November 2017

Hi Everybody!

It’s hard to believe that 2017 is almost over. However, when I look back at all the travel, exciting adventures, and great food my wife and I have shared over the last few months, I know that it definitely been a year to remember. I hope it has been for you too, for all the right reasons. We recently returned from our very first cruise, which as well as being a very interesting experience, took us on a journey that began in Spain, moved on to France, and finished in Italy. Along the way, we sampled some terrific local dishes, which I shall be sharing with you over the coming months. This month, however, I wanted to share the recipe for an American classic, Chicken a la King. It formed part of a supper I prepared for the Department of History at UCLA, and is definitely one that I think deserves to come back into regular rotation.

Please do check out this month's discounted offer below from my pals at Rare Tea Company (not a paid endorsement), and, don’t forget to let me know on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook if you give this month’s recipe -- Chicken a la King -- a try.

Cheers,

Simon

SIMON'S FOOD SCHOOL:

Convivium

Those of you who have been readers of this newsletter for some time will know that, for me, food is about so much more than what we put in our stomachs, it is also a wonderful way of exploring history, both of our own country and the world in general. Food history has been one of my passions for as long as I can remember. Not just looking at the origins of some of the dishes people hold dear, such as hamburgers and pizza, but also looking at what the food we eat can tell us about who we are.

That’s why I was thrilled to be contacted by the Department of History at UCLA in 2016. Their idea was to create a series of events that would bring together great dining experiences alongside genuine academic discussion. I came up with the name CONVIVIUM, which is the Latin for a convivial gathering, and the series was born.

After much discussion, we decided that our first event would take one ingredient that was of great historical significance, and create a meal around it. We chose the world’s most expensive ingredient, saffron, and I created a menu that followed this prized spice from North Africa, through the Middle East, all the way to India. The evening was a great success and you can see a glimpse of what went on HERE.

For our most recent CONVIVIUM event, we decided to come a little closer to home and took as our inspiration a wonderful book called “Ten Restaurants That Changed America” by Yale professor, Paul Freedman. As the name suggests, this book looks at ten restaurants, both upscale and very casual, to see not only how they contributed to the way we dine today, but also their importance in a wider social context.

My small, eager team and I served up one dish from each of the ten restaurants, and while people enjoyed the food, Professor Freedman discussed both the dish itself and the importance of the restaurant from which it came. The menu was:

• Oysters Rockerfeller – Antoine’s 
• Fried Clams & Tartar Sauce – Howard Johnson’s
• Vol Au Vent a La Regence – Le Pavillion
• Watercress Vichyssoise – The Four Seasons 
• Baked Goat Cheese with Garden Lettuces – Chez Panisse
• Mama Leone’s Meat Lasagna – Mama Leone’s 
• Chicken a La King – Delmonico 
• Red Cooked Eggplant with Fried Rice – The Mandarin 
• Butterscotch Sundae – Schrafft’s 
• Peach Cobbler – Sylvia’s

It was not only a great deal of fun to prepare, but also to research as we scoured the Internet trying to find the most authentic recipes. 

We will have a video of this event too, and I look forward to sharing it with you in a future newsletter. In the meantime, if you have any great thoughts about the sort of subject we could cover for the next CONVIVIUM supper, I’d love to hear them.

Upcoming Events

• January 11, 2018 - Life Changing Ideas, Speaker, Nicosia, Cyprus.

THE BOOK ZONE

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YOUR "FIRST LOOK" RECIPE:

Chicken a la King

While there are lots of theories about the origins of this classic dish, one thing is agreed on by everyone. It is bloody delicious. I have been working on the recipe for some time now, and while the original called for the use of eggs in the sauce, I find that it works just as well in this version where they are left out. Traditionally, this would be served with toast points, but I like to serve it with some simple steamed long grained rice.

(Serves 4-6)

​

INGREDIENTS 

• 6 Chicken Thighs (bones and skin removed)
• 1 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
• 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 1 Red Pepper (deseeded and diced)
• 1 Green Pepper (deseeded and diced)
• 1 Yellow Pepper (deseeded and diced)
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion (diced)
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Cups White Mushrooms (destemmed and quatered)
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• ¼ Cup Dry Sherry (optional)
• ½ Teaspoon Paprika
• ½ Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg
• ¼ Cup Italian Parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 Teaspoon Salt (or more to taste)
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper (or more to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the chicken broth in a large saucepan.
2. Add the chicken thighs and simmer on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. This can be done in advance.
3. Strain the stock through a sieve and reserve.
4. Allow the chicken to cool and then cut into 1inch cubes and reserve.
5. Add the butter to a large wide and deep saucepan.
6. Cook on a gentle heat until it begins to foam.
7. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until they become translucent and golden. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the peppers and cook gently until they begin to soften. You do not want to overcook these, as you want them to add some texture to the finished dish.
9. Add the mushrooms and combine. Cook until the mushrooms are beginning to color.
10. Add the teaspoon of paprika and Dijon mustard and combine.
11. Add the lemon juice and sherry and combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture loses the smell of raw alcohol.
12. Add the flour and combine well with the pepper/onion/mushroom mixture.
13. Cook on a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes until the mixture loses the smell of raw flour.
14. Add the reserved chicken broth and whisk until combined.
15. Once the sauce has begun to thicken, gradually add in the heavy cream and combine.
16. Simmer on a gentle heat until the sauce begins to thicken again.
17. Grate the fresh nutmeg on top of the sauce.
18. Add the reserved chicken to the sauce and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it is warmed through.
19. Serve over toast points or plain, steamed long grain rice.

And, Last But Not Least... Please Check Out: