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PrintLocal chefs share their favorite tastes of the new year
Try these recipes from local chefs to give your palate a post-holiday workout.
To most people, the new year is a time for a fresh start. Whether a healthy one, or just a dose of tradition, we all have our favorite ways to ring in the new year. I asked several of Tulsa’s best chefs how they like to start the year, culinarily speaking, that is. Here are their prescriptions for a happy palate come Jan. 1.
Black-eyed peas and pineapple bound salad
Serves 4 to 6
We all know that black-eyed peas serve as a great start to the year — the more the better since they supposedly bring us good luck. Libby Auld, chef and owner of Eloté, the popular fresh Mexican spot downtown, likes to start the year off with a healthy black-eyed pea salad, unexpectedly spiked with tangy pineapple.
4 cups cooked and chilled black-eyed peas
2 cups peeled, cored and diced fresh pineapple (1/2 of a large pineapple)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mix the peas, pineapple, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno and cilantro together in a large bowl. Add any other veggies you might have in your refrigerator. In a separate bowl, whisk together garlic, vinegar, mustard and olive oil. Toss salad with dressing and season with salt and pepper. Eat as a side salad or serve with corn tortilla chips.
Crispy duck spring rolls with plum sauce
Makes about 1 dozen
Zahidah Hyman, chef and co-owner of Keo restaurant with her husband, Bill, loves to make these crispy, savory rolls to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup dried bean thread noodles, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cooked duck breasts, shredded
12 spring roll wrappers
1 egg yolk, beaten
Plum sauce (recipe follows)
Heat oil in wok. Add onion and cook until it starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cabbage and cook until soft. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and bean thread noodles and cook 1 minute. Add duck and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool before wrapping. Soften the spring roll wrappers in warm water for 15 seconds and blot on a dish towel. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture in a spring roll wrapper and roll; seal edge with egg yolk. Heat 2 inches of oil in a medium to large saucepan to 350 degrees. Deep fry rolls, in batches to prevent crowding, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove rolls from oil with a metal slotted spoon or tongs to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with plum sauce.
Plum sauce
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup plum jam
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons peeled and minced ginger
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before serving.
Venison chili
Serves 6 to 8
Michael Fusco, chef and owner of Michael Fusco’s Riverside Grill, is known for being a big-game guy, and this hearty dish has his name all over it. He loves to serve this dish on a chilly winter’s day — perfect with a blanket and some college football.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 pounds ground venison
1 large onion, diced
3 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 packet Williams Chili Seasoning
2 crushed bay leaves
1 heaping tablespoon dried sage
1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 heaping teaspoon dried sweet basil
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add venison and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large soup pot and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 3 to 4 hours, until it reaches desired consistency. Serve, topped with cheese.
