The festive flavors of First Night: ring in the new year in a new way - New Year's Eve celebrations - includes recipes

Vegetarian Times, Jan, 1995 by Jay Solomon

FOR MUCH OF MY LIFE, I have dreaded the arrival of New Year's Eve. Every year I grew more weary of the heartburn-inducing food, the forced hoopla and the silly party hats. Inevitably, I was home by the stroke of midnight. Compared to Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, New Year's Eve felt contrived and antidimactic. The Grinch should have stolen New Year's Eve, not Christmas. He could have it.

Then I discovered First Night, an outdoor winter festival held in more than 100 communities throughout North America. From Boston to San Diego, First Night marks the arrival of the new year with multicultural pomp and circumstance. Main Street USA pulses with parades, art showings, ice sculptures, outdoor theater, concerts, ice skating and myriad winter activities.

First Night was born in Boston in the late 1970s. Rather than heading out to the same old parties, a group of local residents and artists organized a non-alcoholic cornmunity-wide celebration of the arts and culture. The first First Night was a success, and the idea has since spread to other towns and cities.

Although local First Night activities are organized at the grass roots level, participating communities belong to the International Alliance of First Night Celebrations, a non-profit group based in Boston. Many events are free and open to the public; organizers often rely on button and program sales and donations for funding. Volunteers play a big role at many events. (For information on a First Night in your area, call The International Alliance of First Night Celebrations at [617] 542-6111.

With all of the festivities to attend, spectators can work up quite an appetite as they wander about in the chilly air. With this in mind, I have created a First Night grazing menu perfect for a break from each of the wintry activities. This fare is hearty, easy to prepare, creative and unpretentious. The staples of the season--beans, lentils, squash, grains, root vegetables and tubers--are the core ingredients. In keeping with the First Night spirit of multiculturalism, these soul-warming dishes are inspired by flavors culled from all over the world.

For a First Night smorgasbord, try serving an assortment of the following dishes buffet-style. Or for a nourishing "rest stop" bite, you can serve just two or three of the dishes. As millions of Americans paint, sing and dance their way into the New Year, it is only fitting that we dine with a culinary esprit de corps as well.

Zucchini Corn Bread

Making a low fat cornbread is not impossible. In this recipe, zucchini provides the moisture.

1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup unbleached white flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbs. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg, beaten, plus 1 egg white 1 cup buttermilk 2 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn

kernels 1 cup shredded zucchini

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 degrees. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat egg and egg white; whisk in buttermilk and oil. Gently fold liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until batter is formed. Fold in corn and zucchini.

Pour batter into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan or muffin pan. Bake until crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12 servings. PER SERVING: 145 CAL.; 4G PROT.; 4G FAT; 25G CARB.; 19MG CHOL.; 228MG SOD.; 2G FIBER, OVO LACTO

Pumpkin Dal

DAL is a Indian lentil dish with a warm curry flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you can't find pumpkin, use butternut squash. Serve with Indian flatbread or flour tortillas.

1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 medium onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1 cup red or brown lentils 4 cups water 2 cups diced pumpkin or butternut

squash Salt to taste

HEAT OIL IN SAUCEPAN. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cumin, coriander and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in lentils and water; cook over medium-low heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pumpkin or squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes. Salt to taste. Makes 4 servings. PER SERVING: 218 CAL.; 10G PROT.; 5G FAT; 32G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 272MG SOD.: SG FIBER. VEGAN

Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Rapini

CROSTINI roughly means little crusts in Italian. It is an inventive way to use yesterday's bread. Top with dried tomatoes and RAPINI (a leafy green vegetable also called broccoli rabe) for an open-faced sandwich that features the hues and flavors of the holiday season.

1/2 cup dried tomatoes (not oilpacked) 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups coarsely chopped, packed

rapini (see glossary) or spinach 1/4 tsp. ground sage 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 8 thick slices Italian bread, toasted 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

(optional)

SOAK TOMATOES in warm water to cover 30 minutes to 1 hour; drain and coarsely chop.

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add garlic and saute 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, rapini or spinach, sage and pep per flakes, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring frequently. Spread mixture over toasted bread slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired. Makes 8 servings. PER SERVING: 13 3 CAL.; 5G PROT.; 2G FAT; 2 2G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 195MG SOD.; 3G FIBER. VEGAN/LACTO