Q & A with Eleven Madison Park’s Angela Pinkerton
Until recently, Daniel Humm oversaw both the dinner and dessert menu at Eleven Madison Park, one of NYC’s most spectacular restaurants. But what most people don’t know is that Angela Pinkerton was working right alongside him in the kitchen for over two years. In September, Humm handed over the reigns to Pinkerton, who was named executive pastry chef. The former biology major is no stranger to the culinary sciences. She worked as a clerk in a bakery through college and ran her own cake-decorating business before she officially decided to study pastry at L’Academie de Cuisine. Considering how fundamental science is to dessert, it’s no wonder Pinkerton’s so accomplished in the kitchen. She’s already integrated her style into the menu with new creations, like “Milk & Chocolate” with dulce de leche and “Caramel Apple” with toffee, walnuts,...
Read MoreBenoit's Pumpkin Soup
By Executive Chef Pierre Schaedelin(Serves 4)Ingredients: 2 ¼ lbs pumpkin 1 onion 1 leek 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 tbsp. butter 1/3 cup whipping cream, chilled 1 tbsp. olive oil Salt and pepper Procedure: 1. Discard the pumpkin seeds and fibers. Peel the pumpkin with a large knife and discard the skin. Cut the pulp into small pieces. 2. Peel the onion and cut it into thin strips. Trim the leeks and outer leaves of the leek, and cut off the hard green parts. Wash the leek and slice it into thin strips. 3. Heat the olive oil in a round Le Creuset pot (essentially an oval Dutch Oven.) Add 4 teaspoons butter. Add the onion and leek and cook over gentle heat for 3 minutes. 4. Add the pieces of pumpkin to the pot, then the chicken...
Read MoreQ & A with Bar Blanc Bistro's Sebastiaan Zjip
Some restaurants just need a little time to grow up. That was certainly the case with Bar Blanc Bistro. When it first opened, the restaurant was called Bar Blanc and the chef was Cesare Ramirez. The space was stunning, but the food proved inconsistent and overpriced. Now, it’s called Bar Blanc Bistro and the chef is Sebastiaan Zjip, who’s determined to reinvent the cooking’s reputation and lower the prices. Chef Zjip, a Bouley protege, got his start washing dishes and peeling potatoes at a friend’s bistro in Toronto. After graduating from culinary school, he literally had no choice but to leave Canada for New York. Luckily, he ended up in David Bouley’s kitchens, working at Bouley, as well as the chef de cuisine at Upstairs at Bouley. He’s already received recognition for his refined, but rustic cooking at...
Read MoreDIY Valentine's Day Sweets – No Experience Required
This is one of those rare holidays where homemade gifts really are more special, especially if they’re edible. Anybody can buy a box of chocolates or chocolate-covered strawberries. Wouldn’t it be sexier if you made your own for your Valentine? We think so, so we’ve come up with a few suggestions that require very little experience in the kitchen… Few desserts are as easy or satisfying as chocolate mousse. All you need is two ingredients: Chocolate and Water. Yes, really. Just melt equal amounts of both in a double boiler over low heat. Then put the bowl in a bath of ice water, and begin to beat with a whisk until it turns into a mousse. It’s a mystery of to us too. We love granita for many reasons: It’s super simple, inexpensive, healthy, and requires only a few...
Read MoreL'Artusi's Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Caramelized Citrus
By Executive Pastry Chef Katherine Thompson (Serves 8) Ingredients 2 cups Heavy Cream 1 Vanilla Bean, split, scraped 1/4 cup Sugar Pinch of salt 3 1/2 gelatin sheets, bloomed in a cup of cold water to cover, squeezed dry 2 cups Buttermilk 1 cup Sugar 1/2 cup Water 2 cup Orange Juice 3 Blood Oranges, pith removed, sliced into 1/4″ thick rounds 3 Oranges, pith removed, sliced into 1/4″ thick rounds Procedure: 1) Heat heavy cream, vanilla bean, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until hot. Do not boil. 2) Once soft, drain the bloomed gelatin sheets and add to the hot cream. Stir to combine. Set aside mixture and let sit until room temperature. 3) Add the buttermilk. Pour into eight containers and chill until ready to serve. 4) In a saucepan, cook sugar and water until med-caramel...
Read MoreAldea's Shrimp Alhinho
By Chef/Owner Georges Mendes(Serves 8) Ingredients: 2 shrimp heads ½ onion, sliced thin ½ fennel, sliced thin 2 celery ribs, sliced thin 5 shallots, sliced thin 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp. fennel seed 1 star anise 1 tbsp. saffron (turmeric is a worthy substitute for those on a budget) ½ c brandy ½ c pernod 1 tsp. butter 1 tsp. tomato paste water (to cover) 2 sprigs tarragon 2 sprigs parsley canola oil .2% percent of finished sauce in grams of xantham gum 16 shrimp, cleaned and de-veined 6 cloves garlic, minced 4 tbsp. olive oil ½ tbsp. pimenton (Spanish paprika) 1 tbsp. parsley, chopped 1 tbsp. cilantro juice of one lemon paprika filaments micro cilantro Directions: Make shrimp essence: 1. Toast the shrimp heads in a thin layer of canola oil. Add mire poix (onion, fennel, etc.)...
Read MoreJane's Wild Mushroom Risotto
By Executive Chef Glenn Harris(Serves 4) Ingredients: 8 crimini mushrooms (quartered) 12 shitake mushrooms (no stem, cut in half) 3 clusters oyster mushroom (no stem) 3 quarts vegetable stock 1 clove garlic (sliced) 1 white onion (small diced) 10 oz Arborio rice 1/4 bunch of thyme 4oz taleggio cheese 6oz white wine 1/4 bunch parsley (chopped) 1 Tb. White truffle oil Procedure: 1) In separate bowls toss mushrooms with little olive oil, salt, andpepper. Roast mushrooms in oven at 450 degrees on separate pans toensure proper cooking, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. 2) In a large pot sweat onion and garlic until soft. Add thyme then addrice to parch in oil, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and letcook for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 of stock to pot and slowly cook on low...
Read MoreFavela Cubana's Ropa Vieja
By Executive Chef Oscar Santana(Serves 4-6) Ingredients 2 1/2 pound of skirt steak 2 bay leaves 1 sliced carrot 2 white onions cut in stripe 1 table spoon of dry oregano 1 medium red pepper sliced fine 1/2 cup of green olives pitted 2 chopped garlic cloves 2 table spoon of olive oil 2 cups of red wine 1 tea spoon of ground cumin salt and pepper Procedure: 1) Place the meat, bay leaves, carrot, 1 onion and oregano in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Let the meat cook for 1½ hours, until soft. Drain the meat out of the pan, cut it into smaller pieces and shred it with your fingers. 2) Cook the remaining onion, bell peppers and garlic in olive oil, then add red wine to deglaze the pan. Follow...
Read MoreSweet Leftovers – Recession Proof Baking Tips
Going overboard is practically synonymous with the holidays. We always spend too much, drink too much and eat too much. And, of course, we buy too much, which is why there are so many leftovers. I hate wasting food, especially sweet, fresh baked treats, like candy, cookies, and pie. Even cheesecake and apple pie get boring after the fifth slice. So, we’ve come up with a few tips and tricks to put leftovers to good use. 1) The day after Christmas, I had batches of leftover sugar cookies in my kitchen. Instead of eating them or tossing them, I decided to grind them up and make crusts. I just substituted sugar cookies for graham crackers to make a great, uniquely caramelized base for chocolate cheesecake. But you can try this with virtually any holiday cookie, like gingersnaps, macaroons, or...
Read MoreClover Club's Green Destiny Cocktail
By Brad Farren(Serves 1) Ingredients: 1 ½ parts Beefeater 24 (Green tea and Japanese sencha tea ¾ part simple syrup ¾ part grapefruit juice ½ part dry vermouth ½ part lemon juice 1-2 shiso leaves Procedure: Muddle shiso leaves in simple syrup. Shake ingredients and fine strain into a cocktail glass. Address: 210 Smith St., between Butler & Baltic Sts.Phone: (718) 855-7939 Photo Credit: Sarah...
Read MoreRecession Proof Baking Tips: Holiday Edition
Christmas is only a few days away. Sweets are the perfect, last minute gift! (Not to mention affordable.) Here’s a few tips to making the perfect X-mas goodies… Chocolate bark is a surprisingly easy and delicious gift that you can personalize according to the recipient’s taste! (Some people prefer chocolate and pretzels, some are partial to dried fruit or nuts.) Simply melt however much chocolate you want (I recommend 20 oz.) in the microwave. (I like to use white and dark chocolate for a marbling effect.) Then, mix it with crushed cookies, toasted nuts, shredded coconut, candied fruits, M&Ms, candy canes…anything you have on hand. Spread the mixture on waxed paper with a spatula and place in the freezer until hard. Some bakers use a knife, but I like to just break it up with my hands. Gift wrap it in a...
Read MoreVia dei Mille's Rigatoni with Braised Lamb Ragout
By Executive Chef Emanuel Concas(Serves 10) Ingredients: 1 kg. Rigatoni de Cecco 2 lbs. fresh chuck of lamb 3 small white onions 1 c. extra virgin olive oil 3 c. white wine 3 small cans of Italian plum tomatoes salt and pepper Procedure: 1. Cut lamb in big pieces and then pan roast it. 2. In another pan, cut onions julienne style and sautee them until brown. 3. Put everything into the sauce pan and pour on the white wine. Let the white wine reduce and then add the peeled tomatoes and place the pan in the oven at 360 degrees for 2 hours. 4. Let it cool off and then add the salt and pepper. 5. In another pot, boil water with some salt and add the rigatoni once boiling. Cook to al dente – about 10 minutes. Drain...
Read MoreQ & A with Cesar Ramirez
It’s not often a chef moves from an ambitious restaurant kitchen to a gourmet market, but Cesar Ramirez couldn’t be happier about the dramatic change. Ramirez trained at Bouley where he met his then, future partners for Bar Blanc. Other than its name, it wasn’t really a bar at all. The food was sophisticated, sometimes precious, and there was even a $72, four-course tasting menu. His cooking earned him attention and positive reviews. Suddenly, he parted ways with his partners and disappeared for awhile. Just recently, he resurfaced as the executive chef at Brooklyn Fare, a gourmet market where he prepares takeaway lunches. Instead of roasted red snapper with dashi broth and tofu puree, he now makes daily soups, chicken fingers, and salads. But more importantly, he still gets to be a chef five nights a week where he...
Read MoreEmployees Only's Southside Cocktail
This week, Employees Only restaurant is celebrating the end of Prohibition (December 5th, 1933). Chocolate coffin cakes, to acknowledge the death of the former amendment, will be served through Sunday, December 13th, as well as vintage cocktails like this one, The Southside. By Bar Chefs Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric(Serves 1) Ingredients: 2 ounces Plymouth gin 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 ounce simple syrup Pinch of fresh mint 1 splash club soda Directions: Pour all ingredients except club soda into a cocktail shaker. Add large cold ice chunk and shake vigorously. Open the shaker and add a splash of club soda. Use a julep strainer to strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Address: 510 Hudson St., between 10th & Christopher Sts.Phone: (212)...
Read MoreCharles' The Jane Cocktail
Ingredients: 1 1/2oz. Crop Organic Vodka 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2oz simple Muddled grapefruit and mint Sprite float Mint garnish Procedure: 1. Muddle grapefruit segment and 3 mint leaves in shaker. 2. Add other ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a martini glass. 3. Add Sprite float and garnish with mint. The Charles Address: 324 W 4th St., at 10th St.Phone: (212)...
Read MoreRecession Proof Desserts: Ice Cream Tricks
1) Eating ice cream with your hands is sorely underrated. Most people get a popcorn and a coke when they go to the movies. Me, I get ice cream bonbons. It’s frozen finger good. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find them in the freezer aisle. I decided to experiment and came up with a great, easy recipe. Take a scoop of your favorite flavor with a rounded tablespoon, or a melon baller, and place it on a plate lined with wax paper. Stick toothpicks in each one, and freeze until hard. In the meantime, melt two parts chocolate, one part butter, and set aside to cool. When ready to dip, take out the ice cream balls and quickly plunge into the melted chocolate. Move quickly as this stuff will melt fast. Return it to the freezer and there you have it...
Read MoreQ & A with John Fraser
The Upper West Side wasn’t a trendy dining destination until late last winter. It certainly wasn’t a neighborhood where most young chefs dreamed of opening their first restaurant. But John Fraser fell in love with the neighborhood while working as the executive chef at Compass where he managed to turn the kitchen around. Fraser left Compass to open his own restaurant called Dovetail, where he’s earned considerable praise for his refined American cooking. And just a few weeks ago, he expanded the dining room and added a 15 seat bar with a bar menu and a roving Armagnac cart. Fraser went from anthropologist to dishwasher, bartender, line cook, quickly moving up to chef de partie at The French Laundry. After traveling through France, he helped launch Snack Taverna in the West Village, where he fainted his first night on...
Read MoreThanksgiving Cocktails
Most people don’t think of cocktails when they hear the word Thanksgiving. There’s too much else to prepare – the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pies to name a few. However, there should be a reward for all of that hard work. Here are two unique cocktail recipes to change up the traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu. And if your pecan pie isn’t a success, these can double as dessert. Pumpkie Pie Cocktail GalleryBar ½ oz. Kahlua ½ oz. spiced pumpkin pie filling 1 oz. coconut rum 2 oz. milk or cream Shake together and serve over ice. Garnish with Cinnamon Address: 120 Orchard St., between Delancey & Rivington Sts. Phone: (212) 529-2266 Grandma’s Apple Cider Ella Lounge 1/2 oz. lemon flavored simple syrup* 1/2 oz. milk or cream 1/2 oz. apple cider 1 oz. Makers Mark 1 oz. Apple...
Read MorePatroon's Cream of Pumpkin Soup
By Executive Chef Bill Peet (Serves 6) Ingredients: 1 medium white onion, sliced 1 small pumpkin, cleaned of skin and seeds, sliced, approx. 5 cups 6 oz butter 1 medium garlic clove, smashed 1 medium white turnip, peeled and sliced 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced 1 large potato, peeled and cut into quarters 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock ½ cup heavy cream 1 small, thin Baguette (French Bread), crust removed and cut into ½ inch cubes, approximately 3 cups Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Procedure: 1) In a large saucepot over a medium heat, melt half the butter and sauté the onions and garlic until they are transparent. 2) Add the turnip, carrot, potato, pumpkin meat and stock, season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. 3) At the same time,...
Read MoreGiano's Risotto with Pumpkin, Gorgonzola & Amaretto Powder.
Every Sunday, Giano will be offering you your choice of two risottos with a glass of red wine for $19. We thought we’d give you a taste of a recipe and can easily be served instead of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. By Executive Chef Matteo Calciati (Serves 4) Ingredients: · 1 onion, chopped · 10 oz of risotto Arborio · 8 oz of pumpkin pulp · 3.5 oz of gorgonzola · 1 glass of white wine · 1pint of vegetable broth · 2 amaretto cookies, crushed fine. · 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil Preparation:1) Heat up 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a pan. 2) Add the onion and fry until browned.3) Add the rice.4) Stir the rice until golden for about 5 min.5) Add the white wine and keep stirring until absorbed.6) While...
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