Scallop and Sole Mousselines
1/2 lb sea scallops, tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
1/2 lb sole fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon beaten egg white
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
Special equipment:
Parchment paper
Ten 2 oz metal timbale molds 2 inches in diameter
• Rinse scallops and sole and pat dry, then purée in a food processor until very smooth.
• Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl, scraping bottom of sieve as needed.
• Set metal bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water.
• Add egg white to purée and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
• Add cream 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition until incorporated. Mousseline should be the consistency of soft mashed potatoes.
• If it becomes runny or separates, stop adding cream and chill mixture, cover still in ice bath until firmer, about 30 minutes.
• Then continue adding cream.
• Cover bowl and chill mixture 8 hours.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut out 10 rounds of parchment paper to line bottoms of molds and 10 rounds to line tops of molds, using 1 timbale mold as a guide.
• Brush molds with some melted butter and line bottom of each with a round of parchment. Chill molds 5 minutes to set butter.
• Brush paper and sides of molds again with more melted butter.
• Stir salt, pepper, nutmeg, chives, and dill into mousseline.
• Divide among molds, they will be about two-thirds full.
• Rap molds on counter once or twice to settle mixture
• Put a buttered parchment round, buttered side down, on surface of each mousseline.
• Put molds in an 8-inch square or round baking pan 2 inches deep and bake in a hot water bath in oven until mousselines are just set and springy to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool mousselines in molds on a rack until warm, about 10 minutes.
• Invert onto a large plate and pat dry with paper towels before transferring to soup bowls.
Cook’s note:
• Mousselines can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely in molds, then chilled in molds, covered.
• Bring to room temperature, and then reheat in a hot water bath in oven about 15 minutes.
Serves 10
Lobster Mousse
½ pound cooked lobster meat
¾ cup clam broth
1 tbs. unflavored gelatin (1 package)
2 ribs celery, minced
3 tbs. onion, minced
1 ½ tsps. Dijon mustard®
½ cup parsley, minced
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
Juice of one lemon
Curley Kale for garnish
• Cut the lobster into ½ inch pieces.
• Sprinkle gelatin over the broth.
• Place it over very low heat and stir it as it cooks until it is dissolved.
• Cool completely.
• Whip cream.
• Mix together the celery, mustard, onion, parsley whipped cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, salt and pepper, lobster and cooled broth and mix them thoroughly.
• Spoon it into a 1 quart mold and seal it tightly with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• This will take at least 4 hours or better, overnight.
• To serve, mix the remaining mayonnaise with lemon juice.
• Unmold the mousse and serve it on a bed of kale with the lemon sauce poured on top.
Serve it with Melba toast, if you can.
Yield: 4 cups
Vegetable Quiche with Tuna
For quiche pastry:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 stick unsalted chilled butter
1/4 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons ice water
For filling:
3 spring onions
2 medium artichokes, turned and sliced in eighths
2 green zucchini, core removed, quartered and sliced thin
1 medium portobello mushroom, slivered
2 tomatoes skin off, seeded and diced
6 asparagus tips, blanched, shocked and split in half lengthwise
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
For garnish:
1 lb. fresh tuna, cut in small, uniform pieces
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 allspice berries
4 tomatoes peeled, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons capers
1 bunch watercress
Fresh chives
Make the pastry:
• Combine dry ingredients in food processor and pulse several times.
• Place chilled butter, cut into pieces, into food processor and pulse until a crumb-like substance appears.
• Add water and pulse until a ball begins to form.
• Form into a flattened patty, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
• Roll out dough on a well floured surface, place in a 10-inch quiche pan and chill for 30 minutes.
• Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes until edges are slightly colored.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
Make the filling:
• Lightly rub onions with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in 400° oven soft about 25 minutes.
• Allow to cool and cut into small pieces.
• Sauté artichoke hearts in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Allow to cool.
• Sauté zucchini for 45 seconds in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Allow to cool on a large plate to avoid overcooking them.
• Sauté portobello mushroom in a very hot pan with olive oil so that the mushrooms sear and keep in the natural juices.
• As all of the ingredients are cooling, combine eggs, milk, cream and seasoning into a bowl and incorporate with a whisk.
• Assemble the quiche by layering each vegetable, one on top of the other, in the pie crust.
• Use the asparagus tips as garnish for the top of the quiche by placing them in a pinwheel around the dish.
• Add egg/cream filling so that it stops just before covering the asparagus.
• Bake in a preheated 350° for about 30 minutes or until filling sets and top of quiche is lightly browned.
• Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Make the tuna:
• Combine wine, water, peppercorns and allspice into a pot and bring to a boil.
• Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Place tuna in a pot and cook for 3-5 minutes, the tuna will cook very quickly, so watch it carefully.
• Remove tuna from bouillon and allow to cool.
To Serve:
• Slice the quiche into wedges.
• Using a ring 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, layer the small dice of tomato in the ring. Place several pieces of the tuna on top of the tomato, add several capers, place quiche on plate and remove the ring.
• Garnish with watercress and chive.
Serves 6.
Artichoke and Olive Toasts
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices from a long Italian loaf (3 inches wide)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 (6 1/2-oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed well, and patted dry
3 tablespoons heavy cream
6 tablespoons chopped pitted green olives (1/2 cup)
4 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Preheat broiler.
• Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet and brush tops with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil (total).
• Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until golden on top, about 30 seconds.
• Turn toasts over and broil until golden, about 30 seconds more.
• Transfer toasts to a rack to cool.
• Pulse artichokes with cream in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir together olives, onion, and 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.
• Spread toasts evenly with artichoke cream and top with olive mixture.
• Drizzle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil just before serving.
Makes 4 servings or 12 hors d’oeuvres.
Fettuccine Uzie
Ingredients:
1 lb. fettuccine noodles
dash of kosher salt
dash of soya oil
1 tbsp. Shrimp Butter
1 tbsp. minced shallots
1 tbsp. minced garlic
12 medium-to-large raw shrimp, peeled,
deveined and butterflied (reserve shells)
8 large sea scallops, cut in half horizontally
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Cook the pasta in a 4-quart pot of boiling water, adding the kosher salt and soya. Cook a few minutes or until the pasta is al dente. (The pasta will continue to cook as you make the sauce, so don’t overcook.) Drain.
Heat an 11-inch saucepan. Add the butter, shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add shrimp and scallops and simmer for one minute. Add cream. Reduce heat to simmer.
Add pasta and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, tossing occasionally, until shellfish and pasta are al dente. Garnish with parsley and serve.
NOTE: If using fresh fettuccine, cook only one to two minutes. Packaged noodles may take eight to twelve minutes. The starch from the pasta helps to bind this delicious sauce. May be served as an entree.
Espresso Granita
Ingredients:
1 lb. espresso coffee, freshly and finely ground
1 qt. boiling water
1 to
1-1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 cup heavy cream, stiffly whipped
Instructions:
1Place 1/2 coffee in Melior-type coffee pot with 1/2 water and brew for 10 minutes. (To make coffee, simply push down plunger.) Repeat with remaining coffee. The final brew should be very strong.
Mix in sugar until coffee tastes a little too sweet. Freeze coffee mixture in ice cream churn, following directions of manufacturer, until it is firm and grainy.
Serve granita in champagne glasses with a swirl of unsweetened whipped cream.
Biscuit Tortoni
Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped to soft
peaks
3 tbsp. amaretto di Saronna, marsala or sweet sherry
1/2 cup toasted ground almonds
1 egg white, beaten
Instructions:
Add the sugar to the softly beaten cream a little at a time. Beat well to incorporate sugar. Mix in the amaretto or wine and all but 1 tbsp. of the almonds. Fold in the beaten egg white.
Using a pastry bag, pipe the cream mixture into biscuit cups or custard cups. Sprinkle reserved ground almonds on top. Freeze until firm, about 3 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving to allow to soften slightly.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
2 cups chopped spinach
2 cups chopped artichokes
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 tsp. lea and Perrins
1 oz. olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
roux to thicken
Place olive oil in pan and heat. Sauté onion, green onion and garlic for approximately 3 minutes, then add all Other ingredients except roux and cheese. Simmer for 20 minutes. Thicken with roux until creamy. Fold in cheese at end.
Curried Winter Squash Soup With Sweet Spices
1 medium butternut squash
Oil
1 medium onion; chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 medium apples, cored; peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt; or to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
White pepper; to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, brush the outside with oil and place, cut side down, on a cookie sheet. Bake until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
While the squash is baking, chop the onions and the apples. When the squash is done, remove it to cool. Melt the butter in a heavy pot, add onion and cook until the onion softens without browning. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, one minute more. Add the apple. Scoop out pieces of squash and stir them into the pot, then the thyme, salt and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove the solids to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth, adding liquid to promote circulation. Return to the pot, bring back to a boil and remove from the heat. Add white pepper to taste, correct salt, and serve.
Serves 4 to 6
NOTES : Creamy-smooth, spicy soup of puréed butternut squash with onion and apple.
Comfort food for chilly evenings, this soup is inspired by the matchup of onions, apples and sweet spices found in the Indian Mulligatawny Soup. Nutrition-wise, it has a meal’s worth of vegetables in it.
Chicken Sauté With Curry And Basil
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons butter
4 large boned and skinned chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds
or 6 medium chicken breasts; boned and skinned
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil
Rice (optional)
GARNISHES-USE ANY OR ALL
Chopped peanuts
Raisins
Chutney
Yogurt
Chopped scallions
COOKING:
Chop the garlic. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cream and 2 tablespoons water. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and keep warm. Whisk in remaining cream and curry powder and bring to a simmer. Shred the basil leaves and add them to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
SERVING: Pour sauce over the chicken breasts and serve with rice and curry condiments if desired.
NOTES : Browned skinless chicken breasts in cream-curry sauce.
BASIL: Bocaccio and Keats recount versions of the story of Lisabetta, whose tears watered the pot of basil where her lover’s head lay buried. The broad, shiny green leaves, exude the aroma of Italy-and pesto and tomato sauces are evidence for this. But the versatile herb is a fixture of several European and Asian cuisines.
Agnolotti Ignudi Al Mascarpone – Meat Balls
—-MEAT BALLS—-
4 oz prosciutto; in one piece
4 oz pancetta; in one piece
2 italian sausages without fennel
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs, unseasoned
5 tablespoon parmesan cheese; grated
1 salt & black pepper to taste
—-TO COOK MEAT BALLS—-
4 quart chicken broth
—-SAUCE—-
8 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 lb mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 salt & black pepper to taste
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
—-TO SERVE—-
8 tablespoon parmesan cheese; grated
Cut the prosciutto and pancetta into small pieces and remove the casing from the sausages. Using a meat grinder, grind together the prosciutto, pancetta, and sausages. Place the ground meat in a crockery or glass bowl, add the butter and eggs, and mix very well with a wooden spoon until the butter is completely incorporated. Add the bread crumbs and Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. When ready, bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Meanwhile, place a large skillet with the butter over low heat. When the broth reaches a boil, start shaping the meat mixture into tiny meat balls; a heaping tablespoon of mixture will be enough to prepare several. Make sure the meat balls are solid with no holes inside. Drop the balls into the boiling broth a few at a time, and as they rise to the top, tansfer them with a slotted spoon to the skillet containing the butter. When all the meat balls are cooked and in the skillet, add the mascarpone and heavy cream. Mix very well and simmer for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the mascarpone is completely dissolved. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix very well, then transfer to a warmed serving platter. Serve immediately, with some Parmesan on the side.
Chicken Alfredo
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 1 T. milk
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 1 T. parsley
• bread crumbs
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
Sauce:
• 3 T. butter
• 1/2 pt. heavy cream
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. grated cheese
•1 T. parsley
Beat eggs with milk. Add 1/2 cup grated cheese and parsley. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and roll in bread crumbs. Lightly brown in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. Remove to a baking dish.
Over medium heat, melt butter. Add cream and milk, stirring constantly. Add cheese and parsley until it is a warm sauce.
Pour sauce over chicken breasts. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked. During the last five minutes, add a slice of mozzarella to each bread piece and allow to melt.
Cannoli Filling
2 pound ricotta
1/2 cup citron
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup orange peel — candied
4 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounce chocolate — sweet
Process ricotta, powdered sugar and vanilla in food processor until smooth. Add citron, peel, and broken up chocolate and process with short bursts just until chopped. Use to fill cannoli shells, garnishing ends with finely chopped almonds or other nuts. Variations: Fluffy Riccota Filling: Fold in 1 cup heavy cream, beaten until stiff. Pistachio Filling: To either of the above fillings add a few drops of green food coloring to tint pale green. Garnish ends of filled shells with chopped pistachio nuts.
Bagna Calda With Vegetables
2 can anchovy fillets (2oz)
thinly sliced
1 cup olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
assorted vegetables
20 clovesgarlic — peeled and
Bagna Caude (Anchovy and Garlic Sauce): Drain and dry anchovies. Place in HEAVY saucepan and add oil, butter and garlic. Cook over very low heat for about 1 hour. Sauce should barely bubble during this time. Add cream and simmer 5 more minutes. Serve warm with assorted vegetables cut into bite sized pieces.
SHALLOTS AND TARRAGON SOUP
5 c. chicken broth
8 lg. shallots in thin slices
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
2 celery stalks chopped with leaves
Salt and pepper
4 egg yolks
1 c. heavy cream
Chopped chives
Paprika
1. In a saucepan, put chicken broth, shallots and tarragon and celery. Bring to a boil. Simmer, cover for 45 minutes in low heat. Into blender container ladle half of mixture, cover and at high speed, blend until smooth. Repeat with other half.
2. In a bowl beat the cream and yolks. Stir into the soup. Reheat the soup stirring until yolk are cooked. Do not boil. Serve hot, garnish with chives and paprika. Serves 6.
BROCCOLI, ASPARAGUS OR CAULIFLOWER SOUP
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 bunch (10 oz.) fresh broccoli
1 sm. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 qt. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. heavy cream, warmed
Salt and pepper
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, stir in flour. Cook 3 minutes over low heat, stir constantly. Cool. Set aside. If using broccoli: Wash and trim off tough part. Separate and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large saucepan saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in broccoli, cover and cook 3 minutes. Stir in stock or broth, heat to simmering. Stir small amount of liquid into cooked flour and butter mixture until smooth; return mixture to saucepan; stirring until smooth. Simmer, covered until broccoli is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Puree in electric blender, return to saucepan. Blend cream into soup. Taste and salt and pepper if needed. Serve.
Chicken & Corn Chowder
1 lbs chicken breast
1 chopped onion
4 T butter
2 stalk chopped celery
4 c fresh corn (6 ears)
2 med. boiling potatoes, diced
3-4 T flour
3 c chicken stock
1 c heavy cream (or substitute buttermilk – marilee)
Melt butter and fry chicken, but do not let brown — when it’s glistening, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes or until meat is firm.
Cut up and set aside. Puree 2 c of corn until smooth (note: marilee says keep 1/2 of the kernels whole or even used a can of creamed corn). From the chicken frypan drippings, saute onion and celery until soft. Sprink with flour and cook until bubbly. Add rest of ingredients, and simmer 15 minutes until the pototo is tender. Stir in cream or buttermilk, salt and pepper. Heat and serve. Serves 6-8.
Agnolotti Di Ricotta E Spinaci
1 lb flour
6 oz sweet cream butter
8 eggs
3 pn salt,to taste
15 oz ricotta cheese,dry as possible
2 oz spinach,trimmed,washed
13 oz Parmesan cheese,grated
1 pn black pepper,to taste
2 pn nutmeg,to taste
1 qt heavy cream
4 oz mascarpone cheese
2 pn white pepper,to taste
STEP ONE: The Dough–
Combine the following ingredients: 1 pound bleached flour, 2 ounces sweet butter, 5 eggs, and 1 pinch salt. Work the dough long enough to allow the butter to be incorporated inside the dough. Wrap the dough in a towel and let it rest, for at least one hour, inside the refrigerator.
STEP TWO: The Filling–
For the filling, steam the spinach and chop it very fine. In a bowl, beat together 2 eggs with 7 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 pinch each: salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Add 15 ounces dry ricotta cheese and mix very well, but not too long. If you mix it too much, the mixture will become liquid.
STEP THREE: The Agnolotti–
Roll out the dough in a thin layer and brush it with an egg wash (made from 1 egg). With the help of a teaspoon to make a “walnut” shape, place the spoon on the dough and cover it with another layer. Cut with a round pasta cutter 2 inches in diameter. Stuff the pasta with the filling and cook in boiling water until the agnolotti come to the surface of the boiling water.
STEP FOUR: The Sauce–
For the sauce, bring 1 quart heavy cream to a slow boil and add 4 ounces sweet butter, 6 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of nutmeg, 2 pinches white pepper. Boil slowly for five minutes, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon.
Serve agnolotti on warm plates with warm sauce
Amaretto Chocolate Cheesecake
Amaretti (see note)
2 T Granulated sugar
5 T Sweet butter
1 oz Chocolate, unsweetened
-(1 square)
———————————-FILLING———————————-
6 oz Chocolate, semisweet
7 oz Amaretti
4 oz Almond paste
1/3 c Amaretto liqueur
1/4 c Sugar, granulated
1 1/2 lb Cream cheese
-(room temperature) 4 lg Eggs
1/2 c Heavy cream
MAKE CRUST: Butter the sides only (not the bottom) of a 9-inch spring-form pan (about 2 1/2 to 3 inches deep). Grind the Amaretti very fine in a food processor or blender. Mix with sugar in a mixing bowl. Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler, stirring occasionally. Add the melted mixture to the Amaretti crumbs and sugar and mix thoroughly. (Don’t wash the double boiler; you’ll be using it again in a minute.) Turn the mixture into the prepared pan. With your fingers, distribute it evenly over the bottom and press it down into a very firm, compact layer. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
MAKE FILLING: Adjust rack 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Partially melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then uncover and stir until completely melted. Remove the top of the double boiler and set aside to cool. Break the Amaretti coarsely into a bowl and set aside. Cut the almond paste into small pieces, and beat on low speed with an electric mixer, while gradually adding the Amaretto liqueur. Beat until thoroughly mixed and set aside. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth again. Add the almond paste-Amaretto mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add the melted chocolate and beat well again. Add the eggs one at a time, beating at low speed until they are incorporated after each addition. Add the heavy cream and beat until smooth. Add the coarsely broken Amaretti and stir gently only to mix. Turn into the prepared pan, pouring the mixture over the bottom crust. Rotate the pan gently to level the batter. (Don’t worry if the mixture comes almost to the top; it won’t run over.) Bake 45 minutes. It will seem soft and not done, but don’t bake any more; it will become firm when chilled. The top of the cake is supposed to look bumpy because of the large chunks of Amaretti. Let cool completely at room temperature, then carefully remove the sides of the pan and refrigerate the cake (still on the bottom of the pan) for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.
NOTES: * This is adapted from Maida Heatter’s “Book of Great Chocolate Desserts,” (Knopf 1980). It won me a blue ribbon at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Exhibition and Fair in 1983. If you ever find yourself in front of a firing squad, this makes an unbeatable last request.
* Amaretti are Italian almond-flavored wafer cookies. They are usually sold in metal tins with the wafers wrapped in packages of two inside the tin. You can also buy Amarettini, which are the same flavor but much smaller and not individually wrapped. Since you’re going to grind some of the wafers and break the others into chunks, it doesn’t matter which size you start with. One brand is Amaretti di Saronna, Lazzaroni & Co.
* This is an expensive cake, both in terms of the cost of the ingredients ($15-$20) and the number of calories. : Difficulty: moderate to hard. : Time: 30 minutes preparation, 45 minutes baking, overnight cooling. : Precision: measure ingredients carefully.
Forest Fettucine with Morels and Breast Of Pheasant
oz Dried morels; -=OR=-
2 tb -Morel powder
3/4 c Semolina flour
2 Extra-large egs
2 Extra-large egg yolks
1 tb Olive oil
—————————–MOREL CREAM SAUCE—————————–
18 Dried morels
-=OR=- Fresh, if in season 1 tb Butter
2 tb Chopped shallots
1 3/4 c Heavy cream
Salt; to taste White pepper; to taste Nutmeg; to taste
———————————-GARNISH———————————-
24 Fiddlehead ferns
-=OR=- Asparagus tips 2 tb Butter
——————————–FOR PHEASANT——————————–
2 Pheasant breasts
- (from 3 lb pheasants) – boned, skinned & halved Salt White pepper 2 tb Butter
Prepare the fettucine. Clean any soil clinging to the morel stems. Place the mushrooms in a spice mill and grind to a fine powder. Combine the powder with the semolina and all-purpose flours in a food processor and process briefly to blend. Beat the eggs, egg yolks and oil together and, with the motor running, add the mixture to the flours. Process until a neat ball forms on top of the blade, about 45 to 60 seconds. Remove the dough from the machine and knead for a minute on a very lightly floured surface. Pat into a thick cylinder and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. About 1 hour before serving time, cut the dough across into 6 pieces. Knead, stretch, and cut each piece in a pasta machine or by hand. Spread the fettucine on a tray dusted with semolina. Cover with a towel until cooking time. Prepare the sauce. Soak the mushrooms in warm water to cover for 5 minutes. (Halve and rinse fresh morels.) Drain the mushrooms, halve them lengthwise and rinse briefly. Cut into small pieces. Heat the butter in a skillet and add the morels and shallots. Cook over low heat until the shallots are tender. Add the cream and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste. The sauce can be prepared and gently reheated just before serving. Rub any fuzz from the fiddlehead ferns and trim the tails to leave about 1/2 inch. Drop them into boiling salted water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
At serving time, heat them through in the butter. About 20 minutes before serving time, sprinkle the pheasant breasts lightly with salt and white pepper and let them sit at room temperature until you are ready to cook. Heat the butter in a large, heavy skillet. When it foams, add the breasts and brown lightly for about 5 minutes. Turn and cook over moderately low heat until they are nicely browned and barely done in the center, about 5 more minutes. Remove them and let them sit for 5 minutes. Drop the noodles into a large quantity of boiling salted water. Return to a boil, stirring. Cook about 1 minute, just until tender. Drain them thoroughly and toss with three-quarters of the sauce. Arrange the fettucine on 4 serving plates. Slice each pheasant breast in 6 vertical slices and fan over the pasta. Top with the remaining sauce and surround with the fiddlehead ferns.