TANAQUILL LE CLERCQ'S CELERY ROOT SOUFFLÉ FROM THE BALLET COOK BOOK

FROM THE BALLET COOK BOOK

“Note from Ed: Ms. LeClerq’s The Ballet Cook Book was a significant inspiration in making this blog. Although I never knew her personally, I was always in admiration of her ability to make important contributions to the world of ballet in spite of her physical challenges. And you can see, she raised the standard for cooking, too.”

— Edward Schoelwer

SERVES:
4

PREP TIME:
20 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
1 HR 30 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs celery root
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp chicken stock base
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light cream
3 eggs, separated

DIRECTIONS

Peel celery root, cut in pieces and boil in salted water until very tender, about 40 minutes. Purée in blender or force through a sieve.

Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, seasonings, and chicken stock; cook over low heat 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, gradually blend in milk and cream. Return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Blend in celery root purée. Beat egg yolks and add a little of the sauce to yolks, beat with a wire whisk, return egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and stir constantly so the yolks do not set. Cook over low heat 1 minute, still stirring. Allow to cool while beating egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into celery root mixture and pour into greased 1-quart soufflé dish. Bake at 350 degrees F. until firm, about 45 minutes.

BUTTERMILK CORNY CORNBREAD

FROM WOODY SCHOFIELD, DANCE ADMINISTRATOR OF NICOLAIS/LEWIS, BALLET INTERNATIONALE, DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
5 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
45 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup corn (frozen that has been thawed)
1 cup buttermilk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick)

DIRECTIONS

Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray an 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined; set aside.

In a food processor or blender, process brown sugar, corn kernels, and buttermilk until combined, about 3-5 seconds.  Add eggs and process until well combined (corn lumps should remain), about 5 seconds longer., Using rubber spatula, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients into well.

Begin folding dry ingredients into wet, giving mixture only a few turns to combine. Add melted butter and continue folding until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Bake to golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Best served warm; leftovers can be wrapped in foil and reheated in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

ROBERT JOFFREY’S STUFFED EGGPLANT

FROM ROBERT JOFFREY, AMERICAN DANCER, TEACHER, PRODUCER, CHOREOGRAPHER, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE JOFFREY BALLET

FROM TANAQUIL LE CLERCQ’S THE BALLET COOK BOOK

SERVES:
2-4

PREP TIME:
25 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
45 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 eggplant
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
¾ lb. ground meat
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
3 tbs. olive oil
Grated Cheese
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS

Cook eggplant in boiling water 15 minutes or until tender. Cut in half lengthwise; remove pulp leaving a thin shell. Chop pulp and combine with onion, salt, pepper, garlic, meat, parsley flakes, bread crumbs, and eggs. Fry in olive oil until mixture is golden brown. Pile mixture high in eggplant shells, sprinkle with grated cheese, pour tomato sauce over eggplant, and bake at 375˚ F for 20 minutes. Serve over rice and tossed green salad. 

ASIAN COBB SALAD

FROM VICTORIA MORGAN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE CINCINNATI BALLET

“It contains things that don’t sound very sexy—the dressing is what really makes it!”

— VICTORIA MORGAN

SERVES:
2 - 4

PREP TIME:
20 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
1 HR 40 MIN

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INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD

1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1 ½ cup spinach
16 oz extra-firm tofu cubed, drained & pressed
1/2 small turnip cut into thin strips
1 small cucumber cut the middle seeds out and then into quarter-rounds

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING

1 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp sesame seed oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
Chopped jalapeno peppers (seeds removed) to taste
1.5 Tbsp peanut butter - my favorite ingredient anytime anywhere
2 cloves chopped garlic
Handful of chopped up sweet basil

DIRECTIONS

Mix the peanut oil, sesame seed oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and peanut butter in the food processor or whisk it by hand.  Add the mint, garlic, ginger, basil, jalapeno pepper to the liquid and stir.  Salt to taste.  Pour 2/3 of the dressing over the tofu and let it marinate for 1 to 15 hours. When ready, place vegetables in salad bowl, drain marinade from tofu and add to bowl with the remaining dressing and toss till everything is covered. YUM!

HELL’S KITCHEN CRANBERRY RELISH FROM MIKI ORIHARA

FROM MIKI ORIHARA OF THE MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY

“Here is wonderfully delicious and refreshing side dish Miki makes every holiday season. It is so tasty and cuts the sweetness or fattiness of all the other dishes. It’s a beautiful palate cleanser AND it’s healthy!”

— Stephen Pier

SERVES:
10 - 15

PREP TIME:
2 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
5-10 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 package fresh cranberries
1 juicy orange, well washed
½ cup of honey*
1/4 teaspoon cloves, allspice, or cinnamon is a nice touch if you like it

DIRECTIONS

Throw it all in a food processor, orange peel and all. Mince until smooth, and enjoy!

*We use our very own “Hell’s Kitchen Honey” from our hives at the Clinton Community Garden, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC.

CRAB CAKES

FROM MARCELLUS HARPER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COLLAGE DANCE COLLECTIVE

SERVES:
ABOUT 8

PREP TIME:
20 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
55 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped red bell peppers
2 tbs. minced garlic
2 tbs. fresh thyme
1 lemon-juiced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
¾ cup flour
1 egg
¼ cup whole milk
salt, pepper paprika and oregano to taste
¾ cup of vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tbs. olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chopped onions, celery and red bell peppers.  Cook until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool. 

Combine mayonnaise (a little at a time as you may not need the entire cup) with the cooked vegetables, ½ cup bread crumbs, and seasonings (paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano) to taste in large bowl and mix well. 

Remove lump crab meat from containers and remove any shells and cartilage.  Add the juice of one lemon.  Gently fold crabmeat into bowl, being careful not to break up the lump meat.

Combine ¾ cups flour in shallow bowl.  Combine 1½ cups of bread crumbs in a different bowl.  Whisk 1 egg with ½ cup of milk in another bowl.  Season the flour and breadcrumbs to taste. 

Using your hands, form small cakes with the crabmeat mixture, packing gently but firmly.  Dredge each cake in the flour mixture, then in the egg wash, then the bread crumb mixture, shaking to remove any excess breading. 

Heat ¾ cup of vegetable oil (more or less depending on the size of your pan) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Pan fry the crab cakes until golden brown.  You may have to do this in batches.  Drain on paper towels.  It should take about 4 – 5 minutes per side.