This sauce is a favorite of friends and a trusty stand-by for parties. It works wonderfully when made a day or two ahead. Time? Yes, it takes time. But so do braised short ribs or oxtails, so do a lot of things that I like to eat.
Ingredients
450g (+/- 1lb) Ground Beef
1/2 medium onion in a medium dice
1 rib of celery in a medium dice
1 medium carrot in a medium dice
80g (3 oz) butter
30ml (2 T) olive oil
250ml (1 cup) white wine (something dry)
125ml (1/2 cup) milk (whole is better)
1 regular can whole tomatoes
2-3 sun dried tomatoes cut into small pieces
Nutmeg
Salt
Truffle Oil to serve (optional, can be replaced with butter)
Parmesan cheese to serve
450g (1lb) Pasta (spiral, tube, or whatever you prefer)
Proceedure
Over medium high heat saute the onion in the butter and olive oil until it is light brown, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and saute another 5 minutes until they have started to turn brown. Add the meat and some salt and cook until brown. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated (the time required will depend greatly on the size of your pan). Add the milk and a pinch of nutmeg and cook until the milk has reduced by about 90%. At this point add the tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes, breaking the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon.
Simmer the sauce for several hours (3-4) over a very low heat. At this point the cause can be used or refrigerated for 1-2 days.
To serve:
Cook the pasta al dente (firm but cooked), and toss with the sauce, a few tablespoons of truffle oil (or butter) and Parmesan cheese.
This recipe was largely inspired by Giuliano Hazan, who I consider to have an outstanding knowledge of techniques of Italian cooking. Although I have not seen his recent works, The Classic Pasta Cookbook is an excellent book (although I believe it is long out of print).
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Lobster Stock and Risotto
When life hands you lobsters....
This past weekend (pre-diet) I went to the market in search of some halibut, fully intending to poach it in olive oil and serve with some kind of citrus creme or foam (was not decided yet) and perhaps a celery root puree. I also went in search of short ribs (very difficult to attain here...) to no avail.
They had halibut, but just before ordering I noticed a new addition to my normal seafood place. Could it be? Yes, a tank in the corner crawling with live lobsters. And better yet, for €17.83 per kilo (about $11 per pound). I could not resist, so I purchased two (equaling about a kilo, 2.2 pounds) and almost immediately got to work. This was met with a groan from my girlfriend (exclaiming something to the effect of 'I have to wait HOW long for dinner?').
What did I make? Lobster stock, and in turn wild mushroom and lobster risotto. Later I had some stock left over and made a lobster cream soup with sherry - it wasn't bad.
As much for my own documentation as anything, here was my method:
Lobster Stock
* 1kg (2.2 pounds) Live Lobsters (about 500g/1.1lb each)
* 4L (about 4 quarts) Water
* Mirepoix (I use about 120g/4oz consisting of 60g onion, 30g carrot and 30g celery - all diced)
* Mixed Mushrooms - about 100g (this was mostly because I was making this with my risostto in mind)
* Salt (to taste, but it will require a generous amount)
Note: I would normally also add wine to this, however in this case I wanted to add my wine to the risotto and later sherry to my soup thus I decided to not add it at this stage.
Proceedure:
Add cold water to a large pan, add in some salt (not too much - you can always add more at the end when you have reduced the stock enough, but once added it is not so easy to remove!), the mirepoix and mushrooms. Bring this just to a boil and add whole lobsters (you could remove the gills, but I don't normally find this necessary to my taste). Keep this at a fist simmer/low boil for about 12-15 minutes, until the lobsters are done. This will vary on the size of your lobster, but for a 500g/1.1lb lobster this should be about 15 minutes.
At this point remove the lobsters and either serve immediately, or is using the meat for something else (i.e. risotto) place the lobsters in ice water to stop the cooking process. Allow the stock to simmer for another 30 minutes, and then remove the vegetables and strain the stock.
I would suggest reducing this stock at simmer for another 1 hour, however you may taste it and decide on your desired strength. Once the stock is reduced to your liking adjust the salt to your taste.
The stock should be kept hot and used within a short period of time. If you will not use it right away it should be cooled rapidly (you can fill your sink with icewater and place the stock pan in the sink to cool it rapidly) and stored in the refrigerator. It can be kept for a few days under refrigeration or frozen for 3-6 months.
Lobster Risotto
200g (7oz) Arborio Rice
3-4 Shallots, diced
100g Mixed Mushrooms, sliced
50g (2 oz) Butter (plus more for finishing if desired)
Lobster Stock
150ml White Wine (I like Sancerre for this)
Truffle Oil (optional)
50g (2oz) Parmesan Cheese
Thyme
Choped Chives
Lobster Meat (from the 2 lobsters above is ideal)
Proceedure:
Over medium heat sautee the shallots and mushrooms in butter for 2-3 minutes, until they just begin to change color. Att the arborio rice and stir for 1-2 minutes, ensuring that there are no clumps of rice and that all the grains are evenly coated with butter. Add a soup ladle of the hot lobster stock (do not add cold stock) and stir until the liquid is mostly gone. Add about half of the wine (it is better to have it warm) and continue to stir until it is mostly gone. Add the remainder of the wine, continue to stir and when it is mostly gone add another soup ladle of stock. Continue to stir, adding additional stock when the liquid in the pan is mostly gone. After about 25 minutes you should begin to taste the risotto to determine if it is done. Risotto should be sightly firm, but not chalky in texture. You should adjust the salt (if needed) at this point. When you have nearly reached your desired doneness add in a pinch of fresh thyme leaves and the lobster. Stir through, remove from heat and stir through parmesan cheese and either truffle oil (if using) or about 50g (2oz) butter). Finish by string through chives, and serving.
You can reserve some of the lobster meat (I usually reserve half a tail and a claw per plate) for presentation on top.
This past weekend (pre-diet) I went to the market in search of some halibut, fully intending to poach it in olive oil and serve with some kind of citrus creme or foam (was not decided yet) and perhaps a celery root puree. I also went in search of short ribs (very difficult to attain here...) to no avail.
They had halibut, but just before ordering I noticed a new addition to my normal seafood place. Could it be? Yes, a tank in the corner crawling with live lobsters. And better yet, for €17.83 per kilo (about $11 per pound). I could not resist, so I purchased two (equaling about a kilo, 2.2 pounds) and almost immediately got to work. This was met with a groan from my girlfriend (exclaiming something to the effect of 'I have to wait HOW long for dinner?').
What did I make? Lobster stock, and in turn wild mushroom and lobster risotto. Later I had some stock left over and made a lobster cream soup with sherry - it wasn't bad.
As much for my own documentation as anything, here was my method:
Lobster Stock
* 1kg (2.2 pounds) Live Lobsters (about 500g/1.1lb each)
* 4L (about 4 quarts) Water
* Mirepoix (I use about 120g/4oz consisting of 60g onion, 30g carrot and 30g celery - all diced)
* Mixed Mushrooms - about 100g (this was mostly because I was making this with my risostto in mind)
* Salt (to taste, but it will require a generous amount)
Note: I would normally also add wine to this, however in this case I wanted to add my wine to the risotto and later sherry to my soup thus I decided to not add it at this stage.
Proceedure:
Add cold water to a large pan, add in some salt (not too much - you can always add more at the end when you have reduced the stock enough, but once added it is not so easy to remove!), the mirepoix and mushrooms. Bring this just to a boil and add whole lobsters (you could remove the gills, but I don't normally find this necessary to my taste). Keep this at a fist simmer/low boil for about 12-15 minutes, until the lobsters are done. This will vary on the size of your lobster, but for a 500g/1.1lb lobster this should be about 15 minutes.
At this point remove the lobsters and either serve immediately, or is using the meat for something else (i.e. risotto) place the lobsters in ice water to stop the cooking process. Allow the stock to simmer for another 30 minutes, and then remove the vegetables and strain the stock.
I would suggest reducing this stock at simmer for another 1 hour, however you may taste it and decide on your desired strength. Once the stock is reduced to your liking adjust the salt to your taste.
The stock should be kept hot and used within a short period of time. If you will not use it right away it should be cooled rapidly (you can fill your sink with icewater and place the stock pan in the sink to cool it rapidly) and stored in the refrigerator. It can be kept for a few days under refrigeration or frozen for 3-6 months.
Lobster Risotto
200g (7oz) Arborio Rice
3-4 Shallots, diced
100g Mixed Mushrooms, sliced
50g (2 oz) Butter (plus more for finishing if desired)
Lobster Stock
150ml White Wine (I like Sancerre for this)
Truffle Oil (optional)
50g (2oz) Parmesan Cheese
Thyme
Choped Chives
Lobster Meat (from the 2 lobsters above is ideal)
Proceedure:
Over medium heat sautee the shallots and mushrooms in butter for 2-3 minutes, until they just begin to change color. Att the arborio rice and stir for 1-2 minutes, ensuring that there are no clumps of rice and that all the grains are evenly coated with butter. Add a soup ladle of the hot lobster stock (do not add cold stock) and stir until the liquid is mostly gone. Add about half of the wine (it is better to have it warm) and continue to stir until it is mostly gone. Add the remainder of the wine, continue to stir and when it is mostly gone add another soup ladle of stock. Continue to stir, adding additional stock when the liquid in the pan is mostly gone. After about 25 minutes you should begin to taste the risotto to determine if it is done. Risotto should be sightly firm, but not chalky in texture. You should adjust the salt (if needed) at this point. When you have nearly reached your desired doneness add in a pinch of fresh thyme leaves and the lobster. Stir through, remove from heat and stir through parmesan cheese and either truffle oil (if using) or about 50g (2oz) butter). Finish by string through chives, and serving.
You can reserve some of the lobster meat (I usually reserve half a tail and a claw per plate) for presentation on top.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Cookbook: Purer
Purer: The Cooking, Wine & Spirits Bible is from the Restaurant De Librije (in english, The Library). De Librije is a three Michelin star restaurant in Zwolle, the Netherlands run by Jonnie and Therese Boer.
I have enjoyed a meal here in early 2008 and more recently decided to purchase one of the published books from the chef (Jonnie Boer). My experience there was, without a doubt, the finest meal that I have ever had. The food is actually quite simple, focusing mostly on great ingredients with expert preperation. Of the 'great' restuarants (i.e. 2/3 Michelin stars, etc) I have eaten at it is the least pretentious.
This book explains the philosophy of Jonnie and his wife Therese, the owners. Incidentally, they were both there for my visit (Therese was very active in the front of the house, Jonnie seemed to ask every guest if they were enjoying their meal) and I suspect this is almost always the case. Honest and down to earth not only explains their food, but also the entire dining experience. For me this is the standard by which I judge other food experiences.
The recipes will be hard to replicate at home as listed (they rely on many ingredients that are local to the area where De Librije is located, Zwolle), however the ideas and techniques I believe can and should be adapted by others to other sets of local ingredients. Amazing photography throughout the book gives you a very good sense of the food, and many stories shine additional light on certain ingredients.
This isn't a book for someone wanting to follow a simple recipe - but I think its commentary on philosophy and the photos/techniques will give inspiration to anyone willing to spend some time with this book.
An added bonus is that Therese has written an included wine booklet (included in the front cover of the book) which is excellent. I haven't read that much on wine, but I thought it was a great overview packed with information.
I have enjoyed a meal here in early 2008 and more recently decided to purchase one of the published books from the chef (Jonnie Boer). My experience there was, without a doubt, the finest meal that I have ever had. The food is actually quite simple, focusing mostly on great ingredients with expert preperation. Of the 'great' restuarants (i.e. 2/3 Michelin stars, etc) I have eaten at it is the least pretentious.
This book explains the philosophy of Jonnie and his wife Therese, the owners. Incidentally, they were both there for my visit (Therese was very active in the front of the house, Jonnie seemed to ask every guest if they were enjoying their meal) and I suspect this is almost always the case. Honest and down to earth not only explains their food, but also the entire dining experience. For me this is the standard by which I judge other food experiences.
The recipes will be hard to replicate at home as listed (they rely on many ingredients that are local to the area where De Librije is located, Zwolle), however the ideas and techniques I believe can and should be adapted by others to other sets of local ingredients. Amazing photography throughout the book gives you a very good sense of the food, and many stories shine additional light on certain ingredients.
This isn't a book for someone wanting to follow a simple recipe - but I think its commentary on philosophy and the photos/techniques will give inspiration to anyone willing to spend some time with this book.
An added bonus is that Therese has written an included wine booklet (included in the front cover of the book) which is excellent. I haven't read that much on wine, but I thought it was a great overview packed with information.
You've got to buy...
This wine. (Château des Bruyères)
Sorry that the site is in french and the description in dutch (it is a vineyard in France run by a Dutch couple). They have 6 wines; 2 dry whites, 1 sweet white (desert wine), 1 semi sweet white (demi-sec, sparkling), 1 red and 1 rose.
I have had the good fortune to try all expect the 2 dry whites (although I have been told that they
are both quite good). I am not a wine reviewer, nor an expert - but I have had a lot of wine and some of these I would judge to be quite excellent. Here is the rundown:
The red: I believe it is a cabernet sauvignon, and in any case is is quite nice. It is complex with somewhat bold tannins. It is a great general wine to have around, it is good on its own and could pair nicely with many foods. Despite the fact that I do like it, this is probably my least favorite of the wines I have tried from this vineyard.
The demi-sec: This is very nice, and in fact is nicer than a lot of Champagnes that I have tried. It goes very well with sushi and would go well with lobster. It also is lovely on its own. It is not as refined as a fine Champagne and therefore maybe isn't just right for a celebration, but I think this is an excellent choice for more 'everyday' uses - and I don't mean that in a bad way!
The rose: This is a masterpiece. I can think of very few glasses of rose that I have had that I enjoyed more. This is perfect for drinking on its own on a nice summer day, and also goes nicely with a summer barbeque.
The dessert wine: I have no words. For me, this is about as perfect as a dessert wine can get. It is not extremely sweet, it has an excellent balance of sweetness/dryness and flavor. To my palate is is something like a sauternes.
I don't know what their distribution is outside of France and the Netherlands - but if you email them I a sure you could get more information. I have not (yet) ordered any myself, I have tried these on multiple occasions with friends who order - thus I do not remember the vintages involved (although over multiple years I have enjoyed them equally much).
Image Courtesy www.FreeFoto.com
Go back to school!
Culinary school. Well, sort of.
A few months ago I discovered the Free Culinary School Podcast (at http://www.freeculinaryschool.com, also available on iTunes). I am impressed so far with the content and delivery, I find it to be informative and entertaining.
Even if you already know quite a lot about cooking, I am confident you will re-learn some forgotten knowledge.
In any case check it out.
A few months ago I discovered the Free Culinary School Podcast (at http://www.freeculinaryschool.com, also available on iTunes). I am impressed so far with the content and delivery, I find it to be informative and entertaining.
Even if you already know quite a lot about cooking, I am confident you will re-learn some forgotten knowledge.
In any case check it out.
Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here is my version of the walnut chocolate chip cookie.
250g (8.8 oz) Unsalted Butter
250g (8.8 oz) Unsalted Butter
150g (5.3 oz) White Sugar
150g (5.3 oz) Dark Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
390g (13.8 oz) AP Flour
1/2tsp salt
1 1/4tsp baking powder
200g (7 oz) Dark Chocolate Chunks
150g (5.3 oz) Walnuts
This should be made with the standard creaming method. To accomplish this, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Next, cream together the butter (which should be around room temperature) and the sugars. After it is well creamed, add in the eggs one at a time and cream for another minute or so. Slowly add the flour/salt/baking power mixture into creamed mixture until it is fully mixed. I would suggest that you do not over mix once the flour is added as this tends to slightly increase the tough structure of the cookie (unless this is your desired result). After it is mixed stir in the chocolate and walnuts by hand.
I like mine to still be soft in the middle, so I tend to make 50g (2 oz) balls from the dough and cook at about 190 deg C (375 deg F) for about 12-15 minutes. A lot of factors are involved, so I bake them by sight - after you make a few you will get a sense of how you like them. You can experiment with chilling the dough before baking which should cause the cookie to spread less. You could also increase the flour to increase this effect (making them more like a 'mound' than a cookie). This is my guide - but alter to suit your tastes!
To give credit where credit is due - this recipe is intended to be somewhat similar to the Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies from Levain Bakery in New York City. They make amazing products, you should try them if you can.
Sorry that there is no photo. I could make a batch and photograph them, however I am on a diet and I don't think making a batch of these would assist my diet.
This should be made with the standard creaming method. To accomplish this, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Next, cream together the butter (which should be around room temperature) and the sugars. After it is well creamed, add in the eggs one at a time and cream for another minute or so. Slowly add the flour/salt/baking power mixture into creamed mixture until it is fully mixed. I would suggest that you do not over mix once the flour is added as this tends to slightly increase the tough structure of the cookie (unless this is your desired result). After it is mixed stir in the chocolate and walnuts by hand.
I like mine to still be soft in the middle, so I tend to make 50g (2 oz) balls from the dough and cook at about 190 deg C (375 deg F) for about 12-15 minutes. A lot of factors are involved, so I bake them by sight - after you make a few you will get a sense of how you like them. You can experiment with chilling the dough before baking which should cause the cookie to spread less. You could also increase the flour to increase this effect (making them more like a 'mound' than a cookie). This is my guide - but alter to suit your tastes!
To give credit where credit is due - this recipe is intended to be somewhat similar to the Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies from Levain Bakery in New York City. They make amazing products, you should try them if you can.
Sorry that there is no photo. I could make a batch and photograph them, however I am on a diet and I don't think making a batch of these would assist my diet.
Intro
Hello World.
Welcome to my blog. This will be a somewhat random collection of my ideas, thoughts and recipes about food. I hope it is useful to you, I welcome feedback!
A few notes:
* I am an American living in Europe, so I tend to think mostly in metric. I will do my best to convert amounts to standard and metric. That said, I strongly suggest you invest in a good digital scale (decent models can be had for $30-40) which will allow you to measure weight in metric or standard.
* I don't really use "recipes" but instead have guidelines in my head. I have done my best to create a recipe that a novice could follow (i.e. with exact amounts) - but I can not stress enough that these are guides and you should make them to suit your tastes. Want you improve your cooking? Learn the tastes of ingredients. Learn what tastes good with what. Don't be afraid to experiment. Go ahead, add some thyme to that sauce - see how it tastes. Don't like it? Make a mental note. This is the only way you will be able to create dishes.
As a note, I (like most people) do not entirely create my methods and recipes without inspiration. I often look through various books and websites for inspiration, and end up creating my own version that is based on inspiration from all of the sources I referenced.
All things aside, the most important thing is that you enjoy cooking. If not, go ahead and find your nearest McDonalds and order your favorite dish.
Welcome to my blog. This will be a somewhat random collection of my ideas, thoughts and recipes about food. I hope it is useful to you, I welcome feedback!
A few notes:
* I am an American living in Europe, so I tend to think mostly in metric. I will do my best to convert amounts to standard and metric. That said, I strongly suggest you invest in a good digital scale (decent models can be had for $30-40) which will allow you to measure weight in metric or standard.
* I don't really use "recipes" but instead have guidelines in my head. I have done my best to create a recipe that a novice could follow (i.e. with exact amounts) - but I can not stress enough that these are guides and you should make them to suit your tastes. Want you improve your cooking? Learn the tastes of ingredients. Learn what tastes good with what. Don't be afraid to experiment. Go ahead, add some thyme to that sauce - see how it tastes. Don't like it? Make a mental note. This is the only way you will be able to create dishes.
As a note, I (like most people) do not entirely create my methods and recipes without inspiration. I often look through various books and websites for inspiration, and end up creating my own version that is based on inspiration from all of the sources I referenced.
All things aside, the most important thing is that you enjoy cooking. If not, go ahead and find your nearest McDonalds and order your favorite dish.
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