It happens every year. You’re tasked with planning the New Year’s Eve outing for you and your crew.  However, you did not get around to it, were out of ideas and money, or just wasn’t up to being the party planner. Now it’s the day before New Year’s Eve and everyone’s looking at you with expectations of a good time. Take the pressure off yourself by serving up delicious Rack of Lamb with Asparagus Parmigiano and a tomato fennel salad. This recipe takes about 40 minutes from start to finish and serves 4-6 people, animals, or whomever you decide to invite.

Rack of Lamb

Pre-heat oven to 425 ˚F (218 ˚C). Marinate a 6 – 7 bone rack of lamb in a garlic herb sauce (I normally use a cooking and grilling sauce by Nature’s Rancher)  two hours prior to cooking. It is important that the lamb be at room temperature so it cooks more evenly. Clean the marinade off the rack and cook over medium-high heat in a 10 or 12-inch frying pan. Sear the lamb for 6 – 7 minutes on both sides or until it is seared how you like it. Before transferring to the over, make sure the meaty side faces downward. Then move it from top of stove to the oven and set timer for 20 minutes. If you prefer your meat less rare, you may want to cook a little longer. After removing from the over, let it stand for a few minutes before cutting.

Tomato Fennel Salad

Many people will tell you they don’t like fennel because they associate it with the taste of licorice candy. However, this salad will surprise everyone at how refreshing and well blended the flavors are. It’s could be because the fennel is sliced thinly and meshes well with the parsley and the white-wine vinegar.  Please note that the original recipe called for pine nuts but if you are in doubt about any nut allergies, leave them out.

The recipe is easy to follow and can be found in detail at Eating Well. 

Ingredients:

1 pound heirloom tomatoes cut into wedges

2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Cut the tomato into wedges and place into a nice serving bowl. Add fennel and parsley. Then, add olive oil, white-wine vinegar, and ground pepper. Thoroughly mixed ingredients together. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Asparagus Parmigiano

The only change made from the original was eliminating salt.  The original recipe can be found at What’s Cooking America. 

Ingredients:

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
2 pounds asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed 
Extra-virgin olive oil 
Coarse salt or sea salt 
Coarsely ground black pepper 
Traditional Aceto Balsamico (aged Balsamic Vinegar)

Preparation:

In a 3-quart sauce pan, add about 15 quarts of water over high heat. Then, shave curls off the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese using a vegetable peeler. 

Cut the ends of the asparagus in a diagonal. When the water begins to boil, turn the heat to medium and put the asparagus in the water, laying them as flat as possible. Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender (2.5 minutes to be safe).  It is important not to overcook. Remove from heat and run under cold water. Be sure to drain well.

Toss asparagus, with just enough olive oil to lightly coat and arrange on a serving platter.

Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese curls over the top of the asparagus and add pepper.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if you have it.

Now you are ready to get your grub on.

Look out for part two which will focus on drinks, appetizers, & dessert.