Oui, Chef

French Lentil and Sausage Soup

I've been making this soup for years in one form or another, but until now had never written out a recipe for it.  Truth be told, even though this version was quite fantastic, the next time I make it I'll probably tweak it again and come up with a slightly different twist on the bugger.

Merguez Frites - Charcutepalooza #5

"THE POWER AND THE GLORY: ANIMAL FAT, SALT, AND THE PIG COME TOGETHER IN ONE OF THE OLDEST, DIVINE-YET-HUMBLE CULINARY CREATIONS KNOWN TO HUMANKIND".........

So begins Chapter 4 of Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn's fabulous book, "Charcuterie", and to this, all I can say is.....amen, brothers.  Never before has the beauty that is sausage been described more accurately and succinctly than Michael does here......I get goosebumps every time I read these words.

As you may have already guessed, the challenge this month laid down by the High-Mistresses of Charcutepalooza, Mrs. Wheelbarrow (Cathy), and The Yummy Mummy (Kim), was to craft homemade sausage.  In doing so, we were to add to our growing list of experiences in all things charcuterie. So far we've hot smoked, brined, and salt cured, and for this month (at least for me), we're breaking out the power tools for a little "grinding and stuffing".....hallelujah!

Cincinnati Chili

As I struggled the other day trying to decide whether to cook pasta with meat sauce or chili for Superbowl Sunday dinner, I thought of my friend Kathy Bechtel who writes the great cooking/travel blog "Chefbikeski", and a dish she had mentioned to me a while ago, Cincinnati Chili.  Prior to our chat, I had never heard of the stuff before, and at first thought it was little more than a regional variant on chili that introduced a few different spices to distinguish the dish from something like a Texan chili, much in the same way BBQ is unique depending on where you eat it, be it Kansas City, Houston, or Memphis.

Lamb Meatballs Stuffed with Chevre

 

I have yet to dine at either A Voce or Locanda Verde, Andrew Carmellini's wildly popular Manhattan restaurants, but they will certainly be on my hit-list the next time I'm in the Big Apple.  I have become a big fan of Andrew's cooking since buying his terrific cookbook, Urban Italian: Simple Recipes and True Stories from a Life in Food (which he wrote with his wife, Gwen Hyman), last summer. 

The first dish I cooked from the book has become my favorite way to eat swordfish, and I'm sure I'll be blogging that dish before long...think orange, olives, and harrisa...your mouth is already watering, yes?  

Braised Lamb with Peas, Dill and Sour Cream

 

I feel a bit silly writing about another braised dish given the onset of spring, but this dish is so good, I couldn't let it wait till autumn.  I have also been re-thinking braises, and how they fit into my annual cooking calendar as of late.  I don't know about you, but I have always viewed braises as cool weather dishes, and generally never cooked them between May and October.  Of course, there has never been a written rule as to when it's OK to serve a stew or braise, but like wearing white shoes or pants before Memorial Day, it just wasn't done without having to endure the derision of the food elite.  

I have found that these days, many chefs (myself included) are tossing out certain cooking rules and instituting some new ones.  I recently read where Suzanne Goin, the fabulously talented chef / owner of "Lucques" in Los Angeles decided to "break the rules" and keep her braised short rib dish on her menu year round because it was in such high demand from her customers.  So I'm thinkin' if it's OK for famous chefs in posh eateries to braise in warm weather, then it's OK for us too.

Lamb and Fennel Bolognese

Here is another dish from one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking with Shelburne Farms: Food and Stories from Vermont (Shelburne Farms Books) , written by my friend Melissa Pasanen, and the Inn's ex-chef, Rick Gencarelli.  I can't say enough good things about this dish, I could eat it every night.  It's funny, because by appearance it is clearly a bolognese, and texturally it is exactly what you'd expect from this classic Italian dish, but give it a quick taste and you'll find that this is a ragu unlike any you have ever had before.

Shepherd’s Pie with Caramelized Onions and Cheddar Smash

Our weather has been so cold and raw here lately, with day after day of what our local meteorologists call a "wintry mix" falling from the sky, that only the heartiest of meals will do.  This delicious shepard's pie made with ground lamb, and topped with a mix of mashed potatoes, caramelized onions, and cheddar cheese, is a textbook example of the kind of comfort food that is a perfect foil for this kind of weather.  In case you've been wondering, your childhood lunch-line memories of a dish like this made with ground beef is properly called a "cottage pie", only a true shepard's pie is made with lamb.......there, now you know.

Lamb Sausage, Feta and Mint Stuffing

My wife is of Lebanese descent, and over the past few years I have enjoyed eating, and learning about her family’s delicious, middle eastern cuisine. I cook a fairly traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but wanted to give a little culinary nod to her folks who will be joining us for our feast again this year.

Thanks to Food52, and their recent "Best Thanksgiving Stuffing" competition, I decided to rework my turkey day stuffing to reflect some flavors of their culture.  The resulting dish will be a welcome addition to a more “international” day of Thanksgiving. Lamb sausage, pistachios, mint, feta cheese, and zatar, combine with local flavors such as apples, cranberries, and leeks to make a deliciously new take on an old standard.