The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
A restaurant recreation
Reader’s request for unforgettable salad dressing leads to research and experimentation
FOUND: Alice Leishman, of New Haven, wrote, “I regularly read your column in the New Haven Register. Would you kindly answer these questions?
⏩ How does one soften white granulated sugar that has hardened like a rock?
⏩ Church members, years ago, had a recipe for cranberry sauce that includes walnuts and maybe orange zest. It was delicious.
⏩ Chili’s in East Haven has a very good salad dressing. Perhaps it has lime in it. Is it possible for you to get the recipe?”
Alice, knowing that chain restaurants carefully guard their recipes, and not wanting to take no for an answer, I was determined to see if I could find a similar recipe in one of my cookbooks or blogs that I follow. I hit the jackpot in my research. There are many copycat recipes out there, all with the same ingredient list; just the quantities varied a bit. There was one recipe that included teriyaki sauce.
If you are interested in recreating chain restaurant dishes at home, check out books by authors Todd Wilbur and Ron Douglas. Many of your cravings from your favorite chain restaurants may be satisfied with their books on hand.
I visited Chili’s and ordered the Caribbean Salad (pineapple, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, grilled chicken and the honeylime dressing) and made sure I leftovers to take home to perform a taste test. Then I picked up the ingredients from the recipes and experimented. I think this recipe is on the money. Using an electric mixer, mix until well incorporated.
In answer to your sugar question, the reason sugar hardens is its exposure to moisture. I thought I would check with the sugar experts, Domino Sugar, for advice. Their website suggested removing the sugar from the package and placing it in an ovenproof container. Place in oven for about 15 minutes. Tap sugar with a spoon. If it starts to fall apart, turn oven off and leave sugar in the oven for an hour or two to completely dry out. Store in an airtight container.
Another method that I use, which is quicker, is to put the hardened sugar is a strong, sealable plastic bag. Using a hammer or the flat side of a tenderizing mallet, pound until the sugar is broken up into smaller pieces. Put the pieces in a food processor and pulse until the sugar is back to granules. Place in an airtight container.
In checking a few church and regional cookbooks from my collection, I found variations on a theme. The ingredients are for the most part the same, with each recipe using a slightly different quantity. I wanted to prepare the recipe with fresh cranberries, however, I was told by a produce department employee at a local supermarket that fresh cranberries aren’t carried this time of year. Let me know if this recipe is similar to the one you remember being so delicious.
Cranberry sauce with walnuts
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar (for a more
tart sauce, use less)
1 tablespoon orange zest
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup water
½ cup chopped walnuts
Place cranberries, sugar, orange zest, juice and water in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cook for about 15 minutes, until cranberries pop, and sugar is dissolved and incorporated, stirring occasionally. It should thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from heat and mix in walnuts. Let cool and then refrigerate until cold.
Variations: One recipe added lemon zest rather than orange zest. Another recipe included ½ cup of apricot preserves, and yet another added 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur. Some recipes include gelatin.
Culinary calendar
Kids Cooking Camp — Little Italy: Aug. 6-10, 10 a.m to noon. Chef ’s Emporium, 449 Boston Post Road, Orange, $200. Reservations 203-799-2665. Children, ages 5-11. A similar class is offered for teens (12 years +) from 1 to 3 p.m. For class details and other kids cooking camps, visit https://bit.ly/2LHwYVF.
Wines of Galicia: Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m., Bistro Basque, 13 River St., Milford, Reservations 203-4694218. 866-945-9708 $83. Enjoy eight wines paired with small plates from the kitchen wizardry of Bistro Basque.
Consiglio’s Cooking Demonstration and Dinner: Aug. 9 or Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m., Consiglio’s Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven, 203-865-4489 (reservations required), $75 (beverages, tax and gratuity not included). Learn how to make eggplant rollatini, cavatelli with fresh pesto and summer tomatoes, chicken Anna with wild mushrooms, roasted red peppers, gorgonzola sauce, Godiva tiramisu.
Consiglio’s Murder Mystery Dinner: “Temperatures and Tempers” Aug. 10, doors at 6 p.m., dinner and show at 7, Consiglio’s Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven, reservations at 203-8654489, http://bit.ly/2cyB02Y, $65 includes dinner and show (beverages, tax and gratuity not included). An interactive comedy show that goes on throughout the evening as you enjoy a three-course meal. The cast mingles from table to table, dropping clues for a mystery that only you can solve.
Shoreline Wine Festival: Aug. 11, noon-7 p.m.; Aug. 12, noon-6 p.m., Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market & Winery, 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford, 203-453-2338. Celebrate fine wines from Connecticut wineries and vineyards. Pair this with some of the area’s finest foods, with the backdrop setting of a beautiful farm orchard and background sounds of tasteful music. For tickets, ticket price options and details visit https://bit.ly/2K0gm6A.