|
New
York - in your kitchen
In the Big Apple, everything
old is new again: Braising is the cooking method of choice, as the finest
restaurants serve luxury versions of Mom's best recipes
t used to be that I would go to New York
looking for new food ideas. On a recent trip I found a few old ideas that
made me happy. For starters, if you are a home cook who aspires to making
meals of restaurant calibre, it's time to think again, because, in New York,
restaurants have taken to cooking homestyle. Creamy polenta is the side dish
of the moment and braising is the cooking method of choice.
Among the meals I enjoyed were the ones I
had at Craft, Asia de Cuba, DB Bistro Moderne, Lupa, Blue Smoke, City Bakery
and Peasant (where the martinis are very large). The menu that follows is a
recreation of some of those delicious dishes I enjoyed on my trip. Although
none of the recipes come directly from the restaurants listed, all of the
recipes were inspired by visits to them.
 
PENNE WITH BRAISED ESCAROLE AND PANCETTA
This recipe is similar to one of the pastas we had at Lupa.
-2 tbsp (25mL) olive oil
-1/4 lb (125g) pancetta, thickly sliced
and diced
-1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-pinch hot red pepper flakes
-1 large bunch escarole, trimmed and
chopped (8 cups/2L packed)
-1 cup (250mL) chicken stock
-2 tsp (10mL) salt, or more to taste
-z1/2 tsp (2mL) pepper
-1 1/2 cups (375mL) diced crusty bread
(in tiny pieces)
-3 tbsp (45mL) butter or olive oil
-3/4 lb (375g) penne
1. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet
or Dutch oven. Add pancetta and cook until crisp. Drain and reserve.
2. Add onions, garlic and red pepper
flakes to the pan. Cook gently, until onions are tender and fragrant. Add
the escarole and cook a few minutes longer, until wilted. Add chicken stock,
salt and pepper and remove from heat.
3. Melt butter in another skillet and add
bread cubes. Cook until browned and crisp. Drain and reserve.
4. Just before serving, cook pasta in a
large pot of boiling salted water. Reheat sauce. When pasta is ready, drain
and add to sauce. Toss well and cook gently a few minutes until sauce is
absorbed and coats pasta. Add pancetta and bread and toss. Makes 6 servings
BRAISED VEAL BRISKET
Until I went to Tom Colicchio's
restaurant, Craft, I had never seen veal brisket on a fancy restaurant menu.
My mother used to make this one all the time, but she never served it in a
copper casserole with roasted mushrooms and creamy polenta. Here is her
recipe.
-4 lb (2kg) veal breast, trimmed
-1 tbsp (15mL) salt
-1 tsp (5mL) pepper
z1 tbsp (15mL) each, chopped fresh
rosemary and fresh thyme
-2 tbsp (25mL) olive oil
-3 large onions, chopped
-6 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 cup (250mL) dry white wine
-2 cups (500mL) chicken stock or water
1. Sprinkle roast on both sides with
salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Roll up and tie securely.
2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or
roasting pan. Brown roast well on all sides. Remove from pan.
3. Add onions and garlic to the pan. Cook
a minute or two, until wilted. Add wine and stock and bring to a boil.
Return roast to the pan. Cover roast with parchment paper directly on
surface of the meat. Cover pan with foil and then the lid. Place in a
325F(190C) oven for 4 hours or until very tender.
4. Remove roast from pan. Reduce sauce if
necessary. Cut away string. Slice into thick portions. Serve with juices.
Makes 8 servings
CREAMY POLENTA
This polenta works well with stews and
braised dishes such as the veal recipe. The cornmeal can also be cooked in
milk (instead of chicken stock) for an extra creamy texture.
-5 cups (1.25L) chicken stock
-1 tbsp (15mL) salt (more or less
depending on seasoning in stock)
-1 cup (250mL) quick- cooking polenta
-1/2 tsp (2mL) freshly ground black
pepper
-3 tbsp (45mL) butter
1. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add
salt. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Cook over medium heat, stirring, often,
with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
2. Add pepper and butter. Adjust
seasoning to taste. Makes 4 to 6 servings
TOM COLICCHIO'S PAN-ROASTED MUSHROOMS
This recipe from Tom Colicchio's Think
Like a Chef (see below) is delicious with the braised veal.
-1/4 cup (50mL) extra virgin olive oil
-2 lbs (1kg) mixed wild and cultivated
mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thickly sliced
-kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
-1 shallot, finely chopped
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-2 tbsp (25mL) unsalted butter
-2 tbsp (25mL) fresh thyme leaves
-2 tbsp (25mL) chopped fresh tarragon
1. Heat about 1 tbsp (15mL) oil in a
large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add just enough mushrooms to
cover the bottom of the skillet loosely. Season with salt and pepper. Cook
about 2 minutes, and turn as they brown. Add some shallot, garlic, butter,
thyme and tarragon. Cook about 2 minutes longer.
2. Transfer mushrooms to a paper towel to
drain. Wipe out skillet and repeat until all the mushrooms have been cooked
in small batches.
3. Just before serving, add a bit more
butter to the pan and warm all the mushrooms over medium heat. Season to
taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings
RICHARD SAX'S COCONUT CAKE
The coconut cake I had at Asia de Cuba
was spectacular. The following recipe from Richard Sax's Classic Home
Desserts is every bit as good. My kids always ask me to double the icing.
-3 1/4 cups (800mL) all-purpose flour
-4 tsp (20mL) baking powder
-1/4 tsp (1mL) salt
-1 cup (250mL) unsalted butter
-2 cups (500mL) sugar
-8 egg whites
-1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
-1/4 tsp (1mL) almond extract
-1 cup (250mL) milk
Divinity Icing:
-1 1/2 cups (375mL) sugar
-2 tbsp (25mL) corn syrup
-1/3 cup (75mL) cold water
-3 egg whites
-1/2 tsp (2mL) cream of tartar
- pinch of salt
-1 1/2 tsp (7mL) vanilla
-1 tbsp (15mL) lemon juice
-1 tbsp (15mL) hot water
-1/4 cup (50mL) canned coconut milk, well
mixed
-3 cups (750mL) shredded coconut (freshly
grated or store-bought)
1. For the cake, sift flour, baking
powder and salt into a bowl. Reserve. With an electric mixer, beat butter
with sugar until light and smooth. Add egg whites, vanilla and almond
extract and beat until well combined. Add half the milk and beat in slowly.
Add all the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add remaining milk. Divide
the batter between two 9" (25cm) round cake pans that have been
buttered and lined with parchment paper. Smooth top of cakes if necessary.
Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until top
springs back when lightly touched. Cool on racks. Loosen cakes and turn out
of pans. Allow to cool further.
2. For the icing, combine syrup with
sugar and cold water in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook 2 to 3
minutes until sugar reaches the soft ball stage at 240F on a candy
thermometer (or, when a small spoonful of the hot sugar, drizzled into cold
water, forms a sticky ball). Meanwhile beat egg whites with cream of tartar
and salt, until frothy. Slowly beat in hot syrup in a thin stream. Add
vanilla. Continue to beat on high until mixture is cool and shiny, 6 or 7
minutes. Add lemon juice and water.
3. Slice cake layers in half. Place one
layer on a plate with the cut side up. Spread with about 1 tbsp (15mL)
coconut milk. Then spread with 1/2 cup (125mL) icing. Sprinkle with a few
tablespoons of coconut. Layer the remaining cakes ending with the nicest
layer, browned side up. Frost the top and sides of cake. Press remaining
coconut into sides and top of cake. Makes 12 servings
Bonnie Stern's Web site is www.bonniestern.com
National
Post 27 April 2002
|
