On the Market

Celebrity Apprentice

2011-04-17T20:00:00.000-05:00

I had a blast with the lovely ladies on the Celebrity Apprentice. We nearly burned the kitchen down more than once, but in the end they rocked it! I never got to find out how the episode turned out but I've got tons of faith in those ladies.

While you're here, please check out my new website and cookbook, in stores on May 10th and on Amazon.com now! Ands follow us on twitter: @marriedNcooking @jamesbriscione

And the pork just keeps coming...

2011-03-21T21:22:00.006-05:00

Porchetta is one of the ultimate indulgences in the porcine world. A succulent roast that incorporates many of the best pieces of the pig- loin, belly and crisp skin- it’s best made from a suckling (or young- less than 80 lb) pig. As the pig grows, so too does the porchetta from the perfect sandwich sized slice to a plate-sized marvel of goodness.

Both delicious, though one more manageable than the other. When I got my hands on my own half hog, I couldn’t help carving one section of the loin into a Fred Flintstone sized porchetta for myself.

Check out my photo journal of the process below.

boneless pork loin section with the belly attached

skin on is key- so crisp and delicious after roasting

butterfly the loin section and salt generously

rub all surfaces with a mixture of garlic, parsley, rosemary and thyme

re-roll and tie tightly

oven ready- about 2 hours to internal temperature of 140˚

cool completely before slicing

reheat under the broiler to crisp the skin

Homemade Andouille

2011-03-21T18:54:00.003-05:00

Having grown up in the South, I’ve kind of got a thing for andouille. For me, it’s the perfect fix to turn to when you want to give whatever-you-may-be-cooking ‘a little something extra.’ Like mirepoix to French cuisine or garlic, ginger and scallions in Asian cookery, smoked meats are an essential base to many classic Southern dishes.

Click Here to Continue Reading

The Perfect Food from 'The Whole Hog'

2011-02-27T19:40:00.004-05:00

Last night's Whole Hog cooking class

Tomorrow one of my classes will take a quiz that marks their midway point in the curriculum. On that quiz I will expect them to tell about the things that make a great dish. I want them to tell me that a plate should be constructed to offer a variety color and shape. And explain that these things are very when it comes to a dish's visual appeal. But, when you're done looking and it's time to eat nothing is more important than texture (it's understood that flavor is paramount). Without differing textures on the plate a diner is likely to lose interest after about 3 bites. The top food textures (and the most important ones to get on the plate) are creamy/smooth, chewy and crisp.

These thoughts of the perfect plate were running through my mind as I sat down to a plate of slow roasted pork belly from last night's Whole Hog cooking class.

Crackles filled the air as my knife pushed through the brittle skin and into a creamy layer of soft fat before it reaches the succulent meat. So, to recap- crisp skin, creamy fat and chewy, tender meat... I never needed any convincing that pork belly was the most perfect food in the world but now I think I've got the empirical evidence. I encourage you to test my hypothesis:

Slow Roasted Pork Belly

1 piece boneless pork belly

3 heads garlic, cut in half

8 branches fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

olive oil, as needed

1 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

preheat oven to 350

Place the pork belly on a cutting board, skin side up. Trim into an even shape and score the skin in a cross-hatch pattern.

Arrange the garlic, cut side up, in the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the pork. Scatter the thyme and bay leaf over the garlic, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the white wine and chicken stock.

Place the belly on top of the garlic. Cover the pan with aluminum and place in the oven.

Remove the pork from the oven every 45 minutes until to baste until finished cooking, two hours and fifteen minutes later.

Remove the pork from the oven and cool completely. Place the pork in the refrigerator between two trays with weights on the top overnight to firm.

heat oven to 450˚

Cut the pork into portions drizzle with oil and return to the oven to cook until the skin is crisped, about 15 minutes.

A Quick Cassoulet

2011-01-25T22:52:00.006-05:00

I know, I know the word 'quick' goes against everything that cassoulet is about but sometimes you need a bowlful of hearty goodness in a hurry. This a recipe I made for the first time with homemade pork liver sausages. Brooke and I were shocked and thrilled to see Parker (our 21 month-old little girl) was an ever bigger fan of the either of us- which is saying something!

In these cold winter months we could all use a little comforting. I find little more comforting than a warm bowl of creamy-tomatoey beans studded with rich sausage. On these frigid days when all you want to stay inside and snuggle under blankets on the couch, a meal like this will zap any ambition you might have had and keep you firmly planted indoors. Think of it as cassoulet on a budget of both time (about 20 minutes vs. 6 hours) and money (6 ingredients vs. 12+).

Here' s what you do:

1. get some sausage- what ever you like: italian, chorizo, bratwurst, anything (I actually used a pork liver sausage I created when testing recipes for my new charcuterie workshop at ICE). Cut it in to 1 inch pieces and brown in a skillet.2. Add 1 cup minced onions and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, saute until tender.

3. Add approximately 16 ounces chopped tomatoes (canned are a good option right now). Stir well and bring to a simmer. Allow the tomatoes to simmer until slightly thickened.

4. Add approximately 24 ounces cooked white beans and simmer 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Serve in bowls topped with celery that has been thinly sliced and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

And for the ambitious out there: Pork Liver Sausages

500g pork liver
1200g pork shoulder
200g fat back
20g kosher salt
2 g white pepper
1 g marjoram
2 g basil
1 g ground allspice

Thoroughly chill all ingredients and grind each separately. Combine the ground meats in a bowl, add the spices and blend well.

Cook a small pieces of the mixture to taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Pack the seasoned mixture into casings and rest in the refrigerator over night. Poach the sausage to an internal temperature of 160˚ then cool in the poaching liquid. Seal sausages in cry-o-vac bags or store refrigerated in the poaching liquid.

Charcutepalooza

2011-01-15T19:40:00.002-05:00

I just recently came across two very ambitious bloggers Cathy Barrow and Kim Foster who have set out on a year long project to help all of those involved connect with the food they eat. They have decided that they are no longer going to be intimidated by things like duck proscuitto, bacon or pancetta. Not only have they set out this year to start making these items themselves, they're challeneging their fellow bloggers to see what recipes they can come up with using the items that they've made.

I am thrilled and fascinated with this project and cannot wait to get started on February's challenge- bacon and pancetta. Charcutepalooza, here I come...

New Things for the New Year

2011-01-04T23:54:00.003-05:00

Hello to all the people that still visit blog. I want you to know that I appreciate you both.

It was a very busy close to 2010, finishing up the manuscript for Just Married and Cooking and putting together our new website WWW.JUSTMARRIEDANDCOOKING.COM so please click over and take a look at what's happening over there.

I plan to be back here on this website soon as well. With the book wrapped up I been burying myself in new charcuterie projects and have almost finished a new curriculum for my Two-day Terrine and Charcuterie Workshop at ICE, so even if you came last year think about coming back. Recipes will include a new headcheese, blood sausage, pork liver sausage and deep fried rillettes.

some of Michael Clampffer's (of Mosefund Mangalitsa) badass charcuterie that he and I brought The Chef's Garden this past spring.

I've also got a long backlog of recipes from cooking adventures in my Sous Vide Supreme. My favorite of which is the perfect recreation of one of New York's ultimate street foods- the Rafiqui's chicken pita.

So stick around and check back often for plenty of new things here and at www.justmarriedandcooking.com in the coming year!

Hello, again...

2010-08-03T19:48:00.003-05:00

Well its been a while, but we've been a little busy and it means lots of great new things for the small handful of you who actually pay attention to what happens on this blog...

Last week we submitted the final copy of our cookbook- Just Married and Cooking. So with that major hurdle behind us, we're now on to shooting photos next week. But along with the book, we've been hard at work behind the scenes creating our new website... which will be launching VERY soon. On top of that, we've been creating lots of new classes for both couples and passionate cooks- 2 of our next 4 classes are already sold out but there are just a few spots at the stove left for:

The Vegetarian Grill- this Thursday August 5! Take it from a man who lives on pork, this is the best vegetarian cooking class in New York City. Don't believe me? Click on the recipe below.

Couples Cooking: Cocktail Party- August 27th. Learn all the tip and tricks you need to whip up rocking small bites for all your friends and unique cocktails- but be careful, with these recipes under you belt people may not ever leave.

Here's a little taste of one of the recipes from my vegetarian grilling class. Grilled peaches with salted caramel sauce. We created this recipe for our July 4th BBQ at Studio b, with the amazing Colleen Duffley- our cookbook photograper and provider of this photo.

Grilled Peach Ice Cream Sundae's
'cause if you're going to fire up the grill, you might as well keep it going for dessert!

Find the recipe here.

The 30,000 Dollar Man

2010-05-04T09:51:00.003-05:00

Me! not The Mayor... (I think he might be worth a bit more than that)

I recently had the great opportunity to work with the folks at the Marfan Foundation for their annual HeartWorks Gala here in NYC. As a part of the festivities for the evening, I was auctioned off to create "The Ultimate Dinner Party" a dinner for 12 in someone's home. We were lucky enough to raise $30,000 for this great organization through my dinners!

Taste of the South Photo Shoot

2010-05-03T10:30:00.002-05:00

Last week we put together the first photo shoot for our upcoming book Just Married and Cooking, with the amazing team at Taste of the South magazine. It's the best magazine you've never heard of. Trust me. Its a cooking magazine with a novel approach- recipes and articles about cooking, not TV shows.

A few photos from the shoot:

My new drink for the summer- Bourbon-Peach Press

Spring Version of a Bellini (with cantaloupe!), likely that more than a few of these will be served on Mother's Day.

Coffee Bourbon Milkshakes with Spiced Pecans

A cozy table with friends...

Mangalitsa Dinner at the Culinary Vegetable Institute

2010-04-08T10:51:00.004-05:00

The dinner at CVI was a huge success! It was an honor to work with such a great organization and an incredible staff. THanks to everyone who worked hard to make the dinner such a success- especially the amazing product from the Chef's Garden and Mosefund Mangalitsa.

More Pictures Here

And Here

Earth to Table

2010-03-22T12:46:00.007-05:00

I'm heading off on Thursday to the famed Chef's Garden in Ohio to cook their monthly Earth-to-Table Dinner at the Culinary Vegetable Institute (CVI). I'm making the trip Michael from Mosefund Farm in NJ, the only farm on the east coast currently raising Mangalitsa pigs. I recently got to spend a weekend at his farm- it's an amazing operation that raises healthy delicous pigs the right way. Mangalitsa are famous for the quality of the fat, which Michael turns into the most unbelivable, melt-in-your-mouth lardo that I have ever tasted. Specialty raised hogs and the most perfectly grown vegetables in the country... sounds delicious!

"The Culinary Vegetable Institute provides the world’s most innovative chefs with a place to share knowledge, experiment and discover techniques for growing and preparing the most flavorful varieties of vegetables in the world. The collaboration between the garden farmer and the chef and between the old and the new is the foundation of the Culinary Vegetable Institute (CVI). The CVI Kitchen Garden™ team searches for the best techniques to produce the most flavorful vegetable varieties in an organic fashion. The CVI is a learning center for the most progressive chefs to pass their vegetable knowledge and techniques to the rising stars of tomorrow."

Appetizers

Assorted Mangalitsa Charcuterie with The Chef’s Garden Pickled Vegetables

Heirloom Baby Lettuce Mix with Greaves and Spring Garlic

Croutons Crostini of Shaved Radishes, Whipped Lard, Micro Fines Herbes and Pea Shoots

Mangalitsa “Cassoulet” with Chef’s Garden Beans, Baby Turnips and Swiss Chard

Entrees

Roasted Mangalitsa Pork with Spring Meadow Herbs and Natural Jus

Cured Ham and Baby Vegetable Gratin with Fresh Farm Eggs

Earth to Table Vegetables

Bacon Braised Spring Greens

Mustard Glazed Carrot Variation

Roasted Heirloom Potatoes with Micro Chives

Desserts

Chocolate Ganache Cakes with Candied Bacon and Sour Cream Ice Cream

Rhubarb Pie with Lard Crust and Lemon Verbena

And for anyone in the greater Cleveland area, I'll be on the FOX TV Morning Show Friday morning, so check me out!

Lamb Ragu in the Sous Vide Supreme

2010-03-14T19:10:00.006-05:00

We are creatures of comfort. New can often be scary. When the microwave oven was first introduced to home cooks, there was plenty of resistance... despite the fact that the first microwave ovens weighed 750 pounds and required a professional plumber for installation. But the microwave had its advantages- it cooked really quickly. I assume the novelty and speed was enough for people to over look the negative- with the enduring exception of popcorn- nothing out of the microwave taste as good as it does cooked elsewhere.

So for me, when considering new technology or techniques in the kitchen, the question must always be: "Does it make it better?" So I decided to put my Sous Vide Supreme to the test. A side-by-side cooking challenge that I thought was stacking the deck in favor of conventional cooking: a lamb ragu. Not your cheap american version of ragu- ground meat and tomato sauce, but an old school, long simmered, chunks of whole meat cooked down in red wine, tomato and veal stock, ragu. My though was 'surely the conventional route of cooking wins out here, with the pot simmering stovetop for 3 hours, natural reduction, concentration of flavors, blah, blah, blah.' It has to be, right?

So I made two identical batches of the below recipe and put them to the ultimate test: my wife. She has a very discerning palate, and is not afraid to tell me what she thinks about any (and every) thing I cook. After a blind tasting, to both of our surprises, the 8 hour ragu cooked in the Sous Vide Supreme beat the 3 hour ragu cooked conventionally on the stovetop. Both had the same meltingly tender texture, but the flavor in the sous vide ragu was bigger and brighter than the stovetop version.

Sous Vide Ragu

1# lamb shoulder or other braising type meat (I have since made this with wild boar loin to equally great results)

olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup mirepoix

3 garlic cloves

1 branch fresh rosemary

2 branches fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seed

8 oz red wine

2 cups canned chopped tomato

2 cups veal stock

Season the lamb well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sear the lamb shoulder in oil until dark brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest. Drain the oil from the pan and add the butter, mirepoix, garlic herbs and fennel seeds. Saute until tender and lightly caramelized. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce to nearly dry. Add the veal stock and canned tomato. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the thyme and rosemary and cool the tomato mixture. Transfer the meat and the tomato sauce to foodsafe bag and seal. removing as much air as possible.

Cook for 8 hours at 155˚F.

After cooking, remove the meat and slice or shred before returning to the sauce. Serve with cooked pasta- thick tube shapes like rigatoni or penne; or wide noodles- papardelle or tagliatelle.

Pork Chops in Sous Vide Supreme

2010-01-28T15:48:00.006-05:00

Adventures with the Sous Vide Supreme continue. I've been cooking plenty the past few weeks, but haven't made it around. A 9 month old and looming cookbook deadline aren't very conducive to free time... Anyway, the best new thing to come out of Sous Vide Supreme is

Slow Cooked Pork Chops with Whiskey and Prunes

this is an adaptation of a recipe the will be in our cookbook. It's a delicious, slow cooked, one pot meal that is a perfect midweek recipe- easy enough in the stovetop version (wait for the book) it's nearly effortless in the Sous Vide Supreme- not lifting lids, double checking oven temps, worry about tough dry pork chops. All while the baby sleeps and we work on the next chapter.

4 bone-in pork chops

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 large onion, sliced

1/2 cup prunes, pitted and cut in half

1/2 cup jack daniels

Season the pork chops well with salt and pepper. Combine the flour and cumin on a large plate and coat the pork chops on both sides.

Heat two tablespoons of canola in cast iron skillet and brown the pork chops well on both sides. Remove to a rack to rest. Add the onions to the pan and caramelize. Deglaze the the onions with the whiskey and add the prunes. Reduce until nearly dry.

Cool the onions and add to bag with pork chops and any juices that remain. Seal tightly. Cook for 2 hours at 142˚. Remove from the bag, divide onions between 4 plates. Add the onions to saute pan, bring to a simmer and stir in the heavy cream. Reduce by one-third and spoon over the pork chops.

Homemade Soda

2010-01-28T14:02:00.009-05:00

As winter continues it's march to what seems like an interminable end, there is one bright spot- citrus fruits, which tend to peak in January and February. Yes, I know lemons, limes and oranges can be grabbed year round, I'm talking about the more tenuous of fruits- blood orange, meyer lemon, tangerine and satsuma. But there are problems. Citrus fruits lose their bright, fresh flavor when cooked. And as anyone who has ever made an orange reduction knows, a boiling creates a bitterness that no amount of sugar can fix. There's only so much peeling and squeezing one man can do, and a freezer full of juices wouldn't leave room for Parker's teething rings anyway- not in a New York City-sized freezer. All of which leads to concentrated syrups being the best option for preserving the juice of these seasonal gems.

Before I began working with my Sous Vide Supreme, the only option for making a syrup was to blend fresh squeezed juice with simple syrup. While that will make a nice cocktail, the diluted flavor leaves plenty to be desired. With the Sous Vide Supreme and my Food Saver, I've found a way of making syrups that are thick and sweet without losing the bright, clean flavor of fresh citrus.

Begin by removing thin strips of zest, making sure there is none of the white pith attached.
Trim the all of the pith away from the fruit and cut into sections. Weigh the fruit and zest together, then add 75% of the fruit's weight in granulated sugar.
Place fruit and sugar in a bag and seal in the Food Saver.
Drop into a water bath at 130˚F and cook approximately 1 hour or until the sugar is dissolved. Strain immediately and cool.

Homemade Soda

1 oz citrus syrup

8 oz Club Soda

ice

Stir together the citrus syrup and ice in a rocks glass. Top with club soda and stir once more. Garnish with your favorite fruit.

white grapefruit and blood ornge syrups with homemade blood orange soda

or save for more insidious uses, like bourbon...

The Sous Vide Revolution Continues...

2010-01-27T13:59:00.004-05:00

at least, in my house. Thanks to my Sous Vide Supreme. I've still been at it playing, tasting, creating. My latest triumphs have been duck breasts and citrus syrups (more on these later).

The duck was one of the best that I've ever had. Perfectly cooked breast and ultra crispy skin. Here's how:

6 duck breast

1 teaspoon soy sauce

salt

pepper

Season the duck on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the breasts sides by side in a plastic in a single layer. Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce to the bag. Remove air from the bags and seal, I use a foodsaver. Place the duck in the Sous Vide Supreme set at 129˚F; cook three hours. Remove the duck and cool immediately in an ice bath (in the bag).

Remove the cooled duck breast from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern and salt lightly. Place two duck breast skin side down in a cast iron pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until the skin is well browned and very crispy, 90-120 seconds. Lift the duck from the pan and drain the excess fat as it cooks. Flash the duck on the other to warm. Slice and serve.

For me, its a cherry-red wine gravy and grits

Sous Vide Supreme, pt. II

2010-01-09T21:32:00.011-05:00

OK, so it's not quite el Taller, but it is a start. And I'm having a blast! Ever since my Sous Vide Supreme arrived last week, I've been a vacuum sealing, slow cooking mad man.

So far there have been some highs and quite a few lows as well. In the past two weeks I've cooked, among other things:

NY Strip Steak

Pork Tenderloin

Pork Loin, twice

Flounder

Salmon

Carrots

Vidalia Onion- more on that later

Eggplant

Chicken Breasts

Chicken Wings

Rabbit Confit

Duck Confit

Flat Iron Steak

First, some of the successes:

NY Strip Steak

11 oz. steak seasoned with salt and pepper

Sealed with:

1 garlic clove, cut in half

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon butter

Cooked at 132˚F for 2 hours.

After cooling the cooked steak in an ice bath. I seared it in a cast iron pan with smoking hot canola oil, just long enough to brown the outside.

The result was an unbelievably flavorful steak, that was the most tender I have ever had.

Next time I might extend the cooking slightly to try to render a little more fat from the meat.

Pork Loin

1.75 lb. pork loin

Seasoned with a dry rub of salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Left to cure for 2 days. Sealed with 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Cooked at 132˚F for 9 hours and 20 minutes.

The meat was very tasty with a bit of a dry-cured texture (in a good way). At the very center the meat was slightly under done (a little soft in texture).

Next time, I'll probably increase the temp slightly to 137˚-140˚ and increase the time to 10-12 hours. I previous trials, I found 150˚ to way too high for cooking pork at 8 hours.

Finally, Sliced Carrots for my favorite sous chef

Carrots were thinly sliced, sealed with a strip of orange zest, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon butter.

The results? Perfect!

Ultimate Tomato Bacon Mac-n-Cheese

2010-01-05T23:17:00.014-05:00

1 lb. box penne pasta

½ lb. lean bacon or pancetta

2 tablespoons fat/butter

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup flour

3 cups milk

2 cups cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce

½ lb. mozzarella cheese, diced

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoon olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta and cook until just tender but not completely soft, 10 minutes. Strain the pasta immediately and rinse with warm water to keep it from sticking. Set aside to drain. Choose a lean piece of bacon, pancetta, or smoked ham. I used a piece of veal bacon I made the school.

Cut the meat into a small dice, or lardons and place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Slowly render the fat from the meat- you may have to add a little oil to help the browning if the meat is extremely lean. When the meat is brown and crisped, remove from the pot with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.

Measure the fat left in the pot and add enough butter to make 4 tablespoons. Stir the tomato paste into the hot fat and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the flour and cook until a loose paste form, about 3 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of milk and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Scrape and bits from the bottom of the pan and stir vigorously until a smooth, very thick paste forms. Whisk in the remaining milk. Mix until smooth and bring to a simmer. Cook 5-10 minutes at simmer until thickened slightly.

Add the cheese and whisk until smooth. Stir in the hot sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix the cooked pasta into the sauce and return to a simmer. Add the crisp bacon to the pan along with the diced mozzarella cheese and turn off the heat.

Stir the mixture together and transfer to a large gratin dish.

Combine the fresh breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and olive oil in a separate bowl. Cover the top of the pasta with breadcrumbs and bake in a 400˚ oven until bubbling and golden brown on top.

Under Pressure

2010-01-03T14:46:00.005-05:00

We're all under a lot pressure around these days... jobs, kids, the economy, healthcare, guys with explosives in their underpants. None if it's much to get excited about, unless you say it in French- "sous vide;" literally translates to under pressure.

In Thomas Keller's book by the same name (Under Pressure), Harold McGee writes that this book "introduces cooks to one of the most important culinary innovations of modern times." And I believe he is exactly right. Though for those of you who have purchased (or even perused a friends copy) this fascinating book, you quickly realized, while providing a thrilling glimpse into what happens in the kitchens of restaurants like per se and french laundry, it's not quite a go to for Sunday suppers. But all of that may be changing. Enter the Sous Vide Supreme:

The Sous Vide Supreme (SVS) is the first low temperature water bath (the key to cooking sous vide) marketed specifically for home cooks. While the price tag may seem high to some, the SVS is about half the price of other water circulators on the market- the type they use at restaurants like per se, french laundry, etc. For a great explanation on what goes into the equipment from one of its creators, check out the comment section on Michael Ruhlman's post on SVS. When I return to New York, I'll be pulling my own SVS out of the box (thanks, Honey! I mean Santa) and getting to work. I'll be documenting the process with recipes and pictures on this website so stay tuned.

And for those of you skeptical of this type of cookery- sous vide cooking does not mean molecular gastronomy and is even further removed from the avant garde style of cooking that is often mislabeled as molecular gastronomy. I can only imagine the type resistance the microwave must have received when it was first introduced...

French Onion Soup

2009-12-17T21:48:00.020-05:00

Trapped inside on a too-cold-to-walk-the-sidewalks-kind-of-day, I think french onion soup is the perfect answer. Its super simple to make and requires very few ingredients. Since the 2 foot snow drifts make a trip to the store for bread out of the question, I decided to improvise by making a frico, or crisps, out of gruyere cheese.

2 ounces/4 tablespoons butter

3 each/2# yellow onions, sliced

1 tablespoon/4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 ounces brandy

2 branches fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

40 ounces veal stock

salt

freshly ground pepper

**For perfect, cheesy croutons: mix 2 parts gruyere cheese with one part parmesan cheese (1/4 cup gruyere with 2 tablespoons parmesan is good for 2-4 people). Slice good, crusty baguette to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. Pile on the cheese and melt under a broiler.**

Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot. When the butter is melted and the foam subsides, add the onions and stir frequently until the sizzling in the pot stops. Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the onions stirring occasionally until caramelized.

Properly caramelizing onions takes about 45 minutes and must be done over low heat. The onions should be added to a very hot pot, then the temperature reduced. The onions do not require constant attention, just to be stirred every 5 minutes or so. After 10 minutes, the should be well softened and beginning to color.

After 20-25 minutes of cooking the onions over a low flame, the onions should be tender and lightly brown.

Continue cooking the onions until the onions darken and a heavy fond (fond- tasty brown bits on the bottom of the pot) develops on the bottom of the pot.

Salt the onions generously (about 2 teaspoons) this will release the excess moisture from the onions and loosen the fond from the pot. As the onions pick up the fond, they will darken.

When the bottom of the pot is clean, turn the heat to high and wait for it to begin sizzling. Deglaze with the brandy and reduce until dry. Add the veal stock, bay leaf and thyme and bring the mixture to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer 10-15 minutes more, allowing the flavors to develop.

Remove the bay leaf and thyme and divide between heated bowls. Serve with crusty bread and gruyere frico.

To make the frico:

Heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet or medium heat. Add a pile of grated gruyere or parmesan cheese to the center of the pan.

Maintain a medium heat as the cheese melts.

When the cheese is melted, gently push the sides in toward the center to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.

When the cheese is completely brown (you will see that the majority of the fat has separated and looks like oil in the pan), carefully lift the cheese with a spatula and lay on paper towels to drain and cool. As it cool the cheese will crisp. It can be formed into different shapes when still warm.

Still looking for the best Southern Food in NYC?

2009-10-20T13:52:00.002-05:00

Come get into the kitchen with me on Friday, October 30th at ICE for Southern Cooking Essentials. Our menu will include:

Fried Green Tomatoes

Mac and Cheese

Sherry Shrimp and Grits

Creamed Corn

Collard Greens

Fried Chicken

Cornmeal Berry Cobbler

Bourbon Milkshakes with Spiced Pecans

Peach Crisp

There are still just a few spots left, click here to sign up now.

Just in time for the weekend...

2009-10-15T11:54:00.003-05:00

football and cookouts. That's what fall weekends are all about. To help you bring your tailgate up to the next level, here a recipe for Cider-brined pork loin.

Why Brine?

I love pork loin. It's flavorful enough to make you happy when eating it and lean enough to let you still feel good after eating. But there lies the problem- lean meat have the terrible tendency of being or overcooking easily. Brining solves this common mistake by adding moisture to the meat, making it harder to overcook or dry out. As the extra moisture is being absorbed by the meat, it's also seasoning and flavoring the meat.

The process is super simple. First, make your brine by mixing all ingredients in a large container (make sure all of the sugar and salt dissolve!). Add the meat and after 6-24 hrs, remove from the brine, pat dry and cook on the grill or in the oven.

cider brining pork in Dalton

Here's my favorite Cider Brine for pork:

½ cup Cider Vinegar

3½ cups water

½ cup salt

½ cup brown sugar

½ head garlic

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 bottle (12 fl oz) hard apple cider or beer

Beachin'

2009-10-14T09:19:00.004-05:00

I spent yesterday afternoon scouring Pensacola for fresh pork belly... not exactly the kind of thing you pick up at Winn-Dixie. I finally found it a great butcher shop (that was new, to me) called, ironically, The Butcher Shoppe at Lilian Hwy and Fairfield. I think Kevin, the owner, may become my new best friend in Pensacola. Anyway, back to the reason for this journey-

Bourbon Braised Pork Belly and Oyster Brochettes

But it's more than just that. This weekend Brooke and I are returning to the amazing Studio b with the uber-talented Colleen Duffley. We''l be in and around the Alys Beach area for 3 days of all things food related. Starting out with a Brooke's book signing-wine tasting-tapas celebration at la Botana. Then Saturday night, it's back to Studio b for hands on cooking and dinner under the stars. Saturday's menu:

Bourbon Bacon and Oyster Brochette

Roasted Carrot Hummus

Slow Roasted Pork Loin with sweet and sour apples

Grilled Fingerling Potatoes with Arugula Pesto

Butternut Squash Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

The Apple Cart- my new bourbon drink for Fall!

A New Fall Classic AKA Thanksgiving Dessert of the Future

2009-10-14T08:35:00.005-05:00

We've been making this dessert for about a year now. It was created for last years Low Country Celebration at Palmetto Bluff and that the weather has turned cool, its found its way to the front of the recipe box and back onto our table. This dessert takes top honors on name alone- Irish Stout and Pumpkin Mousse Tiramisu. As one of my new friends in Dalton pointed out, it checks off one of the 3 B's required for a great dish- beer, butter or bacon. For the record we covered all 3 with the entree.

whipping up pumpkin mousse in Dalton

Irish Stout and Pumpkin Mousse Tiramisu

Pumpkin Mousse:

¾ cup mascarpone cheese

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1½ cups canned pumpkin puree, unsweetened

2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled

½ cup sugar

2 cups irish stout beer

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 pkg lady finger cookies

Candied Pecans:

2 cups pecans

1 egg white

½ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325˚

For the pecans, whisk the egg white in a medium bowl until frothy, add the salt and sugar; whisk a moment more, the mixture should be white and foamy. Stir in the pecans and turn out onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Toast until golden brown and crisped, about 30 minutes. Remove and cool on the baking sheet.

For the pumpkin mousse, combine the mascarpone, sugar and spices; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the pumpkin until smooth. In a chilled bowl, whisk the heavy cream to soft peaks, add the sugar in a steady stream and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin, one-third at a time, fully incorporating each addition before the next. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Combine the beer, sugar, cocoa and cinnamon and whisk until dissolved. Coarsely chop the pecans.

Assemble in a trifle bowl, deep gratin dish or individual glasses. Begin by dipping the ladyfingers into the beer and removing them immediately. Arrange them in a single layer at the base of the dish or glass. Spoon in the mousse and spread into an even layer, about ½-inch thick. Scatter the chopped pecans over the mousse. Quickly dip another layer of ladyfingers and arrange on top of the mousse. Repeat layers until the dish is filled, finishing with a layer of mousse and pecans on top. Refrigerate until just before serving.

Road Trippin'

2009-10-12T09:49:00.003-05:00

We just finished a fantastic weekend in Dalton, GA- two days of cooking demos, tastings, hands-on cooking classes and one big dinner! The whole family had a blast, and we found out that we have one tiny and VERY good traveler on our hands. After the Dalton weekend wrapped we made a Birmingham drive-by to see Uncle Roger and Aunt Nancy and make the requisite Jim n' Nick's visit for lunch.

I promised the folks in Dalton recipes so here they are for the next few days, keep checking back as I get them all up. And enjoy!

Chicken Apple Sausage with Celery-Apple Slaw (recipe from Chopped)

serves 4

olive oil
¾ cup onion, finely minced or grated
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 lg apple, grated (braeburn, honeycrisp or golden delicious)
scant ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
scant ½ teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
¼ teaspoon chili flake
½ teaspoon, plus a pinch dried oregano
¼ cup bourbon
2 lb. ground chicken

Slaw
1 apple, cut into a thin julienne
2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice
salt
pepper

Toasted bread for garnish

For the sausage, heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium sauté pan and sweat the onion and garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt until very tender, but not browned at all. Add the grated apple along with all its juices and the remaining spices. Cook this mixture until it is dry, deglaze with the bourbon reduce to dry again. Remove the mixture from the pan and cool. When the seasoning mixture has cooled, blend it into the ground chicken.

Form the seasoned chicken mixture into the desired shape and brown in a nonstick pan and finish cooking through in a 350˚ oven or place on a hot grill until cooked through.
For the slaw, combine the apple, celery, Dijon mustard and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well and season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Serve the cooked sausages on top of toasted bread (preferably sourdough) with the apple-celery slaw.

The Culinary Dream Team

2009-09-30T20:51:00.001-05:00

Brooke and I are featured in the latest edition of The Nest. They call us 'the culinary dream team.' I won't argue with that. On a related note, out Couples Cooking Class start this week! So if you haven't signed up for one yet, go do it now; and prove who the real Iron Chef in your relationship is.

Moving on...

2009-09-16T11:47:00.003-05:00

It was sad last night to realize that Chopped, and all the excitement it has created for me is now over. I lost in the final round to a great competitor- Einat Admony- but no hard feelings, in fact we're going to her kick-ass falafel joint Taim for lunch today.

I've already had a number of requests, so on the way to lunch today, I'll be stopping off at the market to pick up the ingredients I need to recreate my chicken apple sausage entree from last night's show. Come back tomorrow for the pictures and the recipe!

Hard at Work...

2009-09-15T09:37:00.011-05:00

Its been a wild few weeks. Last week on Food Network's Chopped, I became the first ever two time champion. I back on the show tonight to go for a third victory, so be sure to tune in to the Food Network; Tuesday, September 15th at 10/9c.

Besides the shows, I've been working on new classes for this Fall at The Institute of Culinary Education. Take a look at the menus below and then click on the class title to register and get into the kitchen with me.

Low Country Cooking

September 21, 6pm

The classic foods of South Carolina- I've updated this class to make it more suited for fall, so if you've taken Low Country before come back for something all new. Learn to make a rich and silky She Crab Soup without over-loading your kitchen with broken crab shells and leaving your whole building smelling like a Maryland coastline. Or the Charleston staple Country Captain Chicken, as featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

She Crab Soup

Fried Quail with Oyster and Sausage Gravy

Country Captain

Hoppin’ John

Sherry Shrimp and Grits

Cornmeal Poundcake with Boiled Custard

Creole Christmas

December 18, 6pm

There's nothing like Christmas in New Orleans- with a great bounty still flowing from the Gulf of Mexico and loads of game coming from local forests. These local specialties meet on the table along with the influences of Native Americans, French and Spanish. If that didn't get you interested, try this- Angels on Horseback involves fresh oysters, bacon and a fryer!

Angels on Horseback

Winter Chicken and Oyster Gumbo

Deep Fried Turkey

Jambalya

Red Beans and Rice

Bread Pudding Whiskey Sauce

Beignets

Grilled Cheese

October 4, 6pm

Crispy, gooey, delicious. We're moving way beyond Wonderbread and Kraft SIngles here. Boutique cheeses, fresh vegetables and specialty breads mean these sandwiches will NOT be "just like Mom used to make." And guaranteed to be the best grilled cheese in New York City.

The Provence- zucchini, tomato, sweet peppers and Bucheron

Spainaird- Serrano Ham, Garrotxa and Piquillo Peppers

Southerner- Grilled Pimento Cheese

The Sicilian- Grilled Mozzarella Sandwich with Basil and Eggplant Puree

Cuban- Guava Paste, Roast Pork, Cream Cheese, pickled Jalapenos

Tartiflette Sandwich- Shallot Confit, Bacon and Raclette on Potato Bread

The Philly- Shaved Beef Carpaccio, Roasted Peepers and Onions with Provolone Cheese

Thanksgiving- Turkey, Spiced Cranberry Chutney and Brie

Reuben- Pastrami and Cornichon Hash, Saurkraut and Emmental

The Perfect Pear- Port wine Pears and Mascarpone on Brioche with Grape Compote

Thanksgiving Sides

November 14, 6pm

Not confident you're ready to dazzle friends and family at the table this Thanksgiving? Come in to give your holiday repertoir a tune up.

Arugula and Pomegranate Salad

Sweet Potato and Turnip Gratin

Brown Butter-Balsamic Autumn Vegetable Puree

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Curried Cauliflower Casserole

Cranberry Chutney

Southern Spoonbread

The New Green Bean Casserole

And click here for our Couples Cooking Classes!

Dinner in 5 minutes

2009-09-02T19:56:00.004-05:00

Well, roughly 5 minutes... worth of effort.

As we continue working on recipes for the cookbook, I've realized something- we all have time to cook a great dinner most nights of the week. The problem is never time, we've all got some to spare, its about the effort. But great food doesn't have to be complicated, and I'm out to prove it. Right now my focus is creating a series of recipes that require only a few minutes of preparation to get a delicious meal on the table. The idea is to build lots of flavor in the dishes and leave them with 95% unattended cooking time. This means you can throw something together, get it into the oven and then spend the next 45 minutes on Facebook impressing your friends by telling them how great the Dijon and Rosemary Rubbed Pork Loin in your oven smells... status comment will abound.

Day 2 of the roasted pork loin: chopped up and mixed into panzanella:

Cocktail Time

2009-08-20T23:05:00.003-05:00

Check out the recipe below for a killer watermelon and bourbon cocktail. Grab that same recipe and change the watermelon to cucumber juice and the club soda to ginger ale. That should cover Friday AND saturday night just don't forget to infuse the bourbon with the sliced lemons.

Need one more? Okay, Watermelon Margarita Recipe

makes 4

4 oz tequila

2 oz triple sec

4 oz watermelon juice

1/2 oz lime juice

club soda

Combine the tequila, triple sec, watermelon and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake well to chill thoroughly. Strain into for rocks glasses (I don't trust martini glasses) filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedges.

Time to start thinking about the weekend

2009-08-17T21:18:00.001-05:00

About five years ago, when I was first introduced to the watermelon margarita, I was crazy about it. My roommate and I made them every weekend over the summer. The were delicious refreshing; perfect in the summer heat. We could care less that we were sipping pink cocktails. A small price to pay for the perfection that was this mixture of watermelon, triple sec, tequila and lime juice. Even my parents would request I make a batch every time I came home.

Going down to the Alabama Farmer's Market became a weekly tradition. We would walk the stalls, weaving in and out of the beat up old pick up trucks. Down the line we went- past the corn truck with still damp ears spilling over the tailgate; the peach truck with perfectly stacked baskets of peaches picked that morning just before the sun rose. Beyond the baskets zucchini, squash and eggplant and the boxes of tomatoes warming in the sun. The last row of market stalls was always where the watermelon trucks were. We'd stop for a brief chat with the farmers and then ask for a hand picking out the ripest juiciest watermelon.

Last week, walking the streets of Manhattan, I saw something that I never thought I'd see on these streets...

a watermelon truck!

And that got me thinking- it time for a new watermelon cocktail. How 'bout bourbon?

I love that besides making the bourbon perfectly flavored for this drink; a pitcher full of maker's mark looks like an innocent jug of iced tea.

Bourbon and Watermelon Cocktail

Place a bottle of bourbon in the freezer to chill thoroughly, several hours to overnight. Fill a glass pitcher with 2 lemons, thinly sliced. Pour in the chilled bourbon and let them get to know each other while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

1 oz bourbon

1 oz watermelon juice*

club soda

*Watermelon juice can be easily made by cutting watermelon into chunks and squeezing through a kitchen towel.

Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice, pour in the bourbon and watermelon juice. Shake vigorously to chill. Pour into a highball glass filled with ice and top with a splash of ginger ale.

The Glamorous Side of Cookbook Writing...

2009-08-12T22:32:00.005-05:00

Ingredients everywhere, a clutter of mixing bowls, a trusty note pad (so the laptop doesn't end up all sticky with lemon juice), and we can't forget about little Parker's dinner too... But there's dinner for mom and dad too.

Not bad for a night's work. 4 recipes down, about 146 more to go

Dinner at Studio b

2009-08-05T15:49:00.005-05:00

The photos are in, check out these shots from our dinner at Studio b, with the amazing Colleen Duffley. And then click over to Studio b and sign up for our next class there in October. Just imagine cool fall breezes coming off the Gulf and this menu spread over this table....

Bourbon Bacon and Oyster Brochette
Roasted Carrot Hummus
Slow Roasted Pork Loin with sweet and sour apples
Grilled Fingerling Potatoes with Arugula Pesto
Butternut Squash Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Pomegranate Cocktail

We'll see you there!

What a weekend!

2009-07-29T22:13:00.011-05:00

I flew to Florida,

Saw my daughter for the first time in 3 weeks (she's huge now!),

Had a date with my beautiful wife for the first time in 3 months,

Watched an amazing sunset,

Raided Cousin Stephen's garden,

Cooked a killer dinner at the amazing Studio b,

Star Chef Cook-off

2009-07-19T23:35:00.005-05:00

Some of the amazing products from the Chef's Garden that we got to cook with this weekend. And this year's trophy from the cook-off!

The Chef's Garden: Star Chef Cook-off

2009-07-14T13:04:00.006-05:00

This weekend at The Chef's Garden in Ohio (www.chefsgarden.com), the foremost grower of specialty produce in the United States, is hosting their 2009 Food & Wine Festival. The weekend event is a fund raiser for Veggie U, which provides a classroom curriculum that teaches the Earth-to-Table™ concept to fourth graders. Aside from a host of celebrity chefs from around the country, the main event of the weekend will be the Star Chef Cook-off, featuring yours truly.

Check out the information below, and if you're in or can get to the CLeveland area this weekend, come on out to see me and have a blast with food and drink for a great cause.

http://www.veggieu.org/assets/misc/2009FWC.htm

Its what Spring is all about

2009-05-28T21:45:00.005-05:00

Rhubarb...

...always looks so tempting stacked on the Farmer's stand when strolling through the market. But what to do with it? How 'bout Cornmeal Pound Cake and Rhubarb Ice Cream Sandwiches?

Sound good? Sorry but you'll have to wait for The Book for this one...

High Tech, Low Budget

2009-05-23T09:19:00.005-05:00

Sous vide without the "vide"

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 3 years or are genetically incapable of boiling water, you've heard of the cooking method called sous vide. You probably also know that the worlds top restaurants are using this method to turn out the most tender, flavorful dishes night after night. And if you already know all of this, then you know that this type of cooking requires highly specialized equipment that is also highly expensive. All of this can make the idea of low temperature, vacum sealed cookery all but a dream for the home cook.

The true magic of sous vide cooking comes not from the vacum packing of foods, but cooking them very gently at a low temperature. Think of the magic that happens when beef short ribs are simmered for hours for meltingly tender results. Until the sous vide revolution, this long, slow cooking was reserved for cuts of meat with large amounts of connective tissue and fat (like short ribs or shanks). With low temperature you can make already tender cuts (breasts, loins, tenderloins, leg cuts) even more succulent and tender.

Without the vacum sealing foods, the critical step in sous vide (sous vide literally translates "under vacum") you cannot achieve the same flavor infusion and manipulation that restaurants like Daniel, per se and Gramercy Tavern do; but you can create amazing textures in food with the equipment you already have in your home.

I recently discovered that one of the world's most ubiquitous wedding/house warming gifts- the crock pot- will hold water at a temperature between 140˚F and 155˚F.

Sous vide step 1- $1,000 circulator to maintain a water bath at 62˚-68˚C = crock pot collecting dust at the top of the pantry.

There's no substitute for the infusion of flavors via marinade that can be created by vacum sealing. But the vacum's second function, protecting the meat from the water bath can be achieved with simple plastic wrap. By rolling meat in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap, twisting up the ends like a tootsie roll, then wrapping again, you can effectively contain the meat (and it's juices!!) and keep them from being diluted by the water bath. Plus, unlike vacum sealing, this method will allow you to insert a digital thermometer probe while maintaining a seal.

All of that to say: You can cook "sous vide" at home without any specialized equipment.

Granted it won't be the same as the worlds greatest restaurants, but certainly the best approximation you could hope to achieve for under $3,500.

So here's my first attempt:

1 chicken breast, butterflied so the thin end of the breast can be tucked underneath, the meat an even thickness.

1 branch of fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, sliced

Place chicken at the bottom of a sheet of plastic wrap. Season with salt and pepper, and arrange the thyme and garlic on top of the chicken. Roll the chicken up in the plastic as tightly as possible. Twist the open ends of the plastic wrap in opposite directions until it squeezes the chicken tight and tuck the twisted ends underneath.

Wrap again, twist the ends again this time securing the wrap with three loops of butcher's twine.

Fill a crock pot with warm water and turn it to its lowest setting. Using a digital thermometer, adjust the settings until the water maintains a temperature of 155˚F or 68˚C.

Place the tightly wrapped chicken into the water bath and cook approximately 2.5 hours, until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 150˚F or 65˚C. Place immediately in a icebath to cool completely.

Before serving, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat. Unwrap the chicken, pat dry and roll in sizzling butter until lightly browned and warmed through.

New Baby Banana Pudding

2009-05-05T20:02:00.005-05:00

Parker Lee, our first daughter was born on April 28. Our lives are forever changed- we can drink more wine now, eat sushi and bring on the raw milk cheeses. I couldn't ask for anything more, my beautiful wife has now given me a gorgeous, amazing, perfect daughter. And I've got a lot of cooking to do...

Our very first voyage out the house (the day after we got home from the hospital) was a wandering trip with Nonnie through our new West Village neighborhood. Of course, no West Village excursion with out of town guests is complete without a trip by Magnolia Bakery. Yes, they have cupcakes, but we were this time we were there to sample their legendary banana pudding. Mommy insisted, and I had no arguments. I was good. Too good. It was gone almost before we got home and I wanted more. Since $25 a bowl just might break our diaper buying budget, I opted for the homemade version:

New Baby Banana Pudding Recipe

This is my own kicked up version of banana pudding. It's not quite Magnolia Bakery's, but pureeing over-ripe bananas into the milk gives an incredible flavor and a texture that's a bit softer than the standard. Enjoy!

2 over-ripe bananas

2 cups milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 tsp salt

4 egg yolks

2 Tbsp butter

Nilla Wafers, as needed

Chop the over-ripe bananas and combine with milk and vanilla extract in a medium saucepot. Bring to just under a boil and turn off the heat. Cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, yolks, sugar cornstarch and salt. Whisk until combined and smooth. Slow add the hot milk and bananas with the mixer running. Return the mixture to the saucepot and whisk constantly over a high flame until it returns to a simmer and thickens. Move the thickened mixture back to the electric mixer, add the butter and whisk on high until cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Spoon 1/3 of the pudding into a bowl or trifle dish. Add a layer of Nilla wafers, then another 1/3 of the pudding. Continue layering in this manner. Refrigerate at least 3 hourse before serving.

Pickles' Higher Calling

2009-04-09T08:48:00.002-05:00

Cuban Sandwiches!

Drawing the (Mason-Dixon) Line

2009-03-31T07:53:00.007-05:00

I love being a Southerner and living in New York City. I feel like I look at my world through slightly different eyes. Not that I wander around the city staring up at the sky like, "Garsh Maw, them is some mighty fancy buildings." But maybe I am just dumb enough to amused by the things around me.

I recently went home to run in the Seaside Half-Marathon. Wandering around the grocery there I found this:

Over 20 different types of grits in one place. I am not embarrassed to say that I was excited enough to stop and take a picture of this marvel. Anyone who has ever gone looking grits in New York City understands the significance of this. Not only an ok-even-I-have-to-admit-that's-a-little-much selection of grits; but an end aisle display. A place of prestige and honor in the grocery store. I felt like lighting candles and kneeling to pay respects. The search for grits in NEw York could bring to my knees too. Except I'd be crawling along the ground scanning the bottom shelf for that single bag of Arrowhead Mills Stone-ground Grits at a Whole Foods in NYC (ps- only reliable place to buy grits here).

But that's only part of the story.

A few days later I was back doing a little shopping in my neighborhood. What earns an end-aisle display in New York? Well, we already know it's not grits...

A closer look? Sure...

The wrath of God never seemed so adorable. Don't you want to snuggle with the lice and locust?

What, no ice cream?

2009-03-24T11:24:00.005-05:00

I usually don't think about pickles until summer, but these beautiful kirby cucumbers at Citarella caught my eye the other day and I couldn't help myself. Best of all, with baby girl Parker's due date just 33 days away (yikes!), my batch of bread and butter pickles will be ready in time for Mom to pile them on top of a bowlful of Haagen-Dazs.

Bread and Butter are my favorite variety in the world of pickles. Always made from sliced cucumbers and heated in their brine, they're also the fastest to make. I love them because they're sweet and crunchy- plus, you can make them as spicy as you want (a little jalapeno mixed in the brine does the trick for me).

Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

2.5 lbs Kirby cucumbers, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced
1 green peppers, seeded and diced

1 red jalapeno, chopped whole
1/2 cup kosher salt

4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 Tablespoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
3 cups cider vinegar

2 cups white wine vinegar

Toss cucumbers, onions, peppers and salt in a colander. Place the colander in a bowl and place another bowl on top of the vegetables. Fill the top bowl with heavy cans and place in refrigerator for 3 hours.

Meanwhile, wash and sterilize 6 (1-quart) jars and closures, stand on a baking sheet, and keep hot in a 250-degree F. oven until needed.

Mix sugar and spices in a stainless steel pot. Drain vegetables well and add to the pot. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to just below the boiling point.

Add the boiling hot mixture into jars and fill to within 1/8-inch of tops, wipe rims, and seal. Cool, check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Let stand approximately 2 weeks before serving.

I added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 teaspoon chili flakes to my leftover brine and am giving spicy green bean pickles a try too. They should take around 4 weeks, maybe.

...gotta get them serilized and into glass today!

2009-03-24T08:59:00.002-05:00

For the past few months, the wife and I have been writing a monthly column for MyScoop.us, "an online style magazine that will keep you updated on the latest fashion, best-dressed events, haute travel, posh pads and everything the Southern Belle needs to know to live a chic life." But it's not just for the ladies- fellas, the website and our column are for you too. First and foremost, how to cook like a man for your girl. It's also the best way to find out what all those things you're wife/girlfriend is talking about- like what the heck is 'bib necklace'?

And let's be honest, she's going to go out and buy new spring dresses anyway. Check them out here, then you can tell her how beautiful she looks in 'azalea.' That way you can get a little something out of it too... a get out of jail free card at least.

Check out our columns here:

Fish Tacos

Table for Two at Chez Home

Paris Inspires Cooking with Balance

Just Married and Cooking

Limoncello Update

2009-03-13T08:02:00.002-05:00

More is not always better. A couple of days ago, after around 16 days of infusing, I strained the zest from what is now just 1 step away from becoming my limoncello. Most recipes you find say 7 days is the time to remove the zest. So why did my last more than twice that?

Let's start at the beginning: why remove the zest to begin with? If the zest is where the flavor comes from, won't it continue improving the longer the zest stays in? In a word, no. As the zest steeps in the alcohol, it immediately flavors and colors the liquid- which you'll see within the first 24 hours. This process will continue as long as the zest remain in the liquor. But once all the flavor has been extracted from the zest, other things begin to come out. As you see in the picture above, when the time is right, the liquor takes a brilliant color and zest becomes pale. The smell is bright and citrus-y. Soon after, the bitterness of the zest would begin to come out. And the more of the bitter white pith that is on the strips of zest, the quicker the bitterness comes out. So if you're careful in removing your zest, the danger is far less. But if you leave the zest in too long, there's no recovering. No amount of sugar will overcome the bitterness from citrus pith.

So how do you know? Well, the easiest thing to do is taste it. There's no rule that says as you zest is steeping you can't open the jar. Smell and taste the liquor every so often after 7 days. When the flavor stops improving, it's time to strain.

After you have your gorgeous amber colored liquor, blend it with simple syrup to taste.

Simple Syrup: equal parts sugar and water brought to a boil to dissolve and cooled.

Then pack it away in empty wine bottles, store in a cool dark place and enjoy all summer long!

Chopped Champ

2009-03-12T09:24:00.005-05:00

The results are in- and I pulled it off! Those you who tuned in to Tuesday's episode of Chopped, got to see the epic battle. If you missed it, catch the rerun- Saturday at 3:00 pm on the Food Network- No Excuses, ok?

Tuesday night was a blast. We had a viewing party at the Barrow Street Ale House. I'm pretty sure it was the first time any West Village bar had all their screens tuned to the Food Network... And a big thanks to all of friends who came out to support me and most of my beautiful wife who was there by my side!

And jump on over to the Food Network website www.foodnetwork.com/chopped and let them know who you were cheering for this week!

It's Official...

2009-03-09T11:55:00.001-05:00

“Daniel Boulud alum and Culinary Institute chef, James Briscione, and southern BELLE IN THE BIG APPLE novelist Brooke Parkhurst’s JUST MARRIED AND COOKING, a cooking and lifestyle entertaining guide with a personal and very Southern accent for the newly married and kitchen challenged, to Beth Wareham at Scribner, for publication in February 2011, by Bill Contardi at Brandt & Hochman.”

–Publisher’s Marketplace; March 7, 2009

Big News, but not a baby... yet

2009-03-06T10:03:00.003-05:00

Well, not that baby. Parker Lee's still got about 7 more weeks. For the past few years Brooke and I have been painstakingly nursing another little bundle of joy to life-- OUR COOKBOOK!

Just yesterday we received the official word from Scribner/Simon and Schuster-- they have as much faith in our little babe as we have had all these years. They're going to publish it!

Let me translate that for all of my friends (Rob, Daniel, Juan I'm looking at you): a major publishing house just bought our cookbook!

Now comes the long process of actually writing and testing all of those recipes. Stay tuned as the process will be well documented on this site.

What's the book all about? How's this for dust jacket material:

"Girls, girls, girls… There’s still sexism in the cookbook world. It goes something like this: the girls write for the (inexperienced) girls and the men save their goods for serious, professional, coffee-table cookbooks. Rarely does an accomplished, young, male chef try to reach out to the blushing, female home cook contingent as well as reach out to the newbie guy with a brand new set of knives. Even more unique is a cookbook co-authored by a girl and a guy."

I'm Next...

2009-03-04T08:52:00.003-05:00

My appearance on the Food Network's newest hit "Chopped" is offically next- Tuesday March 10th, 10pm/9e.

I'll be sharpening my knives and stepping onto the field of culinary battle. Be sure to tune in to see what happens. Check out this article from the Pensacola News Journal. And join my group on Facebook- 'James Briscione on Chopped'

Puttin' Up

2009-02-26T12:45:00.005-05:00

It happens every year, right around this time. I find myself clinging to my coat, cursing at the brutal winds that blow down Fifth Avenue. I risk life and limb- dodging taxis- just to cross over and walk on the sunny side of the street. I spend half my day lamenting the lingering cold, staring up at the sky, “Is 50˚ too much to ask?” While I can’t get rid of the cold fast enough, I hate to see the treasures of winter produce leave.

Just like all those good Southerners who ‘put up’ tomatoes, peaches or berry preserves for the winter, I find myself putting up winter fruits and veggies for spring and summer. With my Meyer lemon and Blood orange securely in the pantry, I’m turning my focus to other ventures- namely Jerusalem Artichokes. By the end of the week our freezer will be filled with their creamy puree- ready to be filled, baked, or just eaten with a spoon.

Jerusalem artichokes are not artichokes at all, but rather the root of the ___ plant. Think of it like a potato, except with flavor. Nutty, a little sweet and starchy they’re a fantastic change from the monotony of the everyday tuber. I think they’re best made into a puree- like mashed potatoes- which is more than satisfying on its own as a side. The puree can be transformed into something truly memorable with the addition of a little brown butter and parmesan cheese. Take it one step further by encasing it in homemade pasta as a ravioli or agnolotti. Or add a few onions or leeks, garlic, sage and one potato for body to your preparation and make a luxurious soup.

Here in New York, I have the luxury getting freshly dug Jerusalem Artichokes 3 times a week at the Union Square Greenmarket, about the only time I don’t curse the cold- just the crowds and aimless strollers, the sidewalk equivalent of Sunday drivers (you know who you are). Aside from local farmers, certainly the next best option is to hop over to Whole Foods, where they should be available for another month or so.

How to prepare Jerusalem Artichokes:

Jerusalem Artichokes need to be peeled, sort of. They have a very thin skin so you’ll lose a bit of the yield with a traditional veggie peeler or knife. Instead, take a clean scouring pad and scrub the little roots under running water. Don’t worry about getting every last piece of skin- the tough stuff will come off quickly and easily. Hold the cleaned roots in water until you’re ready to cook.

Slice the cleaned Jerusalem Artichokes, about ¼ inch thick.
Heat about 1½ tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepot.
Briefly sauté the JA slices, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Add enough milk to cover by about ½ inch and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking until completely tender.
For a thicker puree drain the milk and put the cooked JA into a blender or food processor, or include the liquid for a silky soup.

Either way, be sure to enjoy some now, before they disappear for the next 10 months. And then be a good little squirrel and put some of your puree into an air tight container in the freezer for a tasty treat later in the year…

Limoncello Update

2009-02-24T11:36:00.002-05:00

The Meyer Limoncello and Blood Orange Limoncello are coming along nicely. Right now, 3-4 days in, the zest is starting to look a little more pale in the bottle and the liquor is realy taking on a great color, deep orange from the blood o's and a neon sort of yellow form the Meyers. About 4 more days and I'll be ready to blend and bottle.

In it's prime...

2009-02-19T14:21:00.008-05:00

February marks the peak, as well as the nearing end of citrus season. So now is the time to get your hands on these treats while they're still around. Of course regular oranges, lemons and limes are ubiquitous and nothing to jump up and down about, but there are special citrus varieties that are only available for a couple of months each year.

This week I went out on a mission: to track down Meyer lemons and Blood oranges, and begin to preserve them so I can enjoy them beyond the next few weeks when they'll begin to disappear from the market shelves.

Here's what I found:

Starting from the top left corner, going clockwise: Tarocco Blood orange, Morro Blood orange and Meyer lemons in two sizes.

The Tarocco comes directly from Sicily, the birthplace of blood oranges. It lacks the coloring deep red and purple of the skin of the Moro, which is now mostly grown in California. Tarocco oranges have the familiar flavor of standard oranges and a great tang of acidity. Inside the fruit has a few streaks of red throughout its orange flesh. The Morro has a gorgeous, ruby-like flesh but not nearly the flavor of the Tarocco.

Meyer lemons are bit less tart than standard lemons, and have a faint flavor of tangerine, which is especially noticable in their fragrant zest.

Since citrus zest packs the biggest flavor punch in these fruits, that is where I focused my attention, plus it preserves far better than the juice...

What could be more rewarding to make than Limoncello? It only slightly more complicated than peeling a potato, you get to feel like you really did something "homemade" and then you get drunk on the results.

Step 1 Remove the zest from the fruit using a standard vegetable peeler, trying to avoid as much of the bitter white pith as possible.

Step 2 Place the zest in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and cover with 100 proof vodka or pure grain alcohol.

Step 3 Store the jar in a dark, cool place for 7-10 days until the zest has lost its color and the liquid has taken a deep yellow or orange.

Step 4 Make simple syrup by combining equal parts sugar and water and bring to a boil to dissolve completely. Cool and blend with the strained liquor to taste.

Michael Jordan's Favorite Fruit

2009-02-16T18:39:00.009-05:00

Any kid who ever entered a convenience store in the late 80's/early 90's or was strangely into corporate marketing schemes at very young age knew this- Citrus Cooler was Michael Jordan's favorite Gatorade.

As a kid, getting to ride my bike to the local convenience store was a great after-school treat. I might have been there for a soda or even better a Coke Icee or even better a Cherry Coke Icee. Maybe it was Sweettarts, Runts, Gobstoppers or anything else from the Willy Wonka line of products. But if I had basketball practice or baseball or football in the front yard, the I knew I need to 'be like Mike.' Despite the fact it did absolutely nothing for my vertical (I could barely clear a thimble), Citrus Cooler Gatorade was my favorite too.

That's why, all these years later, the flavor still stands out in my mind. The first time I tasted a Meyer Lemon, the flavor hung with me, it haunted me... so familiar, but what was it? They were bold and citrusy like lemons, but less tart, almost sweet with scents of orange. It took a little time, but it finally came to me- Citrus Cooler Gatorade, that was the Meyer Lemon flavor that so familiar to me.

Of course, I have absolutely evidence to support my Citrus Cooler/Meyer Lemon hypothesis. File it right next to my Froot Loops/Lemongrass theory (I dare you to smell fresh lemongrass and tell me that's not where the flavor for the cereal came from). But that's for another time... 'tis the season and when it comes to growing time for Meyer lemons, that season is short. They are available now- delicious and unique so grab em while you can!

The LA Times recently listed 100 things to do with a Meyer Lemon, here are my favorites:

1. Make Meyer lemonade.

2. Make roasted Cornish game hens with Meyer lemons, olives and fennel (see recipe).

7. To a risotto made with mascarpone and Parmesan, add some grated Meyer lemon peel.

8. Take a cue from Quinn Hatfield of Hatfield's in Los Angeles and pour yourself a lemon gimlet (Meyer lemon juice and zest, soda water and Meyer lemon simple syrup).

10. Adapt Claudia Roden's recipe for orange-almond cake (in "The New Book of Middle Eastern Food," the cover of which features a bowl of Meyer lemons) by using two large Meyer lemons instead of oranges (see the recipe atlatimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish).

11. If you don't mind delayed gratification, make classic preserved lemons (different from chef Samuelsson's because the lemons are preserved slowly over weeks instead of quickly blanched and cooked) by filling a Mason jar with quartered Meyer lemons, one-fourth cup of kosher salt and enough lemon juice to cover, and letting them sit in your refrigerator for three weeks. Or, for extra flavor, throw some spices into the jar too: a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick, some black peppercorns, a dried Thai chile, a cardamom pod.

14. Make Meyer lemon curd.

16. Infuse your favorite olive oil with Meyer lemon peel: Warm a cup of olive oil and the peel from 2 lemons over very low heat for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for half an hour. Strain and pour into an antique stoppered bottle.17. For a Meyer lemon confit, cook slices of lemons in olive oil over very low heat for an hour; coarsely chop, and add to a salad of market greens, goat cheese and candied walnuts.

25. Serve a grilled fish or fish tacos with an accompanying bowlful of Suzanne Goin's Meyer lemon salsa (from "Sunday Suppers at Lucques"; see the recipe at latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish).

30. Use your classic (No. 11) or quick-preserved (No. 3) Meyer lemons in a lamb tagine.

31. Squeeze the juice from a pound or two of Meyer lemons and freeze it in an ice cube tray; once frozen, store the cubes in plastic bags in the freezer, for use when Meyer lemon season is over.

34. Roast a whole mackerel with slices of Meyer lemons stuffed inside.

39. Make Meyer limoncello by steeping lemon peel in a bottle of vodka for two weeks. Then strain the infused vodka, mix with simple syrup and more vodka, and bottle the result.

56. Make Meyer lemon vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, a splash of champagne vinegar, sea salt, cracked black pepper and a little lemon zest.

63. Roast a combination of green, black and cured olives with olive oil and a few Meyer lemon peels.

64. Make a Meyer lemon aioli for your crab cakes.

67. Add classic or quick preserved Meyer lemons to your best harissa recipe. Merguez, take 2!

70. Add quarters of Meyer lemons to kebabs of seared duck breast, Anjou pears and red onions.

74. Make a lemon Bellini with Prosecco, Meyer lemon juice, a little simple syrup and strips of peel.

83. Slice Meyer lemon peels into a jar of honey and allow to sit for a few weeks: the peel will perfume the honey while it slowly candies in the jar.

97. Grill slices of Meyer lemons with lipstick peppers and add to panzanella, or Italian bread salad.

You Got Served... dinner

2009-02-06T14:34:00.004-05:00

How to change a recipe for the seasons:

I originally dreamed this recipe up to be a summer treat, the kind of thing I would want to eat next to the grill, with a cold beer. Vinegary onions, sliced nectarines, salty feta cheese and spicy sausage- what could be better after a day at the beach?

With yesterday's high of 22˚, the beach has never seemed further away. So I pulled this recipe, from our upcoming cookbook, to help me think of better, warmer times to come.

The recipe:

Italian Sausage Pitas with Watercress, Nectarines and Mint

The problem:

I've got merguez, not italian sausage
Nectarines are out of season (and no, I'm not buying the ones from Chile)
There's only half a bunch watercress in the fridge.

The solution:

The recipe calls for a spicy sausage, it's not written in stone that it must be Italian, the merguez is a great substitute.
So forget the nectarines, throw in some avocado instead or pomegranate seeds or just leave it out all together.
Watercress adds a nice peppery/bitter bite, beef it up with a little arugula or spinach.

Top it all off with thinly sliced onions soaked in red vinegar to make them less pungent and lots of feta cheese.

Ugh... Honey, did you just blog in the kitchen?

2009-02-05T12:30:00.005-05:00

Or something like that... came the call from the other room, barely audible above whirring motor.

"What dear? No, I'm making us dinner," I yelled back with a devilsh grin. "I'd thought you'd be excited, I'm using one of our wedding presents..."

While doing our wedding registry at Macy's Cellar, I snuck off with the registry gun and added a meat grinder to our list, along with a few other things (I'm still hoping someone will pony up for the deli slicer).

Right now, I'd like to send an extra thank you to Lang, Brooke's best friend who went ahead and purchased that meat grinder for us. Lang, I never could have done this without you.

So anyway, today marked my first batch of homemade merguez sausage. Beautifully simple to make (especially for those fortunate to have their own sausage maker) there are only three ingredients: lamb meat, fat and harissa. I got a great recipe from Chef Chris Gesualdi and did a little tweeking:

Harissa:

6 Tbsp Sriracha

2 Tbsp cumin, ground

2 Tbsp coriander, ground

1 Tbsp caraway seed, ground

2 Tbsp garlic, grated

3 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp turmeric

2 tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp cinnamon

6 Tbsp olive oil

Blend all ingredients into a paste.

For the sausage:

1 lb. lamb meat, trimmed

5 oz. lamb fat

1 Tbsp Harissa

2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients until well combined and marinate overnight. Grind and make patties or stuff into casings.

So the sausage is made, next comes the recipe for dinner: Merguez with shaved red onions, mint and feta with watercress.

Check back for that recipe soon.

Next on my list- apples, bacon and cheddar cheese. I'm obsessed with these ingredients right now and working on some new recipes...

Say Cheese...

2009-02-03T15:19:00.011-05:00

Head-cheese!

Recently I taught a weekend workshop at The Institute of Culinary Education on handmade pate and terrines. We made rustic, country style terrines from Beaujolais and Burgundy, more refined creations layered with squab and chanterelles and galantine of duck.
But the most talked about, awe inspiring recipe of the weekend was headcheese made from a pigs head. The process? Quite simple really... well, if you've got 40 quart stock pots and a spare, over-sized fridge.
Begin with a whole fresh pigs head and submerge in a brine for 3 days:

After the three day cure, drain and rinse the head, then cover completely with cold water. Bring quickly to boil and drain. Place the head in a court bouillon and bring to a simmer, cook until tender- about 6 hours. Strain the vegetables and aromatics from the court bouillon and cool completely in an ice bath. Pour the cold liquid back over the head and refrigerate over night

Now is the time to get your gloves and begin carefully separating the meat from the bones. Careful to keep the tongue in one piece! Discard all the fat and warm a small amount of the cooking liquid and season to taste, adding a slash of white wine for flavor.

Mix all of the cleaned and shredded meat in a large bowl with a little of the cooking liquid, chopped parsley, salt and pepper as needed. Pack the seasoned meat into a terrine and pour over the remaining cooking liquid until filled. Wrap tightly and chill until firm.

Unmold and enjoy with lots of grainy mustard, crusty bread and gribiche!

I'm Back!

2009-02-03T15:03:00.003-05:00

Well, a lot has changed since my last post. I have a beautiful new wife and beautiful little girl due to arrive at the end of April. Not to mention a major culinary festival in South Carloina, moving, Food Networks newest competition series 'Chopped' (check me out on the show March 10th), holidays with the family, training for a half marathon and moving... again. Through all of that, I couldn't be happier with my wife and can't wait to meet my little girl!

Iron Man... of chocolate???

2008-11-09T22:54:00.005-05:00

This weekend was the New York Chocolate Show. And the whole thing kicks off with famed Chocolate Fashion Show.

Think Project Runway meets Ace of Cakes- couture costumes made of cocoa.

In fact some the pastry chefs involved did team up with former Project Runway contestants and the work was amazing. With this year's theme was superheroes, there was no shortage of creativity. I got the opportunity to participate with the team from ICE- Michelle Tampakis and Faith Drobbin- chose to "keep it real" with the superhero theme and dress me as Iron Man.

That's me under all that chocolate!

All of my armor was crafted from dark and white chocolate, formed on felt pads and velcroed to my under armor tights. Even the helmet was made of chocolate. Check out the video below:

Video: Choc chic - more cocoa than Chanel

(Yes, there's a shin guard missing. My chocolate helmet led me into the wall as I stepped on stage and lost a bit of the costume...)

I'm pretty sure I was the first person in history to march down the catwalk to Black Sabbath covered in chocolate.

more pictures to come...

More Delish(es)

2008-10-27T15:22:00.007-05:00

Surf on over to www.delish.com/recipes/recipe-videos and check out my latest segment with some great ideas on what to do with a nice can of olive oil packed tuna, instead of the same 'ol boring sandwich. Enjoy!

Delish.com

2008-09-25T16:55:00.003-05:00

Check out my new video on Delish.com for some great ideas on what to do with all that left over bread in your freezer... Click Here

Big Day

2008-09-02T22:10:00.007-05:00

I Love the Internet

The internet has done some amazing things for modern life. Thanks to its technology you can live a life completely devoid of human interaction- trips to the grocery store are not even required anymore. But for the me the greatest function of the good ol' web, is how important it makes me... feel. And as I sit here in my cramped New York City apartment blogging my little heart out, I know I'm not the only one tooting my own horn, at least I'm not doing it from Starbucks.

So thank you internet for being our own personal refridgerator where I can stick up my A+ paper for Mom to see and tell me how good I did even though she's 1,300 miles away.

So check it out: this morning I woke up early and went to the Sirius Studios to be a guest on the Martha Stewart Channel's Morning Living- it was a thrilling segment all about onions. That was a good thing.

PS- listen to this show when ever possible. Kim and Betsy, the hosts, are hilarious!

Later on in the day, I got e-mailed this article from USA Today. (I'm quoted in the last paragraph)

Didn't I do good, Mom?

World's deadliest delicacies - USATODAY.com*

Dinner for One...

2008-08-06T11:00:00.011-05:00

I love cooking, it's my life. I've worked in restaurants for 12 years and now, tack on a year of teaching culinary school. That must mean I whip up fancy gourmet snacks daily, right?

I NEVER get sick of that question...

Me and every other young (read: poor) chef I know, have a terrible habit- we rarely, if ever, cook for ourselves. When I was still working in restaurants, you be much more likely to find a box of Hot Pockets in my freezer than any kind of fresh veggies in my fridge. Maybe it's the cramped space of a NYC apartment kitchen, the absence of an endlessly stocked pantry or the absence of someone else to wash the dishes. But more than anything, once you're used to sharing a kitchen with 15 other people, it gets pretty lonely by yourself. And the excitement of cooking for someone else is what led us to being chefs in the first place.

So this weekend, with the missus out of town, I resloved to turn over a new leaf, to break old habits. You see, I can yammer on and on about chef this, chef that, but the truth is- I just don't like to cook when she's not around. There's something about sharing the kitchen with someone you love that just makes it seem more worthwhile. But, a guy's still gotta eat. And I've already reached my weekly Chipotle quota, so my day started with a trip to the market.

That was just a long winded way of saying I didn't really feel like cooking tonight, but needed to. So I want fast and easy. And since I knew I would be settling in for the night and watching the Olympics, I decided to throw a little Asian kick in my dinner. Think good ol', soaking through the to-go box Thai curry, now sub a roasting pan (time on the couch) for a wok. And that complex coconut milk/lemongrass/galangal/green chile sauce? Easy as picking it fresh off... the shelf at Trader Joe's.

Shopping List

Market:

Eggplant

Broccoli

Corn

Thai basil

Cherry tomatoes

Cucumbers

Trader Joe's:

ground chicken

Thai Green Curry Sauce

Method:

CHOP eggplant, corn and broccoli; toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

ROAST 450.

BROWN chicken in skillet, add curry sauce.

SIMMER.

SLICE cucumbers, tomatoes and Thai basil.

THROW it all on a plate.

This just in...

2008-06-12T09:18:00.003-05:00

From the list of guest chef's at "Tyler Florence's Low Country Celebration" in Palmetto Bluff, SC. Check out the website www.musictoyourmouth2008.com for more information.

Derby Dinner, more pics...

2008-06-05T11:50:00.007-05:00

Chef Chris' Roasted Shrimp with Morels and Sunchoke Ravioli

Possibly the star of the show- Chef Chris' Lamb Stuffed Lamb Loin on Sweet Pea Puree

Bourbon Braised Veal Cheeks with Crisp Sweetbreads and Fava Bean Ragout

Chef Chad's Tobacco infused Chocolate Tart with Candied Pecan and Praline Ice Cream

Adam Harris of Maker's Mark, the man behind the amazing drinks like this...

Maker's Mark Bourbon with Smoked Sugar Cubes and Cherry Juice Ice Cubes

Derby Dinner

2008-06-03T11:17:00.006-05:00

Well the pictures are finally in. Take a look at what you missed.

The Crew

Grilled Oyster and Pork Belly Brochette

Chef Einav's Foie Gras Brulee

The Perfect Maker's Mark Mint Julep

Roasted Vidalia Onion Bulbs with Crabmeat, Corn and Bacon

Tomaotes filled with Hoppin' John

Petit Farcis a la Sud (The South)

Chef Einav's Bourbon Smoked Salmon with Mustard Seed Sauce

More to Come...

Best Friends

2008-05-13T10:04:00.006-05:00

Every now an then in the food world, we come across certain flavor combinations that are just too good to be ignored. Foods that I like to refer to as "best friends." But I'm talking about digging a little deeper than peanut butter and jelly or tomatoes and basil. The whole idea of gastronomic play pals came about one day when I was explaining to one of my young cooks that "curry and lime juice are like best friends." My sous chef thought that was hilarious and from that day on, new ingredients became our culinary version of free word association until we found their "best friend," as well.

There are plenty of factors that determine who will or will not be best friends but one of the most important is seasonality. To throw out another kitchen cliche, "things that grow together, go together." There are two things growing together right now that are one of my favorite pairs- and their combinations are endless- Asparagus and Farm Eggs. I know it's kind of weird to think of eggs as having a growing season, but they are definitely a sign of spring. One of my favorite and simplest arrangements of these old pals is an old fashioned egg salad with lots of tender asparagus mixed in. Then to dress it up, a paper thin shaving of raw asparagus as the whole thing sits on a round pillowy pumpernickel.

I know, I know, the whole thing sounds a little plain- right? Here's the kicker... Instead of using a jar of Helman's for your dressing, whisk a bit of curry powder into creme fraiche, thin it with a couple drops of tarragon vinegar and toss in some fresh chopped chervil. Give it a try- this easy app might become one of your "best friends."

Green Tomatoes and Cookie Dough

2008-05-12T11:56:00.017-05:00

Michel Richard says of tomatoes, “when eaten at their peak of ripeness, they’re spectacular. Yet at any other time, why even bother?”

"Why bother" was of one of the great questions of my childhood. When Mom baked cookies, I would watch my brother forgo a sweet payoff by trying to sneak a fingers worth of dough out of the bowl while Mom wasn't looking, but moms always know. However, the reward for my patience was always the very first cookie, hot from the oven. Every time my brother snuck to that bowl I wondered "why bother?" A cookie, fresh out of the oven- at the peak of its ripeness- is spectacular. One day, in the middle of cookie making, Mom went out to talk to a neighbor and I finally got my own spoonful of cookie dough. I never wondered "why bother" again.

So, to Michel Richard, I say:

Why bother?

Because green tomatoes, that’s why.

Michel Richard is right, a perfectly ripe red tomato is spectacular. The juicy red flesh, fresh from the vine, still warm from the suns rays is beyond spectacular- it’s like a chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven. And green tomatoes? Well, they are surely a heaping spoonful of cookie dough.

Just like the young boy who couldn't wait for the cookies to bake, I can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen. So as spring struggles to turn itself into summer (45˚ and rainy in NYC today) I will sit back and enjoy the tart, crunchy green tomato while I wait for my juicy red tomatoes to "come out of the oven."

Fried Green Tomatoes

4 Green Tomatoes
3 cups Cornmeal
2 cup flour
1 Tsp cayenne pepper
1 qt.+ Buttermilk
Canola oil for frying

Core the tomatoes and slice them horizontally, one-half inch thick. Discard the top and bottom pieces, place the remaining slice in a bowl or Tupperware container and cover completely with buttermilk. Leave to marinate at least 30 minutes, longer is better.
In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, cayenne, 2 Tbsp salt, 1 Tbsp pepper and mix with a dry whisk.

Drain the tomatoes slices from the buttermilk and toss in the cornmeal mixture. Make sure each slice is separated and well coated. Leave the slices in the mixture while they wait to be fried. In a cast iron skillet or wide, heavy-bottomed pan, add the oil to depth of 2 inches. Heat to 375 degrees. Carefully add the slices one at a time, making sure to tap off the excess breading for going into the oil. Cook until golden brown, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Spicy Mayo Sauce

1 cup Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
1 lemon, juiced
Sriracha hot sauce
Salt and Pepper

Grate garlic clove on a rasp (microplane) to form a paste. Whisk together garlic, mayonnaise and mustard. Add hot sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Market Meals

2008-05-09T13:51:00.002-05:00

Nothing is better than a spring-time Farmer's Market... except maybe a full, colorful summer market or the bounty of an autumn market. OK, they're all great, but right now it's spring so I'm excited about spring veggies. Plus, it's the first time in months I've been able to buy everything I need for my lunch at the market.

My shopping list this week:

the first of the season asparagus from south Jersey
Ramps
fresh chorizo from Tamarack Hollow Farms
fresh farm eggs

The plan? I've got a little leftover cornbread at home, so how does this sound...

Roasted Ramps and Chorizo Panzanella with Steamed Asparagus, Soft Boiled Farm Eggs and Smoked Almonds

It doesn't get much easier:

1. Boil the eggs and throw them in some cold water to cool

2. Put the chorizo and ramp bulbs on a baking sheet and into the oven at 400˚

3. When the chorizo is sizzling and the bulbs are tender pour a couple tablespoons of red vinegar onto the pan to make your sauce

4. Chop up your leftover cornbread (or baugette) and slice the sausages

5. In big bowl, mix up the pan juices, sliced sausage and cornbread

6. Cook the asparagus until tender in boiling water

7. Throw it all on the plate, with the boiled eggs and a few smoked almonds

The Best Southern Food in New York City

2008-05-07T10:09:00.007-05:00

Looking for the best southern cooking in NYC? It could be in your own kitchen! Join me at the Institute of Culinary Education this summer as my series, open to the general public, takes you through all aspects of southern cooking- new and old.

"As one of the top southern chefs in New York City, James has put his years of experience at the uber-award-winning Highlands Bar and Grill, as well as time served at Restaurant Daniel, to create traditional southern menus with a uniquely innovative approach and modern flair."

The first class, Southern Cooking Essentials, sold out weeks ago; but don't worry, round two is coming...

Visit iceculinary.com, recreational division for more information. OR check out the menus here and make your reservation to get into the kitchen with me.

Class format: Discussion of recipes, hands-on cooking, family-style dinner of all food prepared with wine or maybe a beer... or two.

Southern Cooking Essentials

May 10, August 23

Fried Green Tomatoes with Spicy Remoulade

Crispy Mac and Cheese

Shrimp and Grits with Bacon and Tomato Emulsion

Smoky Collard Greens with Cornbread

Bacon and Rosemary Stuffed Pork Rack with Creamed Corn

The Perfect Fried Chicken

Summer Berry Cobbler

Pecan Peach Crisp

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Creole Cooking

May 30, June 21

Baked Oysters Rockafeller on the Half Shell

Red Beans Rice

Crawfish Etouffee

Shrimp, Oyster and Sausage Jambalaya

Traditional Summer Seafood Gumbo

Classic Muffaletta Sandwich with homemade Giardineria

New Orleans Beignets

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Bananas Foster

Southern Summer Harvest

May 31, June 14

Warm Tomato Salad with Bacon-Charred Corn Vinaigrette and Melted Goat Cheese

Curried Crab Salad with Watermelon and Arugula

Smoked Trout and Summer Bean Salad, Candied Lemon, Horseradish and Mint Vinaigrette

Tomato and Okra Stew with Chickpeas and Cumin

Cucumber and Buttermilk Soup

Chilled Tomato Soup

Lobster Succotash

Spice-Roasted Figs with Honey and Mint

Summer Fruit Cobbler

Pecan Peach Crisp

Seafood with a Southern Accent

June 1

Greek-Style Baked Grouper

Cornmeal Fried Oysters with Spicy Remoulade

Shrimp, Bacon and Corn Chowder

Carolina Oyster Pan Roast with Sweet and Hot Peppers

Sauteed Flounder with Crabmeat Meuniere

Gulf Coast Blue Crab Cakes

Pan Fried Red Snapper with Asparagus and Farm Eggs

Country Breakfast

June 12, August 24

Shrimp and Grits with Crisp Bacon and Tomato Emulsion

Buttermilk Biscuits with Country Sausage White Gravy

Trout Amandine

Nassau Grits

Hoe Cakes

Sweet Pepper and Ham Potato Hash

Southern Eggs Benedict with Red-Eye Gravy

Creamy Stone Ground Grits with Pork Grillades

Buttermilk Pancakes and Berry Jam

Low Country Cooking

May 17, September 19

Sauteed Soft Shell Crabs, Lemon and Caper Pan Sauce

Low Country Red Rice

Shrimp and Grits with Crisp Bacon and Tomato Emulsion

Frogmore Stew with Summer Corn, Andouille and Shrimp

Hoppin’ John with Okra and Peas

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Mustard-Vinegar Sauce

Benne Crusted Lamb Rack with Coconut Pirlau

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Derby Day

2008-05-02T20:29:00.007-05:00

Need some last minute ideas for grub at your Kentucky Derby Party?

I've got a couple ideas- and thanks to Einav Gefen for her great jicama slaw and bourbon cured salmon.

How 'bout a little refresher on how to make the perfect Mint Julep?

Brooke will show you how.

Check out our video from Good Morning America...

Video Here

Speaking of Crawfish...

2008-05-02T20:21:00.006-05:00

...check out this great, super simple recipe for crawfish with chicken!

Video Here

Next Stop, James Beard House

2008-05-01T14:10:00.002-05:00

People in New York City look at you kind of funny when you're carrying a crate of live crawfish down the street....

Oh well, I've some beautiful mudbugs as big as the Empire State Building- now to find a pot that's big enough....

Filling in...

2008-04-30T15:26:00.007-05:00

It's that time of year, and ramps are filling in everywhere- both the newly greened hills and fields upstate and the pots on top my stove, here in the city. And thanks to this crazy mix of rain and sun, they should be be popping up more and more. Now, if we could just get a little warm weather to go along side...

This recipe couldn't be simpler- ramps don't take too well to complicated preparations, anyway.

1 ramps, roots trimmed and washed well

1# fresh sausage, casings removed

1# Orchette pasta

Parmesan Cheese

Begin by slicing the ramps into half inch pieces, keeping the bulbs and greens separate. Heat a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the sausage, season and cook until well-browned. While the sausage is browning, cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain the pasta and reserve warm. When the sausage is cooked, add the ramp bulbs and saute until very aromatic and tender. Toss in the pasta and add the ramp greens. When the ramp greens are wilted, add some grated parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Doesn't much easier than that...

What were YOU doing Friday afternoon?

2008-04-27T22:07:00.004-05:00

An AP photographer caught me "working" Friday afternoon...

The Southern boy in me just can't sit inside when there's sun to be had... What recipes was I working on? I've got a new series of classes coming out for the summer, all on the glories of Southern Food. Check 'em out Here. Search: Briscione

Spring is in the Air

2008-04-21T21:37:00.014-05:00

Spring is here, and it brought ramps with it! I was not really looking forward to getting back to the city after a great weekend on Pensacola Beach. First-

Congratulations Patrick and Julie

and thanks for a wonderful weekend.

We had a blast at the wedding... and before too!

Now, back to the ramps. This afternoon when I got into work, one of the other Chefs- who lives upstate- had spent her afternoon picking ramps and brought me this beautiful bunch of fresh ramps. These beauties made the trek back north worth the while.

Spring is without a doubt, the most exciting time to visit the Farmer's Market. As the first warm days move in, the colors of the market change. Stands turn from the varied tones of brown and orange- Winter's trademark root vegetables, that have seemed as if they'd never leave, to brilliant shades of green. Fava beans, sweet peas, lettuces, asparagus, onion shoots- it's terribly exciting. But I think that the most exciting of all are ramps.

What makes them so special?

Ramps cannot be grown on a farm. They only grow in the wild, the tougher the terrain the better and the HAVE to be harvested by hand. Digging down, slipping fingers between rocks to grab the aromatic plants by the roots and then gently tugging them out of the Earth to preserve their tender stems.

Ramps, sometimes known as Wild Leeks, have a flavor that is like nothing else. A cross, somewhere between a sweet version of garlic with hints of leeks and shallots. And the greens are just as delicious as the stems. I'll be cooking them in the next couple days- stay tuned!

No Posts...

2008-04-07T12:04:00.005-05:00

I know the whole "I've been too busy" line is well-worn at best; but I really have been lately- between the Beard House Menu, preparing a tasting menu for Moet-Hennessy (menu and photos coming soon) and doing these segments for ABC. Ha! Believe me now?

Click to watch Beef and Truffled Mashed Potato Croquettes

Click to watch Shrimp and Grits

Final Draft

2008-03-13T11:08:00.003-05:00

The menu is done, drinks are ready and its just about time to get your tickets. A little something to look forward to...

********

Hors d’oeuvres
Cornmeal and Country Ham Gougere with Bourbon Cream
Farm Egg Salad Sandwich with Asparagus
Hudson Valey Foie Gras Brulee with Green Peach Chutney
Grilled Oyster and Pork Belly Brochette with Fresh Pickles
Maker’s Mark Mint Julep

Bourbon Cured and Smoked Wild King Salmon
Jicama and Beet Slaw, Yellow Mustard Seed Vinaigrette
“Naughty Debutante” Maker’s Mark, Apricot Liqueur, Peychauds Bitters and Champagne

Petits Farcis a la Sud
Vidalia Onion Shoots with Crab, Corn and Bacon Stuffing; Baby Tomatoes and Okra Hoppin John; Zucchini filled with Crawfish Hollandaise and Chive Blossoms
“Melba likes her Maker’s” Maker’s Mark, fresh Peach Preserves and muddled White Ginger

Head-on Port Royal Shrimp
Sunchoke Agnolotti, Morels, Bourbon and Cream
“Blue Moon (of Kentucky)” Maker’s Mark, Berry Tea, homemade Vanilla Syrup

Lamb Two Ways
Seared Loin with Pulled Breast Stuffing, Sweet Pea Puree, Sweet Georgia Onions and Truffle Jus
“The HT Redux” Maker’s Mark, Cucumber water and Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray soda

Bourbon Braised Veal Cheeks and Crisp Sweetbreads
Baby Turnip and Fava Bean Ragout, Crushed New Potatoes and Romaine Coulis
“Adam’s Apple” Maker’s Mark, Crème de Framboise, fresh pressed Apple Juice

Tobacco Scented El Ray Chocolate Tart
Pecan Ice Cream, and Bourbon Sabayon
“Bourbon and a Smoke” Maker’s Mark poured over a smoked sugar cube

**********

Wines will be available upon request

Dinner at the Beard House

2008-02-23T23:23:00.007-05:00

Spring brings so many great traditions to the South- traps fill with crawfish, the humble blue crab drops it shell to show us it's soft side, peach blossoms give way to the the first fruit of the season- but the South's grandest tradition takes place not in the fields, nor the bay's or marshes. On the first Saturday in May, the finest thoroughbreds in the world gather under the twin spires that rise above the lush fields of Kentucky's bluegrass. As of late, Churchill Downs has become THE place to be when the ponies are running (just check US Weekly the week after the race).

Those you who can't make the trip this year, don't worry, Louisville is coming to New York City. On Saturday, May 3rd, I'm teaming up with my fellow chefs from the Insitiute of Culinary Education to put on a dinner at the James Beard House. Maker's Mark is jumping on board with us and crafting a special bourbon cocktail for each course.

Tickets for the dinner aren't available for sale yet, but the menu's ready. All my friends back, time to start looking for plane tickets...

Cornmeal and Country Ham Gougere with Bourbon Cream
Farm Egg Salad Sandwich with Asparagus
Foie Gras Brulee with Green Peach Chutney
Grilled Oyster and Pork Belly Brochette with Fresh Pickles
Maker’s Mark Mint Julep

Bourbon Cured and Smoked Wild King Salmon
Jicama and Beet Slaw, Yellow Mustard Seed Vinaigrette

Petit Farcis a la Sud
Vidalia Onion Shoots with Crab, Corn and Bacon Stuffing; Baby Tomatoes and Okra Hoppin John; Zucchini filled with Crawfish Hollandaise and Chive Blossoms

Head-on Port Royal Shrimp
Sunchoke Agnolotti, Morels, Bourbon and Cream

Lamb Two Ways
Seared Loin with Pulled Breast Stuffing, Sweet Pea Puree, Texas Onion and Truffle Jus

Bourbon Braised Veal Cheeks and Crisp Sweetbreads
Baby Turnip and Fava Bean Ragout, Crushed New Potatoes and Romaine Coulis

Tobacco Scented El Ray Chocolate Tart
Pecan Ice Cream, and Bourbon Sabayon

Paris, Redux

2008-02-04T01:03:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite meals in Paris was at the restaurant Mon Vieil Ami. It's nestled on the kind of street that just feels like Paris- the road, not really wide enough for two cars (I doubt its designers ever dreamed of such a thing, nevermind two of them) and sidewalks that two people might be able to squeeze down side-by-side, if it weren't for the cars that park two of their wheels on the sidewalk. Throw a grey sky and the towers of the Notre Dame in the background... well, you the picture.

Chef Antoine Westermann hails from Strasbourg, which is significant- because of all the things Alsatians are known for- vegetables are phenomenally low on the list (except of course cabbage for the choucroute garni). However, at Mon Vieil Ami les legumes are brilliantly fresh and treated with great care. I was a bit surprised when my plat des legumes arrived in a bowl, though the tiniest sniff of the dish immediately erased any doubts. It was a gorgeous pile of winter vegetables surrounded by a vinegary pool vegetable broth that was heavily scented with cumin. The tender incarnations of young winter vegetables in the bowl were echoed on top with thin shavings of their raw counterparts.

Excuse the low light here, I wasn't about to turn my flash on in the restaurant.

My challenge (to myself): Get to the Greenmarket and recreate this dish . I'll hit the market in the morning and see what I can find, then get into the kitchen and see how I do...

...Paris, Redone

Hudson Valley Foie Gras

2008-01-24T15:10:00.000-05:00

Tiny ducklings. Aren't they cute and cuddly? Don't you just want to go scoop one up and pet it?

Guess what? They're baby ducks not people. And being 'petted' by something 40X their size is absolutely terrifying. Don't believe me? Try it. First, ducks stay as for away from people as possible, try to catch one- they'll run. Pick it up and it will bite you in an attempt to escape.

Ducks are wild animals, they do not want to be cuddled- as the owner of the farm told me- "You really want to show it affection? Throw up in its mouth." Of course, he and I both realize that there is a difference- a human throwing up on duck is not the same as a mother bird regurgitating food for its young- but it illustrates the point.

And here lies the fallacy in the debate. These are animals. Ducks are not people. What is good for us is very different from what is good for a duck.

At the end of the day a duck dies. And yes, that is sad. Even for me, a cold heartless carnivore.

But, does it suffer along the way? From what I saw at Hudson Valley Foie Gras Farm, No.

Is it the way I would want to live? No, but once again, I AM NOT A DUCK. Have you ever seen ducks or geese in a field? They are always crammed together in a tight flock, even in the middle of an enormous field. It certainly would seem that a large open barn, with plenty of room to move would not be uncomfortable.

If I were a duck and had a choice- Would I choose this life over being eaten alive by another animal or being knocked out of the sky by a bullet only to fall to become a trophy on someone's wall? Yes. I would.

Everything I saw at this farm was safe, humane and clean. Not mention the respect I have for the way the duck are treated, after their life ends. Every single bit of the animal has a use. Not a bit wasted- legs and wings for confit, bones for stock, breasts for sautéing/grilling, skin and fat for rendering. These animals do not die in vain.

Throughout their life they are treated with respect on the farm. It therefore becomes our responsibility as chefs, cooks, consumers to treat them with respect in death. I feel a greater need than ever before to support farms like Hudson Valley, people who raise animals responsibly, with care and respect. Farms like this are part of the solution, not the problem.

The Great Debate...

2008-01-22T22:50:00.000-05:00

...Foie Gras. Delicious, but cruel?

I told someone today, if were walking around hungry and someone came, put their arm around me and stuck a cheeseburger in my mouth, I would find that very cruel at all. In fact, I'd quite appreciate it.

Over the past few weeks, I've had the chance to get to know one of the co-owners of Hudson Valley Foie Gras. And he has invited me to come out to the farm and see, first hand, just what the production of foie gras is all about. So be sure to check back for a full report with photos and all.

About Hudson Valley Foie Gras

What is Foie Gras?

Foie gras (pronounced fwah grah) is the fattened liver of a waterfowl (either duck or goose, but in our case, only duck) produced by a special feeding process. It results in a luxurious product that is at once velvety and meaty. Historically, foie gras has been cooked in a paté or terrine and served cold. The last decade has seen the gain in US popularity of serving foie gras seared hot with a sweet and tangy fruit garnish.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras is a grower of the Moulard Duck from which Foie Gras is produced. HVFG is situated on 200 acres in Ferndale, New York, a two hour drive from Manhattan. HVFG is headed by two individuals,

Izzy Yanay, a Masters in Philosophy from the Weitzman Institute in Israel, and Michael Ginor, a B.A. from Brandeis University and an M.B.A. from New York University.

Our facility is unique in that all the stages of production, from breeding to packaging, exist in one location. This concept was developed by Izzy Yanay with the advent of the Moulard Duck. The Moulard Duck is a crossbreed between a Moscovy male and a Pekin female, which are artificially bred. This technique was invented in Israel in the mid 1970's and Izzy was one of the first to utilize this technology in the production of Moulard Foie Gras. As a hybrid is more resistant to disease than either parent, it become feasible for the entire production to take place under one roof. In 1982, Izzy introduced Foie Gras into the United States utilizing this plan.

Izzy Yanay, General Manager, along with Michael Ginor, President, formed Hudson Valley Foie Gras in 1989. Currently we distribute nationwide through gourmet and specialty food distributors. Critical acclaim from around the world has placed our company as the premier producers of Foie Gras and Moulard Duck products. Our corporate goals include the stabilizing of Foie Gras prices and the assurance of a steady supply as well as public education and increased product awareness. In keeping with our promise to develop a more economic high quality product, a significant portion of our proceeds is directed toward research and development.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras is just as committed to its role as a food producer and the responsibilities and privileges which that may carry in helping, assisting and feeding the less fortunate. This we accomplish by being involved with several foundations, organizations and individual chefs who are committed to the same purposes.

A Call to Arms...

2008-01-15T11:40:00.000-05:00

If I worked at the Jimmy Dean Sausage Plant I would be serioulsy considering stepping up security measures right about now. At Work Warning: The profanity kicks in at 1:45. God bless the Southern Gentleman.

Beyond the Kitchen Windows

2008-01-10T13:52:00.000-05:00

The view from my classroom on the 14th floor at ICE.

What is 'Gradoo'?

2008-01-09T11:57:00.000-05:00

Every good cook knows there is an unbelievable amount of flavor trapped in the that stuff sticks to the bottom of your pan or pot when cooking. That crusty stuff meant to be deglazed to make delicious and simple gravies or just to be reincorporated into the dish for a deep roasted flavor. I've always taken to calling this stuff "the brown bits" and still enjoy that term very much. I think it does a great job conveying exactly what I'm talking about. However, I was thrilled today to find another term out there specifically for this wonderous substance:

Gradoo (GRAH-doo) Miscellaneous cruft or garbage. Colorful Southern term for schmutz (Yiddish) or crud (Yankee) www.urbandictionary.com

This term isn't typically used in reference to food stuffs, but found it in some recipes on New Orleans cooking and love it.

PS- Yes, I know that the techinal word for this is Fond but brown bits and gradoo are a hell of a lot more fun! Cooking is supposed to fun, remember?

Still hunting ingredients...

2008-01-08T14:23:00.000-05:00

in the meantime, more food from France!

In case you were wondering... Yes. The proper accompaniment to an incredibly fatty (and delicious) sausage such as this Andouillette is, in fact, an huge slab of butter.

A father and daughter team that put their best face forward selling this beautiful Porchetta from a tent in a holiday sidewalk fair.

Street food at its finest. Crepes and a pot of Nutella (click for the music if nothing else) big enough to drown a small baby.

Recipe: Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

2008-01-03T13:39:00.001-05:00

Here is the full recipe to go along with my appearance on ABC 7

Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Shaved Locatelli Cheese

This is the time to break out that $50 bottle of olive oil. Anything as simple as this salad can only be great if you use the best ingredients. And remember. Restraint. This is all about balance… I love cheese as much as anyone, but don't be tempted to over do it, the best thing about this salad is that every bite is different and when a delicate curl of salty cheese finds its way onto your fork, it's a real treat!

½ lb Arugula
¼ lb Locatelli Cheese
Pomegranate, seeds removed, juice reserved
3 Breakfast Radishes
Cauliflower
Lemon
Olive Oil

Wash the arugula and spin dry.

Thinly slice the radishes and florets of cauliflower on a mandoline or with a vegetable peeler. Reserve and cover with a damp towel.

In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds and any juice you collected when seeding them. Whisk in a pinch of sugar, the juice of half a lemon and 2-3 tablespoons olive oil.

Combine the arugula and shaved vegetables in a large bowl. Gently toss with the vinaigrette (you may not need it all, so add gradually) and season well with salt and pepper. Divide the salad between plates, scatter about some extra pomegranate seeds and finish by shaving a few slices of the locatelli over the top with a vegetable peeler.

Recipe: Panettone Panzanella

2008-01-03T13:35:00.000-05:00

This recipe can become either appetizer or dessert: To give it a more savory feel, add blue cheese to whipped mascarpone and finish the whole dish with freshly ground black pepper. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably want to toss in some bacon or pancetta too!

Want this dish to satisfy your sweet tooth? Add a splash of orange juice and a pinch of sugar to the whipped mascarpone and turn the vinegar down just a bit.

Finally, a relatively healthful (and delicious) way to enjoy the elegant, more refined cousin of the of holiday season’s bastard child, the fruit cake.

2 C Panettone, cut into ½ inch cubes
4 Bartlett Pears, cored and cut into 1 inch cubes
4 Golden Delicious Apples, cored and cut into 1 inch dice
1 Lemon, zested and juiced
¼ C Fig Vinegar
2 C Mascarpone Cheese
Salt
Sugar

Spread the cubes bread into a single layer and toast at 325 until golden and crisp. Reserve.

In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt with the cut apples and pears, set aside.

Using a whisk or electric mixer whip the mascarpone until light and fluffy, adding any additional components (blue cheese or orange juice/sugar at the beginning).

Drain the lemon/water mixture from the fruit and mix in the fig vinegar and toasted bread. Divide between plates and top with the whipped mascarpone.

Recipe: Venison 'Sushi'

2008-01-02T13:40:00.000-05:00

Here is the full recipe from my appearance on ABC 7

Venison Sushi

2# Venison Loin or tender loin, trimmed
1 C Pistachio, shelled and chopped
¼ C Champagne Shallot Mustard
4 C Long Grain Rice

In a dry pan, toast the chopped pistachio. Add the rice, a pinch of salt and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 12 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. While the rice is cooking cut the venison into 1 inch square strips. Season well with salt and black pepper and sear over very high heat until browned on all sides but still rare. Remove to a rack to cool. When the rice is done, turn it out to a large dish and fluff with a spatula. Meanwhile, once the venison has cooled, pat it dry with a towel and spread a layer of the mustard on all sides.

Now, its time to roll sushi. If you don’t have a sushi mat, lay some plastic wrap over a clean kitchen towel. Make 4 inch x 6 rectangle of pistachio rice on the plastic wrap. Lay the mustard coated strip of venison across the bottom third of the rice and begin rolling form the bottom up, using your fingers to hold the venison in place. When you reach the top, twist up the ends of plastic wrap like a tootsie roll and stick it in the fridge to firm while you roll the rest.

To help keep the rolls together, slice them before removing the plastic wrap.

In case you missed it...

2007-12-28T00:32:00.001-05:00

Click Here to see me on ABC 7 cooking up some fun recipes from holiday gift baskets.

Set Your DVR

2007-12-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, December 23 I will be featured on ABC 7 Eyewitness News This Morning. It airs from 6-8 and my segment is set for 7:15. Set your DVR since I know no one is getting up that early. I will be demonstrating 5 delicious recipes perfect for Christmas, using ingredients out of gourmet holiday gift baskets from the Garden of Eden.

Street Food

2007-12-13T11:55:00.000-05:00

I'm not above fighting for my spot in line for at the Rafiqui's Cart on my corner, but if I had my choice I'd take this for street food anyday...

"Roadside" Dining in Paris

Lunch the day we arrived- Le Comptoir in the Place de l'Odeon

Looking out from just left of the restaurant

First Course- slices of foie gras terrine on toasted pain d'ami with lots of crunchy sea salt- which we enjoyed as the passing vans threatened to rattle the wine bottle off our table.

Second Course- Pied de Cochon, aka Pig's Feet. Unbelivably tender, beautifully seasoned and crisped to perfection. I loved these little turned romaine hearts served along side drizzled with super-simple mustard and red wine vinaigrette and a few crispy shallots to top the off. The little dish on the side? The creamiest, most butteriest mashed potatoes I've ever had; adorned with a rich pork jus.

Welcome Home

2007-12-10T23:16:00.000-05:00

After walking back into work after a week in Paris (ps- lots of pictures and reports to come from that), I can't imagine a welcoming sight than this...

It's not what you think though...

...Maker's Mark barrel char, there is a clear culinary appication here; I just have to figure out what it is.

Off to Paris....

2007-12-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving this evening for Paris. Be back in a week... maybe. When I return, expect a full report on the Paris restaurant scene. And lots of pictures to inspire jealousy.

Bon Chance!