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The recipes that follow are from my recently published cookbook, A Cook’s Table (co-authored with Todd Wernstrom). The recipes in the book are really a compendium of my many years in professional kitchens in my native Denmark, San Francisco and Miami at Two Chefs, my restaurant that has been serving dishes like those that follow for more than 30 years. All of the recipes employ classical French technique and many are among restaurant greatest hits. Many others are updates on the classics while still others touch on many other cuisines. All of them deliver lots of flavor. You will see that there are wine recommendations for each dish. The book has a very significant wine component that will make food and wine pairing easy (ordering info below). Enjoy!
Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Salmon
Serves 4
It’s hard to picture lusciously smoked salmon without thinking of Champagne. There are lots of different styles of smoked salmon. Smoke is a prime ingredient, but the cure is the key to the result. Fat content in the fish is also an important factor as is the temperature during smoking. Some prefer the fish to be very rare and fatty—me!—others more cooked and flakey. Over the years, I have met and very much enjoyed smoked salmon from Norway, Scotland, Chile and Canada, as well my own. But wild smoked Scottish salmon remains my favorite. A piece of toasted pumpernickel or fennel-flecked bread would be a nice addition to the dish.
The best scrambled eggs:
6 eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 oz butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese
salt
cut chives or scallions
white truffle oil
Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat them with a fork until mixed and add the cream. Pour egg mixture into the copper bowl on a double boiler along with the butter (if you don’t have a fancy copper version, any double boiler will do; or you can fashion your own by using a metal bowl over a pan of boiling water) and with a rubber spatula gently move eggs about the bowl. As the eggs start to scramble and set, scrape the bowl with the spatula until they are cooked to your doneness liking. Stir in the cream cheese and salt to taste.
Arrange smoked salmon on a plate, fanned out in slices, or bundled, and serve a spoonful of the just-cooked scrambled eggs on top or alongside. Sprinkle with freshly cut chives and a small drizzle of white truffle oil—be careful here, the oil is very pungent.
Kitchen Wisdom:
Plate the salmon before starting the eggs as you want the eggs to be hot when served along or over top of the fish.
What to drink:
Given the richness of the salmon, providing a bit of palate relief is in order. An NV on the leaner side or a Blanc de Blancs would provide a nice contrast to the unctuous fattiness of the dish and the eggs.
Chicken Breast with Leeks and Wild Mushrooms
Serves 4
One of my favorite “light” mains served with medium-big red wines is chicken. You could go with legs. Although light in texture and flavor, breasts lend themselves nicely to this preparation. I like to use chicken breasts with skin on and the first wing bone attached which cooks call the A-line.
When approaching “wild mushrooms” use whatever varieties that are around when you’re doing the dish. Porcinis are probably my favorite, but lobster mushrooms and creminis are also very good. Good old button mushrooms work as well if you can’t find anything more exotic.
Ingredients:
4 A-line chicken breasts
olive oil for the pan
1/2 stick of butter
3 garlic cloves in their skins
2 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper
Bring a cast iron frying pan to medium-high heat, add the oil and turn down the heat to medium. Place the chicken breasts skin side down and do not touch them (if your pan isn’t big enough to do all of them without crowding, do them in batches). If the pan seems too hot, turn the heat down a bit, otherwise let the breasts lightly sauté until golden brown. Then turn them over and repeat on the other side. Once golden brown, flip breasts back to skin side again, add butter, garlic and herbs. There are two choices available to finish the chicken, either in the oven or continuing to sauté on the cooktop. Either method should take 8-10 minutes. The breasts will be golden to amber in color, crispy and juicy. Set aside. Discard the oil and herbs.
Have the pan ready for the mushrooms. No need to clean it.
2 cups of your favorite fresh wild mushrooms or a mix if desired
olive oil for the pan
1/2 stick of butter
3 shallots, finely diced
1 garlic clove, sliced thinly
a splash of Cognac
2 cups of rich veal stock
2 medium leeks, white part only, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup parsley, cut into chiffonade
salt and pepper
butter, if needed in the end
Cut the mushrooms into 1/2- or 1/4-inch pieces. In the previously used cast iron skillet, add the olive oil, bring to medium heat, then add the shallots and garlic. Sauté gently for a minute, add the butter, let the butter froth, then add the mushrooms. Sauté for 6-8 minutes. Add the leeks and let them cook with the mushrooms for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the Cognac, then using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and leeks, and set aside. Add the veal stock and reduce by 40 percent in the skillet. Add the mushroom mixture back into the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Taste the mushroom “stew” and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more butter to thicken if needed, then sprinkle parsley.
Spoon the mushroom stew onto 4 plates. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on each breast. Place each on top of mushrooms.
Kitchen Wisdom:
Do not season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper until serving time. This will help keep the skin crispy until serving time as salt draws out moisture. Avoid spooning sauce on the skin of the chicken as well.
What to drink:
An “old vines” style of Zin is best here. The earthiness of the mushrooms works well with this more restrained version of what is typically a very fruit forward and somewhat high-octane red.
Butter Cookies
This recipe is very simple, and has to be among the best creations done for the conclusion of a wine-friendly menu. I was asked to make butter cookies to accompany Sauternes for a dinner party. My first thought was that the cookies would just be too simple to serve with a great sweet wine. It may actually be the very best wine/food dessert match ever. In my business—and probably for many of you at home—there is always a temptation to finish off a great meal with a flourish. This often makes things unnecessarily complicated. I have been guilty of doing this over the years, and while I’ve often elicited gasps and oohs and aahs, the finale often went unfinished. These cookies have been a revelation.
I’m choosing Plugra butter for this recipe, but you could choose any high-quality butter.
Lurpak from Denmark is a good one but there are lots of others.
Ingredients:
14 oz Plugra (unsalted) butter
1 cup of sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp salt
Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed, scraping down the bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and continue mixing the mixture on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
Add half the flour and salt into the butter mixture. Mix at low speed until almost completely incorporated, then add remaining flour, mixing for about a minute until flour is completely incorporated.
Remove the dough from the machine and knead for a minute. Refrigerate the dough if it feels too soft (most likely it will). Once ready to handle (it should be firm and not feel like melting butter), divide the dough into three pieces. Work with one at a time, keeping the others chilled in the refrigerator.
Lightly sprinkle a little flour onto a work surface. Roll each dough ball one at the time into 3/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or pastry knife to cut two-inch rounds, and carefully place them on a lightly floured baking sheet. Continue the process with the remaining dough balls. Once baking trays are ready, sprinkle a little sugar onto the cookies and place them in the oven. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Kitchen wisdom:
When rolling out the dough ball, there inevitably will be excess dough after portioning the cookies. Simply continue to combine the extra pieces and roll it out again. You will need to get the new ball to the starting temperature again. The temperature of the butter will be a large concern so avoid handling it too much or it will get runny. The butter must stay emulsified* in order to perform its magic.
What to drink:
If you’ve read the recipe intro, you know what we think you should drink. Any Sauternes-style wine would do, but for sentimental reasons, try a Sauternes (or Barsac). These wines have a style of sweetness that really does work best with this type of cookie. It’s not that one from the Loire or elsewhere wouldn’t work. It’s just that the way sweetness is presented by Sauternes picks up beautifully with the buttery sweetness of the cookies. This is as close to a perfect wine/food pairing as there is, whether in the sweet or savory realm.
Enjoy.
I hope I have inspired you to have a bit of fun, maybe challenge a dusty pot and pan to return to the stove. Otherwise, call 305-663-2100 for reservations.
Jan Jorgensen, Two Chefs Restaurant.
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