I’ve been scratching my head over how to describe porchetta - so i got some help. Are you ready for a moment of Wikipedia wisdom?

Porchetta /por’ket:a/ is a savory, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. The body of the pig is gutted, deboned, arranged carefully with layers of stuffing, meat, fat, and skin, then rolled, spitted, and roasted, traditionally over wood.  Porchetta is usually heavily salted in addition to being stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel, or other herbs, often wild.

Ahhh! I couldn’t have said it better myself.

It’s only logical that something as delicious as porchetta would end up on a pizza. To complement it i used a little tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, caramelized onions, artichokes and aged sheep’s milk and got one of the most succulent, spicy, yeasty, piece of pizza i’ve eaten in a coon’s age - but there’s no rule here - the sky’s the limit is the extremities of your pizza. Feel free to experiment but don’t skimp on the pork. Never. Ever.

Porchetta can be quite fatty depending on the cut,  but fear not my friends. Your 500′F oven will take care of that just fine and will turn those greasy bits into crispy bacon. You really can’t lose on this one.

Enjoy!

• Porchetta Pizza

• serves 6

  • Pizza dough:

  • 4 cups flour (preferably 00)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

  • For the pizza:

  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2 onions, finely sliced
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 4 -6 artichokes in oil, quartered
  • 1/2 lb porchetta, sliced
  • 6 ounces aged sheep’s milk cheese, grated
  • black olives (optional)

  • For the pizza dough:

  • Stir together the flour, salt, and active dry yeast in a large bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Stir in the olive oil and the water until the flour is all absorbed. Knead for 10 minutes.
  • If you are using an electric mixer, attach the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl.
  • Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until double. Punch it down and form the dough into a large ball, then cut it into 4 equal pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator.

  • For the pizza:

  • Preheat the oven to 500′F and place a baking stone in the lower third of the oven.
  • Cook the sliced onions in a large pan with olive oil and thyme until they’re very soft start to caramelize. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Reserve.
  • Remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator. Gently press the dough into disks, using flour as necessary. Dust a peel with cornmeal and place the disk of dough on it.
  • Spoon tomato sauce over the dough, then arrange the caramelized onions, artichokes, pieces of porchetta and top with the shredded sheep’s milk cheese and olives, if using.
  • Cook for 12 to 14 minutes. Serve.

  

I’ve been a bit silent of the blog this past week because i had to catch up on real life for a little. Now that’s taken care of i’m back to the land of delicious food and friendly people. I’m often accused of making complicated dishes. The truth is, most of what i do on this blog is really not that hard. I just make it look complicated. It’s part of my job.

Sometimes it takes very little efforts to create a great dish and that’s when it’s crucial to have quality ingredients. The sweet, fatty part of a wild salmon for example needs little adornments to turn into something truly memorable. In this case all it took was some chopped chives, olive oil, lemon zest and salt. You could stop there and have a delicious appetizer in minutes. I was lucky enough to have a (smuggled) piece of karasumi (the Japanese version of Bottarga) which i finely grated over the top with the help of a microplane grater, and what a surprise this was. Karasumi has a rich, salty flavor and a waxy bite and mouth feel that paired particularly well with the lemon zest and the fattiness of the salmon. It took my taste buds on a joy ride. I also wanted to provide a gentle heat so i used a little drizzle of mustard oil. Complicated.. i think not!

It’s always a good idea to serve a crunchy component with a salmon tartare. I went for a savory tuile sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds and another one with a mixture of dried bonito flakes, sesame and spices. I also followed the advice of @chefmark on twitter and made some with furikake. That’s some pretty incredible junk food. I could eat a bag full of them while sitting in front of the computer.

Enjoy!

• Taku River Salmon Tartare with Black & White Sesame Tuile, Karasumi and Shiso

• 
• serves 4

  • Taku River Salmon Tartare:

  • 1 lb wild salmon, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives
  • zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated
  • salt, to taste
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons of XV olive oil
  • pinch of furikake (optional)
  • Karasumi (or Bottarga), finely grated
  • Shiso
  • Mustard oil
  • Tobiko (optional)

  • For the Black & White Sesame Tuiles:

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, very soft
  • 1 egg white
  • black & white sesame seeds
  • dry bonito flakes (optional)
  • furikake

  

  For the Taku River Salmon tartare:

  • Combine the diced salmon, chives, lemon zest and olive oil in a medium bowl and stir gently with a spoon to combine. Season to taste with salt and furikake (if using).
  • Using a pastry ring, mold the salmon on top of a shiso leave. Grate the Karasumi (or bottarga) over the top. Drizzle mustard oil around the tartare and garnish with Tobiko (if using).
  • Serve with the Black & White sesame tuiles.

  

  For the Black & White Sesame Tuile:

  • Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the egg white into the flour mixture using a spoon. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the soft butter until the mixture is smooth.
  • Preheat oven to 375′F. Make a 1-inch circular stencil (i use the lid of a plastic quart container). Place on a silpat and using a small offset spatula, spread about 1 teaspoon of batter over the stencil to make an even layer. Repeat to fill the space on the silpat. Sprinkle each rounds of batter with sesame seed and/or bonito flakes and bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

I don’t want you to think that i had so much free time in my hands that i had fun shaping the meringue on my Meyer lemon pies to match the surrounding peaks. I came back from my trip to Aspen, Colorado alright. It’s been a busy two weeks and i’m trying to slip back into blogging mode. I haven’t had too much time to photograph new dishes while i was away for the simple reason that i was busy cooking for a dozen (fancy) people every night. Let’s feel fortunate my friends that this innocent Meyer lemon meringue pie escaped the wrath of those hungry people. In order for that to happen our little pie had to hide, yes.. hide.. in a dark corner of the refrigerator overnight. Brave little thing.

I like to make individual lemon meringue pies when they’re to be served at dinner parties since it can be tricky to make neat slices out of a larger one. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s way nicer to get your own personalized lemon meringue pie. I used a graham cookie crust on these just because it’s more fun that way. At least i think so.

I love the sweeter, fragrant aroma of Meyer lemons but if you’re looking for a more acidic finish don’t hesitate to go for regular lemons (or a combination of the two). Also try adding basil to the lemon curd to make a completely different - and inspired - dessert. Yes. Really!

• Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

  

• serves 6

  • For the Meyer lemon curd:

  • 4 tbs butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice, strained
  • 2 tsp Meyer lemon zest (optional)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • For the graham cracker crust:

  • 2 cups graham crackers
  • 4 tbs butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • For the meringue:

  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 3 tbs sugar

  

  For the lemon curd:

  • Heat butter and cream in a double boiler over boiling water. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks together just enough to blend. Temper the eggs with a small amount of the warm cream mixture and add eggs to the remaining cream mixture. Heat over boiling water, whisking constantly, until lukewarm. Whisk in the Meyer lemon juice and zest and granulated sugar. Continue cooking, whisking every few minutes so the mixture does not curdle. Cook until the mixture reaches a custardlike consistency (180′F), about 15-20 min. Let it cool for 10 min.
  • Set the oven to 250′F.
  • Fill the pre-baked crusts with the custard and bake for 8-10 min. Remove from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes and proceed with the meringue.

  • For the graham cracker crust:

  • Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar together. Melt butter and mix into crumbs. Cover bottom of 9 inch pie plate or individual aluminum cups with mixture and press against sides. Bake in 350 degree oven for 6 or 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

  • For the meringue:

  • Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top Meyer lemon filling.
  • Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

I asked the lovely Mel of Gourmet Fury if she would like to guest post for me while i’m away working in Aspen, Colorado for a week. Not only she agreed, despite her hectic schedule, but she did it so well that i’m considering leaving her the keys to my blog indefinitely. Ok not reaaally, but look at that vibrant chimichurri, and good gawd.. look at those perfectly marbled pork cheeks… and that.. that kabocha parsnip purée! Mel is from the Olympics host city of Vancouver. So go check out her blog for up-to-the-minute news about Vancouver specialties, fabulous recipes, or just because she’s cool, sexy and damn talented. I leave you in good hands, my friends. Show her some love.

——————————

When dear Zenchef asked me to write a guest-post, I agreed without hesitation because we’ve got each other’s back like that. I not only admire his obvious talent, I also love how approachable and sincere he is.

When I agreed, it slipped my mind that his trip falls on the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day weekend. What’s more? OLYMPIC MADNESS. The Vancouver 2010 Olympics opened last Friday and I was dashing to meet writing deadlines. My frazzled mind drew a blank on what to cook.

Aside: Here’s a round-up of the best eats in Vancouver to entice you to visit me in the most beautiful and livable city in the world.

As a proud Vancouverite, I’m ecstatic that the Olympics are here. My patriotic spirit lit up when the Olympic torch and crowds of cheering supporters passed by my window on Friday morning. The heart-warming moment inspired this delicious recipe that features local BC ingredients as a tribute to my hometown.

Cheek (or jowl) is undoubtedly my favourite cut of pork. The combination of heavy marbling and dense muscle creates a springy and succulent texture. Cooks sometimes use needlessly complicated methods to prepare this prized cut. I find that slow cooking renders too much fat, which affects flavour and texture. In my opinion, the best way to exhibit its unique qualities is to simply marinate and grill it.

Canadian Chimichurri Pork Cheek with Kabocha Parsnip Purée

Ingredients:

Grilled Pork Cheeks
• 2 Sloping Hill Berkshire Pork Cheeks, 1/2″ thick, trimmed of excess fat
• 1/2 cup of Gastown Amber Ale, named after my neighborhood
• 2 tbs Anton Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Canadian Chimichurri
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley (packed, tough stems removed)
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves (packed, tough stems removed)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup Valentine Farm Verjus
• 1 tsp BC Bigleaf Maple Syrup
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt to taste

Kabocha Parsnip Purée
• 1/4 small kabocha, peeled and cubed (approx 2 cups)
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cubed (approx 2 cups)
• 3 cups Avalon milk
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbs butter
• sea salt to taste

• 1 red onion, 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Marinate the pork cheeks in the fridge for 4 hours.

Kabocha Parsnip Purée

Bring 3 cups of milk to a simmer, add all the ingredients except the butter. Season with salt. Simmer with the lid slightly ajar until the vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking (15-20 minutes). Add more milk if the liquid is absorbed too quickly.

Remove the bay leaf and blend the mixture until smooth. Stir in the butter and check for seasoning. Keep warm.

Canadian Chimichurri

Pulse all the ingredients except the oil. When the herbs are chopped up, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.

To Assemble

Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Brush it with some vegetable oil and grill the red onion until caramelized.

Remove the pork cheeks from the marinade, pat dry, and season with sea salt. Brush the grill with more vegetable oil and grill the cheeks for 3 minutes on each side or until the juices run clear.

Allow the pork to rest for several minutes. Meanwhile, divide the onion slices onto warm plates, followed by the Kabocha Parsnip Purée. Slice the cheeks against the grain and lay them on top of the grilled onions. Dress the cheeks with the Canadian Chimichurri.

Serves 2. Enjoy!

Melody Fury shares her beloved recipes, culinary travels, and gastronomic insight in her blog: GourmetFury.com. She is set apart by her drool-worthy photos, quirky narratives, and a refreshing perspective on cultural ingredients.

Vancouver writer and business consultant by day, wine and cocktail ninja by night.

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Ten-Spice Rack of Lamb with Cucumber-Mint Relish

Gianduja Molten Cake with Hazelnut Gelato & Brittle

I realized i don’t have a whole lot of simple fish recipes on this blog which is a shame because i cook tons of it at work. So in an effort to balance things out… you’re all getting some fish tonight. Yes, I want my readers to be on a balanced diet. That’s how much i care.

I’ll try to keep it simple and to the point today because i gotta go back to packing for my trip to Colorado. This dish is inspired by Suzanne Goin of restaurant Lucques in West Hollywood who has, in my opinion, a special knack for clever and unpretentious flavor combinations that really work. What attracted me to this dish in the first place is the unusual combination of farro and black rice. Not only it looks black & white cool but i love the chewy but substantial texture that absorbs all the juices. When it’s tossed with baby spinach (she does it with pea shoots when they’re in season) it creates the perfect canvas for fish.

You could use the fish of your choice here, of course, but the meat of a striped bass is just perfect because it’s a happy medium between flaky and meaty: Its texture lies between cod and swordfish. The taste, like most fish, varies depending on where it was caught and what it was eating but from my experience you can’t go wrong with striped bass, it’s consistently delicious.

What makes this dish a home run is of course, the sauce. The taste of tangerine is often less sour or tart than that of an orange and it has a very pleasant floral quality that embellish fish particulary well and it results in a sauce with hints of blossoms that’s not too rich and that gets an extra kick from the chile de arbol and green garlic. I know, that’s too much blah-blah. Just remember those 3 words — pretty damn good!

And the winner of the Flat Turtle cookie giveaway is:

Sorry for the delay. It’s been busy around here. Comment #31 wins. Congratulation to Melissa!

Contact me asap or your cookies will be mercilessly .. eaten! Thank you all for participating. We’ll do it again soon.

• Wild Striped Bass with farro, black rice, baby spinach & tangerine

• 
• Adapted from Dinner at Lucques by Suzanne Goin
• serves 8

  • For the striped bass

  • 6 wild striped bass fillets
  • 4 tangerines, zested + juiced, save some segments
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper

  • Farro, black rice, green garlic & spinach:

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 chile de arbol
  • 3/4 cup black rice
  • 3/4 white wine
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 cup farro
  • 1/2 cup green garlic, sliced
  • 8 ounces baby spinach
  • salt and pepper

  • For the striped bass:

  • Combine the tangerine zest, thyme and parsley. Cover the fish and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
  • Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and carefully lay the fish in the pan. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until crisp on the edges. Turn the fish over and lower the heat. Cook a few more minutes until done. Reserve the fish on a warm platter.
  • Wipe out the pan and return to the heat. Add the tangerine juice and the sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce by half, until syrupy and whisk in the butter until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tangerine segments.
  • Place the farro, black rice mixture on a platter. Top with the fish. Spoon the sauce over the fish.

  • For the farro, black rice, green garlic and baby spinach

  • In a medium saucepan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 onion, one chile and a bay leaf. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add rice, stir, add 1/4 cup white wine and reduce by 1/2. Add 4 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low and cover. Cook about 40 min or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Follow the same procedure to cook the farro using 8 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cool each separately.
  • Toss the black rice with the farro. Heat a sautee pan. Add a little olive oil and the baby spinach, sautee for a few seconds and add the mixture of black rice and farro. Season with salt and pepper.

I posted a chestnut mille crêpes recently and at this point you’re probably thinking that i’m obsessed with crêpe cakes, and that i need help. Sure, i’m obsessed with eating them but unfortunately my insurance company doesn’t reimburse this kind of therapy yet. While this mille crêpes looks similar to the last one i made, each version is quite unique and this might be my favorite of the two with its chocolate crêpes layered with orange pastry cream and the drizzle of orange caramel. It’s a pretty incredible dessert, if i dare to say so myself. And i think it deserves a little post.

I like to trick people into thinking mille crêpes are a lot of work to make while in fact, they’re quite easy. Apparently, i’m not the only one. Some well-known bakeries are not afraid to charge up to $85 for a cake like this. I wonder if that makes me a big doofus for revealing the recipe? Just give me 25¢ on the slice and a hug if you decide to open your own bakery featuring this recipe. I’m easy.

Let me give you a little background story on how this mille crêpes came to be. Once again this is a ‘recycled’ recipe that i created with the leftover batter from the chocolate crêpes suzette with pistachios i made at work last week. If you haven’t seen the recipe i posted almost 2 years ago, click on the link, take a look and be prepared to get hypnotized (i also updated the photography on that post). I lost a few people in the wilderness that day so be careful it doesn’t happen to you.

I found myself with quite a bit of chocolate crêpe batter left and improvised this mille crêpes the next day. It requires a bit of obsessive-compulsiveness to neatly assemble this cake but i have plenty of that in store. That’s what happen when you train with fancy French chefs. Besides that, there’s nothing complicated here. Try it for yourself.

• Chocolate Mille-Crêpes with Orange Pastry Cream, Orange Caramel & Candied Zest

• serves 8
• 

  • Chocolate Crêpes & Orange zest:

  • 1 large orange: 1/2 zest removed and julienned; 1/2 zest finely grated
  • 1/3 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup hazelnut (or almond) flour, sifted
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1/8 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum
  • 2 cups milk

  • Orange Pastry Cream:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons butter, at room temp
  • zest of 1 orange

  • Orange Caramel & finish:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup pistachios, for garnish

  • Chocolate crêpes & Orange zest:

  • Bring a small saucepan of cold water and the julienned orange zest to a boil. Drain. Return the orange zest to the saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and 1/3 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Cool the zest in the syrup.
  • Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk together the flour, hazelnut flour, cocoa, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and the eggs until combined. Whisk in the melted butter, followed by the rum, grated orange zest, and milk, just until each ingredient is incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • Make the crêpes in a non-stick 8-inch pan over medium high heat, brushing the pan with melted butter in between each crêpe. As the crepes are made, stack them on a plate (you will need 12 to 14 crêpes for a cake). When the crêpes are cool, place a crepe on a serving platter (or cake board) put an equal amount of the orange pastry cream in the center and spread evenly all around with an offset spatula. Top with another crêpe and repeat the operation 12 to 14 times. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

  • Orange pastry cream:

  • In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean (pulp and pod) to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and let it infuse for 10 min.
  • Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a bowl. Drizzle a quarter of the hot milk and whisk vigorously. Pour the rest of the milk and keep whisking. Discard the vanilla pod and pour the mixture back in the pan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while whisking energetically for 1 or 2 minutes.
  • Set the bottom of the pot in a ice-water bath to cool, stirring frequently so that the mixture remains smooth. Cool to 140′F (warm to the touch) and stir in the butter and the orange zest until completely incorporated. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

  • Orange caramel & Finish:

  • Warm a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle the remaining cup of sugar into the saucepan a little at the time, and as the sugar melts, add more while stirring. When the caramel has turned a dark-amber color, add the orange juice, heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring, until the caramel has dissolved. Bring to a boil for 4 minutes.
  • Pour some orange caramel over the mille crêpes and serve with candied zest and pistachios.

It’s time for the monthly food fight hosted by Mel of Gourmet Fury and Leela of She Simmers. The theme ingredient this month? [drum rolls] ..Mushrooms!! My submission is this simple but sophisticated appetizer that everyone can make at home in a snap. Well, if you use store bought puff pastry that is. If in a moment of folly decide to follow Pierre Herme’s puff pastry recipe be warned that you might get lost in the butter jungle and never, ever be seen again.

This mushroom and gruyère tart will appeal to all of you mushroom amateurs out there. Puff pastry rounds, squares, rectangles or whatever shape makes you happy are topped with a mixture of fresh ricotta, thyme, gruyère, and wild mushrooms. You can pretty much use any variety of mushrooms you like, just sauteed them until tender, chewy but still a little crisp. What makes this mushroom tart different from the others is the layer of ricotta and gruyère at the bottom that turns into oozy-cheesy goodness when baked. Everybody knows that bubbly cheese is mushroom’s best friend. The little herb salad and the balsamic reduction respectively refresh and accentuate those earthy flavors which round things up quite nicely. So here you go, Mel & Leela. My submission to this month’s Beet & Squash You!

I will keep this post short and sweet today, people. I’m under pressure. On the program this week is a fancy dinner party for 20, a cocktail party for 50, plus the usual rodeo of business lunches and small dinners. I’m also supposed to be planning for next week’s trip to Aspen, order and ship extra equipment, hard to find supplies, menus… etc.

If you haven’t already done so don’t forget to enter the Flat Turtle cookie giveaway. You have until sunday at midnight. And stay tuned for more delicious recipes.

Enjoy!

• Wild Mushrooms Tart with Gruyère, Herb Salad & Balsamic Reduction

  

• serves 8

  • Wild mushroom tart with gruyère:

  • 1 sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 pounds wild mushrooms, cleaned
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
  • 3/4 cup fresh ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
  • 1/2 pound Gruyère, sliced
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • To serve:

  • Mixed herbs (parsley, tarragon, chervil & chives), cleaned
  • Balsamic glaze or aged-balsamic

  • For the wild mushroom tart:

  • Preheat the oven to 400′F.
  • Roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out shapes or make a large rectangular tart. Place on a baking tray. Prick the dough with a fork. Mix an egg yolk  with 1 teaspoon water and brush the edges using a pastry brush. Return to the freezer until ready to use.
  • Tear the mushrooms into pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan and add the mushrooms (you can do this in batches). Add the garlic, scallions and half the thyme and sautee until the mushrooms are tender and a little crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
  • Mix the ricotta and the creme fraiche with the egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Spread the ricotta mixture on the puff pastry leaving a half an inch border. Arrange slices of gruyère on top and then the mushrooms.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Or until bubbly in the center with a golden crust around the edges.

  • To serve:

  • Mix the herbs in a small bowl and toss with a squeeze of lemon and a touch of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cut the tart into pieces (if you’re making a large one). Drizzle the balsamic reduction on the plate, place the wild mushroom tarts with gruyere on top and finish with the little herb salad.

South African baby pineapples, also known as Queen Victoria, boast a gorgeous prominent golden color which immediately caught my eye at the market the other day. I couldn’t resist buying a few. Not only they are fragrant and sweet with a bold, rich flavor but get this - the inside is entirely edible, so no need to remove the core. Groovy, isn’t it?

When you come across a fruit that’s already perfect it’s almost a crime to mess with it too much. On the other hand, i would feel equally guilty to write a post about sliced pineapple. I don’t want you, my dear readers, to ask for a refund on this post. What do you mean it’s free!?.. Really?..err .. nevermind, then. Anyway i decided to build great flavor into the fresh pineapple without too much extra fuss. I’m a big fan of caramelized pineapple, so much in fact that i often serve a composed dessert that consist of caramelized pineapple with a flourless walnut cake and a rum sabayon at dinner parties. While it’s a great dessert it’s still a bit too much for these baby pineapples. Simple is all you want sometimes.

The perfect counter-balance to the exotic aroma and deep caramel tones is a simple, refreshing coconut sorbet. It goes well with the tropical theme of our story and it’s a match made for the Gods but wait, there’s more…

The extra mile of oomph comes from the coconut-curry cookies from my friend Laurent who founded The Flat Turtle, a cookie company based in New York that offers delicious gourmet cookies for the adult palette. They pride themselves in the fact they prepare your cookies from the best ingredients - only when they get the order - never before. Those coconut-curry were buttery and crumbly just like the best French sablés should be. The expert combination of curry and coconut in the cookies hits all the right notes and makes the perfect addition to this dessert. So don’t forget to check them out on Etsy for more interesting flavors like chocolate-coriander and lemon-thyme cookies.

“Is he gonna shut up, yet? What about the giveaway?”

No, no, i didn’t forget! The Flat Turtle has generously offered to send a tasting box (like on the picture above) to a lucky reader of this blog. Yes, that means you! All you have to to is leave a comment below. Eaaasy! A winner will be picked at random. You have until Sunday, February 7th at midnight (eastern time) to enter.

Let’s go!

• Caramelized Baby Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet

  

• serves 4

• Caramelized Baby Pineapple:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 Queen Victoria pineapples, or 1 ripe pineapple

• Coconut Sorbet:

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar (for simple syrup)
• 1/2 cup water (for simple syrup)
• 1/3 cup Malibu Rum

• Caramelized Baby Pineapple:

• If using Queen Victoria pineapples, cut them in half, carve the inside with a small knife and scoop it out with a large spoon. Cut in large chunks and reserve the skin/top part for serving. If using a regular pineapple, remove the skin and the core and cut into 8 wedges.
• Heat the butter in a large saute pan over high heat until foamy. Add the sugar and cook until deep golden brown. Add the pineapple and cook, making sure to roll it in the caramel so it gets caramelized evenly. The whole process takes 10-15 minutes depending on the size. When the pineapple is glazed and a beautiful amber color transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Serve with coconut sorbet and coconut-curry sorbet.

• Coconut Sorbet:

• To make the simple syrup, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Boil until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Cool completely.
• Stir the coconut milk, milk, cream and the tablespoon of sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl on top of ice to cool rapidly. Stir 1/3 cup simple syrup + rum. When completely cold, transfer to an ice cream machine. Reserve the coconut sorbet in the freezer.
• 

I’m blogging backward so if you read my last post you already know what i did with the leftovers from this project. If you didn’t, go there… and quick!

Sure, this oxtail and foie-gras terrine has the coarse appearance of a geological sample but i can guarantee you there’s no spinosaurus fossil stuck in there. The wine-braised oxtail meat, sweet, rich and tender, wraps around the silky foie gras, picks up contrasting tones from the artichokes and vegetables, earthy flavors from the mushrooms and then dissolves on the tongue to tickle your senses.

Not only oxtail is a delicious cut of meat but it contains so much cartilage, marrow and tendons that the long braising period turns the braising liquid into an intense broth loaded with natural gelatin. Strain and let the broth cool off and you end up with a dense meat jello. Yes, i’m aware that meat jello sounds disgusting. I promise i won’t say meat jello again.

With the shredded oxtail meat on one side and the broth on the other you are free to come up with any terrine layering you can think of. Artichokes, mushrooms and vegetables are perfect for this and so is a big chunk of foie-gras in the middle. Hard boiled quail eggs? Why not! Slices of black truffle? Hell yea! A shoe? Not recommended!  You’re the architect of your own terrine so you can play with whatever design of flavors you can think of. The great thing about this terrine is that it can be made ahead of time. As a matter of fact, it’s even better made several days ahead.

Bring it to a party with some cornichons, mustards and a loaf of country bread and you’re sure to make some friends. Or you might get mugged. Oh well.

• Braised Oxtail & Foie-Gras Terrine

• Serves 8
• Adapted from Daniel Boulud in “Cooking in New York City”
• 

• • For the braised oxtail:

  • 4 pounds oxtail, cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half
  • 1/2 bunch parsley
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bottle dry red wine
  • 8 cups beef or veal stock
  • salt & pepper
  • Preheat oven to 300′F.
  • Season the oxtail pieces with salt & pepper. Melt 3/4 of the butter in a dutch oven, add the oxtail and brown on side. Transfer the oxtail to a platter and discard the excess fat.
  • Melt the remaining butter in the same pan and add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme and bay leaves and cook until the vegetables start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Add the oxtail back to the pan and the beef or veal stock. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Cover the pan with a lid and braise in the oven for 3 hours.
  • Remove the meat and strain the liquid. Discard the vegetables. Degrease the broth. Remove the meat from the bones whiles they’re still hot and add salt and pepper if necessary.

  • For the vegetables:

  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 turnips, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 artichokes hearts, sliced
  • 1/2 lb white mushrooms, diced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • salt & pepper
  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the carrots, turnips and celery. Cool, drain and reserve.
  • Saute the slices of artichoke in olive oil, garlic & thyme. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Set aside to cool.

  • To assemble the terrine:

  • 1/2 pound foie-gras terrine
  • Line the inside of a 3 by 9-inch terrine with plastic wrap. Place 1-inch layer of oxtail meat in the bottom of the mold and 1 cup oxtail broth. Arrange 1/2 the vegetables on a layer on top of the meat. Arrange the foie gras (cut the long way) in the middle of the terrine. Place the remaining vegetables on top and finish with another layer of oxtail meat. Pour another cup of oxtail broth over the terrine. Cover the terrine and refrigerate overnight. Better after 2 or 3 days.