Ball’n Beef Bourguignon

This is the dish for ballers, shot callers, everyone with 20-inch rims, holla.

In the dead of winter, as the temperature drops and the melee of tourists secede to their corners for another grueling season of snow and bitter winds, the gut begins to yearn for a hearty stew to alleviate those pesky pangs of thug life regret. While recipes abound that fit this bill, one classic screams out louder than any snitch staring down 20-life: Beef Bourguignon.

Less than a 100 steps from the grubby kitchen that spawned this train wreck of a blog sits Savenor’s Market. Here the Queen of the American Foodie Revolution, Julia Child, famously shopped for her groundbreaking cooking show. In fact, she loved this tiny little joint so much that she saw fit to scrawl “Bon Appetit – JC” in the pavement outside the front door. Of the countless French recipes that Julia whipped up just a few blocks from Streaming Cheese, Beef Bourguignon is perhaps her most famous. If Julia is the OG of the American foodie craze, her recipe for Beef Bourguignon is her Crip’s Walk.

For those ballers who want to throw a gangster gathering that both TuPac and Julia would be proud to attend, pull the Henney (or whatever it is you kids are drinking nowadays) off the shelf, take a shot for good measure, and get ready to flambe. While we used brisket, any cheap meat will do. Chuck, top round, or stew meat from the butcher, has the same effect; the cut is only important when it comes to your timing.

If you enjoy making a meal into an all day event, bust out the dutch oven or crockpot, either will work. The dark winter months are at time to summon forth the classic repertoire of recipes, Julia did it first for the natives of Boston, and her spirit for French technique is one to be reckoned with. So if you’re feeling it, call the crew, turn up some beats (or beets), and tip the Henney to those friends who aren’t there to enjoy the feast.

Chef’s Note: The ingredients for this dish are as simple and the most important thing for you, as the cook, is to relish in the slow cooking, the textures of the meat and vegetables, and that beautiful smell that will permeate from your spot after just an hour or so. The wine and cognac are key here as well.  Rule of thumb is this – make sure to buy a wine that once you cook with it, you’ll want to enjoy a glass with the finished dish. 

The Dish:

Serves 4

• 3 lbs. beef brisket, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 bottle of good red wine
• 4 shots (6 ounces) of Hennessey
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 bunch thyme
• canola or vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 stalks celery, large dice
• 1/2 white onion, large dice
• 48 ounces chicken stock
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• salted butter
• 10 pearl onions
• 5 carrots, cubed
• 1/4 lb. pancetta, diced
• 8 button mushrooms

Cut the Beef:

1. On a cutting board, lay down the beef and locate the “grain” going through the meat, just like in a piece of wood.  Slice the beef lengthwise with the grain, going the long way.  Now cut the beef against the grain into cubes.

2. Place the beef in a large bowl. Add red wine, 2 shots of Henney, shallot, and a couple of thyme sprigs. Let the beef sit in the marinade for at least 3 hours.

3. Strain the juice and set aside for later. Lay the marinated meat on paper towel to dry.

G’it Cook’n:

1. In a heavy bottom pan, heat a little oil and lay the beef flat on the bottom of the pan.  Cook each side for 5 minutes or until it is nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper as it cooks.

2. Dust beef with the flour and stir to coat. Stir in the celery and white onions and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and the marinade. Keep over medium heat.

3. Assemble a bouquet garni.

4. Bring the beef to a boil and skim the foam from the top.  Throw in the bouquet garni and lower the heat. Partially cover the pot to allow some steam to vent.

5. Cook for approximately 2 hours or until the meat is soft.

Prepare for Landing:

1. Peel the pearl onions. Add a little butter and oil to a medium pot and saute the onions and carrots over low heat.  Continue to cook the vegetables until soft and browned. Set aside in a separate bowl to later add to the stew.

2. In the same pan over very low heat, brown the pancetta for about 10 minutes.

3. When the pancetta is crispy, add the mushrooms and cook until soft and browned. While the pan is still hot, add the 2 remaining shots of Henney and burn off the alcohol. (This is the flambe! Be sure to stand back!)

4. Stir the vegetables and mushrooms into the stew.

Serve with Mouthful’a Mashed Potatoes.

Consume!

Eat Big Bird

“‘Sunny day! Sweepin’ the clouds away! On my way to where the air is sweet.’© Can you tell me how to eat, how to eat that lovable beast?”

To those Gen X pop culture elitists who believe in the sanctity of Sesame Street and think roasting one of America’s most beloved birds would be an unconscionable act: Dismount from your high horse, get thee to the market and pick up any old whole chicken. But, remember this – the bigger the bird, the more succulent the meat. When faced with such a crisis of conscience – childhood innocence versus the refined palette, nursery rhyme nostalgia pitted against an overachiever’s appetite – one must soldier on. So, puff up those feathers and head straight for the checkout. It doesn’t get much juicier than Big Bird.

Roasting a whole chicken is one of the most cost-effective ways to feed an entire puppet-filled street. Just about every amoral slob can find enough change in their couch to buy a two-pound bird. More importantly, when prepared properly, cooked perfectly and served with profundity, this meal will delight even the grouchiest of garbage can dwellers. 

The Dish:

• 1/2 one lemon
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• Salt and pepper
• 1 whole chicken

The Shopping:

• chicken from McKinnon’s Meat Market
• herbs, garlic, and butter from Savenor’s Market
• lemon stolen from The Druid

Make the Compound Butter:

1. Zest the lemon using either a microplane zester or a vegetable peeler. Dice the lemon peels.

2. In a food processor, combine the parsley, garlic, fresh lemon juice, diced lemon peels, and softened butter.

3. Mix ingredients into a smooth, creamy paste. Note: If your lazy roommate doubles as your food processor, instruct him or her to finely chop all the ingredients and mash them together until achieving the proper the consistency. Remind your (possibly still lazy) substitute food processor that personal poundings continue until the butter compound submits to a state of perfection.

4. Season the resulting compound butter with salt and pepper. Set buttery goodness aside, keep at room temperature.

De-Wishbone: 

1. Lay the chicken flat on its back with the legs facing away from you.

2: Carefully peel back the skin slightly from the top of the breast. Using two fingers, feel for the wishbone at the top of the breast.

3. Once located, use a small paring knife to cut it out. If a knife doesn’t work, make a seam and pull it out with your fingers.

Feel it Up, err…Spread it On:

1. Season the inside and outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.

2. Carefully loosen the skin away from the breast using your fingers.

3. Stuff the butter compound under the skin and gently spread it across the muscle of the chicken breast, working your way under the skin to cover the whole bird.

Tie’r up:

1. Cut a 3-foot length piece of butcher’s twine.

2. Tuck each wing backwards and underneath the bird’s back. Place the twine under the bird with the middle falling under the neck. Pull each end towards the legs, under each breast.

3. Take each end and wrap it around the outside of each leg, then criss-cross the twine under the leg. This makes a Figure 8 between the legs. Pull the ends tight so the legs are compacted.

4.  Pull the string toward the neck on both sides, under each breast and make a simple slipknot at the base of the neck; tighten the twine. The bird should now resemble a neatly corseted, little package.

Get Cooking:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place the dressed bird in the oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Note: Checking the actual internal temperature of the chicken requires a meat thermometer. The aforementioned lazy roommate does not suffice as an appropriate substitute.

This recipe serves 4

 Serve with Caramelized Fall Vegetables.

Consume!

Veggie Monster Approved

The Cookie Monster’s ceremonious transition into the Veggie Monster was nothing short of a crime against humanity. Those reared on Sesame Street with full membership to its cult died a little inside that day. 

That said, it would be equally criminal to chow down on Big Bird this fall without serving up a few veggies of the root variety. After all, where would Bert be without Ernie?

There is no question that both roasted white meat and vegetables can stand alone based on their own delectable merits.  Stick them together, however, and simple flavors mingle seamlessly, complementing and enhancing one another like a Sesame Street block spiked with a Jim Hanson cocktail. Most importantly, roasting these veggies is easier than tickling Elmo and just as satisfying.

The Dish:

• 4 whole carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 purple top turnip (rutabaga), peeled and diced
• 4 parsnips, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick), salted butter
• a little water, to help cook

The Shopping:

• carrots and turnip from Savenor’s Market
• parsnips from a friend’s urban garden

Chop ‘n Cook:

1. Chop all vegetables into equally sized cubes.

2. In a large pasta pot set over low heat, melt the butter with the vegetables at the same time and stir.

3. Stirring continuously, add about 1 ounce of water to create some steam.  The vegetables will eventually start to brown.

4. Keep your eye on the veggies and keep stirring! The object is to caramelize, not burn the veggies. If the bottom of the pan appears dry, add more water.  Stir, stir, stir and cook the veggies for about 20 minutes or until tender.

This recipe serves 4

Sow Good

Occasionally, I witness something so cool that I can’t help myself from posting a few shots that don’t fit into our normal format. In doing so, I also can’t avoid a shameless plug for Primo Restaurant in Rockland, Maine, where I dined this past weekend. After an amazing dinner, I accepted an invitation to come back the next day to photograph a sacred annual ritual: the carving of the pigs.

Chef and co-founder Melissa Kelly dubs her joint a “full circle kitchen,” which means that a great deal of the food she serves at Primo is grown or raised on-site in the adjacent gardens and farm. This alone is an impressive feat, but Chef Kelly goes one step further – nearly nothing goes to waste, including a pig’s brain and eyeballs. This James Beard award-winning culinary genius doesn’t just love to cook, she respects food. While I could go on ad nauseam about how each menu reflects Kelly’s food philosophy, how she draws countless gourmands to her out-of-the-way restaurant and has perhaps, even changed the food world itself – Google is just as capable of doing that job. I’m interested in showing what I saw this past weekend.

A brief note: Some of the images are a bit…um, gory. One vegetarian friend of mine recoiled in disgust upon seeing a pig cut in half. While I completely understand that reaction, I think it’s important to remember that Primo Restaurant is the furthest thing from a commercial slaughter-house. To call these pigs “organic” doesn’t even seem to do them justice. These beasts are raised in the best of conditions and practically everything appears on future menus.

Finally, I’d like to give a big THANK YOU to Chef Melissa Kelly for letting me into the ground floor of Primo, despite the fact that I gave her virtually no explanation. It’s a rare breed that is willing to open their backdoor to a stranger, who simply “wants to take pictures”. Also, a wicked big thanks to Sous Chef Josh Fratoni, Line Cook Lazaro Galicia and the rest of the team at Primo for letting me bang around the butcher room. You guys are masters at your craft and were super cool to boot. I’m in awe of your knife-wielding skills. Finally, a big thanks to Charcutier Matt Margolskee (he wouldn’t give himself such a fancy pants title, but I will) for setting up the shoot and also for hooking me up with a plate of super tasty cured meat. I can’t wait to sit at your counter again.

Parmesan Garlic Bread

Vampires hate this bread. They can’t deal with the crunchy outside or the warm, soft, buttery inside…which is weird, because they normally love soft insides.

Humans, on the other hand, simply can’t keep their hands off this spectacular side. Clearly, the fact that it doesn’t taste like blood is rather appealing, but it’s also exceptionally versatile, amazingly delicious, and outrageously cheap. What’s not to love?

Chef’s Note:
This is one of the best sides to any Sunday dinner, whether you’re eating alone or feeding a crowd. You don’t have to serve up pasta, veal, or pancetta to enjoy it. Bust it out as an appetizer or even as a quick snack. All you need is some cheese, a fresh baguette and the secret ingredient – the butter spread. 

The Dish:

• 8 leaves fresh basil
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• Salt and pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 ounces Parmesan Cheese, grated plus more for garnish
• 1 sprig oregano, leaves stripped and chopped finely
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 loaf fresh Italian bread, halved lengthwise

The Shopping:

• bread from Hi-Rise Bread Company
• everything else provided courtesy of the fridge

Get Rolling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Chiffonade the basil leaves. Neatly layer the leaves one on top of the other to create a stack. Press down on the stack and roll the leaves tightly into the shape of a cigar. Starting at the middle with a sharp knife, slice evenly across the bunch to create thin ribbons. Fluff the pile to separate the strips and divide.

Bring on the Butter:

1. Season the butter with salt and pepper.
2. In a food processor at medium speed, blend the butter, garlic, cheese, oregano, and half of the cut basil strips. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil to smooth the mixture.
3. Using a rubber spatula, spread the herb butter across the halves of bread. Be sure to get all of the edges.

 

Bake it:

1. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the bread is crispy.
2. Sprinkle additional Parmesan onto each piece and return to oven. Continue to bake until cheese is slightly melted.
3. Garnish with remaining basil.

Consume!

 

Risotto the Right Way

Risotto with Mushrooms

Conquering risotto requires patience. This is one gal that you can’t rush and like most exquisite creatures, simplicity is elegant. While there are many different ways to gussy up risotto, the starch in the rice absorbs flavors like a sponge, so a little goes a long way.

Mushrooms are often substituted for proteins and textures that are found in meat dishes. The radicchio offers a slight bitterness and crunch that only helps the dish finish in a way unlike other risotto recipes out there.

The Dish:

• 2 cups Arborio rice (of your choice)
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cups porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 bunch thyme
• 1 small radicchio
• 1/2 stick of butter
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish

The Shopping:

• Arborio rice from Wild Harvest
• veggies from Shaw’s

Prep the Veggies:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a simmer. Turn off the heat and keep it as hot as you can.

2. Melt 1/2 of the butter in a small saute pan. To cook the mushrooms, lay them flat in the bottom of the pan and season with salt and pepper; cook over high heat. Do not stir, as this will give them color. Cook until the water evaporates, which will intensify the taste.

3. Add a tablespoon of shallots and some thyme to the mushrooms. Cook for one minute; remove from heat.

Ready for Risotto:

1. In a large, non-stick pan, saute the rest of the butter and shallots just until they start to brown. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon once to coat; it should look a little glossy. Toast the rice over the heat for two minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Add wine to the pan and reduce the liquid until it is absorbed by the rice. Season with a little salt.

3. Grab the stock and keep it close. Add a cup of stock to the rice, lower the heat and start stirring continuously.

4. Once the rice has absorbed the stock, add another ladle full and continue stirring. The entire cooking process takes around 20 minutes. NEVER LEAVE THE RICE, and like many Italians swear, never stop stirring.

5. Repeat step 4 until all the stock is gone.

6. The rice will be a little firm, but not mushy. Season to your liking. Add the cooked mushrooms and fold in the radicchio. Finish it with Parmesan cheese.

This recipe serves 4

 Served with a side of Parmesan Garlic Bread.

Consume!

Sultry Soy Salmon

Soy and Ginger Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy

Smoked and served at breakfast, poached and put over pasta, slapped on the backyard grill or left simply unadulterated as in sashimi – salmon is undoubtedly one of the most versatile AND delicious proteins on this delicate planet. Like tuna, mackerel and swordfish, salmon is an oily fish with a feisty attitude.

Both Pacific and Atlantic salmon can be procured at most fish markets, but Atlantic farm-raised salmon has the market cornered by a factor of 85-1. Pacific salmon, however, is almost always caught by those burly beefcakes we love to romanticize. For a while, popular opinion held that farm-raised salmon was less tasty, an idea that took root at the same time environmentalists began documenting the impact of the farms themselves. The environmental damage done by fish farms is not to be ignored, but…that’s a debate for another blog.

One thing is absolutely true – wild salmon straight from the sea is ideal, BUT if you live on the right coast, this is rarely an option. Thus, the taste debate between frozen (usually Pacific salmon) versus non-frozen farm-raised (Atlantic salmon) rages on like the icy Alaskan waters, renowned for its delicious bounty. While opinions on this matter clearly are not short in supply, a few facts are important to remember. First, fatty fin fish like salmon, bluefish and trout don’t dry out during the freezing/thawing process and thus, retain their taste much better than leaner fish. Secondly, just because a fish has been farm-raised doesn’t mean it’s going to taste like a frankenfish. While there is some scientific evidence that suggests farm-raised fish has less nutritional value than their wild friends on the wrong coast, they do taste very much the same.

Whatever your final decision reels in, this particular dish works on several levels. The sauce is basically a teriyaki glaze, which also pairs well with chicken and beef. Asian-style salmon dishes are now a common feature at classy restaurants, because it’s wicked sophisticated, dude. More importantly, it’s cheap and it’s easy.

The Dish:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1/2 cup lite soy sauce
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. fresh garlic
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp. sriracha (chili sauce), optional
• 1 tbsp. corn starch
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 1/2 cups veggie or chicken stock
• 2 baby bok choy
• 2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 4 oz. sesame seeds
• 1 orange, segmented for garnish
• green onions, chopped for garnish

The Shopping:

• salmon from the Courthouse Fish Market
• sriracha
• baby bok choy from Savenor’s Market

Make the Glaze:

1. Peel the ginger with a spoon. Mince the ginger and garlic into fine pieces.
2. Brown the ginger and garlic over low heat in a small saucepan with a dollop of oil for about 3 minutes. Add orange juice to the pan; bring to a boil. Lower heat and reduce sauce by half.

3. Zest the lime. To do so, simply grate the skin of the lime and collect the shavings. To the pan, add brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest and a little lime juice.  Lastly, add the sriracha sauce and bring to a boil.
4. Mix the cornstarch with a little water and add to pan to thicken the sauce. Return to a boil and set aside.

Begin the Bok Choy:

1. Toast the sesame seeds in the oven at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes.
2. Quarter the whole bok choy.
3. Soften the bok choy by boiling in one gallon of salted water about 1 1/2 minutes. Feel free to walk away and heat it up later just before serving the salmon.
4. To finish, saute the bok choy in the sesame oil and season it with salt/pepper. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Fry the Fish:

1. Pat the fish dry on both sides with paper towel.
2. Preheat a large frying pan for several minutes.
3. Season the fish generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Remove pan from heat and add 1 oz. of vegetable oil.
5. Place the fish, skin side up, in the hot pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. The fish will brown evenly on this side.
6. Carefully flip the fish and cook skin side down for another 3 minutes or until crispy. This will cook the fish to medium rare.
7. Reheat sauce and drizzle over fish as desired.
8. Garnish with a few segmented orange slices and chopped green onions.

Consume!