Say you'd love to invite a few friends over to celebrate the New Year, but the idea of an evening party is too daunting? How about a New Year's Day brunch instead? It can be a simple, informal affair, or something with a bit more style, but the best part is, you can do virtually everything ahead of time. So even if you've been up late the night before, it'll be a snap to assemble the food, and you'll get to enjoy the party.
My friend Linda recently served brunch for 30 people -- the morning after her extremely formal wedding, which included a catered sit-down dinner for 60. How did she do it? She combined prepared foods (a country ham her father cured and sent to her, a selection of breads and muffins provided by the previous night's caterer) with dishes made in advance (a fruit salad, her famous Grits and Gruyere casserole) and one festive, last-minute dish (scrambled eggs with red and green peppers).
The meal was served buffet-style, with the breads and muffins out for guests as soon as they came in. She also set out fresh orange juice and bottles of champagne for people to mix their own mimosas. The casseroles were frozen, thawed just before going into the oven. While the grits baked, she set out the fruit, plates and silver. Just before the casseroles were done, we began the first batch of scrambled eggs, using two large skillets to speed the process.
When the first batch of eggs was done, she began calling guests to the buffet table. It took four batches of eggs to satisfy the crowd. The hardest part was cleaning up afterward, but with five weekend houseguests, there were plenty of hands to help.
How did she manage such trouble-free entertaining at a time when so much else was going on? "Planning. Months of planning."
But even if you only have days to prepare, that's time enough to plan a simple but still satisfying meal for family and a few friends.
Professionals agree that even a little forethought goes a long way.
"Anticipatory thought is the key to being organized," said Barry Fleischmann, of Innovative Gourmet catering in Owings Mills. "The first thing is to plan a menu that would not entail a lot of last-minute stuff." He suggested dishes that can be served at room temperature, or be gently heated right before serving.
"Try to have as much production as possible done in advance," such as cutting up fruit for salad, cutting up vegetables for his frittata, a baked egg dish, Mr. Fleischmann said.
"You should have all the platters you're using pulled and labeled -- it's mise en place, everything in its place, everything you're serving with." This can be done an hour or so in advance, or a day or more before the event.
"Brunches lend themselves to a light bar," Mr. Fleischmann said, suggesting serving spicy Bloody Marys. "I like to make the base myself," he said. He uses a good-quality tomato juice, fresh horseradish, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon or lime juice, and a splash of hot-pepper sauce. "You could even use some chopped jalapeno -- and salt and freshly ground pepper." He prepares the tomato concoction in a pitcher and lets guest add vodka if they wish.
His menu for a New Year's Day brunch would include cured wild rockfish, a frittata with chorizo sausage, potatoes, spinach and roasted garlic (made ahead and served at room temperature), and white chocolate mascarpone Napoleons with chocolate phyllo pastry filled with pistachios and dried cherries (made ahead and assembled at the last minute).
Your menu needn't be so elaborate, of course. A good game plan might be to serve something baked (breads, scones, muffins), a fruit dish, an interesting side dish, and an egg dish or casserole that can be prepared or reheated just before serving.
Here are some tips from chefs and cookbook authors on entertaining:
*From Marlene Sorosky, California cooking teacher and author, in "Entertaining on the Run" (William A. Morrow, $25): "A well-thought-out menu is the foundation of the party. . . . [Considerations are:] 1) The dishes should be nutritionally balanced with complementary tastes and textures, without an overabundance of one ingredient. 2) They should be color-coordinated -- a meal appeals to all our senses, but first to our eyes. 3) The recipes should be prepared at various stages, beginning several weeks ahead and freezing. . . . If you are the sole cook, the menu should not include more than one last-minute dish. 4) They must fit in your oven, stove, refrigerator, freezer. . . . 5) The dishes should be easy to reheat and serve with a minimum of last-minute hassle."
*From Lora Brody, Boston-area cookbook author, in "The Entertaining Survival Guide: A Handbook for the Hesitant Host" (William A. Morrow, $20), from a list of 22 "rules" for entertaining: "Plan ahead. Work ahead. Make notes and refer to them . . . Always shop with a list. Write your menu and time line down and tape it on the refrigerator door. Always prepare more than you think you'll need. Don't try out a new menu without making the difficult dishes at least once beforehand . . . Don't do the dishes until the company has left . . . Even take-out food looks good in a nice serving dish."
*From Joe Famularo, cookbook author, in "Celebrations: Sumptuous Meals for Festive Occasions (Barron's, $29.95): "Toss in a bit of the unexpected, and the result will whet the appetite and add to everyone's appreciation of the meal."
Here are some recipes for memorable New Year's Day feast.
Linda Abbot's
Grits and Gruyere
Serves 6 to 8
1 quart milk
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 stick of margarine
1 package (6 ounces) Gruyere cheese, cut into small pieces
1 cup quick grits
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Butter a casserole dish. Scald milk; add salt and pepper. Add margarine and Gruyere to hot milk and stir until mostly melted. Add grits slowly and stir over low heat until fairly thick. Pour into casserole dish. When cool, cover and refrigerate until 1 hour before serving time.
To serve, remove from refrigerator and drizzle 1/3 cup margarine over top followed by Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes in 375-degree oven, or until brown and bubbly.
Fleischmann's Frittata with
Chorizo, Spinach, Potato
Serves 12 to 16
24 eggs
1 pound chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage), cooked and sliced
1 pound potatoes, cubed and steamed
3 tablespoons roast garlic, pureed
1 pound raw fresh spinach, coarsely chopped, sauteed for 1 minute
1 onion, diced and sauteed
1 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup water
olive oil, for lightly coating skillet
finely chopped fresh herbs, for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs together. Add in all other ingredients.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet, brushed with olive oil. Pour in egg mixture.
Cook on stove until partially cooked. Finish cooking in oven for 10 minutes, or until set. Serve hot immediately, or serve at room temperature.
The next recipe, also from Mr. Fleischmann, must be made in advance; it takes five days to cure the fish.
Cured Rockfish
Serves 12 to 16
1 6- to 8-pound rockfish, cleaned and filleted with all bone removed
1/2 cup kosher salt
4 tablespoons coarse cracked white and black peppercorns
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, ground
24 jalapenos, finely chopped (to taste)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
GARNISH
fresh lime juice
fresh lime wedges
red onion, chopped
Mix salt, pepper, brown sugar, herbs nuts, peppers and lime juice to form a paste.
Rub marinade on top and bottom of fillets. Place them together, skin side out. Tightly wrap fillets in plastic wrap. Put fillets in a non-aluminum container. Place a heavy object on top of fillets. Refrigerate. Turn fillets once a day for 4 to 5 days (Longer for larger size.) When time is up, carefully scrape off most of marinade.
Slice fillets, widthwise, very thin. Drizzle with lime juice and garnish with a lime wedge and a small amount of chopped red onion.
Serve on toast points or other bread.
The next recipe is from "Gourmet's America," (Random House, $25).
Apple Cheese Quick Bread
Makes 1 loaf
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated Granny Smith apples 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
cream cheese as an accompaniment
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar and beat in honey and eggs. Into butter mixture, sift together flours, the baking powder, baking soda, and the salt, stir mixture well, and then stir in apples, cheese, and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Turn bread out on a rack, let it cool completely, and serve it, sliced, with cream cheese.
The next recipe is from "Cooking for the Weekend," by Michael McLaughlin (Simon & Schuster, 1993, $25).
Apple, Orange and Cranberry Compote
Serves 6 to 8
4 firm, tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups fresh orange juice, strained
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 pice (2 inches) cinnamon stick
1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries, picked over
sour cream or creme fraiche (optional)
In a medium nonreactive saucepan combine apples, orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Stir in cranberries and bring to a boil. Lower heat, partially cover and cook, stirring once or twice, just until cranberries burst, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate. The compote can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.
To serve, spoon into bowls and top with sour cream or creme fraiche, if desired.
The next recipe is from "The Serendipity Cookbook," by Pat Miller with Stephen Bruce and Calvin Holt (Citadel Press, $14.95).
Lobster Casserole
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Tillamook cheese (see note)
3 tablespoons sherry
salt and pepper
3/4 cup whole walnut halves
1 1/2 cups lobster meat, cut into bite-sized chunks
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 pound sauteed mushrooms
bread crumbs
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and flour over a low fire and then add milk, stirring until thick. Add grated cheese, sherry, salt and pepper. Simmer about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Butter baking dish or casserole. Place alternate layers of lobster, eggs, and mushrooms with walnuts sprinkled throughout. Cover with sauce and top with a thin coating of bread crumbs. Place it in oven for about an hour, until dish is bubbly and breadcrumbs are golden.
Note: Tillamook is a sharp yellow Cheddar cheese from Oregon, available at specialty grocers and gourmet shops. If you can't find it, substitute good-quality Shelburne, Cabot or Grafton white Cheddars from Vermont.