good cook but temperamental and difficult to work for

The impression I got of him was that he was cray cray

Yeah, I was just speaking diplomatically.

One need not be too diplomatic here, just no F bomb
and no hate speech or slurs. I believe a-hole has
been used here without being called out (not against a
member, that would be moderatable).

Is that a prerequisite for a chef in your neck of the woods?

Just about everywhere, if they're TV famous. I think they all
snort way too much black pepper.

Just saw the NYT obituary of Madeleine Kammann,
which sort of glossed over the fact that she
was a mean DOB though one of the great cooks of
the latter 20th century, sort of the anti-Julia
so less accessible and less famous.

We had this at a staff Christmas party a couple of years back:
Cider Basted Roast Turkey Breast and Pan Dripping Gravy
Recipe provided by Chef Robin Wasicuna
Posted by: Georgina Carr in Yellowknife AKA Gorging George

Is there a thriving underground food scene in
your town?

... I hate when green jellybeans are mint instead of lime

For sure. And mint, cinnamon (instead of cherry red),
and clove (instead of pineapple or vanilla white) lend
their strong, smelly flavor to the rest of the batch.

Velvetized Chicken Stir-fry with Ratatouille Vegetables
categories: celebrity, French, Chinese, main
servings: 6

h - For the pesto
1 c packed fresh basil leaves
2 sm cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c freshly grated Pecorino Romano or other
- hard grating cheese of your choice
h - For the stir-fry
2 cloves garlic, mashed
2 Tb finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 lb chicken breasts, trimmed of skin, fat, and
- gristle, and cut into 1-1/4 x 1/3" slivers
1 lg egg white
1 Tb Pernod or ouzo or broth of your choice
1 Tb cornstarch
Salt
Olive oil as needed
2 sm Japanese or 3 sm Italian eggplant, cubed 1/4"
1 lg red onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tb red wine vinegar
2 md green zucchini, cubed 1/4"
2 md yellow zucchini, cubed 1/4"
2 lg red bell peppers, seeded. 1/4" squares
2 sun-ripened beefsteak tomatoes, peeled, seeded, 3/4" wedges
Pepper from the mill
2 scallions, slivered

This recipe can also be prepared with slivered sirloin strip
of beef, slivered veal loin, or turkey breast.

1. Prepare the pesto. Mix the basil leaves, garlic oil, and
cheese together in a blender and process until a thick paste
results. Turn into a small bowl and set aside (you will need
approximately half of it only; store the remainder for a
dish of pasta).

2. Mash the garlic and parsley together. Toss the chicken
slivers into the mixture to coat them well. In a bowl beat
the egg white until liquid, then beat in the liqueur,
sprinkle the cornstarch over the surface, and whisk until
smooth. Add the chicken to the velvet and marinate 1-1/4 hr
in the refrigerator and 1/4 hr at room temperature. Bring
a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and turn down to a simmer.

3. Preheat the wok over high heat. Dribble a bit of oil all
around the pan. Stir-fry the eggplant until they color well,
1 to 1-1/4 min; add the onions and vinegar and stir-fry 30 sec;
add the green zucchini and stir-fry another 30 sec; add the
yellow zucchini and stir-fry another 30 sec. Toss in
successively the bell pepper and tomato wedges, salt and
pepper the mixture well, toss for 2 min, and remove to a
waiting platter. Wipe the pan dry.

4. Put the chicken in a colander and immerse 1 min in the
simmering water. Drain well while you heat 1-1/4 Tb oil in the
pan almost to the smoking point. Add the meat and stir-fry
1 min. Return the vegetables to the pan and reheat all
together until bright hot. Stir in the scallion slivers.
Remove to a serving platter and dribble dollops of pesto
all over the top of the dish. Serve immediately.

Madeleine Kamman, The New Making of a Cook via SF Examiner
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