Cooking with the Classics
A TASTE OF THE LITERARY GREATS
“Eating & reading are two pleasures
that combine admirably.” –C.S. Lewis
“You must allow me to tell you
how ardently delicious this is.”
—Mr. Darcy
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Pride & Prosciutto
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PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED PEARS with BAKED BRIE
t is a truth universally acknowledged that a single pear wrapped in a delicate ham goes even better with a good cheese. Put them together at a party and watch your guests immediately flock together over witty banter and merriment—even the brooding one in the corner. Don’t judge this pairing on first impressions; see for yourself: appetizers this scrumptious have a way of bringing out one’s best qualities. You might be surprised at just how felicitous this recipe turns out to be (once the ham and the cheese give each other a fair chance).
INGREDIENTS 1 Wheel Brie 2 Pears, cored and sliced into 32 pieces 16 Slices Prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper Balsamic Reduction, for drizzling
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350º. 2. Place the brie wheel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the brie for 10-15 minutes or until it’s just starting to ooze and is soft in the middle. 3. Meanwhile, wrap each pear with a prosciutto slice and lay on a platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 4. Remove the brie from the oven and place on the platter with the pears and drizzle everything with balsamic reduction. A Taste of the Literary Greats | 5
Jay Gatsby’s
Deviled West Egg CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS You can’t repeat the past, but you can recreate a timeless taste with this classic party favorite. Put these little luxuries on a plate and not even a mystifying green glow will detract your party guests from gravitating toward these eggs faster than you can say “new money.”
INGREDIENTS 6 eggs, hardboiled & sliced in half 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 scant tablespoon mustard 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce a splash of hot sauce salt & pepper, to taste paprika to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS Place your cooked egg yolks in a small bowl & mash them up with a fork. Stir in the mayo, mustard, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, & pepper. Scoop the filling into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika.
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8 | Cooking with the Classics
Lord of the Fries SEASONED GOURMET FRENCH FRIES Looking for a good way to feed a large group of people, on an island or otherwise? Look no further than these prize-worthy fries.
INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1 garlic clove 1 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Vegetable oil, for frying 3 large baking potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick sticks
INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a food processor, puree the mayonnaise with the garlic, smoked paprika and lemon juice. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the aioli into a small bowl and refrigerate. 2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 inch of oil to 250°. In a large bowl, rinse the potatoes and pat thoroughly dry. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until they are almost tender and look dry on the outside, about 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. 3. Increase the oil temperature to 350°. Cook the fries in batches until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and immediately season with salt. Sprinkle the fries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and serve with the smoked aioli.
A Taste of the Literary Greats | 9
“Something is scrumptious in the state of Denmark.”
-Hamlet
Hamlet & Cheese Handpies
HANDPIES filled with HAM and CHEESE To brie or not to brie, that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous hunger Or to take hands against a stomach of gurgling with these handpies, And by opposing eat them. To die, to eat--No more--and by a snack to say we end the stomachache, and the thousand natural flaky layers That crust is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished.
INGREDIENTS 1 refrigerated pie crust, 9 inch 9 slices ham, two inch, leftovers, or deli meat 1 cup shredded fontina cheese, or any cheese of your choice— try swiss or provolone or brie! 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar 1 egg, plus 1 tablespoon of water (to make the egg wash)
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Unroll the refrigerated piecrust. Follow package instructions for letting the temperature rise a little so it’s pliable. Once you have unrolled it and you have a flat surface, use your biscuit cutter to punch out 9 circles. 3. Lay a slice of ham on one half of each pie dough round. Top with a little cheese and then sprinkle each with a little of the brown sugar. 4. Fold each round in half and press the edges together to seal. Cut a small “X” into each hand pie so they don’t explode in the oven. 5. Beat together the egg and water. Place each hand pie on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the egg wash. 6. Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the tops are a pretty golden brown. A Taste of the Literary Greats | 11
A Farewell
to Carbs
SALMON
Going without carbs is noble and hard. A man who is brave and true will look squarely at bread and deny himself the pleasure. There are harder things a man must do, such as go to war or die alone. It is choosing to not eat bread that makes us brave. Have fish instead. A man who can fish is fed for life. On a night when you are alone and it is raining, strip away all pretenses and find that carbs are for cowards and all other ingredients are honest and true.
INGREDIENTS 1 side of salmon, skin removed 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon of olive oil
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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Place the side of salmon on the parchments paper and liberally season with salt, pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
Hemingway’s Moveable Feast
CHEF ERNEST
A Taste of the Literary Greats | 13
14 | Cooking with the Classics
War & Peas GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN with SNOW PEAS
S
ome like it hot, some like it cold. This contrasting combo fit for an aristocrat will have a greater impact on your tastebuds than the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society.
INGREDIENTS 5 tablespoons cornstarch, divided 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided 1 large egg white 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces ž cup water 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided 2 scallions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups snow peas
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Combine 4 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and rice wine (or sherry) and egg white in a bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. 2. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon each cornstarch, soy sauce and rice wine (or sherry), water, hoisin and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside. 3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the chicken; cook without turning, breaking up stuck-together pieces, until golden on the bottom, 2 minutes. Stir; continue cooking until golden on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. 4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add peas; cook, stirring often, until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved sauce mixture; cook, stirring, until thick, about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.
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Crepe Expectations CREPES with BERRY PRESERVES
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othing says classy brunch like poor crazy British people making bad decisions! Whip up this short stack of sweet, fancy pancakes brimming with fresh berries and optimism, then sprinkle in some Dickensian realism for a tart finish. When times are hard, just add nutella. We call that the Havisham special, ‘cause it’s crazy—crazy good.
INGREDIENTS 2 cups milk 1 ⅓ cup flour 1 egg 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons sugar strawberry or raspberry jam/ preserves
INSTRUCTIONS 1) Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk the mixture until lumps dissolve. 2) Heat frying pan until very hot, spray with oil, and, using a soup ladle, pour small amount of batter into the frying pan as you roll the pan from side to side just enough to cover the bottom of the pan evenly with a thin layer of crepe batter. 3) Let this thin layer of crepe batter cook for 1- 3 minutes, depending on your pan, then flip the crepe to the other side and let it cook for another minute on the other side. To flip the crepe, pick up the sides of the crepe around its circumference, gradually reaching towards the center of the crepe from all sides, until the crepe separates from the pan. When you pour the batter, it will be wet in the frying pan but gradually bubbles will form and batter will start to dry.
When it’s all bubbles and no liquid batter—it’s time to flip! 4) As each crepe gets done, transfer it to the plate and add each new crepe on top of previous crepe in the stack. Brush each crepe with softened butter and then top it with the next one. Add 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry or raspberry jam/preserves on top of the open crepe, fold the crepe in half, then fold one more time to form a triangle. That’s it!
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Wuthering Bites
HEATHCLIFF BARS
This dessert is more delicious than a Gothic romance and richer than Heathcliff in his prime. So addictive you’ll be begging for moor.
INGREDIENTS 1 stick of butter 1 cup of packed brown sugar 1-2 sleeves of saltines crackers 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ bag Heath milk chocolate toffee bits
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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. 2. Cover baking pan with a single layer of saltines crackers. 3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Pour over saltines and spread to cover. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, until toffee is bubbling. 5. Cool for 2 minutes and then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of the toffee. 6. Cool for 5 minutes, until chocolate chips soften. Spread over the top of the toffee and sprinkle the Heath toffee bits. 7. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until chocolate sets. Break into pieces.
“Only do not leave me in this abyss of hunger.”
—Heathcliff
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20 | Cooking with the Classics
Inffinite Zest LEMON LIME LOAF 1 1
Or just lemon, depending on your level of commitment to zest.
No one has actually read Infinite Jest, but you can conveniently distract from your book club discussion with this crowd-pleasing citrusy sweet treat.
INGREDIENTS ½ cup salted butter, at room temperature 1 cup white sugar 3 large eggs ⅔ cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt For the icing: 1½ cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice A tiny pinch of sea salt Lemon and lime zest, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the inside of a loaf pan. 2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and yogurt, lemon and lime zest and juice and beat until everything is thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds. 3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and sea salt. Add it to the large bowl and beat the batter just until everything comes together. 4. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes. 5. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before setting it onto a cooling rack. For the icing: 1. In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar, lemon and lime juice and the tiny pinch of sea salt. 2. Once the loaf is cool, pour ⅓ of the icing over top and let it drip down the sides. Wait for the icing to begin to harden, then pour over another ⅓. 3. Sprinkle the top with a little lemon and lime zest. A Taste of the Literary Greats | 21
A LITERARY TASTES cookbook