Dinner in the Garden with Alice

dinner in the garden with alice

Alice Waters

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “Just because we’ve always done it one way doesn’t mean another way isn’t better.”

Summed up, these were the positions of the two factions at the Les Dames d’Escoffier board meeting last October. The subject was the annual fundraiser: some members wanted to continue the format that has worked in the past—a walkabout party with food and wine stations. Others proposed a seated, high-ticket dinner. The Dallas chapter of Les Dames, an international organization of women professionals in food, wine, and hospitality, has been holding fundraisers for the last 16 years, and the hostesses make their living by planning parties. But this fundraiser was bound to be a little different. They had invited a special guest, Alice Waters.

As the first chef to combine America’s regional ingredients with French cooking techniques, Alice is the mother of New American food. She also started what might be called “altruistic cuisine” through her work with such national organizations as SOS to feed the hungry; The Garden Project, which started as job-training outreach in the San Francisco County Jail; and her latest endeavor, the Edible Garden, which is being piloted here in Dallas at Kramer Elementary School (visit www.edibleschoolyard.com for more information). Owner of fabled Chez Panisse in Berkeley, author of six cookbooks, friend of the farmers, and mother of Fanny, Alice Waters is to American female chefs what Robert Mondavi was to American winemakers: an inspiration, a living proof, a leader.

And, especially in Dallas, women chefs need all the inspiration they can get. Ironically, the restaurant kitchen has traditionally been strictly male territory. Alice busted the gender boundary for good. But revolution moves more slowly here than on the West Coast, and there are still not many women hired to wear the top toque in Texas.

Many of the best women chefs in Dallas are members of Les Dames d’Escoffier, as are wine experts, caterers, food media, and food producers. Nationally, Les Dames includes such luminaries as PBS star Julia Child, cookbook author Marion Cunningham, and winemaker Zelma Long. Locally, the LDE roster reads like a who’s who in Dallas food: Paula Lambert, owner of The Mozzarella Company; Caroline Rose Hunt, of Rosewood Hotels; Sharon Hage, chef-owner of York Street; Liz Baron, co-owner of Blue Mesa restaurants; and Monica Greene, owner of Ciudad and Aca y Alla, are all members.

LDE Dallas raises money for its scholarship programs at five Texas colleges and to fund the wine library for El Centro’s culinary program. Since 1986, the group has disbursed more than $600,000. Underlying all their endeavors is a typically female belief that the table is the center of the family—and, therefore, of society—and that bringing people together to break bread is a good first step toward solving problems.

In the past, the annual fundraiser has been a walkabout party called the “Raiser Grazer,” often featuring guest chefs, with each Dallas chef presiding at her own table. But this year, with Alice as their guest, the group finally decided to change the format: each course of “Dinner in the Garden with Alice” will be cooked by a different female Dallas chef and the guests will be seated together around long tables to enjoy a meal (very appropriately) family-style.

Avocado, Mango, and Jicama Chopped Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
by Liz Baron, Blue Mesa Grill
(serves 6)

1 pound spring greens (whatever
looks good and is in season)
1/2 large or 1 small jicama
1 medium mango
1/2 cup red onion
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and juiced
2 avocados
freshly ground black pepper

Citrus Vinaigrette
1 large shallot
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or
champagne vinegar
1 lemon
1 orange
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt

Peel the shallot and dice it fine. Let it macerate with the vinegar, 1 tablespoon each of lemon and orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Finely chop 1/4 teaspoon of lemon and orange zest. When ready to assemble the salad, whisk olive oil into the shallot mixture. Add the zest and taste. Toss spring greens with 3/4 of the dressing.

Julienne the jicama, mango, red onion, and tomato. Divide dressed salad mix between six chilled salad plates. Arrange the jicama, mango, red onion, and Roma tomato on the greens. Cut each avocado into thirds and fan. Top each salad with an avocado fan and drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve with fresh ground black pepper.

Grilled Quail on Fresh Black-eyed Pea and Corn Relish
by Helen Duran, Central Market
(serves 6)

6 grilled, partially boned quail
  (ask your butcher)
2 ears fresh corn
2 cups fresh black-eyed peas
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 stalk celery from the heart,
  with leaves, diced
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small fennel bulb, diced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil

Preheat the oven to 325. Place unshucked corn directly on the oven rack. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool. Shuck corn, cut off kernels, and reserve.

Wash peas and place in a saucepan with onion half, celery rib, bay leaf, and black pepper. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, skimming if necessary, until tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquid. Strain.

Mix diced vegetables with corn and the peas. In another bowl, whisk lemon juice, vinegar, and molasses and slowly add canola oil. Season with salt and pepper and mix with the vegetables.

Serve quail on top of bed of relish.

Red-wine Braised Texas Short Ribs
by Mynetta Cockerell, Marty’s Gourmet
(serves 8)

1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cups red wine
5 pounds beef short ribs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef or veal stock
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325. Place a heavy Dutch oven over high flame, add the oil, and bring to the smoking point. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Add ribs to the pan, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and brown on all sides. Remove ribs to a plate and reserve.

Add chopped vegetables and sauté 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for two to three minutes. Add wine, stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. Stir. Return ribs to pan, bone side up, bring to a boil, cover, and bake in the oven until ribs are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

When ribs are cooked, transfer to a platter and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, pressing well on the vegetables. Discard vegetables. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer over medium heat, skimming as necessary, and reduce to 2 cups. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add ribs and simmer gently, until thickened enough to glaze the ribs. Transfer ribs to platter, spoon sauce over ribs and pass remaining sauce at the table.

Chilled Medley of Heirloom Tomatoes, Asparagus, and Grilled Red Onions
by Jennifer Moschel, Classic Cafe
(serves 4)

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed on    the bias, peeled (if necessary),     blanched, and shocked
8 heirloom tomatoes of various
  varieties, cut into wedges
2 red onions, sliced and marinated
  in olive oil, garlic, lemon, thyme,
  salt, and pepper
  kosher salt
  freshly ground black pepper

Grill the red onions and cool. Toss onions and rest of ingredients in vinaigrette and chill.

Potato and Goat-cheese Gratin
by Jennifer Smith, Central Market
(serves 8)

2 leeks, thinly sliced
8 purple potatoes, thinly sliced
8 small Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
1 large yam, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
10 ounces Texas goat cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook butter in skillet until it starts to brown. Add leeks and cook over medium until tender. Toss potatoes with flour and stir into leek mixture. Stir in milk, heavy cream, and goat cheese. Cook until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly.

Pour into nonstick 8×8-inch baking dish
coated with vegetable cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and
potatoes are tender.