New Year’s Eve Dinner 2022

 

I decided to do a Southern traditional New Year’s Eve Dinner menu and give it my own twist. I used ghee instead of lard, since lard is hard to find and I have no use for extra lard.

Hoppin’ John

• 2 tblsp ghee 
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 14-oz cans chicken broth
• 12 oz frozen black-eyed peas
• 8 oz diced cooked ham (should be bacon, but I prefer ham)
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• fresh scallions, sliced

1. Heat ghee in large pot. Add onion, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Add 1 can chicken broth and black-eyed peas, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the diced ham and simmer for another 10 minutes.
3. Drain pea mixture, reserving cooking liquid. Add enough additional chicken broth to make 2 1/2 cups of liquid.
4. Mix pea mixture with 1/2 cup of reserved liquid. Cover to keep warm; set aside.
5. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. 
6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; lightly cover and cook for 7 minutes; turn the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for another 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes.
7. Fluff rice and gently stir into pea mixture.
8. Stir in remaining cooking liquid, 1⁄4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
9. Sprinkle servings with sliced fresh scallions.

Collard Greens With Ham Hocks

• 1  27-oz can cooked collard greens
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
• 4 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 14-oz can chicken broth
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• optional vinegary hot sauce

1. Drain collard greens and reserve the liquid. 
2. In a large pot, combine ham hocks, onions, garlic, collard green liquid, and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. 
3. Cover and cook at a bare simmer until hocks are very tender, 2 to 3 hours. 
4. Remove ham hocks from liquid, transfer to a cutting board, and pull bones from meaty and fatty parts. Discard bones. 
5. Chop up meat into chunks and mix with drained collard greens. Add enough liquid as desired and season with salt and pepper. 
6. Serve with vinegary hot sauce.

Milho Frito

(Portuguese Fried Corn Bread)

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 4 tblsp ghee
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1. Bring the water, 1 tblsp ghee, salt, and pepper to a boil in a large heavy saucepan set over moderate heat. 
2. Whisking the mixture briskly, add the cornmeal in a slow but steady stream, then cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes until as thick as porridge. 
3. Turn the heat to its lowest point, and let the mixture cook slowly, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until it is very thick and no raw corn taste remains. 
4. Pour into a well greased 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish and cool to room temperature; cover and chill several hours or until firm enough to cut.
5. Cut into bite-size pieces and drain well on paper toweling. 
6. Heat the remaining ghee in a medium-size heavy skillet over high heat 1 to 2 minutes. 
7. Brown the corn bread in 2 to 3 batches, allowing 3 to 4 minutes for the first side to brown, and 2 to 3 minutes for the flip side. 
8. Drain on paper toweling and serve.