Four appetizer servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1/3 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice berries
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 scant teaspoon dried oregano
3/4-inch cinnamon stick
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil, or a mixture of the two
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 small carrots, peeled, diced
6 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
6 long (4-inch) fresh chilies gueros or banana peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus a little more if necessary
1 generous cup mild fish broth, clam juice or water
1 1/2 pounds shucked oysters, undrained (about 36)
Salt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), for garnish
1. Measure the cumin, cloves, allspice and peppercorns into a mortar or spice grinder and crush or process until cracked but not pulverized. Transfer to a small dish and measure in the bay leaves, oregano and cinnamon.
2. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; cook and stir until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and chilies and cook 2 minutes longer. Add the vinegar, broth and spices to the skillet. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. If there is time, let stand off the heat (in a noncorrosive container) for several hours; the flavors will greatly improve.
3. Just before serving, add the oysters and their liquid to the vegetables. Heat to a very gentle simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until the oysters are just firm, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt (and more vinegar, if necessary). Remove bay leaves and cinnamon, if you wish. Serve in deep plates, sprinkled with the fresh cilantro.
GUY PETIT`S STUFFED TURNIPS WITH WILD MUSHROOM COMPOTE
Eight servings
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
8 medium-size turnips
Truffle sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/4 cup Madeira
1 cup meat glaze, see note
1 medium-size truffle, chopped, about 2 tablespoons, optional
Tomato concassee:
4 medium tomatoes, about 1 pound
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper to taste
Mushrooms:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, see note
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced
8 medium-size basil leaves
1. Peel turnips and cook in salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Cool in ice water and drain. Cut off the top of each turnip and reserve. Hollow out the inside, leaving about 1/2-inch as a shell.
2. To make the truffle sauce, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan, add shallots and cook until transparent. Add Cognac and ignite. When flame dies, add Madeira and simmer until reduced by one-third. Add meat glaze and bring to a boil. Add truffle, remove from heat, cover pan and leave for 20 minutes.
3. For tomato concassee, peel tomatoes, cut in half and remove seeds. Peel and dice onion. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook tomatoes and onions for 10 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. For mushrooms, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan. Add mushrooms and cook until soft and golden. Drain, mix with 1 cup of the truffle sauce and set aside until ready to serve. (Recipe may be prepared ahead to this point.)
5. To finish dish, place each turnip bottom on a medium-size plate. Fill with mushroom mixture and cover with turnip top. Spoon tomato concassee around the base of each turnip. Spoon remaining truffle sauce over the turnips. Garnish each turnip with a basil leaf.
Note: If meat glaze is not available, substitute 2 cups beef broth (and any mushroom soaking liquid) and simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Stir in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and simmer until thickened. If fresh shiitake mushrooms are not available, dried and reconstituted may be substituted. Reserve soaking liquid from mushrooms and add to beef broth.
ED DEBEVIC`S SKINNY SPAGHETTI
Six servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 3 hours
8 hot Italian sausages (3 ounces each)
7 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cans (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes, seeds removed, broken up
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 pound uncooked vermicelli noodles
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. In a large saucepan, brown sausages in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, water, salt, pepper and oregano. Stir to blend, cover and simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan. Add red and green pepper chunks and cook over high heat until softened and slightly charred.
3. Remove sausages from sauce and slice each one into 4 pieces. Return sliced sausage to sauce and stir in cooked peppers. (Recipe may be done ahead to this point.)
4. Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Return to boil; add vermicelli and cook until vermicelli is ”al dente.” Turn off heat and add cold water to stop the cooking. Drain.
5. In a bowl, toss vermicelli with remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer to plates or bowls and top with sauce, making sure everyone receives an equal amount of sausage. Serve at once. Pass Parmesan cheese at the table. MICHAEL KORNICK`S CHICKEN WITH WILD RICE AND FRUIT SALSA
Two servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Salsa:
1 apricot, diced
1 orange, peeled, cut into segments, juice reserved
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oil, walnut preferred
1/2 cup diced fresh or unsweetened pineapple
4 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper
Chicken:
1 whole chicken breast, boned, split
1/4 cup Oriental sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce, plus 2 teaspoons
2 tablespoons diced red pepper
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
Black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large egg
1. At least two hours before serving, make the fruit salsa by mixing apricot, orange segments and juice, half the green onions, the walnut oil, pineapple and 2 teaspoons of jalapeno. (This may be done a day ahead. If so, cover and refrigerate. Return to room temperature before serving.)
2. One hour before cooking, mix 2 tablespoons sesame oil and 1/4 cup soy sauce in a bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate, turning once.
3. Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat broiler. Remove chickens from marinade. Cook, skin side down, 6 inches from heat source, 5 minutes. Turn and cook until firm but not dry, 3 to 5 more minutes.
4. While chicken is cooking, heat a saute pan or wok. Add remaining sesame oil, red pepper, remaining 2 teaspoons of jalapeno, remaining green onion and the rice. Cook and stir over high heat for about 3 minutes, or until vegetables are barely tender. Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce and black pepper to taste.
5. In a separate pan, heat vegetable oil and scramble egg. Add to rice, breaking up egg as you stir it in.
6. Divide rice between two plates. Top with a chicken breast and pass salsa at the table.
