Read an Excerpt
The Lucky Santangelo Cookbook
By Jackie Collins, Michelle Beilner St. Martin's Press
Copyright © 2014 Chances, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4668-4271-7
CHAPTER 1
Cocktails
The Jackie Collins, by Wolfgang Puck
The Venus Bellini
Caipirinhas
Lucky's Killer Margaritas
Lennie Has a Yen for the Definitive Manhattan
Gino the Ram's Special Spicy Bloody Marys
Bobby and Denver's White Wine Sangria
Wassail
Midori Sours
The Venus Lychee Martini
The Jackie Collins, by Wolfgang Puck
Yield: 1 Jackie Collins cocktail
Muddle the raspberries with the simple syrup. Add the vodka and lemonade into a cocktail shaker. Squeeze the lime over the vodka mixture. Add the ice cubes, and shake the cocktail shaker hard for 30 seconds. Pour in the club soda, shake once, and strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a raspberry and a fresh mint leaf.
6 raspberries plus an additional raspberry, for garnish
Splash of simple syrup (1 ounce or less)
2 ounces vodka
2 ounces lemonade, preferably Perricone's
½ lime
4 to 6 ice cubes
1½ ounces club soda
Fresh mint leaf, for garnish
What can I say about Wolf except that he's the BEST! I have never had anything but exquisite meals at all of his many restaurants. And when he created The Jackie Collins I was totally thrilled. Thank you, Wolf, and keep on doing it so brilliantly! Oh, and yes everyone, enjoy the drink!
The Venus Bellini
Yield: about 6 Bellinis
Frozen passion fruit purée is becoming much more widely available in city supermarkets—great news for Lucky's fantastic Bellinis.
½ cup filtered water
1 cup superfine sugar
8 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed
1 teaspoon grated tangerine peel
8 ounces frozen strawberries, thawed
8 ounces frozen passion fruit purée, thawed
3 to 4 bottles good-quality champagne, or prosecco, chilled
Fresh strawberries, for garnish
Orange and lemon peel twists, for garnish
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the water and sugar and stir steadily until the sugar has dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Set the sugar syrup aside to let cool.
In the jar of a blender, purée the peaches, tangerine peel, and ¼ cup of the sugar syrup until very smooth. Strain into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Clean the blender jar, add the strawberries and ¼ cup of the sugar syrup and purée until smooth. Strain into another bowl through a fine-mesh strainer or a strainer lined with cheesecloth, and discard the strawberry seeds. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Clean the blender jar again, add the passion fruit purée and purée with the remaining sugar syrup until smooth. Pour into a small pitcher, and transfer the chilled strawberry and peach mixtures into two other small pitchers.
For each Bellini, have your guests choose their preferred fruit mixture and pour about 3 tablespoons of the chosen mixture into a tall champagne flute. Slowly pour enough champagne or prosecco into the flute until it's filled. Garnish with the strawberries and orange and lemon twists and serve at once.
What a way to start any evening—or finish it for that matter—an ice cold Bellini or The Jackie Collins by Wolfgang Puck is always a delight!
Drink up and have fun.
Sometimes only a Bellini fixes all the wrongs in the world, Lucky thought as she and her best friend, Venus, indulged their passion. Venus was going through a period of boy toys—young studs in their early twenties with rock-hard abs and a penchant for endless sex.
Lucky could only watch and admire Venus's stamina. Who needed a young stud when you are married to Lennie Golden? As far as Lucky was concerned—one of the most attractive and talented men ever.
"Hmm ..." Venus murmured, sipping her Bellini. "Delicious!"
"The drink or your latest acquisition?" Lucky inquired.
Venus giggled. "He's got abs of steel. I want you to meet him."
"Can't wait," Lucky drawled.
But of course she could.
Caipirinhas
Yield: eight 6-ounce Caipirinhas
These zippy Brazilian libations are smooth and mild in flavor, but they can really sneak up on you!
4 limes, plus 2 additional limes for garnish
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 dozen ice cubes
1½ cups cachaça (Brazilian sugarcane liquor)
Quarter all the limes lengthwise, then cut each quarter in half crosswise and place the quarters of 4 of the limes in a pitcher. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar to the pitcher, then muddle the lime quarters by pounding and pressing with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Fill 6 to 8 glasses with ice, add 3 tablespoons (1½ ounces) of cachaça, and stir in the muddled lime mixture to fill each glass.
Cachaça is becoming much more widely available, but you can substitute vodka. They just won't be real Caipirinhas. Use superfine sugar, which is sold in most supermarkets, because it dissolves quickly and thoroughly.
"Hey," Lucky said. "Want a drink?"
Her husband, Lennie, gave her his irresistible lopsided grin. "Only if you feel like making one of your famous Caipirinhas."
"And if I do, what do I get in return?" Lucky challenged.
Lennie's grin widened. "Whatever you want, Lucky. And I got a hunch I know what that might be."
Lucky smiled. "Ah, he knows me so well," she sighed.
"Sure I do," Lennie said confidently.
"And what if what she wants is the latest model Ferrari?"
"For one drink?" Lennie said, raising his eyebrows.? "You gotta be—"
"Trust me," Lucky said, lightly running her fingers through his longish hair. "It'll be worth it."
Lennie grinned. He knew it would be. Of that he had no doubt.
Lucky's Killer Margaritas
Yield: 4 to 6 Margaritas
The longer the zest and juice mixture steeps, the better. Twenty-four hours would be ideal. But if you're in a hurry—and when it comes to margaritas, most people are—just omit the zest and skip the steeping process.
4 teaspoons finely grated zest, plus ½ cup juice from 2 to 3 medium limes
4 teaspoons finely grated zest, plus ½ cup juice from 2 to 3 medium lemons
1/3 cup freshly squeezed white grapefruit juice
¼ cup superfine sugar
Pinch of salt, plus additional salt for rimming the glasses (optional)
2 cups roughly crushed ice
1½ cups 100 percent agave tequila
1 cup Triple Sec
Combine the lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, grapefruit juice, sugar, and salt in a 1-quart glass measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the flavors blend, 4 to 24 hours.
Divide 1 cup crushed ice among 4 to 6 roomy tumblers, rimmed with salt if desired. Strain the juice mixture into a 1-quart pitcher or cocktail shaker. Add the tequila, Triple Sec, and the remaining cup of crushed ice. Stir or shake until thoroughly combined and chilled, 20 to 60 seconds. Strain into the ice-filled tumblers. Serve immediately.
Lucky is very into all types of music, as am I. When drinking one of Lucky's Killer Margaritas, I suggest you listen to a couple of her favorite tracks, such as "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Have fun with the drink and the music.
Lennie Has a Yen for the Definitive Manhattan
Yield: 2 generous Manhattans
When it comes to a Manhattan cocktail, less is always more. There are some dreadful "variations" out there. Perfection should be left alone!
1½ ounces sweet vermouth
5 to 6 ounces good bourbon
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2 maraschino cherries
Chilled cocktail glasses, or, preferably, conical stemmed martini glasses
Combine the vermouth, bourbon, and bitters with 7 ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to combine.
Place a cherry in each of two chilled cocktail or martini glasses and strain the bourbon mixture over the cherry.
Lennie Golden. A true talent. A director, writer, producer. A man happy and satisfied with his life. And why wouldn't he be? For Lennie is married to the very volatile and vibrant Lucky Santangelo. A one-of-a-kind woman.
Lennie often recalls their first meeting so many years ago in Las Vegas. She'd wanted to sleep with him. He'd turned her down!
Crazy times. Crazy memories.
And now ... married with kids.
He wouldn't have it any other way.
Gino the Ram's Special Spicy Bloody Marys
Yield: 6 to 8 Bloody Marys
Not for sissies! If you've got a few timid souls in attendance at your soirée, I suppose you could omit the habañero or Scotch bonnet, but it won't be the same experience. If you had to, you could also substitute bottled prepared horseradish for the freshly grated, but again, it won't be the same.
2½ cups chilled vodka
½ cup chopped onion
2 small garlic cloves, pressed with a sturdy garlic press
2 small jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 habañero or Scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Hot sauce, to taste
5 cups tomato or V8 juice
3 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh horseradish
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lime wedges and celery ribs, for serving
In a 1-quart glass measure, combine the vodka with the onion, pressed garlic, jalapeños, habañero, bell pepper, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until smooth.
In a large pitcher (at least ½-gallon capacity), combine the vodka mixture with the tomato juice, grated horseradish, celery salt, and black pepper and stir vigorously to blend. Strain into ice-filled tall glasses and serve with the lime wedges and celery ribs.
When dealing with Gino—anything goes! The man is a powerhouse, a force of nature.
Drink Gino the Ram's Special Spicy Bloody Mary only if you enjoy taking chances! Good luck!
Bobby and Denver's White Wine Sangria
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
You can take this recipe further by adding your favorite fruits—apple and/or pear slices, peeled and sliced kiwi, sliced peaches, sliced strawberries, melon balls—whatever you fancy. When it's all stirred in, taste for sweetness and add sugar to taste.
One 25-ounce bottle white wine (more or less is okay), such as Riesling, Gewürtztraminer, or Chardonnay
½ cup superfine sugar
3 oranges, scrubbed and sliced into wedges
1 lemon, scrubbed and sliced into wedges
1 lime, scrubbed and sliced into wedges
4 ounces brandy
2 cups club soda
Pour the wine into a large pitcher. Stir in the sugar, and squeeze in the juices from the orange, lemon, and lime wedges. Pour in the brandy, toss in some of the fruit wedges, and chill for at least 4 hours. Pour in the club soda just before serving.
Wassail
Yield: 15 cups
This wonderful, festive punch really helps to warm and soothe you.
One 6-inch cinnamon stick, broken into 2 to 3 pieces
16 whole cloves, plus additional for studding the oranges
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries, lightly crushed
3 oranges, scrubbed
6 cups apple cider (not juice)
2 cups cranberry juice
¼ cup sugar, more or less, as needed
1 teaspoon Angostura Bitters
4 cups white rum
Tie the cinnamon stick, 16 of the cloves, and the allspice in cheesecloth. Stud the oranges with more cloves and cut them in half.
In a large saucepan, combine the cider, cranberry juice, sugar, and bitters, stirring well. Add the cheesecloth packet, and bring the mixture just to a light boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the rum, heat through, and remove the cheesecloth packet. Transfer to a heatproof punch bowl and serve hot with the clove-studded oranges floating in the punch.
Midori Sours
Yield: 1 Midori cocktail
These have a very deceptive mildness, so don't serve them around the pool.
¼ cup vodka
¼ cup Midori melon liqueur
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Shake all of the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass.
Sade singing "Smooth Operator" is the perfect music while sipping a Midori Sour and totally relaxing. It's one of Lucky and Lennie's go-to drinks. At times you can throw in a track or two of Amy Winehouse—always a trip.
The Venus Lychee Martini
Yield: 2 Martinis
This delicious martini is based on my memory of a lychee martini served at Kittichai, a Thai restaurant in Manhattan's SoHo. If you can't find superfine sugar, buzz ¼ cup regular, granulated sugar in a mini processor until it's finely ground to help it dissolve more easily in the liquids.
¼ cup superfine sugar
¼ cup filtered or bottled still water
1 cup drained bottled or canned lychees (about 18), 2 reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup good-quality vodka
¼ cup Cointreau
In a 1-quart saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over high heat, stirring constantly. Pour the result into a heatproof bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir the sugar syrup occasionally, until the mixture is cold, about 5 minutes.
In the jar of a blender, purée the lychees in the sugar syrup with the lemon juice. Strain the mixture back into the sugar-water bowl. Discard any solids that remain in the strainer.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes, pour in the lychee mixture, vodka, and Cointreau. Shake for 20 to 30 seconds, and strain into chilled martini glasses. Add 2 whole lychees for decoration.
Venus, boy toy in tow, entered Mr Chow restaurant in Beverly Hills like a true superstar. Blond, beautiful, her look polished to a diamond gloss. The paparazzi leapt to attention, flashbulbs popping overtime.
The young stud accompanying her attempted to look nonchalant, but there was no mistaking the look of triumph burning brightly in his eyes. A month ago he was a busboy in an Italian restaurant. Now he was on the arm of a very famous woman indeed—Venus—a star of epic proportions.
Chris, the handsome maître d', leapt forward and led them to a prime table. Conversations stopped. Heads turned. Venus settled into her seat. Within seconds Riccardo delivered her favorite lychee martini to the table.
Venus didn't have to ask. She merely had to enjoy.
CHAPTER 2
Appetizers
Amazing Caesar Salad
Max's Beet and Avocado Salad
Mandarin Orange and Red Onion Salad with Champagne
Chorizo-Chocolate Tapas
Mushroom and Gruyère Tart
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Smoked Duck Pizza with Hoisin Sauce
Pizza with Mushroom and Sausage
Gino's Favorite Pesto Pizza
Smoked Salmon Pizza
Amazing Caesar Salad (Lucky and Lennie's Favorite Late-Night Indulgence)
Yield: 3 to 4 large servings
This version has a crisp garlic bite and a certain earnestness of anchovies. Try to time the making of the croutons so that they will still be just warm when they're tossed with the rest of the salad to take any remaining chill out of the romaine.
CROUTONS
One 14- to 16-ounce loaf French or Italian peasant bread, sourdough if you like
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Several dashes of Tabasco sauce
Several grinds of black pepper
SALAD
3 garlic cloves
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
Kosher salt, to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, with at least 6 percent acidity
2 teaspoons smooth Maille Dijon mustard
2 very fresh large egg yolks
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large head romaine lettuce
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
12 white anchovies or boquerónes
For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the crusts from the loaf and cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes. In a very large bowl, combine the butter, oil, salt, Tabasco, and black pepper. Add the bread cubes and toss with your clean hands until the cubes are well coated. Spread the cubes out on a large, aluminum foil–lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until just browned. (Reserve but don't bother to rinse the bowl.)
For the salad: Assemble the salad in private or in public. Pass the garlic through a garlic press into the same large bowl. Add the anchovy fillets and the salt and, using two forks, mash with the garlic into a paste. Whisk in the pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, and egg yolks. Finally, whisk in the olive oil until well blended.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Lucky Santangelo Cookbook by Jackie Collins, Michelle Beilner. Copyright © 2014 Chances, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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