Chefs Share Their Favorite Recipes To Ring In The New Year – Forbes
Chef Lisa Dahl’s Lovely Lentil Soup.
Credit: Scott Yates
A new year is nearly upon us, and if you’re like me you’re probably already thinking about what you want your first meal of 2022 to be. There are many New Year’s food traditions around the world, with the consumption of certain foods promising happiness, health and wealth. While there’s no way to prove these claims, there’s no question that comforting foods like black-eyed peas and collard greens are a great way to kick off the new year. I hope you enjoy one or more of these chef-curated recipes, and that 2022 is your best year yet.
Credit: Bryce Shuman
Braised Collard Greens
Recipe by Bryce Shuman, executive chef of Sweetbriar in New York City
“Collard greens have long been a tradition in my family, growing up in North Carolina,” Bryce said. “Eaten on New Year’s Day with black-eyed peas and ham hocks or hog jowl, they are said to bring good luck and a prosperous year to come. Collards being green are thought by some to represent money. I’ve even heard that a collard leaf above your door protects you from evil spirits, preventing them from entering. People prepare collards in a variety of ways, but I prefer to eat my collards braised for a long time until they are tender and soft and almost creamy with the fat of whatever meat you choose to cook them with. As far as I’m concerned, you can use smoked turkey necks, ham hocks, bacon or fatback. I always use a good stock and finish them with a little cider vinegar. The smell of collards cooking is intoxicating and always brings me back.”
Recipe for Braised Collard Greens
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 lb collard greens
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 smoked turkey necks
Pinch dried red pepper flakes
1 qt chicken stock
2 Tbsp butter (optional)
Dash cider vinegar
Salt, to taste
Texas Pete hot sauce, to taste
Directions:
First, prepare the collards. Cut the greens away from the stems. Wash the leaves and dry them. Cut them into 1-inch squares.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot until hot and then brown the smoked turkey necks nicely. Add the collards to the pan and sauté the greens on high. Add chili flakes.
Continue to sauté the greens on high …….