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OCTOBER
1997
The
Colors of Autumn Grow More Apparent as We Enter October
Autumn has
once again creeped upon us. Looking outside I begin
to see summer's green leaves turn orange, yellow and
brown. Evenings become cooler and days are much shorter.
As the mercury begins to decrease, cooking is more
enjoyable and a nice warm hearty meal does the soul
wonders after spending the day in the cold. And we
must not forget - Halloween. Streets are filled with
ghosts and goblins of all ages and what better way
to wind down the evening than by having a warm or
cold glass of milk with that little goblin over the
evenings goodies.
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 This
month we features a few of Thomas A. Keller's recipes.
A talented chef known
throughout the country as well as the world. We hope
you enjoy this month's section and personally I can
not wait to sink my teeth into the Buttery Chocolate
Cake!!!
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Sliced
Salmon with Chive Butter Sauce
Serves Four
2 tablespoons water or chicken stock
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks or 6 oz.) unsalted California
butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons melted, unsalted California butter
4 salmon steaks or fillets, about 4 oz. Each
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2-3 cups mixed field greens or mixed small lettuce
leaves.
To make the butter sauce, bring water or stock to
a boil in a 1-1/2 to 2-quart saucepan. Turn heat to
low and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Immediately start
whisking, and continue until the butter has blended
smoothly into the liquid. Add the remaining butter
in 2 tablespoon pieces, whisking constantly until
smooth after each addition. Don't let the sauce boil;
if it appears to be getting too hot, lift the pan
from heat for several seconds, whisking all the while.
When all the butter has been added, you will have
a smooth, ivory-colored sauce. Remove from heat, add
the chives and lemon juice and season with salt and
pepper to taste. Until serving, set the sauce aside
in a warm place, such as the back of the stove or
near -- but not over -- a pilot light.
Preheat oven to 400OF.
To bake the salmon, spread the melted butter in a
baking pan. Lay the pieces of salmon in the baking
pan and turn them to coat with butter. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper then cover with foil and bake for
about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked as desired.
While the salmon bakes, whisk the olive oil and vinegar
or lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Add the
greens and toss to coat with the dressing. Season
with salt and pepper.
To prepare the sauce, heat 2 Tbsp. water in a medium
saucepan over a low flame until it begins to simmer.
Whisk in 4 oz. Unsalted Butter a little piece at a
time until it is melted, then add the next piece of
butter until all is used. Season with salt & pepper.
Remove from heat and add 3 tsp. Chopped Chives and
the juice from 1/2 a Fresh Lemon. Keep warm.
Lightly brush four 10" dinner plates with a small
amount of melted Butter, season with salt and pepper.
Cover each plate with 4 ounces of Salmon, sliced into
1/4" thick pieces (similar to lox). Place salmon
covered plates in 400 degree oven for 3-5 minutes
until the salmon begins to become opaque. Remove from
oven. Spoon warm butter sauce over Salmon. Serve immediately.
Transfer the cooked salmon to heated dinner plates.
Spoon the warm butter sauce over the fish and place
the dressed greens over or alongside the fish.
Per serving: 639 calories, 28.49 g protein, 184.50
mg cholesterol, 2.29 g carbohydrate, 77.08 mg sodium,
.81 g fiber, 55.63 g total fat.
Recipe property of Thomas Keller, The French Laundry,
Yountville, California
Recipe provided courtesy of the California Milk Advisory
Board
Contact: Deneen Murrieta or Jennifer Plant, Torme
& Kenney, (415) 956-1791
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Chocolate
Butter Cake
Serves Twelve
For preparing
the cake pans:
2 tablespoons unsalted California butter,
at room temperatureparchment paper or waxed paper
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For making the cake batter:
8 eggs
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
2-1/2 cups (10-1/2 oz.) powdered sugar
14 tablespoons (1-3/4 sticks) unsalted California
butter, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 325(F. You will need two 9-inch round
cake pans at least 1-1/2 inches deep. To prepare the
pans, smear the inside of each with 1/2 tablespoon
of butter. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment
paper or waxed paper cut to fit, then smear the paper
with the remaining butter. Roll granulated sugar around
the inside of each pan to coat evenly, then knock
out the excess.
To make the cake batter, separate the eggs, dropping
the yolks into one large bowl and the whites into
another large bowl.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave
oven, then set aside to cool for a moment.
With a wire whisk or an electric mixer, beat the egg
yolks for several seconds, then add 1 cup of the powdered
sugar and continue beating for about three minutes,
until the mixture is quite thick and pale yellow.
Add the melted chocolate and whisk until blended.
Set aside.
Put the butter in a large bowl and, with a whisk or
an electric mixer, beat for a minute or so, until
smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the remaining powdered sugar
and continue beating until the butter mixture is soft,
fluffy and about the consistency of mayonnaise. Add
the butter to the chocolate mixture and, with a rubber
spatula or wooden spoon, stir until completely blended.
Set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until
they are foamy and have about quadrupled in volume.
Add the remaining 3/4 cup of powdered sugar and continue
beating until the whites stand in soft peaks that
droop distinctly when the beater is lifted. Stir half
the whites into the chocolate mixture, then scoop
the remaining whites on top and fold them in with
a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared
pans; they should be filled by no more than two-thirds.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted
into each cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs
on it, but no raw batter. Turn off the oven and leave
the cakes in it for 1 hour. They will sink in the
center and crack on top. Remove from the oven and
slide a knife blade around the edge of the cakes to
loosen. Invert each cake onto a large, flat plate.
To remove, give a couple of sharp, downward jerks,
then lift off the pan and peel off the paper.
Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice
cream if desired.
Per serving: 377.40 calories, 5.50 g protein, 223.83
mg cholesterol, 36.25 g carbohydrate, 201.96 mg sodium,
1.33 g fiber, 25.33 g total fat.
Recipe property of Thomas Keller, The French Laundry,
Yountville, California
Recipe provided courtesy of the California Milk Advisory
Board
Contact: Deneen Murrieta or Jennifer Plant, Torme
& Kenney, (415) 956-1791
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Roasted
Garlic Butter Paste
(Makes about 2/3 cup)
4 medium to large heads garlic
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted California butter,
at room temperature
salt
freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 325OF.
Using a sharp knife, slice off the top 1/4- to 1/2-inch
from each garlic head. Rub off some of the loose papery
skin covering each head, taking care to keep the heads
intact. Place the prepared heads of garlic in a small
baking dish and top each one with 1/2 tablespoon of
butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish
tightly with foil and bake for 1-1/2 hours -- the
garlic cloves will feel very soft when squeezed gently
with tongs or your fingers. Cool to room temperature.
To extract the whole cloves of garlic from their skins,
squeeze them between your fingers -- the cloves are
smooth and soft and will slip right out -- then remove
any of the papery skin that sticks to the cloves.
Place the garlic cloves in a food processor with the
remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt
and pepper then process until smooth, stopping once
or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Alternately,
force the garlic through a fine-meshed sieve, then
beat in the softened butter. Keep garlic paste refrigerated
in a tightly covered jar for up to 2 weeks.
Suggested
Uses
- Dip or Spread: Use
on thick slices of rustic, hearty bread.
- Topping: Brush on
grilled, broiled or sauteed chicken, fish or meat;
particularly good with veal and lamb.
- Pasta: Toss with hot,
just-cooked pasta and chopped fresh herbs, especially
thyme and sage; also try with hot, cooked rice.
- Soups: Enrich hot
soups, especially gutsy ones like minestrone, bean
soups and winter squash soups; also for lamb, veal
and beef stews.
- Per tablespoon of
garlic butter paste: 94.44 calories, 0 g protein,
20 mg cholesterol, 7.3 g carbohydrate, 0 mg sodium,
0 g fiber, 7.33 g total fat.
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Tomato
Saffron Butter
(Makes
about 1-1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/4 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock
1-1/2 lbs. red, ripe tomatoes
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted California butter, at
room temperature
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl, stir the saffron and stock together
and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the
tomatoes coarsely; you will have about 1 quart. Combine
them in a large saucepan or Dutch oven with the saffron
and stock. Bring to boil then cook over low heat,
stirring frequently, for 40-45 minutes or until the
mixture is very thick and reduced in volume to less
than one cup.
Add the butter a half stick at a time, whisking after
each addition until it has been incorporated into
the tomatoes. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper. With
the back of a spoon, force the mixture through a fine-meshed
sieve to remove the seeds and skins.
Suggested
Uses
- Dip or Spread: Great
dip for crusty bread or sliced baguette.
- Topping: Brush on
grilled, sauteed or broiled fish or chicken. Also,
try tossing with cooked asparagus or broccoli.Pasta:
Toss with hot, cooked noodles or fettucine; add
chopped fresh tarragon to taste.Soups: Add to broths
and light vegetable soups for a nice enrichment.
- Per 2 tablespoons
of tomato saffron butter: 95.96 calories, .66 g
protein, 24 mg cholesterol, 3.27 g carbohydrate,
69.26 mg sodium, .30 g fiber, 8.86 g total fat.
- Recipe property of
Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Yountville, California
Recipe provided courtesy of the California Milk
Advisory Board
Contact: Deneen Murrieta
or Jennifer Plant, Torme & Kenney, (415) 956-1791
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to the recipe list
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