Serge the Concierge

Hot Oysters On The Radio, Musically Yours Recipe from Art of Living According to Joe Beef

Frederic Morin and David McMillan, co-owners and chefs of Joe Beef, a Montreal restaurant with a creative spririt and a sense of fun, could not box themselves into the 'recipes' only convention for their first book, The Art of Living According to Joe Beef (Ten Speed Press, Fall 2011) written in collaboration with Meredith Erickson.

They share their take on catering, square plates, horseradish and fancy knives in A Few Theories.

Number 5 covers Hangovers: "Whenever someone in our business comes to work saying he or she is in "top shape", he or she is extremely hung over..."

On Fancy knives in Number 6 they recommend Dexter-Russell (carbon-steel blades, beech handles) as one of their favorites and describe them as "cheap, dependable and still made in America."

Chapter 7 'A Word on Booze' offers David McMillan completely subjective opinion on wine and cocktails and claims "I love red Burgundy wine so much I want to pour it into my eyes."

The book closes with 'Montreal in two days' followed by the Joe Beef Address Book.

As for the recipes, who but Joe Beef would have thought of serving food on a radio. Their way of poking fun at food fads.

Hot Oysters on the Radio

Serves 4

12 big, meaty oysters
Coarse salt for partially filling pan
4 slices bacon, finely diced
¼ cup (120 g) peeled and finely diced small potatoes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
1⁄3 cup (80 ml) whipping cream (35 percent butterfat)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
¼ cup (30 g) finely grated aged Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
¼ cup (30 g) dried bread crumbs
¼ cup (55 g) unsalted butter, cut into 12 equal pieces

 

 

1. Shuck the oysters, pouring the liquor into a cup and keeping the oysters on their bottom shells. Set the oysters and liquor aside. A good trick for cooking the oysters is to fill a big cast-iron frying pan about half full with coarse salt,put it in the oven, and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C), then heat the pan for an extra 15 minutes. This will help to accelerate the cooking process.

2. Place the potatoes and salted water to cover in a small pot over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Drain the potatoes, let cool, and pat dry. Meanwhile, in another frying pan, crisp the bacon over medium-high heat until light brown. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.

3. In a bowl, rapidly whisk together the egg yolks, the cream, and whatever oyster liquor you were able to gather. Add the chives, Cheddar, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and the bacon-potato mixture and whisk to mix. Divide evenly among the oysters, spooning it on top. Dust the tops with the bread crumbs, then finish with a piece of butter.

4. Pull the cast-iron pan out of the oven and carefully nest the oysters in the hot salt. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 4 to 7 minutes, or until the tops start to turn golden. Serve immediately.

(“Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Fredéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.” Photo credit: Jennifer May © 2011)

F***ing Dinner Duos, A Planet of Chefs for Paris Stop of Omnivore World Tour, March 11-13

David Chang gets credit (blame) for title, F***ing Dinners, given to chefs duo for Omnivore World Tour stop in Paris (March 11-13).

I like the 'in transit' quality of James Henry accueille (welcomes) Ignacio Mattos (Isa, New York).

Here's how Omnivore introduces their duo:

"2 young chefs still little known, Ignacio Mattos, an Uruguayan who settled in Brooklyn and James Henry, an Australian who currently calls the East of Paris home, 2 expats who are not afraid to take risks, a must see."

Their encounter will take place at Au Passage a wine bar located 1 bis passage Saint-Sébastien, Paris 11e.

Organizers were kind enough to invite me to join them in Paris during the event. Unfortunately, I doubt I will be able to escape New York for 4 days. 

(* The 'Omnivore' site and most of the 'Omnivore World Tour' program are in French only)

Creative Chefs Pick Color, Texture, Size, Flavor of their Veggies thanks to Ugglarps Gront Farm

Fortunately (unfortunately), since last September, I have more stories on the cutting board than time to write them, a number of them related to my visit to Copenhagen for Nordic Feed Food Conference.

One of the presentations we had at Carlsberg brewery for Saturday program was by Mikael Jidenholm who runs a farm in Sweden thanks to whom chefs around Europe and beyond can pick color, texture, size, flavor of their vegetables like a painter chooses colors on his palette.

Mikael Jidenholm talked to us both about local Swedish vegetables and herbs and also his own creations. Mikael  is the owner of Ugglarps Grönt farm in Halland (southern Sweden).

If my memory and my notes do not fail me, they offer no less than 29 different types of carrots (including one below).

They keep an updated online catalogue (with images) of what the farm has to offer at a certain point in time.

A small part of what they sell is foraged.

Of course not everyone of us can afford to order from Ugglarps Gront farm.

Should you put a price tag on creativity?

(* Ugglarps Gront website is in Swedish)

Slow Roasted Pig Head, Lamb Tartare on Cannibal Beer and Butcher's Lunch Menu, NY

If you don't want to think that your food was once a living thing, Cannibal Beer and Butcher, a New York eaterie should not be on your restaurant shortlist.

On the other hand, if boudin blanc (or noir), steak tartare, merguez makes you happy to leave the office or the house for lunch consider choosing Pigs Head Cuban (slow roasted pig head), Porchetta Spiced Pork Rinds or Lamb Tartare on lunch menu.

You can wash this hearty fare with one or two of their 300 plus beers.

Cannibal Beer and Butcher is located at 113 East 29th St. (btwn Park & Lex).

Digestive Walk in Campo Grande after Eating Lechazo, Valladolid 10 Do's and Don'ts

After taking a vacation, the 10 do's and don'ts return thanks to Spanish food blogger SandeeA who offers her 10 Do's and Don'ts on Valladolid.

Before her 10 's and Don'ts, here's a quick introduction to the world of SandeeA (by Sandra):

"Sandra Mangas Hernandez (SandeeA), 36-year-old mom and food blogger based in Spain, I am nothing if not an inventive cook. I was once a disaster in the kitchen, but started improving my skills after my sons were born. In 2008, I started my food blog La Receta de la Felicidad (translated to The Recipe for Happiness) where I prepare recipes for the kid we all have inside."

Do's First:

DO come to Valladolid during Easter to have the chance to see one of our Holy Week processions, declared of international touristic interest. Differently to other places in Spain, the main sign of identity of Holy Week in Valladolid is silence, and it is a cultural and religious experience you should not miss. My favorite is the Sermón de las Siete Palabras (Sermon of Seven Words) which is held, after being announced in verse at different points around the city by a group of fraternity members on horseback.

DO have a walk in Valladolid central park, the Campo Grande, which is a lovely place to go for a walk in all seasons. There is a lake full of ducks, and if you are lucky you might be able to see a red squirrel running through the trees. After a nice walk, make a stop to recover one’s strength at the terrace bar, and there it is typical to have a beer and some calamares fritos (fried calamari)

DO try one our Ribera del Duero wines. The Spanish wine region of Ribera del Duero is one of the most prestigious wine producing areas in the world. Mythical wines made here incluye Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Pesquera, Emilio Moro, Carmelo Rodero, Pago de Carrovejas, just to name a few. You can visit some of these wineries and some you´ll have the opportunity to taste many of these wines and see where they are made.

DO have some tapas! Although in Valladolid you have to pay for them (There are many cities in Spain where the tapas are for free with your drink), they are worth of it. I suggest you having a Roquefort-pork loin sandwich at La Tasquita II, and anything at the Jero: you can just point to the tapas you want and they heat them up for you. They have really creative and yummy tapas. Also if you are in Valladolid in November, you will be lucky to see the International Tapas Competition, the most important tapas´event worldwide. During this week many tapas bars of the city offer the participants´ tapas to the regular customers.

DO have some “lechazo”. In Valladolid, the suckling lamb is famous, and there are restaurants where you go exclusively to eat lamb and the waiters ask you just for the drinks.

Now don’ts:

DO not rent a car. Train station is near the center of Valladolid, you can use public transport, have a nice walk, or hire a bike, and don’t miss the wonderful buildings such as the Academia de Caballeria (Cavalry Academy)

DO not miss one of the most interesting things you can do in Valladolid is attending the Seminci
(Semana Internacional de Cine), the International Film Festival.

DO not believe Valladolid has a true beach when you hear talking about “Las Moreras” beach. It is just an artificial beach near the river Pisuerga, where people try to get a good tan in summer, have a bath in the river, and where you may take a boat which offers a 12-kilometer excursion through the river.

DO not forget to visit San Pablo, and la Antigua churches, which are my favorites… I even wanted to get married in La Antigua, but it was too small.

DO not visit Belaria bakery unless you are ready to gain weight… everything they have is just delicious, my favourites are: tarta aniversario and pastel ruso.

Previously: Let Time Go By, Sunset at Saigon Saigon Bar, Saigon 10 Do's and Don'ts by Linh Le

Saffron Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms, Cashew Cheese, Vegan Recipe from Candle 79 Cookbook

An interview with the Candle 79 team has been in the planning and should take place in next 10 days.

In the meantime, let me serve a second vegan helping from their book Candle 79 Cookbook: Modern Vegan Classics from New York’s Premier Sustainable Restaurant (Ten Speed Press, Fall 2011) by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos, and Jorge Pineda.

Saffron Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and Cashew Cheese

Filling
1 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup chopped white onion
1⁄4 teaspoon chopped garlic
1⁄4 cup chopped shallots
1⁄4 cup chopped leek, white and pale green parts
1⁄2 pound cremini, morel, or chanterelle mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
 

Saffron Pasta

1 teaspoon saffron
21⁄2 cups water
1 cup semolina flour
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons palm oil, melted
Fine yellow cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting
21⁄2 cups Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce (page 116), for serving
Cashew Crème Fraîche (page 125), for serving
Minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Crispy Capers (see page 40), for garnish
Serves 6 to 8; makes about 30 ravioli

To make the filling, the day before using, put the cashews in a bowl and add enough cold water to cover them. Cover and let soak overnight in the refrigerator.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, shallots, and leek and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until their liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool.
Drain the liquid from the cashews and rinse under cool water. Put the cashews, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until smooth. Add the mushroom mixture and pulse a few times, until the mushrooms are incorporated.
To make the pasta, soak the saffron in the water for about 30 minutes. Put the flours, egg replacer, saffron-infused water, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the palm oil and mix well. The dough should be smooth and not stick to your fingers.
Press the dough into a rectangle and roll it, a small section at a time, through a pasta machine. You may have to repeat several times to reach the desired thickness ofapproximately 1⁄8 inch. Sprinkle the surface with a small amount of cornmeal or semolina flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Cut the pasta sheets into 2-inch rounds or squares.
To assemble the ravioli, put the pasta pieces on a floured surface. Place a teaspoonful of filling in the center of each square, brush the edges of the dough with a bit of water, top with another piece of pasta, and press the edges with your fingers to seal, and then crimp with a fork. Spray the ravioli with canola oil cooking spray on one side, then flip them over and spray the other side. (If you don’t have cooking spray, brush both sides lightly with olive oil.)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ravioli until just tender, about 2 minutes.
To serve, spoon the tomato sauce into shallow bowls. Top with alternating layers of ravioli and Cashew Crème Fraîche. Scatter a bit of the parsley over the sauce, top with a spoonful of the capers, and serve at once.

Wine pairing:

Chiusa Grande Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy
A bright, casual red for hearty at-home suppers, this stainless steel-fermented Montepulciano from Abruzzo tastes of red berries and is scented with violet. Easy drinking with good acidity, this wine is a great regional match for Italian pasta dishes and pizzas.

 

 

Variation: Butternut Squash Filling

2 1⁄2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
1 fresh sage leaf, finely chopped
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Place the butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and toss with your hands until evenly coated. Bake the squash for 45 minutes.
Let cool, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the nutmeg and sage and mash until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Use as an alternative filling for ravioli, following the instructions above.

Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce

12 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and halved, or 1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained and juices reserved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1⁄2 cup water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Makes about 21⁄2 cups

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and roast for 30 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely.
Heat the buttery spread in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, water, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. If using canned tomatoes, add the reserved juices to the sauce before cooking. The sauce should be fairly chunky, but if you prefer a thinner sauce, add a bit of vegetable stock, transfer to a blender, and process until smooth.
This sauce will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Cashew Crème Fraîche
2 cups raw cashews
1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3⁄4 cup water
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
Makes about 2 cups

Put the cashews in a bowl and add enough cold water to cover them. Cover and let soak overnight in the refrigerator.
Drain the cashews, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
Transfer to a blender. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, water, and salt and process until smooth. The mixture will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Crispy Capers
1⁄2 cup capers, drained
1⁄3 cup grapeseed oil
To prepare the capers, let them dry on paper towels for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the capers and decrease the heat to mediumlow.
Cook the capers, stirring often, until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain.

(* Reprinted with permission from Candle 79 Cookbook: Modern Vegan Classics from New York’s Premier Sustainable Restaurant. Copyright © 2011 by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos, and Jorge Pineda. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo credit: Rita Maas.)

Breathtaking Vegetable Tempura Recipe from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

No beer involved in the batter for this any season Vegetable Tempura recipe from Plenty, Vibrant Vegetable Recipes (Chronicle Books, U.S Edition, March 2011) by Yotam Ottolenghi.

Seasonal tempura

Here’s the perfect solution for all your vegetables. This tempura is breathtakingly delicious.

Serves 4

Dipping sauce

6 cardamom pods

Grated zest and juice of 4 limes (about 1/3 cup juice)

1 fresh green chile

2 ¾ cups cilantro (leaves and stalks)

1 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp water

About 2 ¾ lbs (net weight) freshly prepared vegetables (see method), such as: Jerusalem artichoke, beet, broccoli, potato, sweet potato, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, baby leek, parsnip, kohlrabi, salsify, turnip

½ cup cornstarch, plus extra to coat the vegetables

½ cup self-rising flour (to make self-rising flour, combine 1 cup flour, 1 ¼ tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt)

¾ cup seltzer or sparkling water

2 tsp grapeseed oil

¼ tsp to taste

3 cups sunflower oil for deep-frying

To make the sauce. Break the cardamom pods using a mortar and pestle and transfer the seeds to a food-processor bowl. Discard the pods. Add the rest of the ingredients and blitz to get a smooth, runny sauce.

Nest prepare the vegetables. There aren’t any strict rules you must follow but try to keep them chunky and retain some of the natural shape of the vegetable where possible – for example, round vegetables but into thin wedges and long ones into batons or strips. Here are a few useful suggestions. For cauliflower and broccoli, divide into medium florets; for beets, peel and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices or wedges; for potatoes and sweet potatoes, leave the skin on and cut into ¼-inch-thich slices; for Jerusalem artichoke, carrot, parsnip, salsify, turnip and celeriac, peel and cut into 3/8-inch-thick sticks, not too perfect; for baby leeks just trim off the green ends.

Before you start frying the vegetables, prepare a large plate lined with paper towels. Scatter some cornstarch for coating the vegetables on another plate. Place the batter ingredients – flour, cornstarch, soda water, grapeseed oil and salt – in a bowl and whisk well to get a smooth, runny mix. Add some chile flakes for heat.

Pour the frying oil into a medium saucepan and place on high heat. Once very hot, turn the heat down to medium. When frying the vegetables, the oil should be hot enough so you get a good sizzle but not so hot that they burn.

Deep-fry four or five pieces of vegetable at a time. Take each piece and toss it in the cornstarch. Shake to remove any excess, then dip it in the batter. Lift and shake again, then carefully put into the oil. As they fry, turn the pieces over to color evenly. Soft vegetables like leek should take about 1 minute to cook, harder ones like beets 2 minutes or more. When frying, occasionally remove any burnt bits that float in the oil. As they cook, transfer the vegetables onto the paper towels and keep warm.

When all the vegetables are cooked, serve them at once, with the dipping sauce on the side.

(* Recipe from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi published in the U.S by Chronicle Books-March 2011- Photographs by Jonathan Lovekin, reproduced by permission, all rights reserved)

G'Day USA: Merino Wool, Mudfest, Australia in 80 Sips, Australia Week, January 11-29

The variety of topics featured during G'Day USA- Australia Week (January 11-29) is quite large.

Closest stop for me is New York (most events on January 19).  Topics will run the gamut from Australia's contribution to Green Building to putting wool on our backs by being the largest world producer of Merino wool.

This last part will be highlighted in The Australian Five (January 23 to 25, 2012)

"The Woolmark Company and Australians In New York Fashion Foundation are pleased to bring the best of Australian Merino wool and Australian Fashion will blend with THE AUSTRALIAN FIVE – five designers working innovatively with the highest quality Merino wool will be on show in NYC."

Food and wine of course are part of the mix.

Highlight is dinner at Craft co-hosted by Tom Colichio and Australian chef Neil Perry who created meal with best meat, seafood and wines from Australia.

Most of the program is for trade and media.

General public can attend Around Australia in 80 Sips organized by Bottlenotes.

Other Around Australia in 80 Sips events will take place at stops in Chicago (January 26) and Los Angeles (January 12)

Warm up session was in Dallas (January 10). Australia Week 2012 really opens in San Francisco on January 11 followed by by Los Angeles where I would pick 'Nature and Adventure Forum' and 'Digital Down Under'.

Check the Full Calendar as programs on occasion take place only in some cities.

Amongst what organizers call Satellite Events are Australia Day Dinner in Boston (January 24) and Mudfest Film Festival featuring Short Film Program at Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles (January 17).

The tour concludes with BBQ, Cricket and Netball in Houston on January 29.

Filling Stomachs not Garbage Dumps, Pop Up 'Food Waste' Restaurants in London

From vegetable stands to bakeries, cafes to supermarkets and various eateries, food waste is an endemic problem.

Self-described 'London magazine for ethical eating', The Jellied Eel, in Cleaning up London's leftovers looks at efforts to fill stomachs not garbage dumps

Amongst them are temporary 'food waste' restaurants, a new iteration of the pop-up concept.

One example quoted in the piece is following:

"The charity Wastewatch, in conjunction with government-funded project Love Food Hate Waste and the West London Waste Authority, is holding four ‘Feed the 1000’ events with local universities, feeding 1000 people for free using the same amount of food as the average family wastes each year."

The group FoodCycle operates community cafes year-round and also shares their Surplus Apple Cake recipe.

Having firsthand experience of how much food is left on plates at restaurants at the end of a meal I was intrigued by another idea quoted in the piece:

"East London Nigerian restaurant, Obalende Suya Express, which famously introduced a £2.50 fee (donated to Oxfam) if diners didn’t clear their plate."

Sounds like the equivalent of carbon offset as applied to travel.

Filling stomachs not garbage dumps for Green Day # 209

Previously: Gringos Welcome at Green Conference of the Americas, MiaGreen 2012, Miami, Jan 26-27

Berry Laden Drink, Camden Hike by Bartender Tom from Maine, The American Cocktail

Once you're put your blueberry pie in the oven, make sure you've got enough blueberries left for a Camden Hike or two, one of the cocktails I selected from The American Cocktail "50 Recipes That Celebrate the Craft of Mixing Drinks From Coast to Coast" (Chronicle Books, Fall 2011) gathered by Karen Foley and the Imbibe Magazine team.

Camden Hike created by Tom Laslavic, Natalie’s Restaurant, Camden Harbour Inn, Maine

"Maine’s sixty thousand acres of wild blueberries are a gift to the nation’s northernmost residents. Blueberries thrive in the region’s acidic soils and weather the harsh winters like champs, enabling the state to offer up the intensely flavorful, versatile, and nutritious berries for thousands of years and counting. The first cultivated blueberries were transplanted from the wild, and now Maine is the largest producer in the world. Bartender Tom Laslavic pays tribute to these gems and the flavors of his home state with this sparkling, berry-laden drink. “These are ingredients one may find during a country walk in midcoast Maine,” he says. He also draws inspiration from local distiller Cold River Vodka, which  makes vodka with Maine-grown potatoes.

Serves 1

1 ounce strained blackberry purée
1 ounce strained blueberry purée
1 ounce Maine wildflower honey syrup
2 ounces Cold River vodka
1/4 ounce crème de cassis
3/4 ounce lemon juice
Ice cubes
3 to 4 ounces soda water

Tools: cocktail shaker, fine-mesh strainer
Glass: double old fashioned
Garnish: 1 piece of thick lemon peel, 1 fresh blackberry, and 1fresh blueberry

Combine both berry purees and the honey syrup, vodka, crème de cassos, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a double Old Fashioned glass. Top with the soda water and garnish with the lemon peel and berries, skewered on a cocktail pick.

Tom Laslavic, Natalie’s Restaurant, Camden Harbour Inn, Maine

To make the berry purées: Place 1 cup of fresh or frozen blackberries in a blender or food processor and process until they are puréed. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. Repeat with the blueberries.

To make the honey syrup: In a heat-proof container, mix equal parts wildflower honey and warm water. Stir until blended."

(* Recipe from The American Cocktail "50 Recipes That Celebrate the Craft of Mixing Drinks From Coast to Coast" -Chronicle Books, Fall 2011- Photo by Sheri Giblin- all rights reserved)