Wolfgang Puck: Oscar Party Recipes 2004
Feb. 27, 2004 -- -- Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is busy creating dishes fit for the stars for this year's Governors Ball following the Academy Awards ceremony. It's Puck's eighth year on the job.
Puck and his team of chefs will create a multi-course, sit-down meal for the Academy's 1,650 guests.
However, Puck took time out of his busy schedule to offer some of his favorite Oscar recipes to his "Good Morning America" fans.
Check out the following Puck recipes as you plan your own Oscars party.
If you want to print these recipes, simply scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on the "print this article" option. Then send the newly formatted page to your printer.
Smoked Salmon Oscar with Iranian Osetra Caviar On Brioche
Asparagus Wrapped with Prosciutto
Marinated Artichoke Salad
Roasted Beet Napoleon
Bruschetta Trio
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Crème Fraîche and Iranian Osetra Caviar
Roasted Filet Mignon & Maine Lobster with Celery Root Puree and Two Truffle Sauces
Double Dobos Cake
Smoked Salmon Oscar with Iranian Osetra Caviar On Brioche
• 1 pound smoked salmon
• 1 cup dill cream (recipe below)
• 2 ounces Iranian Osetra caviarCut the brioche into Oscar shape and toast until golden.
Spoon small amount of dill cream on the brioche.
Layer smoked salmon on top and garnish with caviar.
Dill Cream:
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• Pinch white ground pepper
• Pinch salt
Whisk ingredients together thoroughly.
(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2004) Yield: Serves 8
Asparagus Wrapped With Prosciutto
• 8 case pencil asparagus spears
• 1 pound prosciutto, thinly sliced
• Extra-virgin olive oil
Peel asparagus spears, blanch and shock in ice water. Loosely wrap thinly sliced prosciutto around the asparagus.Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve. (Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck)
Yield: Serves 8
Marinated Artichoke Salad
• 12 artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
Cook artichoke hearts in salted water. When tender, allow to cool.
Marinate with olive oil, sherry vinegar, chopped shallots, chopped thyme, chopped parsley, salt and black pepper.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 (Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2004)
Roasted Beet Napoleon
• 1 1/2 pounds large yellow or red beets, washed and trimmed
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 recipe Herbed Goat Cheese, (recipe follows), cut into eight round slices
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups mixed baby lettuces, washed and dried
• 1/4 cup Spago House Dressing (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup Citrus Hazelnut Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• 1 ounce toasted hazelnuts, (recipe follows), coarsely chopped
Roast beets:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the beets in a small roasting pan and pour in enough cold water to reach about one quarter of the way up the sides of the beets. Cover the pan with foil, and roast the beets until they are tender, 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes. To check for doneness, gently insert a bamboo skewer into a beet. The skewer should slide through easily. Remove the beets from the pan, allow to cool and then peel.
Cut each beet into 1/4 inch-thick round slices. Cut each slice with a 3 inch round cookie cutter. (You will need ten rounds). Cut trimmings into 1/4 inch, dice and reserve 1/2 cup for garnish.
In a sauté pan, bring vinegar and sugar to a boil. Lower to a simmer and poach beets one minute on each side. With a slotted spatula, remove and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
When ready to assemble, heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan. Arrange the slices of Herbed Goat Cheese in the pan and warm slightly, turning them with a small spatula just to warm both sides. This has to be done quickly, or the cheese will melt.
To assemble the napoleons, place one of the beet rounds on a firm, flat surface and begin to layer. Top with a slice of goat cheese, then another beet round, a second slice of cheese, another beet round, a third slice of cheese, and a beet round. (Continue until you have five layers of beets and four layers of cheese.) Carefully cut through layers, dividing into three wedges. Repeat with the remaining beets and cheese.
To serve, arrange three of the wedges, pointed ends facing out, in a circle in the center of each plate. Toss the baby lettuces with the Spago House Dressing and mound half of the lettuces on top of each arranged napoleon. Drizzle one half of the Citrus Hazelnut Vinaigrette around each mound. Sprinkle toasted nuts and reserved diced beets on top of drizzled vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Yield: Serves 2
(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Pizza, Pasta & More!, Random House, 2000)
Herbed Goat Cheese:• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• One 7- or 8- ounce log of goat cheese
Combine the parsley, chives, thyme, and pepper and place on a flat surface. Roll the log of cheese in the mixture, coating all sides and retaining the shape of the log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Yield: Makes one 7- or 8-ounce log.
Spago House Salad Dressing:
• 2 large shallots, minced (1 heaping tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons zinfandel vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars and then the olive and vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed. Yield: Makes 1 1/4 cups. (Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Adventures in the Kitchen, Random House, 1991)
Citrus Hazelnut Vinaigrette:• 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 shallot, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/3 cup hazelnut oil
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil. Lower to a simmer and reduce until only 1/3 cup remains. Cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, shallot, thyme, vinegar and orange zest.
Slowly whisk in both oils until thick and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.Yield: makes 1 1/3 cups.(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Pizza, Pasta & More!," Random House, 2000)
Toasted Hazelnuts:
• 1 cup hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the hazelnuts on a medium baking tray and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, turning after 5 minutes. (This can be done in a toaster oven). Remove to a clean towel and rub to remove as much of the skin as possible. Chop coarsely and use when needed. Yield: Makes 1 cup.
(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2000)
Bruschetta Trio
• 21 slices batard or good French bread, sliced 1 inch thick
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup goat cheese, softened
• 1 cup olive tapenade (recipe follows)
• 1 cup roasted peppers, store-bought
• 7 white anchovies
• 1/2 cup garlic aioli
• 7 pedals confit tomatoes
• 7 slices Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Lightly oil the bread on both sides and grill. Rub the bread with the garlic cloves. Spread soft goat cheese on 7 pieces of bread and top with olive tapenade.Spread soft goat cheese on 7 pieces of bread top with roasted peppers and white anchovies. Spread garlic aioli on 7 pieces of bread.Place confit tomato on top and then Parmesan. Drizzle olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar on each piece.
Confit Tomato:
Blanch tomatoes in boiling salted water for 15 seconds. Shock in ice water.
Peel and quarter tomatoes and remove the seeds with a knife. Place on a sheet pan; cover halfway with olive oil.
Season each piece with salt and sugar. Roast in a 225 degree F. oven for 20 minutes Yield: Serves 7
Black and Green Olive Tapenade:
• 1 cup Niçoise olives, pitted
• 1 cup small green French olives (Picholine), pitted
• 1/4 cup oven-dried tomatoes, drained (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except the olive oil. Using the pulse button, process until coarsely chopped and well blended. Continue to process, slowly adding the olive oil. Refrigerate in a covered container. Spread on homemade croutons (recipe follows). Yield: makes 1 heaping cup.
(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Pizza, Pasta & More!, Random House, 2000)
Oven-Dried Tomatoes:
• About 12 medium Roma tomatoes (2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional as needed
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. In a pot of boiling water, blanch tomatoes. Drain and refresh in ice water. Drain. Peel, core, cut into quarters, and remove seeds.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the tomato quarters on the tray, cut side down. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme and garlic. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and sugar, and sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes.
Bake until the tomatoes begin to shrivel, about 1 hour. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, transfer to a container. Pour olive oil over and cover the container. Refrigerate and use as needed. Yield: Makes 1 1/4 cups. (Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2004)
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes With Crème Fraîche and Iranian Osetra Caviar
• 12 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 ounces Iranian osetra caviar
• Crème Fraîche (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash and dry potatoes. Wrap individually with aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Remove potatoes from oven and set aside.
Crème Fraîche:
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup heavy cream
Stir together the ingredients and let sit at room temperature, covered, until the mixture thickens, usually overnight. Scrape into a container, cover, and refrigerate until needed.Score and pinch each potato. Dollop with a little bit of the crème fraîche and osetra caviar. Yield: Serves 12 (Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2004)
Roasted Filet Mignon & Maine Lobster With Celery Root Puree and Two Truffle Sauces
(Recipes courtesy Wolfgang Puck, except where noted)
• 4 6-ounce filet mignons
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Salt and pepper both sides of each filet. Over high heat, sear both sides in a frying pan. Remove from heat and place in oven for 7 minutes. Reserve. 2 medium sized fresh lobsters - (1/2 lobster per person)8 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Court Bouillon:
1 gallon water
1/2 gallon white wine
1 lemon, quartered
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 sprig tarragon
1 sprig parsley
Bring mixture to a boil, then add live lobsters. Cover, and cook for 8 minutes.
Remove lobsters from the water and cut each in half. Remove claw and tail meat. Toss in warm butter. Reserve.Yield: Serves 4
Celery Root Puree:
• 1 celery root (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 or 2 small baking potatoes (about 4 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
• Freshly ground white pepper
Place the celery root and potato in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Season with salt and cook until soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain the water and return the celery and potato to the pan. Pour in the cream and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until thickened and most of the cream is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Puree in a food mill, return to the pan, and keep warm over simmering water. Use as needed. (Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Adventures in the Kitchen, Random House, 1991)
Bordelaise Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound shallots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 pound beef scraps
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, toasted and cracked
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine
• 2 cups port wine
• 1 1/4 cups veal demi stock
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 6 ounces unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the olive oil, shallots, garlic, beef scraps and peppercorns in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, and caramelize until all the natural sugars are released.
Add the thyme and sherry vinegar, and cook until it just about disappears.
Add the red wine and port wine and reduce until the mixture takes on a syrupy consistency.
Add the veal demi and chicken stock, and simmer until reduced to about 3/4 of the original volume.
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until it is totally emulsified into the sauce base.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.
Truffle Sauce:
• 1 ounce truffle jus
• 3 ounces truffle peelings
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the truffle jus and peelings in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Reserve.
Place shallots and white wine in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Add chicken stock, and continue to cook until reduced to 3/4 of the volume. Add the cream, and continue to cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the truffle puree.
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Presentation: Spoon celery root puree onto four warm plates. Place one filet and one half lobster on top of each plate. Nap with each of the two sauces. Serve.
Double Dobos Cake
• 13 eggs, separated and kept at room temperature
• 13 ounces sugar
• 2 ounces cocoa powder
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted reserved warm in a medium size bowl
Place three racks in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line six cookie sheets with buttered and floured parchment paper.
In a standing electric mixer, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy.
Begin to stream in 3/4 of the sugar (reserve the balance). This will take approximately 2-3 minutes.
Whip until soft but slightly firm peaks are formed and pour the room temperature egg yolks all at once into the egg whites.
Ladle 1/4 of the egg base into the melted chocolate. Stir until homogeneous. Fold in the balance of the whipped egg mixture.
Divide the batter evenly between 6 cookie sheets. Bake 3 at a time for 8 minutes. Turn, and continue to bake for 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Chocolate Mousse Filling:
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 eggs
• 4 ounces sugar
• 24 ounces (24 percent fat) heavy cream
• 8 ounces milk chocolate
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks are formed.
Over a double boiler, in a medium size mixing bowl, combine the milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. Stir until melted and reserve.
Over a double boiler, whip together the yolks, eggs and sugar. When it reaches 110 degrees F., remove from heat.
Fold 1/3 of the egg mixture into the melted chocolate. Fold the balance of the egg mixture until homogeneous. Fold in the heavy cream.
Coffee Syrup:
• 4 ounces water
• 4 ounces sugar
• 8 ounces coffee (or espresso)
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Reserve.To assemble the cake: Line the presentation tray with a cake layer. Brush with coffee syrup. Top with chocolate mousse. With a metal offset spatula, "schmear" evenly. Continue layering with balance of cake and mousse.Yield: Serves 8(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, 2004)