Here’s one of the really cool things about Detroit – it is like a time capsule. Case in point, the recent reopening of the famed restaurant The London Chop House. Here in Detroit, there is little “progress” which is good if you are a fan of retro chic – few historic sites get torn down after they close (ok, Stroh’s, Vernor’s and Tiger Stadium did) but buildings and their contents remain when they close. The London Chop House closed its doors in 1991 after 53 years of business and it is as if the past person out turned off the lights and locked the door. And there it sat for 21 years, untouched. Literally. Proving you can go home again, everything was intact from the mahogany bar to the red leather booths. Just waiting for a modern day restauranteur to open it up, turn on the lights and dust everything off. We went there recently for dinner, and Mark ordered the house specialty Veal Oscar – which is about the richest dish there is – a pan seared veal chop, topped with lump crab meat and hollandaise sauce with a side of asparagus. It seems that Veal Oscar in all of its incarnations is accompanied with asparagus – I guess because you need one healthy element on an otherwise decadent plate. Yes, we are lucky to be in Detroit, the Motor City, Motown. At the risk of sounding like a Chrysler ad, truly a city on the edge of a Renaissance. Say nice things about Detroit.
123 Sesame Street. My first real television experience, had its debut in 1969, and I was hooked from the beginning. Yes, before The Brady Bunch, I loved Bert and Ernie, Grover, Big Bird, Oscar and the roving reporter persona of Kermit the Frog. I was mesmerized each day when it aired, and actually believed that if I sat on a rug in front of the TV set, I would go on the magic carpet ride, every door opening wide, with happy people like you. It truly was a sunny day, every day. Even with Oscar around, who for all of his curmudgeon like behavior, still found time to sing a happy song about his love of trash. That show taught me to count to ten – in both English and Spanish – which I can still do. And while the muppets were my favorites, even the humans like Bob and Susan and Mr. Hooper were lovable in their own way. The best part of motherhood was getting to watch the show again, with a new pair of eyes. And even though Elmo now steals the show, there are days when I still want to know: Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?
The Recipe: (Courtesy of Tyler Florence, because the London Chop House never learned to share)
1 bunch asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1 pound king crab legs
Water
White wine
Lemon slices
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 veal cutlets, lightly pounded
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsps butter, divided
Blanch asparagus tips in simmering water, drain and set aside.Poach crab legs in water,white wine and lemon slices for 5 minutes, then shell with a crab cracker and reserve. In a shallow dish combine flour, salt and pepper, coat pieces of veal. In a saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter and fry cutlets 3 minutes each side until golden brown. Remove the veal to a warm platter.Using the same pan, melt remaining butter. Stir in shallots and tarragon.Add olive oil, asparagus and crab. Saute 2 minutes to warm. To serve, place asparagus and crab on top of each cutlet and drizzle with Bernaise sauce.
For the sauce:
1/4 c fresh tarragon, chopped
2 shallots, minced
1/4 c champagne vinegar
1/4 c dry white wine
3 egg yolks
1 stick butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small saucepan, combine tarragon, shallots,vinegar and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside. Place a stainless steel bowl in a saucepan containing simmering water, or use a double-boiler.Whisk egg yolks until doubled in volume. Slowly add the melted butter,continue beating until sauce is thickened.Stir in reserved shallot reduction. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Serve with Veal Oscar, yields one cup.
Serves four, so Bert and Ernie can invite Gordon and Susan over for dinner. Only a problem if you've got five people in your family, one, two, three, four, five.
1 bunch asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1 pound king crab legs
Water
White wine
Lemon slices
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 veal cutlets, lightly pounded
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsps butter, divided
Blanch asparagus tips in simmering water, drain and set aside.Poach crab legs in water,white wine and lemon slices for 5 minutes, then shell with a crab cracker and reserve. In a shallow dish combine flour, salt and pepper, coat pieces of veal. In a saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter and fry cutlets 3 minutes each side until golden brown. Remove the veal to a warm platter.Using the same pan, melt remaining butter. Stir in shallots and tarragon.Add olive oil, asparagus and crab. Saute 2 minutes to warm. To serve, place asparagus and crab on top of each cutlet and drizzle with Bernaise sauce.
For the sauce:
1/4 c fresh tarragon, chopped
2 shallots, minced
1/4 c champagne vinegar
1/4 c dry white wine
3 egg yolks
1 stick butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small saucepan, combine tarragon, shallots,vinegar and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside. Place a stainless steel bowl in a saucepan containing simmering water, or use a double-boiler.Whisk egg yolks until doubled in volume. Slowly add the melted butter,continue beating until sauce is thickened.Stir in reserved shallot reduction. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Serve with Veal Oscar, yields one cup.
Serves four, so Bert and Ernie can invite Gordon and Susan over for dinner. Only a problem if you've got five people in your family, one, two, three, four, five.
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