2to4 tablespoons tomato puree
RAVIOLI FILLING
teaspoon virgin olive oil
shallot, peeled and finely chopped
tablespoons red wine vinegar
cup chicken stock (or other rich poultry
stock)
'A cup heavy cream
1 cup cooked game-type poultry (such as quail, squab, or duck) meat, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon soft butter
1. Prepare the pasta dough and refrigerate.
2. Make the sauce: Toast the ancho chiles and soak them in water about half an hour to soften. Remove the stems and seeds. Puree the anchos and set aside.
3. Heat the duck fat or butter in a heavy saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the onion
and allow it to caramelize (get deep brown). Add the garlic and cumin and stir. Add the vinegar, stock, and ancho puree. Simmer.
4. Mix the orange juice, lime juice, brown sugar, and tomato puree together. Whisk this into the simmering sauce and cook 15 minutes on low heat until saucelike in texture. Reserve.
5. To make the stuffing, heat a saucepan on medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped shallot and saute until shallot is soft. Add the vinegar and reduce to a glaze. Add the stock and reduce till syrupy. Add the cream and cook 3 to 4 minutes, then strain the liquid into a bowl.
6. Mix the cooked poultry meat with this liquid. Season to taste and set aside.
7. Roll out the ravioli dough and fill with the game bird mixture as described on page 208, making the ravioli 1 Уг inches square. You should have about 2 dozen.
8. Reheat the sauce.
9. Heat a pot of water to boiling. Cook the ravioli until tender but not mushy. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon soft butter.
10. Ladle some warm sauce onto four plates. Top with ravioli and serve.
RTICHOKE AND G0RG0NZ0LA TORTA with Red Beet Puree
This is a very simple recipe, but the variations are endless, since the tarts are perfect bases for many ideas. After assembling them, top them with whatever suits your appetite. Instead of artichokes and Gorgonzola, you could use: caviar, roasted peppers, tapenade, smoked fish, even fruit. You will need individual tart molds for individual tarts, but if you prefer you can use a larger mold and slice the finished tart like a pie. (The filling recipe makes approximately one quart.)
Makes six З'/г-inch individual molds or one 10-inch tart
RED BEET PUREE
2 medium-large beets, unpeeled
% cup red wine vinegar (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons or less clarified butter 'A pound cream cheese, at room
or olive oil temperature
1 cup or less lightly toasted processed l'A cups sour cream
bread crumbs 3 whole eggs
'A pound Gorgonzola cheese, at room 6 cooked artichoke bottoms
temperature Extra virgin olive oil
1. First, make the puree: Cook the unpeeled beets, completely covered, in simmering water until you can pierce them easily with a thin, small knife (approximately 40 minutes).
2. Remove beets from the water and allow to cool. Peel them and process them to a fine puree. With the processor running, add enough vinegar to give puree some bite.
3. Remove puree from machine and reserve until needed.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Prepare molds: Brush each with olive oil or clarified butter and then add enough toasted bread crumbs to just cover the inside. (Use much less than you would for cheesecake.) Press crumbs evenly with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
6. Combine the Gorgonzola cheese and cream cheese and beat until thoroughly mixed. Beat in 3A cup sour cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each.
7. Pour cheese mixture into molds and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or 12-16 minutes for smaller molds, until mixture is set.
8. While tarts are baking, slice artichoke bottoms very thin, then dice them thin, and drizzle the dice with a bit of olive oil.
9. Remove tarts from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Lightly spread remaining XA cup sour cream over the tops and add the diced artichoke bottoms.
10. Either serve immediately or hold and serve warm or cold, with a little of the puree spooned onto each plate as a dipping sauce.