Читать книгу TABLE TALES - Richard Alther - Страница 9

“People have tried and they have tried, but sex is not better than sweet corn.”

– GARRISON KEILLOR

CHAPTER THREE

The Wardrobe Malfunction

DORIS is petite except in one way, well really two. She’s built like Dolly Parton without the wig.

It’s a fantastic summer day in Vermont, meaning it’s suddenly steamy, humid and sultry like the rest of the nation. Women friends coming to our porch dinner party will finally have a chance to wear that sexy number with spaghetti straps, or a colorful Indian print floor-length frock that might see the light of day twice a decade. And gay male hosts, unlike their husbands, will actually notice. And rave about.

Angela has seized upon the occasion to sport a violet sombrero like those outrageous chapeaus worn by the upper class ladies at Wimbleton and royal weddings. Meanwhile, her husband is in sandals, baggy shorts and a rumpled polo shirt – such a guy.

We’re all in manic good spirits but part-way through dinner the decibel level is noticeably lower. And then it comes to a halt. One half of Doris’s ample endowment (please, in au naturale Vermont, there is no Hollywood augmentation) has slipped out of her bodice. And there it hangs like an overripe melon.

This shuts up even our typically talkative guests. In stupefaction. In amazement. In shock. Whatever. All are lost for words except Carl exchanging prattle with Doris as if there has been no moon landing right here in our sequestered outback.

“It’s impossible to run out of recipes for breast of chicken,” says Nancy with a straight face. Before the table can crack up, Rich, bless his heart, abruptly and noisily stands to refill water goblets, slides to Doris and whispers into one ear of her need for adjustment.

Much to the credit of our good-hearted friends, the table erupts in resumed banter as Doris deftly does her business as if no one has noticed a thing.

MENU 3

ALMOST INDIAN CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Appetizers

Mushroom Duxelles in Pastry Shells

Anchovy Bread Sticks

First Course

Broccoli/Ricotta Terrine – with Basil Vinaigrette Sauce

Main Course

Chicken in Cardamom Yogurt (Tikka Masala)

Red Pepper and Shallot Curry Compote

Basmati Rice

Dessert

Soaked Coconut Layer Cake

PLANNING CHART

Mushroom Duxelles	2 days ahead; warmed on the day; or frozen days ahead
Anchovy Bread Sticks	2–3 days ahead
Broccoli/Ricotta Terrine and Sauce	2 days ahead
Chicken Tikka Masala	the day before(or refrigerated for 2–3 days and warmed)
Curry Compote	3 days before
Rice	that morning
Cake	day before, or frozen the week before

Broccoli-Ricotta Terrine

Broccoli-Ricotta Terrine

FOR 8

2 large heads broccoli

8 ounces ricotta

3 ounces egg beaters – or 2 eggs

1 tablespoon flour

salt, to taste

non-stick cooking oil spray

basil leaves – ½ cup

2 garlic cloves

1 ounce rice vinegar

4 ounces olive oil

diced pimentos for garnish

After trimming and washing broccoli, cutting it into medium size pieces, steam or boil until crisp tender. (I prefer to steam vegetables because fewer nutrients are lost in the boiling water.) Plunge the broccoli in ice water to cool and set the green color.

Place broccoli, ricotta, egg, flour and salt in food processor and puree until smooth. Spray the inside of 3-4 oz. ovenproof terrine molds (the simple glass variety available everywhere work well). Divide the broccoli mixture among the terrine molds. Place molds in baking pan large enough to hold all molds and add to the pan hot water half way up the sides of the molds. Bake in a 375° oven for 30 minutes, or until set. (The mixture may puff during the baking, but will settle while it is cooling.) Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. At this point you can remove the cups from the water and cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be done hours ahead, or even 2 days ahead. To rewarm, simply remove the plastic wrap and place molds back in the baking dish with enough water to come up the sides half way. Cover pan with tin foil and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. They can stay warm this way until ready to unmold.

BASIL VINAIGRETTE SAUCE

In a food processor puree the basil leaves, and garlic, with the rice vinegar, olive oil and a little salt. The color should be richly green. If you wish a greener sauce you can add more basil, or even some parsley. This sauce can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.

To Serve

On individual serving plates pour a circle of the basil sauce. Unmold the broccoli terrines by turning upside down on top of the sauce and lifting off the molds. (If, by chance, the terrine has stuck to the mold try running a sharp knife around the edge of the terrine before placing on top of the sauce.) Garnish the terrines with a few pieces of diced pimento, if desired. (I think the red color adds considerably to the presentation.)

Chicken in CardamomYogurt

Chicken in Cardamom Yogurt (Tikka Masala)

FOR 8

2 cups yogurt (whole milk – but not Greek style)

2 cups canned tomato puree

4 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground coriander

5 teaspoons paprika

1 tablespoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

12 whole cloves

6 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

8 boneless, skinned chicken breast halves (any fat removed)

additional green scallions, chopped for garnish

TIME SAVER

To make your serving easier this chicken can be prepared up to this point, the day ahead, cooled, refrigerated, and then rewarmed before serving.

NOTE: If preparing the sauce separately from the chicken, you may place all the ingredients in a sauce pan, bring to a low boil, and simmer for about 15 minutes. This sauce can then be cooled, and stored in the refrigerator for up to several days.

This sauce can be used with chicken (or fish) in several ways. It is not “officially” a Tikka Masala, but I feel it is so close in flavor, if not somewhat richer, that I usually tell my guests that it is a Tikka Masala.

The easiest preparation, as will be presented below, is to simply assemble the ingredients for the sauce and then add whole chicken breasts, and bake together. For variety I cut skinned, boned chicken breasts into ½ inch cubes and sauté in olive oil until cooked through, then adding them to the cooked sauce. This version works well if you are having a buffet and allowing guests to serve themselves.

Mix together thoroughly first 12 ingredients to make sauce. In a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts, and with additional room for the sauce, place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Pour over the chicken the sauce and make sure the chicken is completely coated. Bake in a 375° heated oven for 40 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Mushroom Duxelles In Pastry Shells

(2 DOZEN BITE-SIZE APPETIZERS)

½ pound mushrooms, finely chopped

3 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

salt, to taste

dash cayenne

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

½ teaspoon lemon juice

3 to 4 tablespoons grated parmesan

“Mushroom Duxelles” is a rich filling or sauce which can be used in a number of ways. If you ever want to do a Beef Wellington, try this duxelles as the mushroom component. For a non-red meat variety I often use either tuna steaks or chicken breasts, along with the duxelles – of course wrapped in puff pastry. (You will find more suggestions along this line under “Seafood Wellington”).

You can chop the mushrooms and shallots separately, if you wish. I choose to add both ingredients to a food processor and chop them by pulsing until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Melt butter in a frying pan and then add the mushroom and shallot mixture. Over moderate heat stir regularly until all the moisture has evaporated; about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Completely blend the flour with the mushrooms and then pour in the heavy cream, stirring to mix thoroughly. Turn on the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to make sure it does not stick to the bottom. It will have thickened considerably by this time. Lower the heat to a slow simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the cayenne, parsley and lemon juice, and then add salt to taste. Put the mixture in a container and allow to cool until ready to use. It can now be refrigerated, covered, for several days, or even frozen for much longer.

To Serve

After bringing the duxelles to room temperature fill small pastry or fillo cups with the mixture, top with a pinch of the grated parmesan, and place on a baking sheet. Warm in a 300° oven for 10-15 minutes and serve (making sure the duxelles is not too hot to eat).

AFTER THOUGHTS

Make a double or triple batch, freezing for later what you are not using for this recipe. Pastry and fillo cups are available in specialty shops, in the freezer section of some grocery stores, and through suppliers online. You may also wish to make your own by cutting circles of thinly sliced bread and pushing them gently into buttered small muffin tins, and then baking in a hot oven until toasted. These shells can be stored ahead of time in an airtight container.

Red Pepper and Shallot Curry Compote

(FOR 8)

3 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 10 large)

1 bunch scallions (white and green

parts separated; each chopped)

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

6 large plum tomatoes, diced

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons paprika

1½ tablespoons mustard seeds

4 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced

salt to taste

TIME SAVER

This curried compote can now be stored in the refrigerator for up to several days before using. To rewarm simply put in a sauce pan and bring to a slow simmer.

In a large skillet or heavy pot heat oil over medium heat, and add cumin seeds. Allow to cook for about 1 minute, but do not allow to brown. Add shallots and white part of scallions and cook until they begin to become golden, stirring regularly, about 8 minutes. Add the cayenne, tomatoes, turmeric, paprika and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the red peppers and mustard seeds and reduce heat to medium-low and cover for about 10 minutes. Stir from time to time until peppers are soft. Off heat stir in the green parts of the scallions and allow to cool.

AFTER THOUGHTS

As long as you are going through the process of slicing and dicing all these ingredients, why not make a double batch? The additional amount freezes very well and can be used as a complement to many dishes at a later time.

Anchovy Bread Sticks

anchovy paste

puff pastry sheets (frozen)

non-stick cooking oil spray

TIME SAVER

You can store the sticks, unrefrigerated, for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. If longer, recrisp them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 300° oven.

On a floured cutting board roll out with a pastry roller a thawed puff pastry sheet to about double its size, but as rectangular as you can make it. Spread a thin layer of anchovy paste over half the sheet, and then fold the other side over the spread part. Roll the layered sheet again to press together lightly. With a sharp knife square off the edges so you have a rectangular sealed sheet. Cut the pastry into ½ inch strips and place them on an oiled baking sheet about ½ inches apart. Bake in a 375° heated oven until puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing to an airtight container. I like to serve these bread sticks upright in an attractive container near where cocktails are being served.

Basmati Rice

TIME SAVER

Most rice and grain dishes can be made ahead of time and then microwaved for a minute or two immediately before serving. When I’m entertaining, the last thing I want to worry about is whether the rice is burning. I find that reheating rice and grains (quinoa, barley etc.) in a microwave does not cause any loss of flavor or texture.

I prefer rice from India because of its nutty flavor and aroma. Follow package directions, or simply prepare two parts water with one part rice (rinsed) and bring to a boil, then allowed to simmer covered for about 15 minutes.

TO SERVE: On individual serving plates mound a scoop of basmati rice, followed by a chicken breast to its side. Spoon some of the “Tikka Masala” sauce over the chicken and the rice. Add a nice amount of compote to the other side and garnish the chicken and rice with some of the chopped scallions.