Escape to Foodopolis

Every once in awhile a train leaves to a place where lost recipes are remembered, but no one has ever returned from foodopolis - except me.

This post is as belated as it is important. This is also being dedicated to Gabe who's suffering culinary oppression, in hopes that the spirit of improvisation and creation of great food will transcend him. A few weeks back I was invited by David and Sarah to partake in one of my most interesting and satisfying culinary adventures. The evening started at 8 and went until around one. Food was being prepared and served as it was finished, the gaps lubricated with an abudance of wine. I can't really take credit for any of the creations. Two highlights included a rustic mussel soup made with a chili paste, mussel broth and cream and a braised cod with onions and patty pan. I didn't pay close enough attention to the cod preparation, but this is what I remember. The food was original, delicious, inspired, simply beautiful.

I also want to take this moment - since my postings have been so few and far between - to mention some things I think are really cool.

Sourdough starter: it's a living that you bake into your bread. It can be sustained indefinitely and has flavor characteristic of geographic location due to the wild yeast - the air-oir.

Jean-Robert Pitte said in his book on french gastronomy, "The success of a gastronomic event owes as much to the appeal of sensations already familiar and known by heart as to the effect of surprise, novelty, exoticism in the raw materials, how they are used and the surroundings.

Jacques Pepin wrote about serving Indian diplomacy while he was chef for the head of state. He said he would not try to replicate traditional Indian dishes because the diplomat's own cooks could do that much better, obviously. However, he would sprinkle a little garam masala over the roast chicken. This is really minor, I just think it's an awesome diplomatic move.

Braised Cod Pierre

1# cod filet
onion, diced
fennel, diced
garlic, chopped
white wine
touch of cream
bacon and mushrooms
patty pan
sliced onions

Render the bacon in a sautoir and sweat the mushrooms in it. Set aside for another preparation. Drain out most of the rendered fat at add the onion, fennel and fennel, sweat until cooked slightly. Add the white wine and water, enough to poach in. Bring to a boil and place cod filet in the pan. Cover and place in a 350 oven until cooked tender, should not take long. Meanwhile sweat the onions and patty pans together in oil. Reserve. Remove the fish and reduce the cuisson slightly. Add a touch of cream to finish the sauce. Plate the fish with the onions and patty pan as a garnish, pour the reduced sauce over.

This dish is heavenly, easily the best preparation of cod I've ever seen.


Mussels in Adobo Broth

1# mussels
1/2 onion, sliced
1/4 fennel bulb, sliced
1 serrano chili, seeded and chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
~1 cup ancho-guajillo paste (recipe follows)
salt and pepper
1/2-1 cup cream
water as needed

Combine all ingredients except cream and mussels in a pot with a lid. Bring to a boil and cook 5-6 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and clean the mussels. Add them to the pot and cover. Cook 5 minutes or until most of the shells have opened. Spoon the muscles into a serving bowl. Add the cream to the broth and bring to a simmer, cook 1-2 minutes. Pour the finished soup over the muscles. Garnish with fennel fronds.


Ancho-Guajillo Paste

8 grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs olive oil
2 ancho chilis, toasted and seeded
2 Guajillo chilis, toasted and seeded
1/4 cup white wine
2 tsp honey
salt as needed
juice of half a lime
2 Tbs chicken stock

Sweat the tomatoes in olive oil until softened. Add the white wine, chicken stock and chilis. Cook until the chilis are softened. Transfer to a blender and puree with the lime juice and honey. Mixture should be a thick paste that's very spicy and slightly bitter.

Restaurant Daniel

last night was my second trail at the famed restaurant daniel. I wasn't working on the line. Highlights included one of the sous chefs picking up a piece of fat back I was dicing and popping it into his mouth. I was grinding meat when the bundle of bamboo skewers I was using to push the meat down got caught in the grinder. After failing to pull it out, we ran it through. At the end of the night Daniel said I was a shitty stagiere. However I was offered the extern position, whatever it may be. This is the actual kitchen.

Waiting For Jadot

This is just to say

I have eaten the
plums
that were in
the icebox
and which you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

William Carlos Williams

Summer Break

Sadly my summer break is coming to an end. I don't have much to say about it except all the stuff I cooked. I still have a week left, I don't know how much food I'm going to make. Amanda wants me to make a swirl of red and yellow roasted pepper soup for her. So far I made a

a soft-ripened cheese plate with a
Sweet Onion-Lemon Compote
Pickled Cherries and a
Brut Grapefruit Bellini

I love bellini's and this one was perfect for the hot summer day. I added just a tiny amount of grapefruit juice with a grapefruit supreme in the glass, giving it a subtle hint of the fruit that was not in the least bit sweet. The cherries were sweet-pickled with rice vinegar, salt, water and sugar.

Sweet Onion-Lemon Compote
1 large sweet onion (walla walla, vidalia, texas 1015 etc.)
1 lemon
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 Tbs sugar
2 Tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 Tbs butter

Julienne the onion. Cut off the peel including the white part. Small dice or julienne the lemon peel. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Sweat the onions, lemon peel, salt and sugar. DO NOT CARMELIZE. Add the white wine and cook covered 45-60 minutes until onions are very tender. It might be necessary to add more water from time to time.

Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail
Corriander-Apple Turkey Burgers with Carmelized Onions and Apricot Chutney
Spicy Garlic-Chicken Stir-Fry with Coconut Rice.
Sweet Potato-Vanilla Bean Souffle
Rotisserie Chicken with Walnut-Glazed Celeriac and Braised Kale
Tapenade Pizza with Smoked Tomatoes and Basil
Crème de Potage d'Aubergine

I had some fun with coconuts and bananas. Banana muffins with dark rum and chocolate chips were pretty good, but the baked banana pudding with a coconut whipped topping and ginger sorbet was better. This was inspired by a desert served at monsoon restaurant in nyc. The recipe is below.

I got a ton of apricots one day and made a Vanilla-Apricot Custard by poaching the apricots in a vanilla cream and pureeing it. I served this with a baked apricot, apricot marmalade and a scoop of almond ice cream on top. Idea courtesy of Daniel Boulud.

Recently I've been smoking a lot (food of course, jeez!). There were ups and downs.

Smoked Salmon with a Glaze made from Cognac and Figs
Smoked Sea Bass with Lemony Kalamata Tapenade
Smoked Scallops with a light Dijon-Mint Cream sauce
Smoky Salsa

Smoky Salsa:
5 medium sized vine-ripened tomatoes, blanched and peeled
1/4 sweet onion, sliced
2 Jalepenos, seeds and ribs removed
juice from 1/2 lime
1 Tbs chipotle with adobo
1 1/2 tsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, stem end removed

Smoke the tomatoes, onions, jalepenos and garlic. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Allow to steep in the fridge for a day before serving.

Banana Pudding with Coconut Topping and Ginger Sorbet

Banana Pudding
5 ripe bananas
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup dark rum
1 egg
5 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 275. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Corsely mash the bananas in the mixture. Pour into an appropriately sized baking dish. Cook until custard has set, about 45 min. Serve warm or room temp.

Coconut Frosting
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp dark rum
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Allow the coconut milk to sit undisturbed so it separates. Carefully remove the thick cream without any of the water. Combine the coconut cream and rum in a stand mixer. Whip the sugar in until sweetened to desired amount. Refrigerate immediately.

Ginger Sorbet
1/2# ginger root
simple syrup
1 T light corn syrup
water

Peel the ginger and puree in a food processor with water as needed. Wring out the mixture using cheesecloth. Bring the mixture to a simmer in a small saucepan, skimming as necessary. Reduce the mixture slightly. You should have about half a cup. Add the corn syrup and simple syrup. Mixture should be very sweet. Chill thoroughly and churn in an ice cream maker.

To plate: Cut a square of the banana pudding out and cover with a layer of coconut frosting. Top with a scoop of ginger sorbet.

4th of July Casserole

I love casseroles, both the food and the dish. Some of the oldest and most delicious meals including stews and braises have come from the one-pot-dinner. Bechamel is one of my favorite sauces to add to unify a casserole. The sauce mornay used in this recipe is based on it. What could be more american than a casserole - throwback to the family values that america was all about in the 50's on the 4th of july. I'm not trying to tear down an institution like grilling on the 4th, I just thought it would be cool to make this dish. That and it sounded really good to me. I've seen variations of it in a lot of places but this is my version.


Shrimp and Tomato Casserole

1# shrimp P&D
1/2# large tubular pasta, cooked
2 cloves garlic
1-2T olive oil
1/4c. minced onion
1/2 large can whole tomatoes in puree
1/2c. gruyere, shredded, plus 2T
1/2c. white cheddar, shredded, plus 2T
1T butter
1T flour
1 1/2c. milk, half and half or cream
salt and pepper

If you happen to be using shrimp that are not peeled and deveined, reserve the shells. Simmer them in a pint of water for 30min. Strain and reduce down until very thick. Reserve this liquid for the casserole.

In a small saucepan heat the butter and sweat the onions until translucent. Add the flour and cook 5min. Slowly whisk in the cold milk and stir until thickened. Add the cheese a small amount at a time until the sauce is thick and cheesy. Season with salt and pepper. Strain or use as is.

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat the olive oil in a casserole. Add the onions and sweat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 2-5min. Meanwhile, crush and seed the tomatoes reserving the puree. Add the shrimp and stir just until they start to curl up and turn pink. Add the tomatoes and cook another minute. Add the cheese sauce and pasta and stir until incorporated. Add the shrimp reduction (if using) at this point and tomato puree if mixture is too thick. Place into a greased pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown. Remove and allow to rest 20 min. SERVE

If you have to grill something and this is unacceptable for you, I've found a compromise.

Cheeseburger Casserole

mise en place for cheeseburgers:
buns
burger patties
onions, sliced thickly
pickles
tomatoes, sliced
2x cheese sauce from above
butter

grill the burgers and the onions and set aside. In a greased casserole place a layer of hamburger buns over the bottom. Place a layer of grilled beef patties over the buns. You do not have to be careful to line up the burgers. Layer the tomatoes, pickles and onions. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese is golden brown. Serve.

Satan Gave Me a Taco and it Made Me Kind of Sick

I'm stumbling home, battered from the excesses of food and drink after a weekend with Sara and David in Rhinebeck. The following menu speaks for itself.

Anti-pasti Plate
assorted cheeses, watercrackers, artisan bread, proscuitto, red pepper - kalamata tapenade

Asparagus Proscuitto Bundles
baked crispy and sprinkled with parmesan cheese

Mixed Green Salad
spicy anchovy-dijon vinaigrette made with champagne-shallot reduction

Oyster Mushroom - Chevre Ravioli
Served with a garlic brown-butter sauce

Champagne Scallops
Pan-seared with an orange black-pepper sauce

Berries and Cream
minty mascerated berries with hagen-daas vanilla ice cream


The ravioli was amazing but the scallops were the best. By the time we got around to the scallops we were so drunk we didn't know what garlic was going into what and what not; so the preparation is very simple but effective. If you get a good sear on the scallops the fond with give the sauce a beautiful deep orangish-brown color. You could make it more classical by adding a small amount of brown veal stock and shallots after the chamapagne is reduced.

Champagne Scallops

1# large sea scallops
olive oil for sauteeing
salt and corse ground black pepper
1 1/2 c. brut champagne
juice from 1/2 a large orange

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the scallops and sear on both sides to a deep golden brown. Deglaze with the champagne and reduce to a medium nappe. Check for seasoning, strain if solids remain. Finish with the black pepper and orange juice. Serve immediately.

Oyster Mushroom- Chevre filling

4 oz cultivated mushrooms (we used oyster and cremini)
4 oz chevre
1/4c. brut champagne or dry sherry
2 large cloves garlic
2 Tbs minced white onion
2 Tbs chopped parsley
2 1/2 egg yolks
salt and pepper
olive oil

Chop the mushrooms by hand to a small mince. Sweat the oil in a medium-large pan over low heat. Cook about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another few minutes. Add the mushrooms and wine and cook until all the liquid is reduced down. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Combine the mushroom mix, chevre and egg yolks in a mixing bowl.
We used and herbed store-bought chevre so you might want to add more garlic and misc chopped herbs if using a plain chevre. We also used wonton wrappers from the grocery store, but obviously it would be better with fresh pasta. I would suggest adding the chevre in small amounts to desired consistency because it can over power other flavors. This would make a great duxelle, you could roll it up in a ballotine or use it for stuffed peppers or portobello mushrooms. As far as other pastas go it would probably be a little too intense for a manicotti but it would make a badass veggie lasagna with some tomato sauce. You could do an haute french thing and stuff it inside a boneless chicken wing and use it as a garnish. It's extremely delicious. You might consider omitting the egg yolks depending on the application.

Cucumber-Shiso Shooter

I love cucumbers in the summer. My favorite preparation is the cold soup made with mint and honeydew. This is sort of a simpler version of it. I absolutely love cucumber water, it has an amazing sweet subtlety that is as indescribable as it is refreshing. Paired with the spiced-cured plums it makes a nice aperitif for a hot summer day. I grate the cubcumber into a seive and put it over a bowl to collect the water. You could also puree it altogether with the shiso and strain out the solids to fold into a risotto to finish or something, but I prefer this way. I like using english cucumbers because they have a little sweeter flavor.

Cucumber Shiso Shooters

Cucumber water:
2 large cucumbers
small pinch salt
small pinch sugar
1/4 tsp lemon juice
2 shiso leaves, fine chiffonade plus 2 more for serving

Combine the ingredients in a blender and puree. Serve well chilled.

for the brined plums:
1 large plum, semi-ripe
1 qt water
2 c. salt
1 1/2 Tbs allspice berries
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Slice the plum into wedges with the skin on. In a dry skillet heat the spices until fragrant and grind. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or appropriate container and allow to sit at room temperature 24 hours. Serve at this time or refrigerate. Serve room temp.

to make this a little more interesting, shave a 4" piece of daikon radish. Poach until softened in a mixture of 2 parts rice vinegar, 1 part salt, 1/2 part sugar. Puree the cured plums and wrap in the daikon wrapper. With the plum-daikon dumpling you could omit the shot glass entirely and serve the cucumber as the sauce under the ravioli.

For serving:

Serve the cucumber water in a 1 1/2 oz shot glass. Place a whole shiso leaf on a small plate with the shot glass on top. Arrange 2 plum wedges fanning out from the shot glass. Sprinkle with lemon zest.

Breakup Brownie Sundae

Both love and desert should be slightly bitter, short lived and served with coffee.


Breakup Brownie Sundae

1/2 c. whole espresso beans
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. water
2 bananas ripe, but still firm
1 T lemon juice
fudge brownies (box or homemade)
zest from one lemon
mocha ice cream


Combine the coffee beans and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 min. Add sugar and simmer another 5 min. Thinly slice the bananas on a bias and toss with lemon juice. Pour the coffee syrup over the bananas and steep 10 min.

Cut the brownies into large squares. Top the brownie with the ice cream, followed by the bananas in syrup and then sprinkle the lemon zest over. Finish with whipped cream if especially broken hearted.

Lamb disclaimer.

Why all the leg of lamb? I don't know. It's fairly cheap, extremely easy, people like it. The more I pull away from leg of lamb the more it pulls me in. To be quite very honest I'm getting a little sick of it.

Weekend Culinary Extravaganza

This weekend I cooked, along with David and Sara; two friends from culinary school, for a total of 8 people. It was wonderfully intense and those served were as thankful to us as we were to them for facilitating a weekend culinary extravaganza. The setting was a small cabin in upstate new hampshire. The house was old and we were the first to arrive. Cell phones didn't work and the basement was very creepy and had a hidden boarded off room - altogether something out of a teen horror film. Fortunately the only horror was the storebought chicken broth that fouled (pardon the pun) our roasted garlic-potato soup up something awful - that and the lack of roasted garlic. Altogether a fantastic time. It was extremely nice to get off campus with some good people and drink my brains out.

The sheer epicurean delight is enough to make your head spin. Armed with all-clad, school issued knives, chicken and veal glace and all the ambition of eager young culinary students, we banged out the menu that follows:

Friday

Turkey at Midnight
Whole roasted turkey, green and wax beans, mashed potatoes, turkey demi-glace


Saturday
BREAKFAST

Eggs Mornay
Scrambled eggs, sauteed cremini mushrooms and yellow squash, white-cheddar mornay sauce


LUNCH

Turkey Sandwich
Toasted grain bread, roasted dark meat turkey, crispy bacon, arugula, turkey-mayonnaise


DINNER

Lobster Wonton Soup
Sesame-seared lobster dumplings, rich lobster broth

Greek Salad
Romaine mixed greens, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red wine vinaigrette, sliced purple onion

Cumin-spiced Leg of Lamb
Spicy lamb jus, tzatziki sauce, creamed spinach

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vanilla ice cream, amaretto whipped cream


Sunday
BREAKFAST

Lamb and Eggs
Leg of lamb topped with poached egg, basil oil

Mimosas


LUNCH

Cream of Asparagus Soup
garnished with blanched asparagus tips


DINNER

Classic Caeser Salad
Spicy anchovy dressing, garlic croutons, pecorino romano cheese

Lasagna Bolognese
sliced mozzarella, homemade tomato sauce, ground lamb, pecorino romano, bechamel

Garlic Bread


Did I mention there was TONS of alcohol? There was no desert on sunday night and if there was, no one would've been able to eat it. We made off like bandits monday morning, leaving our hosts burried under a mountain of beer cans. Sara's salad dressings are amazing. The turkey demi was AWESOME, made with equal parts turkey jus reduction and veal glace. The demi was later added to a homemade mayonnaise to make the turkey mayo. It was quite an anarchistic recipe but David is a true anarchist, so it worked well. The lobster was a last minute addition to an already greek menu which is why it looks a little strange, but turned out to be my favorite. I'm very fortunate to have been able to cook so much great food. Thanks Sara and David!

An Evening with Bari Kessler...

I found this image when I googled "kessler," other than that it has no relevance. The important thing is I got to see one of my good friends whom I haven't seen since high school. After we graduated when went to different coasts and lost touch. So this last weekend after a chance reunion I drove up to saratoga springs and hung out for the night. Dinner consisted of:

Roast Leg of Lamb with Sauce Bourguinonne
1 (4#) boneless lamb roast
4 oz cultivated mushrooms
olive oil
2 c. good syrah
1 sprig marjoram
1/2 medium shallot, diced
1/4# butter
1 garlic clove

preheat oven to 450. Rub the lamb and mushrooms with olive oil and roast to internal temp of ~110F. Takes about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the mushrooms when cooked, they take less time than the lamb.

Add the wine, garlic, marjoram and shallot to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce to about 1 cup. Strain the ingredients and place over low heat. Vigorously whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, making sure the sauce does not get too hot. Hold at ~145F. Do not make the sauce until very close to service because of the risk of it breaking.

Cream of Parsnip Soup
12oz parsnips, peeled, medium chopped
1/4 white onion
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup golden delicious apple (or pear), peeled, chopped
2 oz fresh mint
1/2 oz parsley
olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar

Sweat the onions in a soup pot with the olive oil over medium heat until they begin to soften and become shiny. Do not carmelize. Add the parsnip and garlic and sweat another 5 minutes. Add the apples and white wine. Cook until the wine is reduced. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook 30-45 minutes. Puree the soup. Hold hot until service. Finish by stirring in the cream and ~1 tsp of wine in each serving.

While the soup is cooking crush the lemon juice, mint and parsley together in a small food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it becomes a viscous sauce. Garnish the soup by swirling the mint sauce in.

After all of this we were really tired. We threw in a movie and then fell asleep. It wasn't very exciting (other than the delicious food of course) but the important thing is I got to cook in a real kitchen. Also, I didn't make the mint sauce cause I couldn't find any fresh mint at the store, but I guarantee it will add another dimension to the dish which is kind of sweet and needs something a little more earthy to round it out.

Careme

I haven't posted in awhile, mostly cause I haven't been cooking very much. Who would've thought at a cooking school. I made stirfry for my friends the other night, it was good, but too salty. In skills we made a vegetable beef soup and french onion soup. Tomorrow is consomme which I'm really looking forward to. I wanted to share with you all a quote from the escoffier guide to modern cookery.

"Our illustrious master, Careme, was talking one day to one of his colleagues who was complaining bitterly of the unrefined habits and uncouth tastes of his master, habits and tastes which shocked him to the extent that he had made up his mind to leave his post rather than go on ignoring the priciples of high class cookery which he had followed all his working life. 'You would be quite wrong to behave thus,' replied Careme, 'in matters of cookery there are not a number of priciples, there is only one and that is to satisfy the person you are serving.'"

Anniversary

The first post of The Sandwich Cult appeared 1 year ago today. Everybody please celebrate responsibly.

Last Meat Post

Due the last day of class, we were assigned one page about each kobe beef and kurobuta hog. I'm a little aprehensive posting this because it's so weak and half assed. It's interesting though so, enjoy!

Traditional Kobe Beef

The term “Kobe Beef” refers to the meat from a particular breed of cattle traditionally raised and slaughtered in accordance with the strict specifications of the Kobe region of Japan. It is highly prized for its extensive intra-muscular fat or “marbling.” Since USDA grading is largely based on visible marbling, Kobe beef is considered better than prime grade. It is very expensive – in Japan over $100 per pound - and coveted as the most tender and flavorful beef in the world.

The meat in question comes from the “Wagyu” cattle, which is genetically predisposed to marbling (Morgan Ranch). Imported breeds of cattle were isolated by the country’s unique geography and crossbred to create the Wagyu cattle breed. The animals are slaughtered at ~24-30 months and can yield up to 40% marbling (Mcgee 138). The name Wagyu originally referred to all Japanese beef cattle.

Kobe, Matzukya and Hokkaido are all notable Wagyu beef producing regions of Japan, Kobe being the most notable. The Japanese government imposed strict export regulations in order to protect its beef industry and until 1976, the Wagyu was not exported (O’Connell).

The process of raising the cattle includes feeding them beer, as the yeast was thought to increase the appetite and marbling. The limited space for the cattle to move required the muscles to be hand massaged to decrease stress and offset the likelihood of toughness. The resulting meat is flavorful, tender and rich (Mcgee 138).

Kobe Beef Today

Due to limited space In Japan, today most Kobe producers contract with cattle ranchers in either California or Australia. Most Kobe beef today comes from these two places. The Wagyu are fed and raised according to very specific Kobe specifications and sent to Japan for slaughter and fabrication.

The same Wagyu cattle is used for “American-Style” Kobe beef but production methods do not include the beer feeding and massaging. The quality comparison is debatable. In some places in NYC it can be found for less than $20 per pound.

According to meat scientists, only about 1/3 of the flavor, tenderness and juiciness of meat comes from the marbling. The rest is due to the breed, age, exercise, diet and stress at time of slaughter (Mcgee 137).

Though I have never tasted kobe beef, It is my opinion that the high prices probably have more to do with marketing than actual flavor.

Kurobuta Hog

Pork 100 years ago and up until the 50's contained large amounts of fat, both intra-muscular and inter-muscular. At one time it was the most popular meat in the US, but started losing ground as people became more health conscious. To combat the trends, pork farmers started breeding hogs with up to 1/5 as much fat as in 1980 (Mcgee 139). This resulted in a much leaner meat, but it also robbed the pork of it's marbling and it became dry and flavorless. This is the pork we know today. The Kurobuta hog is closer to those bred a century ago in that they contain marbling and are said to be the juiciest and most flavorful available. The Kurobuta/Berkshire hogs however are still lean, like those of today, they just contain the marbling that is so desired among chefs and consumers.

Kurobuta black hog is the Japanese name for the English “Berkshire hog.” It was reputed to have been discovered by Oliver Cromwell's Army in Reading, England. The hogs were bred for specific characteristics in the 1800's and have remained purebred ever since (SRF). Some time later Berkshire hogs were given to the Japanese government by England as a diplomatic gift, where it became the “Kurobuta” hog we know today (McAllister).

The Berkshire hog was larger than others of its time and was renowned for exceptional quality and flavor. The breed is genetically predisposed to marbling (McAllister). Because it is naturally moist and tender, chemicals commonly added to pork to help it retain flavor and moisture are never added to Berkshire.

The Pork is in high demand these days both by restaurants and consumers. Restaurants such as Spago and The French Laundry go to lengths to acquire purebred hogs, claiming it has a “very specific taste” (Greenwood). Hogs are unique in that they acquire the flavor of the feed they eat (Greenwood). Most Berkshire hog farms use natural methods of raising to maximize the flavor.

MEAT madness

Overpriced Meat Cuts:
Flank Steak
Skirt Steak
Hanger Steak

These cuts are low quality but have become popular because of their flavor and are now overpriced. Originally the appeal was their cheapness.

Under-Utilized Meat Cuts:
Top Round
Flat-Iron Steak
Chicken Steak

These cuts are very tender. The flat iron and chicken steak both come from the chuck portion of the beef critter, but are isolated muscles and second in tenderness only to the tenderloin (seriously). Top Round comes from a tender inner muscle in the leg of 4 legged animals. In beef it is very affordable and makes great steaks and roasts. In lamb it is the really good part of the leg roast and in veal it can run $15+/lb.

Also, be very weary of "Sirloin" steaks at casual dining restaurants. more on all of this below.

Meat can be really confusing because so many identical cuts have different names. Add on to this marketing confusion and it becomes impossible. Here are some key facts:

The PRIMAL cuts are the main sections the carcass is cut into. On a beef animal they are (from head to tail) CHUCK, RIB, LOIN and ROUND.

The loin section (not primal) on a 4 legged animal runs from the top of the hip bone to the last 1-2 ribs. When you cut cross sections of the Loin on hogs, veal and lamb it's called a "loin chop." But the same cut from a beef critter is a t-bone, porterhouse or shell steak. So a lamb, pork or veal "loin chop" could be thought of as a lamb, pork or veal t-bone.

The t-bone, porterhouse and shell steak are all the same cut, the difference is where on the loin section the fall. The porterhouses come from the round or hip end, the t-bones from the middle and the shell steak from the rib end. The names have to do with how much tenderloin appears in the steak.

In beef, the loin is broken down into three different sub-PRIMALS, the tenderloin, the sirloin and the strip loin. Both the strip loin and tenderloin can be left whole as roasts or cut into steaks. From the tenderloin: filet mignon, beef medallions, tournados, noisettes and more. From the strip loin - strip steak or new york strip steak. Steaks cut from the sirloin are often used in casual dining restaurants because they cheap and can be sold for a high price under the name "sirloin." These include "ball-tip" and "Tri-tip" steaks.

The Rib section of 4 legged animals contains the ~6-11th rib. The muscle that runs peripheral to the spinal cord is NOT the tenderloin, but the RIB EYE. (The tenderloin is on the inside of the vertebrae of the loin section and surrounded by a significant layer of fat.) In beef, cuts that come from the rib section are "prime rib", bone-in rib roast, bone-less rib roast. And if you were to cut steaks from the rib-roast they would be rib steaks or if the rib bone is removed, "Delmonico steaks." The same rib section of pork, is sold whole as "pork loin roast" bone-in or boneless. Cross sections cut from the pork loin roast are "pork rib-chops." If you were to remove the rib bone from the pork loin roast you would have "baby-back ribs." The baby-back ribs on beef are referred to as "beef back ribs."

Non-primal cuts are termed "market forms" and in beef include, the plate, the brisket and the foreshank. None of these are particularly useful aside from brisket and are most often ground. Flank steak actually comes from the LOIN primal but is often removed because the excessive fat makes it a bad buy for the money.

Economy cuts sold in restaurants that have become popular are skirt steak and Hanger steak (aka hangar steak, hanging tenderloin, hanging tender, butchers steak, onglet or butcher's tenderloin.) both from the belly muscles of the beef animal. These are generally thought of as low quality cuts of meat but have high resale value because of growing popularity.

ULTIMATE BURGER

Daniel Boulud, former executive chef of Le Cirque turned restuaranteur has created a monster. This is new to me though its been around for at least 5 years.

This burger is ground sirloin wrapped around short ribs braised in red wine with foie gras and truffles. This is pretty anti-thetical to everything I hold near and dear about a burger. However, there's something about the kitsch of putting foie gras and truffles on a burger that taunts me. I'll let you know how it is when I eat it!

You can get this badboy for $29 on 76th st and central park east. Now who wants ice cream?

Food Photography

For the most part I sustain myself, but every now and again I feel a great loss the further I move away from photography. It's interesting to think about these two interests of creating food - something whose beauty lies entirely in it's ephemeral qualities, often down to the minute - and a photograph which is static, 2 dimensional and created to last forever. It's almost contradictory; the whole idea of food photography. But when we take a picture we "appreciate" a certain frame/moment in time space forever the same as we'd enjoy a dish. In this sense a picture has it's own fleeting nature.

I just want a camera, but my azz is broke.

I'm sitting on a balcony in the amber afternoon. The sun barely setting. The servant brings up a bottle of cabernet. He pops the cork and hands it to me. The rich earthy aroma matches that of the vineyard below. A host of new smells flow by on the gentle current. Could life be any better than this?

El Beardo

Anniversary

The first post of The Sandwich Cult appeared 1 year ago today. Everybody please celebrate responsibly.

Borgen's Wednesday Night Special

It's 12:20, I'm drunk, next exit. This is all I have to say:

1 shot bacardi cocoa
2 shots cranberry juice
dash sour
dash bitters

MOVING

I'll insert an image here later. I'm moving and at this point I'd just like to be back in mn. I just had my last day of work at ldc. I miss my family. I'll be back in mn on friday night (hopefully).

I'd like to give a shot out to a few things: Luisas mexican grill; when you're too emotionally broke to eat at a real place. Mrs. Renfros Habenero Salsa, delicious and firey. and last but not least Stephanie, whom I wish more than anything I could spend valentines day with.

Lamb and Eggs Mornay

2 fried eggs
nacho cheese mornay
lamb and black bean chili
sambal oelek


to Build:

1. lay one fried egg on each plate

2. spoon about 1 tsp of sambal on top

3. place about 1 Tbs chili on top

4. Pour 2-3 Tbs of nacho cheese mornay

5. garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedge


Nacho Cheese Mornay

2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
1 1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs onion, minced
1 jalepeno, minced
1 serrano, minced
1 cup grated velveeta
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
1/2 cup grated pepper jack or monterray jack
2 Tbs pickled jalepeno, minced
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg


1.In a medium saucepan heat the butter over medium heat. Sweat the onions until translucent, should not brown at all.

2. Add the nutmeg, and minced chilis. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

3. add the flour and stir until mixture becomes thick, but does not take on any color.

slowly whisk in the milk, so there are no lumps. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and add cheese slowly, in small batches, whisking to incorporate. If the sauce becomes too hot it will break. Hold sauce in a bain marie, chafing dish or crockpot until ready to serve.


Lamb and Black Bean Chili

3/4 lb lamb, ground
5 oz tomato paste
1/4 cup shallot, fine mince
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 jalepeno, minced
1 serrano chili, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground corriander
1 Tbs paprika
6 oz lager
salt and pepper
1/4 lime, juiced
1 can black beans
1 roma tomato, diced


1. In a large skillet, brown the lamb, remove and set aside, draining fat. Seperate fat and add water back in with the meat.

2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbs of the rendered lamb fat. Sweat the shallots, garlic and chili until softened, should not brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add the spices and cook a 1-2 until fragrant.

3. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Just just until tomato paste acquires a light rusty color. Add half the beer and cook until thick again.

4. Add the meat and juices back in along with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Serve hot or refrigerate. This tastes better the next day.

Spinach Goat Cheese Souffle

Spinach Goat Cheese Souffle with sauteed mushrooms, Mixed Greens and White Orange Vinaigrette

Serves 2-3
this is not a recipe you should attempt if you are unfamiliar with these techniques. A simpler souffle should be attempted first.
1 handful spinach
2 Tbs butter, plus some for greasing ramikans
2 Tbs flour
2/3 cup whole milk
7oz. goat cheese, crumbeled
2 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/8th tsp cream of tartar
red pepper, brunoise
sauteed mushrooms
mixed greens
1 head frisee
white orange champagne vinaigrette
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar together until soft peaks form.
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook just until the first signs of color start to appear. Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure there are no lumps. Bring to a boil, until thickened.
In a food processor, puree the spinach until smooth. Stir the spinach mixture in with the bechamel. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
Reduce heat to a simmer. Remove from heat and add 5oz. of goat cheese, whisking until melted.
Slowly whisk the egg yolks into the bechamel sauce. Generously butter 6 (8oz.) ramekins. Place in a 9x13 baking dish.
Fold half of the egg whites into the souffle base. Then fold in the rest of the souffle base. Spoon mixture into the ramekins. Bake about 20 minutes until puffed and golden brown on the outside. serve immediately.
To Serve:
toss the mixed green and frisee with the vinaigrette.
Place 2-3 pieces of frisee on the center of the plate. Remove the souffle from the ramekin and place on top of the frisee. Place a small amount of tossed salad next to the souffle. Sprinkle with red pepper brunoise. Serve immediately.
For the Sauteed Mushrooms:
6 large shiitake mushrooms
1 medium bunch oyster mushrooms
2 Tbs clarified butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper
Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Cook mushrooms until a slight crust forms on each side of the slices.
Add heavy cream, cook just until slightly thickened. Pour over goat cheese souffle to finish.

For the White Orange Champagne Vinaigrette:
1 large white orange
1/2 cup dry champagne
1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbs grapeseed oil
1 Tbs shallot, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Using a peeler peel off 1/4 of the orange peel - just the peel, not the white part. Then, peel the orange so no white is showing.
With a sharp knife, cut 6 slices out of the peeled orange. Juice the rest into a small container.
combine the orange juice, orange peel and champagne in a small saucepan. Reduce to a thick consistency. Mixture should be very sweet and slightly bitter. Allow to cool.
Mix the orange-champagne syrup and vinegar. Taste, and add more vinegar if necessary.
In a small container with a tight fitting lid, combine the champagne-orange vinegar, shallot, salt pepper and oil. Shake until thoroughly emulsified. Serve immediately over greens.

Gastronaut

French Breakfast

I had some leftover oyster mushrooms that I needed to get rid of. I'd been planning this for awhile, so I'm really excited that I finally got to try it. This is from the old school but it's simple and elegant and would make a great dinner paired with a simple green salad. It may be a little boring but it's still good. The item in question:

Omlette with Oyster Mushrooms and Beurre Blanc makes 2 omlettes

6 eggs

2 cups oyster mushrooms

4 Tbs butter

1/4 cup finely diced shallot

1/2 cup white wine

3/4 ounce white vinegar

Using fresh eggs is very important, if you don't they will fall apart and not flip properly. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan heat the butter, until melted. Cook the mushrooms until browned and soft. Remove and set aside, season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and shallots. Reduce until consistency is syrupy. Whisk in the butter until sauce is smooth and velvety. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and keep warm until ready to serve.

Make the omlette: Heat an 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil or butter to the pan. Pour over half the beaten eggs. With a wood paddle or flat, heat-resistent spatula, stir vigorously for a few seconds, as if making scrambled eggs. Swirl the pan to even out the mixture. Continue to swirl the pan periodically, scraping down the sides. Using the spatula, loosen the omlette from the bottom of the pan, shaking it to make sure it's totally free. If you're feeling brave you can attempt to flip the entire omlette over to cook the top. If you do this, cook only a few seconds before plating. If you don't want to attempt the flip, lower the heat and wait until the top is fully cooked. This will take considerably longer.

To plate: Hold tilt the pan to slide out the omlette over the plate. When it's half out of the pan, use the spatula to fold the other half over, giving you the nice folded presentation. Do not attempt the tri-fold, it's too difficult.

For serving: You can do this one of two ways. 1) put the mushrooms in the middle of the omlette before folding, if you want them in the center and pour the sauce over the top. Or to showcase the nice shape of the mushroom 2) add the mushrooms back into the beurre blanc and toss to coat. Plate the omlette and pour the mushrooms and sauce over the top. Season with salt and pepper.

Steph found this a little bland and spiced it up with sambal oelek, which was very tasty and only mildly insulting to the chef.

If you wanna be really french you could serve this with wine. Breakfast is a little early for wine for me, but I couldn't resist.

TOO MANY SECRETS

Because I believe in progress, I want to share with you the recipe for - without hyperbole - the best bloody mary in the world. Any restaurant where I have any say in the menu will have this as a featured item. This recipe is not a science, I've never made it to specific measurements. If you try it, you might need to make a few test batches, adding a little of each ingredient at a time until you find something that works for you. It's based on me and steph's personal taste, so feel free to stray from these suggestions, just know you are tampering with perfection.

If you follow my sporadic postings you'll remember the pepper vodka post. This recipe rely's on a good homemade pepper vodka, which is great for martini's as well. I may have posted this recipe already but it's that good, you need to be reminded!

If you haven't made your own pepper vodka, don't even bother with this, it will just be another bloody mary. Don't be tempted by absolut's peppar vodka, it's spicy but has no pepper flavor which is truly what makes the drink.

Bloody Mary

1 1/2 ounces pepper vodka
8 ounces tomato juice
juice of half a lime
1/2 ounce white vinegar
worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp celery salt
pinch kosher salt
corsely ground black pepper
garnish, olives, pickled asparagus, celery stalk

Pour the chilled vodka into a highball (or similar) glass or a wide bodied wine glass (I prefer this one). Pour the tomato juice on top. Add the worcestershire sauce and stir. I always base the amount on the color. Since steph loves worcestershire sauce I add enough to make it a dark dark red. When I make it for myself, I add it to a deep maroon. Either way you should add a little more than you think you need since it gives the tomato juice a wonderful 'meaty' flavor. Add the remaining ingredients and stir again. Add ice if desired and garnish.

variations could include, olive juice, horseradish, grated onion, sherry vinegar instead of white, lemon juice instead of lime.

Pepper Vodka
allow 1 week for preparation, it's worth the wait

750ml GOOD vodka, I like absolut but steph prefers finlandia, stoli would be good too -no smirnoff, philips or burnetts!
1 jalepeno
1 red jalepeno or fresno chili
1 serrano chili
2 cloves garlic, whole, peeled

Don't be tempted to replace any of the chilis with a spicier one, this recipe is perfectly balanced. I once made this using a thai chili instead of a serrano and the bloody marys upset my stomach. Also, don't forget the garlic, it provides an earthy foundation for the chili flavor and spice.

Pour a few ounces of vodka out of the bottle. Wash the chili's thoroughly. Slice each in half lengthwise and push into the bottle along with the garlic. Allow to steep at room temperature at least three days, 7 is optimal.

I prefer to refrigerate the vodka after infusion is complete, since you don't need to remove the chilis and the flavor is the best. You could also remove the chilis and store the vodka in the freezer. I find this tedius and difficult at best, also, you almost always end up spilling some and wasting the precious spirit. If you remove the chilis, discard them, they do not taste good.

A pepper is not a subtle fruit, its flavor is aggressive even when used for it's sweetness. For this reason I like it paired - as it usually is - with subtly flavored meats, chicken, pork, seafood, veal. My friend Gabe suggested serving the pepper vodka martini with a fish dish, which is an excellent idea that I intend to try at some point, possibly with the trendy and expensive sea bass.

Dirty Pepper Martini

1 1/2 ounces homemade pepper vodka
1/4 ounce dry vermouth
splash of olive brine

Pour into a shaker over ice. Shake and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a jalepeno wheel