Alena, Alex, and I had the great pleasure of partaking in Taste of the Nation at the Omni Hotel in New Haven.  This is a yearly event hosted simultaneously all over the country by Share our Strength, an organization dedicated to eradicating childhood hunger.  Ben has always had the philosophy, that while we are in business to make money, charity work must be a huge part of who we are as a company.  This event is particularly fun because instead of just writing a check we are allowed to show off our culinary talents and let the audience be the judges.

There were over thirty restaurants, bakeries, and wine shops in attendance making for an amazing spread for the nearly 400 guests.  Each restaurant gets a small set up space where they cook and prepare their dishes for the audience meandering from table to table, sampling a huge variety of amazing food. This is the third year that La Cuisine has entered the event and we did not disappoint our adoring fans.

We prepared three items, two savory and one sweet, all in mini portions so that guests could come by and sample a bite of everything. Our first offering was a Chipotle Infused Potato Pancake with Marinated Grilled Flank Steak topped with an Avocado Cream Fraiche.  Our second offering was a Mushroom  Slider served with our Lemon Aioli on mini House Baked Brioche Buns.  And last but not least was our dessert, a Spring Berry Shot served in mini shot glasses.  Rhubarb compote was the first layer followed by a small thin round of vanilla cake then topped with strawberry mousse and finally a dollop of lemon meringue.  The dish conjured up images of spring and summer while maintaining the perfect balance between sweet and tart.  The reaction of our guests said it all as the different layers of the dessert all interacted harmoniously, generating big smiles and requests for seconds.

This event is particularly satisfying for an number of reasons.  First, you see several area business putting on their best face, presenting amazing food that is beautifully displayed. There is a slightly competitive edge to the entire event because the audience and a small panel of judges decide on best entree, best dessert, best table presentation, and people’s choice.  Because pride is on the line every restaurant really pushes the envelope with their food and presentation.  Finally and most importantly, it just feels good to know that 100 percent of the proceeds to this event go to ending child hunger. This year alone over $60,000 was raised on behalf of Share our Strength.  On a final note, the event was made just a touch sweeter for La Cuisine by claiming the title of Best Dessert on heels of last years Best Entree.  Hope to see you all next April for Taste of the Nation New Haven!

Tags: audience, bakeries, Ben, charity, chefs, childhood, enjoy, feelings, food, hunger, judges, La Cuisine, restaurants, Share our Strength, taste of the nation

Julia Child would be 96 today. The recent revelations about her career as a spy (New York Times, 08/14/08) have only added to the incredible stature of one of the first true stars de cuisine in America. Her first tome, Mastering the Art of French Cooking was published shortly before I started law school in Boston. Written with Louisette Berthole and Simca Beck, the volume was both scary for it’s incredible detail and exciting for the door it opened to French cuisine. Watching the taping of her shows at WGBH, buying heretofore unheard of ingredients at Cardullo’s in Harvard Square or the stalls of Haymarket downtown became one of the few affordable activities on a student budget that occasionally produced some good food as a by product. She defined technique, the illustrations were typically helpful, sometimes not so, but the recipes did work if you followed them with precision.

Her style evolved as our palette’s did, focusing on ingredients as well as process, pulling back from the grand cuisine of her early works to embrace a more fluid, relaxed approach, much easier for the novice to try. Even in her 90’s, her persona lit up the TV screen in the specials she did with a variety of chefs, including our local celeb, Jacques Pépin. The chemistry between them was delightful.

One of my all time favorite Julia recipes, done in conjunction with Jacques, is for Leg of Lamb. It’s perfect for this time of year with some grilled eggplant, steamed just dug potatoes, and the last of the haricot vert in the garden. See below.

I, like many, can still hear that distinctive voice in the pages of her books, and remember her signature sign off: Bon Appetit!

Leg of Lamb a la Julia Child

2 1/4 pound leg of lamb, butterflied

Marinade

2 large cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS dijon mustard
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp thyme
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Puree garlic into a small bowl and mash to a paste with the salt. Whisk in the mustard, soy, herbs (one may also use rosemary or oregano, or a mixture of all three), lemon juice. Add the oil slowly, still whisking, to make a mayonnaise-like cream.

In a dish large enough to accommodate the leg of lamb, coat with the marinade. Let sit at least 8 hours, overnight if possible. Note – I use a large ziplock that I can rotate and turn every hour or so.

Preheat oven to 325. Roast lamb in a roasting pan until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees (approximately 45 minutes — as determined from Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, it should be about 24 minutes per pound). Let rest under foil tent for 15-20 minutes and serve.

Tags: America, Bon Appetit, Boston, Cardullo's, chefs, chemistry, eggplant, French cuisine, Garden, grand cuisine, grilled, haricot vert, Harvard Square, Haymarket, Jacques Pépin, Julia Child, Julia recipes, Leg of Lamb, Louisette Berthole, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, persona, potatoes, Simca Beck, WGBH