Do you like to plan your entire menu at once, ensuring it's balanced and harmonious? No problem! We've explored various ideas and gathered the most interesting ones into a single collection. Here are the best recipes for your 2021 New Year's Eve dinner!
New Year's Appetizers 2021
It's best to serve appetizers in tartlets, rolls, or as a platter – so they are easy to pick up from the table.
Shrimp Mousse
A delicate cream cheese and shrimp appetizer for tartlets, crackers, and bruschetta.
You will need: 200 g peeled shrimp, 140 g cream cheese, 180 g red caviar, 1 cucumber.
Preparation: Boil the shrimp and blend them with cream cheese and spices to taste. Place a thin slice of cucumber on a cracker, top with shrimp mousse, and garnish with red caviar.
Crab Stick and Calamari Appetizer on Chips
An excellent appetizer for New Year's – quick, convenient, and beautiful!
You will need: 180 g calamari, 400 g crab sticks, chips, iceberg lettuce, 100 g corn, 100 g ricotta, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, spices.
Preparation: Boil calamari for 3 minutes or use canned tentacles. Mix them with chopped crab sticks, lettuce, corn, and ricotta. Dress the mixture with mayonnaise and spices, then arrange on chips.
Vegetable Appetizer
You can add other vegetables to your taste and preference.
You will need: 1 zucchini, 1 tomato, 1 courgette, 1 eggplant, 100 ml sour cream, 150 g mozzarella, a bunch of herbs, spices, garlic.
Preparation: Slice all vegetables and mozzarella into rings. Soak eggplants in salted water for 20 minutes and rinse. Fry the vegetables on a non-stick pan and layer the rings, spreading them with sour cream mixed with spices, garlic, and chopped herbs. Secure the vegetable canapés with skewers and garnish with herbs.
Salmon and Avocado Appetizer
Serve it on the New Year's table directly on lemon slices and lettuce leaves.
You will need: 1 lemon, 1 avocado, 100 g smoked salmon, herbs and green onions, black pepper.
Preparation: Slice the avocado, sprinkle with lemon juice, and season with pepper. Dice the salmon and mix with chopped herbs. Arrange the appetizer beautifully on small crackers or in tartlets.
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New Year's Salads 2021
We deliberately excluded standard New Year's classics like Olivier or Herring Under a Fur Coat from this list.
Calamari and Vegetable Salad
A beautiful layered salad, best served in individual portions.
You will need: 2 calamari tubes, 2 handfuls of salad mix, 1 cucumber, 1 red onion, 10 cherry tomatoes, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp 9% vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 250 g yogurt, 0.5 tsp grainy mustard, 1 tsp lemon juice, spices.
Preparation: Marinate the onion in water with vinegar and sugar for half an hour. Boil the calamari and dice finely. Separate boiled eggs into whites and yolks and grate them separately. Chop the cucumber and cherry tomatoes. For the dressing, mix yogurt with mustard, lemon juice, and spices. Layer the salad: greens, onion, sauce, egg white, sauce, calamari, sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauce, and egg yolks.
Pork and Pickled Cucumber Salad
This recipe will appeal to all lovers of spicy and savory dishes for New Year's.
You will need: 200 g pork, 400 g canned mushrooms, 2 pickled cucumbers, 4 leaves of Napa cabbage, 150 g Korean-style carrots, 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 3 tbsp vegetable oil.
Preparation: Slice the pork into thin strips and fry in oil with spices to taste. Chop the mushrooms, cucumbers, and cabbage. Mix all ingredients and dress the salad with mayonnaise.
Meat Salad with Vegetables
This recipe uses beef and chicken, but you can combine other types of meat.
You will need: 300 g beef, 200 g chicken, 150 g cucumbers, 1 bell pepper, 1 pear, 20 g green onions, 2 tsp pine nuts, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp grainy mustard, 2 cloves garlic, spices.
Preparation: Shred cooked meat, fresh cucumbers, and green onions into strips. Dice the bell pepper and pear. Mix olive oil with soy sauce, mustard, crushed garlic, and spices. Dress the salad and sprinkle with pine nuts.
Orange and Feta Salad
A light and fresh salad for New Year's, and it's completely mayonnaise-free and oil-free.
You will need: 1 bunch of basil, 100 g salad leaves, 1 orange, 100 g cherry tomatoes, 100 g feta, 200 g yogurt, herbs.
Preparation: Peel the orange, removing the white pith, and slice into segments. Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters, feta into cubes, and tear the herbs arbitrarily by hand. Mix all ingredients and dress the salad with yogurt to taste.
Crab Stick and Pear Salad
An unusual New Year's salad recipe featuring the most common crab sticks.
You will need: 1 avocado, 1 pear, 6 crab sticks, 1 cucumber, 100 g blue cheese, herbs, 25 ml lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, spices.
Preparation: Julienne the peeled pear and cucumber. Dice the avocado and cheese into large cubes. Slice the crab sticks into rounds and unravel them into spirals. Mix the salad and dress with olive oil, lemon juice, spices, and herbs.
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Main Courses for New Year's Table 2021
Here we've selected several recipes for every taste – chicken, duck, pork, beef, and fish.
Chicken with Lemon and Garlic
Add herbs to taste – rosemary, oregano, or cilantro.
You will need: 1 chicken, 2 lemons, 2 heads of garlic, butter, herbs, salt, and pepper.
Preparation: Gut the chicken, rub it with salt and pepper, and stuff with half a chopped lemon and 5 cloves of garlic. Place the remaining lemon and garlic in a baking dish, lay the chicken on top, and sprinkle with herbs. Place a few pats of butter on top and bake for 1.5 hours at 190 degrees Celsius, covered with a lid or foil.
New Year's Duck with Pear and Oranges
The main thing is not to overcook it in the oven to prevent the meat from drying out.
You will need: 1 duck, 5 oranges, 5 pears, 60 ml red wine vinegar, 100 ml red wine, 5 tbsp orange liqueur, half a lemon, 3 tbsp sugar, 3 tsp starch, spices, 2 cups broth.
Preparation: Gut and clean the duck. From the oranges, cut off the peel with the white pith, taking a little of the flesh. Slice this peel into strips, boil for 15 minutes over low heat, and rinse. Rub the duck with lemon, salt, and pepper, stuff with half of the peel, and secure with a toothpick.
Place the duck in the oven at 230 degrees Celsius, and after 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180 degrees. Bake for about 2-2.5 hours, and shortly before the end, add the peeled and sliced pear with the remaining peel.
During this time, boil sugar with vinegar, pour in broth and the juice of 2 oranges, and spices to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes after boiling. Finally, add wine, orange liqueur, and a little starch to thicken, reduce the sauce, and pour it over the duck with the remaining oranges when serving.
Pork in Nut Breading
This makes a very hearty main course for New Year's.
You will need: 1 kg pork, 1 onion, 50 g vegetable oil, salt and pepper, 100 g peanuts, 2 tbsp sour cream, 2 cloves garlic, a bunch of parsley and dill, hot pepper.
Preparation: Rub the meat with most of the vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Cover with onion rings and leave in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Blend peanuts, garlic, herbs, and pepper with spices to taste, then add sour cream and another 10 g of oil. Spread this mixture over all sides of the pork, wrap in foil, and bake for 1.5 hours at 180 degrees Celsius. 20 minutes before the end, unwrap the foil for a golden crust.
Beef Bourguignon
A classic recipe for your New Year's table straight from French cuisine.
You will need: 1 kg beef, 1 L dry red wine, 4 cloves garlic, 1 onion, 500 g mushrooms, 4 carrots, 100 g bacon, shallots, herbs and spices to taste, 50 g each of butter, olive oil, and vegetable oil, 2 tbsp flour.
Preparation: Cut the meat into large cubes, chop garlic and onion, add spices with herbs, pour wine over everything, and marinate for 24 hours. Fry the chopped bacon, remove it from the pan, and in the same fat, brown the meat until golden. Add flour and fry for another minute.
Transfer the beef to a saucepan, add the bacon, strain the marinade, and simmer over low heat. After 1.5 hours, add carrots and shallots with mushrooms and garlic, fried in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Season again and simmer for 20 minutes.
Steamed Fish with Soy Sauce and Ginger
The ideal main course for those who are watching their figure and don't want to overeat on New Year's Eve.
You will need: 1 kg fish, 2 tbsp grated ginger, 2 stalks green onion, 1 bunch cilantro, 70 ml water, 70 ml soy sauce, spices.
Preparation: Clean the fish and steam it under a lid for about 8-9 minutes. You can place it on a rack in a deep pan with water. Drain the liquid and sprinkle with half of the ginger, cilantro, and green onions. In 2 tbsp of oil, fry the remaining ginger, add soy sauce with water and spices, and bring to a boil. Optionally, you can add carrots or bean sprouts. Place the fish in the sauce, simmer for a couple of minutes, and serve.
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Side Dishes for New Year's 2021
Even the simplest side dish can be prepared beautifully and originally to delight your guests!
Rice with Vegetables
Optionally, you can color it with turmeric, paprika, or chopped herbs.
You will need: 500 g rice, 2 onions, 3 carrots, 400 g broccoli, 350 g cauliflower, 200 g corn, 2 bell peppers, 2 tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, spices.
Preparation: Chop all vegetables as you prefer, and par-boil the rice until al dente. Fry onions with carrots for a couple of minutes, add everything else, and simmer for another 7 minutes. After that, season the vegetables, add the rice to the pan, add a little water, broth, or cream, and simmer until cooked.
Potatoes with Rosemary
This New Year's side dish turns out very tender and aromatic – simply delightful.
You will need: 1 kg potatoes, 4 tbsp olive oil, 4 sprigs rosemary, 2 tbsp flour, 100 g grated Parmesan, a handful of chopped herbs, 2 cloves garlic, spices.
Preparation: Cut and lightly par-boil the potatoes – just 3 minutes after boiling. Mix chopped rosemary, herbs, flour, Parmesan, and spices. Toss the potatoes first in half of the oil, then in this mixture, and spread on a baking sheet greased with the remaining oil. Bake for 40 minutes at 180-200 degrees Celsius, turning occasionally. Add garlic closer to the end.
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New Year's Desserts 2021
What New Year's table is complete without desserts? We've chosen a few simpler recipes so you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen!
New Year's Ginger Cake
A spicy, beautiful, and simple dessert perfect for New Year's.
You will need: 150 g flour, 150 g sugar, 100 ml milk, 60 g butter, 2 eggs, 3 tbsp honey, dried cranberries, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 0.5 tsp each of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt, a pinch of baking soda.
Preparation: Beat butter with sugar, add honey, milk, and baking soda. Slowly incorporate all dry ingredients with spices and add dried cranberries or other dried fruits to taste. Pour the batter into a greased mold and bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
New Year's Chocolate Cake
A very quick chocolate cake with minimal ingredients.
You will need: 200 g butter, 200 g dark chocolate, 230 g sugar, 5 eggs, 1 tbsp flour.
Preparation: Melt chocolate with butter in a double boiler, add sugar, and cool slightly. Whisk in eggs one by one and add flour. Pour the batter into a mold and bake for half an hour at 180 degrees Celsius, so the center remains slightly soft.
New Year's Shortbread Cookies
Here's the recipe for perfect dough for beautiful festive cookie cutters and confectionery decorations.
You will need: 100 g butter, 200 g flour, 1 egg, 150 g sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt.
Preparation: Rub cold butter with sugar until crumbly, then add salt, egg, baking powder, and flour. Knead the dough and let it rest for 40 minutes. Roll it out to a thickness of 4 mm, cut out cookies, and bake for 7 minutes at 230 degrees Celsius.
Quark Stollen
A Christmas cake with candied fruits and dried fruits, baked 3 weeks before the holiday to allow it to mature.
You will need: 250 g butter, 250 g sugar, 2 eggs, 250 g quark (cottage cheese), 550 g flour, 20 g baking powder, spices to taste, 100 g each of raisins, dried berries, candied fruits, and nuts, zest of 2 oranges, cognac.
Preparation: Beat butter with sugar until fluffy, add eggs, then rub in the quark and mix until smooth. Lastly, add sifted flour with baking powder and spices, then the zest, candied fruits, nuts, and dried fruits, previously soaked overnight in cognac.
Divide the dough into molds and bake for 50 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. After baking, you can brush the stollen with melted butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. For storage, wrap the cake in cheesecloth soaked in cognac, and then in parchment paper. Periodically re-moisten the cheesecloth with alcohol.