If You're Afraid of Butter, Use Cream...

The above is one of my favorite quotes from Julia Child, one of the gutsiest broads to ever hoist a meat cleaver. (and I use that term lovingly)

On August 15th of this year, Julia would have turned 100 years old and I'd like to think would still be cooking.
In the 100 days leading up to Julia's birthday, the JC100 is celebrating this culinary powerhouse and her recipes.  Each week, a new recipe is featured and this weeks offering was Coq au Vin...  one of my all time favorites.

I remember watching Julia & Jacques and loved her candor and fearless approach to cooking.  She made it seem fun and most importantly, possible.  She had a way of walking her audience through a recipe that made complex dishes seem effortless and isn't that all we really want? To feel like anything is possible?

Her sing-song voice demonstrated her unmistakable excitement for what she was doing, especially when butter was involved.  She made no apologies for anything, especially her occasional mishaps in the kitchen.   For example, you dropped the chicken?  No big deal, pick it up & rinse it off!   I loved that.  It was like being told, it's ok if it all doesn't go perfectly as planned...  just keep cooking.

Her contributions to cooking and bringing knowledge of French cooking to the American public are unparalleled.  She was truly one of a kind. 

This is my all time favorite quote and precisely why I can relate to her... 

“The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appétit. ”
― Julia Child


Coq au Vin

• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds frying-chicken parts (roughly 1 whole chicken, cut up)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups sliced onion
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 - 2 large cloves of garlic, pureed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/3 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes
• 3 cups young red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• beurre manie for the sauce: (1 1/2 tbsp each flour and softened butter blended to a paste)
• chopped parsley
• 3 cups fresh mushrooms, trimmed, quartered and sauteed
• 1/2 cup bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips (original recipe calls for bacon to be blanched, however I like the saltiness of the bacon so I omitted this step)

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, saute the bacon and remove to a side dish, leaving the fat in the pan.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Brown the chicken in the pork fat, adding a little olive oil if necessary.  Remove and set aside.
4. Add the onions into the pan and saute over moderate heat until fairly tender, then raise the heat slightly to brown lightly.  Drain to remove excess fat.
5. Return chicken to the pan with the onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, tomato and mushrooms.
6. Pour in the wine and enough stock to barely cover and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.
7. Remove chicken from pan and spoon surface fat off the cooking juices.   
8. Taste the mushroom/onion cooking juices, boil down if it needs strength, adding seasoning if necessary.  Off heat, whisk in beurre manie to make a lightly thickened sauce.  Bring briefly to a simmer- the sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
9. Return chicken to pan, basting with sauce, onions and mushrooms.

* I always serve this over lightly buttered egg noodles, it goes perfectly with the sauce.  You could also serve it with rice or to avoid starch completely, serve with a green salad.

Excerpted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. Copyright © 1989 by Julia Child. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

Praise the Braise...

It's no secret that winter is my least favorite season, however it does get serious bonus points for the kind of cooking that it ushers in... the braise!  Culinary comfort, the only real benefit of freezing temperatures.

Braises are perfect for winter.  It's a long, slow process (which is how winter feels to me) and it is usually comfort food cooking.   What is a "braise" exactly?   In its most basic definition, it's cooking something (usually meat) in a liquid (usually stock, wine or a combination thereof) for a long period of time on a low heat.  Most often, braises are tough cuts of meat that benefit from long, slow cooking turning them into the most succulent and flavorful of meals.

Another benefit of braising is,  it's easy.  Many braises are one-pot meals, some with a side of starch (and we all know how I love that...) which means you aren't left with an entire sink of dirty dishes, something else I can really appreciate.

I have a particular pot that I use for braises, it is a Le Creuset enameled cast-iron pot.  I have had this pot for almost 15 years.  It has made hundreds of meals and looks almost the same as the day I bought it.   This is one very good example of "you get what you pay for".   These are expensive, but it is something you only buy once.

I wanted to do a post about braising and was searching for short ribs that would make the cut.  It took some time, but I found locally raised organic meat with beautiful marbling and so in went the ribs... deciding what to put with them was easy.  I had been craving rutabaga, which I know is not something you hear everyday, so once I had my veggies I was ready to get this braise going.


Braised Short Ribs with Rutabaga Parsnip Puree

• 6 beef short ribs
• 1 large red onion, cut into large dice
• 1 large Spanish onion, cut into large dice
• 4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
• canola oil
• all-purpose flour
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
• 1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
• 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3/4 - 1 cup milk

1. In a heavy ovenproof pot,  add enough oil to your pot to reach 1/4 inch up the side and heat over high heat.

2. Put about a cup of flour on a plate and add a little salt and pepper to it, mix it with your fingers and dredge the short ribs in the flour.  Shake off the excess flour and set aside.

3.  When the oil is hot,  carefully add the ribs to the pot and brown on all sides.  You may have to do this in two batches; you don't want to crowd them or they won't brown properly.  Remove the ribs from the oil and set on a plate lined with paper towel.  (This can be done a day ahead if you are pressed for time; cover and refrigerate until ready to braise)

4.  Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  Pour out the oil and add the onions.  Saute on medium heat until softened and beginning to caramelize.  Add a big pinch of salt and a few turns of the pepper grinder and stir.  Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 more minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook for another few minutes.

5.  Put the ribs back into the pot.  Add the bay leaves, garlic, wine and stock.  Season with a few pinches of salt and a few more turns of the pepper grinder.  Bring the pot to a simmer, cover and slide into the oven for 4 hours.

6.  Remove the pot from the oven and allow the ribs to cool slightly, uncovered.  Remove the ribs and set aside.  Remove bay leaves and discard.

7.   Skim the fat from the surface, then puree the braising liquid and vegetables to make a gravy.  Put the short ribs back in and keep warm.

8.  Bring water to a boil in a large pot.  Add rutabaga and boil for 5 minutes.  Add the potato and parsnips and continue boiling until tender.

9. Drain and put back into pot on low flame to help remove some of the water from the vegetables.  Add milk and butter and beat with an electric mixer until consistency of mashed potato.  Season with salt and pepper.

Braised Short Ribs on a puree of Rutabaga & Parsnip

*It may not be the most beautiful of plates, but it is guaranteed to be delicious.

Stir the Pot...

Risotto is one of those foods that require demand a long, leisurely approach.  On a cold winter afternoon when the wind is blowing outside and the last thing I want to do is brave the cold, THIS is the kind of food that happily keeps me indoors and in front of the stove.

This is comfort food on every conceivable level. On days when you need a bit of a mental break, I whole-heartedly recommend making risotto... 20 minutes of stirring while you lovingly watch the pot of rice in front transform into something ethereal you can be just what you need.

The whole key to risotto is the slow process allowing the creaminess of the rice to come out and that can only be achieved by not rushing it.  Knowing this going into it makes the constant stirring a welcome change of pace from the frenzied dinner preparation most of us normally experience.

Don't let the thought of the stirring deter you from making this,  it really isn't more than a bit of pouring in stock and stirring for the better part of the cooking.  Some people find it a bit off-putting to be tethered to a stove for a period of time,  but if you have children that are a little older have them do the stirring for you.  Getting your kids involved in the kitchen is the best way for them to learn.

As always, having everything ready to go (or your mis-en-place) will make things go smoother so measure out the ingredients before you start the rice.

Butternut Squash Risotto

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced small (1/4 inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cups chicken stock, homemade is best but if you buy it get the best quality you can find
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 10 ounces Arborio rice (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

1. Before we get started,  a word about the wine...  When you cook with wine, it doesn't need to be expensive, but it does need to be good.  Always cook with something you would drink, the food will reflect it if you do otherwise.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the diced butternut squash with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and a few turns of the mill of fresh black pepper.  Lay the butternut squash out on a sheet pan in a single layer and roast in the oven for about 20 - 25 minutes until very tender and slightly caramelized. Set aside.
3. Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan.  Leave it on low heat, it needs to stay warm as you add it to the rice.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and saute the shallots on low - medium heat for about 10 minutes until the shallots are translucent. Add the sage and let it perfume the butter.  Add the rice and stir to slick the grains of rice with the butter.
5. Add the wine and cook for 2 -3 minutes, then add 2 ladles of simmering stock to the pot.  Season again with a little salt & pepper.   We're building flavor here, so we need to season as we go...  Give it a good stir, let it simmer and keep stirring until stock is absorbed, about 5 - 10 minutes.
6. When stock has been absorbed, add in 2 more ladles and stir frequently until the stock is absorbed and rice is cooked through, but still al dente.  (about 30 minutes).
7. Remove from heat, add Parmesan cheese and roasted squash.  Stir to combine and serve.

Mangia!

Get this Girl a Drink.

Summertime is for enjoying time outside with friends and family, both of which are on their way to stay with me at this very moment.  To get the festivities underway, I've made a Summer Sangria.  It's light & fruity without being overly sweet.

It is quick & easy to make and because it's made by the pitcher you aren't stuck making drinks all night for your guests.

This sangria goes well with any BBQ food, try it the next time you find yourself outside with the people you love.



Summer Sangria

• 1 bottle white wine  (I like Pinot Grigio or a white Rioja, but use whatever is on hand)
• 1/2 liter seltzer
• 3/4 can peach nectar (11.5 fl oz)
• 1 cup simple syrup
• 1 peach, cut into chunks
• 2 plums, cut into chunks

1. For the simple syrup, combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar.  Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Cool.
2. Combine the rest of your ingredients in a pitcher, give it a good stir and refrigerate.
3. Cheers!

Is Dinner Ready Yet?

One of the things most of us feel we never have enough of (besides money) is time.  Being at work at an obscenely early hour and not returning home until 10 hours later, I rarely feel I can take a leisurely approach to dinner.

Most people say to me "I'm sure the last thing you feel like doing when you get home is cooking" and sometimes they're right,  but a girl's gotta eat...

A common misconception with people who may not have Chefs in their lives is that we come home and make seared foie gras.  Hardly...
Like teachers, fireman, etc. most chefs do it for the love of the job.  Being a chef isn't always a lucrative gig.

One thing a chef learns quickly when creating a menu is food costs.  This translates well into our own kitchens, because like i just said, we aren't all Tom Colicchio or Mario Batali with restaurant empires.

Dinner most nights needs to be quick, not terribly expensive, good for me and most of all NOT leave a mess of dishes to clean up.  If there is one chore I LOATHE it's washing dishes.

Here's one of my old favorites that fits the bill quite nicely:

En papillote is a french term that basically describes cooking something (gently) in parchment paper.  Using aluminum foil yields the same results and is much easier to work with.

This recipe is for a single serving, so multiply it by the number of people you'll be serving.  Each person gets their own little package to open.

For this you will need:
1 piece of aluminum foil,  approximately 18 inches in length
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast or a filet of your favorite fish, season with salt & pepper
1 shallot, finely sliced
1/2 glass white wine
a handful of mushrooms
1 TB butter
1/4 c. frozen peas
1 sprig fresh thyme
a small baking sheet

First, fold the foil in half length-wise and fold up the two sides so that you have a "pocket". Make sure to fold sides two or three times to prevent leaks.
Lay the chicken or fish inside the pocket then add the veggies, wine, thyme sprig and butter.   Fold the top edge like the sides to seal it and gently transfer it to a baking sheet.  This is a precautionary measure in case the package does leak it will be contained.
Place baking sheet on middle rack in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Transfer package onto plate and break open!  Dinner is ready.