When traditions divide

I've grown up eating Connecticut-style lobster rolls, which means still-warm cooked lobster and butter served on toasted hot dog buns. To most of my New England friends, this is pure blasphemy. Only recently have I had the cold, Maine-style and I will admit really enjoying it. Allow me to share and have you decide for yourself.

Maine Lobster Rolls

serves 6

3 cups cooked lobster meat, picked over (1.25 lb cooked lobster = 1 cup of meat)

3 celery ribs, diced

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¾ cup mayonnaise

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 Tb fresh lemon juice

½ tsp paprika

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 side-sliced hot dog rolls

2 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temp

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Put the lobster meat, celery, and parsley in a large bowl.
3. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl and mix well. Fold into the lobster and mix well again.
4. Toast the hot dog rolls in the oven or toaster oven until golden brown, being careful not to burn them. Spread them with butter, if desired. Spoon some of the lobster salad into each roll and serve at once.

Jolly green goodness

Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette's Asparagus Risotto

serves 4-6

5 Tbs butter or olive oil

1 medium-size onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 cup cut-up asparagus, sliced 1-in long

2 cups Arborio rice or other rice of your preference

5 cups boiling water or vegetable broth

1 bouillon cube

1 cup dry white wine

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ tsp thyme

½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

additional grated cheese for the table

Melt the butter in a havy, good-sized saucepan. Add the onion, celery, and asparagus. Sauté them lightly for about 3 minutes or until they begin to wilt. Add more butter or oil if necessary. Add the rice and stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes until it becomes well coated and begins to change color slightly. Add the boiling water gradually while stirring continually. Add the bouillon cube and wine and continue stirring. Midway into the cooking, add the salt, pepper, and thyme and continue stirring until the rice is cooked. When the rice is cooked, add the grated cheese and stir vigorously until is is all absorbed and incorporated into the rice. Serve the risotto hot and place additional grated cheese on the table.

Coscia di agnello “sette colli di roma”

Roman Leg of Lamb

from Maxine Clark’s Italian Kitchen

serves 6

3 lb. leg of lamb

2 Tbs olive oil

10 juniper berries

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 oz. salted anchovy fillets, boned and rinsed, or canned anchovies

1 Tb freshly chopped rosemary

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 fresh bay leaves

1¼ cups dry white wine

a few sprigs of thyme

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim the lamb of any excess fat. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish, add the lamb (should fit snugly), and brown it all over. Remove and cool quickly. Crush 6 of the juniper berries, the garlic, anchovies, and chopped rosemary with a mortar and pestle. Stir in the vinegar and mix to a paste. Using a small, sharp knife, make many small incisions into the lamb. Spread the paste all over the meat, working it into the incisions, then season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Put the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves in the casserole dish and set the lamb on top. Pour in the wine. Crush the remaining juniper berries and add to the lamb, then add the thyme. Cover, bring to a boil on top of the stove, then braise in the preheated oven for 1 hour, turning the lamb every 20 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400ºF. Roast, uncovered, for another 45 minutes or until browned – the lamb should be very tender and cooked through.

Transfer the lamb to a serving dish and keep it warm. Skim off the fat from the pan, then boil the sauce, adding a little water if necessary and scraping up the sediment. Season with salt and pepper if necessary and serve with the lamb. 

Better off roasted

Most people despise Brussels sprouts and others tolerate them when there doused in duck fat or shredded and tossed with bacon bits and pine nuts. Here's another option for avoiding the mean grimaces and groans:


Roasted Brussels Sprouts
(serves 2-3)


1 lb Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
3-4 Tbs evoo
salt and pepper
1 Tb honey
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
2-3 tsp sriracha (rooster) sauce
roasted sesame seeds


Preheat oven to 400º. Toss sprouts in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side-down on a roasting tray in a single layer, allowing some space between them. Roast for 2-3 minutes (if on the large size, an extra minute or two), until browned on the bottom side. Remove and let cool. Mix the honey, lime juice and sriracha with a whisk and adjust blend for taste. Toss Brussels sprouts with sauce in a bowl. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Wishing it were July

Steve Raichlen's North Carolina Pulled Pork, Vinegar Sauce, and Coleslaw

from Steve Raichlen's BBQ USA, pp. 235-239

(serves 20-24)

Ingredients:
1 fresh ham (16-18 lbs)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Eastern North Carolina--Style Vinegar Sauce (recipe follows)
20-24 hamburger buns
North Carolina-Style Coleslaw (page 239) 

You'll also need:
6-8 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory), soaked for 1 hr in water to cover, then drained

1. Generously, and I mean generously, season the ham all over with salt and pepper. You'll need 3-4 tablespoons of each. 

2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-low. If using a gas grill, place 3 cups of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-low. 

3. When ready to cook, place the ham, skin side up, in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the ham until darkly browned on the outside and cooked through and very tender inside, 7-8 hours. To test for doneness, use an instant-read meat thermometer: The internal temperature of the ham should be about 195 degrees F. (Yes, this is very well-done - that's how you get meat tender enough to pull.) If the ham starts to brown too much (and it probably will), cover it loosely with aluminum foil, but remember that those browned bits are good, too. If using a gas grill, after 3 hrs add 3 more cups of wood chips or chunks. To do this, remove the ham from the grill and add the wood chips or chunks to the smoker box or replace the smoker pouch with a new one. Run the grill on high until you see smoke, reduce the heat to medium-low, then return the ham to the grate. 

4. Transfer the cooked ham to a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, let it rest for 20 minutes, then pull off any skin and finely chop it up with a cleaver. Pull the pork into large pieces, discarding any bones or lumps of fat (you'll probably want to wear latex gloves or even heavy-duty insulated rubber gloves to do this). Using your fingertips or a fork, pull each piece of ham into thin shreds. Or use a cleaver to finely chop it. Transfer the ham to a large aluminum foil pan and stir in 3 cups of the vinegar sauce - enough to keep the meat moist, If you are not quite ready to serve, cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on a warm - not hot - grill or in an oven turned on low to keep warm. 

5. To serve, have your guests mound the ham onto hamburger buns. Top the coleslaw and let everyone add additional vinegar sauce to taste.

Variations: 
If the prospect of cooking a 15- to 18-pound chunk of ham intimidates you, a 5-pound pork shoulder or Boston butt is equally tasty fixed this way. It will feed up to a dozen people. If you use one of these, it will take 4-6 hrs to grill. 

Eastern North Carolina-Style Vinegar Sauce
Ingredients:
5 cups distilled white vinegar
3 tblsp salt, or more to taste
3 tblsp sugar
3 tblsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tblsp hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste 
3 tblsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Texas Pete

Put the vinegar, salt, sugar, black pepper, hot red pepper  flakes, and hot sauce in a large nonreactive bowl, add 1 cup of water, and whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve. Or, place the ingredients in a large jar and shake to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or hot red pepper flakes as necessary. The sauce can be refrigerated for several weeks. Bring it to room temperature before using. 

North Carolina-Style Coleslaw
Makes 6-8 cups.
Ingredients:
1 large head green or savoy cabbage (2-1/2 to 3 lbs)
1-1/2 cups Eastern North Carolina-Style Vinegar Sauce (at left), more to taste
Salt (optional) 

1. Remove the core from the cabbage and discard it. Cut the cabbage into 8 chunks. Finely chop the cabbage in a food processor using the metal blade and pulsing the motor (this is a chopped, not sliced or slivered, slaw). Work in several batches so as not to overcrowd the processor bowl. 

2. Place the cabbage in a large non-reactive bowl and stir in the vinegar sauce. Taste for seasoning, adding more vinegar as necessary. Let stand for 10 minutes, then taste again, adding more vinegar sauce and/or salt as necessary. The coleslaw can be made up to 4 hrs ahead. Store it in the refrigerator, covered. 

Needing mango?

Mango Salsa

1 large very ripe mango
1 medium red onion
1 red chili (deseeded, if you must)
1 small bunch coriander leaves
lime juice (to taste)
salt, pepper

Peel the mango, cut the flesh carefully off the core and reserve, then discard the bone. Cut into half-centimetre dice, finely chop the onion, chili and cilantro and season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. Leave to macerate in the fridge for at least half an hour, overnight if you can.

April Grilling

Continuing on the tropical theme, I share a rice dish that deserves trying. You'll need to break out the grill for this one, but doing so will only encourage the spring weather to finally arrive. This comes from the cookbook by chef Rafael Palomino of Pacifico in New Haven, CT.


Grilled Pineapple Coconut Rice
(Rafael Palomino, Pacifico)
about 2.5 cups

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 10-in-wide
slices for grilling
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp cream of coconut
4.25 cups coconut milk
Juice of 1/2 lime
5 fresh mint leaves, stacked, rolled, and cut into fine shreds
2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Light the grill. Grill pineapple until browned on both sides, 3-5 min. When cool enough to handle, cut slices into 1/4-in dice. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, ginger, cream of coconut, and
1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Stir in the lime juice and mint leaves. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a medium heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid, heat the 4 remaining cups of coconut milk to just about a boil. Pour in the rice, stir, and bring to a boil again. Cover and reduce the heat to very low. Let cook, undisturbed (though may need water if dry), until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked and tender, about 20 minutes. Add the grilling pineapple mixture and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Get swizzled

4 days until vacation. The Caribbean and its many refreshments await. For those playing at home, try this one for a taste of sunshine and turquoise waters. 


Rum Swizzle
(serves 6)
1/2 cup Gosling's Black Seal Rum
1/2 cup Gosling's Gold Rum
2/3 cup pineapple juice
2/3 cup orange juice
1.5 Tbs Grenadine or 4 Tbs Bermuda Falernum
6 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Fill a pitcher 1/3 full of crushed ice. Add all the ingredients and churn vigorously until a frothing appears. Strain into a martini glass.

Time to leave

Today is April 1st and it is snowing in Boston. Again. Winter hasn't taken the hint that it's time to head home and to bed for the season. So, for those seeking a warm beverage to endure the frustration of another wintry, salty mess, I share this chocolat chaud from David Lebovitz's Sweet Life in Paris (a great read).

Hot Chocolate (Recipe by David Lebovitz)


2 cups whole or low-fat milk
5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (HIGH quality)
Pinch of coarse salt

1. Carefully warm the milk, chocolate, and salt in a saucepan until it begins to boil (but not scorch).

2. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook the mixture, whisking frequently, for 3 minutes. If you want a thicker consistency, cook it
another 1-2 minutes.

Pour into cups and serve as is, or with a giant mound of slightly sweetened whipped cream. Sugar can be added, to taste.

Makes 4-6 cups.

Singing "Vespers"

Whenever one thinks of James Bond ordering a drink, the words "shaken, not stirred" come to mind. Most of the time throughout the novels and films, Bond is ordering himself a vodka martini (occasionally gin instead). But one of the earliest cocktails Bond ordered was something he would later call a Vesper. Named after the female character Vesper Lynd, this drink is featured in Ian Fleming's 1953 Casino Royale and makes an appearance in the 2006 film with Daniel Craig as Bond. 


As you can see in the clip from the film, the ingredients and recipe are nicely laid out in a conversation between Bond and a French bartender: "Three measures of Gordon's [gin], one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large slice of lemon peel." In the book, Bond later specifies the vodka should be distilled from grain, not potatoes.


To recreate this gem today, you have to adapt a bit. Gordon's gin of today is not that of the 50s. For one, it's now 80-proof, not quite resembling its 100-proof hey-day. One might turn to Tanqueray (at 94-proof) or Plymouth gin or perhaps even Plymouth's "Navy Strength" gin (running at a high-octane 57% abv), the last of which I have yet to find and try. For the vodka, don't break the bank with Grey Goose or Ketel One. Stoli works just fine.


The one ingredient you may not have on your shelf is Lillet Blanc, which is a citrusy aperitif wine that you can find in just about any liquor store (usually ~$15-20). Lillet Blanc is not, however, Kina Lillet (as Bond calls for). Vesper's own wiki page suggests mixing "a dash or two of orange bitters, Angostura bitters, and a pinch (1/16 tsp) of quinine powder or use a mix of Lillet and the bitter China Martini, which also turns the drink light golden, as described in the book." For me though, despite some inauthenticity, the citrus of the 1/2 oz of Lillet Blanc works just fine. 


Vesper


3 ounces gin
1 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce Lillet Blanc
1 strip lemon peel

In cocktail shaker, combine Lillet Blanc, vodka, and gin. Add ice and shake vigorously until well chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into chilled martini or coupe glass. Squeeze the lemon peel over glass, letting the oils fall into glass, then brush peel along outer lip of glass, drop peel in drink, and serve.

When Grade B is better than Grade A

Returning from a great weekend spent north of the 45th parallel, I've got maple on my mind and now would like to share this refreshing dessert. I first encountered this recipe by Paul Grimes in the July 2009 issue of Gourmet, and here I have added a healthier Greek yogurt option in place of whipped cream as well as a mint garnish. Grade B maple syrup, if you've never tried it, is in another league from Grade A syrup. It's darker in color and has a sharper maple flavor that lends itself well to the blueberries and ginger of this parfait. It's not too hard to find in New England, but most specialty stores or organic food stores will carry Grade B. It's worth it.

Maple Blueberry Parfait

adapted from Paul Grimes, Gourmet

serves 6

1 to 1-1/4 lbs blueberries

3/4 cup real maple syrup (Grade B is best)

1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

1 tsp lemon juice

6 oz ginger snaps or thins, crumbled

6 fresh mint leaves

Cook 2 1/4 cups (3/4 pound) blueberries with 1/2 cup maple syrup in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over 

medium heat, stirring occasionally, until blueberries have burst, 3 to 8 minutes. Cool in an ice bath, stirring occasionally.

While blueberry mixture cools, beat cream with remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup in a bowl using an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. N.B. if using Greek yogurt, beating is not necessary, but fully incorporate the 1/4 cup maple syrup into yogurt.

Stir lemon juice and remaining blueberries into cooled blueberry-maple mixture. Spoon about 2 tablespoons blueberry mixture into each of 6 glasses and top with half of crumbled cookies and half of whipped cream. Repeat layering of remaining blueberry mixture, crumbled cookies, and whipped cream. Garnish each parfait with a mint leaf.

Chocolate + bourbon = cake?

I was recently handed a piece of cake at a party. Plate, fork, sliver of cake, dollop of whipped cream. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? There were about eight or nine of us around the table chatting away, about what exactly I can't remember. However upon tasting this cake, a hush fell on the room. Then the grumbling and hmm-ing and the wows. As dinner guests began to vocalize their pleasure with formed words, I wanted to raise my hand and call for silence. That's how delicious this cake is. And relatively easy too.


Julia Child's Boca Negra Cake

Makes 12 servings.

The cream:
12 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bourbon (or more to taste)

The cake:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces, at room temperature
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Prepare the white chocolate cream at least 1 day in advance: Put the white chocolate into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade or a blender container. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and process until completely smooth. Add the bourbon, taste, and add up to a tablespoon more if you want. Turn into a container with a tight-fitting lid and chill overnight. The cream can be kept covered in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for up to a month. If you've frozen the cream, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

Make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment or waxed paper; butter the paper. Put the cake pan in a shallow roasting pan and set aside until needed. Put the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and keep close at hand. In a 2-quart saucepan, mix 1 cup of the sugar and the bourbon and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a full boil. Immediately pour the hot syrup over the chocolate and stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Piece by piece, stir the butter into the chocolate mixture. Make certain that each piece of butter is melted before you add another. Put the eggs and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the eggs thicken slightly. Beating with the whisk, add the eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until well-blended. Gently whisk in the flour. (If you want to make the cake batter in a food processor, put the chocolate in the work bowl of the processor. Bring all of the sugar and the bourbon to a full boil and pour the syrup into the work bowl; process until the mixture is completely blended, about 12 seconds. With the machine running, add the butter in pieces, followed by the eggs, one at a time, and then the flour. Process an additional 15 seconds before turning the batter into the prepared pan.)

Baking the cake: Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan, running your spatula over the top to smooth it. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the side of the cake pan. Bake the cake for exactly 30 minutes, at which point the top will have a thin, dry crust. Remove the cake pan from its water bath, wipe the pan dry and cover the top of the cake with a sheet of plastic wrap. Invert the cake onto a flat plate, peel off the parchment and quickly but gently invert again onto a serving platter, remove the plastic. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the chilled white chocolate cream.

Storing: Once cooled, the cake can be covered with plastic and kept at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving. For longer storage, wrap the cake airtight and freeze it; it will keep up to a month. Thaw overnight, still wrapped, in the refrigerator.

Improving butter?

We're not really close to Christmas at all, but brandy butter (aka, hard sauce) is an important thing to have in your fridge if you're having plum pudding, bread pudding, or mince pies. I myself still have a plum pudding in my kitchen press, so there may be some brandy butter in my near future. Cheers!

Brandy Butter

7 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbs brandy (or whiskey or rum)

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the brandy. Chill if not serving immediately. This may be made up to 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Serve at room temperature.

Dilled New Potatoes

Despite the cold mornings, I remain hooked on the idea that spring is around the corner. While I normally detest the flavor of dill, these buttery potatoes embody the freshness of springtime.

Dilled New Potatoes
24 tiny new potatoes
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 Tbs chopped fresh dill


1. Scrub and dry the potatoes. Melt the butter in a heavy oven-proof casserole with a tight-fitting cover over low heat. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Coat with the butter.
2. Cover and cook over low heat for 30-45 minutes. Shake the casserole occasionally. The potatoes are done when they can be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
3. Toss with the dill and serve at once.
4-6 portions.

Hold the Guinness?!

So many of us know the Guinness and beef combination for a stew. It's time to try another Irish stout: Murphy's Irish stout. And since you've opened one can, you've got the remaining 3+ pints of the four-pack to enjoy while you anxiously wait for the stew that's filling your entire house with great smells. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all.

Beef and Murphy's Stew


2 lb cubes of stewing beef (trimmed of fat; 2 inch cubes)
3 Tbs oil
2 Tbs flour
salt and freshly ground pepper and pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbs tomato purée, dissolved in 4 Tbs water
1.25 cups Murphy's Irish stout
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
sprig of thyme


Toss beef cubes with 1 Tbs oil. Season the flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss the meat in this mixture. Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato purée to the pan, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole, and pour some of the Murphy's into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices in the pan. Pour onto the meat with the remaining Murphy's; add the carrots and thyme. Stir, taste, and add a little more salt, if necessary. Cover with the lid of the casserole and simmer very gently until the meat is tender, 2-3 hours. The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven at 300ºF. Taste and correct the seasoning. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley and serve with mashed or plain boiled potatoes.

The Big Ginger

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and with no personal culinary ties to the feast day, I'll write a post on a popular and easy drink featuring Jameson Irish Whiskey. This drink comes from The Local bar in Minneapolis, MN, which holds the claim-to-fame of selling more Jameson than any establishment in the world (even bars in Ireland). This drink has a large role to play in their mass consumption of the water of life. 


The drink is called a Big Ginger: take a pint glass and fill it to the top with ice cubes. Fill the ice-filled glass halfway with Jameson whiskey. Next, squeeze a large wedge of lime and a large wedge of lemon into the glass. Then fill the glass up with good ginger ale and float the wedges in the drink and you've got yourself a Big Ginger. Try different ginger ales to find your perfect blend and you'll be turning away the pints of green beer in no time.

One week until spring!

Clocks have already sprung forward, but the weather hasn't quite caught up with the calendar. That said, spring begins in fewer than seven days and I am posting the appropriate summery salad to prepare the mind, heart, and palate. This salad comes from Alice Waters and happens to be a regular crowd-pleaser for my friends.


Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
1/2 lb green beans, topped and tailed, cooked in boiling water until tender, drained and allowed to cool.
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved.
Stir together in a large bowl, letting sit for a few minutes to blend:
1 small shallot, diced fine
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
Whisk into bowl:
1/4 cup evoo
Toss tomatoes with vinaigrette and taste. Add green beans along with 6 basil leaves (cut into chiffonade). Toss gently. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.