Sara Moulton is one of the most beloved cooking personalities around.
And she’s coming to Toledo, for one night only, to support PawVillion, the Toledo Area Humane Society’s annual fund-raiser being held Sept. 28 at Tantara Farm, the home of Allan Block, chairman of Block Communications Inc., parent company of The Blade, and his wife Susan.
“This is my first time” attending and cooking at PawVillion, Ms. Moulton said in a phone interview. “I think it’s very clever, the name.”
Her warm and friendly demeanor is antithetical to the stereotype of a brash kitchen bully, but her resume makes it clear that she is a top chef. A graduate of both the University of Michigan and the Culinary Institute of America, Ms. Moulton has worked with Julia Child, served as the food editor at ABC-TV’s Good Morning America, and hosted her own shows on the Food Network.
She has authored several cookbooks, including 2016’s Sara Moulton’s Home Cooking 101: How to Make Everything Taste Better, and she writes both for the Washington Post and the Associated Press’ Kitchen Wise column.
Ms. Moulton is an animal lover — “very much so,” she said — though she doesn’t happen to live with any furry family members. She is severely allergic to cats.
“I’d like to own a dog,” she said. “But as my husband says, it’s just not fair.” They are busy people who travel a lot and work long hours and who live in an apartment in New York City. “You can’t take this lightly,” she said of the responsibility for pets’ well-being, comfort, and happiness.
So, in lieu of being able to adopt pets of her own, Ms. Moulton will help to raise funds for the Toledo Area Humane Society and thus provide care to many more animals than she could possibly take home herself.
The menu that she has created for PawVillion, in collaboration with Scott Pierce of Tree City Catering, will offer classic dishes perfect for fall.
Canapés to be prepared table-side by Ms. Moulton are classic representations of her simply sophisticated style: Smoked Salmon with Horseradish Cream on Oven-Baked Potato Chips.
Other hors d’oeuvres will include palmiers, risotto croquettes, Asian meatball and snow pea bamboo picks, savory profiteroles, and an array of delicious, creative options.
The starter course — Terrine of Scallop Mousse with Shrimp, prepared by Mr. Pierce — will be served alongside Ms. Moulton’s Salad of Butter Lettuce with Avocado, Sunflower Seeds, and Grapefruit Vinaigrette. This will constitute “a double appetizer,” she said: “a seafood medley with his terrine on one side and my salad on the other.”
The featured entrée is one that Ms. Moulton calls “my all-time favorite:” Red Wine-braised Short Ribs of Beef, succulent, slow-cooked morsels of tenderness. These will be served with scalloped potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Tahini Yogurt Sauce and Toasted Panko. The vegan option (which will also be gluten-free) is a Grilled Vegetable Napoleon served with mushroom polenta and red bell pepper coulis.
Dessert will be a sensationally seasonal French apple tart, with tender fruit fanned out in a flower-like pattern, served with caramel ice cream.
The Toledo Area Humane Society, 827 Illinois Ave., Maumee, is always a worthy cause to support. Its small staff and numerous volunteers provide care and adoption services for dogs and cats in need of families, lost and found assistance for animals who’ve meandered away from home, and microchipping for pets. TAHS also supports foster parents for animals, offers spaying and neutering for feral cats, and maintains a cruelty prevention team.
The organization has taken in five dozen new cats and dogs from Florida who had been displaced by Hurricane Irma, making its financial needs even greater and more urgent.
So be sure to support Ms. Moulton, Mr. Pierce, and Mr. and Mrs. Block as they raise funds for dogs and cats in need at PawVillion. You wont want to miss this paw-some event.
PawVillion will be held 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 28 at Tantara Farm, 4145 Tantara Rd. Tickets cost $250 per person and are available at toledohumane.org/pawvillion or 419-891-0705.
Smoked Salmon with Horseradish Cream on Oven-Baked Potato Chips
Potatoes:
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing on the potato slices
1 large russet potato (about 12 ounces), scrubbed but not peeled
Kosher salt
Topping:
½ cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh or drained bottled horseradish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces smoked salmon, julienned
1 tablespoon caviar, salmon roe, or parsley, for garnish
Make the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two sheet pans with parchment and brush the parchment lightly with some oil.
Slice the potato lengthwise 1/8-inch thick, preferably using a mandoline, and arrange the slices in one layer on the sheet pans. Brush the tops of the slices lightly with oil and, working with one sheet pan at a time, sprinkle the potato slices lightly with salt and bake them on the middle shelf of the oven until they are golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes, removing the chips to a paper towel lined plate as they become golden. (They may not all brown at the same pace.) Do not let them get too dark in color; it is OK if they have a few lighter patches.
Make the topping: Combine the crème fraîche, lemon juice, and horseradish in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
To serve: Place the potatoes on a serving platter and top with the horseradish cream and smoked salmon. Garnish with the caviar, salmon roe, or parsley.
Yield: 4 servings
Source: Sara Moulton
Fool-Proof Scalloped Potatoes
1½ cups whole milk
1½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds russet potatoes
3 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 375F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
Combine the milk, cream, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep while you prepare the potatoes.
Peel the potatoes and, using a mandoline or the slicing disk of a food processor, slice them crosswise, 1/8-inch thick. Remove and discard the bay leaf and garlic cloves from the milk mixture and pour one-fourth of the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Add the potatoes and the remaining milk mixture to the baking pan. Stir the potatoes to make sure they are separated and then press them down to distribute them evenly.
Bake the potatoes on the middle shelf of the oven until the liquid has thickened and the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the potatoes, return the pan to the oven, and bake until the top is browned, about 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Yield: 8 servings
Source: Sara Moulton
Brussels Sprouts with Tahini Yogurt Sauce and Toasted Panko
Tahini sauce:
¾ cup well stirred tahini
1 to 2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
Juice of 2 to 3 lemons or to taste (about ½ cup)
½ teaspoon sea salt
Water, if needed
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
Brussels sprouts:
Corn oil for frying
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, cut in half
Toasted panko:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup panko
Pinch of sea salt
Make the tahini sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and process on low speed for 2 minutes or until thoroughly incorporated. Turn the speed to high and blend until the tahini mixture begins to whiten. Gradually add up to 1/4 cup water until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. Whisk in the yogurt and the pomegranate molasses. Set aside.
Make the Brussels sprouts: Pour 1/4 to 1/2 inch of corn oil in a large skillet and place over a high heat until hot. To test the temperature, slip half a Brussels sprout into the pan; if it makes a popping sound, the oil is hot enough. Working in batches, fry the Brussels sprouts, turning occasionally, until they are browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sprouts to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Make the panko: In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high until hot. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the panko and stir constantly until the crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and remove the breadcrumbs from the heat. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
To serve: Place the Brussels sprouts in a serving dish, drizzle with the sauce and top with the panko crumbs. Serve immediately
Note: If you prefer not to fry the sprouts, brush them with oil and roast them at 400F for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings
Source: Adapted from Sara Moulton
Contact Mary Bilyeu at mbilyeu@theblade.com, and follow her at facebook.com/thebladefoodpage, bladefoodpage on Instagram, or @BladeFoodPage on Twitter.
First Published September 18, 2017, 4:05 p.m.
