Cheap, Sustainable, Delicious Dishes for New Year’s Eve

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Arancini

Arancini (Makes about 12)

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped

4 cups cooked rice

3/4 cup frozen baby peas

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus additional for sprinkling

3 large eggs

1 cup fine dried breadcrumbs

About 4 cups vegetable oil

Directions

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add rice, peas, 1/2 cup cheese, 1 egg and yolks from the remaining 2 eggs (reserve the whites in another bowl). Mix ingredients together with your hands, then squeeze into about 12 (2-inch) balls. Beat reserved egg whites with a fork, then dip each ball in egg whites and roll in breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a medium pot to 350°F. Fry arancini in batches until browned, 5 to 7 minutes per batch, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Bring oil back to 350°F between batches. Serve arancini with additional Parmesan.

Bison-Feta Burgers

Bison-Feta Burgers (Makes 4 burgers)

Ingredients

1 garlic clove

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1 pound ground bison

Accompaniments: hamburger buns; lettuce; sliced tomato; sliced cucumber; mayonnaise; ketchup

Directions

Preheat grill.

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt then transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in shallot, Worcestershire, pepper flakes, feta, salt and pepper, then mix bison into feta mixture. Form 4 patties.

Grill bison burgers to desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare.

Serve burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, mayonnaise, and ketchup.

Three-Ingredient Candied Clementine Peel

Candied Clementine Peel (Makes about 1 cup)

This recipe can be used for any kind of citrus. If you find yourself with an overabundance of fruits, feel free to double, even triple, the recipe.

Ingredients

2 clementines

water

2 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

Peel the clementines and eat the fruit. Cut the peel into 1/3-inch-thick slices and transfer to a bowl. Cover the peels with cold water and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Drain the peels.

Bring 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan, then stir in peels and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until peels start to look translucent and liquid is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let peels cool in liquid overnight.

Bring peels and cooking liquid back to a simmer and cook until liquid is thickened, 30 minutes. Drain peels. Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and toss peels in sugar until well coated. Spread peels in one layer on a sheet of aluminum foil and let cool at room temperature, about 6 hours. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature.

Buffalo Chicken Gizzards

Buffalo Chicken Gizzards (Serves 4 to 6)

For the gizzards:

1 1/2 pounds chicken gizzards

4 cups water

kosher salt

about 3 cups vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1 cup beer

For the sauce:

1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Accompaniment: blue cheese sauce

Place the gizzards in a medium sauce pan with water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer partially covered. Simmer gizzards until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain gizzards and pat dry.

Bring oil to 400°F in a medium saucepan.

Stir together flours with 1/4 teaspoon salt and beer in a bowl. Working in batches, dip gizzards in batter, letting excess drip off, then fry until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined serving platter. Return oil to 400°F between batches.

Whisk butter into hot sauce. Serve gizzards with Buffalo sauce and blue cheese sauce.

Super-Moist Cocoa Cake

Super-Moist Cocoa Cake (Serves 8)

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups water

Directions

Butter a 9-inch springform cake pan. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl with a mixer until lighter and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Place the cocoa in a small bowl. Bring water to a boil, then pour over the cocoa, whisking to dissolve.

Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low to combine. Pour in 1/2 of the cocoa liquid, beating to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour and cocoa mixtures until a batter is formed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs on it, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cake cool completely in the pan. Serve dusted with cocoa powder.

For moistest results, bake 1 day ahead. Once cake is cooled, loosely wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Rhubarb Tom Collins

Rhubarb Tom Collins

Ingredients

1 pound rhubarb

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/4 cups sugar

Pinch of fine sea salt

Gin

Sparkling water

Directions

Cut rhubarb into 1/2 -inch pieces, then bring to a boil with water, sugar, and salt. Let mixture boil 1 minute, then remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, discarding rhubarb.

To make a Rhubarb Tom Collins, fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add 3 tablespoons gin, 2-3 tablespoons rhubarb syrup, then top with sparkling water. Stir before serving.

Falafel

Falafel (Makes 6 sandwiches)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup cilantro

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon baking powder about 4 cups vegetable oil

Accompaniments: Pocket pita; watercress; mayonnaise; hot sauce

Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover by 3 inches. Drain, then puree in a food processor with onion, garlic, cilantro, pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and baking powder until finely ground.

Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet (preferably cast iron) until an instant-read thermometer registers 350°F. Fry 2-inch diameter balls of falafel in batches, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer falafel to a paper-towel-lined surface, then make sandwiches with pita bread, watercress, mayonnaise, and hot sauce.

Tortilla Pie

Tortilla Pie (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried kidney beans

water

2 dried guajillo chiles

1 dried ancho chile

5 garlic cloves

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove

Fine sea salt

Finely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound ground grass-fed beef

Organic tortilla chips

8 ounces grated organic cheddar cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Soak kidney beans in water to cover for at least 8 hours. Drain beans then cover with fresh water in a medium pot and boil until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove pot from heat, letting beans soak in cooking water until ready to use.

Discard seeds and stems from chiles, then toast chiles in a heavy skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chiles to pot with beans, submerging chiles in cooking liquid until tender, about 6 minutes.

Puree soaked chiles in a blender with garlic, tomato, cumin, oregano, clove and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then add poblanos, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and sauté until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in beef, breaking up large chunks with a spatula. Stir in dried chile sauce and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is reduced, 5 to 7 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread tortilla chips in a baking dish and top with chile. Sprinkle cheese over chile and heat in the oven until cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Chiles Rellenos

Chiles Rellenos (Serves 4)

For the peppers:

4 poblano peppers

3 tablespoons corn or olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 ounces baby spinach

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces goat cheese

For the sauce:

3 dried Mexican chiles (such as Ancho or Guajillo)

2 tablespoons corn or olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make the stuffed peppers: Place the peppers on a grill over direct heat and blacken all over, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Place peppers in a bowl and cover bowl with a plate. Let peppers steam until cool, then discard skins, stems, and seeds.

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then stir in onion and garlic along with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, cooking until onion is browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in spinach, a handful at a time and cook, turning with tongs until wilted. Add more spinach, turning with tongs, until all of the spinach is wilted and water from spinach has evaporated. Stir in beans and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Let filling cool, then crumble cheese into filling. Divide filling between peppers, closing peppers around filling. Place peppers in a baking dish.

Make the sauce: Discard the stems and seeds from chiles, then toast in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat. Soak chiles in hot water until pliable, about 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then saute onion and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper until golden, about 6 minutes. Puree tomatoes, chiles, and cumin in a blender. Add tomatoes mixture to skillet and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chiles in baking dish. Just before serving, heat chiles in a 350° F oven until hot.

Ratatouille Pizza

Ratatouille Pizza (Serves 4)

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium onions, sliced

5 medium tomatoes

1 medium zucchini

1 medium eggplant

1 frozen pizza dough, thawed and at room temperature

6 ounces shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

Fresh basil

Directions

Cook onions in 2 tablespoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until onions are deep golden colored, about 35 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 500°F. Preheat grill.

Cut tomatoes in to 2-inch chunks and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast in oven until blistered and blackened in places and when juices have evaporated, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cut zucchini crosswise into 1/4-inch slices and place on another baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast in oven with tomatoes until golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Slice eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Grill eggplant, turning occasionally, until charred in places and tender, about 12 minutes. Set aside.

Everything in the recipe up to this point can be made a day in advance.

Toss the pizza dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and slowly stretch it to fit a baking sheet. Place eggplant on dough and sprinkle evenly with onions. Top with tomatoes, zucchini, and cheese. Bake pizza until crust is golden and cheese is melted, 15 to 18 minutes. Top with fresh basil.

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Ian Knauer has traveled the world for Gourmet magazine, written for too many other magazines to list, cohosted three food television shows and written a cookbook, The Farm. @iknauer | TakePart.com