On this, my first column of 2018, I’d like to share a few thoughts that have come to me recently. There is nothing magical about the flip of the calendar, but it represents a clean break, a new hope and a blank canvas. The time has come to overlook the past and commend a fresh start. Regardless of what each nightfall steals from our lives, may dawn give us another day to weave new hopes and dreams because time is like a flowing river, no water passes beneath your feet twice, and much like the river, moments never pass you by again, so cherish every moment that life gives you and have a wonderful new year.
The New Year is celebrated with special foods the world over. In Sweden and Norway, rice pudding is served with one almond inside. Corn bread, because of it’s golden colour, lentiles, round foods representing coins and fish are considered good luck food because they swim in a forward direction and don’t look back. They teach us to try not to letting the shadows of yesterday ruin the daylight of tomorrow. Live for now. Today, I’m offering two recipes I’ve never tried before: both are traditional New Years lucky foods in certain countries.
Beignets (small sweet donuts)
1-1/4-ounce envelope active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water, about 110ºF
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 quarts canola oil, plus more to oil bowl
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Mix the yeast, water and sugar in a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Add the salt, lemon zest, nutmeg, egg, milk, and 1 1/2 cups flour; mix on medium speed until combined. Add the butter; mix until incorporated. Add 1 3/4 cups flour, and mix until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in the remaining 1/4 cup flour by hand until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about one hour. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch down. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out circles with a 1-inch round cutter; place on a floured baking sheet. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a medium pot or deep fryer until it registers 350ºF on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry the beignets in batches, rolling them around constantly with a slotted spoon, until golden brown all over, one to two minutes. Transfer the beignets with the slotted spoon to a platter lined with paper towels, and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with a dollop of homemade strawberry jam.
Hoppin’ John Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large meaty ham bone
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1-1/4 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chopped ham
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups uncooked white rice
4 cups water
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat and brown the ham bone on all sides, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, stirring often, about five minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, 2 cups of water, chicken broth, wine, ham, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture is thickened and the flavors have blended, 30 to 60 minutes. Add more chicken stock if the mixture is too thick. About 30 minutes before serving, bring the rice and 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the rice stand covered for about 10 minutes to absorb steam. Remove the ham bone from the soup, cutting any extra ham off the bone and returning it to the pot. Discard the bone. Stir the cooked rice into the black-eyed pea mixture until well combined and serve.