Apotheke's Morning Glory Cocktail
By Apotheker & Co-owner Albert Trummer A luminary among bar chefs, Austrian born Albert Trummer conceived the cocktail menus for Town as well as David Bouley’s Fraiche in Los Angeles. Before that, and long before it was fashionable, Trummer took the art of the cocktail as seriously as the art of cooking. At Trummer Home in Greenpoint, New York, he introduced libations in strict accordance with the seasons, quickly earning a reputation for his exotic creations. Trummer re-emerges on the Manhattan bar scene at Apotheke located on Doyer Street in Chinatown. With hundreds of rare and obscure recipes at his disposal, he infuses, stirs and swirls herbs and botanicals into various “pharmaceuticals” for whatever ails you come sundown. Or in this case, come sunrise… Morning Glory Ingredients 3 ounces Veuve Clicquot champage 2 ounces of Trummer Home elderflower essence...
Read MoreQ & A with Alex Grunert
Alex Grunert, the pastry chef of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, seizes upon his Viennese upbringing in his ardent commitment to the restaurant’s “locavore” philosophy. Following a stint at the famed Hotel Inter-continental restaurant Vier Jahreszeite in Vienna, Alex sharpened his skills as a chocolate maker for the Austrian patisserie Oberlaa Konditorei. He then moved to New York City, where he seamlessly weaved his Austrian technique into the classic pastries at Bouley and Danube. As the executive pastry chef, he worked under David Bouley and learned of the importance of seasonal and local cooking, a philosophy that would follow him from the city to the farmlands of upstate New York. With an impressive supply of fresh produce and dairy at his fingertips from the restaurant’s farm, Alex Grunert conceives desserts that adhere to the restaurant’s signature concept of not...
Read MoreStanton Social's Watermelon Margarita
By Partner Peter Kane 3 cubes of (tequila infused) watermelon MUDDLED w/ 1/2 teaspoon of diced ginger .5 oz of ginger simple syrup 1.5 oz watermelon infused white tequila .75 oz of fresh lemon juice Shake and serve over CRUSHED ice in a rocks glass. Address: 99 Stanton St., between Orchard & Ludlow Sts. Phone:...
Read MoreQ & A with Deborah Racicot
Pastry chef Deborah Racicot defined herself as one of New York’s finest pastry chefs early on in her career. With no formal culinary schooling, Deborah Racicot found herself training under such prominent chefs as Claudia Fleming at Gramercy Tavern as well as Richard Leach at Le Cote Basque. Having grown up in Vermont, Racicot gravitated toward classic creations with a decidedly creative and refined twist. Now at Gotham Bar and Grill, she divines a grown up version of “S’mores” with chicory ice cream, a key lime souffle, and a summer cheesecake with blueberry compote and nectarine sorbet. Single/Married/Divorced? Single What did you want to be when you grew up? A veternarian. What was your first job in food? I was a cocktail waitress in a Mexican restaurant in Vermont. It was a blast. What...
Read MoreBack Forty's Kentucky Kirby
By Mixologist Michael Cecconi (Serves 1) Ingredients: 1½ ounces Sazerac Rye 1½ ounces Kirby Cucumber Sour* 3-4 fresh mint leaves To make the cocktail:Combine rye, cucumber sour, and mint in a shaker, add ice, then agitate vigorously. Pour through a julep or other fine mesh strainer into a chilled (five ounce) martini glass. Garnish with a thin slice of cucumber and serve.To make the Kirby Cucumber sour Ingredients: 6 Kirby cucumbers, peeled Lime juice Simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated together until the sugar dissolves) *Puree cucumbers in a blender with a pinch of salt. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside. To make the sour, mix together two parts strained cucumber juice with one part fresh lime juice and one part simple syrup. (Leftover sour mix can be frozen indefinitely.) Additional comments by Back...
Read MoreElettaria's Marinated Calamari Salad with Ginger-Carrot Vinaigrette
By Chef Akhtar Nawab Ingredients: 10 whole fresh calamari 2 ground pepperoncini 2 tbs fennel seed 2 tbs coriander seed 2 limes 4 large carrots 2 oz ginger 4 garlic cloves 1 cup uncooked fresh cranberry beans 1 stalk celery 1 large onion 4 cups water 1 cup olive oil 2 bunches purslane, from the green market 2 whole long peppers 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf, fresh 1 tsp toasted coriander seed 3 green cardomom Preparation:Under cold running water, separate the tentacles from the body and discard the transparent bone from the calamari. Peel away the reddish skin and fins. Gently turn the calamari body inside out and clean and remove the intestines. Gently cut the tentacles and remove the beak.With a juicer, pass through the 3 carrots, ginger, and garlic and combine all the juices. Toast...
Read MoreQ & A with Michael Lomonaco
Local and seasonal ingredients are no longer the exception to the rule, they practically are the rule when it comes to chefs sourcing of ingredents. But this wasn’t always the case and Michael Lomonaco was a chef far ahead of his time, diligently employing localism at nearly every turn of his career. After training under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque, he delivered refined American cuisine at numerous New York institutions, including the 21 Club and Windows of the World. In late 2006, he re-emerged on the dining scene with Porter House NY, housed in the Time Warner Center. Here, he honors the soul of American cooking and does admirable justice to a bevvy of classics, including a jumbo lump crabcake, veal porterhouse chop, as well as butter-poached lobster with leeks, sugar snap peas and truffled mashed potatoes. Single/Married/Divorced?Married for 28...
Read MoreOlana's Grapefruit Parfait
By Pastry Chef Katie Rosenhouse Ingredients: Grapefruit Mousseline Pastry Cream• 1 Pint Whole Milk• 125 grams granulated sugar• 1 Vanilla bean• 1 egg yolk• 1 whole egg• 30 grams cornstarch• 30 grams butterMethod: Bring milk, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch to a boil. Slowly whisk the hot liquid into the eggs to temper them. Finally, whisk in the cold butter, and strain into a plastic container. Segment 4 grapefruits, and soak in Absolute Citron Vodka, covered, in the refrigerator. Amaretti Cookies• At least 8-10 oz store-bought (or homemade) Italian cookies, roughly chopped. Violet Cream• 1 cup heavy cream• 1 Tbsp Violet syrup (can be found in some specialty stores) or at BaldorMethod: Whip heavy cream to soft peaks, adding the violet syrup towards the end to incorporate. Violet Tapioca• ...
Read MoreCentro Vinoteca's Roasted Red & Yellow Pepper Goat Cheese Involtino
Created by Executive Chef Anne BurrellIngredients: 2 each red and yellow bell peppers 1- 1 ½ logs goat cheese at room temperature 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 1 tablespoon Pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika) Kosher Salt 2 Tablespoons chopped chives Instructions:1. Preheat a broiler or grill. Place the peppers on the grill and cook them until they are BLACK on the outside. Yeah that’s right BURN THEM! When the peppers are black on all sides remove them from the heat and place them in an enclosed environment- either a paper bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let them sit until they are cool- this can be done a day ahead. 2. Using your fingers scrape all the black off the outside of the peppers. Remove the stem and the seeds as well. This is a messy job- accept...
Read MoreThe Little Owl's Raspberry Beignets
By Chef and Owner Joey Campanaro 1st make this yeast dough with the following recipe. Then take 2 pints of raspberries and coat them with sugar. Wait until the berries macerate. When they become juicy, you will use this mixture to fill the donuts. Yeast dough: 3 cups warm water 4 tbsp. molasses 4.5 oz fresh yeast 3 tsp. olive oil 8 cups all purpose flour After you have made the dough, allow it to rise in a warm humid area of your kitchen. Make sure to keep the dough covered in moist towels or plastic wrap, so it doesn’t dry out. The dough will double in size with 30 minutes. After the dough rises, cut it into workable ¼’s, on a floured clean surface, using a rolling pin, gently work the dough down to 1ins. think. At this...
Read MoreQ & A with Kurt Gutenbrunner
Chef & restaurateur Kurt Gutenbrunner has produced a trio of successful restaurants in the city — Cafe Sabarsky, Blaue Gans, and Michelin-starred Wallse — and made Austrian cuisine mainstream in the process. He’s trained in some of the world’s finest kitchens, including Munich’s Tantris, and trained with such esteemed chefs as David Bouley. Mining his Austrian upbringing, Gutenbrunner modernizes and lightens traditional Viennese cuisine with such dishes as halibut with cucumber, dill and chanterelles, and wild striped bass with lentils, bacon, root vegetables and zweitgelt. Single/married/divorced?In a relationship. What did you want to be when you grew up?A chef…or a racecar driver What was your first job in food?When I was 15, I enrolled in a professional hotel and restaurant school and after completing my coursework I apprenticed at the Relais et Chateau Richard Löwenherz. You’ve worked in countless...
Read MorePublic's Yuzu Cheesecake
By pastry chef Ellen Mirsky(Serves 6) For the yuzu cheesecake: 1/2 lbs soft cream cheese 1 tbs yuzu ½ tsp vanilla 2 ¼ oz sugar 2 oz crème fraiche 3 oz heavy cream 1 3/4 sheets gelatin (bloomed) Directions: 1. In a mixer (such as Kitchen Aid), whisk the cream cheese, yuzu, vanilla, sugar, and crème fraiche together till it is soft and creamy.2. In another mixer bowl, whisk the heavy cream to soft peak and place the bowl in the refrigerator till ready to use.3. Place a small pot of water on a high flame and bring to a boil. Put the gelatin in a small bowl, reduce the heat to a simmer and place the bowl on top of the heat. Stir constantly till the gelatin dissolves.4. Slowly temper the gelatin into the cream mixture. 5. Fold...
Read More24 Prince's Pork Brine
By Chef Nikki Cascone of 24 Prince/Top Chef Chicago(For 4 chops or small loins) “Now that the warmer weather is upon us and grilling can become a regular routine in our menu options, here are some easy tips for success. I love grilling pork; the flavor and texture from the grill only accentuates its sweet flavors. Using lean and organic cuts can be very healthful as well. There are great pork farmers that can be easily accessed at places like Whole Foods and these days most local supermarkets stock them, as well. I recommend Berkshire Farms, one of my favorites. I always prepare my pork in a quick brine so that the meat, especially the leaner cuts, stay moist and keep the flavor when cooking. As there is very little fat, the meat can get dry otherwise. Here is...
Read MoreQ & A with Jerome Chang
Chocolate molten cake with sea salt and pistachios and vanilla crème brulee made with Madagascar vanilla beans may sound like avant-garde desserts served in an upscale restaurant, but both sell for five dollars out of a truck parked on St. Mark’s Place. The DessertTruck is the brainchild of former Le Cirque pastry sous chef, Jerome Chang, who graduated from The French Culinary Institute. Chang creates restaurant-style sweets that have earned the attention of publications, like Food & Wine as well as the New York Times. With summer in full swing, Jerome helps customers cool off with a chilled milk chocolate and peanut butter mousse topped with caramel popcorn as well as a more unusual concoction of coconut tapioca with pineapple, cilantro “pearls,” and mojito granita. Single/married/divorced? I am in a committed relationship with a beautiful chocolatier. What did...
Read MoreScarpetta's Summertime Soft Shell Crab with Pea Puree
By Chef & Owner Scott Conant Ingredients: 2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1 shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise Kosher salt 1 cup frozen peas 1 to 1 1/4 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for a garnish 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for a garnish 2 slices bacon, preferably thick cut, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick lardons 1 cup very thinly sliced asparagus (from about 10 asparagus) 1 cup very thinly sliced green beans (from about 25 green beans) 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion (from 2 large or 3 medium shallots) 1/2 cup finely diced carrot (from about 1 medium carrot) 1 cup flour 1 tablespoon paprika, Freshly ground black pepper About 2 cups soy oil or peanut oil for pan frying 4 soft shell crabs, cleaned Preparation:Make a pea puree: In a...
Read MoreQ & A with Jacques Torres
Jacques Torres doesn’t just love chocolate, he lives it. Beginning his career at France’s Hotel Negresco, Jacques has traveled the world to perfect his craft, a chocolate passion that has led to numerous cookbooks, television shows, and the coveted title of top pastry chef for France’s prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier competition. Despite all of his experience, Jacques has only increased his desire for learning and discovery, incorporating fresh and seasonal flavors into a line of innovative chocolates that is straight out of Willy Wonka. At any of his three New York locations, customers can cool down this summer with a smooth, dark iced chocolate, huge chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, or the “Love Bug,” a white chocolate truffle with a key lime center. Single/married/divorced? Married for less than a year. What did you want to be when you grew up?...
Read MoreWallse’s Halibut with Cucumber, Dill, & Chanterelles
By Executive Chef & Owner Kurt Gutenbrunner (Serves 4) INGREDIENTS: 4 Filets of Halibut 2 Onions 1 Bunch Dill, Washed and Stems Removed 1 Cup Olive Oil 2 Cucumbers 1 lb. Chanterelles 3 T. Shallots, finely chopped 2 T. Thyme, finely chopped Canola Oil for cooking Wondra Flour for cooking 2 T. Butter 1 Lemon, Juiced DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375. Coarsely chop Onions, place into a shallow baking dish, brush with Canola oil, and cover with foil. Bake until Onions are soft, approximately 30 minutes. Cool and puree the onion using a blender. Reserve the Onion Puree until ready to use. 2. Blend Olive Oil and Dill until smooth. Chill the Dill Oil until ready to use. 3. Seed and dice 1 Cucumber (Save the seeds and do not peel). Reserve until ready to use. 4. Peel...
Read MoreQ & A With Akhtar Nawab
Elettaria, one of the more recent editions to the West Village dining scene, serves an American menu with a spicy Indian twist, courtesy of chef/co-owner Akhtar Nawab’s upbringing. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, but raised on a myriad of authentic Indian dishes, Akhtar brings his knowledge of both worlds to the table; an impressive list of culinary experiences (most recently the European Union) contributes as well. Beginning his career at San Francisco’s Bizou, Akhtar continued to work on the West Coast before coming to New York’s Gramercy Tavern, where a growing partnership with owner Tom Colicchio led to the opening of Craft and Craftbar, for which he was the chef de cuisine. With such a wealth of American and European cooking under his belt, chef Akhtar has created a menu with interesting takes on such classics like chicken with asparagus...
Read MoreQ & A with Harold Moore
Co-owner and executive chef Harold Moore has returned to the New York dining scene with Commerce. Moore is a chef whose resume is as impressive as his commitment to his new restaurant. After spending time in both Daniel Boulud’s and Jean-Georges’ kitchens, Moore further developed his classic approach to contemporary American cuisine at Montrachet and March. At Commerce, his repertoire includes a porterhouse steak with cipollini onions, creamed spinach, and red wine shallot sauce as well as oysters with champagne, potatoes, leeks, and a decadent touch of caviar. Status: Single/Married/Divorced Married What did you want to be when you grew up? I was always drawn to high-stress occupations that were financially rewarding. I used to think about working on Wall Street or being a lawyer. Clearly, those thoughts didn’t last too long. What was your first job in food?...
Read MoreNick & Toni’s Prosciutto with Black Mission Figs, Gorgonzola, Flat Bread & Balsamic Syrup
By Executive chef Joe Realmuto Ingredients: 16 very thin slices of Prosciutto (preferably Prosciutto di Parma) 4 Black Mission figs cut in quarters ¼ Lb. gorgonzola cheese ½ cup Balsamic vinegar Flat bread optional Directions: Place balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pot, and reduce by ½ over medium heat Once reduced let cool, to allow proper thickness. Carefully lay the slices of prosciutto on a large serving platter, covering the surface of the platter. Take the ¼ figs and toss in a stainless steel mixing bowl with a touch of oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place figs on platter over prosciutto, crumble gorgonzola over the figs and drizzle with balsamic syrup and garnish with Flat Bread. In celebration of Nick & Toni’s 20th Anniversary, the restaurant will be hosting the 2008 Great Chefs Dinner this Sunday,...
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