Eat Drink Sing #2: Prelude/Carmen

Seattle Opera offered a challenge to five top chefs at local restaurants: create an appetizer and cocktail inspired by one of this season’s operas. We’ll be posting recipes for the creative, mouthwatering pairings they invented all week long. So blast your favorite opera recording on your sound system and get cooking!

Carmen Recipes created by Prelude
Executive Chef Shawn Applin
321 Mercer Street (inside McCaw Hall)
206.615.0234

Pair flavors by Executive Chef Shawn Applin with the best in Northwest wines to create the ultimate Opera experience with a pre-show dinner at Prelude Restaurant inside McCaw Hall. Fresh. Simple. Modern. Prelude at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

Wednesday - Saturday: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm; Sunday Brunch: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm. Open Event Days Only.

Shawn Applin

Appetizer: Octopus Terrine with Spanish Chorizo and Saffron Potatoes
Serves 15-20 people as Appetizer

4-6 fresh octopus (4-6 lbs. each)
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
3 onions, peeled, chopped
½ bunch celery, peeled, chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed
4 bay leaves
3 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs saffron
2 cups white wine
2 tbs thyme leaves
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Place the octopus, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and bay leaves in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer on low for two hours or until the octopus is very tender but the purple skin is still intact. When the octopus is tender, strain, and chill. Discard all of the vegetables. Cut the tentacles off the octopus and reserve.

Place the shallot, garlic, saffron, and white wine in a pot and reduce until there is about ½ cup left in the pan. Add the thyme leaves, salt and pepper to taste, and the octopus tentacles.

Line a terrine mold (12”x4”x4”) with plastic wrap. Lay the tentacles in the mold lengthwise and cover with the remaining vinaigrette. Cover with the excess plastic wrap. Place a fitted weight on top and chill overnight.

When completely chilled and set, unwrap the terrine and with a very sharp knife, slice very thin.

To dress the terrine, cook some diced Yukon potatoes in water with some saffron and salt. Slice some Spanish style chorizo, and clean some frisée fronds. Toss all with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper. Arrange nicely on a plate.



Cocktail: Free and Unbound
Shake 1 oz Grey Goose Vodka and 1/2 oz Cointreau over ice, strain into champagne flute and top with champagne. Add a twist of lime and serve.

Anita Rachvelishvili as Carmen at La Scala

Prelude Photos by Rina Jordan

Seattle Opera's EAT-DRINK-SING Recipes are also featured in the company's 2011/12 Souvenir Book, a glorious treasure-trove of information about the company, the operas we'll be presenting this season, and the art form of opera. Subscribers receive their complimentary copy of the Souvenir Book beginning in July 2011; CLICK HERE for subscription information.