The secret to a successful New Year’s Eve party is a relaxed host, says chef and television presenter Clodagh McKenna. For Clodagh, that means a small, cosy gathering of loved ones, drinks by the fire and – crucially – a menu that can be prepared in advance.
“I like to keep it simple,” she says. “I have my favourite people over and we share a delicious meal: warming soups, a pie everyone can dig into and poached pears that fill the room with their spiced scent. Best of all, I can enjoy it, too, because I’ve made everything a day or two before.”
Clodagh takes inspiration for this simple supper from the old walled garden at Broadspear, the home she shares with husband Harry. At this time of year, the garden may not have the abundance of summer, but the raised beds and garden stores contain the perfect ingredients for hearty winter feasts.
Root vegetables – left in the ground until the first frosts so the cold can boost their sweetness – enrich soups and stews, while cabbages, kales and sprouts provide freshness to winter slaws. In the greenhouse, Clodagh’s orange and lemon trees offer a lift to winter dishes and garnish to festive cocktails.
The hardy herbs are still going strong, too: thyme, sage and rosemary, the key ingredient in Clodagh’s favourite celebratory dish: “‘Clodagh bread’ is my version of a traditional Irish soda bread and it’s very special to me. There’s a lovely tradition in my home that a guest breaks the bread and makes a wish, so it’s perfect for New Year.”
Friendship is central to Clodagh’s celebrations. She hosts the gathering in the Cork Arms, a former shepherd’s hut that she transformed into a pub for family and friends. “Growing up in Ireland, I missed the culture of getting together at a pub. Lots of our family live close by, so when I discovered this falling-down hut in our woods, I knew I could create somewhere for us to spend lovely evenings together,” she says. “And it’s even got a Guinness tap!”
Clodagh transformed the dilapidated building with salvaged materials and Ebay finds to create the feeling of a place that has always been there. The bar counter is made from one of Broadspear’s ancient oaks, blown down during a winter storm. “We were heartbroken when it fell, but now it forms the heart of our pub,” she adds. Clodagh also installed a kitchen, its cabinets made with timber reclaimed from the hut’s original gates.
Clodagh's top tips for a New Year's Eve
- Use candles and fairy lights. Overhead lighting is too bright. Create a relaxed mood with twinkly lights and jam jars of tea lights.
- Create tablescapes with foraged foliage.From autumn onwards, I start collecting dried flowers, seed heads and pinecones on walks. Then I’ll add them to wreaths or arrange them on the table.
- Add fresh flowers. I like to place pots of scented narcissi on the dinner table, too. Their freshness is a lovely nod to the hope of spring.
- Mix and match. Using different glasses looks fantastic on a tray of cocktails. Dig out your parents’ port and sherry glasses or scour charity shops.
- Choose your tunes. My supper playlist is a mix of folk, jazz and blues I spent ages compiling. Listen to it here.
“On New Year’s Eve, I bring everything I’ve prepared in advance and cook it here, while my friends are having drinks. It means I’m still part of the party and the smells from the food waft towards everyone.” The walls of the pub twinkle with fairy lights, garlands of dried flowers hang from the rafters and a long table sits at the centre, simply decorated with pinecones, seed heads and pots of fragrant narcissi. The bread, pies and pudding platters are placed on the table and everyone helps themselves: “It’s a good way to make everyone feel relaxed and bring people into conversation around the table.”
The Smoky, Clodagh’s legendary New Year cocktail, also contributes to the convivial atmosphere. “It contains honey from our bees, egg yolks from our chickens and a smoky Irish whiskey like Midleton or Green Spot,” she explains.
After dinner, guests relax on a battered Chesterfield sofa and armchairs around a fire. Sometimes, Clodagh plays vinyl records on the vintage turntable or guests will pick up one of the many instruments around the pub. Celebrations can extend well after midnight, but the key is to not enforce fun, Clodagh says. “When I was younger, New Year’s Eve was about big parties, but as I’ve got older, it’s more a time for reflection. I want a gathering to be comforting, like a big hug. It’s an opportunity to look back, surrounded by people I love, and be thankful for the new year that lies ahead.”
Recipes
Prawn Cocktail
I love the retro fabulousness of a prawn cocktail. You can make up the prawn mixture the day before and just pop it into glasses before people arrive. I sometimes serve them in martini glasses, which look fun on the table.
Serves 4
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 100g raw king prawns
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cos lettuce, shredded
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Put the olive oil in a pan set over a high heat. Cook the prawns for 5 minutes and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to cool.
- Toss the lettuce and spring onions together. Mix the sauce ingredients together and season.
- To serve, put the lettuce mixture into small bowls. Arrange the prawns on top and spoon over the cocktail sauce. Alternatively, pile the prawn cocktail on slices of soda bread.
The Smoky
At this time of year, I like to use in-season blood oranges. This recipe makes enough for two plus a top-up.
Makes 2
- 100ml whiskey (smoky)
- 4 dashes of angostura bitters
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- juice of 1 lemon
- juice of ½ orange
- 2 egg whites
- ice cubes
- 2 slices of blood orange
- Put the whiskey, Angostura bitters, honey, lemon and orange juice, egg whites and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 2 minutes
- Pour into chilled coupe glasses. Garnish each drink with a slice of orange.
Chicken and Mushroom Pie
I make this a day or two before a party and leave it in the fridge. Then, when everyone starts to sit down for starters, I pop it in the oven. The lovely smell wafts over and the pastry is beautifully crisp when everyone digs in.
Serves 4
- 30g butter
- 4 skinless chicken fillets, cut into chunks
- 1 leek, finely sliced
- 280g button mushrooms, quartered
- 200g kale or cabbage, sliced
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 250ml milk
- 100ml single cream
- 320g ready-made shortcrust pastry
- 500g ready-made puff pastry (use butter puff or brush ordinary puff with a little butter)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chicken, season with sea salt and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the leek and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the mushrooms and kale or cabbage and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour, stir and cook for 1 minute, then gradually pour in the milk and cream and cook until the sauce has thickened. Leave to cool.
- Lightly dust the worktop. Roll out the shortcrust pastry so it’s large enough to line a deep 20cm rimmed pie dish. Spoon in the cooled chicken mixture.
- Roll out the puff pastry so it covers the pie and rim. Brush the rim of the shortcrust pastry with beaten egg. Lift the puff pastry on to the pie, trimming off excess with a sharp knife. Crimp the edges with a fork. Cut a couple of slits in the pastry to let the steam out and brush with beaten egg.
- Bake the pie in the oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden.
Tuscan Escape Soup
This hearty soup uses all the best ingredients from my winter vegetable beds: sweet root vegetables and lovely kale.
Serves 6
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 600ml hot vegetable stock
- 2 x tins cherry/ chopped/plum tomatoes
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 250g kale, chopped
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- Put the olive oil in a large saucepan set over a low heat. Stir in the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes or so.
- Add the stock, tinned tomatoes, cannellini beans and chickpeas to the soup, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the kale and chilli flakes and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Check the seasoning. Serve in warmed bowls
Marsala and Star Anise Poached Pears
I use Conference pears from our orchard, as they hold their shape really well. This dish benefits from being left for a day or two so the pears can infuse in the delicious Marsala wine and spices
Serves 4
- 250ml dry marsala wine
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 pears, peeled, with the stems still attached
- 200ml mascarpone, to serve
- Put the Marsala wine, sugar, honey, lemon juice, star anise and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and place the pears in the pan. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes (baste the pears with the liquid a couple of times during the cooking) or until the pears can easily be pierced with the end of a sharp knife.
- Scoop the pears onto serving dishes, pour the syrup on top and serve with a dollop of mascarpone.
Look out for our Spring visit to Broadspear with Clodagh in our May issue. Meanwhile, find out more at clodaghmckenna.com or follow @clodagh_mckenna.
