FOOD FOR HAPPINESS: DISHES THAT BRING GOOD LUCK

- Noodles with duck -

 

 

In Japan, China and other Asian countries, a mandatory dish on the New Year's table is a long noodle. The dish symbolizes a long and happy life.

Ingredients:

4 glasses of water 
1 tbsp. salt 
1 tbsp. honey 
4 tea bags Lapsang Souchong 
2 whole asterisks  
2 duck legs

1 tsp salt 
4 tea bags Lapsang Souchong 
Duck fat 
1 cup chopped Shiitake mushrooms 
1/2 tsp. white pepper 
170 gr. egg noodles 
1-2 tsp. 
1 tsp soy sauce sesame oil  
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, prepare a brine for the duck legs. Put all the ingredients into the pan, except the legs, and bring to a boil. As soon as the pickle boils, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Put the duck legs in a container and pour the brine. Leave the meat in the brine for a few hours or overnight. Get the legs out of the brine and dry with a paper towel. 

Heat medium heat with a small frying pan. Heat the oven to 160 ° C. Place the duck legs in the pan skinned down and fry over low heat until deep golden skin color. Turn over the legs, cover the frying pan with foil. Put the legs in the oven and bake until they are very tender, about 2 hours.

Fill a large pot with water, add salt and tea in sachets, bring to a boil and immediately turn off the fire. Give me some tea. Meanwhile, put the duck fat in the pan and heat it over medium heat. Add mushrooms to the pan and fry them until crisp. Add pepper.Remove the tea bags from the water, bring it back to the boil, put the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the package.

When the noodles are cooked, drain the water and add it together with chopped duck meat into a frying pan with mushrooms. Stir, add soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle with spring onions and serve. 

- Focaccia with grapes -

 

 

Under the battle of the chimes in Spain and Portugal eating grapes. It is believed that he brings wealth, health and happiness. Add it you can and in the dishes, especially well the grapes are combined with pastries.

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour type 00 
1 3/4 cup warm water 
1 tsp dry active yeast  
450 gr. grapes concord 
From 5 to 6 tablespoons. sugar 
1/4 cup olive oil 
Sugar powder (optional)

Preparation: 

Dissolve the yeast in a few tablespoons of warm water, mix with a tablespoon of flour.Wait until bubbles appear on the surface. Sift the flour and add the yeast mixture to it.Add a little of the remaining water by mixing the dough after each addition. It is important that the flour absorbs all the water. If, when adding water, you see that the dough loses its elasticity and becomes liquid, add a little more flour until you reach the desired consistency. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes. Roll into a bowl, put it back in a bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and put in a warm place until it doubles in size (about one hour).

When everything is ready, wash and dry the grapes. Cover the form with parchment paper. Heat oven to 175 ° C. Divide the dough into two balls; one must be slightly larger than the other. Roll out large on a well-floured surface approximately to the size of the mold, not more than 1.3 cm thick. Put the dough in the mold. Divide the grapes and about 2/3 distribute the dough and sprinkle half the sugar, pour half of the olive oil. Roll out the second ball of dough, lay out the grapes, sprinkle with the remaining sugar and pour with olive oil. 

Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar at will.

- Pork chops in breading -

 

 

In Austria and Hungary on the festive table there is a dish of pork. For the local inhabitants, the pig serves as a symbol of fertility and happiness. 

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1/2 cup flour 
2 eggs, lightly beat 
1 cup biscuit Panko 
2 tbsp. Thyme, finely chop 
2 tbsp. rosemary, finely chop 
2 tsp. Sage, finely chop 
2 tsp. basil, finely chop 
4 pork chops 
Salt and pepper to taste 
Olive oil

Preparation: 

Heat oven to 200 ° C. Prepare everything for breading: put a flour in one plate, eggs in the other, and Panko crackers in the third. In the rusks add the herbs. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Lower each pork chop into flour. Shake to remove excess.Then dip into the egg, and then roll in bread crumbs. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. 

When it is hot, put pork chops and fry until golden brown on each side (about 2-3 minutes per side). Transfer the pork chops to the baking sheet. Put in the oven and bake until ready (another 5-6 minutes). Remove from the oven and give a little rest.

- Steak with pomegranate -

 

 

Well-being and happiness in Greece are associated with a grenade. In the New Year the fruit of the pomegranate is decided to break about the threshold of the house. But he can find a more useful application and complement them, for example, steak. 

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Steak (preferably flank) weighing 700 grams. 
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 anchovy fillets in oil 
3 garlic cloves, peel 
1 large shallot, finely chop 
2 tsp. honey 
3 tbsp. garnet molasses 
1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar 
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar 
3 tbsp. red wine  
2 tbsp. olive oil 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt for marinade 
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds 

Preparation: 

To better absorb the marinade, make cuts on the meat from both sides. Meat salt and pepper. Set aside. Using a mortar and pestle make a paste of anchovies and garlic.Add shallots, honey, pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, red wine, olive oil and salt. Put the steak in the dish and pour the marinade. Press on the meat with your hands, turn it over. Press and turn over again. Wrap the dish with a film and put it in the refrigerator. Marinate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. Take the steak out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. 

Turn on the oven grill, put the grill at 15 cm from the source of heat. Peel the meat from marinade; to merge it into a separate bowl. Put the steak on a hot frying pan. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side to the desired degree of roasting. Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. 

Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, add the juices from the meat there. Put the pan on a large fire and bring the liquid to a boil. Boil the liquid halfway and wait until it begins to thicken. Stir every 30 seconds or so that it does not burn. Turn off the fire. Add the seeds of pomegranate. Adjust seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the steak, let stand for about a minute and serve.

- Cassule with beans -

 

 

In South America, they believe in the magic power of New Year's dishes with black-eyed beans, responsible for happiness and luck. It is served both as a side dish and as an independent dish. 

Ingredients for 8 servings:

450 gr. dry black-eyed beans 
230 gr. smoked sausage 
2 cans of diced tomatoes 
1.5 tsp. smoked paprika  
2-3 cloves of garlic 
1 medium onion, cut into cubes  
1 cup of breadcrumbs  
3 tbsp. Melted Butter 
Salt and Pepper for Taste

Preparation: 

Wash the beans, boil in salted water until soft. Drain the water. While the beans are being cooked, fry the diced onions in olive oil until soft; add finely chopped garlic and fry another minute. Add the tomatoes, sausage, smoked paprika and cook for 30 minutes.Add beans, stir. Transfer to a heat-resistant frying pan or mold.

Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Melt the butter and mix with the breadcrumbs; sprinkle over the mixture of beans and tomatoes. Put in the oven. Bake until the dish is browned.Serve immediately.

- Soup with lentils -

 

 

In Italy, lentils are considered a symbol of wealth, luck and success. If it is present among the dishes on the festive table - the coming year promises to be happy.

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1 tbsp. olive oil + for frying sausages 
1 tbsp. lard 
1 cup chopped carrots 
3/4 cup chopped celery 
1 medium onion, chop 
3 cloves garlic, chop the 
table salt 
1,5 cups of green lentils, rinse with 
800 gr. canned chopped tomatoes 
2 sprigs of thyme 
1 sprig of rosemary  
4 chicken sausages 

Preparation: 

Heat the olive oil and lard over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Add a large pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Put the lentils, tomatoes and 4 glasses of water. Add thyme and rosemary and a couple more pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat.Cook until the lentils become soft, 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water, if necessary, to cover the vegetables. Meanwhile in a small frying pan fry the sausages in a teaspoon of olive oil; chop them. Add to the soup and cook for 1-2 minutes.

- Fish cooked entirely -

 

 

A typical dish of the New Year's table in China is the whole fish. Here this dish is a symbol of prosperity and prosperity. 

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 whole sea bass  
2 sprigs of fresh oregano 
1/2 lemon, cut into 
Olive oil  
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1 juicy lemon  
1/2 cup olive oil 
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chop 
1 garlic clove, pass through the press 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation: