YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Super-simple, but impressive, New Year's Eve dinner party

    By | Shine Food – Wed, Dec 24, 2008 5:19 PM EST

    Last year my husband and I had the lamest New Year's Eve ever. We moved the day before and, after a day of cleaning and unpacking, our eyes were barely open when the ball dropped.

    Dan and I vowed to have a better New Year's Eve this year. We're going to make a super-simple, yet super-impressive, dinner for our best friends before we head up the street to a party to ring in the new year.

    Here's my pre-party dinner menu (including a main that dish goes oh-so-well with sparkling wine) or check out these other New Year's Eve Menu ideas:

    Appetizer: Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta
    Salad: Red & White Salad
    Main dish: Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Spinach (recipe follows)
    Side dish: Herbed Roasted Potatoes
    Dessert: Mini Molten Chocolate Cakes with Mocha Sauce


    Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Spinach

    This take on the classic bacon-wrapped appetizer uses prosciutto instead to wrap meaty scallops. High-quality Italian prosciutto, found at well-stocked supermarkets or Italian specialty stores, has an incomparable melt-in-your-mouth texture. It's more expensive, but you only need a little for this recipe.

    12 large dry sea scallops
    1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
    1 1/4 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto (about 3 slices), cut into 12 long strips
    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    Freshly ground pepper to taste
    12 ounces baby spinach

    1. Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
    2. Pat scallops dry and sprinkle both sides with lemon pepper. Wrap 1 piece of prosciutto around each scallop. Thread 3 scallops crosswise onto each skewer (securing the prosciutto to the scallop) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until just cooked through, about 6 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, whisk oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon vinaigrette in a small bowl.
    4. Place spinach in a colander and rinse under cold water. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add handfuls of spinach (with water still clinging to it) to the pan and cook, stirring, until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the spinach and add to the medium bowl; toss to coat with the vinaigrette. Divide the spinach among 4 plates and top each portion with 3 scallops. Drizzle the scallops with the reserved vinaigrette.

    Makes 4 servings.

    Per serving: 239 calories; 14 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 47 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 23 g protein; 2 g fiber; 620 mg sodium; 782 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (100% daily value), Magnesium (31% dv), Folate & Vitamin C (30% dv), Potassium (22% dv).


    By Carolyn Malcoun

    When associate editor Carolyn Malcoun came to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute, she knew she didn't want to work in a restaurant but knew that she wanted to do something in the food industry. Luckily she discovered EatingWell, where she's able to combine her love of food and writing.



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