Feasting on Art

I am very excited to introduce a new monthly feature to Feasting on Art – blogger recipe collaboration. It is a great way to highlight some of the writers and photographers that I follow and who influence my work. Each collaboration will focus on one painting and two recipes – one sweet and the other savory. This week you will have to visit Jamie’s post, Baked ‘Fried’ Apple Pie, for the sweet half of this autumnal German menu. With it being the first week of Oktoberfest I would recommend enjoying the meal with a big stein of lager. Although German cuisine is often thought of as heavy and stodgy, the sauerkraut (German for ‘sour cabbage’) balances the schnitzel, lightened through the inclusion of fresh apple in the breading. Side-note: due to a dust storm (see photo) all of the photographs were shot by candlelight.

Paul Klee, Still Life with Four Apples, 1909
oil and gouache on board, 34.3 x 28.2 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York City

Within a blink of an eye my entire week has disappeared. Before my eyes reopened today – a warm Sunday morning – I managed to make a lovely little meal of sangria chicken and radicchio salad. My inspiration this week was a beautiful little etching by Picasso made during a period of art historical reflection. The flavors of orange and lemon are repeated in both recipes and the tender chicken (very sweet) compliments the crunchy salad (sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and a little bit bitter). The roasted grapes were the clincher for me – soft and plump, bursting with sweet juice. Prior to sitting down to eat I received a copy of the feature on Feasting on Art in ARTnews Magazine. I am thrilled to say the least and I hope any readers arriving via the article will pause and leave a comment – I am eager to hear your impression!

Pablo Picasso, Nature morte au citron et un pichet rouge
(Still Life with Lemon and Red Pitcher), c.1955
Etching, (image size) 33 x 40.6 cm, Edition of 300

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I feel like this recipe needs to come with a bright red warning, Spicy! Beware!! When my boyfriend had my enchiladas for the first time his cheeks began to sweat and I found that I am becoming more like my father in that I like my food very spicy. I have provided suggested substitutions to keep the flavor but loose some of the heat or you could add a nice dollop of sour cream to mellow out the flavors (even better with a squirt of fresh lime juice!). Chipotle chilies are hard to find here in Australia and I have yet to discover a local source. I do know that this store based in Melbourne has them in stock and will ship them to those of you in Sydney. I am lucky my friends and family can easily buy cans of them at the grocery store in the States so I am able to stock up when I have visitors. The smoky flavor of the chipotle chili is what really makes this dish one of my absolute favorites!

Diego Rivera, Woman Grinding Maize, 1924
encaustic on canvas, 106.7 x 121.9 cm, Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City

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This is a post of firsts. It is my first non-western recipe and painting, it is the first painting by an anonymous artist, the first work to not feature a still life and because of this, the first one to not have a recreation. Beyond all of the firsts, it is an opportunity for me to learn about a section of art history with which I am not overly familiar. Chicken congee is a dish that my partner fondly remembers from his childhood so I was more than happy to make it for him. It is a warm and filling dish that is perfect for the current frosty weather that has recently enveloped Sydney.

Anonymous, Mother Hen and Chicks, Sung Dynasty
Ink & colour on paper, 60.8 x 32.8 cm, current collection unknown

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Unintentionally the majority of the recipes on this blog have been vegetarian. I find that when I cook for myself I rarely eat meat but my partner is hungry an hour later if there is not a substantial amount of protein in the meal. With the exception of the spring onion crespelles, which contained bacon in the ragu as a flavoring, this the first recipe here on Feasting on Art to feature meat. The still life paintings depicting poultry and game are not the most attractive and I foresee a struggle with my photographic recreations. I managed to come up with a solution for the dead hen but I don’t always think it will be so easy. I hope you enjoy this warm and filling recipe.

Giacomo Ceruti, Still-Life with Hen, Onion, and Pot, c.1970s
oil on canvas, Private collection

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