Barack Obama's Inauguration Day lunch menu

After Barack Obama takes the oath of office and delivers his inaugural address tomorrow, he will be escorted to Statuary Hall in the US Capitol for the traditional inaugural luncheon. The menu was inspired by the foods that Lincoln dined on at his inauguration.

Menu and recipes for the three-course feast follow.

First Course

Seafood Stew - scallops, shrimp, lobster with a puff pastry top...
paired with Duckhorn Vineyards, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Photo: Quentin Bacon
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

6 (1 lb) Maine lobsters

20 medium size Sea scallops

36 Large shrimp, peel, cleaned and tail removed, aprox. 2 lbs.

10 (1 oz) pieces of black cod

½ cup small dice carrots

½ cup small dice celery

½ cup small dice leek

½ cup small dice Idaho potato

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 quart heavy cream

1 cup dry vermouth (can be made without)

10 (5 inch) puff pastry rounds

Equipment

10 (3 ½ inch) terrines/ramekins or serving dish of your choice

Directions

1. Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil; poach lobsters, then shrimp, then black cod and last scallops. After

seafood is cooked, remove from water; reserve water and bring to boil.

2. Cook all vegetables in liquid that was used for the seafood, remove vegetables when tender. Allow

the liquid to continue to boil until only 1qt of liquid remains. This will be the base for the sauce.

3. Bring seafood liquid back to a boil and add the vermouth and heavy cream and reduce by half,

season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste. You have reached your desired thickness when

the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.

4. Cut Maine lobster, shrimp and scallops into bite size pieces.

5. Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees.

6. Fold seafood and vegetables into cool sauce, being careful not to mix too much as this will break up

the seafood. Scoop mixture into terrines or oven proof baking dish of your choice.

7. Cover terrines with puff pastry rounds, brush them with egg wash and bake them until golden

brown about 8-10 minutes, allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. You can cook this 2-3 hours

ahead of time and keep warm at 150 F degrees.

*All seafood can be substituted with other favorite options of your choice and availability.

Second course

A brace of American birds: Duck breast with sour cherry chutney and Herb roasted pheasant with wild rice stuffing with Molasses whipped sweet potatoes and Winter vegetables paired with Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Duck breast with sour cherry chutney

Photo: Quentin Bacon

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped onion (1 small)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Scant ¼ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper (½ medium)

1 plum tomato, coarsely chopped

¼ cup dry red wine

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 can (3 cups) Bing cherries, quartered *Oregon brand

½ cup Golden Raisins

10 (6 oz.) boneless duck breasts with skin

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or chives

Method for chutney and glaze

Heat oil in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, garlic, and shallot, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste, black pepper, cumin, hot pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, vinegar (to taste), and sugar and simmer approx 5 minutes. Stir in mustard, 1 1/2 cups cherries, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 1 minute. Allow to cool slightly and reserve all but ¼ cup of the mix to the side. Place1/4 cup mix in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids). Reserve for glazing duck. To finish the chutney, add the remaining 1 ½ cups of cherries, tarragon, chives and all the golden raisins. Can be prepared one day ahead.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife and season duck all over with salt and pepper.

Heat water in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over low heat until hot, then add duck, skin side down. Cook duck, uncovered, over low heat, without turning, until most of fat is rendered(melted) and skin is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Transfer duck to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Brush duck all over with cherry glaze and return to skillet, skin side up.

Roast duck in oven until thermometer registers 135°F, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut duck into slices. Serve with cherry chutney and molasses whipped sweet potato.

Herb roasted pheasant with wild rice stuffing

Photo: William Lingwood

Yield: 10 portions

Ingredients

10 Pheasant breast, boneless, remove tenders and reserve for stuffing, cut small pocket in side of breast for stuffing

½ cup Olive oil with chopped rosemary, thyme and sage

1 lb. Wild rice, long grain

2 quarts Chicken stock or canned chicken broth

2 Carrots, diced

½ Onion, diced

½ cup Dried apricot, small diced

1 Tablespoon Salt and pepper mix

2 Tablespoons Garlic, roasted

Directions

1. Boil the rice with the chicken stock, cook until soft and most of the liquid is gone.

2. Add the onion, carrot, garlic and apricot. Cook until the vegetables are soft and all liquid has been absorbed. Refrigerate rice mixture until cold.

3. In a food processor, puree pheasant tenders to a paste consistency to use as a binder for rice mix.

4. When rice is cool, add the pheasant puree to the rice until well mixed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and return to refrigerator until ready to stuff.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

6. Make 10 small football shaped patties of the rice mix, stuff inside the pheasant, being careful not to overstuff the pheasant. Rub herb/oil mixture on top and bottom of the pheasant, season with salt and pepper. Place the pheasant on a heavy gauge roasting pan and then in a preheated oven for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with lid or foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve over sauté of spinach.

*Pheasant can be substituted with chicken.

Molasses whipped sweet potatoes

Photo: Doug Hamilton

Yield: 2 quarts

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes, about 3 pounds

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup orange juice

½ tablespoon of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of molasses

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.

3. Peel the skin off of the sweet potatoes while still hot.By hand or mixer, smash potatoes until all large chunks are gone. Combine the potatoes, butter, salt, orange juice, brown sugar, ground cumin, molasses and maple syrup in a large bowl. Continue to mix all together until all lumps are gone. Adjust any of the seasonings to your specific tastes. Can be made the day before.

Winter vegetables Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

2 bunches Asparagus, green, bottom 1/3 of stem removed

2 lbs. Carrots, peeled, cut oblong or large dice

1 lb. Baby Brussels Sprouts, fresh, cleaned or frozen can be used

1 lb. Wax Beans, ends snipped

2 oz Butter

1 each Zest from orange

4 oz. Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

Asparagus: preheat grill or large heavy bottom sauté pan. Rub 2 oz of olive oil on asparagus and season with pinch of salt and pepper. Lay flat on grill or sauté pan until lightly browned. Using long fork or tongs, rotate the asparagus to brown other sides. Usually 2 or 3 minutes per side. The asparagus is done when you can use a fork to cut through. Do not overcook, this will cause asparagus to become stringy. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Carrots: bring 3 qt salted water to a boil, add carrots to water and cook until fork tender, meaning a fork will easily pass through the carrot. Drain the water from the pot and toss 1 oz butter and zest of orange and mix until carrots are coated. Season with pinch of salt and enjoy. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Brussels Sprouts: For Fresh: Bring 3 qt salted water to a boil, cut into the stem of the sprout with a pairing knife to create an X on the bottom, this will allow the stem to cook more evenly. Place sprout in boiling water and allow to cook until bottom of sprout is tender and easily cut with a knife. Preheat a heavy bottom sauté while the sprouts are cooking. Remove sprouts from water and allow all water to drain completely. Add 2 oz oil to sauté pan and add the sprouts, season with salt and pepper while tossing the sprouts around to evenly brown in the pan. If sprouts are too big, you can cut them in half, keep warm until ready to serve.

For Frozen: Bring 3 qt salted water to a boil and drop frozen brussel sprouts into water, these are precooked so you are only thawing them out. Remove from water and sauté as above.

Yellow Wax beans: bring 3 qt salted water to boil, add snipped wax beans to water and allow to cook until fork tender or to your liking of doneness. Remove from water and toss with 1 oz butter and season with salt and pepper.

Third Course

Cinnamon apple sponge cake and sweet cream glace...paired with Korbel natural "special inaugural cuvee" California Champagne.

Cinnamon apple sponge cake *

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Apple Filling

4 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup water

1/₃ cup granulated sugar

1/₃ cup apple sauce

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

Grated zest from 1 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bread Crust

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melt 10 of tablespoons

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

34 slices brioche bread (or white bread)

Equipment

10 Ceramic baking ramekins or metal molds (3” diameter)

Sauce

2 cups caramel sauce(store bought)

2 cups granny smith apples, peeled, cored, diced small

Pinch sugar

Pinch cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Ice Cream

1 quart vanilla ice cream

Preparation

Filling

1. Melt butter in 6-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add apples and caramelize, add water, cook, stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are completely soft. Remove cover and add sugar, nutmeg and salt. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook, stirring apples frequently, until liquid has completely evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, apple sauce and vanilla. Set aside to cool while making crust. The filling can be made one day ahead

Making crust and assembly

1. Position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Grease 8 ceramic dishes with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle sugar in dish and tilt to coat bottom and sides. Tap out excess sugar and set aside.

2. Using a bread knife, remove crusts from bread. Center the bottom of mold over one of the bread squares. Cut around mold to form circle to use as the top. Make a total of 20 of these round pieces. Ten will be for the bottom and 10 will be used for the top. Dip each one in melted butter and place at the bottom of mold.

3. Cut each of the 15 remaining slices of bread into four rectangular pieces. Dip one side of each strip in the melted butter and arrange strips, upright, around the inside of molds, buttered-sides against mold and overlapping by about 1/2” to completely line mold. Use 6 rectangles to line the mold.

4. Spoon the apple filling into bread-lined molds, mounding it slightly in center.

5. Take the remaining ten rounds of bread and dip pieces of bread into the melted butter and place on top of filling, buttered-sides up. Press down lightly.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover top loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until top is deep golden brown and side slices are golden brown (slide a thin-bladed knife between bread and pan to check). Remove from oven, uncover, and let rest for 15 minutes on wire rack. Run thin-bladed knife around edges of molds to be able to flip the mold out onto serving plates.

7. For the apple cinnamon caramel sauce, sauté 1 cup of peeled and diced Granny Smith apples in butter, add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon. Allow to cook until apples are lightly browned and all sugars have dissolved. Remove from heat and add 2 cups caramel sauce to the apples and stir to coat apples.

To Assemble

Pour caramel apple sauce over warmed apple cakes and serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

* Instead of cinnamon apple sponge cake, President Lincoln was served blackberry pie.

Menu created by Design Cuisine, from Arlington, Virginia.

Source: TIMESONLINE