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The recipes that follow are from my recently published cookbook, “A Cook’s Table” Food and Wine Together (co-authored with Todd Wernstrom). The recipes are designed to lean against a specific grape varietal. And each Recipe will suggest a wine profile to compliment the dish… I have always labelled my style of cooking as wine friendly. And it was clearly that each chapter in the book should be headlined by a grape varietal. So, enjoy classical as well as new dishes, that have, and will stand the test of time. They allow the wines to show what is best and most compelling about them rather than overwhelm what is in your glass. For a deeper look, find, “A Cook’s Table” respectively at Amazon.com Barnes&Noble.com and at Two Chefs Restaurant. I urge you to find a proper glass, dig out your favorite pot or pan, start slicing and dicing and enjoy.
Jan Jorgensen.
Baby Shrimp Bisque with Scallop Soufflé
Serves 6
As a young apprentice, I learned quickly there was something special about those tiny shrimp we got from the fjords of Greenland, the major source of baby shrimp. These shrimp work well in soups, salads, freshly cooked and served atop a piece of sourdough toast. If you don’t have baby shrimp available, substitute larger shrimp or prawns.
Bisque:
zest and juice from 1 lemon,
each divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 lb. baby shrimp, shell on
1 tablespoon seeded, peeled
and chopped tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes,
peeled and cut into a brunoise
1 tablespoon peeled and minced
fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon coriander
8 cups chicken stock
2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
sugar to taste
salt and pepper
In a heavy stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the shrimp, half of the lemon zest and lemon juice, tomato, cayenne pepper, potatoes, ginger and coriander for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp turns pink. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon. Stir in chicken stock, bringing to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes, discarding the foam that will appear on top. Add the remaining lemon zest and lemongrass during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Shell the shrimp. Return shrimp to soup, setting aside about a dozen shrimp for garnish. In a food processor or blender, purée the soup in small batches until smooth. Strain. Return soup to the saucepan and stir in the reserved shrimp along with the heavy cream. Heat the bisque over low heat. Adjust flavor with lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
Scallop Souffle:
6 3-oz ramekins
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound cleaned scallops
pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
pinch nutmeg
In a food processor, blend scallops with salt until mixture is stringy, about 30 seconds. Add egg whites, pulsing until whites have been incorporated, about 10 seconds. Gradually add the cream. When incorporated, season with pepper and nutmeg.
Butter ramekins and divide scallop mixture among the six. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (the lower temperature will cause the soufflés to expand slowly). Fill a 9-by-13 inch baking pan halfway with warm water (bain-marie). Place the ramekins in the pan on a rack so that they are not touching the bottom of the pan but the water comes up halfway on them. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm and mousse-like. Let cool slightly. Invert each ramekin into a soup bowl. Ladle the bisque over the soufflés. Serve at once.
Kitchen Wisdom:
Do not overcook the soup; it will result in dull flavors. When making the soufflés, make sure all ingredients are cold straight from the refrigerator. This will prevent the soufflés from rising too much, then deflating. Use white pepper to make the soufflés look “clean.”
What to drink:
Bisques are creamy and velvety because of the starch from the potato and cream; a crisp, unoaked Chardonnay would be an excellent contrast. At the same time, a rich White Burgundy would make a nice texture to texture match.
Whitewater Clams with Tomato, Basil and Garlic
Serves 6
Years ago, a local fisherman came to my first restaurant, Janjo’s, handed me a bag that he introduced as “Whitewater Clams” and asked me to try them. They were delicate, with a pronounced but not overpowering taste of the sea, despite being farm raised. We bonded quickly, and I have cooked with them ever since.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup basil, julienned
salt and pepper
36 whitewater clams (or small Atlantic clams)
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When the oil is near the smoking point—don’t let it burn—add the garlic and sauté until it starts to brown lightly around the edges, which will take seconds. Add the clams, tomatoes, chicken stock and butter. Simmer until the clams have opened up, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard any clams that don’t open. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. Pour the clam mixture into a large bowl or over toasted slices of French bread and serve at once.
Kitchen Wisdom:
Cook quickly, serve quickly. The entire cooking method takes only 3 to 4 minutes.
What to drink:
Best to let the delicate sweetness and texture of the clams set the tone here. Go with an unoaked, citric Chardonnay from just about anywhere.
Lobster Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 6
A friend once told me about a trip he had taken to Cape Cod where he marveled at seeing this decadent dish even in fast-food places.
This is my version of the pie after much experimentation. The recipe calls for Maine lobster, but if you want to substitute spiny lobster (a favorite in Florida), just cut the lobster into medallions first, because the meat is easy to remove from its shell. (Maine lobster has to be cooked first, as its meat is translucent when raw.)
Mashed potatoes:
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
2 tablespoons butter
3 ounces mild goat cheese
1 egg yolk
salt and pepper
Pie Filling:
4 Maine Lobsters, 1 1/2 pounds each
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices apple-smoked bacon,
cut in 1/4-inch chunks
36 pearl onions, peeled
1 medium celeriac or 2 celery stalks, peeled and diced
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sage, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, bring 12 quarts of water to a boil. (If you don’t have a large enough stockpot, do it in two batches.) Place lobsters in the pot(s) without crowding. Cover and boil about 3 minutes per pound (the lobster will have begun to turn red). Remove lobsters from water and place in an ice bath.
When cool, remove the tails and claws, cracking the claws. Using poultry shears, cut tails in half lengthwise, remove meat and cut meat into 1/4-inch chunks.
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Add bacon, moving it around the pan to prevent it from sticking. Cook until golden brown on both sides. When finished, discard 90 percent of the fat in the pan (or save to cook potatoes on another day). Add the pearl onions, celeriac and carrots and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to caramelize.
Stir in the flour, sauté and move the mixture around the pan for a few minutes, then add the chicken stock and bring the stew to a boil. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Mashed potatoes:
When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Place potatoes back in the pan and shake them over low heat to remove any excess moisture. Add the heavy cream, butter and goat cheese. Mash with potato masher or use a ricer. Stir in the egg yolk and season with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Divide the vegetable mixture among six 8-oz ramekins. Add enough liquid to cover the filling. Place the lobster meat over the vegetable filling. Gently mold potatoes on top of lobster. Be careful not to let the potatoes run down the sides. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.
Preheat an oven to 350. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the top is golden brown and crusty, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Kitchen Wisdom:
Do not overcook the lobster, as it will become tough and rubbery. When baking the ramekins in the oven, you’re really just reheating the lobster and giving the flavors a chance to fuse together.
What to drink:
This is a very easy rich-to-rich or texture-to-texture matching recipe. It is not an inexpensive dish. It merits a not-inexpensive Chardonnay. Certainly, anywhere in the Côte d’Or hits that mark. If you were inclined to be a bit counterintuitive, a Chablis of Premier Cru strength would give a sense of contrast, enough body but a refreshing leanness as compared to the lobster and potatoes.
If it all goes wrong. Make a reservation…
Two Chefs Restaurant
8287 South Dixie Highway, Miami
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