How to serve humans
Food stylist Janice Poon creates beautifully disturbing plates from her new book, Feeding Hannibal
Food stylist Janice Poon is responsible for the fantastical meals seen in the NBC TV show Hannibal, the critically acclaimed crime thriller that portrays a pre
Silence of the Lambs Hannibal Lecter and his tenuous relationship with an FBI investigator.
The food became an extension of Lecter, revealing the character’s culinary prowess and love of hosting dinner parties, as well as his murderous side. It was also a huge hit with the viewers. So Poon began writing a cookbook, detailing how she made the feasts — Lecter’s human thigh roast is actually chicken meat and that human foot dish started as a veal shank. Then last summer, after a three-season run, Hanni
bal was cancelled and Poon worried that would be the end of her cookbook.
“We never thought the show would last forever but it was sad. I was already writing the cookbook at the time and I thought it was also going to be cancelled,” Poon says.
But the show’s cult following (fans call themselves Fannibals) prevailed and Poon released Feeding Hannibal ($39, Titan Books) last month. It includes some 135 dishes (a few are meat-free) inspired by the macabre meals Poon cooked up for the show.
Fake intestines made from pasta, a human rib cage made of baby beef ribs . . . these dishes would normally be best suited for Halloween, but there’s an elegance and spectacle to her creations. They are vibrant, detailed and saturated rather than gory. They would make a killer holiday feast, I thought, and I invited Poon into the test kitchen.
Instead of the trussed holiday bird, Poon suggested a centrepiece of claybaked chicken that involves a bit of theatrics: smashing a hard clay shell in front of guests to reveal a steamed, bacon-wrapped chicken underneath. How’s that for an icebreaker? Poon wraps a whole uncooked chicken in a lattice of bacon strips, creating a sinewy look reminiscent of the human thigh Lecter cooked in one episode. She seals the chicken in sculptor clay and bakes it until it’s fully steamed in its own juices.
Poon is all about the presentation and evoking a sense of foreboding in her food. She garnishes the chicken platter with torn purple kale leaves and brussels sprouts with purple and green veins, a simple touch that adds a pop of otherworldly colours found on poisonous insects and frogs in nature.
“The characters (on the show) are always on the threshold of madness and chaos, so sometimes the food on the plate looks like it’s about to tip over, giving a sense of unease,” Poon says.
A side dish of bright orange strands of carrot tossed in a coconut ginger dressing is meant to resemble human hair.
Poon, who is currently working on an upcoming series called American Gods based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman, drew inspiration for her work from surrealist artist Salvador Dali’s 1973 cookbook, Dalí: Les diners de Gala. This tome, which depicts strange dishes concocted by a brilliant but twisted mind, much like Lecter himself, is coincidentally getting a re-release next week.
Food is often seen as a source of comfort, but for Poon there’s always an element of danger in a dish.
“When we sit down with people, we trust the food that people make,” she says. “There is such a trust, but it’s so easy to kill people with food . . . not that I think about that when I cook at home.”
Clay-Baked Chicken
Star Tested Aside from making a cool centre piece that you crack open at the table, the clay acts as an oven, sealing in the hot air and juices as the chicken and bacon cook. Sculptor clay can be purchased at art supply stores; just make sure it’s non-toxic. Also, be sure to wrap the chicken completely in aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent juices from leaking out.
3 1/2 lbs (1.6 kg) whole chicken, trussed 1 lemon, halved 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) smoked paprika 10 strips bacon 10 lbs (4.5 kg) non-toxic sculptor clay
Rinse chicken under water and completely dry with paper towel. Stuff cavity with lemon halves and rosemary sprig.
Using a mortar and pestle or a wooden spoon and mixing bowl, smash garlic cloves with salt and paprika, mixing to form a paste. Rub paste all over chicken.
Lay five strips of bacon diagonally across chicken. Weave remaining strips of bacon through in opposite direction, creating a lattice pattern that covers entire chicken. Wrap chicken tightly in parchment paper or aluminum foil, making sure there are no exposed areas. Set aside.
Place 1/3 of clay on a clean working surface lined with parchment paper. Lay another piece of parchment paper on top and using a rolling pin, roll clay into a1/4-inch (1/2 cm) thick oval about10 inches by 7 inches (25 cm by 18 cm), or large enough to rest chicken on top with about a 2-inch (5 cm border. Transfer flattened clay and parchment it was rolled on to a baking tray. Set aside.
Place remaining clay on a clean working surface lined with parchment paper. Lay another piece of parchment paper on top and roll clay to 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) thickness, about twice the size of the other sheet of clay. Set aside.
Place wrapped chicken on centre of baking tray lined with flattened clay. Carefully drape larger piece of clay over chicken. Use fingers moistened with water to smooth out any cracks and moisten any bits of extra clay to patch up any holes. Firmly press together but do not puncture the edges of the two sheets of clay to create an airtight seal around chicken.
Use any trimmed bits of clay to form decorative leaves and flowers on the clay shell.
Bake clay chicken at 350 F (175 C) for 1hour. Turn heat up to 400 F (200 C) and roast for another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Serve by cracking open clay with a mallet. Remove clay shards, peel back parchment or foil, cut and serve chicken.
Makes 2 to 3 servings.
Prosciutto Roses On Melon
Star Tested This classic combo of melon and cured ham is a go-to for Hannibal Lecter, but being the gourmand that he is, he rolls the prosciutto into beautiful little roses. The book uses watermelon, but honeydew gives a holiday colour scheme.
1 small watermelon or honeydew 24 thin slices of prosciutto 24 fresh basil leaves, for garnish Cut watermelon into quarter wedges.
Using a thin, flexible knife, cut away at rind of melon leaving only red flesh. Repeat with other wedges. Cut flesh into evenly sized, 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) cubes. Set aside.
Take one slice of prosciutto and lay it flat. Pinch one end of prosciutto, fatty white edge facing “up.” Roll prosciutto loosely in a spiral, pinching bottom side together.
Secure flower and basil leaf, if using, with one end of a toothpick and pierce watermelon with other end to secure flower on top.
Repeat with remaining prosciutto slices.
Serve immediately.
Ginger Carrot-Top Slaw
Star Tested The long strands of shredded carrot are meant to represent the scalp of a long-haired, red-headed tabloid journalist who is out to get Hannibal Lecter in the TV show.
A mandolin is used to achieve the hairlike texture of the carrot, but you can use a box grater — just say the reporter got a buzz cut.
The combination of coconut oil and ginger gives this a zesty East Asian flavour.
4 large carrots, peeled
2 tbsp (30 mL) white balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly grated ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) liquid coconut oil or olive oil
1tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped candied ginger Salt and pepper, to taste
Using a mandolin set with a thin julienne blade, shred carrots into long, thin strands. Place carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, ginger, sugar and oil until smooth.
Toss carrots with dressing and candied ginger, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, swirl carrots on a platter to resemble a lock of hair.
Makes 4 servings. karonliu@thestar.ca