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Hello again. It's been quite some time (last April in fact: Ed) but sufficient to have gathered a few more recipes and more than a few more touring miles. "Blood red" is the theme, with our "Dracula" making a welcome return to the rep. Also very exciting to be back in London at Sadlers Wells; I think the last I time performed there it was six years ago as Cinderella . Happy days onstage.... and in just about every restaurant in Islington.
Gazpacho
I've made this chilled soup many times most successfully for the lovely Carole and Christopher Gable last summer. It's particularly good for working "twirlies" like me; make a huge bowl and it will keep and improve up to a week if you occasionally add to it.
- handful of fresh white breadcrumbs
- enough olive oil to soak the bread
- 2 tblspns of red wine vinegar
- 1/2 to 3/4 of a cucumber
- 1 large green pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 3/4 pt of veg stock
- 1 big clove of garlic
- 1 large jar of passata
Soak the bread in the oil and vinegar in a big bowl, or the dish in which you plan to serve the gazpacho. The next bit is where a blender comes in really handy. If you don't have one, by hand is O.K, but obviously a little slower. Blend roughly or chop thoroughly the pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic. Add them to the bowl with the soaked bread and pour over the veg stock, the whole jar of passata and season. I tend to always overdo the salt but that's just me. You may also find a good dash of Worcester sauce or lemon juice gives it a kick. Go the whole hog and pop in a chopped chili!.
Mr. Pink's “Once bitten twice shy.....”
aka “Mina in a stew”
Months before the score for "Dracula" was even finished, Philip (Feeney) had completed a version of the act 3 pas de deux for Mina and the prince of darkness! Big stuff by all accounts.
However long creative and always entertaining evenings continued to take place in the Feeney kitchen, somewhere in Leytonstone. Michael in his capacity as choreographer and head chef, Philip as composer/sommelier.
One such inspired evening culminated in this rather feisty stew, owing to Mr Pink's predilection for all things spicy, and his cohort's for the garlic, having spent a few years studying composition in Rome. All the while their respective partners, myself and Morag toasting their artistic health.... Subsequently some measurements may be inaccurate.
- 3lbs good stewing steak cubed
- 8oz lardons....we cheated with streaky bacon
- oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3 tblspns cognac
- 3 tblspns plain flour
- 3 big glasses of good red wine
- 2 tspns of paprika
- pinch of thyme and a bayleaf
- 1 large onion
- sea salt and lots of black pepper
Ideally marinade the meat, but you know what it's like........making a full length ballet in under six weeks.
Fry the lardons/bacon in the oil with the chopped onion and garlic, ill they begin to brown. Pour in the cognac, sprinkle the flour and stir. Now add the wine and a little red wine vinegar. Stir well and cover. Leave this to simmer for about an hour, then pop in all the herbs and seasoning and another good slug of wine for luck. Leave again for a further 40 mins or so. Serve with some hearty bread or I like roasted new potatoes.
Atlanta Mushroom Stroganoff
As a veggie alternative Michael and I did sample a great stroganoff when we were in the States. Again with a vampiric theme, as the reason for this visit being the remounting of our production of "Dracula", but this time for Atlanta Ballet. My personal visit was just a flying one; two whole days in total! Norwich-Atlanta. Atlanta-York,arriving from the airport with only twenty minutes to spare before curtain-up on the shows American debut.
Michael had already been out there for a month and had prudently thought to do a little advance restaurant homework before my arrival. One memorable place we went to, turned out to be a Gospel diner. Not only was the food great, but the music too. Being the official tour busy body, I got chatting with the chef and Theo gave me his recipe with much generosity.
- 1lb of mushrooms
- 2 med chopped onions
- 1oz butter
- 1/4pt veg stock
- 2 tspns french mustard
- 2 tspns red currant jelly
- 1 tspn tomato puree
- juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 sour cream / creme fraiche
Melt the butter in a heavy pan, dd the chopped onions and fry gently for five mins. Add the mushrooms and sweat for a little longer. Next stir in puree, mustard, jelly and stock. Boil and simmer for five mins. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and sour cream. Voila.... serve with wild rice/jackets and salad.
Signing off now to concentrate on the dancing, or maybe I'll start thinking about tonight's dinner instead!
Jayne
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