Literary Food. 7.23.12
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/5655090.jpg)
Since this dinner club evolved from a book club (really just because Diva K read this awesome blog post and decided to hijack the theme), our theme this month was foods from books. We've all read books with lots of food in them, and there are some books that we will always associate with certain foods. When Diva K read Under the Tuscan Sun, for example, she loved how cooking was a constant part of it; and the Italy section of Eat, Pray, Love made her fall in love with the idea of eating good food with lucious ingredients.
The recipes we made didn't have to be in the books (and cookbooks weren't allowed to be the book we selected), and all the Divas vetoed the "special" pie featured in The Help. Otherwise, the library was our inspiration and the results were delicious.
The recipes we made didn't have to be in the books (and cookbooks weren't allowed to be the book we selected), and all the Divas vetoed the "special" pie featured in The Help. Otherwise, the library was our inspiration and the results were delicious.
Cloudy with a Chance of Garlic Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/2879513.jpg)
Meatballs
Place all other ingredients (except oil) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for several minutes. Meat mixture should be mixed very well.
Using a teaspoon, spoon some meat mixture into your hand, and make a well using your thumb. Insert a garlic clove and wrap mixture around it to form a ball. After all the turkey is formed into balls, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add oil. Add several meatballs and fry them in the pan, using a spatula to roll the meatballs for even cooking. Meatballs are done when the centers are no longer pink (165º).
Creamy Dill Dressing
_
- 2 ½ lbs. lean ground turkey
- 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano (optional)
- 30-40 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled)
- 3-4 tsp. olive oil
Place all other ingredients (except oil) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for several minutes. Meat mixture should be mixed very well.
Using a teaspoon, spoon some meat mixture into your hand, and make a well using your thumb. Insert a garlic clove and wrap mixture around it to form a ball. After all the turkey is formed into balls, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add oil. Add several meatballs and fry them in the pan, using a spatula to roll the meatballs for even cooking. Meatballs are done when the centers are no longer pink (165º).
Creamy Dill Dressing
_
- 2/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup skim milk (more or less to desired thickness)
- 1/4 cup (1 pkg.) Spinach Dip seasoning mix
- 1/2 – 3/4 Tbsp. dill
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/6579587.jpg)
Pat Conroy's Beach Music inspired this dish. Emeril gets the credit for the recipe.
Ingredients
Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Divide the salad among serving plates and garnish with shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Cook's Note: This recipe makes approximately 3/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette. Any remaining vinaigrette will keep for up to 2 weeks stored in a non-reactive container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed on a cutting board with the side of a knife, or more to taste
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh arugula, washed and dried
- 2 ounces shaved Parmesan
Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Divide the salad among serving plates and garnish with shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Cook's Note: This recipe makes approximately 3/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette. Any remaining vinaigrette will keep for up to 2 weeks stored in a non-reactive container in the refrigerator.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/9845060.jpg)
Pizza Alla Napoletana
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/5788665.jpg)
Elizabeth Gilbert's description of her relationship with pizza in Eat, Pray, Love inspired this dish.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and place in a strainer or colander set over a bowl to drain. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tomatoes have released some of their liquid. Place the rolled out pizza dough onto 2 pizza peels or the backs of 2 cookie sheets, using cornmeal, as necessary, to help facilitate moving the dough. Sprinkle the tomatoes evenly over both rounds of dough, scatter the diced cheese, then drizzle each pizza with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown around the edges and the tomatoes are lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the oregano and basil. Bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pizza is crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt before serving. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 of your favorite pizza doughs
- Cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peels
- 1 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and place in a strainer or colander set over a bowl to drain. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tomatoes have released some of their liquid. Place the rolled out pizza dough onto 2 pizza peels or the backs of 2 cookie sheets, using cornmeal, as necessary, to help facilitate moving the dough. Sprinkle the tomatoes evenly over both rounds of dough, scatter the diced cheese, then drizzle each pizza with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown around the edges and the tomatoes are lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the oregano and basil. Bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pizza is crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt before serving. Serve immediately.
Caramel Corn
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/4467572.jpg)
"They tell of how they found the circus, how those first few steps were like magic. Like stepping into a fairy tale under a curtain of stars. They pontificate upon the fluffiness of the popcorn, the sweetness of the chocolate."
~The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
Ingredients:
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
2. Pop popcorn and spread out in baking pans. Don’t overfill your pans – you need to be able to stir the popcorn while baking.
3. Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Quickly pour the caramel evenly over popcorn.
5. Bake popcorn for one hour, stirring thoroughly every 10-15 minutes.
~The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
Ingredients:
- About 7 cups of plain popped popcorn
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
- 2 T light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
2. Pop popcorn and spread out in baking pans. Don’t overfill your pans – you need to be able to stir the popcorn while baking.
3. Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Quickly pour the caramel evenly over popcorn.
5. Bake popcorn for one hour, stirring thoroughly every 10-15 minutes.
Chocolate Mice
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/986642.jpg)
"As he continues to walk around the circus, Bailey's path leads back to the courtyard. He stops briefly to watch the sparkling bonfire and then at a vendor to purchase a bag of chocolates to make up for his mostly uneaten dinner. The chocolates are shaped like mice, with almond ears and licorice tails. He eats two immediately and puts the rest of the bag in the pocket of his coat, hoping they will not melt."
~The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
Ingredients
Bake the cake mix according to the package directions.
Cool it for a while before crumbling it into a bowl and mixing in the frosting.
Take a piece of the cake mixture, about the size you want the mouse to be, pull it apart and push the licorice tail into the middle of it.
Mold the cake mixture around the tail into a mouse shape. Add almond slivers for ears.
Refrigerate your mice for at least 2 hours.
Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of shortening. While it is melting, grease a wire cooling rack with shortening.
Grab a mouse by the tail and dip!
Set on the wire rack to cool until the chocolate coating hardens. Store in the refrigerator.
Makes 12-15 smallish mice.
Btw, in response to being frequently asked, Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus, has provided her inspiration for the chocolate mice in the book: these mice from L.A. Burdick, an artisinal chocolate company. For a minute, I considered ordering some, but they're not cheap - and I wanted to the challenge of making my own.
-N
~The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
Ingredients
- chocolate cake mix, plus whatever ingredients are needed to bake the mix (eggs, oil, water, etc.)
- 16 ounce can chocolate frosting
- licorice strings
- sliced almonds
- 1 bag chocolate chips
- 2 T shortening (it has to be real shortening - no substitutions
Bake the cake mix according to the package directions.
Cool it for a while before crumbling it into a bowl and mixing in the frosting.
Take a piece of the cake mixture, about the size you want the mouse to be, pull it apart and push the licorice tail into the middle of it.
Mold the cake mixture around the tail into a mouse shape. Add almond slivers for ears.
Refrigerate your mice for at least 2 hours.
Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of shortening. While it is melting, grease a wire cooling rack with shortening.
Grab a mouse by the tail and dip!
Set on the wire rack to cool until the chocolate coating hardens. Store in the refrigerator.
Makes 12-15 smallish mice.
Btw, in response to being frequently asked, Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus, has provided her inspiration for the chocolate mice in the book: these mice from L.A. Burdick, an artisinal chocolate company. For a minute, I considered ordering some, but they're not cheap - and I wanted to the challenge of making my own.
-N