Americana Rocks!

Hey Y’all,

We are really looking forward to seeing you all this weekend. I am sure Bonnie is especially excited as Art’s return is imminent.Since it is Memorial Day weekend, an Americana menu was a natural.We panned the 50 states in search of the perfect fare and decided to focus in on the southern region with Paula Deen.I have only watched her show a few times, but I enjoy her approach to life and cooking and I love butter (although I use it sparingly).Plus Bret has been to her restaurant.

As you will see, we picked the “healthiest” of her recipes and also the least complicated ones as we know this is a busy (holiday) weekend for all of us.

Brett and Mary-Lauren Factora

MENU

Appetizer—Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry—Bonnie/Art

Entrée—Gussie’s Fried Chicken with Pecan-Honey Glaze—ML/Bret

Veggie—Spicy Green Beans—Rochelle/Llew

Side—Mango Coconut Rice—ML/Bret

Salad—Spinach, Strawberry, and Hearts of Palm Salad—MJ/Ford

Dessert—Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake—Amy/Dan

Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry

Ingredients: · 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed · 4  tablespoon  butter, divided · 1  cup  sliced fresh mushrooms · 1  cup  Gruyere cheese, grated · 1 (17 1/2-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed · Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions: Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture.Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, for 5 minutes. Stir together spinach, mushrooms and cheese; set aside. Roll 1 pastry sheet into a 13×11-inch rectangle. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush 1/2 melted butter over pastry. Spread 1/2 spinach mixture over butter. Roll-up, jellyroll fashion, starting with the long side. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry sheet, butter, and spinach mixture. (Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two days, if desired.) Cut rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.Yield: 12-15 Preparation time: 10-12 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 minutes Ease of Preparation: Easy

Gussie’s Fried Chicken with Pecan-Honey Glaze

Ingredients: · 3 to 3 1/2  lb  frying chicken, cut up, or your favorite chicken parts · 2 eggs · Salt and pepper · Garlic powder · Vegetable shortening or vegetable oil · 2  cup  self-rising flour · 1  cup  (2 sticks) butter · 1/2  cup  honey · 1  cup  coarsely chopped pecans · brown paper bag
Directions:
Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Beat the eggs in a 9 x 13-inch dish. Lay the chicken pieces in the dish, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Turn the chicken and season the other side, then slosh the chicken parts around in the egg until well coated.Place enough shortening or oil in a cast-iron skillet or electric skillet to come just halfway up the sides of the chicken parts. Heat shortening or oil just until smoking, about 375 degrees. Place the flour in a paper bag, add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and shake to coat well. Remove the chicken with tongs and place it in the hot fat. Cover the pan, leaving a crack for steam to escape, lower the heat to 325 degrees for electric skillet, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken with tongs, cover again (leaving the lid open just a crack), and cook for 10 minutes longer. Very large pieces may need to be cooked a little longer. Drain the chicken on paper towels and transfer to a platter. To make the glaze, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the honey until well blended. Bring to a simmer and add the pecans. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle the glaze over the hot fried chicken and serve.Yield: 4 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Ease of preparation: moderately easy

Spicy Green Beans

Ingredients: · 4 slices bacon, cut into 1″ pieces · 1 onion, minced · 2  lb  fresh green beans, tipped and washed · 1  cup  boiling water · 3  tablespoon  white vinegar · 3  tablespoon  butter · salt and pepper · 1  teaspoon  cayenne pepper · 1/2 lemon, juice for garnish
Directions:
Cook bacon in frying pan until crisp. Drain bacon and set aside, leaving drippings in skillet. Add onions to drippings and saute until tender. Add green beans to pan and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add boiling water to pan and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, just until beans are tender. Add vinegar, butter and salt and pepper and stir. Add back crisp bacon before serving. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice.Yield: 6 servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Ease of preparation: Easy

Spinach, Strawberry, and Hearts of Palm Salad

Ingredients: · 1/3  cup  cider vinegar · 3/4  cup  sugar · 2  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice · 1  teaspoon  salt · 1  cup  vegetable oil · 1/2 small red onion, grated · 1 1/2  tablespoon  poppy seeds · 1  teaspoon  dry mustard · 1/2  teaspoon  paprika · 1 1/2  lb  fresh spinach, washed and torn into pieces · 1 can hearts of palm, drained and chopped · 2  cup  strawberries, stemmed and sliced · 1  cup  chopped walnuts
Directions:
For the dressing, combine the vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small non-reactive saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cooled, whisk in the oil, onion, poppy seeds, dry mustard and paprika until thoroughly combined. Set dressing aside. In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, hearts of palm, strawberries, and walnuts. When ready to serve, add some of the dressing, and toss gently. Serve the remaining dressing alongside the salad so diners may add more, if desired.Yield: 12 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Ease of preparation: easy

Mango Coconut Rice

Ingredients: · 1  tablespoon  olive oil · 1 1/2  cup  long-grain rice · 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk · 2/3  cup  water · 1  teaspoon  salt · 1 large ripe mango, peeled and cubed
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in the mango. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat and fluff with a fork. Place a clean, dry dish towel over the pan, cover with the lid, and let steam for 5 minutes before serving. Prep Time – 5 minutesInactive Prep Time – 5 minutesCook Time – 20 minutesYield – 6 servingsDifficulty – Easy

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Llew and Rochelle pose with the Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake baked by Amy to celebrate Llew’s Birthday

A Book Lover’s Dinner Menu

Hosted by
LLEW AND ROCHELLE ALMEIDA

Placing the Saltimboca on the table in our Southport Dining Room

Theme

Since we’re all book-lovers, Llew and I thought it would be fun to plan a party and design a menu around the theme of “Food in Books”.

All our recipes are taken from
The Book Lover’s Cookbook:  Recipes Inspired by Celebrated Works of Literature and the Passages that Feature Them
By
Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet Kay Jensen

As it has turned out, we have an appetizer from Ireland, entrée from Italy, one side dish from Canada, a salad from the Southern part of the United States and a dessert from England. So, this menu is truly eclectic and international, just like the books on this list. They reflect the tastes and culture of several different parts of the world.

Also, since it is late summer, we’ve planned a summery menu that includes Potato Salad, Fresh Garden Vegetables like Zucchini and Tomatoes and Fresh Peaches.

On the following pages, we have provided the recipes for the dishes and the passages from Literature that inspired them. As you can see, we’ve run the gamut from high-brow literature to bestsellers to children’s books.

We hope you will have as much fun cooking these dishes as we have had planning this evening and will, undoubtedly have as we enjoy the food.

We look forward to seeing you at our place soon!

A BOOK LOVER ‘S DINNER PARTY

MENU

Appetisers
Almond-Bacon Wraps
Inspired by Maeve Binchy’s Tara Road
(Art and Bonnie)

Entrée:
Law-Abiding Saltimboca
Inspired by Richard North Patterson’s Dark Lady
(Llew and Rochelle)

Sides:
Zuchini Lasagne
Inspired by Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye
(Brett and Mary-Lauren)
and
Ruby’s Potato Salad
Inspired by Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain
(Llew and Rochelle)

Dessert:
James’ Ginger Peaches
Inspired by Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach
With
Aunt Petunia’s Baked Custard Pudding
Inspired by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
(Dan and Amy de Lannoy)
BACON AND PRUNES

Because she was not such a near neighbor, Danny and Ria saw a lot more of Rosemary. She often called in around seven in the evening for an hour or so and they would all have a glass of wine mixed with soda in the front room.  Ria made hot cheese savories, or bacon slices wrapped around almonds and prunes.  It didn’t matter that Rosemary waved them away;  Danny would have a few, she and the children would eat the rest, and anyway it gave her a chance to bring out the Victorian china that she had bought at auctions.
From Maeve Binchy’s Tara Road

ALMOND-BACON WRAPS

1 package fully cooked cottage or Canadian style Bacon (about 20 whole slices)
40 whole prunes (about 12 ounces)
40 small basil leaves
40 whole almonds

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan, 15 ½ X10X1 inch with cooking spray.

Cut each bacon slice in half. Cut a slit in each prune; stuff it with an almond. Place a basil leaf on a bacon strip; wrap it around the stuffed prune. Place the wrapped prune seam side down on a pan.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bacon is browned.  Serve warm with toothpicks inserted through the seam for easy handling.

Makes 8 servings of 5 pieces each.

(Recipe contributed by Maeve Binchy, as derived from Ria’s culinary genius in Tara Road).
Please Note: I realize that the quantity “1 package” of Canadian bacon is rather vague. You will have to make a judgment on this one. You need enough bacon to cover 40 prunes. Each piece of Canadian bacon is sliced in half, so you will need at least 20 slices of bacon. I have calculated 40 prunes based on each one of us eating about five of them.
SALTIMBOCA

Pausing, Michael took a deep swallow of wine. “So,” he continued, “he buys into lawful enterprises, including whatever cash businesses he can get his hands on—caterers, limo services, vending machine operations, parking lots, bars and restaurants.  The illegal money gets siphoned into all these different fronts, which scrupulously report every dime, then fiddle the books to make proceeds of heroin look like their came from, say, a zillion plates of saltimboca.”
His eyes, Stella realized, sparkled with quiet laughter. Stiffly, she put down her wine. “This place.”
Michael nodded. “Morro’s. The food’s good, by the way.”
(From Richard North Patterson’s Dark Lady).

LAW-ABIDING SALTIMBOCA

2 pounds thin veal cutlets for scaloppini (yields about 16 cutlets), rinsed and patted dry
8 ounces sliced prosciutto
1 cup flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
16 thin slices (deli-style) provolone (about ½ pound)
8 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 lemons, sliced into wedges for serving.

Cover each piece of meat with a slice of prosciutto, trimmed to fit. The meat should stick together well without need for toothpicks to secure.  Melt the butter or margarine with oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Dredge the veal-prosciutto patties in the flour mixture and sauté over medium heat, with the prosciutto side down first.  Cook each side about 1 minute.  Immediately transfer the meat to a heated dish and top each veal-prosciutto pattie with a slice of provolone.  After all the meat has been cooked, pour wine and broth into the skillet.  Stir over high heat, scraping up leftover drippings from the bottom of the pan.  Bring to a simmer, then remove pan from heat and pour the sauce over the veal.  Serve at once with lemon wedges. Serves 8.
ZUCCHINI

The past isn’t quaint while you’re in it. Only at a safe distance, later, when you can see it as décor, not as the shape your life’s been squeezed into.
They have Elvis Presley zucchini molds now:  you clamp them around your zucchini while it’s young, and as it grows it’s deformed into the shape of Elvis Presley’s head.  Is this why he sang?  To become a zucchini?  Vegetarianism and reincarnation are in the air, but that’s taking it too far.  I’d rather come back as a sow bug, myself;  or a stir-fried shrimp. Though I suppose the whole idea’s more lenient than Hell.
(From Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye)

ZUCCHINI LASAGNE

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large zucchinis, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
Garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese, grated and mixed together

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread olive oil in the bottom of a large casserole baking dish.  Arrange a layer of zucchini over bottom of dish.  Add a layer of tomatoes.  Add a layer of onions.  Sprinkle half of the dill and thyme over onions.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Add half of the cheese.  Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.
Bake for about 30 minutes until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted.
Makes 8 servings.
Note: Do buy the fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheeses from the cheese section of the supermarket. Do not go for the packaged variety or the one that comes in the Kraft green package!

POTATOES

That noon, Ruby said she waned to walk up and check on the apple orchard, so Ada suggested they have their lunch there.  They made a picnic of the leftover pieces of last night’s chicken, a small bowl of potato salad for which Ruby had whipped up the mayonnaise, and some vinegared cucumber slices.
(From Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain)

RUBY’S POTATO SALAD

8 potatoes
1 cup celery diced
2 cups onions, diced
3 eggs, hard-boiled

Dressing:
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 slices cooked bacon, diced

Boil the potatoes in their jackets over high heat until they are tender.  Rinse the potatoes in cold water, then peel and chop them into small cubes.  Place the chopped potatoes in a large bowl and add the celery, onion, and hard-boiled eggs. Toss to combine.

In a saucepan, combine the beaten eggs, sugar, spices, vinegar, and bacon.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens, stirring often.  Pour the cooked dressing over the potato salad and toss lightly.  Let the salad cool.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving to blend flavors.  Best if made one day before eating.
Makes 12 to 15 servings.
PEACHES

It was a large hole, the sort of thing an animal about the size of a fox might have made.
James knelt down in front of it and poked his head and shoulders inside.
He crawled in.
He kept on crawling.
This isn’t just a hole, he thought excitedly. It’s a tunnel.
The tunnel was damp and murky, and all around him there was the curious bittersweet smell of fresh peach.  The floor was soggy under his knees, the walls were wet and sticky, and peach juice was dripping from the ceiling.  James opened his mouth and caught some of it on his tongue. It tasted delicious.
He was crawling uphill now, as though the tunnel was leading straight toward the very center of the gigantic fruit.  Every few seconds he paused and took a bite out of the wall.  The peach flesh was sweet and juicy, and marvelously refreshing.
(From Roald Dahls’ James and the Giant Peach)

JAMES’ GINGER PEACHES

1 cup sugar with ½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon
8 well-ripened peaces, sliced and skin removed
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped

Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the peaches in a saucepan and let sit for 2 hours. Add the butter and ginger.  Heat peaches over medium heat, melting the butter.  Stir continuously to coat peaches with sugary mixture. Heat until peaches are warmed through, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Serve topped with custard or whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.
CUSTARD PUDDING
Readers of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will remember Aunt Petunia’s levitating cream-covered, violet-topped custard—the elegant creation that crashes and covers Harry with dessert, thanks to Dolby, the house elf, who has appeared to warn Harry not to return to the Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

AUNT PETUNIA’S BAKED CUSTARD PUDDING
 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, cut into chunks
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process for about 2 minutes on high speed or until very smooth.  Strain the mixture and pour into a two-quart glass casserole coated with cooking spray.  Place the casserole in a larger cake pan and fill pan with boiling water, to within one inch of the top of the dish.

Steam in a 325 degree oven for about 90 minutes. Pudding is done when it is firm and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Chill thoroughly.  Serve with fruit or molded desserts, over cake or pie. Makes 8 servings.

Note:  You can also make these puddings in individual custard cups (6 ounces each) coated with cooking spray. Place the individual cups in 2 cake pans.  Fill pans with boiling water to within one inch of the cup tops.  Steam them in a 325 degree over for about 70 minutes.

Gourmet Club Members enjoying the Book Lover’s Dinner

(At our dining table at the start of our Pakistani Bada Khana)

“Bada Khana” means ‘Grand Banquet’ in Urdu and Hindi. Our menu has been designed around typically grand winter dinners in the Northern part of the Indian sub-continent which would include modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India—basically the Delhi area and the general extent of the Moghul Empire—the ancient carvanserai Silk Route.

We’ve made the entrée several times—it is one of Llew’s ‘signature’ dishes (together with his Indian style Turkey and his Sindhi Biryani). While we have tried many different versions of the other dishes, we haven’t tried these particular recipes—all taken from Meera Taneja’s “Pakistani Cookery” except the one for Kulfi which I took off line and which I have tried and tested and found to be superb and very authentic tasting.

We are looking forward to a great journey along the old Central Asian Silk Route!

Love,
Llew and Rochelle

PAKISTANI BADA KHANA

Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 7.30 pm.

WINE LIST

Reds:

Chamarre Grande Reserve Pinot Noir (French)

Michele Chiarlo Barbera D’Asti Superiore Le Orme (Italy)

Valserrano Crianza 2004 Rioja (Spain)

Rueda Castelo de Medina Verdejo (Spain)

Whites:

Jean-Baptiste Adam Vin D’Alsace

Pinot Blanc 2005 Reserve

(France)

Clos du Roy 2006 Sauternes (Bordeaux, France)

MENU

Appetisers:
Vegetable Pakoras
(Brett and Mary-Lauren)

Main Dish:
Murgh Mussalam
(Llew and Rochelle)

Sides:
Mattar Paneer

Navratan Pullao
(Dan and Amy)

Dessert

(Bonnie and Art)

KULFI
(Indian Ice-Cream)

Kulfi is Indian ice-cream. It is eaten all over the Indian sub-continent in the hot months. Said to have originated with the Moghul Emperors who had ice carted to them from the Himalayas to the hot plains of Delhi, where it was mixed with milk, sugar and flavorings and eaten.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
1 ¼ cups sweetened condensed milk
1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
A few strands (about 6) of saffron
1 tablespoon milk, warmed
½ tsp. ground green cardamom seeds. (It is best to use a pestle and mortar to pound cardamom seeds—found inside the cardamom pod—fresh just before using the powder)
½  cup unsalted pistachios—toast them for 10 minutes in an 350 degree over, then when cool, grind in a food processor
A few whole unsalted pistachios, toasted and chopped or sliced, for garnish

Method:
1. Soak the saffron strands in a tablespoon of warm milk and set aside.
2. Combine all other ingredients (including the saffron-flavored milk and the whole saffron strands), except the last ingredient (whole toasted pistachios) in a food processor and buzz for a minute.
3. Freeze in an ice-cream maker.
4. Pour into a 9X13 baking dish or plastic ice-cube trays and freeze overnight.
5. To serve, place scoops of kulfi in a bowl and garnish with chopped pistachios.
Note: If you do not have an ice-cream maker, pour kulfi into a baking dish and place in the freezer. When frozen, remove kulfi from dish and place in a food processor and buzz for five minutes to break up any ice crystals. Then place back in the baking dish and freeze until firm.

GAJJAR KA HALWA
(Indian Carrot Pudding)
Gajjar Ka Halwa
(Bonnie and Art)

One of the most popular puddings of the Punjab, this is made in most households in the winter months when carrots are plentiful. The grated carrots are simmered for 2 hours in the milk and then fried in a little ghee, when almonds, pistachios, raisin and crushed green cardamom seeds are added. On special occasions, the halwa is decorated with silver wark (Silver leaf).

Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 ½ hours
Serves 8

900 gms /2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled and coarsely grated in a food processor
1.7 liters/3 pints whole milk
100 gms/4 oz. Granulated sugar
50 gms/2 oz ghee (available in Indian stores)
50 gms/2 oz. Blanched almonds, cut into slices
25 gms/1 oz unsalted pistachios, cut into slivers
25 gms/ 1 oz golden (not dark) raisins
Seeds of six green cardamoms, crushed
Silver leaf (or vark) for decorating

Method:
1. Put the grated carrots in a large, heavy-based saucepan and add the milk.
2. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 2 hours.
3. Occasionally, scrape the sides of the pan to loosen any coagulated milk that may stick there and add this to the carrots to help thicken the milk in the pan.
4. Keep stirring and scraping the pan until all the milk has evaporated.
5. Sprinkle in the sugar and mix it really well.
6. Stirring frequently, cook the carrots for 30 minutes, uncovered, until almost all the water from the sugar has evaporated and the carrots begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the ghee, almonds, pistachios, raisins and the crushed cardamom seeds.
8. Stirring continuously, fry the mixture until the ghee is first absorbed by the carrots and then released.
9. The Halwa is ready when the ghee begins to separate and has a glossy shine.
10. Transfer to a serving dish and decorate with silver leaf.
11. Serve hot or cold with Kulfi (I prefer to serve it slightly warm so that the kulfi gently melts over it)

(Bonnie and Art)