Inspirational Chefs I: Marco Pierre White

Marco Pierre White. The original bad boy of cuisine. Mentor and inspiration for Gordon Ramsay (another kitchen bad boy), Heston Blumenthal and many others. From a council estate in Leeds, England, the boy became one of the Godfathers of modern cuisine with a restaurant empire currently valued at around $60 million. He has dated and dumped some of London's prettiest and richest maidens. He has cursed at and kicked famous people out of his restaurants for little or nothing other than the fact that he didn't like them. His power and hold over the UK and European restaurant scene is stronger than ever. At 33, he won a coveted third Michelin star, the youngest chef ever to do so. A few years later he handed them back, as he didn't feel he needed them any more. This, at a time when most of his proteges were struggling to achieve them. Marco now spends most of his time presiding over his restaurant empire (including The Oak Room, Mirabelle, Quo Vadis, and Hyde Park Hotel) and shooting and fly-fishing on his country estate.

Marco had a deeply unhappy childhood. His mother died of a brain haemorrage when he was six, and his absent father pushed him into kitchens when he was young to train. He worked first as a commis and his first encounter with the Brigade system was at the Box Tree, in Ilkley, North Yorkshire, where he was exclusively referred to as 'cunt'. He turned up in London as a 16 year old, peniless and full of ambition. He wangled a commis job with the Roux Brothers at le Gavroche, under Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire and from there in 1987, he opened Harveys in Wandsworth Common, now the site of another Michelin-starred restaurant, Chez Bruce. At Harveys, he was awarded his first star, then almost immediately a second. His pursuit of excellent extended to every plate that left his kitchen. He was obsessive and relentless in his pursuit of those stars and he was 'fond' of bullying tactics to foster respect and flawless food. Gordon Ramsay famously burst into tears while working as a commis at Harveys when Marco had given him a good bollocking in front of the staff. Excellence, says Marco, is a lot of little things done very very well and pulled together. He would accept nothing but perfection. Bullying tactics in the heat of the kitchen work though - 6 of White's commis chefs went on to claim Michelin stars. He had, in effect, rasied the entire standard of British cuisine to a level to rival classic French gastronomy.

Marco's cuisine centres around showcasing the best of British ingredients. His book, 'Wild Food from Land and Sea' contains recipes for rabbit, mussels and fish found in British waters, scallops, pigeon, and I reckon he has a real feeling for the terroir philosophy the French keep so dear. Marco makes full use of every scrap of all ingredients, beliveing that waste is unacceptable. And I think he's quite right.

So this then, is a dish inspired by the great man:

Rabbit three ways

You will need, for four people:
1 whole rabbit, preferably wild, jointed
flour and Colman's mustard powder for dusting
olive oil
1 onion, 1 carrot, diced finely
3-4 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 cups rabbit broth*
3 cups of cider (that's hard cider)
enough chicken stock to finish covering the joints
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/2 tsp Colman's mustard
1 pinch of chopped freh tarragon

more olive oil and butter to roast the loin and to fry the julienned belly.

Joint the rabbit as follows. Empty the body cavity of liver, heart, kidneys and remove fat from inside the loin, reserve the organs but discard the fat. Remove the back legs and front legs intact, by cutting around the joint and 'popping' the bone out. Remove the belly flaps from the ribcage and loin. Seperate tail from loin (just imagine it's where your arse meets your back - that's where your knife goes) and ribcage from loin. You should have two meaty strips running either side of the spine. You need to chop this into four equal pieces, chopping straight through the backbone. You're left with a rib cage, some neck and the organs. You'll need that stuff for the rabbit broth, but save the kidneyS for a garnish. I like to flash-fry them on skewers in butter and brandy for an offal treat.




*Rabbit broth: Chop the rib bones, neck, liver and heart into small pieces. Chop an onion, carrot and 2 ribs of celery into chunks. Toss all the bones and vegetables with olive oil and put into a 350F oven to roast until it has some nice colouring, about 45 mins. Put this into a pan, delgazing the oven roasting dish with some water or a splash of Calvados and adding to the meat and veg. To this add a few back peppercorns, a few juniper berries, 3 bay leaves, some parsely stems, some tarragon if you have it, and cover the whole lot with cold water, enough to cover everything and make 3 or 4 cups. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat immediately and simmer gently for about 1-1.5 hours. Strain the broth, throughy muslin/cheesecloth if you have it, and chill in the fridge overnight. The next day, remove the fat that has solidified on the top. There you have it.

So to make the trio of rabbit dishes, you'll first need to braise the hind quarters and the front legs.


BRAISE: Set the oven to 375F. In a plastic bag put some seasoned flour and mustard powder and shake those joints until the are all lightly coated. Brown on a Dutch oven in hot oil. Remove and keep warm. Add the onion and carrot and sweat for 8-9 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic and cook for another 5-6 mintues, without letting anything colour. Put the browned rabbit joints on top, add the rabbit broth, cider and stock to cover, bring to a boil. Put in the oven with the lid on and cook for about 70 minutes. Remove the rabbit meat and leave to cool. Meanwhile strain the veg from the sauce and return the liquid back to the pan to reduce by two thirds. Add the cream, the mustard and reduce until you have a thick sauce. Add the chopped tarragon. Shred the cooled rabbit meat and mix with just enough of the sauce to form a stiff mixture. Keep warm until needed.

ROAST: Set the oven to 375F. Season the 4 loin sections. In a shallow frying pan over a medium flame, heat some oil and a knob of butter and the seasoned meat, basting and browning all over. Place in the oven, still at 375F, for about 8 mins. Remove and allow to rest.

FRY: Julienne the rabbit belly flaps finely and fry in hot oil until very crisp. Think 'rabbit cracklings' and you'll get the idea.

ASSSEMBLY: Using a ring mould, portion out some of the braised mixture into the centre of a plate. rest the roast loin section on top of that and arrange the crispy belly fries on top of that.

I served mine with a wild mushroom risotto and some mustard vinaigrette.

Recipe: Fried Beer Battered Mussels w/2 Sauces

For sauces
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

For fried mussels
- 8 oz (1 cup) beer (not dark)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 qt vegetable oil for frying
- 2 lb mussels, cleaned & steamed, then shucked.

Accompaniment: lemon wedges
Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

Make sauces:
Put 1/2 cup mayonnaise into each of 2 small serving bowls and whisk mustard into 1 bowl. Whisk cilantro, lime juice, and curry powder into other bowl. Season dipping sauces with salt and pepper and keep chilled, covered.

Make batter and fry mussels:
Whisk beer into flour in a bowl until combined well.

Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 375°F. While oil is heating, pat mussels dry between layers of paper towels, pressing lightly.

Dredge 10 mussels in batter, letting excess drip off, and fry in oil, stirring, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mussels as fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season with salt. Fry remaining mussels in batches in same manner, returning oil to 375°F between batches.

Serve mussels immediately, with dipping sauces.

Thu 5th Apr - An evening with Uncle Boogie

J Boogie was on the Asian tip again last Thursday (Apr 5^th, 07). His menu, mainly fish and fruit, represented the typical pan-Asian diet – lean oceanic protein, rice, fresh fruit and vegetables, very little red meat and no dairy. According to all sorts of research, the Asian diet prolongs life by reducing cholesterol in dairy and meat, and adding cancer-fighting compounds only found in fresh fruit and veg. So I felt super-virtuous wolfing the stuff down, not just because it’s good, healthy stuff, but it tasted so damn good.

I showed up a little early at J’s house, range the bell and I couldn’t find the man anywhere. I eventually caught up with him around the corner in the Associated supermarket, staggering around half in the bag. He had been in a public house all afternoon, and he could barely say his name, let alone prepare a meal. So he needed some help, which I gave, while he retold the events of the night before and his afternoon’s entertainment.

He had steamed the mussels the night before, fortunately, and then Boogie beer- battered them, deep fried the buggers and served them up with two dips – coriander-curry mayo and lime-mayo. I can honestly say, they were amazing. It was 9pm, and I was ravenous, BUT I don’t think that accounted for my enjoyment of them. They were crunchy, soft in the middle, seasoned with Old Bay, lubed with the dip, texturally so satisfying.

Next up was a perfectly cooked piece of salmon. Well done Boogie, most people overcook the stuff. I mean, it was almost creamy in the middle. He’d glazed it with ginger, mirin and sake. What a delight. The fish needed no effort at all to eat because it was so soft. No chewing need. And packed with flavour. The bok choy was pretty tasty too.

We had a rather Caribbean-inspired dessert, but with a Japanese twist. Sake soaked chunks of melon and papaya. Let’s call in Japabbean. I was in need of a drink after that and we retired to Satsko for some refreshments in the form of sake bombs. A good night was had by all, especially Boogie who was simply topping up from his beery afternoon.

Beef in Port with Mushrooms

I found a bottle of port knocking around in the kitchen, so I decided to make the most of it's flavour and pair it up with a nice juicy piece of beef and some more mushrooms. I paid a visit to the excellent Union Market on 6th Ave in Park Slope, a local upmarket place with some great organic produce. I came back with a chunky strip steak with some fine marbling, some Baby Bellas and a wedge of nutty 5-year aged Gouda to soak up any wine we might have left after the beef.

You will need, for 2 people:

• a strip steak, about a pound in weight
  
• olive oil
• onion, one cup, carrots & celery, about half a cup each, diced
• a handful of thyme leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 cups of ruby port
• 4 cups of hot beef stock (or enough to cover the meat)
• Baby Bellas, about 4, quartered
• Something to serve it with - Mash? Roast spuds? Some shredded cabbage?

Set the oven to 350 F. Chop that huge rectangular slab of beef into 2, straight across. Season both sides and brown all over the hot oil. Set aside to rest. Add the mirepoix and sweat for about 8 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring all the time to prevent too much colouring and anything welding itself to your lovely Dutch oven. Add the port, the stock, making sure the beef is submerged. Bring to a boil, lid on, and place in the oven for about an hour. Take it out and add the quartered mushrooms. Lid on again, in the oven for another 15 mins. Remove from the oven, take out the beef and let it chill out for a few minutes while you boil the crap of the sauce on the stovetop to reduce. Pluck the mushrooms out and let keep them warm. Strain the sauce. There's no flavour left in those pieces of onion and carrot - It's all in the braising liquid. Now - Reduce. You need a good sauce consistency. Put the beef in the centre of a plate, scatter the mushrooms around it, and spoon the sauce over and around the beef. I served mine with some creamed kale on the side and mopped all the porty goodness with some crusty bread.

Gotham Bar & Grill - An afternoon with Alfred Portale

I'd read about the bloke. Numerous times. And then I discovered that Alfred Portale runs one of NYC's finest and most 'Manhattan' kitchens, Gotham B&G. The missus said she'd always wanted to go so I booked a table straight away and invited a couple of our friends making four in total.

Portale used to be a jewellery designer, and he applies his artisitic instincts beautifully to his food. He graduated from CIA and trained in France with the likes of Michel Guerard and Troisgros brothers, shortly before he became master of the 'vertical dinner' when he returned to the US and opened Gotham B&G. His food really is beautiful. Perhaps it was the combination of flavour and immaculate presentation that won him honours in 1993 as Best Chef in NY, and then Gotham won over the James Beard Foundation and it was named best restaurant in NY in 1994. We were stoked when we walked into the bar spitting feathers and ordered a round of house champagne. Service was prompt and flawless. This could only bode well for our lunch, and I was dreaming of a procession of stunning plates and some fabulous food. You can check out GB&G's lunch menu here.

Of course, Jason and I picked the terrine (I'm a sucker for anything with foie gras in.) The ladies chose nothing for appetiser as they wanted to keep some room back for main course and Portale's legendary desserts. Jason chose the Hawaiian prawns, Jessica got the Asian cod dish, and the missus orders what she always does, the boring cow - steak.

Good Lord, that terrine was sumptuous. Chunks of duck breast, interspersed with earthy rich foie gras and it was indeed a decadent mouthful. I didn't want it to end. But it did. I still had the main course to look forward to though, and it arrived shortly afterwards, looking like heaven on Earth:

Jessica's black cod was delightful, the Asian/Thai flavours augmenting and not masking the fish, salty soy, exotic lemongrass and ginger. Despite what I said earlier, I simply HAD to try Serena's steak. I mean, it just looked so damn good:



I couldn't fault anything that came out of the kitchen (I even remember spending 5 mins waxing lyrical abou the butter on the table) and the service was impeccable. Then came the dessert. A work of art in itself:

I will certainly be going back. Prices are reasonable if one doesn't hammer the wine. We had two great bottles, one each of red and white, and the bill came to roughly $400 with tip. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Portale.

The European Union

[Updated; now closed!]
I had a chance to check out The E.U. (235 East 4th Street (btwn. Ave. A & B), http://www.theeunyc.com) yesterday with my parents. I'll admit that this is one of the few places that I was upset about Community Board 3 refusing to give a liquor license. But now that's all in the past & The E.U. is in full swing.

The place was surprisingly busy for a cold, rainy Sunday, but we were seated immediately. The place is somewhat cramped & we all thought that the chairs were low, but what the heck, I'm accommodating. I was in a mood for beer, so I'll admit that I was somewhat disappointed by the selection. After months of being spoiled at Against The Grain, I've become accustomed to massive, varied beer selections. I eventually got the Pilsner Urquell which I really didn't enjoy, but heck, I made my bed, so I'll sleep in it. My Dad got a 5 flight tasting, which looked kinda cool. Mom got a Chardonnay.

I had looked at the menu online & had noticed Fromage de Téte (for you Non-Francophiles; Head Cheese. Sounds delicious, right?), so I was very upset when it wasn't on the menu; Drat! I ended up ordering a dozen West Coast Oysters & sharing that with my Mom, they were excellent. My Dad got the Octopus, which he really didn't enjoy.

For the main course I got the braised Veal cheeks which were to die for! Perfection! My Mom got the Chicken & Dumplings which she enjoyed. Dad (the unlucky sod) got an overcooked burger, but at least the fries were good!

We ended the night with coffee & orange beignets, which were comped to make up for the burger fiasco. I'll admit that I enjoyed myself, the food was good, yet slightly pricey - but hey, this is the East Village after all! I'll be going back to The E.U. & I recommend that you at least check it out.

Braised pork chop with mustard and apple sauce

There was some cabbage and some creminis left in the fridge. So I thought I'd use them up in another dish. It was a grey rainy day in Brooklyn, so I thought about something meaty and sweetly satisfying. I grabbed a couple of pork chops with bone in and a flagon of unfiltered apple juice, put some sounds on and got down to business.

You will need, for two hungry dudes:

2 pork chops with bone in (try and get ones with some delicious fat on too)
salt and pepper
olive oil
mirepoix - finely diced onion, carrot and celery, about half a cup each
3 cups unfiltered apple juice (I used Martinelli's)
1 cup of white wine
1 cup of good beef or chicken stock
A good dollop Colman's mustard
a handful of cremini mushrooms
half a cup of heavy cream

Firstly, on the subject of Colman's mustard, I have a big problem with my ex-favourite chef, Daniel Boulud, who swears that it's the only thing the English do well. What an arsehole. I wonder if he's ever been to England?

OK, so season and brown the chops in hot oil. Remove to a plate somewhere warm. Add the mirepoix and sweat for about 7 minutes. Add the liquids, put the chops back in the pan making sure that the meat is completely covered. Lid on, cook for about 30 mins. Don't overcook. The blunt end of a teaspoon should just about leave an impression the chop when pressed. Remove the chops and keep warm. Throw in the fungi and lid on, cook for another 10 mins. Remove to the same dish as the chops and keep warm. Lid off, add the cream and then reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, it should shine...

I served the chops over savoy cabbage, with the creminis scattered around the plate, the sauce spooned over and around the meat and a few scalloped spuds too.

Black Cod with Clam and Tarragon Sauce

I was wandering in my neighbourhood the other day and came across 2 delicious tranches of black cod. Fresh in that day. Marvellous. I love fish, and there's really nothing more delicious and simpler than an ingot of fresh fish with an easy sauce.

I really like the taste of tarragon with seafood, so I bought a bunch of leaves and a small bottle of clam juice to give the sauce some oomph. Off we go. This served me and the wife:

half a head of savoy cabbage, shredded finely
1-2 tbsp butter
3 or 4 cremini mushrooms
2 thick slices of black cod
2 tbsps olive oil
sea salt and white pepper
2 tbsp clam juice
2 tbsps heavy cream
chiffonade of tarragon
dash of lemon juice/white wine vinegar to taste

Finely shred the cabbage and cook in half the butter until wilted. Season and keep warm. Quarter the mushrooms and fry in remaining butter until coloured, about 6 mins and keep warm. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan until it shimmers. Season cod's skin-side with salt and pepper and add to the pan, skin side down. Season the other side of the fish. Fry for about 8 mins skin side down, or until it gets some colour at the edges. Turn over, cook for another 2-3 mins, depending in the thickness of the fish and transfer it to a plate and keep warm in the oven. Add the clam juice to the non-stick pan which the fish has cooked in, and scrape up any brown fishy bits from the bottom and bring in to a bubble. Add the cream and continue to cook over a high heat until slightly reduced. Add the finely chopped tarragon. Add lemon juice to taste.

To assemble, put some of the cabbage in the middle of a warm plate, rest the fish on top of that, spoon the sauce around the plate and garnish with the meaty creminis.

*To follow this, I made an impromptu dessert - Chocolate/Orange gratin with whipped cream (I know, more cream.) I segmented a large orange and layered it with segments of Terry's Chocolate Orange in between, covered with smashed pecan shortbread biscuits and baked in a 375 oven for 20 mins. I let it cool and wolfed it down messily with some chilled whipped cream. Good Lord, it was delicious. (Thank you, Jacques Pepin.)

Thursday Club 03/29/07

Time flies when you're eating well! Adam hooked up an excellent meal for this week's dinner...

- Sweet potato skins stuffed with Pancetta, White Cheddar & Country Gravy.
- Rock Lobster & Creamed Leek Gratin.
- Bison Chili with Jalapeño Cornbread & Maple Butter.

I could just imagine sitting in a sawdust covered bar in Texas munching away at these badboys while watching some pigskin with friends. The salt of the Pancetta & rich Country Gravy went perfectly with the sweetness of the potatoes. They had been hollowed out & yet this dish was surprisingly filling!

We took a bit of a break in between courses to let the 'skins' settle. Adam & Teddy de-shelled the rock lobsters which were sautéed & added to the leek & cream. topped with parmesan breadcrumbs & baked. The end result was a delicious gratin & the lobster was perfectly cooked & melted like butter!


Now, I love chili more than anyone I know & I've never eaten bison - so I was pleased as punch that the next course was on the menu. I cannot describe how complex the flavours were for this dish. I'm guessing that Adam's hands were flying along his spice/sauce racks as there were so many great flavours in the dish. I've never tasted chili quite like that & I loved it. The Jalapeño Cornbread was lovingly coated with mounds of Maple Butter & was an awesome side dish!

Nice work Adam!


The Rock Shrimp get what's coming to them...

... a light sauté!

A slow simmer.

Perfect Jalapeño Cornbread & Maple Butter.

Building Up To The Sky

Although no theme was mentioned for Teddy's turn this past Thursday, I immediately noticed a common trend with the courses.....stacking. Not the Burger King monstrosities that act as a dual hangover cure and instantanious cholesterol hightener, but layers and layers of ingredients and flavors. This method in cooking seems to be the most successful way to build a knock-out dish. Whether adding item after item to a mouth-stretching sandwich, or adding a dollop of sour cream, chives and bacon (see below) to a steaming baked potato, creating numerous layers makes the dish look and taste better with each addition.

To kick things off, Negronis were mixed for a pre-meal cocktail. Gin (2 parts) was blended with Campari (1 part) and Sweet Red Vermouth (1 part) to create a perfect citrusy, but not overpowering drink. Quite the accomplishment considering all three ingredients contain alcohol.

The Provencal Fish Soup was a nice veggie and pureed fish mixture with alot of fresh herb flavors. By it's lonesome, I'm sure it would have started the meal nicely.....but that wasn't in the blueprint. A crusty, buttery crouton was plopped in the middle of the bowl, then surrounded by little neck clams and sauteed shrimp. That was only the beginning. Everything was then topped with a creamy garlic aoli and a fennel-based relish. You might think that all these flavors would have trouble melding in a solitary bowl, but they got along just fine.


The main course showcased most meats you would usually see in a full English breakfast. On a bed of bacon and parsley mash, mild Cumberland sausages and sauteed mushrooms were piled high and surrounded by a moat of pea puree, known to some English folk as 'liquor' (so I was told.....sometimes I think i'm being screwed with). A rich slab of black pudding was nestled in the pea mixture too. With the exception of a hidden snout or ear I might have missed, I think Teddy covered most of pig in this course. A bright yellow smear of tangy Coleman's Mustard capped the tower perfectly.


Dessert was low on the altitude scale, but excellent nonetheless. Little (not actually little, but in comparison to the other courses) individual blackberry cobblers finished off this awesome meal. The berries were fresh and tart and worked nicely with the sweet whipped cream.




Another triumphant meal for the Brit. This time, taking a page out of the NYC book......stop building outwards and build UPWARDS.

Recipe: Asian Style Short Ribs with Sushi Rice

5 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 4-ounce portions
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 (5-inch) stalk lemongrass, halved and smashed
1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 quart water
1/2 cup sliced green onion bottoms, white part only
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sushi Rice, for serving
2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind, for serving
Sliced green onion tops, optional for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a wide stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the short ribs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, water, green onion bottoms, crushed red pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the orange juice. Make sure that the stockpot is deep enough so that the short ribs are submerged in the liquid.

Bake the short ribs, covered, for about 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and cover to keep warm. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

Drain the fat off of the cooking liquid and discard. Place the remaining braising juices in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid until only about 1 1/4 cups remain. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer, discarding the solids. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of orange juice and the lemon juice.

Return the short ribs and the reduced sauce to the stockpot or Dutch oven, coating the short ribs well with the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes, until the short ribs are heated through and slightly glazed. Serve hot over sushi rice. Season each portion with the orange zest and garnish with the green onions if desired.

Korean Night

When our very own J. Boogie announced his plans to host the Thu Club on Sat (I know, confusing,) we quickly realised this was an opportunity to get highly pissed (which is most unlike us) and not have to worry about getting to work uninjured on the inevitable Friday morning. Not that that's much of an issue for Boogie, who rarely gets up before midday and only has to stagger a few metres to his 'desk'. But maybe that's why he suggested it - so Adams and I can experience the delicious hangover without the threat of work swinging over our heads.

So, thinking about food, we agreed to meet up in Samba Le, a bar about 2 blocks from Essex Market where we would woo ourselves and drool over artisanal cheese, meats and achingly fresh fish. Samba Le has been reviewed before, but I had never been there and I was not impressed on first entering the place. We couldn't find a member of staff. Then we spotted a chap lurking around in the shadows at the back of the restaurant, chatting with customers and balancing what seeme like a dinner service on one arm. That's our boy. He signalled that he would be over to us in just a few. He came about 1o mins later, the guy was clearly under pressure as he was the only member of staff. Without further ado, he poured a gang of caipirinhas, and as I happened to mention that I like cachaca, I got an extra shot as well. While I was drinking this, Johnny (the barman and all round super-hero) was drinking his shot also, twirling knives and slicing limes and chatting to patrons simultaneously. More of these rounds appeared at regular intervals, there was talk of football (the Brazilian & English kind) sun-dried steak (a famous dish in Brazil) and cocktails and we were joined by a pair of lovely ladies who were supposed to be in Philly, but they had postponed their trip so they could drink shots at the bar with Johnny. Before I knew it, we had missed the market and we were drunk. Only one thing for it then, grab some beers and head back to Jason's for the Korean feast.

His menu took in some classic Korean dishes, like kimchi, cucumber salad and Sunchang sauce, but the braised ribs (see earlier post) were inspired. French classic with Asian twist.

• Cucumber Salad
• Korean Wraps (Chicken & Beef) served with Sun chang sauce & Kimchi
• Asian-Style braised short ribs w/sushi rice

Boogie had grated the cucumber real fine, added scallion and red pepper, some dressing and hey presto - a delicious and refreshing salad. I must admit, my tastebuds had taken a hammering that afternoon what with all those shots and about 900 Marlboro Lights, and I had to go large with the dressing, What was in it anyway, J. Boogie?

The wraps were up next, damn fine they were too. We were invited to pull out giant lettuce leaves, load them with grilled chicken, spicy beef and then sppon over some delicious Sunchang sauce, which is kind of hot and sour. Pretty good these wraps were too, with cool lettuce on the outside and a spicy umami taste inside. The ribs, though, were the best thing about the meal. Braised for hours in soy, ginger, garlic, and some other stuff. (Again, Boogie, we might need the recipe.) He let the braising liquid cool and then removed the fat and reduced the surplus before coating the ribs with it and serving. Wow! What a mouthful it was too. Rich, meaty and aromatic. Real Winter food. The kimchi he made added a fifth dimension to it.

The evening ended with some 'traditional' Sake bombs in Satsko over the road, and a couple of beers somewhere else, I really don't remember. Oh that's right, Joe's pub on 5th Street b/w A and, another one of Jason's local haunts. Are there any publicans who don't know Jason on the Lower East Side?

Bond St. Sushi

Bond St. Sushi is now serving up seared tuna! Joke... My once-favorite downtown sushi spot, which during it's heyday was home to legendary bartenders Josh, Wax & Erock is closed for 3 weeks due to a fire resulting from an electrical malfunction.

"Regretfully we announce that BondSt caught fire early this morning, March 13th, due to an electrical malfunction. The good news is that nothing happened to any employees or the tenants above the restaurant. The damage, as it was concentrated in the front of the restaurant, looks much worse than it actually is. On behalf of the entire staff of BondSt, we are looking forward to seeing you again when we re-open in approximately three weeks. We will be able to start taking reservations once again toward the second week of April."

Le Braise

There's something so satisfying and ceremonial about braising stuff. Almost anything. It just makes my tiny kitchen smell like a bistro.

I have been into the braise technique ever since my mate Stella impregnated our shared house with the rich stink of Coq Au Vin, and I had been hit by an atmosphere of meaty warmth when I returned home on a frosty night from the pub. Just the thing. It was winter in Stoke Newington, N16 and as I entered my house, the smell of Stella's cooking and the braising pan had me heading directly downstairs to the kitchen where some friends of hers were huddled around the pan, ready to tuck in. The occasion, dear friends, was just too much. Half-cut and without invitation I grabbed a redundant chair and squeezed myself between 2 of the real guests. There were two pans at the table, one filled with buttery mashed potato and the other with a chicken-studded crimson sauce that poured steam high into the air. Stella gave it a deft swirl and started to dish up. She is a great cook and my my, that sauce was good. Redolent with red wine and bacon fat, chunks of mushroom and succulent chicken. The mash was the best sponge ever, soaking up the juices. I cared little for manners and had to wipe a grimy thumb around the plate rim when I'd finished, there was no way I was going to waste any of that fabulous sauce. I don't think I said a single word to anybody while I ate.

I have recreated the dish countless times since, and I always think about that night when I stumbled upon one of my most memorable meals. So, friends, seeing as this might possibly be the last week of the NY winter (judging by today's temperatures and the upcoming forecast), I thought I'd share my recipe for classic CAV. Perhaps you can do something with it next winter?

4 rashers of smoked bacon
handful of button mushrooms
A slug of good olive oil
4 skinless thighs of organic chicken (I used D'Artagnan, watery Perdue just won't do the job)
a resealable bag containing seasoned flour
1 large white onion, 1 big stick celery, 1 large carrot, all chopped finely
about 3 fat cloves garlic, chopped
1 bottle of red wine (I used a Castle Rock 2004 cab sauvignon)
2 cups of good chicken stock (I really like that "Better than Bouillon" stuff in a jar)

Your own mashed spud recipe**

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Chop the bacon into nice bits. Halve all of your mushrooms. Set the pan (Dutch oven) over a medium heat, and add a splash of olive oil. Add bacon and render the fat right down. You should have crunchy burgundy-coloured bits before you go anywhere else. About 8 mins. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add the mushrooms. Swirl around and coat the mushrooms with the fat, cook for about 10 mins until they wilt and lose some of their moisture. Put chicken thighs into the bag and shake furiously to coat the fowl with the flour. Remove mushrooms and stick in with the bacon. Brown the chicken on both sides, not too brown, just slightly golden. Remove and add to baco-mushroom mixture.
Add the holy trinity of celery, carrot, onion and sweat for 6 mins over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook for a further 4 mins. Deglaze with a splash of red wine. Try to scrape up the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add two cups of the chicken stock and then chuck in the rest of the bottle. Reintroduce the mushrooms, bacon and chicken to the pan, and bring to a boil. Stick it in the oven for about an hour or so.
The meat should be super tender when prodded with a blunt item. Remove the chicken and set aside to rest. Hoist the pan up onto the flat top and set the burner on high. Reduce like crazy. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon before serving.
I like to smear a plate with shiny mashed potato and put the chicken and sauce over the top, sometimes with a nice peppery watercress salad on the side. **My mashed potato recipe (and I know you all have your own) is made by whizzing boiled spuds with a knob of butter, touch of salt, dash of milk, and I can't resist chucking in a couple of cheeky nuggets of garlic. I also go much too far with the electric devices and I don't stop the processing until the potato forms a highly adhesive amorphous sludge. This is what gives it the shine. I drank some more of the Castle Rock with it, and it was good, especially as our boys Park Slope Wine Shop had it at $9 a bottle. Ooh, they are kind.

Roasted Corn Soup with Barbeque Short Ribs

This particular recipe is actually two separate courses rolled into one.

Starting with the short ribs:

- Season ribs with salt and pepper (8 small ribs total will do, approx. 2+ lbs.)
- Add ribs to hot pan with olive oil, searing on all sides until dark, but not burned
- Remove ribs from pan, drain excess oil and add one small, diced onion
- Sweat onion until translucent, about 4-5 minutes
- Add the following ingredients to the onion (I just eye-balled the amounts, so depending on your tastes, do what you want)

1 c. Ketchup
1/4 c. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 c. Worchestershire Sauce
Brown Sugar
Hot Sauce
Cumin
Minced Garlic

- Once these ingredients are mixed thoroughly, add the ribs into the mixture and cover
- Simmer on low heat for at least 90 minutes, flipping ribs every half hour or so. The longer you cook them, the more tender (tenderer?) they'll be
- Remove ribs from the sauce and let cool. Using two forks, pull the meat from the ribs and set aside

If you let the sauce cool for an extended period of time as I did , skim the excess oil and fat from the top once it solidifies. Then reduce the sauce until thick. Make sure to taste it periodically to check on the seasoning and balance of flavors.

Now for the corn soup bit:

- Soak 8 ears of corn in cold water while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Dry off the corn and place on the oven rack
- Roast for about 15-20 minutes or until the kernels start to gain some color
- Let corn cool, then cut the kernels off making sure to get all the 'milk' from the ear

- In a soup pot, add olive oil and sweat down celery, onion, jalapeno and garlic
- Cook for about 8-10 minutes on medium heat
- Add one large roasted red pepper (I roasted it myself, but feel free to use store bought)
- Add all the corn, then 4-5 cups of stock (Chicken or Vegetable will do)
- Bring to a boil, add heavy cream then reduce the heat to low and cover pot
- Simmer for 90 minutes, but as with the ribs, longer is better

Remove from heat, check the seasoning (just salt and pepper will do, but i snuck some ground coriander in as well) and either using a blender or hand blender, blend until smooth. You'll most likely have to strain it further because the corn kernels can get on the grainy side.

Once strained, add the shredded short ribs and garnish with the reduced barbeque sauce and some cilantro.



Based on the recipe, you can see it is a pretty time consuming process. I broke it down into 2 nights, which gave both the soup and ribs time to develop their flavors.

Enjoy......

Lord of the Pies

Ahhh, the Great British pork pie.

I have such fond memories of cracking that sweet crumbly golden crust and biting down for those rich nuggets of perfumed pork. For me, it's one thing that represents the best of old English cooking and it was just that the pork pie was the glorious subject of this post. Mum used to buy them in both individual (for taking to school in a Tupperware lunchbox) and family sizes, perfect for slicing thickly at home to pair up with beans and mustard, or wrapping in brown paper and taking along to the lake for a picnic. They formed a major part of my childhood diet, because I was hand-reared in the North West of England, home to some of the World's finest pork pies.

I now live in New York, a land blessed with some fine pies but they are of the fruit variety. My pangs for meat pies have gone unabated. Another Limey told me about Myers of Keswick, a fine fine Manhattan-based purveyor of all things British and the lad makes his own pies and pasties on the premises. But it's a bit out of the way for this Brooklyn resident, and I decided it was time to get the apron on, get my shit together and knock one up at home. I must admit, I had taken some inspiration from Blogjam's fine attempt who span up a fine example.

I didn't expect the bloody ingredients to cost $40, it may have been cheaper to take a taxi to Myers and buy a month's supply, but that wasn't the point. I wanted to test myself and see what I could manage. I followed this recipe and look at the results....

As you can see from the trail the jelly left, I had some pastry issues. I think it got a bit warm. I was difficult to roll out and line the pan, and removing the bugger from the pie pan caused great cracks to appear and I lost some of the juice, but not all. After a niht in the fridge, the pie 'healed itself' and I was able to slice him open and admire the meaty interior before taking a big bite. It was OK. Not like the pies I used to know, but this was a first run and I shall make some minor improvements to the recipe, the pastry and I'll line the pie pan with paper so I dont' have to tear it apart to remove it. It did form the basis of my diet for about a week. After that, I just couldn't eat any more of it. I was pied out. I put the last quarter on he pavement outside my house and within seconds it had been snaffled.