered and very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
14 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 dried hot chile peppers
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
¼ cup white-wine vinegar
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly. Pack everything into a large glass jar, cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to come together. Serve with toothpicks.
CHAMPAGNE WITH STRAWBERRIES
1 pint lemon sherbet
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 cups champagne
Drop scoops of sherbet into four clear glasses. Top with strawberry slices, then pour in champagne until filled.
COTTON CANDY SHIRLEY TEMPLE
Lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7-Up or Sierra Mist)
Cotton candy
Ice cubes
Clear drinking glass
Straw
Fill a clear glass with ice. Pour in soda until it fills about ¾ of the glass.
Put a chunk of cotton candy slightly bigger than the glass rim onto straw. Place the straw into the glass.
Once the cotton candy touches the soda, it dissolves.
CLASSIC HUMMUS
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
Paprika (optional)
Combine garlic, drained and rinsed chickpeas, salt, lemon juice, tahini (sesame paste), olive oil and water in a food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Season to taste with salt, olive oil, or paprika, if desired. Refrigerate up to seven days.
BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD
1 large tomato, diced
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
¼ cup canola oil
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained
Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, canola oil, sugar, and salt and pepper.
Toss all together and let marinate for up to eight hours in the refrigerator before serving.
MARINATED OLIVES
2 cups assorted unpitted olives, rinsed and drained
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 thin orange slices
3 thin lemon slices
2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
Red-pepper flakes
In a medium saucepan, combine olives, olive oil, orange slices, lemon slices and fresh thyme or rosemary. Season to taste with red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for five minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer olives, fruit, and herbs to a serving dish; reserve oil for another use.
• Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7233 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
