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.

Back into the swing of things

Back from vacation and finally over the jetlag! The weather's turning a bit cooler so I'll be trying out more indoor recipes this week...

• Sunday
  Grilled chicken served with Zucchini, Basil and Chilli Risotto (from Neil Perry's Good Food)
• Monday
  Angel hair pasta with shrimp and feta
• Tuesday
  Moroccan lamb with artichoke hearts and aromatic rice
• Wednesday
  We have a dinner date with friends!
• Thursday
  Homemade tacos

The lamb dish is from a new cookbook I found on sale at Barnes and Noble. It's called Fresh Moroccan and has lots of good and healthy moroccan dishes. This is the first one I'm trying...

Rockpool and Rockpool Revisited

For you foodies who follow famous chefs, I've got a new one that many of us from the US haven't heard of: Neil Perry. I think he's my new hero. While in Sydney, we had the pleasure of dining at the Oyster Bar at Rockpool. The restaurant is elegant with an amazing menu and at the Oyster Bar, you can get anything off the regular menu as well as a smaller, less expensive menu just for that area. We opted for the latter.

For dinner, we decided to share three dishes. We got the Moroccan Fish burger, a white fish patty with a deliciously spicy chutney on a toasted bun; the crispy fish with an amazing ginger chile sauce and white rice, and finally the Braised Tuna Spaghetti. We almost skipped the last one and are we glad we didn't! This is one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had! Perfectly cooked homemade spaghetti topped with a sizeable slice of tune smothered in a tomato-caper-black olive sauce. Similar to a Puttanesca but with something extra. (I've already tried contacting Chef Perry for the recipe.) And we paired it all with a delectable bottle of Aussie Red Wine!

So why is this post called Rockpool and Rockpool Revisited? Well, we liked it so much we went back for lunch the next day! Jeff again got the Spaghetti and liked just as much. I opted for the Green Curry Fish and it outdid any green curry I've ever had.

Not only was the food outstanding, but the service was memorable as well. The restaurant has an open kitchen and the Oyster Bar even has a screen that lets you view the back part of the kitchen as well. I purchased a signed copy of Perry's new book: Good Food. Our server saw how interested we were in the food and the chef and when we were leaving he gave me a copy of the restaurant menu as a souvenir.

If ever you find yourself in Sydney, go to Rockpool. Don't even question the decision. Hands down one of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in! Thanks Chef Perry! Please open a restaurant in NYC!

Off to see the Wizard...

Well, maybe no wizard, but how about Kangaroos and Kiwis? That's right, we're heading to Oz - Australia - followed by New Zealand. I can already taste the fresh fish, not to mention the lamb and beef that both countries are famous for.

I'll have plenty of updates when we get back. Among other things, we're booked to enjoy the Taste of Australia at Ochre restaurant in Cairns. This tasting menu includes... Kangaroo! and Emu! Some friends from work are taking us to the Waterfront Restaurant in Sydney. If the food is anything like the view, I'll definitely have something to write about.

So check back in mid-September for our adventures - culinary and otherwise in the Land down under.
Daring Bakers note: I've got my post for August all ready. If I get online, I'll publish, but if not, it'll be posted as soon as we get home!

DB August challenge: Eclairs!

My second month as a Daring Baker brought another tasty challenge: homemade eclairs. The rules were simple: make the homemade pastry and choose either chocolate glaze, chocolate filling or both. I went with chocolate glaze and made a vanilla cream filling. These little babies were a huge hit with my family - everyone received a little box of the finished product.

Making the dough was pretty simple, but as I watched them in the oven, I was worried they weren't puffing up enough. In the end, they were perfect but I had to bake them a little longer than the recipe said so that they were nice and golden brown.

I halved the chocolate sauce that goes into the glaze and still had more than enough for the glaze recipe. But I did have to make more vanilla cream to fill all the eclairs. In the end, I had some leftover so I improvised. I had some Phyllo in the fridge so I layered it in muffin cups and baked it until crisp and brown. I then piped in some vanilla cream, sprinkled it with cinnamon, drizzled it with Greek honey and finished the whole thing off with a couple toasted walnuts. Not unlike the Greek Galaktaboureko, Jeff gobbled these down as quickly as the eclairs...

Ohhhh Mario!

I just can't find a recipe from Mario Batali that I don't love. On Saturday, Jeff and I stayed in so I decided to make homemade pasta. I flipped thru Molto Italiano and narrowed it down to 3 choices and then I left Jeff pick. He selected Tortelloni di Treviso with Fonduta di Parmegiano (or Tortelloni filled with Radicchio in a Parmesan Cream).

I rolled out thin pasta sheets and then filled them with Mario's filling of Treviso Radicchio, Red onion, Ricotta, Parmegiano Reggiano, Parsley, salt and pepper. I served them with veal scalloppine lightly dredged in flour, salt and pepper and then quickly sauteed with garlic and olive oil. The whole thing was then drizzled with the Parmesan cream. It was a rich meal, but I did cut down on the butter.

Find the recipe in Molto Italiano or on the Food Network website at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/tortelloni-di-treviso-with-fonduta-di-parmigiano-recipe/index.html.

A taste of Greece

Last night I made chicken Spanikopita for dinner. I base my version on a recipe from Williams-Sonoma Chicken. I halve most of the ingredients, resulting in the recipe that follows. The light flaky filo crust is best right out of the oven. Serve with a Greek salad - we almost felt like we were back on Santorini!

Chicken Spanikopita

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package (10-oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 8 oz. feta
• 2 eggs beaten
• 12 sheets filo dough

Place chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Add a little salt, a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, celery if you have it. Bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through. Drain and allow chicken to cool.

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. Olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until the moisture evaporates, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.

While the mixture is cooling, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to the spinach mixture. Add the dill. Then crumble the feta into the mixture. Add the eggs, salt and papper to taste and mix thoroughly. (You can make the filling a day ahead and then just assemble the spanikopita in the evening before baking to save time!)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt 2 Tbsp. olive oil with 2 Tbsp. butter in a small dish. Brush a 9x9 inch glass baking dish with the mixtures. Stack the filo sheets on a work surface and cover with a damp paper towel. Brush one sheet with the oil/butter mixture and fit it into the pan, allowing the excess to fall over the edges. Layer a total of 6 sheets in the bottom of the dish, brushing each one. Then spoon in the filling. Layer another 6 sheets on top of the dish, brushing each one. Tuck in the edges. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then cut and serve!