NEW YEAR'S EVE AT THE PARTY PALACE.

Now that you’ve all recovered from the shock of my Christmas Eve, I feel that you’re ready to learn about New Years Eve. As you might’ve expected, it involved another big family meal.

FrankenFeet and my sister had other plans, so the family unit was somewhat reduced that night. However, Arm and Butt made a triumphant return to my parent’s party palace for the event. And, courtesy of Amtrak because she's afraid to fly, so did my Grandmother.


We started off with crab cakes--using the left-over crab meat from Christmas Eve. The recipe is from Cooks Illustrated, and is a keeper. I've made it for each of the last several years. It is accompanied by a sauce of mayo, chipotle peppers, lime juice and garlic. I went heavy on the chipotle this year. Why? Because there ain’t much chipotle in Spain.


The main course was a rack of lamb, and a bunch of lamb chops as thick as my thigh. I grilled them rare. Big Mamma and Butt sent theirs back to the Weber (as they do every year) because they don't like their meat "raw."

Grandma had pork chops. She doesn't like lamb. It's too "spicy."

Here we see the dinner guests, sans Arm.


Here we see Arm...the Cajun.


Here we see the entire layout. Clockwise from top--(a) grilled portobello mushrooms; (b) lamb (“raw!!!”); (c) Trader Joe's risotto with asparagus; (d) white beans with tomatoes, garlic, scallions and thyme (I winged that one); (e) sauteed grape tomatoes with garlic and parsely; (f) asparagus; and (g) fennel bulb braised in white wine.

Big Mamma made apple pie for dessert. At midnight NY time, we ate twelve grapes in twelve seconds (a tradition in Spain) and got toasted--I mean, we toasted--with glasses of Sambuca and coffee beans.

Our next big holiday meal will be Groundhog Day. Believe me, you DON'T want to know.