New Years Eve dinner

New Years Evening ambience




Strawberry and peaches with balsalmic zabaglione courtesy Mario Batali




Because I assisted my brother-in-law with making this dessert last night I feel entitled to share it in my blog. It was very simple to prepare, I cut the fruit and separated the eggs and he did the rest.

It was a marvellous revelation when first tasting the balsalmic zabaglione, almost as mind blowing as when I first tried balsalmic strawberries. This is one dessert that I will most definately be serving soon as I am already plagued by thoughts of its intoxicatingly caramel velvety luciousness contrasting with the cool sweet flesh of the ripe peaches.

I have cheated and photographed the recipe below, I was too tired to copy it out by hand this morning, we did see the New Year in minus the cheese course as we ended up having 5 courses starting with some Chorizo and Cheese Puffs with some pulped white peaches and Italian champagne - Bellinis I think. Then we had Gordon Ramsey's Caesar Salad with fresh Anchovies (quite expensive my SIL told me $70 a kilo, a small tub set them back $20 and they need to think of ways to use it today)

We then had some handmade tortellini, filled with chicken and veal in a turkey broth and lots of authentic parmesan. After a little rest ( all the sparkling and wine went to my head) I needed to cool down and prepare myself for the main course, which was escallopes of rolled veal filled with pecorino and sage in a tomato and olive ragu, with green beans and simple mash.

I decided not to fit in the mash in order preserve some room for the final course. We drank P's final Wynn's Michael 1999 - very big on the mulberry flavour I thought, and went quite well with the ragu for the veal.

With the zabaglione, my BIL decided to use double cream which he said whipped extremely quickly and extra thickly. It was the whipped double cream which I thought was responsible for the velvet texture of the zabaglione. Although he didn't allow it to chill for 30minutes it still had a thick custard texture, however I think I would prepare this dessert in advance if I were to do it. My BIL tends to do things from scratch on the night with the guests in attendance, I tend not to as I am always worried I will have had too much to drink and forget an integral step.



recipe

All 5 courses we had for New Years Eve:

Traditional Trifle

Kind comments from KP, have prompted me to finish this post, with the addition of the recipe. I must say I have thought twice about whether I would share the recipe with anyone, as it is so basic, but it is always a hit and I have been designated the traditional trife maker for some time now, so it must be good despite its unpretentious ingredients.

I first encountered this recipe when I was 16/17 years of age at a school camp in the Gold Coast hinterland, my former typing and shorthand teacher showed me how to make it. Being a custard lover, I use this recipe because it doesn't include jelly in it.

Here goes:

I think the most important ingredient for a trifle, is the bowl you use, I bought this Krosno, 3 litre bowl a few years ago and have never looked back, most people who get to delve into its depths nearly always exclaim at its attractiveness and their reluctance to spoil the presentation nevertheless it all disappears.

You need:
2 packets of the jam rollettes
Sherry
Fosters custard powder
1 and a half litres of milk
1/2 cup sugar (as per custard instructions)

Tinned peaches
whipping cream
toasted flaked almonds

I begin by making the custard as per the instructions on the packet, I really don't see the point in making custard from a recipe when I am using tinned peaches and jam rolletes - why go glamour on the custard!

Slice the jam rolls and line the bottom of the bowl and up the side about one row. Splash the sherry liberally over the cake, then line the bottom of the cake with some peaches. Top with custard to the level of the first row of the cake. Then line the custard with more cake then peaches making sure you make a row of peaches visable on the outside of the bowl, before lining the outside of the bowl with another row of sliced jam rolls. Fill with custard.

You could continue layering in this manner (remember to splash the sherry over any new cake you add!) though it is largely dependent on the size of your bowl, but remember to leave room for a final huge layer of whipped cream topped with flaked almonds which should be added to the trifle just prior to it being served.

Some tips:

I make the trife the day before it is served to let the sherry soak into the cake.

Make the custard thicker than the packet instructions i.e. maybe add a few more tablespoons of custard powder than is recommended.

When whipping the cream, add vanilla extract and icing sugar (about 1/2 cup for 600mls).

Okay there it is, my secret foodie shame a dish I have basically assembled only. Still I love this trifle and while it is completely bogus, I will make it every Christmas till the day I die.