FROM THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART ARTISTS' COOKBOOK -- 5 RECIPES

Note:  The five recipes included below, all of them simple to prepare, were published in The Museum of Modern Art Artists’ Cookbook (New York, Museum of Modern Art, 1977).

I cannot recall how I came to own several copies of this book.  Even though I’m very familiar with its contents – it’s a really charming spiral and board-bound volume with nice portraits and anecdote-filled profiles of each of the famous, New York City-based artists whose recipes are included – I’ve never cooked any of them.

That’s about to change, however.  I think I’d really like all of these.

 

Laitance Bourgeois  (Louise Bourgeois)

Serves 6-8

2 pounds soft roe, preferably herring or sardine

Soybean oil or butter

Fresh lemon juice

Sauté soft roe in a small amount of oil or butter on both sides, about 5 minutes in all.  Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice.

Note:  Louise says soft roe is available in the spring.  It is full of vitamin A and very tasty.  In France, laitance is an everyday family dish.

 

Art:  Maman, 1999

Liverwurst In Beer (Robert Motherwell)

Serves 8-10 as an appetizer

1 pound liverwurst in natural casing

1 can of beer

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put liverwurst in baking pan and pour beer to depth of ½ inch.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Slice the liverwurst and serve it either on toast points or with an airy French or Italian bread.

Art:  Elegy To The Spanish Republic No. 110, 1971

Red Salad (Salvador Dali)

Serves 4 for lunch or 8 as a first course

8 ounces red beets, diced

8 ounces smoked tongue, diced

12 ounces red cabbage, finely grated

5 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 shallot, sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

Cayenne pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Iceberg lettuce leaves

Combine cream, tomato paste, sugar, shallot and pepper.  Beat with a whisk until mixture is light and foamy, about 3 minutes.  Slowly beat in lemon juice.  Place beets, cabbage and tongue in a bowl.  Add dressing and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Art:  Lobster Telephone (Aphrodisiac Telephone), 1936

 

  

Broccoli Sandwich With Sardines  

 (Alex Katz)

Serves 2-3

1 small loaf Italian bread

4 broccoli flowerets, steamed

1 4-ounce can Port Clyde sardines, drained

Lemon

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper

Cut bread in half lengthwise.  Arrange sardines across bottom half of bread.  Spread broccoli over sardines.  Sprinkle generously with oil and lemon juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover, press down and slice diagonally into 3 or 4 wedges.

Art:  Milly and Sally, 1984

 

   

Dutch Breakfast (Willem de Kooning)

2 thick slices white bread, buttered

2 slices roast beef or boiled ham

2 eggs, fried

Salt and pepper

Place slices of meat on bread and top with one fried egg each.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Art:  Woman V, 1952-3

 

Headnote Art:  Still from Un Chien Andalou, Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, 1929