A Benefit Barbecue Featuring Bright New Foods

A barbecue aimed at a bright young crowd must pass up old-time burgers and beans for bright new foods.

Therefore free-range chicken will star on the menu June 11 at a barbecue designed to attract a new generation of supporters for the Music Center. The party is one highlight of “LA Alive!,” a two-day arts festival at the center.

Admission to festival entertainment on Saturday and Sunday is free, but tickets to the barbecue are $75. Proceeds will benefit the Music Center Unified Fund, which supports its five resident companies and education division.

The event will start with no-host cocktails at 7:30 p.m. followed by the barbecue at 8 p.m. Also planned are a street dance and an open-air concert featuring Martha Davis and Billy Vera and The Beaters. The party’s site is the Music Center Plaza and a portion of Hope Street.

Jack Huxtable, executive chef of Pavilion Catering, has worked out a menu that blends new California and contemporary Southwest cuisines. Free-range chicken breasts will be grilled and served with an ancho chile-tamarind sauce. Instead of baked beans, there will be trendy black beans in a relish that also contains diced mango, roasted corn kernels, tomatillos and cilantro.

Tickets to the barbecue are limited and must be purchased by Tuesday . They are available through the Music Center’s Special Events Office, (213) 972-7567. As a preview of the menu, here is the recipe for Huxtable’s chicken dish and black bean relish.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH

BLACK BEAN RELISH

4 whole boneless free-range chicken breasts or 4 (1/2-pound) whole boneless regular chicken breasts

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt

Black Bean Relish

Ancho Chile-Tamarind Sauce

Rub chicken breasts with oil and season to taste with salt. Grill over medium hot charcoal about 3 minutes on each side. Slice each breast diagonally and arrange in circle on dinner plate. Place some Black Bean Relish in center. Spoon Tamarind Sauce around outside. Makes 4 servings.

Black Bean Relish

1 cup cooked black beans

2 or 3 tomatillos, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 serrano chile, chopped

2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

1/4 cup diced mango

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup roasted corn kernels

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons white wine

2 tablespoons oil and vinegar dressing

Salt

Combine beans, tomatillos, garlic, chile, cilantro, mango, green onions, corn, lime juice, wine and dressing in serving bowl. Season to taste with salt. Marinate 1 hour. Adjust seasonings before serving. Makes about 2 cups.

Note: To prepare roasted corn kernels, remove silk from 1 ear corn but do not remove husk. Soak in water to cover 1 minute. Broil 4 minutes on each side. Husk corn, cut off kernels with sharp knife and measure quantity needed.

Ancho Chile-Tamarind Sauce

6 tamarind pods

1 dried ancho chile

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons butter

Shell tamarinds and place pulp in small saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil then simmer 15 minutes. Drain water and press pulp through sieve. Discard seeds. Reserve pulp. Toast ancho chile in 450-degree oven 2 minutes. Place in bowl, cover with water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain chile and remove stem, seeds and veins. Puree in blender and reserve.

Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add wine and reduce by 3/4. Add chicken stock, chile puree and tamarind pulp. Reduce liquid by 1/4. Whisk in butter. Strain sauce and discard vegetables. Season to taste with salt.