SPANISH TORTILLA

FROM MATTHEW NEENAN, CHOREOGRAPHER & CO-FOUNDER OF BALLETX

“Not to be confused with a Mexican corn tortilla.”

— Matthew Neenan

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
20 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
1 HR 10 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

2-3 medium potatoes
2 onions
3-4 eggs
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Find a nonstick pan that’s not too big, 6-8 inches in diameter. Choose two or three medium potatoes and 2 onions.  In a small bowl whisk 3-4 eggs. Set aside.  Peel and slice potatoes into thin coin-like pieces, boil them in a pot of water until they soften.  Remove them, drain, and pat dry.

Cut onions into thin pieces.  Heat up olive oil in the pan. Place onions and potatoes in the pan and brown them, turning over often.  Add salt and pepper.

Pour egg mixture over potatoes and onions in the pan. Use a spatula to keep edges clean and push the potatoes and onions away from the edges. When the egg mixture is hardened on the edge (but probably still liquid in the center), take a large plate, and carefully place it over the top of the pan, like a lid. THIS IS THE SCARY PART.  Holding the plate and the handle of the pan, flip the pan over onto the plate, hopefully, you reveal the golden brown side of your tortilla.  Then slide the whole thing back into the pan to cook the uncooked side. 

Brown the second side of the tortilla for a few minutes.  Use a clean plate to flip it the same way you did with the first flip. Allow it to cool and then slice like a pie.  Some people enjoy a tortilla still warm, others prefer it cool/refrigerated.

RUM CAKE RECIPE

FROM DIANA BYER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF NYTB/CHAMBERWORKS

“This recipe is from my childhood friend Joan Brame.... for curing the annual Nutcracker cold.”

— Diana Byer

SERVES:
6+

PREP TIME:
5 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
2 HR 5 MIN

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INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE

1 cup chopped pecans
1 -18.5 oz box yellow cake mix
3.75 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup dark rum (80 proof)
1/2 cup canola oil

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CAKE

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray or grease a 10” or 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the pan. Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool and invert on a serving plate.  Prick top with lots of holes.  Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Repeat several times, allowing the cake to absorb glaze. Repeat till all glaze is used up. Do not forget to lick the glaze bowl!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GLAZE

1 stick of butter
¼ cup water
¾-1 cup granulated sugar
½ to ¾ cup dark rum (80 proof)

DIRECTIONS FOR THE GLAZE

For the glaze, melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum.  Lick the spoon.

APPLE PIE

FROM ANA MARIA ALVAREZ, FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CONTRA-TIEMPO

ADAPTED FROM ACLEANBAKE.COM’S APPLE PIE RECIPE

“No gluten, no refined sugar, no dairy, and lots of deliciousness!”

— Ana Maria Alvarez

SERVES:
6+

PREP TIME:
45 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
2 HRS

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INGREDIENTS FOR THE PIE

1 gluten free crust*
7 semi-tart apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (Granny Smiths are my favorite)
½ cup monk fruit sugar replacement
1/3 cup chopped dried apples or apple chips
2 tbsp tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour but I prefer tapioca)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 pinches of fine sea salt

*This busy mama usually goes for the store bought gluten free crust or if I’m feeling really inspired I do an almond flour crust.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING

In a large mixing bowl, toss together all of the ingredients until well combined. Place, slice by slice, the filling into the pre-baked and cooled pie shell – stacking the apples and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Set aside.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

1 cup blanched almond flour
3 tbsp Swerve brown sugar / sugar replacement
½ tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 pinch fine sea salt
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup honey or molasses (or coconut syrup)

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the oil and maple syrup. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir to combine. Use a spoon or your fingertips to drop dollops of crumble all over the top of the pie, covering all of the apples. Note: the crumble will be wetter than you may expect before it has baked! That’s normal. Optional step: Whisk an egg with 1 tbsp of water to create an egg wash. Brush the edges of the crust. This will produce a golden brown crust, but will also make it crisper. For a more tender edge, skip this step. Bake for 30 minutes. Then loosely cover the edges of the crust with tinfoil (or a shield) and bake for another 30 minutes or so, until the top is golden. Cool before enjoying :)

ANTHONY JOWITT’S MEATLOAF

FROM DEBORAH JOWITT, DANCEBEAT WRITER, DANCER, TEACHER AND CHOREOGRAPHER

“We never eat this hot — much better cold. A Teflon pan will save you one hell of a lot of trouble, both in cleaning, but better yet in getting the loaf out. When the loaf is done, I usually pour off as much as I can of the juice and butter before setting it to cool—I guess this is optional, but enough will be left anyhow.”

— Notes from Anthony Jowitt (father of Deborah Jowitt)

SERVES:
3+

PREP TIME:
35 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
2 HR 5 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 ¾ lbs. ground beef
¼ lb. ground pork*
4 slices stale white bread
¾ cup milk
½ cup ground Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
½ chopped onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ chopped green pepper
½ cup butter
1½ tbs. chopped parsley
½ tsp. basil
⅛ tsp. ground coriander
2 eggs

*I often omit the pork and use 2 lbs. of beef.

DIRECTIONS

Place meat in a large bowl. Tear up bread, soak in milk, mash with fingers, and add to meat.

Melt butter. When hot, add onion, garlic, and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent. Remove from heat. Add to pan salt, basil, coriander, chopped parsley. Stir. Add to meat and mix well. Add Parmesan and mix thoroughly.

Beat the eggs together and add to meat. Stir. Grease a standard loaf pan, add the mixture meat. Place loaf pan in a backing pan to catch possible drips. Cook in a 350-degree oven for 1 ½ hours.

CHICKEN SOUP

FROM DIANA BYER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF NYTB/CHAMBERWORKS

FOR CURING THE ANNUAL NUTCRACKER COLD

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
15 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
55 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

6 chicken thighs without the skin
8 gloves garlic chopped
Few sprigs of thyme or pinch of dried thyme
4 small onions chopped
Bunch of carrots chopped
½ cup barley or a few red potatoes cut into chunks
Bunch of haricots verts or regular fresh string beans cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS

In a big pot cover the chicken with water and add garlic, carrots, onions, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil and then simmer until chicken is done. Take the chicken out of the pot and cut into medium size pieces and add back into the pot. Add the barley or potatoes and cook until tender. Add the haricots verts or regular string beans and cook until tender.

CARROT GINGER SOUP

FROM MILA THIGPEN, CHAIR OF DANCE BOSTON CONSERVATORY

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
10 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
45 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 lb of carrots cut into chunks
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cups of water
1 tsp. salt
1 (½ to 1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. cinnamon (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Add carrots, onion, then water to a pot.  Add the salt, and bring the water to a boil on high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until carrots are soft (10-15 minutes).  Add the ginger.

Puree with an immersion blender until ginger is well blended.  Add more water if needed to get a think, creamy consistency.  Add one teaspoon of lemon juice, as well as a dash of cinnamon (optional) and salt (optional) per serving. Top with desired herbs, seeds, spices or cheese.

FRANCO’S MACARONI

FROM CAROLELINDA DICKEY, CO-DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN DANCE ABROAD

“In 1985, I was Executive Director of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane & Co. We had a new project planned and Bill and Arnie desperately wanted to collaborate with composer Conlon Nancarrow.  The beloved Betty Freeman, who supported many of the legendary contemporary composers of her time as well as commissioning music for contemporary dance companies, suggested that Arnie and I attend New Music America in LA.  Betty arranged for us to meet Conlon at one of her legendary Sunday Salons.  With 50 people sitting around, John Adams played piano in her living room and her husband, Franco Assetto, cooked in the kitchen.  We sealed the deal with Conlon sitting around Betty’s pool and I learned this recipe from Franco while hanging out in his kitchen.  Three years later I found myself as Director of the Pittsburgh Dance Council and reinvented Betty’s Salon and Franco’s macaroni into a regular post-performance party for visiting companies.  Always serving the same menu, I figure I made this dish 150+ times.

Franco had no measurements so the amounts here are fluid.  One pound of pasta plus a green salad and bread feeds about 10 dancers.  For more people, multiply accordingly.”

— CAROLELINDA DICKEY

SERVES:
10

PREP TIME:
10 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
30 MIN

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INGREDIENTS

1 lb of good tubular, ridged pasta (preferably bronze cut) – dried rigatoni or ziti works best
1 tbsp. butter
2 cups broccoli florets cooked until still a slight crunch
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese or other piquant blue cheese
1 cup sun dried tomatoes softened in hot water or white wine and chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
½ - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 - 2 tbsp. light or heavy cream
Good virgin olive oil
Course ground black pepper
Salt, if needed
Couple of pinches of crushed red pepper (optional)

Note: Except for the pasta, everything can be prepped ahead of time, but keep in separate prep bowls.

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.  Retain 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

Remove and drain pasta, then return to empty cooking pot.  Add a swirl* of olive oil, butter and big pinch of black pepper and stir until butter has melted.  Mix in the broccoli, crumbled cheese, tomatoes, and garlic.  Add a generous swirl of olive oil; add grated cheese (start with ½ cup) and a pinch of red pepper. Mix. Add 1 or 2T of cream.  Mix.  At this point, taste and adjust seasonings (grated cheese, salt and pepper) and liquids (oil, cream and pasta water).  Serve immediately.

Pasta should be lightly coated, but not dry or soupy.  If needed, add extra oil and/or cream, but the reserved pasta water can help if you get it too sticky.  Additional grated cheese can correct if too soupy.  Assembling should be brisk.  From the moment you drain the pasta to serving it should take 3-5 minutes.  

*A swirl of olive oil is defined as tipping the bottle followed by a fluid lift of the arm or a stirring action.  Probably around 2T.

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.