I’m at home in Los Angeles, vaccinated, boosted, happy to be alive and absolutely exhausted — frazzled and shattered in ways I didn’t even know I could be. What a year. I’m not going to a party tomorrow, but I’ll celebrate with my husband, a couple of friends, two good dogs in silly hats and a big dinner at home.
I live for this stage of the menu planning, when every single future, in every possible combination, is still possible. I was thinking we’d start with a round of cocktails (see below!) and a few snacks on the coffee table. Maybe some crunchy stir-fried chickpeas, tossed with lots of lemon zest and aleppo pepper, and some tamarind-spiced nuts with cheese, and this very easy beet dip with labneh and olive oil, which I love with spears of cold Persian cucumber and warm lavash.
When we sit down for dinner, I want juicy, smoky portobellos au poivre with creamed spinach and heaps of colcannon with crispy leeks and puffy vegan Yorkshire puds (this new recipe isn’t made with beef tallow, and I can’t wait to try it). Or wait! Maybe I want to make a few puffy, cheesy-edged homemade pizzas instead, with a big, beautiful Sicilian-style citrus salad.
For dessert, I think red wine poached pears with thick, poured cream and juicy pomegranate seeds on top will fit the mood — there’s something so quietly celebratory about whole fruit for dessert — but I’ve also got my eye on this rosemary-honey almond tart. Could I make it all? No. I’ll edit this all down before tomorrow, promise.
Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
Go to the recipe.
One More Thing!
I’m going to clear some space on my kitchen counter so I can set up glasses and garnishes for Rebekah Peppler’s batched 50-50 martini. I’ll mix it tomorrow morning in a big bowl, then pour it all into an empty liquor bottle and pop it into the freezer to chill.
If you want to do the same, you’ll need 9 ounces dry gin, 9 ounces dry vermouth and 4 ½ ounces filtered water. Combine, chill, then measure 3 ¾ ounces for each drink and add garnishes like green olives, lemon twists, tiny cocktail onions, a splash of olive brine, or whatever you like.
This recipe makes exactly 6 drinks, so double it and fill/chill a second 750-milliliter bottle if you want to be ready to pour more cocktails. Happy New Year, and see you next week!
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