Festive Fall Feast
Food & Wine 1995
Food & Wine Books, Editorial Director: Judith Hill,
American Express Publishing Corp., 1995

This menu by the late master chef Patrick Clark was featured in Food &
Wine as a Christmas Dinner. It certainly could be. Seems to us, however,
that this menu would make a marvelously festive meal for any autumnal
occasion worthy of it. Therefore, we present it to you early enough to use
as you choose, whether it be for a Halloween feast, a significant fall birth-
day or anniversary bash, or a slightly different take on your Thanksgiving
feast. First and foremost - enjoy!

Menu

1993 Rothbury Estate Reserve Chardonnay or
1993 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay
Bay Scallop Chowder or
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Garlic Croutons

1992 Matanzas Creek Merlot or
1992 Sterling Three Palms Merlot
Racks of Pork with Cider-Pepper Glaze
Sweet Potato and Mushroom Hash
Braised Mixed Greens with Glazed Rutabagas
Fig and Apple Chutney

1990 Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes or
1991 Far Niente Dolce
White Chocolate Banana Cream Pies
Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake

Timetable:

Three days ahead
Make the Fig and Apple Chutney.

Two days ahead
Make the Cider-Pepper Glaze.
Start the Bay Scallop Chowder.
Make the pastry for the pies.

One day ahead
Make the cheesecake.
Make and puree the Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Garlic Croutons.
Cook the mushrooms for the Sweet Potato and Mushroom Hash.
Cook the vegetables for the Braised Mixed Greens with Glazed Rutabagas.
Marinate the pork racks.

About eight hours ahead
Make the filling for the White Chocolate Banana Cream Pies.

About three hours ahead
Roast the pork racks.
Cook the sweet potatoes and finish the hash.

About two hours ahead
Fill the banana cream pies.

Shortly before serving
Finish the chowder or the soup.
Make the gravy for the pork.
Finish the greens and rutabagas.
Rewarm the hash.
Finish the banana cream pies just before dessert.
 

Bay Scallop Chowder

“This light-tasting, subtly spicy chowder, made with small sweet
bay scallops, is the ideal opener to a big dinner.”

12 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces thickly sliced smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 cups bottled clam broth
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Bouquet garni made with 2 bay leaves, 5 fresh parsley
sprigs, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 8 black peppercorns,
wrapped in cheesecloth
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 large leeks, white and tender green, halved lengthwise
and sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick
1 1/2 pounds bay scallops [the small ones],
membranes removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1. Melt the butter in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the bacon
and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about
2 minutes. Add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened,
about 7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and the crushed red pepper
and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the bottled clam broth, the stock, and the bouquet garni. Bring to
boil over high heat. Lower the heat to moderately high. Simmer for 20 minutes. (Make ahead: The recipe can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Bring to a boil before proceeding.)
3. Add the potatoes and cook over moderately high heat until just
tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the cream with the cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 2 cups cream, then whisk into the soup.
Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the leeks and cook until
just tender, about 4 minutes. (Make ahead: The chowder can stand at
room temperature for up to 3 hours. Rewarm before finishing.)
5. Stir the scallops into the chowder and cook over moderate heat just
until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes; don’t let the soup boil. Season
with salt and pepper. Ladle into a tureen or individual bowls. Garnish
with the chives and serve at once.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with
Garlic Croutons

12 servings

2 1/2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves – 2 minced and 1 halved
2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Twelve 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices
from a sourdough baguette
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1. Peel and thickly slice the Jerusalem artichokes and transfer to a large
bowl of cold water mixed with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
2. Melt the butter in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the
chopped onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring often,
until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic
cloves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer. Drain the Jerusalem
artichokes and add them to the casserole along with the chicken stock,
1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. Bring
the mixture to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to moderate and
simmer until the Jerusalem artichokes are very tender, about 35 minutes.
3. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and purée until
smooth. Return the soup to the casserole. (Make ahead: The soup
can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
4. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream.
Season the soup with the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, salt, and
white pepper; keep warm.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the baguette slices with the vegetable oil and toast for about 5 minutes, or until lightly
browned. Rub each crouton on one side with the halved garlic clove.
6. Ladle the soup into a tureen or shallow bowls. Garnish with the garlic croutons and minced chives.

Racks of Pork with Cider-Pepper Glaze

“Patrick Clark likes to serve generous double chops of pork – at least 10
ounces of meat per person. This recipe provides one chop per person, with
a few leftover chops for seconds. To ensure that there’s plenty of meat on
each chop, use racks from the thicker loin end. Have your butcher ‘French’
the racks (scrape the meat from the rib bones) for you. Start the recipe the
day before to allow time for the racks to marinate. If you have a party of big
eaters, you can add another rack of pork to the recipe; use the same amount
of marinade.”

12 servings

1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh savory
2 loin-end racks of pork, each with 8 ribs, frenched
Salt
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 medium shallots, coarsely chopped
Cider-Pepper Glaze (recipe follows)
1 quart chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Freshly ground pepper

1. In a large nonreactive baking dish or very large, sturdy plastic bag,
combine the oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, and savory. Add the pork racks and turn to coat. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Let the meat stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set a large skillet over high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and
season with salt. Add one rack to the skillet, fat side down, and cook,
turning once, until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Set the rack,
fat side up, in a large roasting pan. Pour off the rendered fat from the
skillet and brown the second pork rack; add it to the roasting pan. Pour
off the fat and reserve the skillet.
3. Scatter the chopped onions and shallots around the pork in the roasting
pan. Roast for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 350 degrees F. and roast
for about 1 hour longer, basting the pork generously with the Cider-
Pepper Glaze, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest
part of the meat registers 140 degrees F. Transfer the pork racks to a
carving board, cover with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. [The pork
will continue to cook while resting.]
4. Meanwhile, add the chicken stock to the reserved skillet and cook
over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half,
about 20 minutes. Skim off any fat.
5. Strain the pan drippings from the roasting pan into a bowl and skim off
the fat. Set the roasting pan over 2 burners. Turn the heat to high, add
the reduced chicken stock and strained pan drippings, and bring to a boil,
scraping up any browned bits. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan and
bring to a boil over moderately high heat. In a small bowl, combine the
softened butter and flour to make a smooth paste. Whisk the paste into
the gravy and boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and pour the gravy into a sauceboat.
6. Carve the pork racks and arrange the chops on a large platter. Serve
the gravy alongside.

Cider-Pepper Glaze

Makes 1 cup

1 quart unsweetened apple cider
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled
and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
5 juniper berries, crushed
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

Combine all of the ingredients except the pepper in a nonreactive medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to moderate
and simmer until the pieces of apple are tender, about 20 minutes. Strain
the mixture into another nonreactive saucepan, add the pepper, and cook
over high heat until the glaze is reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.
(Make ahead: The glaze can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Festive Fall Feast, Part 2
Festive Fall Feast, Part 3

 
Featured Archive Recipe:
Double Pumpkin Roulade, The Inn at Little Washington