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2010 FALL MENU
OLD NEW YORK
All of our menus were inspired by music this year. This fall we’ll step back in time to old New York with a little Gershwin as our soundtrack. We’ll then take our cues from New Orleans jazz for Mardi Gras, Italian opera in the spring; and good old rock and roll for summer. So, get your playlists ready and enjoy!
Our first menu is a tribute to Old New York and a trip back to elegance. Think black and white movies…think Fred and Ginger…think The 21 Club and Delmonico’s…play Gershwin, big bands or Sinatra…and dine like you’re at a supper club!
Host Couple
Cocktail: Sidecar
Main Course: Filet of Beef (or Ribeye Steaks) with Béarnaise Sauce
Couple #1
Appetizer: Clams Casino
Side: Creamed Spinach
Couple #2
Salad: 21 Club Salad
Side: Delmonico’s Mashed Potatoes
Couple #3
Appetizer: Gruyere, Bacon and Mushroom Rounds
Dessert: Group’s choice…either Junior’s Cheesecake
OR the Algonquin Apple Pie
RECIPES
SIDECAR COCKTAIL
“The Sidecar is often singled out as the only good cocktail to
come out of the long national nightmare that was Prohibition.
And when you're sipping one, you almost think it was all worth it.”
–Esquire Magazine
Ingredients
3/4 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces cognac
Glass Type: cocktail glass
Instructions
Shake well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail
glass that has had its outside rim rubbed with lemon juice and dipped
in sugar.
Read more: http://www.esquire.com/drinks/sidecar-drink-recipe#ixzz12CFA7H00
CLAMS CASINO
(Courtesy of the Viking Cooking School)
NOTE: For those who are not inclined to take on shucking clams,
Natural on Seventh Street is willing to shuck clams for anyone that
would like this service (call Joe). Also, they have ready-made baked
clams that just need to be baked for 20 minutes for an even easier
way to go!)
Makes 24 clams
8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium red onion, finely diced
½ cup very finely diced red bell pepper (about 1 small pepper)
½ cup very finely diced yellow bell pepper (about 1 small pepper)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine, of drinkable quality
½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
24 medium (2 ½-inch) hard-shelled clams (littleneck or cherry stone)
Coarse sea salt, for filling the baking pan and serving platter (or other
balancing option)
2 sticks unsalted butter (16 tablespoons), melted
Lemon slices or wedges for garnish
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a medium sauté pan over
medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until
the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a
paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside until needed.
• Return the sauté pan to the heat and add the onions and peppers.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, but not browned,
about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring until very fragrant, about 1 minute more.
Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom
of the pan (deglaze). Cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Transfer
the vegetable mixture to a medium mixing bowl to cool completely.
• Add the bacon, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, cayenne pepper and 4 tablespoons
of the parsley to the cooled vegetable mixture; stir to combine. Season to taste
with salt and pepper.
• Shuck the clams, and loosen the meat from the shells. Arrange the clams in their bottom shells on a baking sheet filled with some of the coarse salt (to balance
shells). Evenly divide the vegetable/breadcrumb mixture over the top of the
clams, then drizzle with melted butter.
• Bake the clams in the preheated oven until lightly browned and just cooked
through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• To serve: Arrange the clams on a platter (filled with sea salt or something
similar to balance shells). Garnish with lemon slices or wedges and the
remaining parsley, and serve immediately.
GRUYERE, BACON AND MUSHROOM ROUNDS
1 lb grated gruyere cheese
1 lb bacon cooked and sliced into tiny pieces
1 cup of mayonnaise
½ lb of sautéed mushrooms
(or one 8oz can of stems and pieces mushrooms chopped)
1 large loaf of seedless rye bread
Mix first four ingredients together.
Use round cutter (2 or 3 inch diameter) to make rye rounds.
Top rounds with mixture - generously,
Cook rounds under broiler until they are brown and bubbly.
Makes anywhere from 45-55 pieces.
“21” ENDIVE, WALNUT AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD
(www.orient-express.com)
SALAD:
A head red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
8 large Belgian endive heads, cut lengthwise into julienne strips
2 cups shelled walnut halves, toasted at 250 degrees for 15 minutes
2 cups chunked Roquefort or other blue cheese
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Garnish: 4 fresh, ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 cups Champagne vinaigrette (see below for recipe)
Toss the julienned endive with the toasted walnuts. Combine the
vinaigrette with the cheese, and mix with the endive and toasted
walnuts. Place several lettuce leaves on eight plates; divide the
endive-walnut mixture among the eight plates placed on top of the
lettuce. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon chives on each serving. Garnish with
fresh, ripe tomato slices.
CHAMPAGNE VINAGRETTE
(makes 1 quart)
½ cup shallots (peeled, hand minced)
2 Tablespoons honey
½ cup Champagne vinegar
2 Tablespoons Champagne
½ cup canola oil
½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons *fine herbs (fresh minced chervil, chive, and tarragon,
equal amounts)
Salt to taste
In non‐reactive bowl, add shallots, honey, Champagne vinegar and
Champagne. Mix together
and stream in oil while whisking together. Finish with salt, cayenne
and fine herbs. Serve
immediately.
*Once herbs are added, this has a 15‐minute shelf life before herbs go bad.
So herbs can be
added 10 minutes before serving.
INA’S FILET OF BEEF WITH BERNAISE SAUCE
(www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/steak-with-bernaise-recipe/index.html)
NOTE: This can be made with either Filet or Rib Eye Steaks. Both recipes
are below.
FILET OPTION:
1 (4 to 5 pound) fillet of beef, trimmed and tied
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Place the beef on a sheet pan and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Spread the butter on with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for approximately 25 minutes for rare and 30 minutes for medium-rare. (Oven thermometer should read 145 degrees for med-rare.)
Remove the beef from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove the strings and slice the fillet thickly.
Note: Be sure your oven is very clean or the high temperature will cause it to smoke.
RIB EYE OPTION:
8 (1-inch thick) rib eye steaks
Olive Oil
Coarsely ground black pepper
Season the steaks liberally with salt and coarsely ground black
pepper on both sides. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large sauté
pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steaks
on each side for 1 minute. Lower the heat to low and cook the steaks
for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle.
Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to sit
for 10 minutes.
BERNAISE SAUCE:
1/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good white wine
2 tablespoons minced shallots
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 extra-large egg yolks*
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Directions
For the sauce, put the Champagne vinegar, white wine, shallots,
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon
pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over
medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is
reduced to a few tablespoons. Cool slightly.
Place the cooled mixture with the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon salt
in the jar of a blender and blend for 30 seconds.
With blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through
the opening in the lid. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of
tarragon leaves and blend only for a second.
If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of white wine to thin.
Keep at room temperature until serving.
Note: To make the sauce in advance, prepare an hour
before serving and allow it to sit in the blender.
Before serving, add 1 tablespoon of the hottest tap water and
blend for a few seconds.
*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw
and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or
other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend
you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or
AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks
or whites and the shell.
CREAMED SPINACH
(Courtesy of the Viking Cooking School)
BECHAMEL SAUCE:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons finely diced white or yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leafs (preferably Turkish)
1 teaspoon fine salt (or to taste)
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
SPINACH:
2 pounds fresh spinach stems removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• For the sauce: In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over
medium heat until it begins to foam; stir in the onion, garlic,
bay leaf and salt. Add the flour and cook until the
butter-flour mixture (roux) is golden in color, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk in the milk; continue whisking vigorously until the mixture
comes to the boil and thickens. Reduce the heat, and cook a
few minutes more; taste the sauce to make sure the starchy
flavor has cooked out. When the sauce is ready, pass it through a
fine mesh strainer, then set aside until needed; the sauce
should be very thick.
• For the spinach: cook the spinach in rapidly boiling water
for 2 to 3 seconds; use a strainer to remove the spinach,
then quickly transfer it to an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
Immediately remove the spinach and squeeze it very dry.
Place the blanched spinach in the work bowl of a food processor
and pulse until somewhat smooth; set aside until needed.
• Just before serving, combine the sauce with the pureed spinach;
cook on low heat, stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the softened butter, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately. (Note: if the spinach is too thick,
thin with a little warm water until the desired consistency is achieved.)
DELMONICO POTATOES
www.steakperfection.com/delmonico/Potatoes.html
This is the original Delmonico’s recipe, explained in modern terminology.
This makes about four cups and serves 6 or 8.
Four medium white potatoes
3/4 cup of whole milk
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Wash (but do not skin) the potatoes, and quarter them lengthwise
(so that, after cooking, they can be grated into the longest shreds possible).
Bring 8 cups of water to a boil and then add the potatoes.
Let boil for 10 minutes so that the potatoes are not cooked through.
Immediately submerse the hot potatoes into cold water,
and let them cool for at least 30 minutes.
Grate the potatoes into long strips.
Mix together in a bowl the other milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat and
then add the potatoes and liquid mixture.
Fold them together well but gently, without mashing the potatoes,
and cook for 10 minutes, mixing lightly occasionally so that
they do not burn. Remove from the stove and fold in 1 tablespoon
of the cheese.
Transfer the potatoes into a pre-buttered baking dish and arrange evenly.
On top, sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of cheese.
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Place the uncovered baking dish into the upper-third of the oven,
and bake for 6 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve immediately.
JUNIOR’S CHEESCAKE
(From New York Cookbook by Molly O’Neill)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sifted cornstarch
30 oz. (3 ¾ large packages) cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Liberally grease the side and bottom of an 8-inch
springform pan with the butter.
• Coat the bottom with the cracker crumbs and refrigerate
the pan until ready to use.
• In a large bowl, combine the sugar with the cornstarch.
• Beat in the cream cheese.
• Beat in the egg.
• Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, beating constantly.
• Add the vanilla and stir well
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the top is golden, 40-45 minutes.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 3 hours
THE ALGONQUIN’S FAMOUS APPLE PIE
(From New York Cookbook by Molly O’Neill)
CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, preferably unsalted, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup solid shortening
1/2 cup ice water
Filling:
8 apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces, divided
Sugar, for dusting top of pie
To make crust:
In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter and shortening into flour mixture until it resembles small peas. Add ice water, a little at a time, until crust comes together into a rough ball. Remove from bowl. Divide into 2 balls. Cover each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To prepare oven:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place rack on lowest setting.
To assemble:
Roll out 1 ball of dough into 13-inch circle 1/4-inch thick.
Fit dough into 9-inch pie plate. Trim, leaving 1/2 inch of pastry around edges.
Fill pie shell with apples. Sprinkle with lemon zest.
In small bowl, stir together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Sprinkle over apples. Dot apples with 2 tablespoons butter.
Roll out remaining ball of dough into 13-inch circle 1/4-inch thick.
Using fork, perforate dough in several places. Lay top crust over filling.
Trim and crimp edges. Dot top of crust with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
To bake:
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes,
or until pastry is golden. Serve warm or cold.
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