is it new years yet?
my full new years eve digest
happy new year from new zealand!
i decided to cook up a little feast, last minute, as a final goodbye to ‘23. i hope you all enjoy this breakdown :)
new years eve dinner, dec 31st
this dinner was much more modest in comparison to what i made for christmas. however, it was still so incredibly delicious and the total cooking and prep-time for this was around 4 hours
the gravy is probably what took the longest. if you’re going to cook a whole chicken, then it’s a must to make a side of gravy with it. this time around, the gravy was a creamier, lighter colour, as i was missing a large portion of the ingredients (i told you this was last minute)
but if there’s a will, there’s a way, and so i created a really rich and herby gravy, rather than a more traditional one.
the roast chicken i’d made from christmas was by no means perfect. it taught me loads about what i should do next time, and i can safely say that this is the best roast chicken i’ve ever eaten.
the marinade was simple (2 kinds of dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, maple syrup, and an array of spices and herbs) and it was soaking up all those flavours for about 7 hours. i always lean to a more simple dish, so while the orange, fennel, and shallots roast chicken was impressive, it’s this version that i like the most.
it paired so incredibly well with the mash and mushrooms - i wish you could taste it
everything about this meal was a 10/10, and coming from someone who rarely ever thinks of their meals this highly, you just know that it was good.
it was really a toss of a coin as to whether or not i was going to make new years eve a big deal with the dinner, but when i saw this mushrooms recipe from good housekeeping, i knew that i had to make a meal out of it. while i didn’t use polenta, i took a lot of inspiration from the combinations in this recipe.
i used a mix of shiitake and large portobellos for this. i highly recommend the spice and adding some spinach because it just tied everything together perfectly. a more simple version of cooking mushrooms would be with a splash of balsamic vinegar after frying them up :)
i added around 1tsp of a strong, high quality, french dijon. edmond fallot make an incredible range and i use their brand the most when it comes to mustards. the secret to a buttery mash is simply by overcooking your potatoes slightly, and then to push them all through a sieve. this creates a really creamy base for you to add your butter and mustard to!
i made this in advance by about 5 hours as i wanted it to cool and thicken in the fridge. making compote is so easy and there are loads of different variations. for a more traditional one, simply bringing your fruit, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer will create a thick, rich, and long-lasting jam-like compote. you can substitute the sugar for maple syrup or honey, and even include water if you want to dilute the taste.
behold, the most incredible dessert i’ve made to date. as someone who can’t bake to save their life, this cookie square dish was amazing. when i first saw tess gigone make this, i just knew i needed it in my life.
it was incredibly simple, and was a really big hit. the edges were so crunchy and firm, and the inside was softer and more dough-like. definitely had textures for everyone with this dish.
i served this with fresh cream, the mixed berry compote, and an assortment of different ice creams. duck island is a waikato based ice cream company, and they make some of the most luxurious, creamy ice creams. they’re only new zealand based however, i’m sure there are loads of alternatives that are similar to duck island that you can find locally :) i had a coffee flavour, vegan peanut butter, and a strawberry häagan-dazs.
everything i made at this dinner was so perfect, and if you get the chance to make a meal with similar combinations, i highly recommend that you do so.
thank you all for such an amazing ‘23, and i cannot wait to post more on here in ‘24 xx
- angie