orecchiette bolognese

ingredients:

ground beef
ground pork
bacon
garlic
shallots
onions
carrots
sweet basil
red wine
heavy cream
canned san marzano tomatoes
tomato paste
red pepper flakes
dried oregano
nutmeg
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
orecchiette

directions:

1.  prepare the mise en place.  finely mince the shallots, garlic, onion, carrot, and bacon.

2.  mix the ground beef and pork together.

3.  slowly render bacon bits in pot.  after bacon fat has rendered, turn heat on high and saute the ground meat.

4.  when meat is nicely browned, add in the carrots, garlic, shallot, onion, a pinch of chili flakes, some dried oregano, and season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

5.   after a few minutes, add in some red wine and the tomatoes.

6.  simmer the sauce on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.  then add a pinch of nutmeg, a splash of red wine, a dash of heavy cream, and the basil.

7.  while the sauce is reducing, cook the orechiette in salted water.

8.  drain the orecchiette and spoon into a big serving bowl.  top with the meat sauce, garnish with more basil and serve immediately.  (freshly grated parmesan optional)

quinoa vegetable soup

ingredients:

beef marrow bones
pork bones
chicken bones
veal stock
chicken broth
kale
yukon gold potato
yellow onion
garlic
carrots
celery ribs
baby portabello mushrooms
corn
roma tomatoes
tomato paste
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
red chili flake (optional)

directions:

1.  boil all the soup bones with veal stock and water.  lightly season with salt and black pepper.

2.  cook the quinoa in the rice cooker the same way you would cook rice.  use chicken broth instead of water.

3.  prepare your mise en place.  chop the garlic, onions, carrots, celery ribs, mushrooms, roma tomatoes, and kale.  cut the kernels off the corn and dice the potatoes into chunks.

3.  remove the bones from the stock.  add in all the vegetables except for the kale.  season with salt, black pepper, and some tomato paste.  (chili flake optional if you like spice)

4.  remove the meat from the pork and beef bones, especially the tendons attached to the beef bones.  chop up the meat and add it into the vegetable soup.  discard the chicken bones.

5.  cook the soup until all the ingredients have time to develop flavor.  season with salt and black pepper to taste.  cook the kale for a minute or two in the soup before serving.

to plate:

1.  put some quinoa in the bottom of a bowl.  ladle soup over quinoa and finish with a few grinds of black pepper.  serve immediately.

garlic chicken katsu, grilled spring onions

ingredients:

chicken thigh meat
spring onions
chives
lemon
egg
flour
panko
kosher salt
maldon sea salt (the flaky kind)
freshly cracked black pepper
garlic powder
canola oil
tonkatsu sauce (optional)

directions:

1.  prepare three trays.  one with egg wash (by beating an egg with some water), one with flour, and one with panko.  season panko with salt and cracked black pepper.

2.  de-bone the chicken thigh meat and remove the skin.  lay flat and season both sides with salt, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper.  dredge chicken in a light coating of flour, then give it a bath in the egg wash, and lastly coat with panko.

3.  add enough canola oil to a heated flat pan so that bottom is completely covered.  pan-fry chicken pieces until both sides are golden and crispy.  set on a rack (as shown) to drain excess oil.  finish with sprinkle of maldon sea salt.  note: I don't recommend draining the chicken on a paper towel, as bottom gets soggy.

4.  slice the spring onions into quarters.  heat up a grill pan and grill spring onions over medium heat until nicely caramelized and slightly charred.

to plate:

1.  garnish chicken katsu with chives and plate grilled spring onions next to it. serve with a lemon wedge on the side and tonkatsu sauce.

seared foie gras, red onion compote, white peaches, butter brioche

there are three different main components that you have to get ready first for this dish.  I will give directions for each component and then give plating directions.  this is just like how they have it at dankos. mm, mm, mm...

1. red onion compote
2. sauce for the foie gras
3. caramelized white peaches

ingredients:

foie gras- i prefer hudson valley grade A
brioche- i buy boulanger brioche
white peaches
red onions
one small white onion
mache- or any other mild green
thyme
dark veal stock
chicken stock
one bottle of moscato- i used fetzer 2010
brandy
sherry vinegar
balsamic vinegar
butter

agave sweetener

olive oil

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

directions:

1.  get the red onion compote going.  you will need tons of onions because it cooks down to nothing.  in a

big pot, melt some butter and saute off red onions.  add salt to taste.  add in chicken stock, a hefty splash of  balsamic vinegar, a few sprigs of thyme, and agave sweetener to taste and let it stew, stirring here n there for about 4-5 hours. please note- don't add too much sweetener in the beginning because as it cooks

the flavor gets more concentrated, so I tend to do taste checks and seasoning adjustments towards the end of the cooking process.

2.   sauce for the foie.  in a medium saucepan, cook about a carton of veal stock till it's reduced by half.  that way it will be super dark. if you have good veal stock handy, use that.  add in chopped small white onion, a couple splashes of sherry vinegar, bout half of the fetzer moscato, a couple splashes of brandy, and some agave sweetener to taste.  bring mixture to a full boil and then reduce to a simmer.  simmer away until its reduced by more than half. 

3.  white peaches.  in a heavy flat pan heat up some olive oil.  throw in sliced peaches and cook until carmelized.  deglaze with the fetzer moscato and cook till it's reduced to a glaze.  set aside.

4.  toast brioche.  while brioche is toasting prepare the foie.  i like to score mine, it's supposed to help the fat render out more.  get a heavy bottomed nonstick pan nice and hot. searing hot. near smoking. season the foie gras liberally with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. quickly place the foie into the pan and sear for about five- ten seconds, then remove pan from flame- the residual heat is enough to keep cooking the foie. (you don't want to burn the fat) after about 30 seconds or so, flip over to other side and put pan back on the flame.  you can check for doneness by touching it- it should feel like a soft koniaku or firm jello. let the foie drain on paper towels.  don't be an idiot and keep cooking it on the stove- cuz you will end up with a  pan full of expensive fat or a shriveled, overcooked, foie.  not good. 

plating:

1.  arrange the ingredients however you'd like to.  be creative! if you like mine, place brioche on a white plate. put a bed of the red onion compote in front of the brioche and place seared foie gras on top.  arrange mache leaves under the white peaches off the the side and spoon hot sauce over the foie gras.  serve immediately.