Part 1 (2/2)

Hors d'oeuvres started to become more of an expected and accepted offering in the early to mid 1900s. Indeed, the idea of eating food as a way to whet the appet.i.te started in Russia, where guests partook of caviar, herring, anchovies, and other salty food in a separate room before dinner. Russia was also the birthplace of the Service a la Russe (AKA, ”in the Russian style of dining”). While the Earl of Grantham might not like to be a.s.sociated with Russia, he would not balk at the chance to show off his opulence and his ability to provide not just an extravagant meal but an extravagant array of snacks (expensive caviar and decadent oysters were standard offerings). Sometimes, however, depending on the number of people and the lateness of the hour, hors d'oeuvres would be served at the dinner table with the guests already seated. But no matter where the hors d'oeuvres were served, they would be served with Chablis - and at Downton Abbey you know they'd also be served with a wry sense of humor and plenty of witty repartee.

Grilled Oysters with Lemon Garlic b.u.t.ter.

As oysters and caviar were the most common appetizers offered before a large meal, the Earl and Countess of Grantham - along with their children - would know not to eat oysters with their fingers but with a fork. After all, one incorrect move and the Dowager Countess would have a field day complaining about her family's manners.

YIELDS 46 SERVINGS 114 cups unsalted b.u.t.ter 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese 1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lime juice 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced chives 1 teaspoon minced shallot 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar 12 teaspoon cayenne pepper 25 shucked oysters, half of each sh.e.l.l reserved and washed Mix together all ingredients other than oysters in a large bowl, then place mixture on a piece of plastic wrap, rolling it to form a stiff log. Freeze until firm.

Move oven rack to middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350F.

Place washed oyster sh.e.l.ls on a baking sheet. Top each sh.e.l.l with one oyster. Remove the b.u.t.ter log from the freezer and unwrap, slicing it into 25 rounds. Place each round on top of an oyster.

Put oysters in oven and cook about 1015 minutes until they are cooked through, curled around the edges with bubbling b.u.t.ter. Do not overcook. To test for doneness, tap oyster sh.e.l.l. If hollow-sounding, then the oyster is done.

Times Gone By In the decade preceding World War I, Lady Jeune, Baroness St. Helier, a well-known socialite and self-proclaimed ”modern woman,” revolted against what she saw as extravagance and outdated customs. She proclaimed, ”No dinner should consist of more than eight dishes: soup, fish, entree, joint, game, sweet, hors d'oeuvres, and perhaps an ice; but each dish should be perfect of its kind.” Luckily, this dish counts as an hors d'oeuvre and makes the cut!

Smoked Salmon Mousse

A more ”modern” appetizer that the Dowager Countess would both detest for its modernity and enjoy for its taste, this is a take on the better known dessert mousses and jellies. However, we can rest a.s.sured that Mrs. Patmore would not offer this modern mousse on the night that the Dowager Countess first meets Matthew Crawley - the dear Dowager Countess is in a bad enough mood already.

YIELDS 1012 SERVINGS Unsalted b.u.t.ter for greasing mold 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 14 cup cold water 12 cup boiling water 12 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 drops hot sauce 12 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups poached salmon, flaked into minute pieces 2 tablespoons capers, drained 1 cup whipped cream Grease a 6-cup fish mold with b.u.t.ter.

Soften the gelatin in cold water. Add the 12 cup boiling water and stir well, making sure to thoroughly dissolve gelatin.

Let cool thoroughly, then stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce, paprika, and sea salt. Mix well. Fold in the salmon bits and capers. Add the whipped cream and continue folding until everything is well combined.

Pour the mousse into the mold, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Unmold the mousse onto a large plate and serve.

Suggested Pairings Although it would be difficult to get some of these ingredients in England back in the early 1900s, try serving this dish with sliced avocados, celery sticks, olives, and baguette slices.

The Countess of Grantham's Moules en Sauce

This French recipe, enjoyed frequently by those visiting the Breton coast, would be a fancy, yet easy-to-make appetizer that the Countess of Grantham would offer when Matthew Crawley and his mother first visit, as it is sure to please even those whom she has yet to really know.

YIELDS 4 SERVINGS.

12 cup light Bacardi rum 1 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter 2 large onions, peeled and sliced into rings 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 18 teaspoon cayenne pepper 8 cups mussels, cleaned and debearded 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh thyme Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 12 cup heavy cream Thyme for garnish In a small bowl, mix together rum and wine and set aside.

Melt b.u.t.ter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, celery, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Stir occasionally until the onions are transparent.

Place mussels in pan and stir. Once the mussels begin to release their juice, pour the wine-rum mixture over them. Stir in bay leaves and thyme, then add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once the mussels have opened, add 2 large tablespoons of the cream into the sauce. Pour mussels and sauce into bowls, then add another tablespoon of cream and thyme for garnish.

Etiquette Lessons To clean your mussels, be sure to discard any mussels that are broken or open. Before cooking, soak your mussels in water for 2025 minutes. To remove the mussels's beard, hold the mussel in one hand, then cover the other hand with a dishcloth. Grasp the beard with the dishcloth and yank towards the hinge edge of the mussel, not towards the opening end of the mussel. Place debearded mussels in another bowl of clean, cold, water and use a firm brush to scrub off any remaining sand or attachments on mussels.

Zesty Mussels in Tomato Garlic Sauce

It was typical in Edwardian times to serve Chablis along with mussel hors d'oeuvres. As many a night at Downton Abbey could erupt thanks to the ”hot” tempers of its inhabitants, and as this is a spicier mussel appetizer than The Countess of Grantham's Moules En Sauce (see recipe in this chapter), it's no wonder that wine would serve as both the drink of choice and one of the main ingredients in this spicy dish.

YIELDS 24 SERVINGS 1 cup white wine 1 cup tomato-and-clam juice c.o.c.ktail 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in garlic and olive oil 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 12 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded 4 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter In a large pot, combine wine, tomato-and-clam juice c.o.c.ktail, diced tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and add mussels.

Cover and continue to boil for 68 minutes or until all the mussels have opened. Discard any closed mussels.

Remove mussels from liquid and keep warm. Pour off liquid, leaving only about 2 cups. Do not discard garlic if possible. Boil the 2 cups until it reduces to about 112 cups.

Stir in b.u.t.ter until b.u.t.ter has melted and sauce has thickened. Serve mussels with sauce. Also try serving with sourdough bread to soak up extra sauce.

Times Gone By In seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France, the bourgeoisie - the middle cla.s.s - were far stricter about manners than the n.o.bility. As there was no king standing nearby to enforce the rules of etiquette, the bourgeoisie saw it as up to them to impose and dictate the rules of civility, which means that they could be considered even worse sn.o.bs than their more prestigious counterparts.

Potatoes with Caviar and Creme Fraiche

With another reliable hors d'oeuvres standby, the Countess of Grantham would be sure to wow even the cynical Matthew Crawley with this simple, yet nonetheless delicious treat. After all, if the hostess of Downton could offer such a decadent treat as a mere appetizer, Matthew Crawley would quickly become aware that he is entering a whole other world - one with impeccable food to go with those impeccable manners.

YIELDS 46 SERVINGS 2 dozen fingerling potatoes, washed and halved lengthwise 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan sea salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 12 teaspoon thyme 1 cup creme fraiche 1 (3-ounce) jar high-quality caviar (such as Osetra caviar) Fresh chives, minced, for garnish Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, toss potatoes with 23 cup of the olive oil, the rosemary, pink Himalayan sea salt, and pepper.

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