[Dear Abby]

Dear Abby would like to add one more Passover recipe to the lovely files of Chef Talk. This is not a pastry, however, so she chose to create her own thread.

Chef Allen Susser, formerly of Le Cirque in New York and owner of Aventura, Florida-based Chef Allen's happens to be a dear friend of my Chef Henri. Henri has made some "adjustments" to Chef Allen's recipe for Mango-Carrot Tzimmes. (Henri's enormous and respect for Chef Allen prevents him from referring to these changes as "improvements", you see). According to Henri, this is a good dish for the Passover Seder.

Henri appreciates the slightly tart flavor added by the mango to the sweet potatoes and carrots, but he prefers to tip the scale a soupçon toward the savory side with the introduction of sautéed onion and garlic, along with more salt.

The results.... c'est magnifique!

Henri has graciously agreed to allow Dear Abby to post his own personal interpretation of traditional Tzimmes here. Until today, only Henri and Abby have had this recipe, so enjoy, my pets!


Chef Henri's Delicious Version of Mango-Carrot Tzimmes


2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
4 tablespoons Parve margarine (or butter), divided
4 medium sweet potatoes
6 medium carrots, peeled
4 ounces orange juice
4 ounces honey
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons brown sugar

Sauté onion in two tablespoons of the butter on medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Add garlic and continue to cook about one minute longer. Set aside.

Slice sweet potatoes and carrots into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Coarsely chop peeled mango. Toss in bowl with potatoes and carrots, then pour into shallow baking dish.

In small saucepan over medium heat, combine orange juice, honey, salt and brown sugar with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir until butter melts. Pour this mixture over vegetables and mango, and cover tightly with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour. Uncover, and bake for 15 minutes more.


Abby!

[cape chef]

I decided to take a break from preparing seder for my family to take a peek around the site.

My Next item to prep is Tzimmes, of course I honor my mothers recipe for this, but I love the idea of the mango's.

My Girls love mango's so maybe if I use them in my Tzimmes they will eat it

I have a lot of respect for Chef Susser, he has worked under some very talented chefs. When he was at La Cirque ( I love this place) he was under Alain Salhac, and he also worked with Jeremiah Towers and Larry Forgione.

It is apparent that Henri rubs shoulders with some talent.

[Dear Abby]

Dear Mr. Cape Chef:

I am writing to apologize for an error in transcription. I cannot believe that I did this. My employer is quite upset with me and Chef Henri has been absolutely livid.

Please accept my abject apologies and correct the above recipe to read:

Slice sweet potatoes and carrots into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Coarsely chop peeled mango. Toss in bowl with sautéed onions, potatoes and carrots, then pour into shallow baking dish.

Thank you and once again I apologize.

Florence
Personal Secretary of Dear Abby

[Suzanne]

My dear Ms. Florence,

I certainly do not wish to increase your employer's or Chef Henri's displeasure at you. That is why I placed the warning label above.

And please be assured that I do not do this to humiliate you; it is simply that my own extensive experience in proof-reading and recipe writing will not permit me to stand by silently when confusion threatens. Therefore: may I venture to point out that you also neglected to mention, in the list of ingredients, the mango or mangoes (plural?). How many should one use? I realize that this omission could be quite embarrassing, but it is not at all my intent to embarrass. I merely wish to know because the recipe is so enticing that I would prefer to make it as perfectly as possible.

If it is you who have been typing Dear Abby's pearls of wisdom to us, I give you credit for an excellent job to this point. This one slip will in no way lessen our opinion of you. In fact, we hope that if you should care to make your own contributions, you will feel comfortable with doing so. Anyone with any relationship to Dear Abby must surely be of the best quality (peccadilloes such as Chef Henri's unfortunate liquid dependence aside).

With sincerest best wishes,
Suzanne

[Dear Abby]

My dearest Suzanne,

Dear Abby appreciates your attempt to intervene, but she does not keep incompetent employees.

She asked Chef Henri and he told her to inform you that the recipe calls for 1 mango, peeled.

Dear Abby is now taking applications for a new secretary. Please provide references.

Abby

[Suzanne]

My dear Dear Abby,

I am sure you are far more magnanimous than to discharge an employee for carelessness if there are clearly extenuating circumstances, and surely not if that employee has irreplaceable attributes (such as Chef Henri). But of course I could not know what the situation might already have been with Ms. Florence. I realize, also, that the employer/employee compact is sacred, and does not take well to outside intervention. So I almost wish I had not intervened, since my actions caused pain (or at least discomfort) to several people, including your charming self. But I really wanted to know how many mangoes to use in that exquisite recipe.

Please forgive me for "butting into" your affairs. And I wish you well in your search for a new secretary. I truly hope that we will still hear from you in the interim. The recipes and wisdom you provide are ne plus ultra.

Gratefully and respectfully,
Suzanne

PS: may I send you my resume as a PM, in confidence?
S.

[Suzanne]

My dear Dear Abby,

May I withdraw the question I added as a PS? Having read your other recent post, in which you mentioned Gretchen, your secretary "that week," I fear we might not suit. I cannot possibly imagine you to be a Gorgon, but I would prefer not to find out for sure.

Your devoted reader,
Suzanne

[Dear Abby]

My dear Suzanne,

Dear Abby is much beloved my most of her retainers. She is hardly a gorgon.

But she does not understand why she has such trouble with secretaries. She thought, however, that you were a chef. It would be wonderful if her secretary were a chef also. Abby never thought of that.

Florence never made a decent cup of coffee, anyway. Tea drinkers never quite get the knack.

Abby

[Suzanne]

My dear Dear Abby,

Please do not imagine that I intimated that you might, in fact, be a Gorgon. Of course a person of your breeding and delicatesse could not.

True, I am considered by many, including some former employers, to be a chef. Presently I am at liberty, having had an unfortunate disagreement with one over the manner in which the staff was being addressed. In long-ago past lives, however, I had experience in the use of office machines. But you are, as always, correct; I am not a secretary.

But perhaps Chef Henri would accept an acolyte? After all, I gather there are times when he is not entirely able to accomplish his artistic tasks due to his need to perform quality assurance on the wine cellar. Again I realize I am being presumptuous, but if one never asks, one will never know.

With deep respect,
Suzanne