Chef Mojo

Must Have

I was doing some browsing through the Library of America website, and found something that I'm just going to have to have:

Oh yeah. Bring. It. On.

In a groundbreaking new anthology, celebrated food writer Molly O'Neill gathers the very best from over 250 years of American culinary history. This literary feast includes classic accounts of iconic American foods: Henry David Thoreau on the delights of watermelon; Herman Melville, with a mouth-watering chapter on clam chowder; H. L. Mencken on the hot dog; M.F.K. Fisher in praise of the oyster; Ralph Ellison on the irresistible appeal of baked yam; William Styron on Southern fried chicken. American writers abroad, like A. J. Liebling, Waverly Root, and Craig Claiborne, describe the revelations they found in foreign restaurants; travellers to America, including the legendary French gourmet J. A. Brillat-Savarin, discover such native delicacies as turkey, Virginia barbecue, and pumpkin pie. Great chefs and noted critics discuss their culinary philosophies and offer advice on the finer points of technique; home cooks recount disasters and triumphs. A host of eminent American writers, from Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Walt Whitman to Thomas Wolfe, Willa Cather, and Langston Hughes, add their distinctive viewpoints to the mix.

  American Food Writing celebrates the astonishing variety of American foodways, with accounts from almost every corner of the country and a host of ethnic traditions: Dutch, Cuban, French, Italian, Jewish, Chinese, Irish, Indian, Scandinavian, Native American, African, English, Japanese, and Mexican. A surprising range of subjects and perspectives emerge, as writers address such topics as fast food, hunger, dieting, and the relationship between food and sex. James Villas offers a behind-the-scenes look at gourmet dining through a waiter's eyes; Anthony Bourdain recalls his days at the Culinary Institute of America; Julia Child remembers the humble beginnings of her much-loved television series; Nora Ephron chronicles internecine warfare among members of the "food establishment;" Michael Pollan explores what the label "organic" really means.

Throughout the anthology are more than 50 classic recipes, selected after extensive research from cookbooks both vintage and modern, and certain to instruct, delight, and inspire home chefs.

Going through the table of contents turned me into a grinning fool. I was wondering why I hadn't heard of it; it hasn't been released yet. It comes out in April, but you can preorder it at Amazon.

700 pages of yummy goodness. I can't wait.

A Little Raw Meat Action For Saturday

As the hip kids say, I love me some Steak Tartare. Well, maybe they don't say that. In fact, I imagine most folks coming up through the years would see this as pure, unmitigated barbarity. But no matter. It's a wonderful thing.

When breaking down a beef tenderloin, I like to take the chain (which is gristly piece attached to the side.) and laboriously remove the usable meat. The rest of the chain goes into the freezer for when I make stock, as does the silver trim. I take part of the head and the tail of the tender, and the reserved chain meat and make me some Steak Tartare.

2 anchovy fillets
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon capers
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound beef tenderloin
1/4 cup finely minced shallots

I use a small Cuisinart mini-prep to do the following. Take the anchovies, garlic, capers, egg yolk, mustard, and put it in the bowl of the mini-prep and let 'er rip. After the mixture is smooth, and with the mini-prep running, slowly add the olive oil to form an emulsion. Salt and pepper to taste. I like to go a little heavy on the pepper.

Then I take the tenderloin scrap and, instead of grinding it, I hand chop it pretty fine. This results in a much nicer texture IMHO.

Take your chopped tenderloin and work in the egg mixture and shallots. Cover closely with film and refrigerate for an hour. Pull out of the fridge and give it a stir. Divide into 4 oz. portions. I like forming them in a PVC ring on the plate. I sprinkle a little fresh chopped Italian parsley on each portion and drizzle a bit of olive oil over and around the plate. I usually serve this with a classic caviar service of strained hard boiled egg yolks and egg whites, and finely chopped red onion. I also accompany the dish with freshly made crostini.

To eat, spread a little Tartare on the crostini. Add a bit of yolk, white and onion. Eat it. It is to die for. Pure primordial hedonism.

Yorkshire Pudding

Here you go, Laura...

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
dash of malt vinegar
6 tablespoons of reserved beef fat from the roast

I usually do this in a well seasoned 8 inch cast iron skillet. You can also do it in muffin tins.

After you put the beef in to roast, mix the first five ingredients so you have a nice smooth batter. Cover and set aside on a cool area of the counter.

When the roast is done, remove it and crank up the heat to 425° (if it isn't already there...). Take the cast iron skillet and brush the inside with fat from the roast. Pour the 6 tablespoons of fat into the skillet and place it into the oven for 5 minutes to heat it up. Give the batter a stir in the meantime. When the fat in the pan is very hot, pour in the batter an get it back in the oven. Let it bake for 18 or 20 minutes or until puffed up and golden.

Movie Food...

Being a chef, I really love it when a movie features interesting food. Some movies go all out with the food (Big Night, Like Water For Chocolate, Chocolat...), and that's fine. But every now and then something will show up that really tickles me.

Example...

Take the following. Once Upon A Time In Mexico, directed by Robert Rodriguez. One of the running gags in the movie has Johnny Depp's character killing various chefs in restaurants where the Puerco Pibil is not up to par. I've always wondered about that Puerco Pibil...

Well, the recipe shows up as part of the DVD's special features. Check it out. Not for the faint hearted and not to be attempted around CIA agents in Mexico.

Puerco Pibil

Ingredients
5 pounds Pork Butt cut into 2 inch cubes

5 tablespoons annatto seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon whole black pepper

½ teaspoon whole cloves

8 whole allspice berries

2 Habanero Peppers, cleaned and chopped

½ cup orange juice

½ cup white vinegar

8 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons salt

Serves / Yields

How hungry are you??

 

Preparation Instructions

Grind:
5 TBS Annatto Seeds
2 TSP Cumin Seeds
1 TBS Pepper – Whole
½ TSP Cloves – Whole
8 pebbles Allspice

Blend:
2 Habanera Peppers cleaned and chopped
½ CUP Orange Juice
½ CUP White Vinegar
8 Cloves Garlic
2 TBS Salt
with spices from the grinder.

Add the juice of 5 lemons and a splash/glug of tequila

5 LB Pork Butt cut into 2 inch cubes and place, with the marinate, in a large zip lock bag to soak.

Line (8x13) baking pan with banana leaves. Pour in pork and marinate. Cover with Banana leaves and seal the pan with foil. Bake in a 325 F degree oven for 4 hours.

Now doesn't that sound like fun?!? Ayayay!!

Manchego & Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ok. Let's try a recipe post!

Manchego & Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

For each sandwich:

Ingredients

2 slices of good quality sourdough bread
Manchego cheese (A Spanish sheeps milk cheese)
1 -2 T. Extra virgin olive oil

Equipment:

Panini grill is preferred, but any other sandwich press is ok.

Assembly

For each sandwich, slice 2 thick slices of sourdough bread. Brush both sides of bread slices with olive oil. Add slices of Manchego. The amount of cheese varies according to taste. Grill the sandwich to your prefered state of toastiness.

Notes:

A 6 month aged Manchego is what you're looking for. You can vary the breads according to taste. One of my favorite variations uses an olive - rosemary bread. But remember to keep it simple!

I began eating a basic variation of this sandwich while living in Spain as a teenager back in the 1970's. I accidentally found out one day that Manchego makes the finest grilled cheese I've ever tasted! It has a cheddar like creaminess, but with a mellower and nuttier flavor. The tang of good sourdough plays of the slight sweetness of the Manchego. This sandwich has become my ultimate comfort food over the years.