Mamie Nona's Coq au Vin

No technically my mamie's recipe as a coq (hen) is nowhere to be found. She had scribbled this recipe numerous times, although in latter years she would just talk and I took notes. Whenever I made this dish and proudly let her know, the inevitable question arose: "but did you use a coq"? If I could find a hen I would, as the whole point was to cook and stew these tough old ladies until they became tender and edible. My humble value add to this dish is cutting the pancetta slab into dice rather than cubes. They are still big enough in size to provide nice taste and texture rather than to dominate every mouthful. 

chicken thighs, legs, wings (breast not a high priority)
1-2 onions
1-2 carrots (cut into 1 inch cylinders)
celery stalk

chives

1/4 garlic clove

buttter

light olive oil

bottle of best red wine you're willing to use (on the gutsy side)

3/4 cup home-made chicken stock (I made one from chicken necks last time)
1/4 cup cognac

1 tblsp ruby port
1 clove

half dozen black pepper corns

corn starch
pancetta slab (cut into dice as opposed to cubes)
button mushrooms

1. marinate chicken overnight in red wine, veggies, cognac, pepper and clove
2. take chicken out of fridge an hour before you need them
3. separate chicken and veggies, try to remove moisture by dabbing with paper towel
4. heat up a casserole, add a thumb of butter but mainly oil
5. season chicken generously with pepper and salt
6. when oil is hot, saute chicken pieces skin side down (don't touch them, let skin brown nicely all around)
7. when skin side nicely brown flip around and do the same (making sure they develop a nice color; keep heat at highest possible level without burning the chicken)
8. remove chicken from casserole working in batches if necessary; remove fat and add a small thumb of butter, a little oil and brown the veggies
9. sprinkle with some corn starch, not too much
10. once veggies browned, return chicken to casserole followed by the marinade and chicken stock
11. put in oven 150-160 degrees for about 90 minutes (slower cooking, lower temperature will lead to a more tender chicken)
12. a half hour before the chicken is ready, saute the pancetta dice until nicely rendered, remove and place over paper towel to reduce excess fat; remove excess fat from pan
13. add sliced mushrooms into same pan, with a little bit of butter and oil, salt and pepper until mushrooms are nicely browned; add some minced garlic and mix until they are well cooked and coat the mushrooms; add a little ruby port and continue cooking until liquid is eliminated
14. when chicken is done, gently remove from pot (as it will fall apart), retain the carrots and place aside; strain the sauce through a chinois
15. put chicken and carrots back into casserole with strained sauce, pancetta and mushrooms until heated through
16. serve on a nice, heated while oval platter with minced chives sprinkled over the top

Tonight's Dinner

 A lovely dinner for the Noddins between the holidays.

• Leeks vinaigrette David
• Mozzarella, Cantabrian anchovies, home-made chilli oil
• Beet-stained gravadlax on seed bread & the works: labneh, shallots, chives, lemon zest & oven dried capers
• Robuchon mash with fontina & confit wild mushrooms (souvenir de ma grand-mere)
• Foie gras, slow cooked onion compote on toasted baguette
• Boudin blanc aperitivo style, calvados-flamed & caramelized apples
• Brie de Meaux stuffed with a mix of truffle, Brillat de Savarin & creme-fraiche 
• Herb sald with chicken broth reduction vinaigrette 
• San Sebastian burnt cheesecake

Steak Diane

It took a Steak Diane to re-engage me. Loving what this dish represents: grand old dining devoid of pretension, tired hotel restaurants serviced by life-long devoted staff, in this case more likely an elderly gentleman in bow tie and apron cooking table-side in absolute control of cognac-induced flames, drizzling spoonfuls of sauce in repeated fashion, little by little over delicate little cuts of caramelizing filets. 

beef filets 

sliced brown button mushrooms

1 red onion

2-3 shallots

2 cloves of garlic, mashed to a paste with salt 

fresh tarragon, thyme, parsley, chives

maldon sea salt, ground black pepper

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Madeira

Cognac

1 TBS sour cream

1 TBS dijon mustard

butter

1/3 cup home-made fond de veau or 1/2 cup chicken stock

1. flatten out steaks between parchment paper, to about a half to 2/3 of an inch thick
2. saute onions, followed by shallots and then mushrooms once the latter have caramelized somewhat
3. add salt to draw moisture out of mushrooms, add some (not too much) chopped tarragon and 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
4. when mushrooms have let off their water, add Worcestershire sauce, followed by Madeira and cognac; light the latter and let burn off before reducing sauce gently; add fond de veau or chicken stock, season with salt and pepper to taste
5. caramelize the filets on high heat in a separate pan until desired done-ness, let rest 10 minutes while sauce is reducing
6. right before adding the steaks to the pan with sauce, stir in a little mustard and sour cream until well incorporated, followed by some butter
7. let steaks warm through for no more than a minute to avoid further cooking
8. add a tiny drizzle of cognac and stir through to give a little contrasting bite to the fat
9. serve up on a warm heated platter with chopped chives and parsley on top

 

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

We know that risottos need to creamy and smooth. Typically that's done with butter, but here I've made a mushroom veloute which is both delicious and creamy.

combination of mushrooms, whatever looks good
EVOO
butter
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
garlic
chives
onions
arbrorio
best chicken stock
dried porcini
parmesan

1. soak porcini and eliminate sand
2. put garlic and mushrooms in a pan and saute with some EVOO
3. keep sauteeing until some caramelization sets in
4. deglaze with some what wine
5. add some porcini water to pan
6. season again and whizz up in a blender until you get a smooth veloute
7. saute chopped onions in butter and olive oil in a separate pan until golden but not browned
8. add rice (one handful per person) and let get sticky in pan
9. add white wine and once boiled down, add stock slowly and stir for about 18 minutes
10. toward end, add veloute to rice and fold in gently
11. ready to serve when desired consistency reached

Carta Musica, Bottarga, Chilli

Udon Mentaiko

From my favorite Japanese resto in Hong Kong. Secret recipe so the restaurant will remain nameless!

starch, best quality Udon
mentaiko
good quality vegetable oil
butter
fresh lime
fresh lemon
shiso
korean chilli powder

1. boil udon and save the water; heat oil on low heat, then add mentaiko and butter
2. add udon, turn heat up and add udon water until creamy and rich
3. add a couple of squeezes of lemon and lime
4. once plated, add shiso and chilli powder, as well as some extra mentaiko for garnish

Los Angeles Observations

Oh that blue sky and uplifting optimism that permeates everyone and everything. It'a a pity there's never enough time to sample more. I guess these little teaser trips keep us going back. Only regret is not going to Animal to this time, but still lots of highlights:

• Trois Mecs: luckily got a table, with the standout being the black truffle grilled cheese. 
• Rustic Canyon: our top dish here was better than anything at Trois Mecs: the Clam Pozole Verde
• Gjelina's: what's there not to like about riding your bike from Santa Monica via Venice to Abbot Kinney for lunch at Gjelina's? Highlight was ricotta gnocchi, beluga lentils with squid and salsa verde and the gob-smacking butterscotch pudding with salty caramel.
• Bestia: hugely popular Italian run by a charming young couple who have just gone for it. The gent is Israeli so traces of the Middle East in some of the dishes including the chicken liver which was spread around the interior of a terra cotta bowl like one would do with hummus in Beirut.
• Tasting Kitchen: around the corner from Gjelina's and feeling a little more grown-up. Smart crowd and Med fare not bad at all. Interesting that Jonathan Gold puts Gjelina much lower on his top 101 resto list. Although maybe slightly less refined than Tasting Kitchen, the flavors are gutsier at Gjelina.

Fusilli & Squash

I couldn't resist jotting this down following a quick glimpse of Gennaro's tube channel. How nice it would be to have his little garden terrace overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Don't overdo the rosemary.

freshly-made fusilli pasta
orange squash
red chili
garlic
rosemary
vegetablie stock
olive oil
maldon sea salt

1. cut squash into cubes, about the size of a thumbnail
2. boil water
3. saute garlic in a lighter olive oil, then chili and rosemary (2-3 sprigs for 400 grams of pasta)
4. let develop some color before adding stock
5. cook for about half our or until soft
6. add pasta into when 1-2 minutes short of finish time
7. give a nice stir, add more olive oil (perhaps an extra virgin this time)
8. taste, season and serve

San Sebastian Observations

What a fun time getting re-acquainted with the San Sebastian pintxos scene, 17 years later. Already long the destination for many a foodie, I fear for this little gem's future as second and third waves of mass tourists arrive. The bar food is very much steeped in tradition with only a couple of places going out on the culinary limb. These note are the result of a lot info distillation and even better: first hand visits to all but one. I am ranking the bars in order of food and ambiance. For the food, I've listed dishes in order of delicioso-ness. Ambiance ranks highly if the place and its clients feel local and the bar itself has a good look preferably in its original decorative state (1-10 score for each with top combined score of 20). A recommended itinerary--assuming your capable of a drink in each establishment--would be: Paco Bueno + Txepetxa + Ursola + Borda Berri + Gandara + La Vina for cheesecake (!). Save Cuchara for lunch, starting with Bar Martinez nearby. For a day in Gros, start with Bar Roberto and Ricardo and finish at Bergara.  All bars are in the old town except where indicated.

• Gandara (9+8=17): really good all around place with quality food and tourists. Ceps and egg yolk, gildas, grilled ham and cheese croissants, prawn and cod skewer, jamon croquetas, grilled red peppers, fried guindillas (only late July-early Aug); percebes (a sort of barnacle). Famous for their little spider crab tart but nothing special. A properly chilled Albarino is on hand, perfect accompaniment! Michelle very happy.

• La Vina (8+8=16): one of Godfather Arzak's favorites with great service to match. The cheesecake is a legend with many people in town finishing their night here for dessert. Otherwise award-winning cheese cone (albeit from ages ago), fried cod, meatballs & fries, bellota jamon plate, good Muga (Rioja). 

• Borda Berri (10+7=16): Barcelona chef who deserted Cuchara San Telmo. My favorite modern pintxos place. Kebab of pork rib, "Risotto" with Idiazabal cheese, Salmorejo with smoked bacalao, veal cheek and tomato confit.

• Cuchara San Telmo (10+6=16): great food but the worst-kept secret in town and better to go for lunch. Smug tourists abound. Trailblazers who did away with pintxos, shifting to small, made-to-order dishes. Burrata & clams (maybe my trip favorite), suckling pig, veal cheeks that the Borda Berri chef obviously brought with him.

• Ursola (9+7=16); If you can, stand at the middle table outside as it's a prime spot. High quality food because the chef has some serious credentials. The place to have San Sebastian's hallmark dish: Kokotxas (hake's throat) in pil-pil sauce. They will likely recommend them grilled, but try the classic way first! 

• Haizea (7+9=16): adjacent to the market, one of Godfather's Arzak's favorites from what I understand. They were always happy to open a bottle of Cava because that is what my mama wanted to drink. La Patrone is eager to please and will go out of her way to make their house specialty: salt cod in brick pastry. No need to go for the pintxos on the bar! 

• Bar Bergara (8+8=16):  the ambiance score is relatively high not due to decor but local clientele, just up the street from Bar Ricardo and Bar Roberto.  Fresh and well-presented, modern touch. Stand-out pintxos is the tomato "hamburger" with dates (vegetarian). In Gros.

• Txepetxa (8+7=15):  only anchovies on toast served here, plus an excellent gilda. The toppings are great, but it's the perfect texture of the baguette that got me the most. Three favorite toppings were spider crab, sea urchin cream and black olive. The jardiniere garnish also excellent!

• Bar Roberto (5+10=15): off the beaten track in Gros, specializing in Vermut with a couple of stand-out pintxos. Roberto is a professional. He's been there forever and I have a feeling he will still be there many years from now. Dried bonito & tomato on toast, smoked eel with seaweed on toast. In Gros.

• Bar Ricardo (5+10=15):  just across the street from Bar Roberto and tad more local. The place for croquetas jamon. His vermu includes a secret sauce including a mixture of campari, angostura bitters and Picon (super cool). In Gros.

• Paco Bueno (4+11=15): hands down the best ambiance in the old town hence the cheeky score of 11. Crazy and crude, just like the Spain we love. In business since 1950 doing the same darn thing year in, year out. The only thing to get here is prawn in batter. Just have one otherwise your appetite will be shot!

• Casa Valles (5+10=15): home of the original Gildas! The only thing I had, as most of the food on offer seemed average. More of an institution and very local by San Sebastian standards, hence the 10 score. In the Center.

• Bar Martinez (7+7=14): feeling pretty local even if on the tourist strip. The salmon mousse with home-made mayo on baguette slice my favorite here. Oh and the tuna-stuffed pepper with tartare sauce.

• Bar Tambril (5+7=12): a nice enough place with great location on Playa Constitucion but the main reason to go is the "anchovy in tempura".

• Bar Nestor (7+4=11): a tourist trap although apparently very good at the three things they focus on: grilled rib chop, tomato salad and the coveted tortilla. Chinese clamouring around the door at opening for first seats at the bar was enough to move on the next place. The only place I didn't sample on this list but wanted to score it anyway!

• Fuega Negro (7+4=11): tries to be Brooklyn but struggles, although had some very good fried chicken, hamburger sliders and house-made pastrami excellent. A daring place by local, more conservative standards.

Grilled Mozz & Anchovy Toasts

Why didn't I think of this before?

nice quality baguette
anchovies in oil
chili sauce (not tobasco)
mozzarella

1. slice and slightly grill bread (only slightly otherwise the bread will have burned before the mozzarella melts)
2. place mozzarella and anchovy slice, with a drop of chili sauce
3. grill until cheese starts to bubble, serve right away

Tonight's Dinner

A delicious Japanese-inspired supper tonight. Except for the mozzarella and anchovy toasts which I got from Boca di Lupo's Kenedy.

• grilled mozzarella & anchovy toasts
• rosemary-garlic olive oil crudo (sashimi-grade red snapper, sweet prawns, squid)
• spaghettini & mentaike
• Fuji apples

Foie Gras Ginger Macaroon

Just had this little beauty at Le Bouton in Nishi-Azabu. And that was just the first nibble. Then came a delicate salad of grated vegetables and crab, then a sale de porc and watercress salad, followed by a chocolat fondant and pistachio ice cream. Impec.

1. make macaron with ginger
2. find best quality bloc or torchon de foie gras
3. slice a square of foie gras and insert between the two macarons

Daniel Rose's Creme Caramel

I think the best creme caramel that I have had, from Daniel Rose's La Bourse et La Vie in the 1st. Congrats to this American chap for bringing back the classics in this sweet little bistro near the Passage Vivienne. 

1 whole egg

7 egg yolks

150 gr sugar

2 vanilla pods

1/2 liter creme liquide (light cream)

1/2 liter whole milk

caramel: 200 gr sugar

1. heat oven 115 degrees C
2. prepare caramel with the sugar and 4 tblsp of water; when finished pour into some ramekins then place all of the latter into water filled pan
3. mix egg, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean contents; add the cream and milk and pour through a sieve
4. pour into 8 separate ramekins and put the pan in the oven; cook 35-40 mins until the cremes are solid
5. let cool and then place in the fridge for around 12 hours, de-mold and serve

Tomato Risotto

This has fast become Manou's favorite. I made it for family last night adding a couple of extra touches including topping off the rissoto with some confit cherry tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella on the side.  Fast becoming one of my favorites too! This recipe is good for 5-6 people.

1.5-2 cups arborio (or other quality risotto rice)
2-3 young garlic cloves, minced
1 white onion, minced
1 cup white wine
4-5 cups heated best vegetable stock you can make or buy
1 cup good quality Italian tomato passata
2-3 tblsp butter
1 cup parmesan
fresh basil
EVOO
maldon sea salt, ground black pepper
best quality cherry tomatoes, different colors of possible
buffalo mozzarella

1. slice cherry tomatoes in two, toss in a little EVOO, salt & pepper and minced garlic, place in a small dish in the oven and cook at 120 for 1-2 hours or 150 for 1 hour.
2. saute garlic and onions in EVOO and season, do not let brown
3. when translucent and soft, add rice
4. stir rice, allow it to toast ever so slightly but make sure it does not stick to pan
5. turn heat up, add wine and allow to evaporate before adding stock
6. keep adding stock slowly as rice cooks
7. after about 8 minutes cooking, add half of the passata
8. keep stirring as passata will stick
9. when rice is to your liking and to ensure smoothness, add a bit more stock, remaining butter and parmesan, torn basil leaves (additional broth needed to absorb the parmesan, or else the risotto becomes too stiff), do a quick stir and put a lid on the risotto for about 1-2 minutes
10. serve with confit tomatoes on top, some grated parmesan, extra drizzle of EVOO and mozzarella on the side

Tonight's Dinner

Our second proper dinner party in our new home. This time with our neighbors Jean, his visiting sister and Christophe, as well as Maki and her boyfriend. Six hours around the table suggests that it was a fine meal with good conversation.

• tarama tacos with mooli
• speck, prune and candied walnut
• beet tartare on chips
• crudites of carottes rapees, celeri remoulade, concombre yoghurt curry
• foie gras & pain viennois, dates
• shitake & chestnut veloute
• saucisses & lentils, salsa verde
• French cheese, selection Jean & Christophe
• Japanese strawberries

Archies' Avo on Toast

Seemed like Melbourne was going crazy about Avocado on toast. We had a truly spectacular one at Archie's every morning. Now that is a breakfast place.  The deal clincher on this one is the sumac and dukkah.

toasted peasant bread (or corn/rice cake for me)

best ripe avocado

best EVOO

squeeze of lemon

sumac

home-made dukkah (easy!)

maldon sea salt

torn mint leaves to taste

torn parsley

feta cheese cubes (we go for cow feta)

home-made chilli sauce (preferably using a couple of different rehydrated dried Mexican chillies)

1. toast your bread, preferably over grill
2. place toast on plate, plump avocado chunks haphazardly on the toast
3. dress with lemon, salt, EVOO
4. sprinkle generously with sumac and dukkak, then herbs and finally with feta to taste

Gildas via Builders Arms

The most memorable taste bomb from Melbourne, from the Builder's Arms on Gertrude Street. Here, the usual anchovy, olive and guindilla are spared the toothpick and rest gently on a toast.

sourdough, sliced into thin diagnols
best quality anchovies
guindillas (pickled green chillies)
home-made aioli

Tapenade
120 gr pitted green olives
1/4 clove garlic
70 gr blanched, toasted almonds
5 gr preserved lemon
50 g parsley, chopped
100 ml EVOO

1. put all the tapenade ingredients in a blender, slowly adding EVOO
2. brush baguette slices with EVOO and grill lightly on each side
3. spread tapenade on each slice of grilled bread
4. top each with anchovy swirled around a chilli
5. spoon aioli on toast after platter is brought to the table

Tonight's Dinner

The Slawson's deserved this delightful little dinner for making the effort to come and visit the Richters! Was thinking of making smoked haddock on polenta with pesto, but too much.

• Speck & robiolo, dates & walnut
• Pan carasau, mozzarella, salted anchovy, lemon zest
• Grilled octopus & pesto
• Leek vinaigrette David
• Nduja & crab tagliolini
• Braised oxtail and pan-fried scallop, reduced balsamic
• Mixed greens, toasted hazelnuts & parmesan
• Compte, tangerine mostarda
• almond cookies

Venice Observations

Staying at Venissa in Mazzorbo made our trip to Venice "in August" a lot more bearable.  Toby, thanks for some of these suggestions, all good!

• Gatto Nero (Burano): famous for its seafood risotto, it does not disappoint. Lovely service and local crowd in the evening, far from the tourist crazies.
• Cipriani (Torcello): the vegetable risotto here was divine, a fine and civilized setting indeed, especially if you're able to arrive at the doorstep by vaporetto.
• Trattoria Antiche Carampane (San Polo): everyone loves this place, rightly so.
• Osteria alle Testiere (Castello): foodie hang out, ie calamari and cardoons...
• Vini di Arturo (San Marco) Calle Degli Assassini

Tonight's Dinner

A lovely dinner with visiting Virginie. My Morito cookbook is getting a lot of my love lately. Virginie brought a sensational Amarone-like Rioja from Vina Tondonia.

• toothpick: olive, anchovy, pickled green chile, sweet picked onion
• pan carasau, robiola and nduja sandwich 
• beetroot borani , dill & feta
• grape compote and yoghurt