May The Stars Light Your Way
On Saturday, June 23, 2007, Wendy & I dined at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. It had been a while since we’d eaten there (once in February with the HAPPY MOUTH SUPPER CLUB; before that, the last time Wendy & I dined there alone was September 2006),…
                     -= Exported from BigOven =-                     Chestnut And Chocolate Cake This classic unbaked “cake” is for people who like dense, assertive chocolate desserts. It’s super-easy — requiring only moments to combine the ingredients — and extremely rich. Cans of pureed chestnuts flavored with vanilla…
                     -= Exported from BigOven =-
                        Braised Lamb Shanks
This is without a doubt the most requested recipe I’ve ever created. Lamb shanks are one of the cuts of meat that benefit most from long, slow braising. Don’t omit the step of turning the shanks every half hour; it causes them to caramelize even as they braise. If the braising liquid seems too reduced at the end of the cooking process, stir 1 cup of water into the liquid before straining. Demi-glace is veal stock that has been reduced by half. High-quality prepared versions are available at gourmet shops. Serve this with any full-bodied red wine.
Serve this with Soft Polenta, Tomato-Thyme Risotto, Potato Puree, or Roasted Garlic and White Bean Puree.
Recipe By: GlobalGourmet.com
Serving Size: 6
Cuisine: French
Main Ingredient: Lamb
Categories: Lamb, Main Dish
-= Ingredients =-
6 ea Lamb Foreshanks
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
to taste Coarse Salt
to taste Freshly-Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 ea ribs Celery ; Roughly Chopped
1 ea Carrot ; Roughly Chopped
1 ea large Spanish Onion ; Roughly Chopped
1/2 cup Tomato Paste
5 ea sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 ea Bay Leaf
1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
1 ea whole Garlic ; Cut In Half
1 bottle Red Wine ; Shiraz Is Nice
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 cup Demi-Glace ; or 2 Cups Veal Stock
2 cups Chicken Stock
~~ GARNISH ~~
8 ounces Pearl Onions ; Peeled and stem end removed
3 ounces Sugar
3/4 cup Water
8 ounces Button Mushrooms
3 ounces Bacon Lardons
-= Instructions =-
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Season the lamb shanks liberally with salt and pepper. With a sharp knife, cut about 1 inch from the bottom (narrow end) of the shank bones down to the bone and all the way around; this will help expose the bone while cooking. Set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion to the pot. Cook until very soft, 8-10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes until nicely browned.
Add the thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and garlic. Cook another 2-3 minutes.
Add the red and white wine, vinegar, and sugar, raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to medium and add the demi-glace (or veal stock) and chicken stock. Leave over medium heat while you brown the shanks.
Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, brown the shanks well in the remaining 1/2 cup oil on both sides, about I minute for each of 3 sides. Use tongs to flip them over.
Transfer the shanks to a roasting pan and pour the stock mixture on top. Cover with aluminum foil or a lid and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook for another 3 hours, TURNING THE SHANKS OVER EVERY HALF HOUR until the meat is very soft. (Can be prepared to this point up to one day in advance. If preparing ahead, skim fat from sauce, bring meat to room temperature, and reheat in a medium oven.)
While the shanks are cooking, prepare the GARNISH.
Remove the shanks from the braising liquid and strain the liquid. Skim any fat that rises to the surface and use the liquid as a sauce.
GARNISH:Put the peeled and trimmed pearl onions into a medium pan. Mix sugar into water and add this mixture to the onions. Cover with a round of parchment paper. Put onions over medium-high heat and cook down, shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions are a rich, roasted color and are soft.
In a seperate pan, render the lardons and cook the button mushrooms in the bacon fat over medium heat until cooked through and tender.
Dress the plate with a few pearl onions and mushrooms.
** This recipe can be pasted into BigOven without retyping.    **
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On Saturday, June 16, 2007, I worked in the kitchens of Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. It was a good evening to work — the Chef de Cuisine and one of the line cooks were both out. Adequate plans for coverage were made, though — the sous…
Since stumbling upon Counterscript some time ago, I have been on a relentless campaign against telemarketers that enter my home through the telephone. My campaign is called “Reactive Telemarketing”. Whenever a telemarketer calls, I immediately begin asking them questions as listed on the Counterscript (though…
June 11-June 17 2007 was 7 DAYS FOR SIDS week in the Cincinnati area. SIDS is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which is the number one cause of death for infants aged one week to one year. 7 DAYS FOR SIDS was founded by Jean-Robert de Cavel and his wife, Annette following the tragic death of their baby daughter Tatiana to SIDS on June 13 2002.
Money raised from 7 DAYS FOR SIDS benefits the Sudden Infant Death Network of Ohio by providing research, education, and parental support as well as the Tatiana de Cavel Scholarship Fund at the Midwest Culinary Institute. The mission of the Sudden Infant Death Network of Ohio is to work towards the reduction and eventual elimination of SIDS through a multidisciplinary approach of: the promotion of infant health and wellness, community outreach, education, and medical research. In addition, the Sudden Infant Death Network is dedicated to providing supportive services to those who have been affected by the loss of a child, age 2 and under, from a Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) or Other Infant Death (OID).
I was proud to serve on the planning committee this year after working at the event as a volunteer for the past couple years. Besides a fair amount of behind-the-scenes work, I participated in a significant way in two of the signature events: Chefapalooza and the Fathers’ Day Champagne Brunch and Silent Auction.
Chefapalooza was held at the Midwest Culinary Institute (MCI) at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College on Tuesday, June 12, 2007. While the guests arrived and enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, I performed the role of Kitchen Manager, overseeing & assisting with production of the food items used for the chef demos and served to the guests, in addition to liaisoning between the guest chefs and the students of Midwest Culinary Institute. Wendy joined as a volunteer in the front of the house after her workday. She greeted guests, helped them to their seats, and passed out programs before the demos. The chef demos were presented by the very entertaining team of Jean-Robert de Cavel and David Cook, followed by a demo by Nathalie Dupree, our celebrity guest for the evening. Ms. Dupree cooked a couple dishes from her new book, Nathalie Dupree’s Shrimp & Grits Cookbook. After the demos, guests were brought back to the Summit Room, MCI’s teaching-restaurant space to sample the items the chefs had created. I assisted by motivating the back of house staff, re-stocking food and serviceware, and with serving food. Though she wasn’t dressed for it, Wendy was pressed into service helping Jean-Robert work through the crowd that gathered at his food station. Attendance at this event was good (though a bit lighter than in previous years) and donations poured in, in no small part from sales of autographed copies of Ms. Dupree’s book, the proceeds of which she generously donated back to SIDS.
The second signature event Wendy & I worked on was the Father’s Day Brunch & Silent Auction. Held in the beautiful private dining rooms of Union Terminal, this event attracted more than 200 guests to sample the brunch offerings of lots of Cincinnati-area restaurants, enjoy belly dancers, quaff champagne, and bid on more than 100 items in our silent auction. Wendy & I arrived at 10:00am to assist with load-in and setup, and ran pretty much non-stop until we had to leave for a family obligation.
The reports are still being tallied and the proceeds counted, but we believe that with all the events of the week, 7 DAYS FOR SIDS has raised in the neighborhood of $90,000 this year — a tremendous success. While that amount isn’t a lot in terms of modern scientific research, we are hopeful that the cure for SIDS will be found with this money. Because without SIDS, everyone will sleep better.
                      -= Exported from BigOven =-                 Roasted Garlic and White Bean Puree Roasted garlic and thyme turn plain white beans into a perfect accompaniment for robust lamb. A little cream gives the puree a rich flavor and a pleasing texture. For an even…