Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy » Memorials

Chicken Marbella for Sheila

Susan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:09:25 +0000

Way back a hundred million years ago, when Mr. SGCC and I were first married, we received a copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook as a wedding gift. It sat proudly on our orange crate bookcase alongside The Joy of Cooking and The Betty Crocker Cookbook, also wedding gifts. That bookcase made quite a statement paired with our dining room set consisting of a card table and four metal folding chairs. (Did I mention that we were poor as dirt back then?) Anyway, whenever I needed some culinary inspiration, I’d reach for Sheila and Julee’s wildly popular and creative tome of elegant entertaining to get me started.

The Silver Palate is one of the top 10 best-selling cookbooks of all time. Sheila Lukins and her business partner, Julee Rosso, wrote it in 1979, two years after they opened one of the nation’s first gourmet takeout shops of the same name in New York City. The book helped demystify and popularize gourmet cooking for millions of home cooks upon its publication in 1982 and continues to do so today. It is considered THE American cookbook of the Eighties. I didn’t know anyone who didn’t have a dog-eared, sauce-splattered copy of it in their kitchen arsenal. The recipes were innovative and accessible at the same time, using unique combinations of ingredients and advocating rich and bold flavors with a Mediterranean flair.

Lukins and Rosso split up years ago after a lot of acrimony, and their store was shuttered in 1993. Both went on to author other cookbooks and start new ventures. Lukins was the the food editor and columnist for Parade Magazine for over twenty years, a position previously held by Julia Child.

As many of you may already know, Sheila Lukins passed away from brain cancer several days ago at the age of sixty-six. She was a trailblazer in the culinary world, redefining the parameters of gourmet cooking for a whole generation. She will be sorely missed.

One of The Silver Palate’s most famous recipes – Chicken Marbella – was also the first main course to be offered for sale at the shop. It was also the first dish I ever served to company. Over the years it has become one of the most requested dishes in my repertoire. I thought it only fitting that I make it in Sheila Lukin’s honor and share it with you here. I’m sure I won’t be the only food blogger serving Chicken Marbella this week but, that’s okay. I’m sure Sheila would be pleased.

Chicken Marbella
from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 12 or more hours
Cooking time: approximately 1 hour
Yield: 12-14 servings

Ingredients:

4 chickens, 2-1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

6. To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

Enjoy!

Oh, The Times They Are A-Changin (Parmesan Artichoke Crisps)

Susan — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:07:16 +0000

This is a picture of my old high school shortly after it was built in 1958.

This is how it looked when I went there.

This is what it looks like now. A parking lot will soon take its place.

And, this is the new and improved Riverview High School set to open its doors to students, including Mini SGCC, for the first time tomorrow.

The original Riverview High School was designed by Paul Rudolph, one of the leading architects in the United States during the 1950s and 60s. Rudolph was considered a pioneer in the field of modern architecture and was a major figure of the “Sarasota School of Architecture”, which gained international attention for its modern, minimalist and innovative ideas for building American homes.

The Sarasota School of Architecture or “Sarasota Modern”, as it is sometimes called, is characterized by its attention to climate and terrain. Its unique approach to modern architecture considered the local sub-tropical climate and created a relationship with the landscape, employing large sunshades, skylights, open air hallways, oversized sliding glass doors, floating staircases, and walls of jalousie windows which are featured in many of these buildings, mostly built from the late 1940’s to the early 60’s.

Riverview was the first public building in Florida designed by Paul Rudolph. The buildings were arranged in a “U” shape, creating an open courtyard in the center. A freestanding covered walkway constructed of horizontal, precast concrete planes completed the square on the fourth side. This configuration ensured that students were always protected from the sun and rain.

The two-story classroom buildings were designed with extra-wide corridors open at both ends to ensure a constant cross breeze. High transom-like windows, called clerestory windows in the classrooms ran the length of these hallways. On the second level, the floors once had narrow slots opening down along each side, so that hot air was naturally drawn down and out of the classrooms and corridors, rising up and out of the clerestory windows in the hallway. At the time it was considered groundbreaking and daring stuff!

Those were the days before air conditioning was readily available. The school was designed to keep students and teachers cool and comfortable in the blistering Florida heat, and it worked. Unfortunately, the addition of air conditioning was the beginning of the end for the Riverview. It was never designed to be airtight, and the buildings suffered from mold. Many inappropriate alterations and modifications in the next few decades followed, as well as poor maintenance. The school had become the diametric opposite of what it was originally intended to be- clean, green and comfortable. The students needed a new, safe place to learn and the cost of restoring the existing structures became prohibitive, despite an international movement to save it.

So, on June 13, 2009, Riverview High School, in Sarasota, Florida, was reduced to a pile of rubble.

RIP – RHS

Since Mini SGCC attends RHS, I spent lots of time there this past year. I also only live about a mile and a half from where the old school once stood, and I drive by there often. A few days before its scheduled demolition, I paid a little visit there to say my own private goodbye. As I roamed those big, eerily empty halls, the ghosts of students past were everywhere. I closed my eyes and stood very, very still until I was 17 again, laughing and chatting with my friends as we whooshed along, hurrying from one class to another. Memories long buried for years came flooding back to me. I relived it all – the joys, the heartbreaks, the angst and insecurities tempered by dreams of bright, shiny futures.

I don’t mind telling you that I shed a few tears that day the wrecking ball took its first swing, and several times since. It was a bittersweet day for me. Bitter, because a part of me is gone forever. Sweet, because Mini SGCC and her classmates will now have a brand new, huge, gorgeous, secure, state-of-the-art facility in which to continue their educations. They deserve that, and I am grateful for it. I’m also grateful that my daughter did get to spend at least one year wandering the same halls, eating in the same cafeteria and hanging out in the same courtyard that I did many, many years ago.

I’ve remained close with several of my high school friends. I still keep in touch with quite a few others. Through the magic of Facebook, I’ve been able to reconnect with a lot more of them and even develop a few new relationships with people I didn’t even really know in high school!

What does all of this have to do with food? Absolutely nothing. But, it’s been weighing on me for months, and I just needed to get it off my chest. And, I really appreciate your indulgence, so I am going to give you a great recipe for your trouble.

Earlier this Summer, my class held a mini-reunion here in town. Over a hundred of my classmates attended, many flying in from all over the country. One of the events on the agenda was a pilgrimage to our alma mater for one last look. The rest of the weekend was spent eating, drinking and catching up. I had such a wonderful time!

One of the highlights of the weekend for me was reconnecting with an old girlfriend of mine that I hadn’t seen in almost thirty years. Her name is Tracy and she was one of my favorite lunch buddies. Even after all these years, I recognized her instantly! We chatted for a good, long time and realized that we have a lot in common. We’re both married, are moms of daughters, and share a love of good food and cooking. I told her all about SGCC and she promised to share some of her favorite recipes with me. Since then, we’ve continued to keep in touch via email and Facebook.

Not long ago, Tracy sent me a terrific appetizer recipe that I just had to share with you. They’re called Parmesan Artichoke Crisps and are creamy, cheesy, crunchy and delicious! Best of all, they’re super quick and simple to make.

Thanks, Tracy! It’s been so nice getting to know you all over again!

Tracy’s Parmesan Artichoke Crisps

Ingredients:

2 egg whites, at room temperature1
1/4-inch thick slice of prosciutto
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 jar (15oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 4-ounce jar diced pimento
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
24 thin slices of French Bread, preferably a baguette, lightly toasted

Directions:

Beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment of your mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Fry the prosciutto with a touch of olive oil in a small sauté pan until lightly browned. Dice into small pieces. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, artichokes, pimentos, parmesan and prosciutto. Carefully fold egg whites into mixture.
Place bread slices on a baking sheet and spoon a dollop of the artichoke mixture onto each slice. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top of each.
Broil for about 4 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

*Photos of Riverview High School courtesy of Sarasota Architectural Foundation, Riverview High School and Sarasota Herald Tribune

Rest in Peace, Sweet Maria

Susan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Oh Dear Readers, you have no idea how much I hate writing posts like this. Yet, I find myself doing it way too often. My heart is heavy today and it probably will be for a long time. And I hope that, if you’ll allow me the indulgence of getting it off my chest, I might be able to make some sense of it.

You see, I lost a dear friend on Saturday. Another bright and vibrant young life devoured by cancer. Many of you may remember last May, when I year told you about our legal assistant and good friend, Maria’s cancer diagnosis. Doctors found that she had a precariously positioned tumor in her neck, wrapped around her jugular vein. Conventional surgery wasn’t an option.

The next ten months were a harrowing and painful journey for her. There was chemo and radiation, and more chemo and more radiation. There were two CyberKnife procedures, a highly sophisticated robotic radiosurgery system used to attempt to reduce or eliminate certain lesions and tumors in the body that are otherwise considered inoperable. The tumor had crushed Maria’s vocal cords, so there was reconstructive surgery and speech therapy as well.

The second CyberKnife procedure was considered to be very successful. Finally, there was a small sliver of light at the end of a dark and miserable tunnel. Things were starting to look up for Maria. Then, the unthinkable happened.

Two weeks ago, Maria began having a lot more pain than usual. She was also having trouble with her vision. After undergoing some tests, her doctors told her that there was now a large tumor on her brain. They also said that they thought they could get it all. She was immediately scheduled for more surgery. But, by the time they got in there, that f*%#ing devil cancer had already taken over. There was nothing more they could do, except send her home to wait.

Maria died early Saturday morning. She was only forty-one years old. She was gentle and kind and warm and smart and funny. She was incredibly beautiful, inside and out. She was an angel among us.

Rest in peace, sweet Maria. Thank God, your suffering is finally over. We love you and will miss you more than you’ll ever know.

Sad News…..

Susan — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:34:00 +0000

It is with great sadness that I tell you that Uncle Sal passed away on Tuesday night. While he valiantly held on as long as he could, his injuries were just too numerous and catastrophic. He was a beautiful and wonderful man, and we will miss him terribly.

I want to thank you all for your continued prayers and good wishes during this ordeal. You kindness has touched my family and me more than you can know.

When I started this blog over a year ago, I never imagined that I would come to know so many thoughtful, caring and giving people from all around the world. I am truly blessed to have found you.

I’d like to believe that Uncle Sal is up in paradise right now, hanging out with my Dad again. They’re probably roaming around Heaven together, searching for the perfect place to plant a new garden and arguing over whose tomatoes are sweeter! I think that some things will never change.

Potato Fritters for Sher

Susan — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:48:00 +0000

…

Last Sunday, the food blog community lost one of its own. Sher, of the popular blog What Did You Eat? passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. I didn’t know Sher well, but what I did know, I liked very much. She was smart and funny and caring. Her blog was a great read, with terrific recipes and beautiful photography. I enjoyed myself whenever I visited and I will miss her.

My heart goes out to Sher’s husband, Bob, and the rest of her family and friends. It is always a tragedy to lose someone you love, especially so suddenly and without warning.

…

As a tribute to Sher, Mary of Bread Baking Babes and Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen have organized an online memorial to her. Fellow food bloggers all over the Internet have been preparing recipes from Sher’s blog and will be posting about them today. I think that this is a wonderful idea and I am proud and happy to participate.

There were so many great recipes to choose from, it was hard for me to decide what to make. I finally settled on her recipe for Potato Fritters with Sweet Pepper Relish. These are not fritters in the traditional sense of the word as I understand it, as they contain no flour in the mix. They are actually more like a potato cake or croquette. Whatever you call them, however, they are delicious!

…

Potato Fritters with Sweet Pepper Relish

Adapted from Deborah Madison, The Greens Cookbook via Sher of What Did You Eat?

(Printable Recipe)

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and some of the green part

1 cup shredded jack cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup panko bread crumbs

4 tablespoons oil

Sweet Pepper Relish (recipe follows)

…

Put potatoes in a steamer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a bowl and roughly break them up with a fork. Don’t try to make them too smooth.

Add the egg yolks, cilantro, scallions, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into patties shaped and sized as you like. I let the patties rest in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up so that they would hold their shape better while frying.

Dredge patties in the bread crumbs and press the crumbs into the patties on both sides.

Heat the oil in a skillet until hot and cook the patties over medium high heat, until browned on both sides.

Serve immediately with the Sweet Pepper Relish.

…

Sweet Pepper Relish

1 small yellow pepper

1 small red pepper

1/4 small red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons or more balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

…

Trim the peppers, cut them into thin slices and dice into small even pieces. Combine the peppers, onion oil and vinegar and add salt and pepper to taste. Marinate this for about 2 hours, then drain the oil off (reserving for other purposes, like salad dressing) when you are ready to serve the fritters.

Enjoy!

My Kitchen is Dark Today

Susan — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:59:00 +0000

My kitchen is dark today. There will be no simmering sauces on the stove nor fragrant loaves in the oven. I just can’t do it. I am too incredibly sad. It was one year ago today that my beloved father was taken from me. Cancer stole him away, leaving a big gaping hole in my heart.

.
Cancer is a cruel and cunning foe. It sneaks up on you silently. Sometimes, it lies in wait for a long time before it pounces on you. It doesn’t play fair. It follows no rules. It is ruthless.

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My father was a wonderful man. He was kind and loyal and generous to a fault. Charisma oozed from his pores. He was what you would call a “character”. Few who met him, didn’t love him. Those who didn’t, at least respected him. He was a shrewd businessman and could be a formidable opponent, when necessary.

Loving Husband of Forty-Eight Years

Dad was the last person in the world that you would expect this to happen to. At 73, he was one of the most robust and vital men I knew. He either walked or rode his bicycle for miles every day. He golfed several times each week. My father was an avid gardener, growing almost all of our fruits and vegetables in his carefully tended patch of earth. He was scrupulous about his health and had no significant medical issues. When we found out he was sick in September of 2005, it was like being hit over the head with a sledgehammer! None of us could believe it.

.
For the next fourteen months, there were many ups and downs. Every step forward brought two more steps back, but never once did I lose faith. It simply never occurred to me that he wouldn’t get well. But, ultimately, he didn’t. His last several weeks were spent at Hospice. Let me tell you, he was the most popular guy there!

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Devoted Father
.

I really don’t want to dwell anymore on the “C” word in this post. I’ve already lived and relived it enough to last me a lifetime. What I really want to convey is what a special person my father was and how lucky I was to have had him as long as I did. I couldn’t have asked for a better dad. I love him dearly and sorely miss him every day.

I’d like to share a poem that I read at my father’s funeral. It has always been one of my favorites because of its uplifting perspective on death. This is how I like to think of him now; that he is somehow still with us.

.
Doting Grandfather!

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep;

I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
.
–Mary Frye