Haute Notes | Category Archives: HAUTErecipes

Black Cod with Miso

Ingredients
4 black cod fillets, about
1/2 pound (230 grams) each
3 cups (800 grams) Nobu-style Saikyo Miso
1 stalk hajikami per serving

Method
1. Pat the black cod fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Slather the fish with Nobu-style Saikyo Miso, place in a nonreactive dish or bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave to steep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Preheat a grill or broiler. Lightly wipe off any excess miso clinging to the fillets, but don’t rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill or in a broiler pan, and grill or broil until the surface of the fish turns brown. Then bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Arrange the black cod fillets on individual plates and garnish with hajikami. Add a few extra drops of Nobu-style Saikyo Miso to each plate.

Archives

November 11, 2009 by admin

FISH – Tips, Griling, and Easy Serves

“The biggest mistake people make when it comes to fish is overcooking it,” says Chef Michael White, who notes that in general we tend to overcook food in the United States. “Having a perfectly cooked piece of sea bass or a trout is very special.”

The same goes for shellfish: White sings the praises of having steamed clams just opened, taken out of the pot one by one. “Less is more,” he explains. “Having less ingredients and letting them stand on their own is very important.”
But starting with great fish is paramount to a great-tasting end product. “Know where you’re buying from–which is a little easier in New York than in a lot of other cities given the access we have to great places like Fairway and Citarella, not to mention the fish markets.” Besides good quality, White recommends buying in season: “Scallops, for example, thrive in cold waters, so don’t buy them in the summer.” If you’re looking for a really exceptional piece of fish, he suggests getting a shipment from specialty companies, like Taylor Seafood, to ensure quality and freshness.

Just Grill It

Grilling season is coming up, and Chef White is a big advocate of grilled fish. While he readily admits its more work to eat, grilling fish on the bone definitely yields better results. “The fish stays moister and juicier,” he says, “and is quite delicious.”

Easy Serving Suggestions

Mozzarella apetizer: Fish and dairy together are extraordinary. Simply add bottarga shavings to a little mozzarella, and eat!
Shrimp salad: A perfect picnic pleaser. Poach shrimp in salted water, toss with olive oil and a little lemon juice, add beans and tomatoes, and serve.
Tuna panini: Grill a piece of tuna, slice it, and marinate with lemon and oil and herbs. Serve between ciabatta bread.
Tonno sott’olio: Poach a piece of tuna in oil and serve with roasted peppers and tomatoes.
Fava-bean mash: Poach the fava beans, and mash them up with minced basil. Add grilled fish on the side.
Pasta and bluefin-tuna bottarga: Combine your favorite pasta with garlic, olive oil, and parsley, and top with a slight grating of the bottarga at the table. Enjoy the strong, aggressive flavors.
Risotto with bottarga: Add smoked provolone cheese to a risotto, and top with a little bottarga. While not traditionally Italian, this dish uses highly Italian ingredients.

Archives

October 14, 2009 by admin

Yogurt-Marinated Jamison Lamb Loin

Feta & Arugula Salad, and Pickled Ramp Vinaigrette
Serves 6
Marinade
The peel of 1 lemon, white pith removed
4 scallions, sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
5 sprigs mint
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
3 Jamison lamb loins (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved widthwise
Cooking Instructions
Marinate the Lamb Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a blender, and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the marinade into a shallow pan and add the lamb in a single layer. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the meat from time to time.
Grill the Lamb Preheat grill to mediumhigh heat. Remove the lamb from the
marinade and transfer to a platter. Season with salt and pepper. Grill lamb for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. To check for doneness, make a small cut in the center or, better yet, insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. The temperature should read 140 to 150ºF. Allow lamb to rest for 5 minutes.
Salad
1 zucchini, halved and shaved on a mandolin, keeping the core intact
4 ounces feta cheese, medium dice
2 cups arugula
12 leaves mint, chiffonade
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons pickled ramps, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper
Make the Vinaigrette In a small bowl, combine the pickled ramps, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. In another mixing bowl, add the zucchini, feta cheese, arugula, mint, and tomatoes. Dress with the vinaigrette and set aside.
To Serve Slice the lamb into 1/4-inch pieces. Divide evenly among 6 plates and serve immediately, with the feta and arugula salad on the side.
JAMISON FARM
“A happy lamb is a tender lamb,” owner John Jamison of Jamison Farm likes to say. On a picturesque, 210-acre farm located in the rolling Appalachian foothills, John and his wife, Sukey, harvest about 5,000 lambs each year, which then make their way to some of the finest kitchens in the world. Their incomparable flavor–lean, firm, tender meat–is the product of a hormone-, antibiotic-, and herbicide-free diet. Nine months out of the year, the sheep graze on bluegrass and white clover, while during the winter months they are hand-fed only hay and corn.
You can find Jamison Farm lamb on the menu at BLT Steak and BLT Market in New York City. Visit www.jamisonfarm.com.
SATUR FARMS
For BLT restaurant chefs, Satur Farms, located on the North Fork of Long Island, is like having a veget

Archives

July 16, 2009 by admin

chef nicotra’s Whole Wheat Orecchiette with Littleneck Clams & Castelvetrano Olive-Speck Pesto from Felidia

Serves 6

3 dozen littleneck clams, cleaned and shucked

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced

15 Castelvetrano olives, or other green olives, pitted, reserving a few olives for slicing and finishing the pasta

6 slices speck (or bacon, if preferred)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Salt

1 pound wholewheat orecchiette (can substitute plain orecchiette)
Pinch of peperoncino, or crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

To clean and shuck the clams : You will need a clam knife–don’t use a paring or regular knife. Place the clams in a large bowl of cold water and swish them to clean the shells. Scrub the shells with a stiff brush. Dump the cleaned clams into a colander, and when all are scrubbed, rinse them under cold water.

With your hands over a bowl to catch the juices, place a clam in the palm of your hand so the hinge and smooth side of the shell rest against the fleshy part of your palm. With your other hand, insert the blade of the knife between the two shells and, with a little pressure, wiggle the blade between the shells. Pry the shells apart and work the blade of the knife along the top shell to free the clam and cut through the muscles that hold the shells together. Twist off the top shell and discard. Run the knife along the bottom shell and cut through the two muscles to completely free the clam. Strain the juice that was released by the clams through a fine sieve to catch all the grit.

To make the sauce: Chop the clams. In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and half the sliced garlic, and gently sauté the garlic until it is lightly golden brown. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chopped clams and clam juice. Stir gently and set aside.

In a blender, add the olives, speck, parsley, and the rest of the garlic. Slowly add the oil and blend until creamy.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the orecchiette and cook until just al dente. Drain the pasta well and add to the skillet with the clams to finish cooking over low heat. Finish with the blended pesto and a pinch of peperoncino for an extra kick. Remove the pits from the remaining olives and slice each into 4 pieces. Top the finished pasta with the olive pieces and serve.

Archives

July 16, 2009 by admin

Chef Gallagher ‘s Bolognese from becco

Serves 6
At The Table S09.jpg 2 pounds ground veal
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
4 stalks celery, minced
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
5 1/2 cups canned tomatoes, hand crushed
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
2 cups veal stock
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 pounds rigatoni
1 teaspoon butter
4 ounces heavy cream
1/4 cup grana Padano, grated (optional)
To make the sauce: In a large skillet, cook the ground veal by breaking it into small pieces and cooking until lightly brown. Drain the fat and set cooked veal aside.
In a large pot, add the olive oil, garlic, onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté until the vegetables are translucent in color, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the basil, parsley, tomatoes, red wine, ground veal, water, veal stock, and cinnamon stick. Stir until well combined with the vegetable mixture. Season with the crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste. Bring to a soft boil and let simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the rigatoni until al dente. When the sauce is finished cooking, stir in the butter and heavy cream, and continue to let simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Drain the rigatoni and add the pasta to the sauce pot to finish cooking. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Serve immediately.

Archives

July 9, 2009 by admin

Caramel Brioche

From Pastry Chef Robert Truitt at Corton: Passion Fruit, Coffee, Banana
Ingredients
Caramel Brioche
6.5 oz bread flour
0.5 oz sugar
0.14 oz fresh yeast
2.4 oz eggs
2.3 oz milk
0.17 oz salt
2 oz butte
Brioche Ice Cream
8.8 oz milk
1.7 oz sugar
0.8 oz tuttopan stabilizer
(specialty product)
0.4 oz Pyrat rum
10 percent total weight baked brioche
Passion Fruit “Mayo”
8 oz passion fruit purée
1.76 oz water
2.6 oz honey
0.06 oz agar-agar
1.76 oz yogurt
White Coffee Cream
10.5 oz cream
1.05 oz coffee beans
1.5 oz sugar
2.1 oz egg whites
1 gelatin sheet
Banana Pâte de Fruit
4.4 oz banana h2O
0.4 oz sugar
6.25 oz glucose
0.13 oz Nh pectin
0.06 oz citric acid
Method for caramel brioche
1. In a mixer fitted with a bread hook, combine the flour, sugar, and yeast and mix on low speed.
2. Slowly add eggs and milk. Once incorporated, turn the mixer to medium speed.
3. Knead dough for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Add salt, then slowly add the butter, making sure all the butter is incorporated.
5. Reserve dough in a mixing bowl in a refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, then remove the dough from refrigerator and knead again until it is smooth.
6. Cut dough into 7-oz. rolls and place in small loaf pans that are lightly greased with butter.
7. Let the dough proof in a warm area until it triples in size, then lightly brush the tops of the bread with egg wash.
8. Bake at 350 ºF for 15 minutes, turning the rolls after 7 minutes.
Method for brioche ice cream:
1. Place baked brioche on a baking tray and heat at 300ºF for 10 minutes.
2. While bread is heating, combine 1/3 of the milk with the sugar and boil.
3. Combine the other 2/3 of milk with the tuttopan and rum, and emulsify cold.
4. Combine both mixtures, add warmed bread, and cover and let soak for 24 hours.
5. Add to a Vita-Mix blender, and blend until smooth.
6. Strain and process the mixture in an ice-cream machine.
Method for passion fruit “mayo”:
1. Combine 1/2 of the passion fruit puree with water, honey, and agar-agar and boil.
2. Strain and set in a shallow tray.
3. Once set, add to a blender and emulsify in yogurt, making sure not to overmix.
4. Strain and reserve cold.
Method for white coffee cream:
1. Infuse the cream and coffee beans overnight in a refrigerator.
2. Strain the cream and coffee beans, and bring the cream and sugar to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and emulsify the egg whites.
4. Continue to cook egg whites to 176ºF, and then add gelatin.
5. Strain and reserve cold.
6. Place in a large mixing bowl and whip until medium peak.
Method for banana pâte de fruit:
1. Combine first four ingredients and boil, making sure to dissolve everything well.
2. Remove from heat, then add citric acid.
3. Strain and set into desired shape or tray.
Garnish:
Stilton blue cheese
Fresh basil

Archives

July 9, 2009 by admin

Ricotta – three ways

Bake ricotta in foil for the perfect party hors d’oeuvres, toss it raw on just-boiled pasta to make a creamy and delicious sauce, or use it as a key ingredient in a cake, such as my Zia Donata’s famous Italian cheesecake–the best part is minimum prep and cook time keeps you away from the stove, allowing you to actually enjoy the party at hand.

Baked Ricotta

Go to a good cheese store–not the cheese department of your local supermarket–and get really-good-quality ricotta cheese. Bake for ten minutes in tinfoil packets, then discard the foil for minimal, no-mess cleanup. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and top with Gaeta olives, pitted and chopped. Serve on a wooden tray with thick slices of rustic bread, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

Bucatini withFresh Ricotta

Serves 4
The only cooking in this dish is boiling the pasta, since the sauce is raw. Actually, in Italian
cuisine, there are many pasta recipes that call for sauces that aren’t cooked. I just thought of this recipe when my mother brought me some beautiful, just-picked zucchini flowers from her garden.

zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb good-quality bucatini pasta, such as De Cecco
2 cups fresh ricotta– buffalo ricotta, if possible
6-8 zucchini flowers, depending on size
Place lemon zest, salt and pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl, and let the flavors infuse. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, throw in the pasta, and cook according to directions. Place ricotta into a large serving bowl, and toss in lemon-infused olive oil. Drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water, and toss pasta into ricotta mixture until well coated. Add in coarsely chopped zucchini flowers and extra salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Zia Donata’s Ricotta Cheesecake

8 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tspn vanilla extract
juice of 1 lemon
1 large container (3 lbs) ricotta
1/2 cup of sweet liquor, such as Limoncello
zest of 1 lemon
cinnamon
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat eggs until foamy. Add the sugar while beating continuously with a mixer. Once sugar is melted, beat in flour, followed by the heavy cream, and then add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, ricotta, and finally the sweet liquor. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Pour in the mixture and sprinkle entirely with cinnamon on top. Bake in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then check for doneness with a toothpick. Shut off the oven and leave cheesecake in there to settle for 10 to 15 more minutes.
Once cool, about a few hours, sprinkle with powdered sugar. (If you want to make the cheesecake the day before, let it cool for a minimum of an hour, then cover with a dishcloth and place in the refrigerator. Avoid tinfoil, as it creates too much moisture.)

Archives

July 9, 2009 by admin

Yukon Potato and Prune Gratin with Sautéed Leeks

Ingredients

1 leek, sliced in half and then thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 lbs yellow Yukon potatoes, sliced on a mandoline to 1/8 inch
6 oz good Italian dried prunes, flattened slightly for layering
2 cups half-and-half
2 oz chopped parsley
1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Sauté sliced leek lightly in olive oil. Add chopped garlic and reserve.

Lightly oil a baking dish with sides that are at least 3 inches high.

Add a teaspoon of the leek and garlic mixture to the baking dish, and layer the potatoes until 1/2-inch thick.

Add a layer of prunes, and more of the leek and garlic mixture. Continue layering until all have been used up.

Mix half-and-half with parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour over the top of the potato gratin and bake at 325ºF degrees for about 45 minutes or until soft.

Archives

July 9, 2009 by admin

Mushroom and Rocket Salad with Fresh Parmesan and Mushroom, Coconut, and Tarragon Dressing

Ingredients

1 can good-quality coconut milk
3 oz mushroom water (recipe below)
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 tsp fresh ginger juice
2 oz chopped tarragon
2 oz wild mushrooms (recipe below)
4-6 oz arugula or bibb lettuce (per person)
parmesan cheese, sliced into fine sheets
1 tsp chive oil
Wild Mushrooms
6 oz shitake mushrooms, stems removed
6 oz hon shimeji mushrooms, washed and dried
6 oz porcini mushrooms, stems peeled
olive oil
garlic
bay leaf

Mushroom Water
3 lbs white button mushrooms
2 gallons water

For the Wild Mushrooms:

Place all mushrooms in a saucepan with the garlic and the bay leaf, and pour in enough olive oil to cover the mushrooms. Cook on medium heat and bring to boil. Boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Allow oil to cool before removing mushrooms with a slotted spoon, and reserve. This is a great way to preserve the flavor and texture of wild mushrooms, and they will last between a week and a week and a half or more. They can be reheated or eaten cold.

Mushroom Water:

Wash mushrooms well and add to a large saucepot with water. On low heat, simmer down until reduced by 95 percent, until you have a fragrant black truffle aroma. Pour into ice-cube trays and freeze for future use.
Boil coconut milk down by half. Add mushroom water, lime zest, ginger, and tarragon. Whisk together. Heat up mushrooms in this sauce. Meanwhile, prepare lettuce bed on a large plate. Spread warm mushrooms on top. Add fine sheets of parmesan. Drizzle with chive oil.

Archives

June 12, 2009 by admin

Tuna Tacos

yields 3 mini tacos
Tuna filing
6 oz bigeye tuna or sashimi-grade tuna, chopped
2 tbsp shallots, minced
2 tbsp white soy
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, roasted and chopped
Pineaple salsa
1 cup pineapple, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp Tabasco
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
3 mini taco shells
Method
In a medium bowl, mix together ingredients for tuna filling. In another medium bowl, mix together ingredients for pineapple salsa. Place approximately 2 ounces of the tuna filling in each taco shell. Top with 1 tablespoon of the pineapple salsa.

Archives

April 24, 2009 by admin

Spaghetti with Tomato & Basil

This is a straightforward, traditional, fresh tomato sauce in which ripe tomatoes–and little else–get cooked quickly to retain their vibrant flavor. Why then is this dish such a hit? The key is in the finish. Here’s how I put the dish together at the restaurant: I take a single portion of pasta, cooked just shy of al dente, and add it to a sauté pan that holds a single portion of hot, bubbling tomato sauce.
To toss the pasta and the sauce together, I use that pan-jerking method we chefs are
so fond of. I also do this to look cool . . . kidding! The real reason for this technique is
that it not only coats the pasta evenly with the sauce but also introduces a little air into
the process, making the dish feel lighter and brighter. When you add the pasta to the
sauce, gently toss the pasta with a couple of wooden spoons, lifting the pasta high above
the bottom of the pot. Finish the dish with some butter, cheese, and basil.

20 ripe plum tomatoes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a touch more to finish pinch of crushed red pepper kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, and stacked and rolled into a cylinder that is then cut thinly crosswise into a chiffonade
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
To Peel the Tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato. Ease about five tomatoes in the pot and let boil for about 15 seconds, then promptly move them to the waiting ice water; continue this method with the remaining tomatoes. Pull off each tomato’s skin with the tip of a paring knife. If the skin sticks, try a vegetable peeler using a gently sawing motion. Cut the tomatoes in half and use your finger to flick out the seeds.
To Cook the Tomatoes: In a wide pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high until quite hot. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper, and season lightly with salt and pepper. (I always start with a light hand, because as the tomatoes reduce, the salt will become concentrated.) Let the tomatoes cook for a few minutes to soften. Then, using a potato masher, finely chop the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are tender and the sauce has thickened.
To Serve: Bring a large pot of amply salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook over medium-high heat, gently tossing the pasta and sauce together with a couple of wooden spoons and a lot of exaggerated movement (you can even shake the pan) until the pasta is just tender and the sauce, if any oil has separated from it, now looks cohesive. (If the sauce seems too thick, add a little pasta cooking liquid to it.) Take the pan off the heat, toss the butter, basil, and cheese with the pasta in the same manner (the pasta should take on an orange hue), and serve immediately.

Archives

April 24, 2009 by admin

In the Pan

Scott Conant shares some of his favorite recipes–with cooking techniques and special touches that make his dishes magically come together.

Take something, like a tomato, and totally focus on what will make it great. And for it to evolve to another level, from a flavor perspective, it’s not a cerebral effort but a soulful one. It’s a progression from a completely raw state, to adding a little bit of salt and olive oil, and so on…

Mushroom Fricassee: In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they just begin to color on the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid is released. Add the chicken reduction, bring to a boil, reduce to a bubbling simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

“My favorite mushrooms to use in the fricassee include blue foots, black trumpets, and hen-of-the-woods.”

Polenta: In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the cream and milk and heat over medium-high just until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Add the salt and whisk the cream and milk until quite frothy. Add the polenta and continue to whisk the mixture as it comes to a boil. Continue whisking for an additional 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan, and cook the polenta, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the cornmeal is completely cooked and tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Be patient–even if the polenta has thickened and seems good after an hour, longer cooking will make it even better. As the polenta cooks, a skin will form on the bottom and sides of the pan (if you are not using a nonstick pan), which gives the polenta a slightly toasted flavor. Just before serving, stir in the butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and chives. The polenta should pour from the spoon as you serve it and will thicken as it cools. If necessary, you can thin the polenta with a little milk before serving. Divide the polenta among heated bowls or plates.

To Finish: Toss the mushrooms with the chives, and drizzle the truffle oil over the mushrooms. Be careful not to cook the truffle oil more than a few seconds, because the flavor and aroma will dissipate quickly. Spoon mushrooms and some of the cooking juices over each serving of the polenta.

Archives

April 23, 2009 by admin

Peanut butter and Jelly Panna Cotta

by Fortunato Nicotra, Executive Chef at Felidia

Peanut butter and Jelly Panna Cotta

Serves 6

2 cups of heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 sheets of gelatin
6 tablespoons of peanut butter
12 tablespoons of Concord grape jam

Bring 1/2 cup of the cream, sugar, and vanilla bean to a boil.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Soak the gelatin in 4 cups of cold water until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain with a small sieve and add to hot cream mixture.
With a paring knife, open the vanilla bean and scrape seeds into cream mixture. Then strain the mixture through a sieve and let cool.

Whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream until stiff, and fold whipped cream into the cooled and strained cream mixture. Place 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into the bottom of 6 4-ounce cups. Add 1 tablespoon of Concord grape jam on top of the peanut butter. Pour in the panna cotta and allow to cool for 1 to 2 hours. When panna cotta is cool, bring the remaining Concord grape jam to a boil and spread the melted jam on top of each panna cotta. Place in the refigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Invert and serve.

Archives

March 7, 2009 by admin

Creamy Polenta with a Fricassee of Mushrooms

Serves 4
This polenta dish has become a signature starter of mine. Waiters bring the mushrooms to the table in tiny copper saucepans, the lid to the pan is ceremoniously lifted, and the mushrooms and their heavenly cooking juices are spooned over a waiting bowl of polenta. You may not go to such lengths at home, but I do suggest serving the mushrooms piping hot just after the addition of the truffle oil, so that, like our patrons, you appreciate the aroma of this dish at its peak. My favorite mushrooms to use in the fricassee include blue foots, black trumpets, and hen-of-thewoods, but even if you use only cultivated mushrooms say, a mix of creminis and shiitakes–the result will be delicious.

For the Mushroom Fricassee

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
8 ounces (2 cups) mixed mushrooms, sliced or cut into pieces
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon white truffle oil

For the Polenta

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 ounces cornmeal, coarse ground
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

Archives

January 27, 2009 by admin

A Love for Panini

A Love for Panini Fortunato features several Italian-style panini on his lunch and bar menus,
including the focaccia with speck and taleggio and the Felidia favorite:
the smoked salmon, egg-white frittata, and robiola sandwich.

A Love for Panini Fortunato features several Italian-style panini on his lunch and bar menus, including the focaccia with speck and taleggio and the Felidia favorite:
the smoked salmon, egg-white frittata, and robiola sandwich.

Smoked Salmon, Egg-White Frittata, and Robiola Sandwich

Makes 4 Small Panini

frittata INGREDIENTS :
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
2 scallions, chopped fine
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil sandwich INGREDIENTS :
2 slices of whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon soft robiola cheese
2 slices of good quality smoked salmon
2 slices of tomatoes plus a few arugula leaves for garnish

frittata:
Whisk the egg whites, chives, and scallions until blended together.
Salt to taste.

Whisk the egg whites, chives, and
scallions until blended together.
Salt to taste.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan
until it just starts to sizzle, then pour
in the egg-white mixture and turn the
heat down very low. Cook gently
for approximately 2 minutes. Lift a
corner of the frittata with a spatula
and check to see if the bottom has
started to brown. When it has, flip
the frittata over by giving the pan a firm, quick shake up and over
toward you so that it dislodges and
flips over in one piece. (Or you can
turn it over gently with a spatula.)
Cook the second side for 1 1/2 to 2
minutes, again checking to see if the
bottom has browned to your liking.
Slide the frittata out of the pan and
onto a plate.

Sandwich:
Meanwhile, toast the bread in a
panini press or nonstick pan. Spread
the robiola onto one toasted slice,
then add the smoked salmon, frittata,
tomatoes, and arugula. Top with
the second slice of toasted bread,
press down firmly, and cut into four
triangles and serve

Archives

October 2, 2008 by admin

Malloreddus con Grancchio e Ricci

Sardinian Saffron Pasta with Crab and Sea Urchin

Ingredients:
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 lb tomatoes, chopped into
1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup white wine
10 oz crabmeat
4 oz sea urchin
salt to taste
1 lb malloreddus pasta
Bring 6 quarts of water to boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat oil to medium heat. Add scallions, garlic, and chili flakes, and sauté 1 minute, until light golden brown. Add tomatoes and salt, and toss until tomatoes begin to break down, about 7 to 8 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and evaporate the alcohol. Add crabmeat and sea urchin, season with salt, and reduce heat to a slow simmer.
Meanwhile, cook pasta until tender but firm, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and toss in pan with sauce. Toss until well coated, and drizzle with high quality virgin oil. Serve immediately.