A Taste Of The South...Coconut Rice

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If you have ever had fish or shellfish with coconut rice, you know there is no return.  For me it was many moons ago, as part of a lunch on the terrace of a beautiful house by the sea.  The owners are long gone and so is the cook, a wonderful Colombian woman by the name of Albertina who made rice like no one else.  She was from the coast, near the beautiful city of Cartagena.  That was a memorable lunch and it goes to show you that a meal doesn't have to be fancy to stay in your mind forever.

Coconut rice is a dish prepared by soaking white rice in coconut milk or cooking it with coconut flakes.  It is found in many cultures around the world from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean.  It is also found in Southern cooking particularly accompanying dishes typical of the coastal South.

I make many variations of coconut rice, but the other night I came across Edna Lewis' recipe from her book The Gift Of Southern Cooking and it was so simple and sounded so good I decided to try it and serve it with the shrimp I had just bought.  If you have never had coconut rice with shrimp, I urge you to try this recipe.  Suffice it to say, Madame Mere had seconds, of the rice not the shrimp!

Edna Lewis cooks her coconut rice in the oven but I am more familiar with making it on top of the stove. Whichever method you use should render a wonderful dish.

If you want to learn to fry fish like a Southerner, stay tuned, it's coming up next!

Coconut Rice

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

14 oz canned or fresh coconut milk, unsweetened
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 small onion finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 medium fresh tomato, peeled seeded and finely chopped, 2/3 cup
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 kaffir lime leaf (optional)
Cilantro to garnish(optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour the coconut milk into a heavy-bottomed pot or casserole.  Bring to a boil and add the rice, onion, tomato and salt.  Cover tightly with a lid or double thickness of foil. Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Take out of the oven, test for seasoning, Fluff with two forks and serve.

*I sauteed the onions in a small amount of butter, added the tomatoes and the rice and then the milk, kaffir lime leaf and the salt. Brought to a boil. reduced heat and cooked on top of the stove for about 30 minutes. If you don't have kaffir lime leaves, add a small slice of lime rind.

All photos Lindaraxa
Recipe adapted fronm Edna Lewis   

Wild Rice With Dried Cranberries, Apricots And Butternut Squash

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I have been wanting to try this recipe ever since I saw it on the Williams Sonoma site.  It reminds me of Ottolenghi, whose recipes you know I adore, and it has everything I love in a dish to accompany poultry, including a delicate nutty flavor.   

I have been feeling guilty about not posting Thanksgiving recipes lately seeing that the holiday is next week and knowing that a lot of you are looking for new ideas and not posts about my beautiful roses.  First of all, we have been moving my mother to her "garden apartment" the last couple of weeks so my mind has not been on entertaining but on boxes.  Added to that is the fact that I have been posting Thanksgiving menus for the past five years and this is one of the meals I try not to vary much  How many ways can you cook a turkey, or make a stuffing, or improve on sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, or a green bean casserole with fried onions, or pumpkin and pecan pies?  They are all here including various cranberry sauces and chutney.  Just do a search or go to the MASTER RECIPE INDEX at the top.  But this? this is special and it's worth posting about.  It. would be an excellent addition or substitution as a side dish for the holiday or as part of a weekday meal of roast chicken, like the one we had last night.

If you want a simple Thanksgiving, for maybe two or three, this is your ticket to a no fuzz holiday.  Maybe a green vegetable and a good store bought pie and you, my friend, are off the hook!

It was really tough having to practice this recipe before I posted it.  Really tough....

And making these chicken thighs to go with it was also really tough.  Preparation took all of five minutes.  The things I go through for my fans.....

I made a couple of changes to the recipe by using this brown and wild rice mix which I much prefer to just wild rice. To me wild rice always tastes tough and always manages to get between my teeth or stuck at the back of my throat making me concentrate on getting it out delicately without anyone else guessing what's going on. Here you have more room to maneuver and besides I like the relative softness of the brown rice in the mix.  I also used chicken instead of vegetable stock for more flavor but go the vegan route if you must.   At the end, drizzle a small amount of the drippings from the turkey or roast chicken . That's the icing on the cake!

By the way, I roasted the squash alongside the chicken alternating the temperature between 375 and 400 to accommodate both.  No problem, as you can see.

For Thanksgiving, you might want to substitute dried cranberries for the cherries.

I made enough chicken and rice to save for leftovers tonight.  Or did I?  

This will be the battleground at the dinner table tonight.  I see only two small portions and three hungry ladies .  I have my bets...

Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cherries, Apricots and Butternut Squash

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, chopped

2 tsp. curry powder

2 cups (12 oz./375 g) wild rice, I used Royal Blend Texmati wild and brown rice

1 cinnamon stick

1 orange zest strip, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and 1/2 inch (12 mm) wide

4 1/2 cups (36 fl. oz./1. 1 l) chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) diced dried apricots

1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) dried pitted cherries or cranberries

1 small butternut squash, halved, seeded, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces

2 tsp. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup (2 oz.) chopped toasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a large, wide saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir to combine. Stir in the wild rice, cinnamon stick and orange zest and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the broth, apricots and cherries to the saucepan and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, stirring once. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.  If you are cooking with the wild and brown rice blend, uncover,check if rice is done, let some of the steam out, stir with a fork, lay a folded paper towel on top of the rice and replace cover.

While the rice is cooking, in a large bowl, toss the squash with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown outside and thoroughly tender inside, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover to keep warm.

To assemble, transfer the rice mixture to a serving bowl. Remove cinnamon stick and orange zest and discard. Fold in the roasted squash and pecans, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

If you are serving alongside turkey or chicken, drizzle some of the juices from the pan.

Roast chicken thighs

Marinade chicken thighs in lime and orange juice, mashed garlic and chopped onions.  Sprinkle some Herbs de Provence on top, salt and pepper. Cut butter in cubes and lay one on top of each thigh Cook at 375 for around 50 minutes.  Turn the oven to broil and cook until skin is browned.  

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen
Photos Lindaraxa

Moroccan Style Chicken Kabobs On Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds

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I am in love with Ras El Hanout.  No, he is not a tall, dark and handsome Arab, although I wish it were. Ras El Hanout is an exotic and aromatic North African spice blend used in grilled meats, curries and tagines. The name is Arabic for "head of the shop" and implies the best spices the seller has to offer.

There is no definitive combination of spices in the mix.  Each shop, company or person may have its own blend which can consist of over a dozen spices. Commonly used ingredients are cardamon, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek and turmeric. To this mix, some spices, particular to the region, may be toasted and added to the blend.

I have been experimenting with Ras El Hanout ever since I fell in love with Yotam Ottolenghi's cooking.   I bought all three of his cookbooks and promptly  ordered a bunch of spices from Williams Sonoma.  Ras El Hanout was one of them.  I have already posted two of his recipes, here and here.  Lately,with everything that is going on in this house, cooking has been simple and I have not had a chance to dig deep into his books; but the other night I added this spice blend to the chicken kabobs we were having for dinner.  We loved it.  They were spicy, aromatic and full of flavor.  Everything you would dream about in the perfect grilled chicken.

Ras El Hanout can be ordered  on several sites on the Internet, including Amazon.  As a benchmark, I strongly recommend the blend on the Williams Sonoma website,  but have included a simple recipe below.

Before you say anything, I know soy sauce is not part of Moroccan cuisine and neither are Vidalia onions,  or tomatoes for that matter, but it works.  The world has shrunk and now everything is available everywhere.  Let's take advantage of it and bend the rules once in awhile,  when and if appropriate.   Trust me, this really works!

Accompany with  Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds but substitute saffron for turmeric. 

Moroccan Style Chicken Kabobs

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs

Marinade

1 TB Ras El Hanout
4 garlic cloves mashed
juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil

1 Vidalia or Spanish onion
4 cherry tomatoes
1 red, yellow or orange pepper
Salt and pepper

Directions

Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces.  In a bowl mix the rest of the ingredients.  Marinade the chicken for at least 1/2 hour. 

Quarter the onions and cut the peppers into 1 inch pieces.  

Skewer the chicken, tomatoes, onions and peppers, alternating.  Drizzle the chicken marinade over the kabobs.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides.

Light the grill and cook on medium high until chicken is done.  If it begins to char too much, lower the temperature and move kabobs to the back of the grill.

Optional but good:  Accompany with sour cream, mango chutney and avocado slices with oil and vinegar. Pita bread can be substituted for the rice.

Ras El Hanout

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cumin\
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds\
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preparation:


In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until combined well. Spice blend keeps in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 month.

All photos except #2 Lindaraxa
Photo #2 Williams Sonoma

Lindaraxa has not received payment for mentioning any of the products in this post..

Curried Rice With Fish And Shrimp

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Remember the Venetian Fish Stew?  Well it just metamorphosed (is that a word?!) into a delightful and very simple curry flavored rice with fish and shrimp.  That is, if you saved the broth from the stew, which I did.

 It seemed such a shame to throw away the small amount of stew and stock that was left that I boiled it down and made a strong broth thinking of freezing it for a later date.  But I never did.  Instead I put it to good use a couple of nights later.  There were a few other things I wanted to use up, like the canned peas and pimientos, so why not get cracking.

When you have a good broth, chances are that whatever you cook with it will be pretty good.  I actually wanted to turn the leftovers into a completely different dish,  so I started to think of some of my favorite spices like coriander, cumin and saffron.  The broth had a lot of different flavors in it so I didn't want to go overboard.  The rest was easy and rice was a given.

If you don't have good stock to fall back on, just make the fish stock or brodo in the recipe and take it from there. It will take you less than 20 minutes.  Just make plenty so you can freeze and put it to good use in another dish.  That's the trick of the trade!

This is a great Sunday lunch recipe for family or guests.  If you have the broth already made, it will take you about 40 minutes to make, including the cooking time.  Now how can you beat that.

Curried Rice With Fish And Shrimp

Serves 4

2 TB olive oil
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. turmeric
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. saffron threads
2 cups homemade fish broth
1 cup of rice
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup white wine
4 - 6 white fish filets, like flounder
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Le Seur baby peas
roasted red peppers o pimiento strips
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Bring the fish broth to a boil and add the saffron threads.  Stir and keep warm.

Add the oil to an oven proof casserole and, when it's hot, add the coriander, cumin, curry powder and turmeric.  Cook for a minute or two.  Add the rice and move it around to make sure it is well coated with the oil and spices.  Add the bay leaf and some salt and pepper.  Add the wine bring to a boil and reduce until half the liquid has been absorbed.  Add the coconut milk and half the broth and stir.  Cook the rice until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the stove and nestle the shrimp in the rice.  Place the fish filets on top. Add the other cup of broth.

Cook in the preheated oven until the rice is fully cooked, about 10 more minutes.  If you see that all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is not fully cooked, add some wine and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Take the rice out of the oven and scatter the peas and  pimiento strips on top.  Lightly drizzle the fish with olive oil before serving.

All photos Lindaraxa






 

How To Make The Perfect White Rice

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My daughter laughed when I told her my first recipe in this blog was going to be for white rice..then a long silence. That was 3 years ago, almost to the day, and I still haven't published that post. Today, after three long years and almost 600 recipes I am going to do so.

It took me years to come up with the perfect method for cooking rice seeing that I always cooked it the way my mother does, and although she's a fabulous cook, she's a terrible rice maker.  Making good white rice is not as easy as it seems.  It is an art and the mark of a good Latin cook.  Believe me, I have had my share of bad ones and very seldom have I experienced the real thing.  The quality of the rice, the amount of water and the pot used to cook the rice are the most important equations in achieving perfection. And no, a rice maker won't do the trick, it will just make you a good amateur rice maker.

Unlike Chinese or Japanese white rice, boiled white rice as eaten in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East should not be sticky.  Asian rice is sticky for a reason...so that you can easily pick it up with chopsticks!  The only time I increase the water to twice the amount of rice and cook it covered until done is when I make it to accompany Chinese food.  For all others I use the quantities and method a specified below.

To begin with,  I never use Uncle Ben's rice. When we first came to this country in the 60's that is all we could find in the grocery stores.  Then I moved to Miami in the mid 90's and discovered Mahatma, which is what most Latin cooks have been using for years.  Luckily, you can find it in any grocery store nowadays.

Second, I use less water than usual, and third but most important, I cook it uncovered for the first few minutes until the water is almost all absorbed and then cover and continue cooking in low heat until the rice is done. A Colombian cook showed me this method and she used to make the best rice I have ever tasted.

As to the right pot, there is only one.  A caldero is a cast iron cooking pot, similar to a Dutch oven, with a tight-fitting lid. It is used to cook rice, braise meat, and simmer stews and soups.  It is indispensable not only in the making of rice but for anyone interested in making good Latin food.  If you live in Miami, you can find them everywhere including Publix supermarkets.  You can also order them online through Amazon here, but do not order the set of 3, they are not made of cast iron aluminum.. 

18 centimeter cast aluminum caldero by Imusa

Calderos are a wonderful and inexpensive alternative to Le Cresuet braisers and if you need to put them in the oven just cover the plastic black button on top of the lid with aluminum foil.  It works! The 18 centimeter size is the one I use most often.  It is perfect for 1 to 1/2 cups of rice.

Latin cooks will have as many as four Calderos in varying sizes and prefer those made of cast aluminum because it gets seasoned with use. A seasoned Caldero is as personal to a Latin cook as a baseball mitt is to a ball player or a wok to a Chinese cook. Most use their caldero daily.

Oh, and one last thing, do not wash the rice before cooking!




Here are the measurements for 1 cup of rice which serves 3-4 people.

1 1/2 C of water
1 tsp. canola or other neutral oil or butter (i use the latter)
1/2 tsp salt
1 C Mahatma Rice

In a saucepan with a covered lid or caldero bring the water, salt and butter to a boil.  Add rice, stir with a fork to ensure rice is level  and covered in water and lower temperature to low.  Cook uncovered until half the water is absorbed .

 Then cover and continue cooking until all the water is absorbed.*  DO NOT TOUCH THE RICE.  If you see that the rice is not fully cooked when the water is almost all absorbed, add a little more water, cover and continue cooking. 

Once rice is done, lift cover, fluff with a FORK and remove from the stove.   Let all the steam come out. You can place the cover back after a couple of minutes to keep warm.  Rice should be served immediately after it's done.

Perfect!

*Some cooks place a folded paper towel between the rice and the lid in the last minutes of cooking. This helps to absorb extra moisture

Photo #1 Getty
All others Lindaraxa

Easy Summer Squash Risotto

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Yellow summer squash is coming out full force now to the point that I picked out some this past weekend, at the grocery store of all places, with nothing really in mind.  They looked too beautiful to pass up.  My favorite way to enjoy yellow squash is in a casserole, but that doesn't really work out when there is just two of us during the week.  The weather helped too, just a high of 89 degrees (!) so the kitchen was nice and cool by dinner time.

There is no precooking the squash in this recipe so all you really need is one pan to cook the risotto and another to simmer the broth. Easy cleaning!

This goes well with sliced fresh tomatoes in olive oil, chopped basil and balsamic.  If calories are not a problem, a sliced baguette is a must!

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth

3 yellow squash or 1 green zucchini or a combination of both

3 TB butter

1 bunch green scallions or 1small yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove mashed

pinch of saffron

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chopped italian or curly parsley

1/3 cup Parmiggiano Reggiano

Optional: Basil Pesto

Directions

Pour stock into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Slice the squash in rounds and quarter it. 

In another saucepan melt 2 TB butter and add the garlic, scallions or onions.  Cook until onions are tender.  Add rice and a pinch of saffron and stir until kernels are well coated with the butter.  Add the wine and let it cook until all liquid is absorbed.

Add 1/2 the squash and immediately start adding the broth 1/2 cupful at a time.  Continue stirring and cooking making sure almost all the liquid is absorbed before you add more broth.  When the rice is half cooked, add the rest of the squash.

The risotto is done when the rice grains are creamy on the outside yet firm but  tender to the bite.  It will take 20-25 minutes.  Have a drink while you are cooking...time will fly!

When the risotto is done, add the last 1 TB butter, the chopped parsley and the cheese. You might need to add some salt and pepper depending on the broth you use.

As an option, you may add a half teaspoon of pesto to the risotto before you serve.

Serve hot and pass the parmigiano.

Foodspotting photo

Risotto Frittata With Butternut Squash And Gorgonzola

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A great way to serve risotto at a lunch or brunch party. With this recipe you won't need to be in the kitchen stirring the pot when your guests arrive. The tender rice, cooked with butternut squash, gives the usually smooth egg filling some welcome texture. The blue cheese, however, is what makes this truly addictive; it pairs perfectly with the sweet squash.

All you need to accompany is a fresh green lettuce and radicchio salad and some Italian breadsticks.


6 Servings

Ingredients


Unsalted butter for greasing pan

3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3 cups 1/4-inch cubes butternut squash (from a 1 1/4-pound squash)

1 cup Arborio rice

Freshly ground black pepper

3 1/2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

6 large eggs

Fine sea salt

an 8- to 9-inch springform pan

Instructions

Heat oven to 350º with rack in middle. Grease an 8- to 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat bottom and sides with breadcrumbs, tapping out excess; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine broth and water; bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add onion, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

Add rice to saucepan; increase heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, until rice is lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add generous pinch pepper, then add 1 1/2 cups broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until broth is mostly absorbed, then add ½ cup more broth and cook, stirring, until mostly absorbed. Repeat, adding liquid in 1/2 cupfuls, until rice is tender yet still slightly firm to the bite. Stir in half of the cheese. Transfer risotto to a baking sheet; spread out and let stand until cool, about 15 minutes.

Transfer cooled risotto to a large bowl. Add eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt; whisk to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake until frittata is set, about 1 hour.

Remove pan from oven, then heat broiler. Place pan under broiler until top of frittata is golden, about 3 minutes. Dollop remaining cheese on top of frittata, then cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to loosen frittata, then remove side of pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.


From Fine Cooking

Arroz Con Leche...Rice Pudding

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This is the rice pudding I grew up with and the one I still pester my mother to make.  It is light, mellow, not too sweet and very white, nothing like the yellow goop with raisins you find premade at the deli.  Once you try this recipe, nothing else will ever do!

The key here is the lime peel and the use of whole milk rather than evaporated or condensed milk.  If you can't find limes go ahead and use lemon peel, but I much prefer the former.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white rice

• 1½ cups water

• 1 small piece of lime peel.

• 1 small cinnamon stick

• 4 cups milk

• 1 cup sugar

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• cinnamon powder


Preparation:

Boil the water, lime peel, and cinnamon stick. Add rice. As soon as the rice begins to boil, turn down
the heat, stir, and cover. Cook until soft, about 20 minutes.

Add the milk, salt, vanilla and sugar. Cook at medium-low heat, uncovered, until it gets thick and rice has absorbed most of the milk. Stir once in awhile so it will not stick.

Fish out the cinnamon stick and pour into a bowl or several individual bowls and sprinkle with powdered cinnamon. 

Let cool and stick in the refrigerator.  Serve cold.


Source: Cocina Criolla by Nitza Villapol

An Elegant Fall Menu For The Ladies Who Lunch...Apple Fall With Maple Cream

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One of the best transit systems in this country is in New York City.  I can't tell you a lot about the subway, since I refuse to ride it since 9/11,  but the buses are terrific, my favorite the M1- 4 along  5th Avenue heading south with the Madison Avenue one northbound.  I used to take both these buses to work every day when I lived in the city and it was a great start to my day.  Of course, you are riding along two of the chicest avenues in the world and the view of Central Park in the morning is second only to the action in the avenue. 

On the last day of my visit last month,   I was returning home on Madison Avenue around 4 o'clock when someone hopped on the bus that made me giggle.  A tall  40 -something young lady, dreadfully thin, with beatifully styled long blond hair , perfectly groomed,  dressed to the hilt, Hermes bag, unbukled of course,  a sytlish camel suit with silk blouse and pearls, a gold Cartier tank watch and very chic Manolo Blanik shoes.  The minute she sat down, she pulled her Smythson diary out of her bag and made some notes.  Well, well, well...nobody dresses like that in New York, at that hour of the day, unless you are, of course,one of the Ladies Who Lunch!  I'm not going to even venture a guess as to where she had just recently lunched for the possibilities are endless, but it goes to show you the kind of people who ride the bus in NYC



Nan Kempner, Pat Buckley and Betsy Bloomingdale



In case I haven't mentioned it before, Ladies Who Lunch is a phrase to describe "slim, well-off, old-money, well-dressed women who meet for lunch socially, normally during the working week. Typically, the women involved are married and non-working. Normally the lunch is in a restaurant, perhaps in a department store during shopping. Sometimes there is the pretext of raising money for charity." (Wikipedia)  That was before the Reagan years.  Since then, these ladies, some of whom employ full time chefs in their households, sometimes meet at home for an elegant lunch, no pretext of charity necessary.

The phrase was popularized by Elaine Stritch in the play Company by Stephen Sondheim. Take a look!

This dessert is from Anne Bass' chef and appears in the book R.S.V.P by Nan Kempner, a hostess par excellence, clothes horse and Chairman Emeritus of the Ladies Who Lunch.  Everytime I passed Mortimer's, their  favorite restaurant now defunct,  there she was in her corner table by the window.  Mrs. Kempner passed away a few years ago.  Nobody has been able to take her place.  Other members of the club in those days were Mrs. Alfred (Betsy) Bloomingdale, Nancy Reagan's best friend, Mrs. William (Pat) Buckley, Mrs. Oscar (Annette) de la Renta, and Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, chairman in training of the young set.

A Fall Lunch 

Curried Pumpkin And Leek Flans

Roasted Chicken Thighs With Breadcrumbs and Mushrooms

Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds

Green Salad

Apple Fall with Maple Cream
(recipe follows)

Apple Fall With Maple Cream

The secret to this cake is the salted butter, something which is seldom used in baking

Serves 8

1 stick plus 3 TB salted butter

11 Tb sugar

3 large Mutsu apples

1 1/2 C all purpose flour

2C whole milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Confectioners suggar for dusting

Maple Cream

1/4 cup maple sugar

1 pint heavy cream

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375

Grease a 9 inch springform pan with 2 TB butter & dust with 2 Tb sugar.  Peel and core 2 apples and slice very thin. Layer apple sclices in concentric circles until bottom of the pan is covered.  Sprinkle the apple slices with 1 Tb sugar and dot with 1 Tb butter.  Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 mins or until the apples are tender.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Sift the flour together with 6 Tb sugar in a large mixing bowl.  In a cup whisk together the milk and eggs.  Make a well in center of the dry ingredients and pour milk mixture, whisking constantly, until thoroughly combined.

In a small saucepan, melt remaining 1/2 C butter with the vanilla in low heat.  Gradually combine with the batter, whisking constantly to combine.

Peel and core the remaining apple and slice very thin.  Pour the batter over the cooked apple slices and arrange the fresh-cut apple slices on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining 2 TB sugar and bake for 1 hour or until cake is puffed., golden and crusty around the edges.  Remove from oven and cool over wire rack for 15-20 minutes.

Make the maple cream while cake cools.  Using a whisk add the maple sugar to cream and beat briskly until soft peaks form.

Invert cake into a serving platter, dust with confectioners sugar and serve warm with the maple cream.


Wine: A robust California Chardonnay or French Burgundy can be served throughout the meal, but not too dry because of the curried flans


All Photos except #2 are by Quentin Bacon  in the book R.S.V.P. by Nan Kempner, unfortunately out of print

Photo #2 Google

Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins & Almonds

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This is a much simpler version of Colin Cowie's Aromatic Basmati Rice or as I like to call it, Basmatic Rice.  It is the one I use for family and casual weeknight entertaining when I'm cooking certain chicken or fish recipes and want something sweet and sour to complement the dish.

Rice is the traditional accompaniment in most Latin dishes and as such, we have as many recipes as Americans have for potatoes.  If my mother could have gotten away with it, we would have had rice every night of the week.  White, yellow, with vegetables, mushrooms or chicken bouillon... any combination she could think of.  So I grew up eating lots of rice and not as many potatoes.  Saffron used to be the traditional spice we used in those days but with the astronomical price you now have to pay for a few threads, well, you just have to be creative.  I found some at Marshall's a few weeks ago and bought the entire lot.  It is safely tucked away in the back of my jewelry box.

Saffron threads an saffron powder

I have started using turmeric as a less expensive alternative for coloring the rice and almost have the family convinced that they like it.  But it's been an uphill battle so if you don't care for turmeric, by all means, substitute saffron.  In that case, I sometimes add a teaspoon of tomato paste for a different dimension and omit the cinnamon stick!  You will be left with essentially a Cuban yellow rice with raisins and almonds...not a bad combination!

Tumeric root and tumeric powder

Monks in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon

Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds

Servings: 8


Ingredients

2 TB butter

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 bay leaf

3 cups light chicken stock

2 cups long-grain rice

1/2 cinnamon stick

One 1-inch piece of tangerine or orange zest, white pith removed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced almonds (about 2 ounces)

1/2 cup raisins or yellow raisins(about 3 ounces)

Chopped Parsley


 Directions

1.In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sautee the chopped onions until translucent.  Add the bay leaf halfway through.  Combine the chicken broth with the rice, cinnamon stick, tangerine zest, salt and turmeric. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over very low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the raisins and remove from the heat. Add to rice together with the chopped parsley.  Fluff gently with a fork to combine. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

If you want a little flair in your presentation, sprinkle a little shredded coconut on top

Cooks Note.

If you want to keep this simpler, saute the almonds and raisins first and transfer to a plate.  Wipe the pan and proceed to step #1.  I hate cleaning up so I am always thinking of ways to cut back on pans


Photos Getty Images
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Tomatoes Stuffed With Green Rice

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During the summer months, ripe red tomatoes bursting with a rice stuffing are a staple antipasto of Roman trattorias. They can also be served as a first course or would go well with the Stuffed Roast Pork Tenderloin, served hot or cold.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup medium-grain white rice such as arborio

Salt, to taste

4 large tomatoes

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil, plus whole leaves for garnish

2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add the rice and salt and simmer until the rice is about half cooked, 9 to 10 minutes. Drain, place in a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Oil a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes snugly.

Cut off a slice 1/2 inch thick from the top of each tomato and reserve. Using a small spoon, scoop out the tomato seeds and juice and place in a sieve set over a bowl. Arrange the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish.

Add to the rice the strained tomato juice, the olive oil, chopped basil, parsley, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper and mix well. Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed-out tomatoes, dividing evenly. Cover each tomato with its top.

Bake until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with the whole basil leaves.


Recipe courtesy Williams Sonoma

Lobster Risotto

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In order to make a good risotto, you have to start with a great broth.  The one I had was from the leftover lobster bisque I made from two big lobsters we ate last Saturday.  They are the most inexpensive two lobsters I have ever eaten.  They were 2 1/4 lbs. each and no matter how hard we tried, we simply couldn't finish them off.  Day two found me in the kitchen covered in lobster making bisque from the two big claw we had left.  It was a forever routine, even simplifying Julia Child's recipe. ..and I'm good at that!  Don't even bother to attempt.  I finished it my way and it was superb.  That didn't do the trick and we still had some leftover broth and meat I was not going to throw out.  Who knew when I would have lobster again!  Into the freezer both went  and tonight ta ta!  The best of the last three meals.  Not even at Daniel have I had a risotto like this, but it was all  due to the broth, which had cognac, wine and  a small amount of cream.

I am not going to be able to give you exact measurements for the broth as each one of us is going to start with a different amount of leftover lobster.  I trust most of you know how to make a simple broth!

Broth

Save the big chunks of meat for later in a bag. Saute all the leftover small pieces of meat and shells in butter add chopped onions , add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cognac, ignite (watch out).  When it dies down, add 1/2 small can of tomato paste, bay leaf, 1 cup white wine, 6 to 8 cups of water, salt and pepper and boil for about 1 hour in medium low without a lid. Taste for salt and pepper.  When done, it should concenrate down to about 6 cups.  If not, don't worry, you can dilute with water before you start the risotto. Let it cool off and place in the refrigerator overnight.  I actually did this as I was doing the dishes the night we ate the steamed lobsters...I am always thinking ahead!

Risotto

Ingredients

4 TB butter
1 onion, chopped
saffron ( about 6 to 8 sprigs)
1 tsp. tarragon
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine

6 - 8 Cups of lobster broth*

Directions

Bring the broth to a rolling boil and keep in the back burner.

Sautee the chopped onion in butter.

Add the leftover lobster meat and sautee for a minute just to warm up. Remove the lobster to a plate.

Add the saffron and the tarragon to the butter and onion in the pan.  Sautee for about a minute.

Add the rice and the wine.  Bring to a boil. When the wine has been mostly abosrbed, start adding the broth one ladleful at a time. Make sure the broth is still bubbling in the back burner.  Stir until almost absorbed.  Add the next laddleful.  and continue stirring. You will continue doing this for about 25- 30 minutes so be patient.  It will pay off. Notice we have not added salt or pepper as the broth should have enough.

You want the risotto to be al dente but not hard.  After years of making risotto I know by the look but if you are new at this, just taste it.  I like mine a little runny but definitely not soup like.

The broth boiling low in the back burner

Lobster meat sauteed waiting to be added at the end!

Starting out

Almost ready for more broth

Almost done

Done! notice how the grain is open

Serve the risotto on a soup plate and top with the leftover lobster meat.

No cheese!! You do not add parmesan cheese to seafood risottos.

Enjoy, you worked hard!!

*if the broth is too concentrated or you don't have enough, it is okay to add some water to bring up to 6 cups.  Make sure you bring to a boil again and check for salt.

In case you are interested, for $50 ($8.89/lbs) two persons ate one night boiled lobsters, next night lobster bisque and a third night lobster risotto.  Not bad!


All photos Lindaraxa