"cotechino" news and stories

What do you cook for New Year's Eve? Is there a special food that you prepare to ring in the New Year? Do you eat black-eyed peas? Or ozoni? In my crazy, mixed-up family we always have two special dishes: cotechino con lenticchie e zampone (sausage with lentils and pig's foot) to honor my Italian heritage, and duk mandoo kook (rice cake and dumpling soup) as a nod to my Korean heritage. (Note: the recipe for the soup is similar to my mom's but not exactly the same. Just had to clear that up lest I have the wrath of a Korean-American mother upon me.)

The cotechino and lentils are not difficult to make.  The lentils are cooked and the sausage and pig's foot are sliced and served atop or along side. Lentils (like beans) signify wealth and good fortune. This is perhaps why beans are such a popular New Year's dish.