* Chic Provence *: "big Chickens like Peacocks with Feathers as a kind of Wool...."

25 November 2013

"big Chickens like Peacocks with Feathers as a kind of Wool...."

...is how the turkey was described by early Spanish conquistadores who brought it to France from the New World in the 16th C. Turkey quickly became a favorite in the courts... and it was first served during a meal in France for the wedding feast of King Charles IX in 1570, and the first turkey served at a Christmas dinner in France was at the table of the sovereign Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII. Wouldn't you loved to have been a fly on the walls at those meals?

Now as we begin Thanksgiving week here in America, much thought is given to The Meal of the Year...our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. Many are already madly preparing for the feast, and have been for the last week or so.

If you are not lucky enough to have four culinary geniuses descending upon you for Thanksgiving, having also offered to do the entire meal for us (yes!! it's true!! Lisa, Steven, Dani and Andre are ALL cooking for our crowd...heavenly!) you might want to run (don't walk, RUN!) over to this wonderful site (Saveur) I just found and play the slots with your Thanksgiving menu! Look, I got the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese on my first spin!!

click over to Saveur for great menus;
almost as much fun as Pinterest for whiling the time away!

And if you are just a little hungry, feast your eyes on this close up of the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese side dish... I would probably say the heck with the turkey, THIS would be my main dish! Recipe below! It would certainly do for sometime over the long Thanksgiving weekend.. let me know what time I should be there!

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt, to taste

12 oz. hollow pasta, preferably elbow macaroni

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

¼ cup flour

4 cups milk

11 oz. grated fontina (about 4 cups)

8 oz. mascarpone (about 1 cup)

3 tbsp. lobster or fish broth

3 tbsp. brandy or cognac

1 tsp. Tabasco

¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 oz. cooked lobster meat, cut into 1" chunks

⅓ cup minced chives

2 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise

2 oz. grated sharp aged white cheddar (about 1 cup)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°. Bring a 4-qt. saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.

2. Melt butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook, continuing to whisk often, until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in 2 cups fontina, along with the mascarpone, broth, brandy, Tabasco, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Add reserved pasta to cheese sauce. Stir in half each of the lobster, chives, and scallions.

3. Transfer mixture to a 9" x 13" baking dish and sprinkle with remaining fontina and the cheddar. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining lobster, scallions, and chives.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL
WHEREVER YOU MAY BE!!

***

The Chic Provence Design Tour is selling quickly!

I can't wait for YOU to come with us and

share this amazing place! This is the perfect

Christmas gift so begin hinting now, cherie!