In celebration of Artillery’s inaugural Food Issue, caterer and collector Tom Peters has agreed to divulge several of his secret and most cherished recipes. He began both his profession and his passion in the early ’80s. Since then, he has amassed a clientele that reads as a Who’s Who of the art and entertainment worlds. His art collection, swelling to over 900 works, can be seen as a thorough history of contemporary art in Los Angeles.
Peters is an admirer of the “beautiful” and “labor intensive” work of artist Brian Wills. The craftsman-like minimalist is a fan of the gourmet’s “refreshing” gin cocktail.
THE COLLECTOR’S CHOICE
1-1/2 oz bombay sapphire gin
3/4 oz st. germain liqueur
1/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
2 thin cucumber wheels
1 blood orange wheel
3 sprigs fresh mint
club soda
To a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients and muddle. Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass. Top with club soda. Decorate with cucumber wheel.
Power player Sarah Watson is a director of the Sprüth Magers gallery. Her history in Los Angeles is as impressive as it is dynamic. Her palate favors Peters’ signature dish.
CHICKEN COLLAGE
Serves 8 to 10 guests
6 whole boneless chicken breasts with
skin (12 pieces)
1-1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1-1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried apricots, sliced
1 cup small spanish green olives, pitted
1 cup of capers with juice
6 bay leaves
3/4 cup dried oregano
1 head of garlic, chopped
brown sugar
cilantro
white wine
To create the marinade, mix all measured items in a bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Marinate overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a roasting pan, ball the chicken breasts with skin up. Stuff the marinade between the chickens. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the chicken. Slowly pour the white wine over the chicken until the pan is half full. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or till done. Turn the oven down to 250 degrees and cook another hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.
His roster of artists dominates the international headlines. Gallerist Bennett Roberts of Roberts Projects has a preference for this classic side dish.
PALETTE PILAF
Serves 6 to 8 guests
2 cups mahatma rice (long grain)
2/3 cup vermicelli, crumble into small pieces
1-1/4 sticks butter
5 cups swanson chicken broth
salt and pepper
In a medium skillet, melt the butter and add the vermicelli. Stir constantly until the pasta is a golden brown. Add the rice and stir until well coated. Turn the heat to high and stir until the rice flows with a lava-like consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover. After 10-15 minutes, stir and re-cover. When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat.
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