Dishes close to Garten’s heart

The celebrity cook mentions these recipes in her new memoir

TV cook Ina Garten talks about her new memoir during a book tour stop at Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa on Oct. 24. Photo by Drew A. Kelley

Garten’s memoir traces her life and career, from unhappy White House nuclear energy policy wonk to food store owner, author of 13 bestselling cookbooks and TV personality. Photo by Drew A. Kelley

The recipe for chicken Parmesan with arugula salad and vinaigrette is from Garten’s cookbook “Barefoot Contessa Family Style.” Photo by Cathy Thomas

Garten says she wrote about her coconut cupcake recipe in her first book proposal and that no one can resist them. Photo by Cathy Thomas

Garten’s memoir includes a recipe for fresh basil frittata that she borrowed from friend and cookbook author Anna Pump. Photo by Cathy Thomas

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By Cathy Thomas

Correspondent

Ina Garten, the wildly popular cookbook author and TV personality, took the stage before a sellout crowd at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa this past weekend to talk about her newly released, bestselling memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.”

The conversation was moderated by actor and comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a choice that seemed spotless. On a recent episode of Garten’s TV show, “Be My Guest” (Food Network and streaming on Max), the two had a joyous time at Ina’s house frosting a decadent chocolate cake, and finished the final scene with wide grins, chocolate cake pressed on their front teeth for both to appear happily toothless.

After 13 bestselling cookbooks, why write a memoir? Garten explained that she had put it off for a long time, but her collaborator Deborah Davis talked her into it, telling her that someone was going to write it, and it might as well be her.

The writing process brought back memories. She said the experience made her recall how unhappy she had been while working at the White House, drafting nuclear energy policy. She took a “crazy chance” and, responding to an ad in the New York Times, bought the Barefoot Contessa food store in Long Island’s Hamptons for $20,000. She knew nothing about the business, but her husband, Jeffrey, encouraged her. Long hours of hard work, talent and creativity made it a success.

The onstage dialogue chronicled decades of personal challenges and adventures including childhood trials and career twists, all delivered with grace and purpose. The adoring audience broke in from time to time with cheers and applause. The response was especially exuberant when she addressed how she develops recipes for her cookbooks.

Starting with an idea, perhaps a remembered flavor of something she wants to tweak, she prepares the dish as many times as it takes to perfect it. The next step is crucial. She hands over the recipe to her assistant for a road test and watches as the dish is prepared. That way she sees where she needs to change or add words to make every step of the preparation flawless. Somehow, she made it sound effortless and exacting at the same time.

Concluding the evening, in a cheerful tone she expressed that working on the memoir clarified for her that the things she did because she loved doing them were the makings of her life. Her luck.

The crowd that filled Segerstrom Hall left satisfied with the event.

“Ina is amazing,” said Nadia Quiros, who drove from her home in San Diego to attend the performance. “She is real. She makes great cocktails. And I love having her cookbooks to use to cook for my book club. Every dish is special.”

Here are three of the recipes that Garten mentioned in her memoir:

Chicken Parmesan with arugula salad

Garten’s take on chicken Parmesan is an often-used part of my repertoire. She serves the chicken with an arugula salad dressed with fresh lemon vinaigrette. She wrote that adding the greens is “the way Italians do with a veal Milanese, to give it more texture and flavor.”

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 extra-large eggs

1 1/4 cups seasoned, dry breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Unsalted butter

Olive oil

Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry (arugula or mixed baby greens)

Lemon vinaigrette: Mix together 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons), 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional garnish: Drained capers

Cook’s notes: I started adding capers at the request of a friend.

DIRECTIONS

1. Pound the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use a meat mallet or a rolling pin (in a pinch, the bottom of a saucepan will work).

2. Combine the flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing lightly.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat (do NOT use high heat — you will regret it) for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through (meat should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees). Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast or serve chicken atop salad (if you wish, top chicken with drained capers). Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Source: Adapted from “Barefoot Contessa Family Style,” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $35)

Ina’s Coconut Cupcakes

Garten wrote about these in her first book proposal, explaining that no one can resist them. The description was correct. At my house the recipe turns out 22 large cupcakes and they disappear quickly.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

5 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut, divided use

Cream cheese icing (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

3. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. Fill each cup to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese icing and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Source: “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)

Cream cheese icing

Yield: Enough to ice 18 to 22 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted

DIRECTIONS

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Source: “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)

Fresh basil frittata

At one point in Garten’s Barefoot Contessa ownership, she and Anna Pump almost became business partners. Pump ended up owning a specialty food store, Loaves and Fishes, in Bridgehampton. They remained friends and did catering jobs together in the winters. This frittata recipe is from Pump’s “Loaves and Fishes Cookbook,” and Garten includes the treasured formula in her memoir.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

Soft butter for greasing pan

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

15 large eggs

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

1 1/2 pounds Gruyere cheese, grated

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-by-17-inch rimmed sheet pan with 1-inch tall raised edge. (My sheet pans have edges that are barely 1 inch high, so I took 1/2 cup of batter out and baked it in a separate custard cup — I was afraid of an overflow.)

2. Place flour, baking powder, eggs and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the mixture on medium speed until well blended, stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add ricotta, Gruyere, salt, pepper and basil. Mix enough to blend.

3. Pour batter into buttered sheet pan. Bake 40 minutes, or until the frittata is set and browned. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Adapted from “Be Ready When the Luck Comes,” by Ina Garten (Crown)