The Chick's Affair....New Year's eve

In about 3 weeks, we'll be done with the year 2010 & another year, 2011 will usher in lots of hopes, expectations, love & so on & so forth. Added to all these, we all make the cliched "New year resolution"[barely, of which will be ever followed..!], but we'll keep on filling our stomach with end number of goodies...and when we have foodies around...chefs are always busy in thinking how to tickle their taste buds[I can talk about food..but when eat comes to eating, I am rarely that interested...just some simple food pls!!].

As usual, I am proposing a new menu for the New Year's Eve[it falls on Friday & this year also started on a friday]. I have had too much of Italian fare and now..I will listen to my heart, my soul, who is craving for some simple good French affair, with a touch of Asia. Yes. Pretty much simple for New Year's eve & I dont mind going back to the basics--a good poulet roti, accompaned by sauce de pain. Desser can be something more simple--creme caramel. Whilst for soup------a simple form of puree soup, using winter squash--butternut or pumpkin soup.

I am fully aware that people start craving for the good, old turkey[& I hate turkey], but chicken is much tastier than turkey. Here is this thumbrule for chicken---which is a versatile white meat--who can be overcooked pretty easily, than fish.
Use a good marination--even for grilled chicken. Since, chicken doesn't have any taste of its own, so use herbs,spices--thyme, garlic, rosemary, sage---don't use all..else, it will be too robust for the palate. Use a lot of oil for marination & baste with clarified when you are roasting chicken. It results in a good shine, a crispy skin...& a juicy meat, tasting which you can say nothing but "yummy.."
I dont like stuffing my roast chicken--but its optional for you...from Sage-Chestnut to Apple-Walnut...options are endless. Make sure, you cook for stuffing separately..obviously due to cross-contamination & hygiene factors.
Without beating around the bush, here is my four course menu for the New Year's Eve.

Puree de Citrouille

Puree of Pumpkin, scented with lemon grass & nutmeg foam

---

Salade Nicoise ala Chinoise

Pickled eggs, cherry tomato, sesame-crusted tuna & soy-sesame dressing

---

Poulet Roti Forestiere

Roasted chicken, wild mushroom fricasse, grilled baby leeks & steamed jasmine rice

---

Creme Caramel au citron

Coconut foam

Need a demonstration???I'd love to do it for you....just a call away... :)
Buon Apetito!!!