Amazon.com Review
The famed compound at Hyannisport was the Kennedy family's favorite place to relax, and Rose Kennedy's kitchen was the central gathering place. Everyone--including Jackie Kennedy Onassis, JFK Jr., Caroline Kennedy, Maria Shriver, and Arnold Schwarzenegger--came wandering in the back door to visit Rose. Her chef, Neil Connolly, always made sure there was lobster salad, potato salad, and a platter of roast chicken in the fridge, and in this book, he brings these and other favorites to your home. Included in this cookbook are Kennedy family photos and anecdotes collected personally by Neil.
Here he shares an exclusive recipe from the Kennedy kitchen with us:
Sugar Tuile
These thin, crisp cookies can be cooled flat, but here they are formed into edible cups that can hold ice cream, chocolate mouse, or fresh berries. Note that the cookies are baked in two batches, so that you have time to mold them while they are still warm and soft.
| Makes about 8 cookie cups 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted 6 egg whites 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract | 1. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and draw four circles 5 inches in diameter on each piece of paper. 2. Invert four heatproof, 2-inch-wide glasses or cups on the counter so they are ready when the tuiles come out of the oven. 3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sifted flour, egg whites, and vanilla. Beat until well blended. 4. Spoon the batter into the circles on one baking sheet and spread to the edges with an offset spatula. The batter will be very thin. 5. Bake the tuiles for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown. 6. Remove from the oven and immediately use a wide spatula to invert each tuile over a glass. Using a mitt, gently press to form into a cup shape. As soon as the tuiles are set, gently lift them off the glasses. 7. Whisk the batter briefly and form the remaining 4 tuiles. Bake and form as directed above. When all the tuile cups are cool and set, store in a covered container until ready for use. |
From Publishers Weekly
As the private chef to Rose Kennedy from 1983 to 1995, Connolly prepared food for everything from cozy dinners to wedding receptions and other lavish events. He shares recipes for many of the Kennedy family favorites as well as personal anecdotes in this coffee table book, packed with candid snapshots of the American royals at their New England compound. His recipes are simple and straightforward preparations of classic fare such as Crème Brulee, Poached Salmon, Crab Cakes and Apple Pie, with an occasional twist like Coconut-Crusted Chicken with Mango Cream. Though solid, most of the dishes feel cribbed from the culinary public domain; Chocolate Chip Cookies, French Toast and Chicken Salad are all unremarkable rehashes. Moreover, the book's large size makes propping it up on the kitchen counter a dubious prospect. The books' real appeal is Connelly's warm and candid stories about working for the Kennedys. He recounts a visit by the Bolshoi Ballet in the late 1980s, Oprah Winfrey's sampling of a luscious Chocolate Eagle at Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger's wedding luncheon, as well as clambakes and holiday gatherings. Those looking for a compilation of rudimentary recipes could do worse, but it's the Kennedy archivists who will get the most out of this book.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
