After a long break - another Last Supper: #19 Mario Batali

Four months until Christmas and I already have one thing on my list. Melanie Dunea is publishing a sequel to My Last Supper. A few years ago, my boss gave me a copy for Christmas which inspired me to start Project Last Supper. Sadly, it went by the wayside. But recently, my husband asked me what ever happened to my little pet project. An innocent question turned into my new personal challenge: bring life back to project last supper... and maybe, just maybe, start a sequel when the new book comes out.

I flipped though my notes from what I'd done and what chefs I had left. Could it be that I had neglected to prepare the last supper of Mario Batali?? His wish list numbered 8 items - I chose 3 to make it a reasonable meal. I did his very own recipe for mozzarella en carozza, his grilled lobster with limoncello vinaigrette and this one: Flat pasta with shrimp and zucchini. It's as pretty as it is tasty. I took advantage of the season and used yellow zucchini from my local farmer's market and purple basil from my own yard. Add the green of the basil in the pasta and the gorgeous pink shrimp and this dish is a beauty.

We'll see if I can keep making progress. If I do, perhaps a copy of Dunea's new book should be my reward (smile!)





Flat pasta with shrimp and zucchini
Adapted from Molto Italiano by Mario Batali

DOUGH
2 bunches basil
4 cups cake flour
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

CONDIMENT
Salt
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick half-moons (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 cups dry white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound rock shrimp, or medium shrimp, peeled
1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
Freshly ground black pepper


MAKE THE DOUGH
Bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice cubes and water. Blanch the basil in the boiling water for 10 seconds, then refresh in the ice water. Drain and chop finely; you should have 1/4 cup. Make a mound of the flour, then make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, pour the milk over and add the basil. Using a fork, stir the egg mixture slowly into the four ingredients to form a wet dough. Add the grated cheese and, working now with your hands, bring the dough together and knead for 8 to 10 minutes to form a smooth dough. Allow to rest for 15 minutes covered with plastic wrap.

Set up a pasta rolling machine and cut off a piece of pasta dough the size of a tennis ball. Roll the pasta through the rollers on the widest setting, then fold it in thirds and run it through again on the same setting. Repeat this three times, being careful to add very little flour, as it will dry out the pasta. Run the pasta through the next two thinner settings. It should be quite thick.

Lay a sheet of pasta onto a floured cutting board and use a knife to cut crosswise into 1/3-inch strips. Lay the cut noodles on a kitchen towel and cover with another towel. Roll and cut the remaining pasta the same way.

MAKE THE CONDIMENT
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat 6 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic over medium heat until the garlic is light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini pieces and cook until just soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes, wine and butter, then bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and remove from the heat.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender, yet al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and toss into the pan with the shrimp and cook over high heat until the shrimp are just done, about 1 minute, and pasta and sauce are well combined. Add the parsley and toss in the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil. Pour into a heated bowl and serve with plenty of freshly ground pepper.

Last supper #17: Lidia Bastianich

The name alone tells you this one has to be Italian - but that could mean anything. It could be a complicated meal involving numerous courses. Or it could be a simple, classic dish. Fortunately for this cook, it was the latter. For her last supper, Lidia Bastianich wanted linguine with white clam sauce. Easy, enough, right? There was one hitch for me - my husband is horribly allergic to clams so I had to make this when he wasn't around or prepare two dinners.



The perfect occasion presented itself when my Dad recently came back from a trip to Martha's Vineyard. As he often does, he went quahogging on the island and delivered me a fresh dozen littleneck clams. So, while one pan sauteed chicken for Jeff, I whipped up some white clam sauce for myself.


The clams really make the meal. You just can't find any fresher, sweeter clams! When I was little, we vacationed on Martha's Vineyard every summer and one year, we met three islanders who clammed for a living. As we got to know them, they'd give us fresh clams regularly. Most of their catch went to local seafood markets. Over the years they became close friends of my parents. In fact, the woman, Frances just celebrated her 90th birthday! Some years ago, they taught my dad their trade so we now get clams whenever he heads to the island!


Here's my recipe. I improvised a bit so quantities aren't exact. Like more garlic? Add it. Prefer less parsley? Go for it. The only thing you have to get perfect is the clams. Everything else comes together... This serves 1-2, so multiply accordingly. Figure about a dozen small clams per person.

Pasta with white clam sauce


2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pat of butter
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup white wine
1-2 dozen fresh clams, scrubbed
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Pasta, preferably linguine or angel hair

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute. Don't brown the garlic. Add the white wine and bring to a simmer. Add the clams and parsley and cover the pan. Let the clams steam until they've all just opened. Discard any that don't open.

Season with salt and pepper and pour the whole thing over the cooked pasta.

Last supper #16: Jonathan Waxman

I know, I know. I've been really bad about my Last Supper posts. But this is a good one. For his last supper, Chef Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto in New York City, listed a number of our favorites: Grilled spring lamb, gnocchi with truffles, and grilled porcini salad, among other things.

I prepared the lamb our favorite way. I marinate the rack for several hours in a mixture of salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, more garlic and lots of fresh rosemary. Then my grill-master husband takes over and grills it until it's charred but still pink and juicy! delish!

I also made the gnocchi from scratch. This was my second attempt at homemade gnocchi and these turned out better than the first. It does help when the potatoes are sufficiently cooked :)

I boiled them and then tossed them into a saute pan with a little butter, olive oil and garlic. (I always cut butter with olive oil to reduce the fat. You still get the nice buttery flavor, but less saturated fat). I added some sea salt and just before serving I sprinkeld with chopped truffled and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. I finished it with a touch of white truffle oil.

The Porcini salad was really a portabello salad. Try though I might I couldn't find porcinis. So I drizzled a little olive oil, salt and pepper on a few portabello caps and then we grilled them. Here's my recipe:

Grilled Portabello Salad with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

• 2 Portabello mushroom caps
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Small bunch of fresh baby arugula
• 2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
  

Gently clean the mushroom caps then rub each with a little Extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until just cooked thru, a couple minutes a side. Remove from grill.

Prepare the dressing. Whisk together 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour just enough dressing on the arugula to gently coat it. Pile the arugula on two plates. Slice the mushrooms and arrange over the arugula. Top each with a good amount of fresh shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Last Supper #15: Tetsuya Wakuda

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda of Sydney's famed Tetsuya's had a simple wish for his last supper: tuna, many ways. In my world, many became 3. I made 3 courses using super fresh sashimi grade tuna that I found at Whole Foods.

Course #1: homemade sushi. I made tune rolls with avocado and cucumber. I made a little spicy sauce with some mayo and sriracha. These were good, but I think I'll keep going to Ginger for my sushi. Mr. Kim just does it better.

Course#2: Tetsuya's own recipe for tuna with goat cheese. Sounds weird, but it was pretty tasty. Jeff enjoyed it more than I did. The presentation was very pretty.

Course#3: Tyler's ultimate tuna. I saw the episode on the Food Network and I had to make this dish. The tuna steaks were grilled rare and served with oven roasted vine tomatoes, a white bean puree, olive tapenade and arugula. So many of my favorite things coming together on one plate, but I have to say it fell a little flat. Maybe it was me, but something just wasn't working for me. (Maybe preparing 3 tuna courses just got to be a bit much that night!!!)

All in all this was a good meal but not really one I'd repeat. It does mark #15 on Project Last Supper. 25 more to go. Up next: Jonathan Waxman and some spring lamb!

Last Supper #14: Michelle Bernstein

Miami chef Michelle Bernstein's Last Supper was a lengthy list of delicious foods, so creating a dinner out of them took some restraint. She listed (among other things) oysters, caviar, foie gras, poached lobster, lasagne, steak, asparagus, and about 6 desserts. For those of you who follow my blog, it'll be no surprise I chose lobster. But instead of serving it as a main course, I did it as a first course. For the main course, I did grilled steak with chimichurri and grilled asparagus. Simple but delicious.

The lobster course came from my new favorite cookbook: Bistro Laurent Tourondel. It's Poached Lobster, Tomato Vinaigrette, Pesto, Tomato and Avocado salad. It was delicious. It began by creating a tomato vinaigrette. Cooked tomatoes were pureed and then passed through a sieve to leave nothing but the delicious flavor. A little sherry vinegar added a tart taste that was just enough. The pesto came together in the blender and then Mr. Lobster went into the pot. Jeff cleaned it for me and then all that remained was to assemble the salad. A mixture of tomatoes, avocado and a little redonion were tossed with some sherry vinegar and piled on the plates. I topped it with some arugula and then the chunks of lobster and then the pesto and tomato vinaigrette were drizzled around the whole thing. Delish!

The chimichurri was also from Chef Tourondel. After perusing a number of recipes, I chose his because it included roasted red peppers as well as parsely, cilantro and a healthy dose of fresh garlic. A little crushed red pepper gave it some heat and it went nicley with the gilled flank steak.

The salad was definitely one I'll make again. It'd be a beauftiful first course for a dinner party.

Last Supper #13: Rick Bayless

Rick Bayless is known for fresh and flavorful Mexican. A few years ago, my sister gave me one of his books: Mexican Everyday and I've made a number of delicious dishes from it. His Last Supper is the only Mexican in the lot, so it was a welcome change. For his Last Supper, Chef Bayless wanted classic carnitas, barbacoa, chicharron, guacamole and huaraches. I went with carnitas, guacamole and huaraches.

For the carnitas, I chose a recipe from Williams-Sonoma Mexican for a guide, but I added a bit more flavor. I cut a piece of pork loin into a few big chunks, spinkeled them with salt, pepper, a little cumin and some smoked hot paprika. I then browned them in a pan for a few minutes. When all sides were browned, I put them into my slow cooker and added the juice of 2 oranges and a little water. I let it cook on low for several hours til the pork could be pulled apart easily. I removed it from the liquid, shredded it in a bowl and added just a couple spoonfuls of the cooking liquid. (I added a little more hot paprika too. Love that stuff!)

The huaraches were from Rick's website. A tortilla press would have been easier, but I did them by hand so mine were a little thicker than they should have been, but tasty all the same.

To serve the carnitas, I warmed some corn tortillas and accompanied it with some queso fresco, the guacamole, some black bean and corn salsa, and some hot sauce. We had enough for two meals and it was delicious! Jeff said it was some of the best Mexican he ever had.

Only 27 more last suppers to go... Next up, Michelle Bernstein.

Last Supper #12: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Jean-Georges. The name says everything to a foodie. I knew this dinner was oging to be a challenge, but I was confident it would be worth it - and it was! For this last supper, Jean-Georges listed a number of Asian dishes: Shaved tuna with Chili tapioca, Asian pear and lime lobster roll, Char-grilled chicken with kumquat lemongrass, Red Curry Duck, and Fried rice. I found online recipes for his very own Red Curry Duck as well as a recipe for Asian pear lobster rolls, so I served those with a side of steamed Jasmine rice.

The lobster rolls were unlike any lobster roll you're imagining. First, I steamed a fresh Maine lobster. Jeff cleaned it and then I tossed the meat with a dressing of a little mayo, some sriracha, Miso, lime juice, paprika and cilantro. This was then rolled in thinly sliced pieces of Asian pear which had been soaked in a bit of rice vinegar. Alongside I served a light salad of fresh mint, Thai basil, cilantro and a bit of escarole. Some of my pear slices cracked a bit, but these were delicious. A little spicy, a little sweet.

The main course was interesting to prepare since I have never worked with duck before. I found a whole duckling at my local Asian market which I cut into pieces myself. I browned it and them made the sauce according to the chef's recipe. I cut the amount of chicken stock in half because I like a thicker sauce. It was still a bit thin so I stuck my good old immersion blender into the pot to blend in some of the bits of carrot and lemongrass, making it a bit thicker. The duck legs were delicious. The breat meat got a bit overcooked. If I make this again, I think I'll use all legs.

I considered skipping the pineapple puree on top. Jeff isn't a big fan of pineapple so I thought it'd be a waste. But I did it anyway in an effort to stay true to the recipe and I'm glad I did. This currey would have been outstanding on its own, but the drizzle of pureed ripe pineapple took it to a whole new level. Amazing!
Like the rest of the world, I expect great things from Chef Vongerichten and his Last Supper didn't disappoint. As I approach the halfway mark of my project, I'm starting to think about whose restaurant in NYC I want to go to if I finish. Perhaps one of Jean-Georges's? There are simply too many choices! We'll see if I make it and them decide!

12 down, 28 to go. Next up: Heading south of the border with Rick Bayless!

Last Supper #11: Giorgio Locatelli

I have to admit I cheated a little on this one, but for good reason. For his last supper, Giorgio Locatelli wanted mackerel in an herb crust and broccoli with chilli and garlic. I had all my herbs ready to go and I arrived at Whole Foods for the mackerel and they only had 2 left. Two mackerel wouldn't have fed me and Jeff so I opted for this beauty:

I followed the same recipe, which appears in My Last Supper, but lengthened the cooking time to allow for the bigger fish. It was moist and delicious.

I also served the broccoli with chilli and garlic that Locatelli wanted and for a starch, I made a sage and saffron baked risotto. This might have been the easiest risottos I've ever made because the oven did most of the work.

Last Supper scorecard: 11 down, 29 more to go. Next up: (Egad!) none other than the great Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Last supper #10: Paul Kahan

This officially marks the 25% mark of Project Last Supper! Just 30 more to go between now and September. Hmmm, I'd better get cookin'! For his last supper, Paul Kahan, a Chicago-based chef, wanted roast suckling pig, homemade noodles with truffles, escarole salad, cheese and Swiss chocolate.

In lieu of the suckling pig, I made a roast pork loin alla Porchetta - it was stuffed with a yummy mixture of ground pork, fennel, onion, garlic, fennel seed, bread crumbs, etc. The loin was tied and then roasted over a bed of red onions for extra flavor. To finish it, the sliced pieces were drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. It should come as a shock to any regular visitors to my blog that I found the recipe in Molto Italiano by Mario Batali. I think this is quickly becoming my go-to cookbook for fabulous food!


I chose an escarole salad with warm bacon vinaigrette from the Williams-Somona Sause cookbook. I was a great blend of crunchy, salty and a touch of sweet from some sherry and sherry vinager.


The noodle recipe was Kahan's own and appears in the book. The handmade dough is rolled out on a pasta machine and then sliced into wide noodles similar to pappardelle. The warm noodles are tossed with truffles and a little butter. The recipe called for tarragon, but I omitted it. These were delicious - tender noodles with a smooth texture.

We finished the night with a bits of Swiss dark chocolate with almonds. Perfect ending!

Also of note, I had a guest photographer on this one. My sister came over to have dinner with us and she photographed for me. She is the first guest for one of the Last Suppers!

Next, we'll enjoy the last supper of Giorgio Locatelli.

Last Supper #9: Angela Hartnett

Born in England, Angela Hartnett has restaurants in London and Florida. Her last supper was loaded with pasta - YUM! Her original list included antipasti, anolini stuffed with veal or lamb, pumpkin tortelli, pasta with truffles and for dessert, homemade zagaglione. I left out the pasta with truffles and the dessert.

The antipasti included meats from the newly opened Italian specialty shop in Garwood, NJ called Bienvenuti. We also had some cheeses, marinated mushrooms and artichokes.

Then on to pasta number 1. I rolled out fresh pasta sheets using half flour, half semolina. I used the same pasta dough for both recipes. For the tortelloni, I made the filling in the Silver Spoon, but used butternut squash instead of pumpkin. Jeff helped me cut out the rounds and then I filled and shaped these little treats:


I served them with simple brown butter and sage - and a little parm never hurt. Delicious!

The next course was the real hit though. I once again turned to Mario Batali and he came through like a champ. In Molto Italiano, there's a recipe for agnolotti which calls for chicken and sausage. I instead used ground pork and ground veal. MMM! So the filling was made from the mixture of meats, onion, olive oil, fontina cheese, goat cheese, marjoram and salt and pepper. It was all minced together in a food processor to give it a very nice texture.

I made up the sauce as I went along and I sure hope I can figure it out next time. I started by reducing some beef stock. I had a rind of Parmigiano Reggiano so I threw that in to the simmering stock (a trick I learned from Giada!). Once it reduced a bit I added a little tomato paste. It was a little salty so I stirred in some water and a little bit of unsalted butter. I spooned this into the bowls, topped it with the cooked agnolotti and some sauteed Cremini mushrooms. This was good! I delivered some to my parents too and they both gave it rave reviews.


Of the first 9 Last Suppers, this was our favorite. I wonder what the next 31 will bring...

Last Supper #8: Vimal Dhar

Indian chef Vimal Dhar listed 7 different dishes for his last supper, of which I selected three to make. All are Indian: Lamb Rogan Josh (chunks of lamb with yogurt, almonds, green chiles, and lots of spices), his recipe for tangy eggplant, and potatoes.

The lamb turned out wonderful. I'm not going to put the recipe here because Lamb Rogan Josh is a farily common dish so recipes aren't hard to come by.

The eggplant recipe appears in the book and I have to say we just didn't like it. The amount of spice paste in it overpowered the eggplant.

I couldn't find the specific potato recipe chef Dhar mentioned, so I chose one for Aloo Timatar (Potato and Tomato Curry with Cilantro) which appears in one of my very favorite cookbooks: From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail. The book was a gift from my sister a few years ago and I don't think I've found a recipe in it I don't like. Here's the recipe for the potatoes:
Aloo Timatar (Potato and Tomato Curry with Cilantro)


Serves 4 to 6

• 1 1/2 pounds wxay boiling potatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 Tbsp. corn, peanut or olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. asefetida (substitute garlic powder)
• 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. whole mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
• 4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Boil the potatoes, drain them and cool. Don't refrigerate. When cool enough to handle, peel them and cut or break into bite-sized pieces. Put them in a bowl and add the salt, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Toss to mix and set aside.

Pour oil in a lidded pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the asefetida (or garlic powder), cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the ginger and stir for a few seconds. Add the grated tomatoes. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until the oil separates from the tomato puree. Add the potatoes and stir to mix. Add 1 1/2 cups water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes. (You can extend this cooking time and remove the cover to reduce the broth a bit if wanted. this will give a slightly thicker sauce)

Put the yogurt in a small bowl and beat lightly. Add about 4 Tbsp. of the sauce from the potatoes and mix it in. Stir in the cilantro then pour this mixture into the pot, stir to blend and check for salt.

Last Supper #7: Guillaume Brahimi

Born in Paris, Guillaume Brahimi now resides in Australia. For his last supper, he listed oysters, caviar, foie gras, ribeye, and some cheese. Rather than break the bank on oysters, caviar AND Foie gras, I made a simple green salad and served on the side D'Artagnan Foie Gras with black truffles. Talk about rich! Of course, both Jeff and I ended up putting little bits of the truffled Foie Gras on our hot steak. MMMMMMM!

We grilled a ribeye from our favorite local butcher, Barth's, in New Providence, New Jersey. I also skewered a few shrimp and seasoned them with some herbs because the steak looked a little small for the two of us. A few roasted asparagus spears rounded out the meal.

The cheese turned out to be a bit of a treat because I went earlier that day with my Mom to the Greek Store in Kenilworth where I bought a chunk of a firm variety of goat cheese. Delish!

With 33 more Last Suppoer ahead, I'm already thinking I'll be a bit sad when it all ends... :(

Last Supper #6: Helene Darroze

Had this post not been in the Last Supper project, I would have called it Funky Chicken, where funky is good, really really good. But, alas, it is the Last Supper of Helene Darroze...

For her last supper, French chef Helene Darroze listed a number of dishes, so I constructed a menu choosing several of them. We started with cheese and crusty bread, simple, but always a favorite. For the entree, she wanted roast chicken with potato fries and the book provides a recipe for the potatoes that she loves. I used that potato recipe, but I decided to fancy-up the roast chicken because roast chicken can be a little boring (or so thinks this cook). The recipe I found was anything but boring. Prior to roasting, you slather under the skin a delightful olivada - olives, herbs, spices, garlic! Within minutes my kitchen smelled out of this world.

Roast chicken with spicy olivada is a new Epicurious favorite I'll make again and again. I used a 7-pound chicken as the recipe calls for and there was plenty of olivada - some might want a little less. I also made the pan sauce the recipe calls for and that made sure our chicken was nice and juicy, even when we had leftovers!

The potato fries were... well, potato fries. Nothing extraordinary, I must say, at least until dipped in the sauce from the chicken! I also served some green beans with a little lemon zest, butter and walnuts.

And for dessert, Helene listed two options: chocolate eclairs or shortbread with whipped cream and strawberries. I opted for the second choice since I made eclairs over the summer for a Daring Bakers' challenge.

This was a great roast chicken recipe, especially for those of you who, like me and my husband, might find roast chicken a little lackluster - especially during the holiday season when roast turkeys are popping up on everyone's dining room table...

Last Supper #5: Nancy Silverton

I've been a bit delinquent in this posting, considering we ate this dinner two weeks ago. So it goes sometimes...

For her last supper, Nancy Silverton listed an antipasto consisting of salami, mozzarella, pecorino romano, almonds and olives; fresh crusty bread, Bistecca Fiorentina, Braised radicchio, roasted onions and grilled zucchini.

We went for the antipasto but left out the mozzarella. Then I made Bistecca Fiorentina following a recipe that appears in Mario Batali's Italian Grill. Rubbed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs, it grilled beautifully. The radicchio I wrapped in pancetta, then braised it. I roasted red onions in the oven (they look a little dark in the picture, but were delicious!). I drizzled both with a balsamic-whole grain dijon vinaigrette. Both went great with the steak.

All-in-all another great dinner from Project Last Supper. That's 5 complete since late September and 35 to go in the coming months. Next up: French chef Helene Darroze.

Last Supper #4: Tom Aikens

It was the starter that stole the showin this meal. Last Saturday, Project Last Suppoer continued featuring the selections of Chef Tom Aikens, an English-born chef with 3 restaurants in London. His menu was quite lengthy so I chose a selection: his recipe for Scallops with Sauce Vierge, which is featured in My Last Supper, Dover Sole in Brown Butter with Capers, Thick-cut potato wedges, a green salad with French vinaigrette and last but not least, Mom's apple pie. He probably meant his Mom's but lacking her recipe, I went with my Mom's and it never fails.

I found the biggest freshest sea scallo0ps at a local Kings supermarket. Those of you who know me are thinking, "But you don't like scallops..." I liked these! The sauce was delicious and I cooked them probably a little more than some chefs would but they were moist and perfect. Jeff claims they're the best scallops he ever had! I put the recipe below as I prepared it.

The sole was fresh caught as well and was very simple with the brown butter and capers and some lemon. The potatoes I tossed with a little EVOO and some of Penzey's 4S Seasoned Salt. The salad was a mix of spring greens with a bit of celery and fennel. I dressed with a simple French vinaigrette made from lemon juice, shallots, whole grain dijon mustard, EVOO, salt and pepper.

We finished with a slice of apple pie. For the first time I even used my Mom's recipe for crust. It's not as flaky as hers, but I'll keep practicing!

Now for those scallops:

Tom Aikens' Scallops with Sauce Vierge (my slightly modified version, but you'll have to check the book to see what I changed)

Serves 2-3

1/3 cup plus 6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 shallots, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely diced

1 cup fish stock

1-2 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped in a 1/2 inch dice

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp. fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tsp. fresh chives, finely chopped

Pinch of dry or fresh tarragon (you can put 1 tsp if you like, but tarragon isn't our favorite)

Coarse sea salt and black pepper

6 extra large sea scallops

1 tsp. butter

To prepare the sauce:

In a large saute pan, heat 3 Tbsp. of the oil over low heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute until tender. Add the fish stock and reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the 1/3 cup of olive oil, tomatoes, and the lemon juice (and if using dried tarragon, add it at this time; otherwise wait til the fresh herbs are added at the end) and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs. Season generously withsalt and pepper.

Prepare the scallops:

While the sauce is simmering, heat the remaining 3 Tbsp. of olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add the scallops and cooks for 1 minute on each side, then add the butter and toss the scallops in the butter until they are golden all over and cooked to your liking.

To serve:

Spoon the sauce into the bottom of the plates or dishes and place 2-3 scallops on top.

Last Supper Count: 4 done; 36 more to go. Up next: Guillaume Brahimi or Nancy Silverton. Either way, delicious beef!

Last supper #3: Laurent Tourondel

On Saturday night, we tried the Last Supper of Laurent Tourondel (of BLT Steak, BLT Fish, etc.). His request was for a seared tuna BLT the way he makes it at BLT Fish Shack in New York City, accompanied by French Fries and Heinz ketchup.

This was one of the simpler Last Suppers I've made so far and it's one I'll make again... and again. There are a lot of flavors packed into this hearty sandwich: Tuna, avocado, olive, bacon, arugula, lemon, egg, Parmeggiano Reggiano, a little mayo. The list seems neverending. But pile it all on and it's absolutely delicious. I prepped the toppings ahead of time so when we cooked the fish it was still warm.

The fish was about 1/2 inch thick and we grilled it on medium heat for just 1 minute per side. Any longer and it would have been overcooked. And who wants over cooked sashimi grade yellowfin tuna???

I also made homemade fries. I used a mandolin to cut 2 Idaho potatoes into 1/4 inch thick straws. I wrapped them in a towel in the fridge fro about an hour to remove some of the starch and let them dry. I then fried them in canola oil at 325 degrees for about 4 minutes. I let them drain on paper towels and cool for about 30 minutes then fried them again in the same oil, this time for about 2 minutes at 375 degrees. Golden brown and yummy!

If rare tuna doesn't scare you off, try this sandwich! the recipe looks long but it's easy. Oh and at Laurent's suggestion, we served it with a little Sriracha - Vietnamese hot sauce. Gave it a nice little kick!

BLT Grilled Tuna Sandwich

Serves 6

1½ pounds yellowfin tuna, cut into 12 slices, about 1⁄3 inch thick
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
1 large bunch arugula, tough stems removed (about 2 cups)
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Tapenade
1 loaf rustic Italian bread, cut into twelve ½-inch-thick diagonal slices, toasted
12 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced
6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler or mandoline slicer
1 ripe avocado, preferably Hass
1 bunch fresh basil, tough stems removed

GRILL THE TUNA Preheat a grill pan or barbecue grill to high heat. Sprinkle the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the tuna on the pan or grill rack and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until rare to medium-rare, depending on your preference.

DRESS THE ARUGULA In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the arugula and toss well.

ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES Spread some of the mayonnaise and tapenade on each slice of bread. Divide the bacon, onion, tomatoes, eggs, cheese, and avocado over half of the slices. Top with the tuna, basil, and the arugula salad. Cover with the remaining bread, coated-sides down.

TO SERVE Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.



Project Last Supper score:
3 down, 27 to go.
Not sure which meal we will do next, but it won't be this weekend since we will be out of town for a charity walk.

Last supper #2: Daniel Boulud

Daniel Boulud's last supper graced our table this weekend. His actual menu would have kept me in the kitchen for a week (and would have fed us for a week). So, I chose a few courses from his choices: we started with a soup - his recipe for Asparagus soup with sweet pepper coulis, then we had a min course of Rack of Lamb with two sauces and crispy salad - another of his recipes. We ended the night with a cheese course. After two weeks Jeff is hooked on Project Last Supper. We've had a couple of great dinners...
Some highlights from Daniel's Last Supper:

Asparagus soup with Sweet Pepper Coulis - Find his recipe on the website for Daniel, his NYC restaurant.

Marinated Lamb chops with two sauces - This recipe is also online - it's on Daniel's section on Starchefs.com. The sauces are a warm tomate ginger sauce and a cool yogurt mint sauce. Both were delicious on the lamb, which I left in a whole rack and grilled.

And last but not least a cheese course. I finally went to the Summit Cheese Shoppe in Summit, NJ. The couple that runs this adorable shop are as nice as can be and they know cheese! I went in and explained that we wanted to do a cheese course for two and that we like firmer cheeses. I wanted 3-4 kinds - and one had to be a goat. The owner let me taste two of the cheeses and of the third, he simply said "Trust me." I did!

He gave us a Rotin Perigord Chevre from France, aged and delicious goat cheese; a Zamorano Sheep's milk cheese from Spain, and a Montasio Extra from northern Italy. I served it with a Pain Rustique from LaBrea bakery and a ripe fig. The perfect ending to the perfect meal!

Last Supper score: That's 2 done and 38 more to go. Next up: either Laurent Tourondel or Jaime Oliver

Last Supper #1: Suzanne Goin

Project Last Supper kicked off on Saturday night and it was certainly memorable. We chose Suzanne Goin's menu. Her last meal request was fresh tomatoes with basil, Prosciutto, Coppa ham, Suckling pig and Italian Broccoli with shallots, chili and garlic. Instead of suckling pig, I made pork stuffed with breadcrumbs and parmesan wrapped in pancetta. The book features her Italian broccoli recipe. I made an antipasto plate with the prosciutto, Coppa, tomato and basil and I added some homemade mozzarella from the Florence Ravioli Company.

This was perhaps the most flavorful pork recipe I have ever had. The stuffing was easy to make and the sauce was just as simple. I left out the fennel seeds simply because I didn't have any on hand and I also forgot to cut the tomatoes in half which I think improved the sauce as only a few burst and released their juice into the sauce so it didn't have a very tomato taste. Instead it carried the flavor from the pork and pancetta as well as onion and white wine. Jeff counted it among the top 5 dinners I've ever made. I definitely recommend trying this. It'd be an elegant dinner for company and the rolls can be prepared ahead and refrigerated.

Here's the recipe how I made it, or find the original on Epicurious.

Pancetta wrapped Pork with Breadcrumb Filling and Tomato

Makes 4 servings.
10 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick cutlets
16 thin pancetta slices
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 1-pint basket cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine

Pound cutlets between sheets of waxed paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Overlap 2 pancetta slices on work surface to form oval of same size as pork. Place 1 pork cutlet atop pancetta. Repeat with remaining pancetta and pork. Mix Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley and garlic in small bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture among cutlets. Fold in short ends and roll up pork and pancetta, enclosing filling completely. Use toothpicks to secure rolls.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add rolls and cook until pancetta is crisp, turning frequently, about 2 minutes. Transfer rolls to plate. Remove toothpicks. Add onion to drippings in skillet; sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return rolls to skillet. Cover skillet and cook over low heat until pork is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Introducing Project Last Supper

Most home cooks have a plethora of cookbooks. While some may be dog-eared and worn, sadly most go unused. I am horribly guilty of this. My cookbook collection now numbers more than 70 and I'm already eying up new additions. I've noticed other foodie blogs where cooks challenge themselves to cook a whole book or one recipe from each. I've come up with a plan to accomplish both (sort of).

Last Christmas, my boss gave me a cool gift: a copy of Melanie Dunea's My Last Supper. The coffee table-type book features 50 of the world's top chefs and what they want for their last meal on earth. In a moment I may come to regret over the next year, I have decided to cook at least 40 of the 50 between now and next September.

Why? Perhpas I'm a glutton for punishment - these are not easy meals for the most part. More likely I thought it'd be a fun way to make some new meals for me and my husband. I'll also get to know some of my favorite chefs better and even learn about some new ones.

There are some rules to this little game of mine: I've got to try to use recipes by that chef whenever possible. I've got to stay as true to their wishes as possible without breaking the bank (there is a LOT of caviar, truffles and foie gras in their menus). At least once during the project, I'll use foie gras, caviar and real truffles. And, most importantly, I'll post all of my experiences here.

The payoff - yes, there's a payoff - if I complete this by September 2009, my husband and I will go into NYC to the restaurant of one of the chefs! So this weekend, I'm going to start with Suzanna Goin's last supper. Check back early next week to see how it went.