To feed, or not to feed, that’s the question that seems to always vex NYE hosts. You just want to throw a party, not a big dinner, yet you know the hours of drinking before the countdown require more sustenance than a hummus-and-veggie platter. To solve this annual conundrum, here are nine simple recipes—six small-plate powerhouses and three complementing drinks that will satiate guests without cramping your cocktail-party vibe. Note that our dishes will feed 24 revelers.

—Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen
Photos by Michael Persico
Food styling by Erin Merhar

Appetizers

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Lamb Chop Lollipops

3 racks of lamb, sliced into 24 chops
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon cumin

Ask your butcher to “French,” or remove, the excess fat from the lamb chop bones. Place the lamb chops on a broiling pan and season with salt, pepper, rosemary and cumin. For medium rare, broil for approximately 2½ minutes on each side, until the chops reach 145˚F. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.  

Sliced Steak and Blue Cheese Butter Appetizers

1 18-ounce skirt steak
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces blue cheese
4 ounces softened butter
1 baguette, sliced into 24 pieces
Maldon salt, for garnish

Allow steak to reach room temperature, then season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet until hot, and sear the steak for approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let rest on a cutting board. Combine blue cheese and butter in a small bowl and spread on baguette slices. Top each with a slice of steak and finish with Maldon salt flakes. 

Canapés

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Smoked Salmon Canapés

1 8-ounce bag bagel chips
4 ounces softened cream cheese
8 ounces sliced smoked salmon
1 stem dill fronds 

Spread ½ teaspoon of softened cream cheese on each bagel chip. Top with a slice of smoked salmon and garnish with a few dill fronds. 

Anchovy Egg Canapés

1 baguette, sliced into 24 pieces
6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into quarters
1 can anchovy filets (approx. 24 filets)
1 3½-ounce jar lumpfish caviar
Chives for garnish

Toast the baguette slices. Top each toast with a piece of egg and an anchovy filet. Garnish each with ¼ teaspoon of lumpfish caviar and thinly-sliced chives. 

Spreads

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Black Olive Tapenade

8 ounces pitted black olives
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1 small box whole-wheat crackers

Combine the olives and cheese in a food processor or blender. While running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a small serving bowl and serve alongside crackers. 

Italian Tuna Spread

2 5-ounce cans of olive oil-packed Italian tuna, drained
1 stick of butter, softened
1 hard-boiled egg yolk
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, sliced into 24 pieces

Mix tuna, butter, egg yolk, salt and pepper in a food processor until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the sliced baguette. Garnish with caper berries and sun-dried tomatoes. 

Signature Cocktails

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Gotham

From Clover Club, New York City

Start the evening on an easy note. This cocktail dials down the bitter on the classic Negroni template, and it pairs well with light appetizer fare.

1½ ounces Grey Goose Vodka
1½ ounces Cocchi Americano Rosa
¼ ounce Amaro Ramazzotti
2 dashes orange bitters 

Stir together all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Dead Man’s Wallet 

From Sylvain, New Orleans

This spice-forward nightcap is just the ticket to accompany dessert, or for cozying up after the ball drops.

1½ ounces Rittenhouse Rye
¾ ounce Sandeman Ruby Port
½ ounce lemon juice    
¼ ounce cinnamon syrup, such as Monin
1 dash Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into an old fashioned glass over a large piece of fresh ice.

The Airmail

From The Slanted Door, San Francisco

Effervescent and ideal for toasting at midnight, the Airmail owes its lineage to a 1941 recipe. 

To serve this updated version to a large group, mix the first three ingredients in a small mason jar in advance, then cover and refrigerate. When serving, shake well and pour 2 ounces (¼ cup) into each glass, then finish each with a pour of bubbly.

1 ounce white rum
½ ounce lime juice
½ ounce honey syrup (equal parts honey and hot water)
3 ounces Champagne or other sparkling wine 

In a cocktail shaker, combine the first three ingredients with ice. Shake well and strain into a Champagne flute. Top up with sparkling wine, and garnish with a mint sprig and rosebud.