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Tonight, as tradition would have it, many revelers will ring in the New Year with a champagne toast. For me a bit of the bubbly goes right to my head, so as a foodie I'd rather enjoy my champagne cooked in a creamy sauce. That's why when I'm hosting a party, at clean-up time I make sure to check every bottle for any champagne leftovers, not to sip, but to turn into fabulous dishes.
Fish, seafood, chicken, and even vegetables, lend themselves quite tastefully to sauces made with a dry Brut champagne (a dry white wine also works) whereas a sweeter champagne is perfect in desserts.
Try any of these recipes and you'll discover that you don't have to be a gourmet cook to create chef-quality dishes. With a few simple ingredients and a bit of the bubbly, you just may start a new New Year tradition.
Wishing you a safe and happy New Year.
Champagne Shrimp
and Pasta
1/2-pound angel hair pasta
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. butter
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1-pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups dry champagne
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. minced shallots
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup heavy cream, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions: Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions for al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add mushrooms to pan and saute till mushrooms are tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
In same skillet combine shrimp, champagne and salt and cook on high till mixture just begins to boil. Remove shrimp from pan. Add shallots and tomatoes to champagne; boil till liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cream and simmer till slightly thickened. Add shrimp and mushrooms to sauce and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Toss hot cooked pasta with remaining cup cream and the parsley. To serve, spoon shrimp with sauce over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.
Champagne Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breast halves, bone-in with skin on
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Tarragon or thyme, dried or fresh, minced
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup dry champagne
Directions: Place breasts, skin-side-up, in roasting pan. Make a slit in each breast and insert a piece of shallot. Season breasts with salt, pepper and herbs. Pour 1/2 cup champagne over breasts.
Place pan under broiler and cook 3 minutes till skin is nicely browned. Turn chicken over and broil about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from broiler, baste with pan juices and add the remaining 1/2 cup champagne. Set oven temperature to 475-degrees F. and bake the chicken for 30 minutes, basting several times. Serve over white or brown rice. Pour cooking juices over the meat and rice. Serves 4.
Champagne Butter Sauce
(Glamorize fish or steamed vegetables with this delicious sauce.)
2 T. butter
1 shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup dry champagne
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Directions: In saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and cook till soft and translucent. Add champagne and simmer till reduced to half. Add the cream and simmer that till reduced to half. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce with fish, seafood or steamed vegetables.