The New Year is upon us and offers a great time for positive planning and fun ringing out the Old Year, which has had a few bumps in the road for us.  We are happily looking forward to a great new year and new decade.  Have you ever written down the goals for the year ahead as well as the habits, etc. you wish to eliminate for the forthcoming year?  It is fun to seal your wishes and then towards the end of the year peek at what you had wanted to happen.

If learning some new cooking skills or just desiring to have fun cooking with others who like to cook, take advantage of our 20% off special ending at midnight tomorrow.  All of our day classes, weekends and week longs are on sale.  And...when you cook at home you can really cook and serve very healthy meals focused on just the right ingredients for great health.  In our classes, I always focus on cooking for health and sharing such great to know information that "if you eat at least 1/2 teaspoon of the hottest chile  you can endure--heart disease and cancer incidence are much less likey to occur" according to a University of Phillipines study.

Have  you ever had a Fondue Party for New Year's eve?  They are lots of fun--especially when you honor the Swiss custom  of each time you drop  a piece of beef into the hot oil each guy has to go around the table and kiss each gal and vice versa--if a gal drops a piece of beef,  she must do likewise.  This makes for a pretty lively party.

You can do chicken dipped in hot chicken stock or seafood dipped into fish stock or either dipped into hot oil.  Peanut oil is the best because it has the highest smoking point--keeping the oil residue off your drapes.

For starters, I like to serve Cheese Fondue with chunks of French Bread--then have the Beef Fondue with an assortment of sauces or butters and serve it with a Caesar Salad with  homemade croutons sauted in a mix of unsalted butter  and good quality olive oil.

Following is the way I like to serve Beef Fondue. My 2 favorite sauces which I am supplying the recipes for are the Bearnaise and Anchovy Butter.   

I look forward to cooking with you next year and have a Happy 2020!!!

BEEF FONDUE

(BEEF BOURGNIGNONNE)

Temperature: High

¼ pound beef tenderloin or any

Tender cut per person

Peanut or vegetable oil, 1 to 2 quarts

Depending on size of fondue pot

Italian parsley or rosemary for garnish

1. Select the best beef you can find and cut into one-inch squares, trimming off any fat or gristle.

2. Place the beef in a serving bowl and garnish with the parsley. Allow to set at room temperature if within 2 hours of serving time

3. Prepare several suaes, being certain to always have Bearnaise Sauce as one of them—as it is so delicious with the beef.

4. To serve, heat vegetable or peanut oil in fondue pot to high heat. If using sterno or alcohol, heating the oil on the range speeds up getting the oil hot.

5. Provide 2 fondue forks per person and a table fork and knife. Mention to those cooking the fondue with you that they should always remove the meat from the fondue fork to prevent burning their mouth.

BEARNAISE SAUCE

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons)

¼ cup dry white wine

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon minced green onion (coarsely chopped if using blender)

1 teaspoon fresh parsley or chervil

Freshly ground black pepper

3 egg yolks

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted

2 Tablespoons fresh minced tarragon or parsley (1 Tablespoon if dried)

1. Combine wine, vinegar, green onion, 1 teaspoon parsley or chervil and pepper and cook, using a medium low heat until quantity is reduced by half.

2. Melt butter in the microwave or in a pan with a pouring spout. Place egg yolks in the bottom of the blender jar, add the vinegar mixture which has slightly cooled. Blend until well mixed. Switch blender to highest speed and add melted butter in a fine stream, blending until thick and creamy. At remaining tarragon or parsley and blend until mixed.

ANCHOVY BUTTER

Yield: 6 to 8 servings or 2/3 cup

1, 2 ounce tin anchovy fillets or paste

½ cup unsalted butter ( 1 stick) sosftened

½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Several grinds of black pepper (1/8 teaspoon)

1. Combine all in a small bowl, mixing until well blended. Garnish with a few sprinkles of pure mild chile.