New Year's Eve Celebration - 2010

For the past several years, we've had guests stay at The Buttonwood Inn on our New Year's Eve package, which includes New Hampshire made chocolates on arrival. 


On New Year's Eve, champagne (or sparkling cider) and appetizers made by Paula are served in our Living Room by the fire followed by a 5-course dinner at the Thompson House Eatery.  At breakfast the next morning, our guests raved about the 5-course dinner because they were able to order from a variety of appetizers, entrees, and desserts and the servers were friendly and attentive.  The majority also exclaimed it was possibly the best meal they've ever enjoyed!


When our guests arrived back at the inn, if they were still in the celebrating mood, they could have watched the ball drop at midnight in NYC Times Square on our big screen TV in the Mt. Surprise Room by a toasty fire.


Here's a recipe for the crab strudel appetizer that was a big hit, among the other tasty appetizers:


CRAB STRUDEL


Ingredients




12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided


3 scallions, chopped


2 garlic cloves, minced


1 teaspoon curry powder


1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked to remove shells


2 teaspoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped


1 lime, juiced


Kosher salt


1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


10 sheets phyllo dough (such as Pepperidge Farm)


1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs


Directions


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saute pan, add the scallions and garlic and cook over medium-low heat until the scallions are soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir.


Shred the crabmeat into a bowl and mix with the parsley, lime juice, salt, to taste, and pepper. Add the crabmeat to the scallion mixture.


Melt 10 tablespoons of butter in a small pan and set aside.


Unfold 1 sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush the sheet with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Repeat the process by laying a second sheet of phyllo dough over the first sheet, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs until 5 sheets have been used. Spoon a 1-inch wide row of the crab mixture along 1 edge of the phyllo dough. Roll it up. Brush the top with butter and set aside. Repeat the entire process using the all the phyllo dough and crab filling.


Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper. Score the crab strudel diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces and bake for 12 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Slice and serve.