A Meal Worthy of a 'Silver Palate'

In the early 1980's Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso co-authored and published "The Silver Palate Cookbook" They introduced home cooks to sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese, now considered staples. Sheila took on the challenge of Chef of a Shoestring on the CBS morning news. She passed away this last week of brain cancer. I have prepared one of her 3 course meals for 4 for $40 for my entry this week. The menu is:

Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad
Chicken Marbella with Orange Scented Couscous
Lime Baked Bananas

First the salad, I know you're saying beets again?? Well this is a very different presentation and a winner in my book. Beets are roasted, cubed and marinated in a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Served on a endive leaf with blue cheese and toasted walnuts. Endive is a perfect vehicle for serving bite sized servings of various fillings. One of my other favorites is a BLT salad on the leaves.

Second is the chicken. It was a standard dinner party favorite when introduced in the 1980's. The chicken is marinated overnight in an unusual variety of ingredients: prunes, green olives and capers in a garlic dressing. The chicken is roasted with a sprinkling of brown sugar, the marinade and white wine. The chicken is moist and tender, but the marinade ingredients sort of disappear... It is served over orange couscous. I found Israeli Couscous at Trader Joes and it was perfect. The consistency is that of tapioca and perfect for the chicken and juices. I would likely do the recipe again, but perhaps make some marinade changes.

Last was the dessert: Lime baked bananas. The idea of baking bananas is foreign to me, but I bought bananas that were just slightly ripe. They are basted with lime juice, butter and brown sugar. An interesting combo which I think would be better served with a stone fruit (peach, nectarine, or plum) The sauce is lovely. It is served with vanilla or coconut ice cream. The ice cream isle is not one I spend much time in and after 3 passes I decided coconut was not a common one. Instead I purchased 2 tiny containers of vanilla bean which I softened, stirred in a couple of drops of coconut flavoring and some toasted coconut. Quite nice and would use it again.

All in all I think this was as successful menu. I have the yearning to spend a couple of days over my birthday in November at Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck Michigan, owned by Julee Rosso and Bill Miller.

What will next week bring?