Easy to prepare meal for New Year's Eve

We all love Christmas time, especially when someone does all the cooking for us. But, there are days when we all have to don our chef’s hats and aprons and get our hands dirty. Michael Diacono, chef patron at Giuseppi’s, has put together a menu that will make your entertaining as stress free and calm as possible. Ideal for a New Year’s Eve dinner, the plan is to get as much of the prep done in good time, leaving only the minimal amount of cooking to the last minutes. Splash out and buy the best you can find, it is the festive season after all, and then let your ingredients speak for themselves.

King scallops with hazelnut butter and caviar

This recipe is really easy to prepare and you can do most of the work up to four hours before you need to serve them. The trick to easy entertaining, according to Michael, is to do as much prep as you can beforehand. That way you get to spend as much time with your guests as possible, because who really wants to slaving in the ktichen on New Year's Eve?

Get the recipe for king scallops with hazelnut butter and caviar here.

Seared cod on lentils with a mustard infused sauce

The Italians always serve fish with lentils on New Year's Eve as they are supposed to bring good luck. Whatever the case they are brilliantly tasty and not as heavy as the usual potatoes you'd usually serve with your fish, giving you plenty of energy to get up and dance the night away once you're done with dinner.

Get the recipe for seared cod on lentils with a mustard infused sauce here.

Spice infused pannacotta with chocolate and roasted chestnut sauce

Dessert on New Year's Eve should still have a festive touch. This delicate pannacotta is infused with Christmas spices and is served with a chocolate and roasted chestnut sauce - a take on the local imbuljuta.

Get the recipe for spice infused pannacotta with chocolate and roasted chestnut sauce here.