On New Year’s Day clear your head with a Bloody Mary, then greet your friends with mulled wine and serve them venison stew

Well, Christmas last week, New Year this week; it is all go. I thought this week I would provide a dish for New Year’s Eve along with mulled wine and then a hair of the dog recipe for New Year’s Day, as I am sure your head will be feeling a little fragile.
Apart from all the obvious joys of living in Primrose Hill there is one time I now love more than any other. That is New Year’s Eve. I don’t know what really started it but when we were stopped from having the firework party and that coincided approximately with the Millennium, people started to congregate at the top of Primrose Hill at midnight to bring in the New Year.
The Millennium was amazing with hundreds of people popping and sharing champagne and letting off fireworks. The joy was that there were so many Camden locals that an impromptu party was held and since then we have continued the trend.
There is a wonderful view of all the fireworks over London and the atmosphere is warm, friendly and local. Long may this tradition last.
On New Year’s Day, traditionally a day for taking outdoor activity, we in Camden are lucky to have Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park not forgetting the many little parks as well, so get out there and clear the head after the Bloody Mary.

MULLED WINE
(Makes seven glasses)
Greet your guests who have come in from a cold, wet and windy winter night and their cockles will be warmed.
You can use obscure bottles of red wine that friends have brought in the past.

Ingredients
Juice and rind of one lemon, pith and peel reserved;
Six cloves;
15cm/six inch cinnamon stick;
Juice of two oranges;
125g/4 oz white sugar;
Good slosh of dark rum;
One bottle red wine.

Method
Put the juice and rind of the lemon in a large pan, stud the cloves into the reserved lemon peel and add to the pan.
Add all the rest of the ingredients except the wine, and heat gently. When hot, remove from the heat, cover and leave for 30 minutes.
Add the red wine, reheat, strain and then serve hot.

BLOODY MARY
(Makes six drinks)
If you really like a hot and spicy drink then add a little more Tabasco and also some horseradish sauce but stand well back!

Ingredients
One large carton tomato juice;
Five fl oz Vodka;
A good dash Tabasco;
Freshly ground black pepper;
Juice of one lime;
Ice cubes;
Celery sticks for garnish.

Method
Put all the ingredients into a jug and stir well. Just before serving, add some ice cubes and then pour into glasses. Garnish with the celery sticks and get stuck in. Repeat until you fall down. Only joking.
VENISON STEW
(Serves six)
This recipe is good for a few people or many.
What with Hogmanay being so important in Scotland I thought I would use a Highland meat although it is now easy to buy in most supermarkets due to deer now being farmed.
You can make it a few days in advance; in fact it improves with a little aging – unlike us!
By using venison it makes a simple stew look and taste special and therefore your friends will be well impressed.
Leftovers can be frozen.
Use upper loin, neck or shoulder for this dish. As they are the tougher cuts they will benefit from being cooked slowly and the outcome will be a very tender stew at a cheaper cost.
Serve with rice or mashed potato and a good salad or butter steamed cabbage.

Ingredients
50g/two oz butter;
Two large onions, peeled and chopped finely;
Two cloves garlic, peeled and crushed;
Eight rashers streaky bacon, cut into strips;
900g 2lb venison meat, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm one inch cubes approx;
Two tbsp flour;
Two tbsp brandy;
Sprig thyme;
Four bay leaves;
One pint red wine;
One tbsp redcurrant jelly;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Water

Method
Preheat the oven 150C 300F Gas 2.
Put the butter into a large heavy based casserole dish with the onion, garlic and bacon.
Fry gently for about five minutes and then add the venison.
Stir well and brown the meat for a few minutes over a medium heat. Stir in the flour and then add the brandy, thyme, bay leaves, red wine, redcurrant jelly and season with salt and pepper and stir well again.
Add water until sauce just covers meat. Cover and cook in the oven for one to two hours or until meat is very tender. Adjust seasoning and serve.