Menu 8 -Fifth Semester

 

                                                     Pommes Crouqettes                                   Portion-4

Ingredients

• 6 medium russet (baking) potatoes (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and quartered
• 1/2 pound mozzarella, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tablespoon onion salt
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• About 2 1/2 cups olive oil

 

Preparation

Generously cover potatoes with salted cold water (2 teaspoon for 4 quarts) in a large pot, then simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and chill in a large bowl until cool, about 45 minutes.

Mash potatoes, then stir in cheeses, onion salt, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and salt to taste. Stir in 1 egg.

Form potato mixture into 24 oblong croquettes (about a scant 1/4 cup each). Lightly beat remaining 2 eggs in a shallow bowl and put bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip 1 croquette into egg, letting excess drip off, then roll in bread crumbs to coat. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining croquettes.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry croquettes in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.

                                         Poulet Maryland                           Portion-4
        

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream

• Special equipment: a deep 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid (preferably not cast-iron); a deep-fat thermometer

Preparation

Put 1 cup flour with salt and pepper in a large (1-gallon) sealable plastic bag, then seal bag and shake to combine.

Turn chicken pieces in milk in a bowl, then add chicken to flour mixture and seal bag (discard milk). Shake to coat and let stand in bag while oil heats.

Heat oil in skillet over moderately high heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer (see cooks' note, below). Add chicken, skin sides down, and cook, covered, until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over with tongs and cook, covered, 5 minutes more.

Transfer chicken with tongs to a plate. Pour fat from skillet into a heatproof bowl (to cool before discarding) and add 1/2 cup water to skillet. Return chicken to skillet, skin sides up, and cook, covered, over moderate heat, turning over twice, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then stir 1 tablespoon flour into remaining fat and cook over moderate heat, whisking, 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Add half-and-half, whisking, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over chicken.

     

                                       

 

                                           Banana Fritters                                                 Portion-4

• 4 firm bananas
• 1 1/2 cups light rum
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups cornflakes
• about 5 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

 

Preparation

Peel bananas and cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces. In a bowl cover bananas with rum. Macerate bananas at room temperature 30 minutes.

While bananas are macerating, in a shallow bowl lightly beat egg. In a plastic bag finely crush cornflakes with a rolling pin and transfer to a large shallow bowl.

In a deep 12-inch skillet heat 1 inch oil over moderate heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 375°F. While oil is heating, carefully remove bananas from rum, reserving rum for another use. Working in small batches, dip bananas in egg to coat, letting excess drip off, and roll in cornflakes, knocking off excess. Arrange bananas as coated on a wax-paper- lined tray.

With a slotted spoon gently lower half of bananas into oil and fry, turning them occasionally, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer bananas as fried with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and fry remaining bananas in same manner.

 

                                        Chritsmas Gallets  

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons chilled nonhydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:

• 3 medium Granny Smith apples (1 1/4 pounds total), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• 2 firm but ripe medium Anjou or Bartlett pears (about 18 ounces), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup assorted moist plump dried fruit (such as raisins, cherries, and diced apricots)
• 7 tablespoons orange marmalade, divided
• 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Nonstick vegetable-oil spray
• Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream

Preparation:

For crust:
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.

For filling:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix apples, pears, dried fruit, 3 tablespoons marmalade, 3 tablespoons sugar, fresh ginger, and ground ginger in large bowl to coat.

Roll crust out between 2 large sheets of waxed paper to 13-inch round. Place sheet of parchment on rimless baking sheet; spray parchment with nonstick spray. Remove top sheet of waxed paper from crust. Invert crust onto parchment, then peel off second sheet of waxed paper. Spoon filling onto crust, leaving 2-inch border around edges. Fold crust border up and over filling, folding and pleating occasionally.

Brush crust edges lightly with water. Sprinkle damp crust with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake galette 50 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°F. Loosely cover filling with small sheet of foil.

Bake until crust is deep golden and filling is tender, about 20 minutes longer. Slide knife or offset spatula under galette to loosen from parchment. Cool galette slightly on sheet on rack.

Heat remaining 4 tablespoons marmalade and 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until marmalade melts. Spoon marmalade glaze over filling.

Serve galette warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.