We did a fairly traditional New Year's breakfast. Things are a little more restrained this time though because of the deaths last year. Tonight we're having sukiyaki and gyoza (pot stickers). Kind of a strange combination but it works for us.
Please guys, don't spoil/hijack this thread. Tak, that meal sounds REALLY good. I *love* potstickers.
I'll see if I can write down the potstickers recipe if you like. It's pretty simple. The hardest part is doing the wrapping. How did black-eyed peas become associated with New Years?
I've made pierogi, golumpki (Polish cabbage rolls), stuffed grape leaves, and ravioli by hand--with any luck I'm prepared for the wrapping! I'd love to try my hand at potstickers, so please do send the recipe! The cabbage (or mustard or turnip greens) and black-eyed peas are part of a "lucky meal" that is served to bring money and good fortune in the new year. Cabbage (or greens) is supposed to be for cash money and the peas are supposed to be for coins. I'm not sure how it got started, but it goes back well over 100 years.
A little late but my wife and I have our own tradition. Steaks on the grill. I don't care if it's 20 below zero I'm doing steaks every year. Did some big, fat french fries to go along with it. Don't get mad at this northern boy HM but I did gumbo yesterday - from a Zatarain box that is. Managed to find some crawdad tail meat so did crawdad and shrimp gumbo. I'll do my versiion of Hoppin John before the winter is over. Good food for a cold day.
Well the ingredients are pretty simple at least. The proportions and measures are not so much because he keeps them all in his head. Written recipes are not something he does. But I'll try to get some ball park numbers. If you can manage the fillings for cabbage rolls and grape leaves and hand-made ravioli I think you'll be fine dealing with gyoza.
mmmmmm . . . grilled steaks on New Year's Day. I might have to find a way to work that in--maybe on Epiphany. I'll forgive you for your Zatarain gumbo--it's not really that horrible. If you can get it, try their white bean seasoning for your Hoppin John. I've had it that way before and it's decent. Good job getting the crawdad tails--good eating! I love shrimp and chicken or chicken and sausage gumbo, myself. I didn't mean to make myself sound like an awesome cook--but I've made some similar things. It sounds as if he's a much better cook than I am, more like my Maw Maw who kept her recipes in her head. I'm definitely a recipe kind of gal. Anyway--I REALLY appreciate the recipe. If I can't make it, my roommate can (she can cook circles around me!).
