Dinner en Homage: Natalie Wood
After too long an absence our popular Dinner en Homage series returns to Cafe Drake with an early Summer-themed menu for another of our great film favorites, Natalie Wood. NW has - since our childhood - remained one of those celluloid stars looming large in our consciousness. Another tragic victim of Tinseltown excess, Natalie was once quoted as replying to the question of how one manages the loneliness and actual isolation of being a superstar with this nugget of jaded wisdom: "Well, here in Hollywood, we have various means of dealing with that." Absolute musts on every Netflix queue: Splendor in the Grass , Love With the Proper Stranger, This Property is Condemned, West Side Story, Inside Daisy Clover, Gypsy, and Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.
DINNER EN HOMAGE NATALIE WOOD
(A Very Very) Long Cocktail Hour
Chilled Avocado Soup with Crab Salad and Toast Points
When working years ago at Parker's Restaurant in London, Cafe Drake frequently made a similar version of this soup for lunch customers.
- 3 ripe avocados
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 1/3 cup walnut halves
- 1/3 cup fresh dill sprigs, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1/3 cup diced red onion, or half a small onion
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Halve and pit two avocados. With a spoon, scoop out flesh and transfer to a blender. Add buttermilk, walnuts, dill, red onion, vinegar, salt, and 1 cup water and puree until smooth.
- Cover the blender and refrigerate until the soup is well chilled, at least one hour. Halve and pit remaining avocado. Cut into four sections lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch chunks. Divide soup among four bowls and garnish each with diced avocado and dill, if desired.
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