Making a Meal With a Theme
How I used as many homegrown ingredients as possible for our New Year’s Eve meal.
In my life, it is not uncommon to have no clear idea of what I am going to cook for any given meal. When I get hungry, I head to the pantry or refrigerator and open the doors wide. Looking for items that are about to expire or an ingredient that strikes me as appealing.
To get out of this pattern, I decided to implement a theme for New Year’s Eve. Local food. I determined to use as many ingredients as possible that were grown here on our farm.
Traditionally, I make a stuffed filet of beef, roasted to perfection and served with a pan sauce. This was still the protein anchor for the meal. But my effort to use home-grown ingredients would feed not only our bellies but sustain our souls through a relationship with our land.
Here’s how I did it.
Starter
The evening started with a Bloody Mary.
Tangy and spicy, the Bloody Mary Mix is my own creation. Heirloom tomatoes juiced at the peak of ripeness, laced with horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco, I can this in pint jars to enjoy through the winter. Paired with gin and garnished with a celery and olive spear, it set the mood for the evening.
