Food quiz

I recently saw a food quiz in the Raleigh newspaper (NOT the newspaper that publishes my column...). It was written by James A. Fussell of McClatchy Newspapers. I give him full credit for it. Have fun!

25 Fancy Food Words Used on 'Top Chef'

1. ganache
2. ceviche
3. risotto
4. carpaccio
5. hamachi
6. remoulade
7. chiffonade
8. panna cotta
9. hearts of palm
10. geoduck
11. aioli
12. pain perdu
13. frisée
14. tostones
15. roulade
16. pancetta
17. paella
18. pommes dauphine
19. halloumi
20. fleur de sel
21. cavolo nero
22. amuse-bouche
23. radicchio
24. sweetbreads
25. sashimi

a. an Italian dessert consisting of flavored cream set with gelatin
b. a mayonnaise flavored with garlic or other ingredients
c. short-grained arborio rice cooked in meat or seafood stock,
then seasoned
d. tender inner portion of a palm tree; eaten as a vegetable or
used as a garnish for salads
e. a large edible clam typically weighing 2-3 pounds
f. French toast
g. fried plantains, smashed and served with garlic sauce
h. deep-fried crispy potato puffs
i. unsmoked Italian bacon
j. thinly sliced raw meat or fish served with a sauce
k. traditional Greek cheese from Cyprus made with sheep's
milk or goat's milk
l. delicate and fluffy hand-harvested French sea salt
m. a sweet, creamy chocolate mixture, typically used as a filling
or a frosting
n. a saffron-flavored dish containing rice, meat seafood and
vegetables
o. a thin slice of meat rolled around a filling
p. yellowtail fish, often used for sushi
q. a strong flavored cabbage with dark green leaves
r. pungent sauce or dressing resembling mayonnaise
s. a small complimentary appetizer offered mostly at high-end
restaurants
t. a red variety of chicory with variegated leaves used as a
salad green
u. shredded or finely cut vegetables or herbs, sometimes used
as a garnish
v. the edible glands of an animal, often thymus glands of veal,
young beef, lamb or pork
w. very thinly sliced raw fish
x. raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice, often with oil,
onion, peppers and seasonings and served as an appetizer
y. curly leaves of endive with finely dissected edges used in
salads

Answers:
1. m 2. x 3. c 4. j 5. p 6. r 7. u 8. a
9. d 10. e 11. b 12. f 13. y 14. g 15. o 16. i
17. n 18. h 19. k 20. l 21. q 22. s 23. t 24. v
25. w



So, how did you do?? I missed most of the fish ones, I confess. I've never watched Top Chef, to tell the truth. Speaking French and eating A LOT in France helped me tremendously, though. Quelle surprise.

I have been craving seafood risotto lately (I cannot get enough shrimp, it seems) and put out a call for a good recipe. I cannot find Chef Érick's, although he probably doesn't even have one written down. He just seems to effortlessly throw it all together. After cooking the shrimp heads, though- that's where all the flavor is- he would make the stock. We even fried shrimp heads several times and I must admit that they were vraiment délicieuses, ces petites têtes de crevettes! (How cool- that even rhymes!!) In Arles, we usually had some fresh mussels to throw in it, too. And I was known to eat it out of the pan pictured above, if it was just Monsieur le Chef et moi at the dinner table. With a nicely chilled dry white wine from Languedoc...
Anyway, Dorette came to the rescue and sent the following recipe. I plan to try it very soon. Since it comes from Do, I know it's good!

risotto with pesto and shrimp à la dorette

serves 4 as a first course or 3 as a main course

for stock:
shells from 1 pound shrimp
6 cups water
2 cups dry white wine
garlic
onion peels
1 lemon, sliced

for risotto:
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound medium-large shrimp, shelled and coarsely chopped
3 anchovies, smashed
1 1/4 cup arborio rice

5-8 cups of the above stock, kept warm in the pot next to the risotto pot

for finishing the risotto

1 tablespoon pesto
chiffonaded fresh basil
fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

first, peel the shrimp. place these in a medium saucepan along with the garlic and onion and lemon. cover the shells and such with the wine and cold water. place on medium high heat and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. strain out shells and seasonings using a bamboo strainer or a colander. Place stock in pot again over low heat to keep warm.

to make the risotto pull out a heavy bottomed saucepan and add the olive oil. place over medium heat and heat till hot, about 5 minutes. add the shallots, onion, parsley, and garlic. saute together for about 2 minutes. now stir in the rice, coating with the oil and vegetables, and cook till partly translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
keep stirring, and add the shrimp stock, ladle by ladle, being sure that each one is fully absorbed before adding the next one. along with the last ladle of stock, add the partially cooked shrimp, and stir well. cook until the rice is al dente. stir in the finishing elements and transfer to serving bowls.

Bon appétit, mes amis!