Academy Award

The 85th Academy Awards air tonight from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and before I settle in to catch all of the red carpet action, I want to share a round-up of the film-inspired recipes I’ve shared over the previous twelve days.  It wouldn’t be a round-up without some Oscar trivia:

Nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) is the youngest actress ever nominated for Best Actress in a Lead Role, taking the distinction from actress Keisha Castle-Hughes who was nominated at thirteen for her role in Whale Rider.  She competes against Emmanuelle Riva (Amour), who at eighty-five is the oldest nominee in the category.

The youngest actor ever nominated is Justin Henry, who at eight years old was nominated for his role as Billy Kramer in the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer.

Silver Linings Playbook is the first film since the 1981 film Reds to earn nominations in all four acting categories as well as Best Director and Best Picture.

Les Miserables is the first musical nominated for Best Picture since Chicago in 2002, and prior to Chicago no musical had been nominated in the Best Picture category since Oliver! in 1969.

Composer John Williams, nominated this year for his work on Lincoln, still holds the record for the living person with the most nominations at forty-eight.  Next in line is Woody Allen with twenty-three.

Three of this year’s Best Actor nominees: Bradley Cooper, Denzel Washington, and Hugh Jackman, have previously been named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.

For this year’s 12 Days of Oscar feature, I selected four movies that have been nominated for but did not win Oscars, four films that have won at least one Oscar, and four films hoping to win an Oscar this year.

Pleasantville, Salisbury Steak

I Am Sam, Crepes

When Harry Met Sally, Chef Salad (with oil and vinegar on the side!)

My Week With Marilyn, Roasted Chicken Salad

The Aviator, Banana Ripple Ice Cream

Marie Antoinette, Cream Puffs

Chicago, Deep Dish Pizza

Titanic, Chicken Lyonnaise

Moonrise Kingdom, Lemon Butter Pollock

Les Miserables, French Bread

Silver Linings Playbook, Crabby Snacks

Lincoln, Mary Lincoln’s Apple Bread Pudding

The American Process

The final film in this year’s 12 Days of Oscar feature is nominated for twelve Oscars.  Lincoln covers the last four months of Abraham Lincoln’s life focusing on his effort to passing the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery in the House of Representatives.  The film does a great job of showing Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) both as a political figure and at home with wife Mary (Sally Field) and their sons, Tad (Gulliver McGrath) and Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).  Tommy Lee Jones gives an incredible performance as Republican Congressional leader Thaddeus Stevens.  Even though history tells us how things turn out both for Lincoln and the Thirteenth Amendment, Lincoln is gripping and doesn’t feel like a retelling of everything you already learned in history class.  Lincoln is nominated for twelve Oscars: Best Writing- Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing, Best Music Written for Motion Pictures- Original Score, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Day-Lewis), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jones), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Field), and Best Picture.

Looking at menus from official functions during Lincoln’s administration, one would think that Lincoln had an endless appetite for elaborate meals.  By most accounts, this is not true and Lincoln frequently nibbled at fancy dinners, leaving most of the food on his plate and instead favored the simplicity of apples and coffee.  Yet, Mary Todd Lincoln was reportedly well-schooled in cooking and would frequently make an almond cake for him while they were courting, and believed sugar to be “the most nourishing substance found in nature.”  The recipe for this movie is a recipe from a cookbook that Mary reportedly brought with her when she and Abraham moved into the White House, Miss Leslie’s Complete Cookery.  This apple bread pudding from the 1837 cookbook combines the “nourishing” power of sugar with the apples of which Abraham was so fond.  The sauce for this is thin, and as noted below it’s best served warm.  The sauce will form a skin like a cooked pudding, and to reheat it if necessary, pour it into a small sauce pan and heat over low heat, stirring, until it’s warm and thin again.  I have a hard time calling it bread pudding because there’s actually not much bread in here at all.  I’m not complaining; the end result is layered of baked apple slices reminiscent of (crustless) apple pie and once the sauce is spooned over it, the last thing you’ll wonder about is where the bread went.

Apple Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

for the bread pudding:

• 12 small Granny Smith apples
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 C. chilled butter, cubed (plus more for greasing the dish)
• 1 1/4 C. brown sugar
• 1 C. bread crumbs (homemade are best)

for the cream sauce:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 C. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and core the apples and then slice them very thin (I used my apple peeler/ corer/ slicer and used 1/4 inch thick slices).

Place the apple slices in a large mixing bowl and pour the lemon juice, lemon zest and nutmeg over them.

Toss with a large spoon or spatula to evenly coat the apples with the lemon juice mixture.

Butter a 9×13 inch glass baking dish.

Make a single thick layer of apple slices on the bottom of the dish, overlapping so that the apple slices cover the entire surface of the bottom of the dish.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the brown sugar over the apples.

Dot the apples and sugar with 1/3 of the pieces of butter.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the bread crumbs over the top of the apples, sugar and butter.

Repeat layering apple slices, then brown sugar, then butter, then bread crumbs until the baking dish is full, ending with a thin layer of bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes until the edges brown, the apples are soft, and the bread pudding is cooked through.

To make the cream sauce, pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, whisking occasionally.

When the cream begins to boil, whisk in the powdered sugar, nutmeg, and almond extract.

Remove the pan from the heat and strain the sauce through a mesh strainer or sieve into a serving bowl.

Serve the sauce over warm slices of the bread pudding.

The sauce is best served immediately but if that doesn’t happen, store the sauce in an air tight container in the refrigerator and warm over low heat, stirring, when ready to serve.

Makes 16 (approximately 3″x2″ each) servings.

Source: The History Kitchen originally from Miss Leslie’s Complete Cookery

Silver Lining

The third film in this year’s 12 Days of Oscar feature that is nominated for an Academy Award this year is Silver Linings Playbook.  After spending some time in a mental hospital in the aftermath of his actions upon discovering Nikki (Brea Bee)’s adultery, Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) moves in with his parents Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver).  While struggling with his bipolar disorder, Pat is desperate to show Nikki that he has his life together and reconcile. He meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a widow who is aspiring to compete in an upcoming dance competition.  The two form a friendship and agree to help each other meet their goals.  Silver Linings Playbook is nominated for eight Oscars: Best Directing (David O. Russell), Best Editing, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Cooper), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (De Niro), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Lawrence), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Weaver), Best Writing- Material Previously Produced or Published, and Best Picture.

Food gets a lot of mention in this film.  Early on Pat tells us that Sunday used to be his favorite day; Dolores would make lasagna and he’d watch the Philadelphia Eagles game with his father.  At the end of the film, Dolores is teaching Pat’s friend Danny (Chris Tucker) how she makes her braciole.  In the scene above, Pat orders Raisin Bran at a diner so that it’s not a date, and throughout the movie Dolores announces she’s making “crabbies and homemades.”  ”Homemades” are homemade egg noodles, while “crabbies” refers to a snack or appetizer combining cheese and crab on an English muffin.  Director David O. Russell was invited to the home of Mrs. Cappalletti, mother of football player John Cappalletti, who offered him crabbies and homemades leading Russell to believe that these are common snacks in a Philadelphia home.  Bradley Cooper, who grew up in Philadelphia, told Russell he had never heard of either but they were included in the film just the same.

I’m glad they were.  While I have yet to attempt making my own egg noodles, I was excited to make some English muffins and top them with crab and cheese.  I decided to move past my reservations about using cheese spread and canned crab when I decided that authenticity was important, and that these are a retro appetizer hailing from the 1950′s when processed food was all the rage.  In the future, I’d mix some softened cream cheese with shredded cheddar and I’m sure that would work very well here.  I did make English muffins at home for these, but it isn’t necessary at all.  These are meant to be a quick appetizer or snack, so if you have some store-bought English muffins hanging around, this is a great way to use them.  Thinly sliced scallions make a great topping for these instead of, or in addition to, chopped parsley.  With a salad, a few of these aren’t a bad lunch, either.

Crabby Snacks

Ingredients:

• 6 English muffins, split
• 1 5 oz. jar cheese spread (such as Kraft Old English), room temperature
• 1 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• two dashes hot sauce (more or less, to taste)
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
• 1 6 oz. can crab meat, drained, flaked
  
• 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Directions:

Toast the English muffins.

Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the cheese spread, butter, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and crab meat.  Stir to thoroughly combine.

Spread 1-2 Tbsp. of the crab mixture evenly on the toasted surface of each English muffin half.

Sprinkle the Old Bay seasoning evenly over the tops of each English muffin half.

Bake the topped English muffin halves for 10-15 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and bubbly.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the parsley evenly over the tops.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before using a sharp, serrated knife to cut each English muffin half into quarters.

Makes 48 crabby snacks.

Source:  adapted from Ask Your Neighbor

One Day More

Today, we have the second film in this year’s 12 Days of Oscar feature that is nominated to win an award at this year’s ceremony.  Les Miserables, based on the musical by the same name (which is based on Victor Hug0′s 1862 French novel by the same name), the film starts when convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is released from prison and vows to start a new life of honesty, breaking parole while prison guard Javert (Russell Crowe) vows to bring Valjean to justice.  Valjean develops a relationship with Fantine (Anne Hathaway), who has turned to prostitution to pay for her daughter Cosette (Amanda Seyfried)’s care.  Following Valjean’s struggle to live a good life on the wrong side of the law, the film spans seventeen years ending with the June Rebellion of France.  Les Miserables is nominated for eight Oscars: Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song, for “Suddenly”), Production Design, Best Picture of the Year, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Hugh Jackman), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Anne Hathaway).

The crime for which Valjean is imprisoned is stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s children.  It’s easy to make jokes about how fantastic that bread must have been, but this takes place during a time of political turmoil and great poverty in France.  Still, we do know that French bread is really among some of the best anywhere.  French baguettes must be baked daily (the French government has laws that they must be preservative-free), and are distinguished by their long shape and crisp crust.  Obviously to make some of the longer baguettes, you’d need a very large oven.  Being limited to a standard home oven, I made one loaf of bread long enough to fit diagonally onto my seventeen inch baking pan.  This is possibly the best French bread I’ve ever had, and it will be making a regular appearance in my kitchen.  It has a great crust, and toasts up beautifully.

French Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil or melted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 C. bread flour (plus more if needed)
• 1 tsp. instant yeast
• 1 egg white + 1 tsp. water whisked together, for glazing

Directions:

To make this in a bread machine, place all ingredients except for the egg white mixed with water into the bread pan of a bread machine.  Choose the dough setting and after 5-10 minutes, check that the dough is forming a loose ball that sticks to the sides of the pan and then pulls away.  If it is too dry, add water 1 tsp. at a time.  If it is too wet, add flour 1 Tbsp. at a time.  Shape and bake as directed below.

To make the dough without a bread machine, dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 C. of the lukewarm water.

In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), combine the flour and salt.

Add the remaining 1/2 C. of water, olive oil or butter, and salt to the flour and mix to combine.

Add the yeast mixture and mix to combine.

Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead (or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface) for 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and allow it to rise for 1 hour, until doubled.

Punch the dough down and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Roll the dough out into an oval slightly longer than you want your finished loaf of bread to be.

Starting from a long side, roll the dough up (like a cinnamon roll) and pinch the seam together.

Place the dough seam side down on a baking pan and pinch each end of the bread together, then turn the dough under so each end is rounded.

Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Beat the egg white and water together to make the glaze and brush it over the surface of the loaf.

Using a sharp serrated knife,  cut diagonal slashes about 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart across the top of the loaf.

Bake for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 degrees, and bake for 5-10 minutes, until bread is golden brown.

Remove the bread from the pan and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before slicing.

Serving size depends on length of loaf and how thick it is sliced.

Source: adapted from Salad in a Jar

Ramblin’ Man

Today brings us to our last leg of the 12 Days of Oscar, and to films that are nominated for Academy Awards this year.  The first of this year’s nominees to appear here is Wes Andersen’s Moonrise Kingdom.  Orphan Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman), a Khaki Scout spending his summer at Camp Ivanhoe on the New England island of New Penzance, meets Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) who lives on the same island with her attorney parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) during a play in 1964.   Sam and Suzy are pen pals until the following summer, and agree to reunite and run away together.  The two make their way to a secluded area on the island, which they name Moonrise Kingdom, and where they spend the night until they are found by Suzy’s parents, the police, and Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton).  After a series of twists, Suzy and Sam manage to escape again but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t seen it, and I’ll leave it at assuring you that it is most definitely worth seeing.  Moonrise Kingdom is nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.

There are various food options in this film, from the beef jerky that Sam offers to Suzy early in their hike to Moonrise Kingdom to the hot dogs that Police Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) serves to Sam later in the film.  Traditional camping recipes seemed most appropriate, and during one scene Suzy reels in a fish which Sam cooks for dinner.  Cod was my first choice for this because not only is it one of my favorites, it’s very often associated with New England where the film takes place.

Sadly, the blizzard we had meant that fresh seafood deliveries were a little scarce for a while and I had to settle for pollock instead.  Pollock is a perfectly good substitute in any recipe that calls for whitefish, and are found in the waters of New England (although not as readily as they are found in waters elsewhere).  With the addition of a few staple ingredients, this is a quick entrée, taking less than half an hour from start to finish.  If you’re a camper, this is easy to make over a fire just like Sam cooks their fish fillets in a cast iron pan over a camp fire.  I served this with roasted potatoes and green beans but it also lends itself to a side of pasta or rice.

Lemon Butter Pollock

Ingredients:

•  4 (6 oz. each) pieces of pollock (or any whitefish)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper or salt and lemon pepper
• 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley (or 2 Tbsp. fresh, chopped)

Directions:

Sprinkle both sides of the pollock with salt and pepper or salt and lemon pepper.

Dredge each fillet in flour and shake off excess flour.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron is great for this) over medium heat.

Place the fillets into the skillet and cook 5-7 minutes per side, until the fish is flaky and no longer translucent (cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the fillets).

Place the remaining olive oil and butter in a small skillet and heat over medium low.

Add garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until garlic softens.

Add lemon juice and parsley and stir to combine.

Spoon the garlic mixture over the fish fillets and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Diana Dishes original

Jack Dawson’s Luck

The eighth film in our 12 Days of Oscar series is the last one before we discuss this year’s nominees.  The 1997 film Titanic is a fictional account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.  It tells the story of Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), a first class passenger engaged to marry the wealthy and snobbish Caledon “Cal” Hockley (Billy Zane) and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a third class passenger who won his ticket on the Titanic in a lucky hand of poker.  The two meet on board the ship, and despite the differences in their social standings, they fall in love.  It also shows modern-day treasure hunter Brock Lovett who is looking for the “Heart of the Ocean,” a large diamond and sapphire necklace that had been given to Rose as a gift from Cal.  Despite having looked for the necklace in the wreckage of the Titanic for three years he has never heard Rose’s story until he meets her, now the nearly 101 year old Rose DeWitt Calvert (Gloria Stuart).  Titanic was nominated for fourteen Academy Awards and won eleven, the second film to do so after Ben-Hur. Kate Winslet was nominated for Best Actress in a Lead Role and lost to Helen Hunt (As Good as it Gets) while Gloria Stuart was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and lost to Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential).  Titanic won Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song, Best Original Dramatic Score, Best Director (James Cameron), and Best Picture.

Some of the greatest scenes in the film involve dinner in the first class dining room.  When Cal orders dinner for Rose, Molly Brown (Kathy Bates) asks “You gonna cut her meat for her too there, Cal?” and this goes a long way in depicting the relationship Cal and Rose have.  It is also in the first class dining room at dinner that Jack tells a table full of guests including John Jacob Astor IV (Eric Braeden) and Benjamin Guggenheim (Michael Ensign) “Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people.”

There’s no doubt that dinner on the RMS Titanic in the first class dining room was a grand affair and menus for the final dinner served on the ship indicate that passengers enjoyed an elaborate ten course meal. The final dinner for first class guests on the Titanic included oysters, lamb, roast duckling, filet mignon, and saute of chicken Lyonnaise.  Chicken Lyonnaise is simple to prepare but tastes like a rich meal served at a fancy restaurant, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner.  Staple ingredients like tomato paste, vinegar, and onions come together with a little white wine to make a great sauce.  ”Lyonnaise” actually indicates that something is cooked with onions, and onions are really the star of this dish so if you’re not a fan of them, this may not be the dish for you.  Cooking the onions until they’re soft and golden brown does bring out the onion’s sweetness and makes it so that the onions don’t overpower the rest of the dish.  Because boneless skinless chicken breasts in a reasonable size seem impossible to find lately, I used two large chicken breasts and butterflied them for this, and it worked well to make more appropriate portion sizes and help the chicken cook through properly.

Chicken Lyonnaise

Ingredients:

• 1/3 C. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. dried thyme
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (either 6 small breasts or 3 large breasts butterflied), patted dry
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 C. white wine
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 C. low sodium chicken broth
• Pinch of sugar

Directions:

Heat the oven to 170 degrees or lowest temperature possible.

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and 1/2 Tbsp. of the thyme in a large plastic food storage bag (I used a 1 gallon size Ziplock), seal and shake to combine.

Beat the egg in a medium bowl.

Dip the chicken pieces one at a time into the beaten egg, allow the excess to drip into the bowl and put the chicken into the bag of flour mixture.

Seal the bag and shake to coat the chicken with flour mixture, and place the coated chicken on a plate.

Repeat until all chicken is coated.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Place the chicken pieces into the pan, working in batches if necessary.

Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown, then turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the other side is golden brown.  Chicken will not be cooked through.

Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe platter and place it in the oven to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil to the skillet.

Put the onions, garlic and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of thyme into the skillet and stir to combine.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 -10 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, for 10 more minutes or until onions are a light golden brown.

Stir in the wine and vinegar and cook, stirring, to scrape up any browned bits for 3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.

Stir in the tomato paste then the broth and sugar and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat them with the sauce.

Cover and reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, or until the temperature of the thickest part of the chicken pieces reaches 165 degrees.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and spoon the sauce over the chicken before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: adapted from The Washington Post, adapted from Abbey Cooks Entertain