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Dear reader…
The following recipes are from years of putting pen to paper, or today, fingertips on a keyboard (1-2 at a time). The recipes are not just a matter of measuring, but also small anecdotes of where, when and why they were cooked. Not all recipes are invented by me, but dishes that were cooked with care, and a passion for the trade. Many of the recipes to follow have seasonal inspirations, as well as daily challenges from awesome people like yourself who were craving a specific dish.
Enjoy….
Roasted Salsify* with Endives and Crisp Goat Cheese
Serves 4
I have done this dish many times, and although it’s hearty and rich, it makes a good lunch if you’re looking for something lighter than animal protein. The roasting of the tuber and the caramelized bitter flavors from the endive supplies a great contrast to the tangy goat cheese. Toss the veggies with a splash of EVOO* and grated lemon zest to brighten it up. Because goat cheese is so unique in flavor and texture, I like to coat a disk with ground hazelnuts, which creates very “nutty” flavors which, of course, equals umami.
Ingredients:
● 2 heads of Belgian endives
● 4 10-inch tubers of salsify, peeled and kept in water with a splash of lemon
● 1 onion, peeled
● zest from 1 lemon
● EVOO
● salt and pepper
● 4 garlic cloves, sliced roughly
● tiny romaine hearts from 2 romaine head
Cut the salsify into 2-inch pieces, making your cut on the bias. Cut the onion in half, lengthwise and then into wedges. Quarter the endives. Trim the core a bit if needed, but not all as a little is needed to keep the leaves from falling apart.
Toss all ingredients together, add them to a roasting pan (the smallest one that will fit all of the ingredients in a single layer but not so large that you can see much of the bottom of the pan) and cover the “salad” with aluminum foil.
Roast in a preheated oven at 325 for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and lightly cook the salad for an additional 2-3 minutes, the endives might crispen a little, but they will soften once salad is tossed again. Add the romaine hearts and incorporate into the endive and salsify mix.
Crisp Goat Cheese:
● 4 2-oz balls of goat cheese, molded into a hockey puck-like shape
● 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
● 1/2 cup chopped corn flakes
● 1/2 cup chopped panko bread crumbs
● 2 whole eggs, beaten lightly with a fork
● 2 cups of flour
● 3 cups of peanut oil, heated to 300 degrees
Put the flour and beaten eggs in two separate flat dishes.
Combine nuts, flakes and breadcrumbs and add into a blender, pulsing for about 30 seconds. Pour into a small flat dish, set aside.
Take each cheese ball, cover in the flour then eggs, back to flour then eggs, and finally, a generous coating of the nut mixture. Set aside, and when finished with all four, place in a refrigerator.
Heat peanut oil to temperature, then gently place each cheese serving into oil. Let them crispen, about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove, set aside for 30 seconds to drain, then place on top of a spoonful of the hash browned potatoes.
Arrange the salad onto 4 plates, then add the crisp goat cheese on top.
Ravioli with Braised Lamb and Garlic Cream
Serves 6
I will start saying right off the get go, that producing braised lamb for JUST a ravioli recipe is silly unless the guest count is very high. What I like to share is a “kick ass” recipe that has been received and created many accolades over the years. I typically would make/serve it when a few lamb shanks needed to leave the menu, or if I had braised lamb available.
I sometimes braise a couple of boneless lamb legs to make different dishes, maybe a “bolognaise”, a stew, or something else, but ravioli always wins.
If possible, I like to use the braised vegetables that accompany the cooking process to help the ravioli mixture/filling.
Ravioli mixture:
● 3 cups of braised lamb meat
● 1 whole carrot, from the braisings
● 1 onion, from the braisings
● 2 stalks of celery, from the braisings
● 4 cloves of garlic, from the braisings
● 1/2 cup goat cheese
● 1 egg yolk
● 1/2 cup grated reggiano
● 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Literally, chop/chunk the above mentioned ingredients together, to create a chunky mix.
Check for salt and pepper. Set aside.
Make the ravioli:
● 40 wonton wrappers
● 2 whole eggs beaten
Separate the wrappers, lining them up in two rows, 20 in each row. Brush the egg gently onto the wrappers, from center out. Place one dollop of the filling in the middle of the wrapper. (Be generous, but leave a border around the filling). Lay the other wrapper on top of the filling. Crimp the sides of the ravioli, using your thumb and index finger, working your way around the entire ravioli, so the two sides are thoroughly sealed.
Finish with the remaining pasta, dusting each ravioli with corn meal as they’re finished. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Set aside.
Start a large pot with water. When the water is boiling, gently drop the raviolis into the pot. Cook the raviolis for a minute after the water has returned to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the raviolis to the serving plates, then ladle over the garlic cream. Drizzle EVOO on top and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
The Garlic Cream:
● 2 cups of rich chicken stock
● 1 cup of heavy cream
● 1/2 cup creamy goat cheese
● 1/2 cup of garlic cloves
● olive oil
● bouquet garni
● peel from 1 lemon
● EVOO
● chopped Parsley
The garlic cream should be light and airy…I like to thicken the sauce a little with a liaison* [egg yolks and cream ]
Bring all ingredients together in a pot, bring them/it to a simmer, cook for 15 minutes.
Strain the sauce, bring to a light simmer, turn off the heat, then stir in the liaison, season with salt and pepper if needed
Liaison:
● 1/2 cup cream
● 3 egg yolks
Whisk the two together, and add/incorporate when needed
Braised Chicken Thighs with Spinach and Chestnut Pesto
Serves 6
My childhood was lived in a semi – medium sized city/town in Denmark, I think at the time when my youth was honed, about 36.000 citizens called themselves Svendborg habitants….
This story gives an insight to chestnuts. In the middle of the town, A very large chestnut tree commanded it’s presence. It was placed in a small public park, but right in front of the police station.
Everyone knew about the chestnut tree, and it seemed to drop enough fruit/chestnuts to supply the needs of the town.
I have later in life and in my culinary career roasted plenty of chestnuts, especially towards the Christmas holidays. I love chestnuts, their nutty and chewy presence are fun to work with. They are always welcome in a sauce ETC. In this case a pesto.
This dish will braise chicken, much like a “coq au vin” but in the end finish the sauce with wilted spinach and chestnut puree/pesto.
Chestnut pesto:
● 3 lbs chestnuts, raw in their husks/shells… Keep 1 lbs for filling/garnish
● 3 cups of kosher salt for roasting the chestnuts and garlic
● 1 whole garlic bulb
● 1/2 cup chopped parsley
● 1/2 cup basil leaves
● zest from 1 lemon
● 1/4 cup olive oil
● 1/4 cup EVOO
Spread the salt on a small – medium sheet tray, place the chestnuts in an even layer on top, but before hand, make a cross (+) with a small knife on the top end of the chestnut, sprinkle a little olive oil on the garlic bulb and place it somewhere on the salted chestnut sheet tray.
Cook them all for 30 minutes at 325 F. Remove from the oven, remove the peel from the chestnuts while warm, the warmer the easier. Cut the garlic bulb in half and squeeze the pulp out from the bulb.
Add 2 thirds of the peeled chestnuts into a food processor along with the garlic ”meat.”
Then parsley, basil, lemon zest and EVOO.
Pulse the mixture into a chunky paste, set aside.
With a knife roughly chop the last third of the cleaned chestnuts, set them aside.
The Chicken:
● 12 chicken thighs, bone still inside and skin on
● olive oil for sautéing
● 3 cups of rich veal stock
● 3 cups of peeled pearl onions
● 1 cup of bacon slab, cut into 1/4 inch slices then into 1/4 inch pieces
● a bouquet garni
● the already cooked and chopped chestnuts
In a hot cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil. Place the chicken thighs inside to brown the skin crispy and golden brown; once brown and crisp, flip them and brown the meat side of the thigh. Remove from pan into a roasting pan.
In the hot iron pan add the pearl onions and cook in the “chicken fat” for 3-4 minutes, add the chopped chestnuts along with the bacon, let the mixture simmer/sauté/cook for another 3-4 minutes, add the veal stock.
Bring the “stew” to a simmer and soignée*. Add the chicken thighs to the stew, cover with aluminum foil and place in a preheated oven at 325F and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, place the chicken pieces in a serving dish/cocotte, bring the sauce/stew to a simmer on the stove, soignée the stew. Turn off the heat. Add the chestnut pesto, gently mix the pesto into the stew, season/check for salt and pepper.
Pour the “stew” over the chicken thighs, and serve with the spinach.
Spinach:
● 3 lbs. fresh spinach leaves, late summer spinach is favorable
● 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
● a splash of olive oil
● 1/2 stick of butter
● juice from 1/2 lemon
● 1/2 cup grated reggiano parmigiano
● salt and Pepper
In a hot skillet heat the olive oil to medium – hot heat, add the garlic, then the spinach one handful at the time, stir the spinach and “wilt” it in the pan, add the butter and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, then fluff in the grated cheese. Serve.
If not doing family style serving, then place a pile of spinach on a plate, place 2 pieces of chicken on top, then ladle the chunky sauce/stew on top.
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
