Oui, Chef

Beef Bourguignon

This is a dish that I’ve been making for years, in fact, it is one of the first recipes I learned when I started to get into cooking, and certainly played a part in drawing me to want to study French cuisine more seriously.  It has become a staple of our winter recipe rotation, and each year when we make it we always make a double batch (sometimes a triple) so that we have plenty to freeze, and I would encourage you to do the same.

Few things in life give me greater joy than to see the bottom pull-out drawer of our freezer packed with nice, flat vacuum-sealed bags of this bourguignon, some chili, a bolognese, and a variety of soups.  I love knowing that a delicious meal is ours for the making with nothing more than reheating required, or can be tossed into a cooler and brought north to feed us after a long day on the slopes. All this joy can be yours too with hardly any additional work on your part.  If you have the freezer space, you’d be crazy not to double this recipe and put aside some for a rainy (or snowy) day.

A Frenchman's Chili?

 

By the time they finish reading this post, I expect that a few of my old friends from Houston will be packing a box of shells, securing rifles in their gun-racks, and starting the long journey north to have a word with me.  They will undoubtedly think that I have lost all my marbles, and am in desperate need of a little "Come to Jesus" parley (that's more or less an intervention for those of us that speak plain English).  Having just read the words "Frenchman" and "Chili" in the same phrase will have left them just this side of insanity, and I suspect that once they've recovered from their apoplexia, they'll be feelin' the need to set me straight.  If you never hear from me again, then you'll know they found me.

Why, you must be asking, am I willing to take such a risk by sharing this recipe?  Because the Frenchman I am referring to is Chef Daniel Boulud, and his chili is the best I've ever had! 

I know...I know, I am as surprised as the rest of you (well, maybe not you Texans), but the texture, depth of flavor, and spice of this chili will make a believer out of you in short order.  Yes, this king of French cuisine does know a thing or two about chili, and I'd wager that this thoughtful and simple recipe will have you singing "La Marseillaise" every time you have a bowl.

Our kids love this dish as well, and there is plenty of chopping, mixing and measuring to keep yours busy in the kitchen with you while you're making it.  If any of you are sensitive to spice you'll want to scale back on the chili powder a bit.  This is not a hell-fire hot chili, but it does pack a punch, as any good chili should.

Recipe:

Smoky Beef Chili:

adapted from:  Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine by Daniel Boulud and Melissa Clark

(Print Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons masa harina (fine corn meal)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pounds beef chuck roast: 2½ pounds cut into ½-inch cubes; 1½ pounds ground (ask your butcher to do this) finely chopped
• ¼ pound slab bacon, cut into large chunks
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into large cubes
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried regular oregano or Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• ¼ cup homemade chili powder *
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 5 large tomatoes, roughly chopped (or 1- 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes, roughly chopped with juices)
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. Grate the zest of the limes, then juice both limes. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups water, the masa harina, and the lime zest and juice.

3. Heat the olive oil in a medium cast-iron pot over high heat. Add the beef cubes and ground beef and sear until golden brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate and wipe the inside of the pot clean with paper towels.

4. Lower the temperature to medium-high. Add the bacon to the pot and cook until it renders its fat, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook until the onions are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the chili powder, stir to combine, and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Return the beef cubes and ground meat to the pot and add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and masa harina mixture. Bring to a simmer.

5. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to braise for 2 hours, stirring once or twice. Sprinkle with the cilantro leaves right before serving.

NOTE:  The recipe is best when using Boulud's homemade chili powder (recipe below), but it also delicious if you use freshly bought pre-made powder.  I recently made it with store bought powder (1/2 ancho chili powder, 1/2 plain chili powder) and it was terrific!

* Homemade Chili Powder:

Ingredients:

• 4 dried ancho chili peppers
• 4 dried pasilla chili peppers
• 4 dried guajillo chili peppers
• 2 dried chilies de árbol
• 2 dried pequin chili peppers
• 1 small dried habanero chili pepper

Method:

In a dry skillet over medium heat peppers on all sides for 5 to 7 minutes, making sure that they are lightly toasted, but not burned. Transfer them to a plate to cool. Remove and discard the seeds from the peppers. Blend the peppers in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

Habanero Chili

Fabulous Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken.

It's hard to think of two other words that fit so perfectly together, isn't it?

To my mind,  a well cooked roast chicken is about as fine a meal as you can eat.  There is just something about it....the tender juicy meat, the crispy, well seasoned skin, and please don't get me started about the aroma that fills the house while it cooks......it is absolutely intoxicating.

Why is it then that so few people I know actually make roast chicken on a regular basis? I know plenty of people who cook chicken regularly, either by cooking "parts" on the grill, or by sautéing cutlets indoors.  I know people that frequently make Buffalo Wings, Coq au Vin, or Chicken Fricasee, but never seem to get around to roasting a whole bird.  Why is that?

Penne with Asparagus, Lemon and Proscuitto

This dish is our interpretation of a recipe from the fabulous "Al Forno" restaurant in Providence, RI.  Their original can be found in the terrific cookbook Cucina Simpatica: Robust Trattoria Cooking From Al Forno written  by the restaurant's owners, Johanne Killeen and George Germon. 

The key to it's success comes from baking it in a large enough pan to hold all the pasta in a very thin layer. This allows the pasta to cook to al dente, and the asparagus to just cook through in a short amount of time in a very hot oven. The flavors of the lemon, tarragon, proscuitto and asparagus marry perfectly....don't expect any left-overs.

It is an easy dish to make on a weeknight, requiring just a few minutes to slice the asparagus and par boil the pasta before tossing it into a large baking dish (or roasting pan) and placing it into the oven.  For those of you who have been with us a while, you may notice the breadcrumbs we use as a topping here are the same ones from our Macaroni and Cheese with Ham recipe.  If you haven't already, make yourself a batch of these and toss them in your freezer, you'll reach for them frequently to top pasta, fish, salads, you name it.

There is plenty of slicing and grating to keep idle young hands busy while making this dish, so by all means, grab one of your kids by the ear and drag them along to help.  This one became an instant classic in our household, I'm sure it will in yours as well.  Cheers - S.

Recipe:

Penne with Asparagus, Prosciutto, and Lemon

Inspired by a dish from: Al Forno's "Cucina Simpatica"

(Print Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Penne Rigate
• 3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 3/4 cup freshly grated fontina cheese
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup rich chicken stock (2 cups good quality low-sodium stock, reduced by half)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh tarragon
• 1 bunch asparagus, washed, dried and root ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 5 ounces thinly sliced imported prosciutto, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and a few grinds of white pepper
• 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Method:

• Preheat oven to 500 ℉
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta
• For the breadcrumbs - in a saute pan heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium heat and toast 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until golden brown.  Spread on a plate to cool.  (Keep for 2 days in the fridge, or a long time in the freezer)
• In a large bowl, combine the cream, reduced stock, lemon zest, cheeses, salt and pepper
• Slice the asparagus on an extreme bias, about 1/8-1/4” thick and toss into a small bowl with the melted butter, mix to coat
• Boil the pasta for 4 minutes, then drain and toss into the bowl with the cream and other ingredients, mix well
• Pour the pasta into a large baking dish or roasting pan so that it fits comfortably in a thin layer no more than 1” deep.  Sprinkle the sliced asparagus and chopped prosciutto on top and toss it into the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling, and the pasta is just starting to take on color.
• Remove from the oven and serve, passing breadcrumbs and grated parmesan to sprinkle on top if desired.

Asian Meatloaf

Let me start this post with a sad confession, and that is this.  It is REALLY hard to make meatloaf look good in a photograph.  Sorry.

I mean I tried.....I really did.  I tried to make this meatloaf look as good as it tastes, and give you all a shot that would leave you saying...."OMG, that looks awesome, I can't wait to try this recipe!" Sadly, that was not to be, and I am here to tell you that this meatloaf and my camera have a hate-hate relationship.

So....If you are here looking for a GREAT meatloaf recipe, then by all means, please hang in with me and read on.  If on the other hand you are here for a little taste of food porn, you are best advised to avert your eyes and run away.

Nobu's Spicy Shrimp Tempura

 

One of my favorite features of Bon Appetit magazine has always been the r.s.v.p. section.  This is where readers write to ask the Bon Appetit staff to chase down chefs in order to discover the recipes of their favorite restaurant meals.  I've never written in myself, but have loved reading about people's special food memories, and their quest to uncover the secrets to making a beloved "restaurant" dish at home.

That said, the boys and I came across a dish this past Spring, that had I not already had the recipe in a cookbook I owned (how lucky was that?), I almost certainly would have been begging Bon Appetit to get it for me.  My desperation not only driven by how perfectly tasty the dish is, but also by Grid relentlessly hounding me to figure out how to make Nobu's "Tempura Shrimp with Creamy Spicy Sauce"....man, you'd think I never feed the kid.

The dish is so addictive that when we ordered it as a shared appetizer, I started to really fear that someone was going to get hurt, as the four of us stabbed our chopsticks into the serving bowl to fight for our share.  It got UGLY in a hurry!

Gemelli with Rapini, Sausage and Raisins

This is absolutely one of my favorite pasta dishes, and one that is an excellent vehicle for introducing rapini (or broccoli rabe) to your kids.  Rapini is a delicious bitter green, that served on its own, is a tough one for kids to love, the flavor being just a little too sharp and funky for your average ankle biter.  In this dish, the sweetness of the raisins, and the luxurious mouth-feel afforded by the fat in the sausage, keep the bitterness of the rapini in check, much to the delight of the youngsters.  It is a quick meal to toss together, and so easy that it can be prepped top to bottom by anyone old enough to use a knife, just be sure to save the act of slipping the sausage meat from their casings for your least squeamish child.  Serve it with a simple green salad and a crust of country bread

Recipe:

Gemelli with Rapini, Sausage and Raisins

By: Steve Dunn

(Print Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Gemelli or other small shell-shaped pasta
  
• 1 pound (about 4 links) sweet Italian sausage
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe, stem bottoms trimmed, washed well
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, reduced in half
  
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
  
• 1/2 cup golden (or dark) raisins
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
  
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Fresh ribbons of parmesan cheese, peeled with a vegetable peeler

Method:

Set a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.

Place low-sodium chicken stock in a pan and reduce by half to 1 cup, add dry white wine and reserve.

Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry skillet, reserve.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When shimmering, squeeze sausages from their casings, dropping bite-sized pieces in the hot skillet to saute, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned.  

Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausages to a bowl, leaving behind the drippings in the skillet.

Cook the pasta to producers instructions for al dente.

Trim the ends, wash, dry, and cut the brocolli rabe into 1-1/2” pieces.  Add to the drippings in the skillet and saute over medium-high heat until wilted and just starting to take color.  Add the sliced garlic and pepper flakes and cook 1-2 minutes, add the reduced chicken broth, wine, and raisins and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the broccoli rabe is just starting to soften, but still has a nice bite to it.

Drain the pasta and add to the skillet, chuck in a few large knobs of butter and the pine nuts, and toss to combine.  Check seasoning for salt and pepper, and serve topped with ribbons of freshly peeled parmesan.

Local Organic Steak with Kalamata Chimichurri Sauce

I love my grill.  I love the act of cooking just about anything on my outdoor grill, from the freshest swordfish, to thick, fat-marbled, beef rib-eye steaks.  Every man I know is the same, even guys that avoid cooking in their kitchens at all costs.  Put them next to a screaming hot grill and they have an almost instant primal reaction to the thing.....it's like we're all back living in a cave and trying to tame fire for the first time. 

Sadly, as a resident of the Northeast, my opportunities to grill outdoors in the winter are fairly limited.  We've had such a bad spell of weather as of late, that I haven't even bothered to dig a path through the snow to my grill, you know, just in case we have a day that creeps above 40℉ and tempts me to fire up the beast.

That said, we have found ourselves doing more braising, making pastas and soups, and generally taking a break from grilled meats.  It's been all good, and natural, and seasonal, and in keeping with the proper rhythm of life in New England. 

That was, until the other day when Peyton said she was "really...really...REALLY hankerin' for a steak, and questioned if there was there anyway...PLEEEEASE that we could cook one indoors, because she really missed the sizzling, juicy, charred goodness of beef flesh done on the grill!"  Clearly, she has been working on connecting with her inner cave woman.

Happily for her (and for all of us, really) there is a perfectly excellent way to cook steaks indoors, one that imparts many of the flavors that open-flame grilling does when cooking on an outdoor grill.  There are two keys to crafting a "grilled" steak meal indoors to satisfy your inner caveman (or woman as it were), the first is to start with a nice thick steak (at least 1 -1/2" - 2" thick), cut from organically and humanely raised cattle.  Second, you need BIG heat.  For me, that translates into a fully pre-heated cast iron grill pan over a high flame to start cooking your steak, and a pre-heated 425℉ oven in which to finish the cooking.  Oh....and you might want to be sure you have a good kitchen exhaust fan too.

I'm a proponent of adding complexity to the flavor of a good steak.  For a filet, that may come in the form of a nice sauce bernaise, or perhaps a dollop of compound butter on top, for a  sirloin or well marbled rib-eye, it is hard to beat a great chimichurri sauce.  I was first introduced to chimichurri when I used to travel to Houston frequently for work.  There was a great Argentinian restaurant there called Churrascos, that served fabulous steaks with the best chimichurri.   The freshness of the parsley, the acidity of the vinegar, and the bite of the garlic are all perfect foils for the melting fat and earthy chew of the beef.  It is so quick to throw one together, that once you've tried it, you'll be making it a lot, I promise.

So let's begin, shall we?

Recipe:

Kalamata Olive Chimichurri

adapted from: Bon Appetit Magazine - February 2009

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons fruity olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf, broken in half
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 4 tablespoons roughly chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Method:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add  shallots, red pepper, and bay leaf. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and sauté, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, olives, and vinegar.  Season chimichurri with salt and pepper, and add a little water by teaspoonfuls to thin as needed. Let sit at room temperature while you cook your steaks, remove the bay leaf before serving.

For the Steaks:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Season steaks on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Brush heavy, large oven-proof grill skillet (preferably cast-iron) with vegetable oil. Heat over high heat until just smoking. Add steaks. Cook until nicely browned, about 4-5 minutes. Turn steaks and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into steaks registers 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare, about 10 minutes.

Let steaks rest at least 5 minutes. Thinly slice crosswise, and spoon chimichurri over.

Chicken Pot Pie "Provencal"

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had holidays filled with lots of love, laughter and great food!  We here at "Oui, Chef" are just starting to get back into the swing of things after our holiday travel.  We're warming up the stove, cleaning the cobwebs from the pantry, and re-stocking the fridge so that we can share more fun, family friendly recipes with you as we launch into 2010.  Today we're sharing a chicken pot pie recipe that I came up with earlier in the Fall, and I have to say that I'm really proud of this creation....it ROCKS! 

The recipe calls for doing EVERYTHING from scratch, and as such, it is not a recipe that you will be whipping up for a weeknight dinner, it is more of a Saturday or Sunday cooking project.  That said, there are a number of shortcuts (I list them at the end of the post) that you could take when making this that would make it much less time intensive, and if you wanted to serve the filling "chicken ala king" style over some rice or pasta, you could easily pull this together during the week.

I have always been a big fan of pot pies, and I dare say, this was one of the best I've ever had, I do hope you give it a try.

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

I've been searching for some time for a homemade mac and cheese recipe with which to break Muppet of her addiction to a certain, well known, boxed mac and cheese mix comprised of a tasteless cheese powder and sad little pasta shells.  All prior efforts have failed miserably with the dish either being "too cheesy", "too dry", "too crunchy on top", or "too spicy" due to the incorporation of various seasonings.

The whole "too cheesy" thing makes no sense to me at all (I mean, can there really be such a thing?),  but I have been sympathetic to her other critiques and carried forth in search of a suitable replacement to her favored bowl of cardboard shells and re-hydrated cheese goo.  I am happy to report that finally, with the help of my very talented food-writer friend Melissa Pasanen (long-time correspondent for the Burlington Free Press, as well as a staff writer for Edward Behr's incomparable "The Art of Eating"), and Chef Rick Gencarelli, I have found a mac and cheese recipe that will hopefully serve to banish all boxed versions from my house in the future.