TAPENADE
Tapenade, though a Mediterranean dish by birth, fits Key West's Caribbean personality just as well-simple, direct, earthy. This recipe is Paula Wolfert's and is available in her excellent book Mediterranean Cooking. There are other versions of tapenade, some with egg and some with California olives and salsa. Think of it as a somewhat salty, vibrant condiment. Smear it over a crouton, or enjoy it with a goat cheese tart adorned with roasted peppers.
Makes 1% cups
cup black Mediterranean-type olives, pitted and roughly chopped ounces anchovy fillets, drained and rinsed
teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lemon juice Cracked black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Cognac l/4 to Ч2 cup fruity olive oil
1. Blend everything but the oil in a food processor or chop fine with a knife, and then mix in the oil. Store in a cool place until ready to use.
>AUCE CREOLE
There are many excellent cooks in Louisiana-Alex Patout, Emeril Lagasse, and Dooky Chase to name a few. But these days Creole cookery has become synonymous with Paul Prudhomme. His stature is awesome physically, and, more to the point, artistically. I refer to his work whenever I wish to touch the source of this unique regional style of preparing food.
For some fascinating sociological reason, the Creole and Cajun styles of cooking remained singularly untainted during a period in history that saw widespread upheaval in almost every other part of our country. This was probably due, in part, to the somewhat daunting geography of the bayous, but on a deeper level, I think the purity of the cuisine can be attributed to the unity and kindred spirit of the refugees.
The people that fused Indian, American, and French cooking all came to that land as virtual outcasts from society. Through the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, they have created an individual expression of cuisine as compelling as any known to any culture.
Thanks to the recent explosion in popularity of Creole and Cajun cooking, we have come to know a great deal about the rich history of these strong-willed people. You should use this knowledge, and not limit your perception of this treasure trove of culinary wonder to drive-up establishments and late night television hucksters. Go to the sources, like Prudhomme, and then experiment with flavors and techniques, enlightened and instructed by the real thing.
Makes approximately IV2 quarts
cup duck fat or clarified butter cups finely chopped onions teaspoons sugar cups finely chopped celery cups finely chopped carrots cup finely chopped green pepper cup finely chopped red pepper cup finely chopped yellow pepper tablespoons butter teaspoons minced garlic bay leaves
tablespoon sea salt
tablespoon white pepper
teaspoons black pepper
tablespoon Tabasco
cup roughly chopped thyme leaves
tablespoon roughly chopped basil
leaves
cups Fish Stock or Shellfish Stock (pages 244, 245)
cups finely chopped tomato concasse cups tomato sauce
1. Heat the fat or butter in a rondeau until hot. Add 2 cups of the chopped onion and cook over high heat until onion begins to brown and caramelize. Add sugar and allow to darken more, but do not burn.
2. Now add the remaining onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers, and butter. Continue to cook over high heat until peppers are almost tender.
3. Add the garlic, bay leaves, salt, and white and black pepper. Stir well. Add the Tabasco, herbs, and 1 cup of stock, and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomato concasse and tomato sauce. Reduce heat and cook slowly 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the remaining stock and cook until sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Cool until needed.
Makes approximately Vh cups
'/5 to Уз cup vinegar
1 cup virgin olive oil Cracked black pepper to taste
1. Whisk ingredients together until well combined.
I developed this recipe to serve with carpaccio of venison. The use of juniper with game meats is historic.