NO BEGGAR’S BANQUET

The culinary highlights from Chef Roger Pigozzi’s kitchen at the Beverly Hilton, where he and 39 other chefs are at work preparing dinner for the Governors Ball in their International Ballroom:

The menu, to be served by 140 captains, waiters and buspersons to 124 tables:

First course--Salmon Fume Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette Dressing (800 pounds of Kentucky Baby Bibb lettuce and 300 pounds of fresh Norwegian Salmon, arriving that day from Norway, where else?).

Entree--Rack of Lamb (1,400 pounds) with Cheese Tortellini Alfredo, Fresh Baby Carrots (5,000 of the little suckers) and Mushroom Caps filled with Creamed Spinach. Plus 100 pounds of butter for the dinner rolls.

Beverages--Mumm’s Cordon Rouge Champagne, Monterey Vineyard Chardonnay, Louis Jadot Beaujolais.

And the best for last--dessert. It’s called “The Winner Is . . .,” features a “chocolate-lined delicate white meringue basket filled with fluffy lemon mousse (requiring juice from 525 lemons) topped with fresh berries and a white chocolate envelope with a red seal.” Pastry chef John Raab figured that he spent 50 hours just making the white chocolate envelopes.

And the recipe?

White Meringue Basket 3.2 oz. egg whites

3.6 oz. granulated sugar

3 oz. powdered sugar

Whip egg whites with sugar to stiff peak. Fold in powdered sugar and dress into 8 moistened coffee cups. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes, and then remove from cups. Leave in warm oven overnight to dry.

Lemon Mousse 1 qt. whipped cream

Gratings from one lemon

Juice from three lemons

1/2 package gelatin

4 yolks

5 oz. sugar

1/2 oz. cornstarch

1/2 pt. milk

Vanilla (to taste)

Heat milk to boiling point. Mix yolks, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and gratings. Add this to milk and boil gently until thickened. Dissolve gelatin in cold water (2 tablespoons) and add hot mixture. Cool. Whip 1 quart of heavy cream and fold into cold mixture. Pipe or spoon into meringue basket and garnish with fruit.

The makes eight servings. For a party of 1,400, just multiply all ingredients 175 times.