Martha Morgan was a veritable human encyclopedia.
A font of knowledge of everything from stock performance to theater to politics and beyond, mom’s true art was her seemingly unparalleled ability to recall the names of actors in virtually any popular film. She was a walking Internet Movie Database. It was remarkable...you could ask her "who played the lifeguard in 'Beach Blanket Bingo'?" or "who played Elaine in 'The Graduate'?" and she would effortlessly rattle off the correct answer.
Naturally, one of her
favorite events of the year was Oscar Night. She was such an enthusiastic
fan that, in her ultra-competitive style, she initiated a family competition to
see who could best predict the Oscar results, complete with a garish trophy
awarded to the winner!
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| Currently residing at 1001 L Street NW #311, Washington, DC |
We enjoyed many heated family
contests (sandwich making and ping pong, among others) but the most coveted award was always
the Oscar trophy. Participants were required to have seen (and
understood) a majority of the films nominated for Best Picture and submit their
secret ballots to her by showtime. As you might imagine, there were many
rifts over who was most deserving but, fortunately, this contest was completely
objective -- the victor was simply the person with the most correct answers. And to the victor went the spoils...namely, the exhilaration of bragging rights and the Oscar trophy prominently displayed on their mantle. We haven't indulged in this heated contest since the year mom died...which is extremely
convenient for me since I am the most recent winner and, thereby, the holder of
the trophy ad infinitum!
Another of mom's
favorite things was a dish not quite so universally loved as the Oscars...veal. She loved it any
way she could get it...and prepared it beautifully. One of her most
revered recipes was Veal Chops with Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts. Even though
the curtain has been drawn on mom's Oscar Nights, this wonderful dish lives on as Best In Show in many of our hearts.
As a fitting tribute, Kathleen Galvan and I prepared this sumptuous delicacy on Oscar Night 2017. There were no production mishaps in our performance though...our veal show went off without a hitch and we were certainly the lucky winners after enjoying this wonderful recipe!
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Veal Chops with Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts (Serves 2)
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Veal Chops with Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts (Serves 2)
3 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbs. minced shallots
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. dry vermouth
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 C. minced, peeled, seeded roma tomatoes (about 5 large)
1/3 C. Nicosia olives
1/2 C. chicken broth
1 small garlic clove,
minced
1 1/2 C. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed or 1/2 can artichoke hearts rinsed and
drained (not marinated kind)
2 (8
oz) 1" thick veal chops,
fat trimmed [I used 1 1/2" because, well, I could...I also frenched the bones to make them look nice]
1 clove garlic, flattened
Heat 2 tsp oil in heavy small
saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sliced
garlic and stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Add
vermouth, 1/8 tsp
thyme
and 1/8 tsp oregano. Increase heat
to high
and boil
until
only thin film of liquid remains, stirring constantly, about 1 1./2 minutes.
Mix in remaining thyme and oregano, tomatoes and olives.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stir frequently. Set sauce aside. (Can be made
1 day ahead)
Bring broth and minced
garlic to boil in heavy medium sauce pan. Add artichokes and
cook until heated through
stirring occasionally. Drain. Season with salt and pepper.
Rub veal with
flattened garlic. Reserve
garlic. Season veal with salt land pepper. Heat heavy medium skillet
over medium heat until hot. Add remaining 1 tsp oil and reserved garlic. Add
veal and brown well, about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook
until
veal is tender but still pink
inside, about 3 minutes. Discard
garlic. Arrange veal chops on plates,
tent with foil. Pour 2 Tbs. veal pan juices into tomato sauce. Stir sauce over medium heat until heated through. Spoon 1/4 of sauce over veal. Toss
artichokes with remaining sauce. Spoon artichokes around veal.
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The nominees wait nervously for their names to be called...
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Shallots, garlic and olive oil make their way to the stage...
Vermouth, tomatoes, olives and artichokes provide an entertaining interlude before the big reveal...
The stars enter from stage left...
The winning finale...escargot and a nice Bordeaux were a delicious supporting cast!
