Betzabroad…My personal recipe for tasting our big, fat, wonderful world

Clients ask me to create an italian dinner to dazzle a friend who considers himself somewhat of a cuocco. I have a few italian tricks up my sleeve… so I accept. But first lunch…. A curry chicken salad with scallions, cranberries, celery, and walnut halves is welcomed by my clients. My use of low fat mayo and yoghurt keep it light. Just what the trainer ordered. A side of berries rounds out the meal.

Dinner begins with appetizers in line with my Italian theme. Blanched asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, bruschetta of heirloom tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil, and cheese triangles (oops those are Greek).

Now for the center stage…. Scratch made Caesar salad (yes it has anchovies and egg yolk in it) and fettuccini alla carbonara (egg yolks again)! Beware vampires….garlic is in the house!

Alas, I forgot to take a picture of my picture-perfect cherry clofuttis with vanilla ice cream. It was a long day…but the umms and aahs from the dining room were enough for my ego!

Holy health concerns! Mrs. client is having acid reflux and other issues, so I deign to go very light and easy for lunch today. As soon as I arrive, I butcher a whole chicken and throw half into a pot of boiling water with a large knob of smashed ginger, a bouquet garni of parsley stems, and several stalks of celery. I throw in a little salt for flavor and cover until it comes to a boil. Then I skim off the scum from the sides so I can have as clear a broth as possible.
I begin my couscous by browning the little pearls in olive oil. I add sliced scallions, salt and vegetable broth and simmer for 6 minutes. I turn the pot off and allow to bloom for 4 minutes, adding some grated lemon zest and fresh ground pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed here.

I slice the chicken breast into medallions and season lightly with salt and pepper. Ditto the bowls of fresh strained chicken broth. Restore….restore…

No dinner tonight..clients will be hosting for cocktails and hors d oeuvres only. With a mind toward keeping it light, I choose a couple of classics, mozzarella, basil and tomato skewers, warm mixed nuts tossed with smoked peppercorns and salt, and cheese and crackers topped with a confit of prunes and honey.
The final dish is endive leaves filled with chopped shrimp in a green sauce made of parsley, scallions, thyme, yoghurt, sour cream, capers and lime juice. This is perfect for a spring night!

A late lunch comes together quickly when you opt for tried and true. Roast breast of chicken, provolone, smashed avocado and butter lettuce on whole wheat bread is a simple sandwich that doesn’t disappoint. A salad of mixed baby greens, diced Granny Smith apples and Gorgonzola is lightly dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette. My clients tell me I am a Godsend.

The afternoon goes swiftly as I clean up the lunch dishes, empty dishwashers, do a little light housekeeping and start making mental notes about a shopping list for next week. I begin my mise en place around 3:30pm, as clients request dinner around 6:15p. Clients are entertaining again tonight, three adults and one child will be dining with them. I opt for a dish similar to lasagna, called pastichio, that (I hope) will be agreeable to a 5 year old! I begin by making my meatsauce. I decide to use lean ground beef instead of the customary ground lamb. Beef, diced onion, tomato sauce, cinnamon, oregano, salt, pepper and a little red wine. Cook down for 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Set aside. Now the béchamel sauce. I make a roux with a stick of butter and some white flour, then I slowly add half and half or whole milk while whisking furiously to prevent lumps. I continue to whisk until mixture thickens and allow to boil about one minute. I stir in some salt, white pepper and nutmeg (secret ingredient!) and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, once cooled, I whisk in 2-3 eggs. Béchamel is ready.
Last step in process..and it is a process just like lasagna… Is boiling the pasta. I opt for penne, but classic dish is made with a long, large macaroni that looks like large spaghetti! When the pasta is cooked to al dente, I drain it and turn it out into a greased high sided baking pan. Pour the meat sauce evenly over the top of the pasta. Finally, pour the béchamel over the entire mess. Top with a sprinkle of a strong hard cheese like kefalotiri or Parmesan. The pastichio takes about 45 minutes to bake at 350°(the only temperature of Greek ovens obviously as every recipe in a Greek cookbook requires a 350°oven!).
A simple tossed salad and side of green beans sautéed with pancetta and mushrooms completes dinner today.

Seconds anyone?