Prime Rib Dinner For New Year’s Eve Recipe

Prepare an ice bed on a large serving platter or bowl with crushed ice. Arrange lemon wedges and parsley on the ice.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add shrimp and cook until opaque and just firm, about 2–3 minutes depending on size. Immediately plunge shrimp into an ice bath to stop cooking and chill thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

If using fresh scallops, chill them in the refrigerator; if frozen, thaw under refrigeration and pat dry. Arrange shrimp and scallops on the ice bed around cocktail sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Keep chilled until serving.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble when cool.

Core the iceberg head and cut into 4 even wedges. Pat the wedges dry so dressing adheres.

Place one wedge on each plate. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons (0.75 cup total divided) of blue cheese dressing across the wedges, scatter cherry tomato halves, red onion slices, crumbled bacon and 2 tablespoons of blue cheese per wedge. Finish with a grind of fresh cracked black pepper to taste.

Remove the prime rib from refrigeration at least 2 hours before roasting to bring it to room temperature for even cooking.

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Pat the roast dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, coarse black pepper, garlic powder, chopped rosemary and thyme. Rub olive oil over the entire roast, then rub the herb-salt mixture evenly over the exterior. Spread the softened butter over the top and sides to create a crust.

Place the roast bone-side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, not touching bone. Roast at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes to develop a crust, then reduce oven temperature to 325°F (165°C) and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches your target: 115°F (46°C) for rare, 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare, about 12–15 minutes per pound from this point (for a 6 lb roast expect ~1.5–2 hours depending on oven and roast). Monitor with thermometer.

When roast reaches target temperature, remove from oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 20–30 minutes; carryover cooking will raise temperature ~5–10°F and juices will redistribute.

Carve the roast against the grain into 3/4-inch slices. Transfer to warmed plates and serve with sauces (horseradish cream, au jus, béarnaise, blue cheese butter) passed at the table.

Warm the au jus gently in a small saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling. Keep covered to retain heat.

If serving béarnaise from scratch or store-bought, keep warm over a bain-marie. For bearnaise from scratch, whisk 3 egg yolks with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar reduction and finish off-heat with 6 tbsp melted butter, seasoning with tarragon, salt and pepper.

Place horseradish cream and blue cheese butter in small ramekins for the table so guests can add to their slices as desired.

Mashed Potatoes

Peel and cube the russet potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot over low heat for 1 minute to evaporate excess moisture. Mash with a potato masher or ricer. Warm the heavy cream and 2 tbsp butter and stir into the potatoes until smooth. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; adjust to taste. Keep warm until plating.

Roasted Asparagus

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss trimmed asparagus with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast 10–12 minutes until tender-crisp and lightly blistered. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon if desired.

If using a whole cheesecake, keep refrigerated until 30 minutes before serving to take the chill off for easier slicing. Slice into 8–10 portions.

Plate each slice with 1–2 tablespoons berry compote and a scatter of fresh berries. Serve chilled.