A Food Fantasy at LACE Benefit : Anniversary Event Integrates Art, Menu, Entertainment

Imagine being served assorted curries, breads and chutneys on a board that looks as if it is about to ride on a wave, a Space Age beacon overhead.

Imagine a leg of lamb fragrant with garlic and herbs, ready to carve--literally on torture racks--with the crispy potatoes on a weight scale bound in chains.

Imagine rigatoni stuffed with chicken and fennel mousse, and a Caesar salad served on yet another table that is an impression of an Italian home table of the ‘60s, complete with printed place mats; a fake pizza sculpture to remind you of the days when. . . .

Imagine a whole golden-baked roast piglet nestling in a pouf of purple, black, yellow, gold and silver paper, decorated with silver beads and illuminated by flashlights, a giant fork presiding.

Imagine a table where a huge hat rack pretending to be an elegant French woman of the ‘60s presides over Portuguese mussel and cockle stew and a cone of butter so tall as to remind you of a hat.

And finally, imagine a sculpture consisting of three curved tiers of glass held up by rows of Tanqueray gin bottles, which doubles as the bar.

‘Fantastic Food Fantasy’

Well? What do you call that? You can call it a “fantastic food fantasy,” which is exactly what the 10th anniversary theme for the gala benefiting LACE gallery recently was and exactly what the table decorations and the food were.

It was also a night to remember, for the multimedia event with its dinner/show/performances/music/dance spelled Los Angeles art culture to the core.

“I’ve been following LACE since its beginnings, and I am proud that it’s come all this way as a Los Angeles art and cultural center,” said City Councilman Joel Wachs, who stopped to chat with guests at the entry in front of the Tanqueray exhibit created by artist Therman Straton. Wachs had come on Mayor Tom Bradley’s behalf to declare March 31 LACE Day in Los Angeles.

(LACE was founded 10 years ago as an alternative to traditional commercial galleries and museum, presenting art exhibits, performances in several disciplines, video screenings and other events. The LACE bookstore offers diverse publications, periodicals, music records and tapes, plus numerous artists’ items.)

Supporters’ Talents Pooled

The idea of LACE’S 10th anniversary celebration was to pool the talents of supporters, such as the artists who created the tables, the Tanqueray people who contributed the beverages, the Stock Exchange (the restaurant and nightclub) folks who provided the location and coordination for the event in a beautifully restored downtown bank building, and the City restaurant chefs--Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken--who provided the “fantastic” food.

“It was a matter of integrating art, food and entertainments so they became one,” said Joy Silverman, executive director of LACE.

So while guests nibbled on roasted sweet peppers filled with feta cheese, oyster shooters, marinated skewered steak, quesadilla strips and Thai sausage being passed around by Stock Exchange servers, chefs busily prepared their stations for the onslaught before the show, which was produced by Richard Elfman of Oingo Boingo fame and featured native Brazilian musicians and dancers, rock ‘n’ roll look-alikes, music and dance.

It’s hard, actually, to know where the art began and the food left off, or more specifically, to separate the food from its surroundings, so well integrated they were. For instance, the eggplant and spinach curry, potato and pea curry and basmati rice were nestled in receding vats so that the food became part of the structure and not a separate entity.

An Accidental Undulation

The sculptured table by Josh Schweitzer, the designer of City restaurant and other facilities, was conceived on paper. “When I accidentally wet the board meant for the table, it bent slightly. I decided to maintain the undulating shape by watering it even further and went on from there,” said Schweitzer.

Holes were cut in the board to accommodate the round containers and other structural levels were used to support the condiments of chutneys, raita (yogurt dip), pickles and assorted naan breads, among them sesame, potato curry, garlic and parsley flavors. Schweitzer also used Cyalume light sticks (underwater lighting for divers) and frosted plexiglass test tubes mounted on cork as the center-table lighting for an iridescent effect.

Artists Rhonda Saboff and Liz Young conceived of a medieval torture rack when the menu of roast lamb and crispy potatoes was decided. Why? “I immediately thought of the medieval qualities of rack of lamb,” said Young. The potatoes were served from a burdensome, enchained weight scale, the lamb was carved on a board surrounded by gray netting and carvers were hooded. What could be more entrapping? The ratatouille, at least, was served from a rather benign copper container that had the appearance of something old and primitive.

Piglet With All the Trimmings

By contrast, the roast piglet table was a work of opulent fantasy by artist Patsi Valdez, whose paper sculptures adorns many public facilities throughout Los Angeles. Frilly paper in gold, silver, purple, yellow and black formed the outer covering of the table, with some of the paper trailing on the floor, tucked here and there with silver grapes and other ornaments. For illumination, flashlights loosely covered with crumbled Cellophane paper formed appropriate torches. Now the pig, tacos, cactus salad and green corn tamales with sour cream and salsa simply nestled in the folds of the materials, forming part of the sculpture itself. The roast pig was carved by Border Grill chef Kim Muller to fill tacos. Cactus salad was served from silver containers nestled in the crumbled folds of glittery paper--the artist’s view of opulence complete.

When artists Roy Dowell and Lari Pittman decided to contribute a work with the menu of Portuguese mussel and cockle stew in mind, they thought of a surrealistic French ladies’ garden party and two elegant women, freely abstracted into a tall and graceful clothing tree, hung fancifully with decorated globes, flowers and painted motifs. It was, after all, a natural outgrowth of the artists’ painting styles. But this time, stew, bread and butter and paint was the light motif. The butter, however, was shaped into enormous, rippled cone with bread rolls heaped at the base, so that guests could butter their own bread.

Then there were artists Sheila Klein and Ries Niemi, whose table was dressed in lace, with classic Italian features added: a printed place mat, a cake made with linoleum and fake pizza to adorn the area where shrimp-stuffed rigatoni was to be served. The artists’ oversized hats got as many double takes as their table.

The food did plenty of double takes, too, including the desserts: Lemon Hazelnut Meringue, chocolate cupcakes filled with pastry cream, poppy-seed cake sticks, chocolate chip and other cookies and strawberry cheesecake.

According to the City restaurant’s Feniger, the food was a team effort between artist and chefs, each contributing ideas: Themes suggested the food and food often suggested the theme.

Here is one of the complete menus with recipes for all items, including dessert. It would be a perfect spring menu for a special family or company meal. You can bake the cake layer of the dessert a day in advance to simplify preparation.

MENU

Roast Leg of Lamb With Garlic and Herb Stuffing

Ratatouille

Crispy Potatoes

Lemon Hazelnut Meringue

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH GARLIC AND HERB STUFFING

1 (6-pound) boneless leg of lamb with shank bone

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons pureed garlic

8 tablespoons assorted chopped fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, chives and mint)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pimiento Sauce

Ask butcher to butterfly lamb for stuffing, leaving shank bone intact.

With sharp knife make several slits about 2 inches long by 1/4 inch deep so seasonings can penetrate meat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread garlic puree evenly over meat surface and cover with herbs. Roll meat to enclose stuffing. Tie with string at 1-inch intervals. Shank bone will protrude at one end. Generously season outside with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Brown lamb on all sides. Roast on rack in roasting pan at 375 degrees 30 to 40 minutes until medium rare, or 1 hour for well done, or until meat thermometer reads 150 to 165 degrees. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before carving, so juices can run toward center. Remove strings and slice meat thinly across roll. Top slices with Pimiento Sauce. Serve with Ratatouille and Crispy Potatoes. To reheat carved lamb, place slices on baking sheet, cover with wet towel and bake 5 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 6 servings.

Pimiento Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 shallots, finely diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup dry white wine

5 cups lamb stock or canned beef broth

1 teaspoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons pimiento or roast pepper puree

1 teaspoon pureed garlic

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallots and mushrooms until golden. Add wine. Turn up heat and reduce liquid by 1/2. Add stock and reduce again by 1/4. Whisk in tomato paste, pepper puree and garlic. Break butter into small pieces and whisk into sauce until smooth. Adjust seasonings and strain through fine sieve. Serve warm with sliced lamb. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

RATATOUILLE

1 cup olive oil

1 medium eggplant unpeeled, diced 1/2 inch

1 large zucchini unpeeled skin, diced 1/2 inch

1 yellow crookneck squash, diced 1/2 inch

1 large onion, diced

1 sweet yellow pepper, seeded and diced

1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced

1 green pepper, seeded and diced

2 teaspoons pureed garlic

1 cup calamata olives, cut from pit and sliced

5 bay leaves

1 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup lamb or chicken stock or tomato juice

2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

Place large heavy skillet over high heat and heat dry pan. Add olive oil. Saute eggplant until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Saute zucchini and crookneck squash until golden. Drain.

Reduce heat and add onion. Cook until tender and translucent. Add peppers and garlic and cook until peppers soften, about 2 minutes. Add olives, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Pour in stock, tomatoes and reserved vegetables. Simmer, uncovered 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and served hot or chilled. Makes 6 servings.

CRISPY POTATOES

3 large baking potatoes, peeled

3/4 cup clarified butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Slice potatoes as thinly as possible, across length. Rinse potatoes by placing in large bowl under cold running water until water runs clear, about 5 minutes.

Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Combine potatoes with butter, salt and pepper in medium mixing bowl. Toss to coat well with butter. Arrange potato slices in 2 or 3 layers in a medium jellyroll pan or baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees 30 to 35 minutes until edges are golden brown. Tip pan to drain off excess butter. Cut into wedges and serve at once. Makes 6 servings.

LEMON HAZELNUT MERINGUE

1 cup ground hazelnuts

1 cup ground almonds

3 eggs, separated

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Grated zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

3 lemons, peeled and cut into sections

Meringue

Powdered sugar

Butter and flour 10-inch cake pan. Line with parchment paper. Mix together ground nuts and set aside.

In electric mixer with whisk attachment beat egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale yellow. Add lemon zest and vanilla. Mix until light and fluffy and reserve.

In small bowl, combine 1 cup ground nut mixture with flour and set aside. Reserve remaining 1 cup mixture for garnish. In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Sprinkle in salt and continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold alternating thirds of nut and flour mixture and whites into beaten egg yolk mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool on rack about 10 minutes.

Run knife along inside edge to loosen cake and invert onto platter. Remove parchment. Cool cake. Place cake layer on baking sheet lined with parchment. Arrange lemon sections evenly over cake and using a small strainer, drizzle juice on top. Spread meringue evenly over cake and bake 30 minutes until tips are golden. As meringue dries it may begin to crack. Set aside to cool on rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Makes 1 cake (8 to 10 servings).

Meringue and Lemon Garnish

4 egg whites

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup reserved ground nut mixture

In clean bowl of electric mixer, whisk egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, whisking continuously until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes at high speed, or until shiny and thick. Gently fold in nuts.