Midnight Suppers

Planning a midnight supper for the New Year or any other time of the winter? Use strategy so that you will be free to enjoy the supper as much as the guests.

That means a simple menu--two or three items--that can, except for a quick reheat in the oven or stove, be completely prepared ahead.

We asked several top restaurant and catering chefs to come up with a menu to fit the bill.

Chef-owner Mark Carter of Duplex restaurant in Los Feliz came up with an imaginative sandwich supper.

“Sandwiches are easy to handle and give the guests something to do that also helps,” he said.

He starts out with a do-ahead Squash and Garlic Soup, using a vegetable that is popular during the holiday season.

Open-Faced Pork Sandwiches are served with their own natural juices, for something like a Vienna roll idea. A refreshing Bitter Green and Pineapple Salad which you can assemble ahead but dress at the last moment, makes a colorful and interesting salad course. And for dessert, a Walnut Cake that can be made as far in advance as a week, provided you store it properly in the refrigerator or freezer.

Carter suggests serving the sandwiches open-faced and allowing the guests to sop juices over their own sandwiches. Having an attendant to do the honors is a nice touch, if you can afford the luxury.

Michael Kurland, executive chef at the new Shane restaurant in Beverly Hills and a protege of Wolfgang Puck, came up with a time-tested buffet favorite--Paella--around which he built a simple, but glamorous California menu. The menu starts with a Radicchio and Watercress Salad topped with crumbled chevre. The Paella, which you can prepare ahead, contains a wide selection of seafood readily available in Los Angeles markets.

The dessert, Hot Apple-Cinnamon Tart, is warmed at the last moment to serve topped with your favorite ice cream.

A Southwest theme dominated the buffet table decorations: driftwood mixed with yellow roses, weeping dahlias and scattered blossoms of a variety of lilies, blue lace, yellow and red rose petals and red ilex berries. The table floral design was by Solarium Florist’s Robert Jones and Jamie Long.

Owner David Corwin and designer Randy Furman of Ambrosia Caterers in Santa Monica suggested a crudite basket served with a Dijon mustard-flavored spinach dip to start. The star of the menu is coulibiac , a savory strudel pastry from Russia. To add the holiday spirit, the pastry, which is usually shaped into a long roll, is formed into a wreath.

The wreath can be prepared the night before or early in the day and reheated at the last moment.

Miniature buttermilk biscuits can be served with the salad, although they also can be served topped with Creme Anglaise for dessert on other occasions. For the holiday supper we suggest their persimmon pudding, which can be prepared ahead and refrigerated. You can serve it plain or with Creme Anglaise (soft custard).

Furman’s buffet table design was a study in black and gold, symbolic of New Year splendor. He used gold and black lame cloths crumbled around dishes, gold fans as place mats and gold beads to create an illusion of opulence.

Along Came Mary’s Mary Miccuci suggested a late-supper menu for 12 that includes a cold fillet of beef or veal you can prepare ahead or take out of the oven 30 minutes before guests arrive. A Radicchio Lasagna that can be made ahead and frozen is accompanied by steamed zucchini which is sprinkled with fresh mint to serve. An almond tart served with raspberry sauce can be store-bought or made according to a basic recipe for pie crust filled with marzipan and topped with raspberry sauce. Recipes follow for your elegant holiday late supper.

Duplex Late Supper Menu

Squash and Garlic Soup

Open-Faced Pork Sandwiches

Bitter Green and Pineapple Salad

Walnut Cake

Prepare squash soup, roast pork and bake Walnut Cake ahead. Prepare salad ahead and add dressing at last moment.

SQUASH AND GARLIC SOUP

1 acorn squash, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 butternut squash, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup oil

1 quart chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

1 sprig parsley

4 peppercorns

4 toasted coriander seeds

1/4 cup chopped garlic

8 toasted french bread slices

Saute onion and minced garlic in 3 tablespoons oil until tender, but not brown. Add chopped acorn and butternut squash and chicken stock.

Tie bay leaf, thyme, parsley, peppercorns and coriander seeds in cheesecloth. Bring stock mixture to boil, add bouquet garni and simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until squash is very tender. Remove bouquet garni, puree and strain squash mixture.

Heat remaining 5 tablespoons oil and saute chopped garlic until crisp and brown. Do not overcook. Drain.

Reheat soup, check seasonings and garnish each serving with toasted bread slice. Sprinkle fried garlic over bread slices. Makes 8 servings.

OPEN-FACED PORK LOIN SANDWICHES

1 1/2- to 2-pounds boneless pork loin

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Salt, pepper

Dijon mustard

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, finely diced

French bread, corn rye, or pumpernickel bread, thinly sliced

Sliced tomatoes

Chopped mustard greens

Daikon radish sprouts

Rub pork loin with rosemary and salt, pepper and mustard to taste. Roast on bed of onion, celery and carrot covered by canopy of foil at 350 degrees approximately 1 hour. Strain pan juices and allow roast to cool.

Assemble sandwiches of bread, mustard, tomato slices, mustard greens and daikon sprouts, topping with thinly sliced pork. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: Heat roast juices separately, if desired.

BITTER GREEN AND PINEAPPLE SALAD

1/4 cup lemon juice

Salt, pepper

1 cup olive oil

2 bunches watercress, rinsed and drained

2 cups arugula leaves, rinsed and drained

2 cups dandelion leaves, rinsed and drained

1 cup chrysanthamum leaves, washed and drained, if available

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

Cracked white pepper

Combine lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Combine watercress, arugula, dandelion and chrysanthamum leaves. Add pineapple and toss. Sprinkle with lemon dressing. Makes 6 servings.

WALNUT CAKE

1/2 pound walnuts

2 teaspoons flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

8 eggs, separated

1 cup granulated sugar

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup cake crumbs

Powdered sugar

Grind walnuts into fine meal using food processor or meat grinder. Sift together flour and baking powder.

Beat egg yolks, granulated sugar and lemon zest 5 minutes or until light. Add walnuts and beat until well combined. Whip egg whites until stiff. Alternately fold in whites, flour mixture and cake crumbs, beginning and ending with whites.

Pour into greased 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Invert onto rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Makes 1 (9-inch) cake.

Ambrosia Caterers

Crudite Basket With Spinach Dijon Dip

Coulibiac Wreath

Lamb’s Lettuce and Watercress Salad

Angel Biscuits (miniature buttermilk biscuits )

Persimmon Pudding With Creme Anglaise

Prepare basket and dip day of party. Coulibiac Wreath and biscuits may be prepared a day in advance. Salad can be assembled ahead, but dressed at last moment. Persimmon pudding can be prepared a few days ahead, but prepare Creme Anglaise day of party.

COULIBIAC WREATH

1 (1-pound) can salmon

2 cups cooked brown rice, kasha or cracked wheat

Sour cream

Melted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (8-ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls or 1 (11-ounce) package pie crust mix

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

1 egg, beaten

Drain, bone and break salmon into chunks or flake. Combine rice, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup melted butter, lemon juice, dill and salt. Mix well. Stir in salmon.

Unroll refrigerated dough, but do not separate into triangles. (If using pie crust mix, mix according to package directions.) Roll dough on lightly floured board to 15x10-inch rectangle, pressing refrigerator dough together as needed to prevent separating. Cut 2 (1/4-inch) strips of dough from long side and set aside.

Place dough on baking sheet. Spoon 1/2 salmon mixture in 3-inch wide strip down center of dough to within 1 inch of each end. Arrange overlapping egg slices down center of filling. Top with remaining salmon mixture. Bring sides of dough up over salmon mixture and pinch dough together to seal. Pinch ends of dough together and fold up against roll.

Place another baking sheet, upside down, over roll and turn over. Remove first baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form wreath.

Brush pastry with beaten egg. Decorate with reserved dough strips or cut into leaf pattern and attached to wreath with beaten egg. Brush again with beaten egg.

Bake at 375 degrees 20 to 25 minutes or until dough is browned, brushing crust several times with beaten egg, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature with melted butter and sour cream, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

AMBROSIA PERSIMMON PUDDING

5 ounces dark rasins

5 ounces golden raisins

9 ounces brandy

2 cups persimmon pulp

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Dash ground cloves

Dash ground nutmeg

Dash ground cardamom

8 ounces chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup half and half

2 egg whites

Soak raisins in brandy. Set aside. Combine persimmon pulp, sugar and butter. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom. Stir in persimmon mixture. Add walnuts and raisin mixture, then gradually add half and half. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into batter.

Pour into 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Makes 2 loaves.

Shane Supper Menu

Radicchio and Watercress Salad

Paella

Hot Apple-Cinnamon Tart Salad can be assembled and chilled until ready to dress. Paella may be prepared ahead, keeping seafood separate until ready to reheat. Tarts can be prepared ahead or assembled and baked just before guests arrive.

RADICCHIO AND WATERCRESS SALAD

1 bunch leeks, rinsed and drained

1 bunch watercress, rinsed and drained

3 heads radicchio

Walnut Dressing

6 ounces goat cheese

Split and finely cross-cut leeks. Remove stems from watercress. Remove large outer leaves from radicchio and place face up around edge of serving dish.

Finely slice hearts of radicchio. Combine with leeks and watercress. Toss with Walnut Dressing. Place in center of dish. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Walnut Dressing

2 teaspoons walnut oil

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine oils, vinegar, mustard, shallot, garlic, lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 3/4 cup.

PAELLA

1 chicken, cut up

Olive oil

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1/4 cup minced garlic

24 New Zealand mussels

2 pounds large prawns

1 1/2 pounds cleaned squid, sliced

3 to 4 cups dry white wine

Dash saffron

1 pound fresh peas

2 sweet red peppers, diced

Salt, pepper

2 cups long-grain rice

Bone and skin chicken breast. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and add chicken pieces. Brown and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to same pan. Add shallots and garlic. Saute until golden. Add mussels and saute until shells open. Remove mussels and set aside.

Add prawns to same pan and saute until pink. Remove and set aside.

Add squid and saute until tender, but not overcooked. Remove and set aside.

Add 2 cups white wine and saffron to pan and heat until pan is deglazed and alcohol burns off. Add shallot mixture, chicken, peas and sweet red pepper. Saute until pepper is slightly tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add rice, cover and simmer over medium-low heat, adding remaining 1 to 2 cups wine as needed, 30 to 45 minutes, or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Remove cover and place cooked seafood over mixture. Cover tightly and bake at 400 degrees about 10 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

HOT APPLE-CINNAMON TART

4 apples

1/2 cup butter

Ground cinnamon

Juice of 2 oranges

1 (7-ounce) package almond paste, cut into 8 pieces

1 (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets

Sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten

Ice cream, optional

Peel, seed and slice apples 1/4-inch thick. Melt butter and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and orange juice. Toss apples in butter mixture to prevent discoloration.

Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 squares. Spread almond paste on each square, making sure to leave 1/2-inch border on all sides. Place apples, fan-fashion across squares. Sprinkle apples with sugar.

Brush edges of pastry and apples with beaten egg yolk. Bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and additional sugar. Return to oven about 5 minutes, until sugar is melted. Serve warm with ice cream. Makes 8 servings.

Along Came Mary Supper

Eggnog and Drinks

Cold Filet of Beef and Veal With Horseradish, Caraway and Mustard Sauce

Radicchio Lasagna

Minted Zucchini

Almond Tort With Raspberry Sauce

Use your favorite eggnog recipe or doctor up a dairy counter eggnog with whipped cream and rum. Prepare beef ahead. Radicchio Lasagna can be prepared ahead. Add fresh chopped mint to steamed zucchini (prepared ahead). Almond tort may be purchased. Frozen raspberries, sweetened with sugar and splashed with a touch of raspberry liqueur can be prepared ahea

RADICCHIO LASAGNA

3 leeks, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/4 cup butter

Pepper

1/4 cup red wine

2 radicchio, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Bechamel Sauce

4 packages lasagna noodles, cooked and drained or 4 sheets fresh pasta, cut into strips and cooked

1 to 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Reggiano

4 small or 3 medium tomatoes, sliced

Parsley

Saute leeks in 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with pepper. Add 2 tablespoons red wine and cook until wine evaporates. Set aside.

Saute radicchio in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until tender, about 3 minutes. Season lightly with pepper. Add remaining 2 tablespoons red wine and cook until wine evaporates. Set aside.

Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup Bechamel Sauce to leeks and mix lightly. Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Bechamel Sauce to radicchio and mix lightly.

Place layer of cooked noodle strips in bottom of well-buttered 13x9-inch baking pan. Spread 1/2 leeks over noodle layer. Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese. Top with 1/3 of remaining Bechamel Sauce. Add 1/2 radicchio mixture, spreading evenly. Dust with more cheese and cover with another layer of noodles.

Repeat layering. Cover with dough and spread remaining 1/3 Bechamel Sauce over dough. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Garnish with tomato slices and parsley. Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes or until lasagna is pale golden in color. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Makes 6 servings.

Bechamel Sauce

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 quarts milk, about

Salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until well blended. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and continue to simmer, stirring, until creamy and smooth.

Season to taste with salt. Add cheese and cook, stirring, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. If too thick, add more milk. If too thin, stir in more cheese. Makes about 1 3/4 quarts.

Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane