In Memory of Sheila Lukins

Sheila Lukins

November 18, 1942-August 30, 2009

Maybe you know who she is already. Maybe you are just learning about her, like I am. Regardless, Sheila Lukins was the owner of the Silver Palate, a food shop on New York's Upper West Side. She co-wrote the Silver Palate cookbook with her business partner, Julee Rosso in 1979. It is one of the ten best selling cookbooks of all time. There are now four Sliver Palate cookbooks. I didn't know anything about Sheila Lukins until recently. A friend of mine suggested I do a post in her honor because she was a strong, independent woman. She started a catering business out of her apartment after she and her husband divorced. She had two small daughters, then.

When I was trying to decide what recipe of Sheila Lukins' to make, over and over again, I found Chicken Marbella. This is probably her most well known recipe. These are her notes, from the cookbook:

This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate, and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It's good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d'oeuvre. The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product: The chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare. Since Chicken Marbella is such a spectacular party dish, we give quantities to serve 10 to 12, but the recipe can be divided to make smaller amounts if you wish.

I do want to make this recipe, but it will have to wait. Please leave me a comment if you have made Chicken marbella before, or want to make it with me. We can do it together! This time, I was in the mood to bake. I decided to look for Sheila Lukin's dessert recipes. I finally decided on Decadent Chocolate Cake. It wasn't a hard decision. I love chocolate cake!

Decadent Chocolate Cake

Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
½ cup sweet butter (1 stick)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups less 2 Tbsp. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spray a 10-inch tube pan with no-stick spray, then flour. Knock out the excess flour and set aside.
In a large heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the chocolate and butter. Let the mixture stand until melted.
Stir in the vanilla and sugar, then whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until blended.
Mix the baking soda and the sour cream in a small bowl, and then whisk into the chocolate mixture.
Whisk the flour and baking powder in a small bowl, and then add to the chocolate mixture, mixing thoroughly.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the batter.
Scoop the remaining egg whites on top of the batter and gently fold them in until the batter is almost uniform in color.
Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan. Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the edges have pulled away from the pan and the cake tester inserted comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes; unmold and cool completely before frosting.

I couldn't leave well enough alone and added Heath Bits to my cake. Oh, and I also added salt. I always add salt to the things I bake. I decided to serve this cake with no icing or frosting, just some coffee ice cream. (my fave) I ate it when it was still warm and the ice cream got all melty. The cake is so moist and so light. The flavor was perfect, also. I will definitely make it again.

xoxo

Melissa