Pickled Shrimp Two Ways

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As far as Southern recipes are concerned, pickled shrimp ranks up there at the very top.  There used to be a time when no Southern table would be complete without a chilled bowl of this iconic appetizer, and why not? They are obsessive, easy to make, great for a buffet or picnic and make for a great presentation.  I will have to say, though, that I had a hard time finding the recipe I was looking for and the one I used to make from the legendary food critic of the New York Times, Craig Claiborne, a Southerner himself.

In scrolling through the New York Times archives, I did find an article he wrote in 1967, Way Down South In The Land of...the Piquant Pickled Shrimp which featured the recipe of Mrs. Roy Hodges of Montgomery, Alabama.  Mr. Claiborne was known for getting behind a recipe and publishing it giving credit to the original source.  I thought that was really admirable of him, a real Southern gentleman.

There are many recipes for pickled shrimp, just as there are many for shrimp and grits.  Two of the ingredients that were missing from the ones I found in my cookbooks were two "staples of authentic Southern cooking, Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco sauce." * When I read this in the New York Times article, I knew I had found my long lost recipe.

The only secret to this recipe is that the longer it sits, the better it tastes.  Plan on making it ahead of time so it can marinade for a couple of days in the fridge.  There is also a reason for making it in two steps or, better said, two layers.  With this amount of shrimp you want to make sure all of it gets coated evenly with the marinade.

*Craig Claiborne

Mrs. Rodgers Pickled Shrimp

3C vegetable oil
3 tsps. dry mustard (I use Coleman's)
4 tsps. sugar
2/3 cup vinegar (I used white)
2/3 cup catsup
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 to 6 cloves of garlic (I mash them and chop fine)
4 tsps Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce to taste
5 to 6 lbs of shrimp, cooked, shelled and deveined
3 medium size sweet onions, sliced wafer thin (I use Vidalia)
6 Bay Leaves

Directions:

Combine all the marinade ingredients, including the Tabasco sauce.  Blend half the mixture in a blender.

Arrange half the shrimp in a layer in a deep serving dish.  Arrange half the onions and the bay leaves.

Combine the other half of the marinade ingredients.  Repeat the layer of shrimp, onion and bay leaf. Pour the rest of the marinade over the whole dish. Cover and chill for at least a couple of days.

Serves 15

And here's the other from one of my favorite new Southern cooks, Frank Stitts. As you can see, it is hard to choose one or the other;  but I like the use of coriander, lemon, and celery seeds which is what I am used to in pickled shrimp.  Both are authentic versions of this iconic recipe and that is my main concern.

I only have two suggestions...marinade in the refrigerator for at least one day.  Serve in a chilled bowl with toothpicks and leave the bay leaves in.   It's easier, unless you are thinking of serving it as a first course.  It works.

Frank Stitts Pickled Shrimp

Time: About 20 minutes with cooked shrimp, plus 6 hours’ marinating (I highly recommend at least one day)

3 pounds shelled and deveined shrimp, boiled or steamed just until pink

2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 lemons, preferably organic, thinly sliced

14 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

4 dried hot chili peppers

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly. Transfer to a serving bowl or glass crock, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

2. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Remove bay leaves. Serve on small plates or with toothpicks.

Yield: 15 to 20 servings.

Adapted from “Frank Stitt’s Southern Table” by Frank Stitt (Artisan, 2004)
Photo Evan Sung

Both of these recipes can be halved or doubled.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

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For those of you out there who shudder at the amount of calories that will be consumed this Sunday at Super Bowl parties all over the nation, here's a healthy and fun alternative.  It may not fly with the "real men don't eat quiche" crowd but it will with those of us who are more riske in our tastes.

I must confess I was not a hummus lover for many years until one day one of my daughter's friends, a man, brought us some homemade pita chips and a container of the Sabra Roasted Red Pepper hummus.  I couldn't stop eating it and I couldn't stop buying it until I got myself sick of it.  So I gave it a rest and went instead after the pine nut hummus.  Not as addictive, but good.
 
Recently I saw this recipe and wondered what a real roasted red pepper hummus would taste like if it were made from scratch.  Would it be as good as the one I first tried and was addicted to or would it be like trying to make M&Ms at home?  My adventurous spirit eventually took over, if only for the chance of sharing my thoughts on this blog.  It was slightly different, but really, really good.  I must confess that I used ready made roasted peppers.  Next time around I will roast a fresh red pepper but I like to make them on the grill and it's too dammed cold.  Plus I was lazy.

If you are going to a Super Bowl party this weekend, bring some of this with pita bread or chips and an assortment of raw vegetables.  Not only will you be different, it will be most appreciated.  Let someone else bring the Buffalo Wild Wings! 

For more traditional menus and recipes for Super Bowl parties that I have posted in the past go here.

By the way, children, for some reason, love hummus  (way to go little people!).  It is one of the few healthy foods my 3 year old grandson will eat although, much to my surprise,  I have seen him pop cucumber slices in his mouth.  When I bring both of them home for an overnight I hummus them to death.

The recipe below can almost be made with your eyes closed.  Just pop everything in the food processor and let 'er rip.   Smoked sweet paprika is pimenton.  Tahini (sesame seed paste) can be found in regular supermarkets.  If you can't find it, just ask.  Heaven knows where they put it.  I found mine in the Jewish section by accident, although it makes sense by default. The other day I found pine nuts in the Chinese food area.  (@#&^*!!

I am sure some of my daughter's  friends will show up to watch the game on Sunday and I will be ready with a delicious and healthy hors d'oeuvre.  All I will need then are the ribs, beans, potato salad, chocolate brownies, beer...Never mind, I am sure someone will bring plenty of that!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (each 15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 tsp. smoked sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. toasted ground cumin seed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Pita bread or pita chips and crudités for serving

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, garlic, bell pepper, lemon juice, tahini, paprika and cumin and pulse until the mixture just comes together. With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt. Serve with pita bread or pita chips and crudités for dipping. Makes about 3 cups.  Decorate with chopped pimentos on top.

Some recipe have you combine the tahini and garlic in the food processor first and then add the rest of the ingredients.  They claim this makes the hummus smoother .  I leave it up to you/

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

 All photos Lindaraxa

Salmon Rilletes

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 A few of you asked for the recipe for the salmon rilletes.  It is from the famous New York restaurant Le Bernardin and can be found in Eric Rippert's cookbook On The Line which you can buy here .

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 pound skinless salmon fillet (preferably wild), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1/4" pieces
• 1/2 cup (or more) mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced, toasted

Preparation

• Bring wine and shallot to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low; add salmon. Gently poach until salmon is barely opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Strain poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve; set aside shallot and discard liquid. Place salmon and shallot in a large bowl; cover and chill until completely cooled.
• Add smoked salmon, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, chives, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to salmon and shallot. Gently mix just to combine (salmon will break up a little, but do not overmix or a paste will form). Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more mayonnaise and lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Rillettes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
   
• Serve rillettes cold with toasted slices of baguette.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/09/salmon-rillettes#ixzz2SMloo2ru

A Mother's Day Menu... Navarin Printaniere

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Navarin Printanier, a most delectable lamb stew with its carrots, onions, turnips, potatoes, peas, and green beans, is presumably done in the spring when all the vegetables are young and tender. But as it can be made any time of the year, it is not a seasonal dish any more thanks to deep freezing. The written recipe is long as each detail is important if the navarin is to taste like a French masterpiece. But none of the steps is difficult and everything except the addition of the green vegetables at the very end may be made ready in the morning although I prefer to do it the day before. The stew can then be finished in 10 to 15 minutes just before dinner time.

With the stew serve hot French bread, and a red Beaujolais or Bordeaux wine, a chilled rose, or a fairly full-bodied, dry, chilled white wine such as a Macon, Hermitage, or one of the lesser Burgundies.

Navarin Printanier is one of Madame Mere's most favorite recipes.  That and anything shrimp. I have been making Julia Child's recipe for her ever since I can remember.  It is always met with a big smile.

As with all long recipes, read it through to the end before you start. I have adapted the recipe format to make it simpler for you.

Here is a menu that I think works particularly well on this occasion or for a Spring lunch.

Mother's Day Or Spring Lunch Menu

Le Bernardin Salmon Rilletes

Navarin Printanier

Savannah Sponge Cake With Berries And Madeira

or

Strawberries With A Sabayon Sauce

Other Mother's Day Menus here. here and here.

Julia Child's Navarin Printanier

For 6 people
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


3 lbs. Lamb stew meat
2 to 4 Tb rendered fresh pork fat or cooking oil

A 10- to 12-inch skillet
A fireproof covered casserole large enough to hold the meat, and all the vegetables to come

Cut the lamb into 2-inch cubes and dry with paper towels. The meat will not brown if it is damp. Brown a few pieces at a time in hot fat or oil in the skillet. As they are browned, place them in the casserole.

1 Tb granulated sugar

Sprinkle the lamb in the casserole with sugar and toss over moderately high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the sugar has caramelized. This will give a fine amber color to the sauce.

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tb flour

Toss the meat with the salt and pepper, then with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle level of preheated oven for 4 to 5 minutes more. This browns the flour evenly and coats the lamb with a light crust. Remove casserole and turn oven down to 350 degrees.

 2 to 3 cups brown lamb- or beef-stock or canned beef bouillon

3/4 lb. ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped (1 cup of pulp), page 505; or 3 Tb tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/4 tsp thyme or rosemary

1 bay leaf

Pour out the fat; add 2 cups of stock or bouillon to the saute skillet. Bring to the boil and scrape up coagulated saute juices. The pour the liquid into the casserole. Bring to the simmer for a few seconds shaking and stirring to mix liquid and flour. Add the tomatoes or tomato paste and the other ingredients. Bring to the simmer for 1 minute, then add more stock if necessary; meat should be almost covered by liquid.

Put the lid on the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven; regulate heat so casserole simmers slowly and regularly for 1 hour. Then pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a bowl. Rinse out the casserole. Remove any loose bones and return the lamb to the casserole. Skim the fat off the sauce in the bowl, correct seasoning, and pour sauce back into casserole. Then add the vegetables which have been prepared as follows:

6 to 12 peeled "boiling" potatoes

6 peeled carrots

6 peeled turnips

12 to 18 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter

While the lamb is simmering, trim the potatoes into ovals 1 1/2 inches long, and cover with cold water until ready to use. Quarter the carrots and turnips, cut them into 1 1/2 inch lengths, and, if you have the patience, trim the edges to round them slightly. Pierce a cross in the root ends of the onions so they will cook evenly.

Press the vegetables into the casserole around and between the pieces of lamb. Baste with the sauce. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove, cover and return to the oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers slowly and steadily for about an hour longer or until the meat and vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, tilt casserole, and skim off fat. Taste sauce again, and correct seasoning.

1 cup shelled green peas

1/4 lb. or about 1 cup green beans cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 quarts boiling water

1 1/2 Tb salt

While the casserole is in the oven, drop the peas and beans into the boiling salted water and boil rapidly, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender. Immediately drain in a colander. Run cold water over them for 2 to 3 minutes to stop the cooking and to set the color. Put aside until ready to use.

(*) May be prepared ahead to this point. Set casserole aside, cover askew. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove before proceeding with recipe.

Shortly before serving, place the peas and beans in the casserole on top of the other ingredients and baste with the bubbling sauce. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until the green vegetables are tender.

Serve the navarin from its casserole or arrange it on a very hot platter.



VARIATIONS

The preceeding navarin is a model for other stews. You may, for instance, omit the green beans, peas, and potatoes, and add navy beans or lentils simmered in salt water until almost tender, or canned kidney beans, then finish them off for half an hour with the lamb.



Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck with permission from Alfred A. Knopf. All rights reserved.

Dinner Party Appetizers...Gravlax With Fennel- Orange Butter

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This is one of my favorite ways to serve gravlax when I'm having a small group of guests for dinner.  What I like about the recipe is that it is for a small batch and can be adapted to serve a few or a larger number of guests by simply doubling or tripling the amounts.

If I am entertaining a group of six or more at a party, I usually serve drinks on the terrace and let guests mingle and get to know each other before we sit down for dinner.  On such occasions I like to have one or two hors d'oeuvres that I can pass around,  for I know that when they start drinking and talking nobody is going to gravitate to a table and help themselves.  This is a perfect substitute for the traditional gravlax with mustard sauce which I adore but which is best enjoyed at the table and as a first course.  

I have played with the recipe in the past by substituting the traditional dill for the fennel but I have to admit the fennel is better and more unique.


FOR THE GRAVLAX:

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 one-pound, skin-on salmon fillet
1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds, more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon


FOR THE FENNEL-ORANGE BUTTER:

2 small garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds, more for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
3/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, more for serving
Slices of cocktail pumpernickel, for serving
Fresh lemon juice, for serving.

Directions:

1. To make the gravlax:  Lightly crush the peppercorns using a mortar and pestle, the side of a knife, or a pepper mill. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the sugar, salt and orange zest. Rub mixture over salmon flesh; press the fennel fronds and tarragon all over flesh.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Place a smaller pan on top of the foil and weight it with some heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 and up to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.

2. To make the butter (up to 3 days ahead): Using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, mash the garlic with a pinch of salt until it forms a paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon of fennel fronds, tarragon, orange zest and pepper. Stir to combine.

3. To serve, spread fennel-orange butter on slices of pumpernickel. Wipe off most of the marinade from the salmon and slice off the skin. Thinly slice the fish as you would smoked salmon, pile it on the pumpernickel, and sprinkle with salt, more black pepper and a little lemon juice. Top with fennel fronds.

Yield:  8 to 10 as an hors d’oeuvre.


Recipe adapted NYT June 17, 2010
Photo Andrew Scrivani NYT

Sherried Mushroom Empanadas

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This recipe came from one of my old Gourmet magazines as part of a tapas buffet.  I couldn't wait for a party to try them so I served them last night as a light meal with a salad on the side.  Deliciosas!

Given the fact that puff pastry is substituted for the regular masa used in empanadas the final result, when sliced, is more like a streussel than anything else. 


The two empanadas, sliced as instructed, serve 8 to 10 as part of a tapas buffet.  I would say they serve 6 to 8 as part of a lunch or light dinner, depending what you serve them with.  Although the recipe does not say, check for salt and pepper.




Ingredients

2 medium onions, chopped fine

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, chopped fine

2 small red bell peppers, chopped fine

a 6-ounce piece serrano ham* or prosciutto, trimmed and chopped fine

1/3 cup Sherry

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, washed, spun dry, and minced

3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

a 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets (2 pastry sheets), thawed

an egg wash made by beating 1 large egg with 1 teaspoon water

Directions

In a 12-inch heavy skillet cook onions in butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in mushrooms and bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mixture begins to brown.

Add ham and Sherry and cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated
.

In a bowl stir together mushroom mixture, parsley, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste and cool, uncovered.

Preheat oven to 400°F
.

On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 pastry sheet into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle. Halve rectangle lengthwise with a long sharp knife and spread about half of mushroom filling on 1 half, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Brush edges of mushroom-topped pastry with some egg wash and put remaining pastry half on top of filling. Crimp edges of dough together with fork tines and cut several slits in empanada with a small sharp knife.

 Carefully transfer empanada with 2 spatulas to a large baking sheet, leaving room for second empanada, and brush with some remaining egg wash. Make another empanada in same manner with remaining pastry sheet, filling, and egg wash.

Put empanadas in middle of oven and reduce temperature to 375°F. Bake empanadas until golden, about 35 minutes.

Empanadas may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely on a rack, and chilled, wrapped in foil. Reheat empanadas, uncovered, on a baking sheet in a preheated 375°F. oven until hot, about 6 minutes. With a serrated knife cut empanadas into 3/4-inch slices.

Pate Mousquetaire...Duck Pate With Calvados And Prunes

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Just a quick note to say I'm alive and well, though exhausted and overwhelmed from "the endless move".  And endless it has been. 

We got here a week ago and are still surrounded by boxes and what have you.  Moving in town is worse that moving across the country, that I can attest to.  When you move far away everything has to be packed in boxes, even the garbage! Don't laugh, I have arrived at the other end and found a waste paper basket full of discards.

I don't know how I'm going to unpack, decorate and receive my mother in two week's time.  Something has to give and that something is, sad to say, blogging. But I will try to stop by and drop off a recipe or two of things I think you will enjoy making for the holidays...like this pate.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, now sadly out of print, La Cuisine de Normandie by Princess Marie Blanche de Broglie. It is typical of the area of Gascony and uses all the flavors typical of the region: duck, prunes and Armagnac. The sweetness of the prunes plays well with the rich duck meat in this savory recipe. It is simple to prepare and makes quite a splash. 

Keep it ready in the refrigerator for family or guests and take some to the home of special friends, particularly if invited for Christmas Eve Dinner.

If you are a new subscriber, search around the site for Christmas recipes and ideas of the past three years.  There's plenty to keep you busy.

Now back to the boxes...ugh.

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 1/2 - 5 pound duck, boned, or 2 large duck breasts and 2 dark chicken quarters, including thighs and drumsticks

1/2 cup Calvados

1/2 onion

2 shallots

1 apple, peeled and cored

1 tablespoon butter

10 ounces loose sausage, try a mild "country" sausage

1 egg

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Allspice to taste

Thyme, to taste

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

6 prunes, pitted and quartered

1 small bay leaf

2 whole sage leaves

2 strips bacon or skin from chicken

Directions

Remove the meat from the bones of the duck and chicken. Cut one duck breast into 1/4-inch strips and the rest of the meat into chunks. Marinate the meat in the Calvados for at least one hour.

Mix the onion, shallots and apple; sauté them gently in butter. Using a grinder or food processor, chop the chunks of meat coarsely. Combine this meat, the sausage and the onion-apple mixture. Moisten it with the egg, add the seasonings and the Calvados, and mix well. Fry a small patty and check the seasoning.

Place 1/3 of the mixture on the bottom of an oiled 3 1/2 cup loaf pan or terrine. Then place half of the breast strips and the prunes on top, lengthwise; cover with another third of the meat mixture, and repeat. Put the bay leaf and sage leaves on top and cover with the bacon or chicken skin and foil.

Bake the paté in a water bath in a preheated 325 oven until done, about 1 1/2 hours. Weight the pan until the paté is cool (Note: use another pan with a can of tomatoes on top). Refrigerate it for a day or two before serving.

Serve on very thin white toast.

From "The Cuisine of Normandy" by Princess Marie-Blanche de Broglie

Preserved Eggplants With Olives, Capers And Parsley

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What a gorgeous Fall we are having here in North Georgia.  This has always been my most favorite times of the year although, because of the drought, we have not been able to enjoy picnics on the lake, one of our favorite pastimes. 

If you are a football fan, and I"m not,  you are probably out tailgating with friends and family at the numerous college games all over the country. Or just driving around with a picnic lunch in the back seat.  If you are not, there is something wrong with you. Do try to get out there and enjoy this gorgeous weather.  Pretty soon you will be home bound with snow up to your ears and the mother of all cabin fevers.  Remember last winter?

This is one of those recipes that is easy to make and great to have around in case of unexpected guests.  It goes well with the French meatloaf for a picnic or as an appetizer at a tailgating event or a Sunday lunch with friends and family.

Japanese eggplant have thinner skins and a sweeter flavor than their American counterparts.  They are perfect for this recipe, thus, substitutions are not encouraged.

There is no need to peel the skin of Japanese eggplants, as it will soften with cooking. Slicing, placing in a brine solution and draining, as with common eggplant, is also not needed. Simply cut and cook to your liking.

They are available from July until October so go get some and start making a batch.  A great addition served with a crusty baguette at your next tailgate picnic!

This recipe makes one pint.

Ingredients


2 Japanese eggplants (3/4 pound), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds

2 tablespoons fine sea salt

1 cup water

3/4 cup white wine vinegar (7 percent acidity)

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

1 garlic clove, gently smashed and peeled

10 pitted green olives

2 teaspoons salt-packed capers, rinsed, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinsed again

3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 fresh arbol or small serrano chile

About 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Put eggplant pieces in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Fill a bowl, slightly smaller than colander, with water and place bowl on top of eggplant. Let eggplant stand, covered, at room temperature for 6 hours. (Eggplant will turn brown.) Discard liquid in bowl.

Gently squeeze out any excess water from eggplant. In a large saucepan, combine eggplant, remaining tablespoon salt, 1 cup water, vinegar, wine, coriander and garlic; bring mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Drain eggplant slices; discard brine. Transfer slices to prepared baking sheet and let drain and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, finely chop together olives, capers, parsley and chile.

Layer eggplant slices and olive mixture in a clean, dry 1-pint jar, or other container, with a tight-fitting lid. Add just enough oil to cover eggplant, and secure with lid. Preserved eggplant keeps, chilled, for 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.

La Cucina Italiana

The Versatile Eggplant Caponata

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Caponata is a sweet and tangy eggplant dish very similar to the French ratatouille. It can be served by itself,  as a spread for crostini or crackers or mixed into a pasta dish.  If you have a vegetable garden or potager as my friend Sandra Jonas does, at this point  you will be going nuts looking for new ways to cook all that your garden is producing.  I remember last summer we couldn't find enough friends to give out our giant zucchinis to or recipes to prepare them.  Needless to say, this year we did not plant a garden and,in turn, are the happy recipients of the surplus from our neighbor's gardens.

This simple recipe for caponata should take care of the eggplants and tomatoes in your garden.  Serve it for lunch on a baguette or bring it along on a picnic.  You can also serve it on crostini or crackers as an appetizer. 

Serves 6

Ingredients

 1 medium eggplant, cubed

1 small red or spanish onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red pepper thinly sliced (optional)

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoon golden raisins

2 tablespoon drained capers

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Toasted baguette

Preparation

1. Cook eggplant, red peppers and onion in olive oil until browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook another 5 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, drained capers, raisins. wine vinegar and sugar; simmer until the tomatoes break up slightly, 5 to 10 minutes approximately.

.

 3. Serve spread on toasted baguette. (As a variation, you might want to add a thin slice of mozzarella to the hot toasted baguette before spreading the caponata.)

Photo: Andrew Scrivani, NYT

Shrimp Butter

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A specialty of Charleston and the Carolina Low Country, this is a rich puree of sautee shrimp, lots of sweet butter, sherry and spices.  Ideal spread on toast points for cocktails or on white bread for tea sandwiches.  A truly southern way to enjoy shrimp paste is stirred into hot grits and served with toast as a breakfast or supper dish.

When I serve shrimp butter on toast for cocktails, I use Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White Bread toasted at 200 degrees in the oven for about 1 hour.  You can make these early in the day and store in a tin until ready to serve.

Yield:  2 1/2 cups


Ingredients

2 sticks ( 1/2 pound) unsalted butter
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

 1.In a large skillet, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter until it foams. Add the shrimp and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a food processor.

2.Return the skillet to high heat. Add the sherry, lemon juice and cayenne and cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the liquid over the shrimp and process until very smooth.

3.With the machine on, add the remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process until smooth and silky. Transfer the shrimp paste to a serving bowl and let cool. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerated for at least 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The shrimp paste can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Adapted from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock
Photo Food And Wine

Mrs. Guthrie's Vegetable Dip

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Like Mrs. Adams of baked ham fame in this blog, Mrs. Guthrie was another of my mother's friends who you could always count on for a good recipe.  She would serve this dip on a beautiful silver tray loaded with carrots, zucchini, celery, red pepper, cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and anything else in season.  It was the only vegetable tray I have seen frequented equally by ladies and gents, children and adults.

I like the way the vegetables are arranged in the photo above.  Carrot and celery sticks in glasses and everything laid out below.  Much more interesting than arranging everything flat on a platter.

This recipe is from the late 60's and still works today!

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. minced white onion
2 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
Worcestershire Sauce

Direction

Combine everything in a bowl, chill and serve.

Photo: Stockphoto

One Easy Cream Puff Dough Recipe...3 Delicious Appetizers

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This is one of the easiest and most versatile of all pastry dough recipes. To this recipe, you can make savory (add 1 teaspoon kosher/sea salt) puffs for appetizers or sweet (add 2 teaspoons sugar) for desserts. 

The following three appetizers are divine with Champagne!

Servings: 20 medium pastries



Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 good pinch of salt

1 cup eggs (4 large eggs)


Directions:

Preheat oven 425F.

1. In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a simmer on medium heat. Add the flour and with a wooden spoon or spatula, stir very quickly in one direction. Carefully watch and you'll see that the flour starts absorbing the liquid -- and a dough will form. Keep stirring to continue cooking the flour and cook off some of the water, another minute or two.

2. You can do the next step one of two ways:

•Transfer the paste to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or to a bowl if you're using a hand mixer.

•If you want to mix the eggs directly into the dough in the pot, let it cool slightly, 4 or 5 minutes, or cool off the pan itself by running cold water over its base if you will be mixing the eggs in that pot. You don’t want to cook the eggs too quickly.

3. Add the salt and the eggs one at a time mixing rapidly until each is combined into the paste. The paste will go from shiny to slippery to sticky as the egg is incorporated. The pâte a choux can be cooked immediately at this point or refrigerated for up to a day until ready to use.

4. Spoon the dough into a large gallon-sized plastic bag (or piping bag.) Use your hands to squeeze dough towards the bottom corner. With kitchen shears, snip off just the tippy tip of the bag, about 1/4" of the tip. Pipe onto a baking sheet into little puffs, keeping the puffs 2-inches apart. With your finger, press down the peaks (as they can burn.) Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then 350F for 18-30 minutes, depending on the size of your puffs.

Here are three easy recipes!

To make gougeres


Stir in 1/2 cup finely grated gruyere cheese (or other grated hard cheese of your choice) + 1 teaspoon kosher/sea salt (1/2 teaspoon fine table salt) - I used a rasp/microplane grater to get ultra-light snowflakes of cheese so as not to weigh down the dough with heavy cheese. You can also sprinkle a bit of the cheese on top of the puffs after you've piped them.

To Make Mini Foie Gras Puffs

Blend 4 oz. foie gras with 6 TB heavy cream; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a piping bag and set aside in the refrigerator.

Once the puffs are cooked, remove them from the oven and let cool slightly, then slice them horizontally about two-thirds of the way up.

Place a little fig jam into the bottoms of the puffs, to taste, then fill with the foie gras cream; replace the tops.

Serve immediately.

To make the Easy Mushroom Pate click on the link

Pate de Campagne

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Just about this time of the year I start thinking about making and freezing pate to serve later during the holidays or give away as gifts.  For years I was lucky enough to live in places with well known specialty stores that sold great French pates at reasonable prices;  but now,where I live,  there isn't a country pate to be had for at least 20 miles... and the prices!  There will come a time again when the dollar will rebound and we will be able to buy pates and champagne at acceptable prices.  Until then...well you are just going to have to make it...the pate, not the champagne!

I have been looking for a simple recipe for country pate for a long time.  Most of the ones I came across usually required ingredients that were hard to find or were just not authentic enough to go through the trouble.   This recipe from an old Bon Appetit finally fit the bill.

Serve the pate at room temperature with a sprinkling of salt, cornichons, Dijon, and a baguette.



Ingredients


3/4 cup Cognac

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup minced onion

2 1/2 pounds ground pork

12 ounces bacon (8 to 10 slices), finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices (for lining pan)

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons allspice

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 6-ounce piece ham steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips

Coarse sea salt

Cornichons*

Dijon mustard


Preparation

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F.

Boil Cognac until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool.

Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saut&é until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.

Combine ground pork and chopped bacon in large bowl. Using fork or fingertips, mix together until well blended.

Add sautéed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, allspice, and pepper to bowl with pork mixture and stir until incorporated. Add eggs, cream, and reduced Cognac. Stir until well blended.

Line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides. Using hands, lightly and evenly press half of meat mixture (about 3 1/4 cups) onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. Arrange ham strips over in single layer. Top with remaining meat mixture.

Fold bacon slices over, covering pâté. Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°F, about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. Chill overnight.

Do Ahead : Can be made 4 days ahead up to here.

Place loaf pan with pâté in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. Invert pâté onto platter; discard fat from platter and wipe clean. Cut pâté crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.



* Tiny French pickles; available at specialty foods stores.

Photo: Bon Appetit

Camembert Croquettes

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The holidays are coming and with it a lot of celebrations and parties.  I am sure you will be serving plenty of cheese and crackers, something I try to avoid, particularly if there is something else to choose from. Why spend those calories!

I don't know if you have noticed, but cheese has gotten quite expensive and to top that, guests barely touch it when there are other exiting things being passed around.    In the past, I have been guilty of having a plate of cheese and crackers, as a filler,  and invariably, I end up throwing most of it away after I've tired of the leftovers. Yes, I know, it's an easy thing to pull together but believe me, at a big party,  it will only go to waste.   

To me spending money on cheese makes sense when you serve it like the French, after dinner and before or in lieu of dessert.  Then, by all means, spend it on your favorites, but you don't need to go overboard when three different cheeses will do.  I usually serve a Camembert which, to me, is a little more interesting than a  Brie, paired with one of my favorites, Stilton, and some type of  goat cheese.  Fig marmalade to accompany and English crackers are all you need to go with it, but don't forget the port!

I came across this simple recipe in the Worldwide Gourmet and thought I would share it with you if case you decide to go to Costco and stock up on all their great cheeses.  Great prices but have you notice their size? After a week of making myself sick trying to justify their purchase, I am always looking for things to do with what remains.  In this house, NOTHING, ever gets thrown away.  Remember those poor kids in China?? Who would have thought they would end up supporting our debt!

You can substitute Brie for the Camembert or something else with the same consistency.  Check out the Manchego and Serrano Croquettes I posted awhile back.  They are definitely something I would spend my calories on!

Total time: 30 to 60 minutes

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes


Ingredients

- 1 Camembert

- 100 g (6 tbsp.) butter + 20 g (4 tsp.) for the baking sheet

- 40 g (1/4 cup) flour

- 40 g (1/4 cup) cornstarch

- 150 ml (10 tbsp.) milk

- 1 egg

- 1 tbsp. oil

- 250 ml (1 cup) breadcrumbs

- Salt and cayenne

- Oil for frying

Method

1.Make the béchamel sauce: melt the butter; when foamy, add the flour and cornstarch; let color slightly; remove the pan from the heat; whisk the roux while slowly adding the milk; return to the heat and continue whisking until thickened; season with salt and cayenne.

2.remove the rind from the camembert; cut the cheese into strips; add to the béchamel and let melt for 5 minutes, stirring constantly;

3.butter a baking sheet; pour the mixture on it and spread evenly; let cool;

4.heat the frying oil in a pan;

5.in a bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp. oil; pour the breadcrumbs in another plate;

6.cut the cheese mixture into squares or sticks; dip each piece in egg, then breadcrumbs; repeat until all the cheese is breaded;

7.fry the croquettes in hot oil for a few minutes; turn so that they brown on both sides; drain on paper towels; place on a serving platter, cover with a cloth to keep them hot and serve immediately.

Cooks Note

Here's an idea..melt some hot pepper jelly or fig preserves and serve as a sauce to accompany the croquettes!

Recipe adapted from Worldwide Gourmet

Sunday Dinner in New York For Reggie Darling, Part I

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A few months back, I came upon a very interesting new blog named ReggieDarling.  Right from the beginning, I knew the person behind it was right up my alley.  He was witty, charming, well educated, a discerning collector, a beautiful writer and above all a gentleman, that rare species one only finds today in those of a certain age .  We became virtual friends when I started to comment on his blog and that friendship became a real one this past weekend when I visited New York and Reggie Darling took Lindaraxa to one of her favorite restaurants, La Grenouille.  Now, it takes a very generous and trusting soul to entertain a virtual stranger at such a temple of haut cuisine.  But that is the kind of guy he is.  We had a marvelous dinner, with an equally delightful Bordeaux and the added pleasure of meeting Boy Fenwick, Reggie Darling's partner in life and on the blog.




La Grenouille

 La Grenouille hasn't changed much... and that is a good thing.  The beautiful flowers are still there, together with the marvelous food and impeccable service.  It is one of the few Old Guard restaurants in New York City where it is still hard to get a table.  The night we were there, a Thursday, it was packed full.  The Magret de Caneton aux Agrumes, Pruneaux et Navets (Braised Duck Breast with Citrus and Turnips) was to die for as well as the little Canadian oysters for a first course.  Needless to say, we all had souffles for dessert.

The beautiful flowers of La Grenouille

Usually a dinner like this just ends there.  We meet, have a great chat, assert that the other is "for real" and get back to our blogs.  But the next morning when I woke up I felt that I wanted to do my part and reciprocate such a nice gesture.  Not only that, but  I really wanted to do something nice for this man.   So why not entertain Reggie D chez nous for Sunday Dinner? 

Sunday night is the perfect time to entertain when you want to keep it simple.  I know that New Yorkers, who eat out on most nights, really appreciate a home cooked meal, one where they don't have to dress up and where they can enjoy good old fashioned comfort food.  So I rang my new friend, who immediately accepted, and the party was on!  A couple of friends from out of town were also in the city and they were invited to round up the group.

After ascertaining the guest list for allergies and "can't eat" or "don't like" , I settled on Marcella Hazan's Lasagna Bolognese,  a green salad and an Apple and Cranbery Crisp for dessert.  I usually wouldn't pair these two on a menu, but the apples at the store looked divine and after all, what could be easier?  You have to remember kitchens in New York are on the small side and my friend doesn't like to cook so the pantry and the gadgets are limited. 

So there you have it.  A home cooked meal for a New York guy who can eat anywhere he wants to...I think that's a match, don't you?

Making the lasagna, still in my nightgown!



 The appetizers were simple. I had brought some Red Pepper Jelly from my local farmer's market as a gift for my hostess to serve over cream cheese with crackers.  This is an old Southern appetizer which everyone seems to love and something you definitely would not find at a New York dinner party.  Pork Rilletes, which I adore, were purchased at Dean & DeLuca although, in my humble opinion, mine are much better.

Saturday was a shopping day and the time to make the ragu which takes at least 4 hours to cook.  Luckily, the Yankees were still in the playoffs so waiting while the sauce simmered away was no pain.  On Sunday the lasagna was assembled, the apple crisp ready to bake, the table set and the New York Times read cover to cover.  We even had time for a nice walk around the reservoir and a stab at the crossword puzzle.

A gift of local apples from the guests of honor

A nice evening was had by all and I was delighted to see everyone go for seconds, especially Reggie D.  By 11:00 o'clock every dish was put away and the hostesses were tucked in their respective beds.  Now, as Ina would say "How easy was that"?

I'm glad I have such nice friends in New York, some old, some new, but all great!  Thank you for a wonderful time.

(Stay tuned for Part II where the lasagna recipe will be posted.  It's much too long for one post.)

Apple Photo: B.Fenwick
top photo Country Living

Tapas - Stuffed Mushrooms

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You must have thought that I had forgotten the tapas recipes I promised at the beginning of the year.  Well, I didn't.  It's just that with the extreme weather we had this winter and the extreme heat we had this summer things just had to go in another direction.  But here we are, it's Fall, the store shelves are full of mushrooms and it's definitely time for another forgotten hors d'oeuvre, or tapas, that we used to serve all the time but has long been forgotten.

There is another recipe for stuffed mushrooms in my country blog which you might also want to check out.

 The stuffing in step 1 can be made up to a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.



Makes 4 dozen


Ingredients


3 ounces day-old white bread (about 3 slices), crusts removed

2 scallions, white and light-green parts only, roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

3 ounces fresh goat cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 ounce dry Monterey Jack or Parmesan, grated on small holes of box grater

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

48 button mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds), stems removed and caps cleaned

Directions

Pulse the bread in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Place the scallions, bell pepper, and goat cheese in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped and well combined. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the bread crumbs, and stir. Stir in the cilantro, half the grated Monterey Jack, salt, and pepper.

Heat oven to 350 degrees; position rack in the center of oven. Place mushroom caps, cups facing upward, on a large cookie sheet. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of stuffing mixture into each cap. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms, turn oven to broil, and position rack about 4 inches from broiler. Sprinkle mushrooms with remaining grated cheese, and broil until cheese is golden, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Ah, Fall!...Mushroom Bruschetta

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It's time to switch gears and start focusing on all the wonderful things Fall has to offer.  By this time of the year if I see one more tomato or ear of corn I think I will jump in the lake.  My daughter has suggested we pull up all the tomato plants even though they look as if they might just have another spurt in them.  No thank you, I have had all I can take from those plants and the prospect of freezing and canning anything else is, well...just not going to happen. 

Even though the temperatures are still in the high 80's here in North Georgia, you can see a definite change in the sky.  Come to think of it, the bird chirping seems to have subsided quite a bit.  All that is left are the elusive hummingbirds.  No matter how hard I try, I can't even get a bad picture of one eating from our feeder.  So I guess it's time to say goodbye to summer and look forward to the wonderful bounty that is in store for us in the months ahead.

This recipe is a great transition from Summer to Fall. All kinds of mushrooms will be showing up at the local supermarket in the weeks to come and it will be hopefully warm enough to light up the grill at least through the end of September.  Take advantage of it, make this your star appetizer.

These bruschette from the cookbook Simple to Spectacular by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman, are simple to make and always get raves when I serve them. Each is topped with an array of mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and chanterelle —that is set off by fresh tarragon and a wonderful mushroom syrup. There is nothing like a glass of Champagne to accompany them..


Printable Recipe

Serves 6 as a first course

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min


Ingredients

For mushroom syrup

8 oz white mushrooms, coarsely chopped

2 shallots, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups water

For bruschetta

6 slices (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) from a round loaf (6 to 7 inches in diameter) of sourdough or country (firm, crusty) bread

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves: 1 halved and 2 minced

1 lb mixed fresh mushrooms such as shiitake, cremini, and chanterelle, trimmed (discard shiitake stems) and chopped

2 shallots, minced

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest


Method 


Make mushroom syrup:

Sauté white mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in butter in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add water, then simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

Pour mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids and return liquid to skillet. Boil until liquid is syrupy and measures about 1/3 cup, 6 to 8 minutes.


Make bruschetta:

Prepare grill for cooking or preheat broiler.

Brush bread on both sides with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil.

Grill or broil, turning occasionally, until golden.

Rub both sides with cut sides of garlic clove.

Sauté mixed mushrooms, shallots, and minced garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley, tarragon, zest, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon mushroom mixture onto toasts and drizzle mushroom syrup on top.

Endive Stuffed With Goat Cheese & Walnuts

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I came upon this recipe while looking for something else. Since I had just come back from Costco with a huge bag of walnuts guess what we had last night. Although this is really a late autumn/winter recipe when endive is at its peak, I couldnt help posting it lest I forget. Tuck it in your recipe box until then and remember to try out

This appetizer has a lot going for it: The sweetness of the honeyed walnuts and orange sections complements the endive's natural bitterness, while goat cheese provides a smooth contrast to the crunch of the greens and nuts.  It is truly delightful with cocktails so give it a try and don't omit anything! It would be delightful and very elegant if served with champagne.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed leaves)

Ingredients

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons honey, divided

Cooking spray

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons orange juice

16 Belgian endive leaves (about 2 heads)

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese

16 small orange sections (about 2 navel oranges)

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine walnuts and 1 tablespoon honey; spread on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.

Combine 1 tablespoon honey, vinegar, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).

Fill each endive leaf with 1 orange section. Top each section with 1 teaspoon cheese and 1 teaspoon walnuts; arrange on a plate. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over leaves, and sprinkle evenly with chives and pepper.


My recipes, Cooking Light

Antoine's Best Kept Secret...Oysters Rockefeller

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I was looking for a typical New Orleans recipe to celebrate the Saint's victory at last Sunday's Super Bowl when I came across this earth shattering revelation:  the original recipe for Oysters Rockefeller did not have spinach!   Antoine's, the renown New Orleans restaurant where the recipe was created in  1899 still guards the recipe to such an extent that it does not appear in their cookbook.  I was knocked off  my socks.  Did you know this? Am I, like the cheated wife, the last one to find out?

Oysters Rockefeller is a famous oyster dish served at many restaurants throughout the United States. The dish consists of oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with various other ingredients (often spinach or parsley, cheese, a rich butter sauce and bread crumbs) and are then baked or broiled.  Contrary to whatever you have heard before, the original recipe did not contain spinach!

Antoine's

 History

"Oysters Rockefeller was created at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine's. Antoine's was founded in 1840 by Antoine Alciatore, who moved to New Orleans after two frustrating years in New York to open a restaurant of his own. It is the country's oldest family-run restaurant. The dish was created in 1899 by Jules Alciatore, son of the restaurant's founder.

The Rex Room at Antoine's

The dish was named Oysters Rockefeller after John D. Rockefeller, the richest American at the time, for the richness of the sauce. The original recipe is a secret, the sauce is known to be a puree of a number of green vegetables other than spinach. It consists of oysters on the half-shell topped with the sauce and bread crumbs and then baked or broiled.  Jules Alciatore developed Oysters Rockefeller in the face of a shortage of French snails, substituting the locally available oysters for snails. Antoine's has been serving the original recipe dish since 1899. It is estimated that Antoine's has served over three million, five hundred thousand orders.

Antoine's Large Annex Room

Though many New Orleans restaurants serve dishes purporting to be Oysters Rockefeller, Antoine's claims that no other restaurant has been able to successfully duplicate the recipe. Knock-off versions of the dish have proliferated in New Orleans, developed to capitalize on the fame of Antoine's signature dish, but because the recipe for Oysters Rockefeller was passed down from the creator, Jules Alciatore of Antoine's to his children, and has apparently never left the family's hands, competing restaurants have had to formulate their own recipes.

Alton Brown of The Food Network series Good Eats states in the episode titled "Shell Game" that Jules Alciatore took the original recipe with him to the grave, and any version of the recipe that exists today is only an assumption, based on descriptions of the original dish. While many have achieved the trademark green color of the original — a color easily attainable by using spinach in the recipe — it is said that few get the flavor of Antoine's recipe right. Antoine's chefs have repeatedly denied that the authentic recipe contains spinach. A 1986 laboratory analysis by William Poundstone in Bigger Secrets indicated that the primary ingredients were parsley, pureed and strained celery, scallions or chives (indistinguishable in a food lab), olive oil, and capers.

Malcolm Hebert, native Louisianan, cookbook author and wine and food editor, also indicates that the original recipe did not have spinach  and takes issue with the addition of Herbsaint.  He claims that it is not possible that Herbsaint was in the original 1899 recipe, as it was first made in 1935. However, Pernod which is in many recipes easily pre-dates the year Oysters Rockefeller was created." (Wikipedia)

Wow, what is this world coming to. Next they are going to tell me there is no Santa Claus!

*******

I have now looked  through a bunch of recipes for Oysters Rockefeller searching for more clues  They all use mostly the same ingredients, butter, breadcrumbs, onions, Pernod, spinach, watercress, parsley.  Some add Parmesan cheese at the end and although I seriously doubt this was in the original, I think it adds a nice touch.

There is really nothing to it.  It is the perfect recipe if you want to impress that special someone. Winter is the time for the best oysters and Valentine's Day the perfect occasion.

Congratulations New Orleans Saints on a victory well deserved!

Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients


4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup bread crumbs, Panko preferred

2 shallots, chopped

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup Pernod

Salt and pepper, to taste

Dash red pepper sauce (Tabasco)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon chopped chervil or parsley

2 dozen oysters, on the half shell

Rock salt

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions

Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic for 2 minutes to infuse the butter. Place the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl and add half the garlic butter, set aside. To the remaining garlic butter in the skillet, add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Deglaze the pan with Pernod. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of red pepper sauce. Allow the mixture to cook down for a few minutes. Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan and chervil, season with salt and pepper.* Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange the oysters in the salt to steady them. Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper sauce.

Make Ahead Note*: 

You can place both mixes in separate baggies and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake.  Go to the fishmonger that day, get him to shuck some oysters for you (talk him into giving you some crushed ice or rock salt) distribute the two mixes on top and bake.  Now, how easy can that be?

Recipe Source:  Tyler Florence