Blue Ribbon Cuisine

Just Begin

The closest I ever got to career planning was on a plane flying from Chicago, bound for London on a January evening.  I had already taken the first step; I had enrolled at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School as it was known then. I had taken a year's worth of French classes on my lunch hour so I would know how to pronounce all the French cooking terms I was about to learn without embarrassing myself. I had learned to say "blur" instead of blue for the word "bleu." I had packed well for an English winter. The requisite rain gear and lots of wool filled my suitcases.

After my delicious airplane dinner (the dessert was something I had never seen before or since, fortunately), I pulled my journal out of my carry-on bag and began to write about what I wished would happen to me.  I had left my job as a researcher in Chicago because I was more interested in the food pages of the New York Times than in the business section.  I couldn't wait to begin my adventure. As soon as I had slept off the jag lag, I went to look at the Cordon Bleu. Just look, I couldn't bring myself to go inside before my appointed day and time. 

It wasn't what I expected, but I didn't really know what that was.  Now, the school is all state-of-the-art and called Le Cordon Bleu, but then it was charmingly old-fashioned. It gave me a glimpse into a world that an average American visitor would never see. It was very English upper class, but real-life upper class, not like a public tour of a stately home.  Half of my class was filled with girls completing their educations in a finishing school manner.  The other half was filled with those like me, changing or advancing their careers.

The kitchens were the biggest surprise.  There were two rows of compact kitchens,  with eight students per row.  Each team of two students had two gas burners and two electric. Naturally, we all fought for those gas burners.  We had two ovens and not an overstock of equipment, but enough to do everything. I didn't know it at the start, but the situation taught me how to cook anywhere. While we had a thorough grounding in classic French cuisine, we also learned about traditional British food and even got some American recipes, some of which we natives hardly recognized!

Oh yes, back to my journal. I wrote that I wanted to teach at the Cordon Bleu after finishing my course, and then go on to write about food for a magazine, preferably one in London.  I didn't really want to go home right away.  Little did I know that I wouldn't go home for good for 10 years.  Did my wishes actually come true?  They did, but I never knew if that was due to planning, positive thinking or precognition.  I didn't teach at the Cordon Bleu or get a magazine job right away. I had to go out into the wide world first and just begin.   

The Recipes:

Poisson Veronique - serves 4

A recipe with Veronique in the title usually includes green grapes. The sauce is a classic veloute, and with a flour and butter roux to thicken the liquid. Known as a blond roux, the flour-butter mixture is meant to be cooked to a pale straw color,  just sort of beige.  One of the little hints I learned was that when the roux is still hot, cold liquid should be added to it. When the roux is made in advance and is cold, hot liquid is what's needed.  Both methods prevent lumps, although whisking like mad doesn't hurt either.

For the classic recipe, the grapes would be peeled, but if you have ever done that, you will know why I've left that out of my recipe! Any white fish fillets will work for this, although I've never used cod.  If you would rather have chicken, substitute 4 skinless, boneless breasts and call the dish Supremes de Volaille Veronique.

3 1/2 tbsps butter

3 tbsps all-purpose flour

1 1/2 lbs white fish fillets (flounder, orange roughy, sea bass, tilapia, or halibut)

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup cream or half and half

Salt and white pepper

Lemon Juice

16 seedless green grapes, washed and halved

Chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and stir in the flour until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking continuously until the roux turns to a pale straw or beige color.  Don't let the roux brown.  Set the roux aside. Preheat oven to 325  F.  Place the fish in an ovenproof dish and pour over the wine and water. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake about 10 minutes for thin fillets or up to 20 minutes for thicker fillets, like sea bass. Chicken breasts will take at least 20 minutes or until juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part.

Remove fish or chicken from the dish, cover and keep warm.  Strain the cooking liquid into the pan with the roux. Whisk until smooth and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Add the cream or half and half, salt and pepper to taste.  Add a little lemon juice and the grapes.  Heat gently.  Transfer fish or chicken to a serving dish and pour over the sauce.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.       

Barbecued Chicken - serves 4

This is a British version of  BBQ sauce that makes chicken breasts ready for the dining room rather than the deck. You can use this for basting chicken on an outdoor grill, but the original version is definitely an indoor recipe. 

1 lb tomatoes, skinned and chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 thin slices of lemon

2 1/2 tbsps vinegar

2 tbsps tomato ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

4 tbsps olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary or thyme

Salt and pepper

To skin tomatoes,  bring water to the boil and have a bowl of ice water ready. Cut a cross in the rounded end of each tomato. Place in boiling water for 8 - 10 seconds. Remove and place in ice water. The peel should loosen easily starting at the cross on each tomato.  For the Romas, cut peeled tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. A melon baller work well for this.  Cut the flesh into 1/4 - inch dice and set aside.

Combine the other chopped tomatoes, celery, lemon slices, vinegar, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil then simmer gently, partially covered, for 20 minutes.  When the vegetables and lemon slices are completely soft, strain the sauce, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the juices.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon fairly thickly. If it doesn't, simmer the strained sauce until thickened.

Mix olive oil, herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper. Brush over both sides of the chicken.  Broil chicken on both sides, about 6 - 8 inches away from the heat for about 15 minutes per side or until juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part.  Reheat the sauce and spoon over the chicken. Garnish with the diced tomatoes.

Brownies - makes 16

Wednesday afternoons were always reserved for baking at the Cordon Bleu. This is their recipe for an American favorite.  Demerara cane sugar is available in supermarkets now on this side of the Atlantic, but look for the finer granulated kind for this recipe .  If you want a bit of the whole grain, try wholewheat pastry flour; it's lighter than plain wholewheat flour.

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 stick plus 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 cup demerara cane sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

Confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Chop the chocolate and put into a saucepan with the butter and melt over low heat. Whisk eggs and sugar together and whisk in the chocolate mixture.  Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula and fold in the nuts. Do not over mix;  this tends to develop the gluten in the flour and makes the brownies tough.  Spray an 8-inch baking pan with cooking oil.  Spread in the brownie mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until a crust has formed on top and the edges pull away slightly from the pan.  Do not over-bake.  Cool slightly then cut into 2-inch squares.  Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Serve when cooled.

Eve's Pudding - serves 4 - 6

While there is no dessert more English than a steamed pudding, this is not the weather for one.  The last thing anyone wants at this time of year is a pot of water boiling on the cook top for 2 or 3 hours. As anyone who has watched PBS over the years or BBC America now will know, a dessert in the U.K. is referred to as a pudding.  This is more like a pudding cake and has a layer of apples on the bottom, hence its name.  You can make it in advance and reheat it or serve it cold.

Bottom layer:

Zest and juice of one lemon (be sure to grate the zest before squeezing the juice)

1 lb apples (choose ones like Granny Smith that hold their shape when cooked)

1/4 - 1/2 cup fine demerara cane sugar

1/2 cinnamon stick

Topping:

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup fine demerara cane sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Set aside the lemon zest to use later.   Measure the lemon juice and add enough water to make 1/3 cup.  Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.  Place them in a saucepan with about 3 tbsps of the lemon juice-water mixture, 1/4 cup sugar and the 1/2 cinnamon stick.  Cook slowly until the apples are soft, but holding their shape.  Add more sugar if needed and the remaining lemon juice-water if the mixture is too dry.  Remove the cinnamon stick and place apples in a greased ovenproof baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest and the eggs one at a time. If the mixture  looks a little curdled, this won't affect the taste, but fold in a little of the flour until it looks smoother. Mix remaining flour with the baking powder and salt and fold in until the mixture is thick, but will drop from a spoon easily when you shake it. Add a little milk or water if the mixture is too thick.

Spread mixture over the apples and bake for about 35 - 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the topping comes out clean.  Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or plain.

Next time: Queen of the Condiments

      

Cooking My Way Through It

The dreaded D's can stike at any time. Those would be Disappointment, Discouragement, Deception and, since we've just recently paid our taxes, Debt.  Oh, I just thought of another one, Diet, as in weight-loss plan gone seriously south.  I'm sure there are more letters of the alphabet waiting to cause trouble. Sometimes life is one blasted letter after another. Times like these call for an intensive dose of culinary therapy.

For me, cooking always untangles the knots and untwists my mind. It completely calms and soothes me. I'm not talking about microwaving some gourmet soup.  I had something more in mind.  I am talking about choosing an intriguing, slightly complicated recipe. I'm talking about making a list and shopping for the perfect ingredients, even if that means visiting more than one store. Then there's the dicing, slicing, chopping, sauteeing, simmering, baking and broiling.  Let me not forget the garnishing and presenting. The process is the therapy, and it's almost more important then the tasting. 

So, the next time the dreaded D's or any other problems from A to Z strike, why not give culinary therapy a try? To start you off,  consider these recipes.

Szechwan Spicy Shrimp - serves 4

My friend and former colleague in the U. K. was way ahead of her time. Years ago she swore that spicy food speeded up her metabolism and helped her lose weight. It's worth a try, isn't it? Sian loved seafood, but hated chicken, so I'm forgetting about cholesterol and dedicating this shrimp recipe to her.  Use as much of the chili peppers as you dare.

3 tbsps canola oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 scallions, sliced, green and white parts separated

2 - 4 red or green chili peppers (whatever variety you like best), seeded and thinly sliced (just make sure to wear gloves while slicing or scrub your hands afterwards)

1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and de-veined with tails left on

1 - 2 tsps five-spice powder

2 tsps chili powder

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.  Add garlic and white part of the onions and stir-fry for a few minutes.  Add the sliced chili peppers, the five-spice powder and chili powder. Stir-fry for 1 minute and stir in enough water to make a thick sauce. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until shrimp curl, turn pink and go from translucent to opaque. While the shrimp cook, add more water a little at a time to keep the sauce liquid. Add salt to taste and sprinkle over the sliced green part of the onions to garnish.

Marinated Pork with Clams, Peppers and Tomatoes -serves 4

When wrestling with a problem or delving into the depths of a deception, what is needed is a dish of many parts.  This classic Portuguese recipe is certainly that. For me, concentrating my conscious mind on the intricacies of a recipe like this lets my subconscious go to work on my problem.  This recipe is often cooked in a cataplana, a spherical copper baking pan that opens like a clam. I got mine from the Sur La Table catalog. An ordinary heatproof casserole with a lid works, too.

2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed

1 cup white wine

3 cloves or garlic, minced

2 tsps hot or sweet paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

Olive oil

2 medium-sized onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces

Pinch of red pepper flakes

24 littleneck or mahogany clams, scrubbed

Salt

4 tbsps chopped fresh cilantro

1 lemon, cut in wedges

Be sure to remove the silvery-white tendon on the pork.  Cut the pork into 1 inch pieces. Mix the wine,  garlic, paprika, pinch of pepper and bay leaf and pour over the pork cubes.  Leave to marinate for 2 hours. 

Bring a pan of water to the boil and have a bowl of ice water close by.  Cut a small cross through the skin of the rounded end of each tomato.  Place tomatoes in boiling water to  5 - 8 seconds, depending on how ripe they are.  Place immediately in ice water.  The peel should loosen and come off easily.  Cut in half, scoop out seeds and chop the flesh.  Set aside.

Drain the pork and reserve the marinade. Pat pork dry with paper towels.  Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a large skillet. When hot add the pork. Don't crowd the pan or the pork will steam, not brown.  Saute in 2 or 3 batches as necessary.  Remove the pork and add the marinade to the pan.  Bring to the boil, scraping the browned meat juices from the bottom of the skillet. Boil to reduce the marinade to about 1/2 cup.

Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in the cataplana or casserole. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until softened, but not browned.  Add the tomatoes,  red pepper flakes and return the pork and marinade to the pan. 

Discard any clams with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Place the clams, hinge side down into the sauce and cover.  Cook over moderately high heat, about 10 minutes for the clams to open. Discard any that don't open as these won't be good to eat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and garnish with lemon wedges. 

Lakefront Pastitsio -serves 4

I think my grandmother and my mom were better at stretching a dollar and a recipe than I will ever be! This is a variation of a recipe my mom learned from one of the first TV cooking shows, which was broadcast from Chicago. The recipe was called Baked Macaroni Sizzling Squares. She changed it and so have I, but the original concept is still there--a more interesting take on macaroni and cheese. It's a bit like the Greek pasta casserole called pastitsio and it comes from Chicago, hence the new name.

1 cup elbow macaroni or penne

6 tbps butter

6 tbsps flour

1 1/2 tsps dry mustard

Pinch of paprika and cayenne pepper

2 cups milk

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

2 cups white cheddar, grated

Salt and pepper

1/2 lb Kielbasa or other smoked sausage (beef, pork, turkey or any combination)

Extra milk

1 large tomato (Way to stretch one tomato Mom!)

Bring water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes or according to package directions, until al dente. Drain well. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt butter in a deep saucepan and when foaming, remove from the heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Add paprika and cayenne and gradually whisk in the milk. Stir in the Worchestershire. Return to moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly until sauce is thick and smooth. Stir in the cheese until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper. Sauce should be very thick.

Cut the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces and combine with the pasta. Fold in 1 - 1 1/4 cups of the cheese sauce until the mixture binds together thickly. Line an 8 inch square pan or dish with waxed or non-stick paper. Spoon in the pasta mixture and press it down firmly. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. To reserve the remaining sauce, smooth the top and pour about 1/2 cup extra milk over it. This will keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until needed.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Turn the pasta mixture out of the dish or pan onto a cutting board. Peel off the paper and cut into 4 large or 8 smaller squares. Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the squares with room in between. Reheat the cheese sauce over low heat, whisking in the milk that covered the top. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon thickly, but run off slowly. Add more milk if sauce needs it. Spoon sauce over the pasta squares, reserving about 4 tbsps. Core the tomato and cut into 4 thick rounds. For 8 squares cut tomato rounds in half. Place a tomato slice on each square. Drizzle a little sauce over each tomato. Place in the oven and bake about 20 -25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and lightly browned. If it subbornly refuses to brown, place under a hot broiler until it does.

Lemonade Pound Cake Pudding -serves 4 - 8

A well -known advice columnist used to say, "When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade." This recipe calls for homemade lemonade concentrate, much better than the frozen or powdered kind. It has no high fructose cornsyrup. Double or triple the syrup recipe and freeze in an ice cube tray. Just add water for fresh lemonade anytime. Buy the best pound cake you can, or if you really want to go all out, make your own. So, once you make your lemonade, take it a step further.

Lemonade syrup:

Grated zest and juice of 3 large lemons

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

Pudding:

1 1/2 tbsps cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water

10 - 12 oz pound cake, cut into 8 slices

3 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

Confectioners' sugar to decorate

Be sure to zest the lemons before squeezing the juice. Combine the sugar, water, lemon zest and juice in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring slowly to the bowl, then simmer until sugar dissolves and mixture forms a thin sryup. Remove from the heat. Take out 1/2 cup of the syrup and set it aside.

Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the lemonade syrup still in the pan. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, whisking constantly until thickened and cleared.

Spray an 11 or 12 inch long baking dish with cooking oil. Spread each slice of pound cake with the thickened lemonade mixture and place in the baking dish. Mix the eggs, sugar, milk and reserved 1/2 cup lemonade syrup. Pour over the poundcake, cover the dish with oiled foil and leave to stand for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, so the cake soaks up some of the egg mixture.

Preheat oven to 325. Bake pudding, covered for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the egg mixture has set. Serve warm or cool, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar.

Next Time: What Started All This.