Asparagus Season is Here!

Asparagus has very low saturated fats and possess very high fiber content, folic acid, potassium and variety of vitamins (A, B, C and iron). Its minimal Glycemic index makes it excellent for diabetics and diets.  It is also the only vegetable that contains Glutathione, an antioxidant found in the body that is known to fight bad cholesterol, water retention and major diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. But in spite of how good it is for you -  asparagus is absolutely delicious!!!!!

Selecting: Choose your asparagus with a firm stalk, tight tips and a vivid color. White asparagus (considered far superior by Europeans) comes from the same plant but is deprived of light so it cannot produce chlorophyll to give it a green color. Thinner stalks mean the plant was younger and more tender than thicker stalks. White asparagus are usually wonderful even when thick.

Conserving: Asparagus does not keep well (3 days maximum in a wet towel in refrigerator): ideally, they should be consumed within 24 hours of purchase. You can freeze asparagus after blanching 2-4 minutes in boiling water.

Preparation: Wash asparagus thoroughly under cool running water to remove any sand or dirt. Pat dry with a clean soft cloth. The tip of the asparagus is very tender, but the further down you go on the stalk, the tougher it gets. If you bend the asparagus it will naturally snap at the point where it goes from tender to tough (which is usually about 1/3 of the stalk). To ensure even cooking the large asparagus stalks should be peeled so that they are the same width as the tip. Really thin asparagus do not need peeling.

Cooking Methods: Asparagus can be served many ways: hot or cooled to room temperature.  Michel Jean of Stissing House tells me that he uses a vegetable peeler to create shavings of raw garden fresh asparagus which he then sprinkles onto his salads.  Steamed they can be added to pizzas, soups, salads, and pasta, enjoyed plain with a bit of butter, salt and pepper or served with a simple vinaigrette sauce.  If not serving hot, spears should quickly be placed in a bowl of ice water or in a colander under cold running water so they will not loose their bright green color. Asparagus can be cooked in various methods. In each the cooking time varies according to the thickness of the stems. They should be soft enough to bite into easily but al dente enough to still hold their shape. They must be drained to remove all excess water. Boiling: Place salted water in a pot on the stove and when boiling starts add asparagus for about 4-5 minutes. (This is easier if they are tied in bunches.) Once plated, sprinkle salt and pepper over it and serve hot.  Steaming: Bring 1 inch water to boil in a steamer. Place asparagus in basket, cover and steam over medium-high heat until asparagus spears are slightly undercooked, 3- 4 minutes for medium spears. Microwaving: place the stems in a microwave safe dish. Add about one-fourth of a cup of water and cover.. Then cook it for 5-7 minutes. If you are using chopped asparagus, 4-5 minutes should be enough. Roasting: Pre-heat oven to 400F. Rub oven tray or pan with some oil and place the asparagus in.  Sprinkle with some pepper, garlic and salt. And cook for 8-10 minutes.

Wine Pairings
Asparagus does not pair well with most wines – the best are Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio or a Chenin Blanc.

Asparagus Vinaigrette
1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard. (I prefer, Maille, sold at Marona’s)
¹/₃ Cup of Red Wine Vinegar (I like Dal Raccolta Old Chianti Vinegar which I buy it at Quattros
1 Cup of Vegetable Oil (I use Peant Oil from Marona’s)
Salt And Fresh Ground Pepper

There are several ways to prepare a vinaigrette but the classical recipe is to slowly add 3 parts of oil at room temperature to 1 part of vinegar, using a whisk, until it emulsifies into a creamy sauce. For this recipe, place mustard at bottom of bowl, add vinegar and season.with salt and pepper before you add the oil (because salt does not mix with oil). Add 1/3 of oil. Whisk until thickens. Add 2nd third of oil. Whisk until thicker. Add last third of oil. Whisk again. VOILA! French Salad Dressing! (By adding the oil in three parts and whisking in between, if the sauce should break apart, you’ll be able to whisk it back together again).

Bring 1 inch water to boil in a steamer. Place asparagus in steamer basket, cover and steam over medium-high heat until asparagus spears are slightly undercooked, about 2-3 minutes for medium spears. Drain and plunge spears immediately into ice water to stop the cooking process. Serve plated with the sauce napped over the tips of the asparagus or on a large serving  platter with the sauce in a gravy boat on the side.

Asparagus with Poached Eggs & Parmesan
Makes 4 servings.

2 pounds asparagus cut into 5- to 6-inch lengths
Sea salt, or “fleur de sel”
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil  
Freshly ground black pepper 
4 large fresh farm eggs 
1 cup (lightly packed) parsley leaves
chopped, grated or shaved parmesan at room temperature
truffle shavings (optional)


Cook spears in boiling salted water until just tender, approximately 4 minutes for medium stalks. Remove from heat, drain, and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Divide asparagus among 4 dinner plates and keep warm. In a separate skillet bring about 2 inches of water to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar. (Vinegar helps the egg hold its shape.  Without it, the eggs will become skeins of protein tangling up in the water. Do not add salt, which would loosen the whites.) Break each egg onto a separate small cups. Quickly slip all eggs carefully into simmering water by lowering the lip of each egg cup a half inch below the surface of the water. Let the eggs flow out. Immediately cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Set a timer for exactly three minutes for medium-firm yolks. Lift each perfectly poached egg from the water with a slotted spoon, but hold it over the skillet briefly to let any water clinging to the egg drain off.  Place a warm poached egg on top of each asparagus portion; dab with a paper towel to soak up any visible water. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, parsley and parmesan. Serve immediately. Optional:  Shave a few slices of truffle over the egg with a truffle slicer or a vegetable peeler. The warmth of the egg will release the wonderful aroma of the truffle.

If you have tried any of my recipes let me know how it went at RonaBoyer@gmail.com

The Secret to Spring Lamb – Keep it Simple!

Lamb is sold year round, but is so much better in the Spring, that I only roast it in the months from April to August.  Lamb is young sheep less than one year old. The very best is “milk-fed lamb” which is from an un-weaned lamb, typically 4-6 weeks old. This is very hard to get as most Americans will not pay the price. Almost as good, and almost as rare is “baby lamb” - a milk-fed lamb between 6-8 weeks old. Most of us can get and enjoy “spring lamb” - a milk-fed lamb, usually 2-5 months old, born in late winter or early spring, fed on the first grass of the season and sold by summer’s end. Anything older than a year is no longer lamb, but mutton which has a gamey flavor. American lamb, usually corn fed, is generally milder in flavor than grass fed Australian and New Zealand lamb. In spring, the French love “Navarin D’Agneau”. It is composed of spring lamb and all the new spring vegetables (fresh peas, turnips, baby carrots, etc). making it is too work intensive to explain here, but I do know that it is being served in April at La Mangeoire in Manhattan and Stissing House in Pine Plains.  Here are six secrets to simply roasting spring lamb:
Secret #1/.
The most important thing to remember is to not over-cook it or over prepare it. Spring lamb has such wonderful flavor and is naturally so tender, that it will be good as long as it is still a little pink inside. I believe it a shame to muck it up with marinades that denature the meat. (That trick is for older lamb).
Secret #2/.
Lamb is best when cooked on the bone, basted with its own natural juices and served piping hot.
Secret #3/.
Like all meat, lamb should be at room temperature when placed in the oven.
Secret #4/.
Roasting (the cooking method of choice for large cuts of tender meat) is done in a shallow, uncovered pan, preferably with the meat raised slightly on a rack to allow heated air to circulate around it and au jus to be formed from the drippings.
Secret # 5/.
In general, a roast should have a crisp brown surface and a juicy pink interior. This is accomplished by searing the meat at high heat in the oven for about 10 minutes and then reducing to 350ºF. Cooking times (after the roast is seared) are: 10 minutes/lb for rare meat, 12 for medium-rare, 15 for medium, and 20 for well-done. My personal favorite is 11 minutes per pound which is for the rare side of medium rare.
Secret #6:
Allow lamb to rest, loosely covered with foil for 10 to 20 minutes after removal from the oven. This rest period minimizes the loss of juice and allows the meat to become a bit firmer, making carving much easier. Cooking will continue during the resting period so that internal temperature will rise at least 5º- 10ºF.

Serve with green beans, roasted tomatoes, zucchini au gratin or potatoes. You can find these recipes at my blog: http://atablewithrona.blogspot.com. Comments are appreciated at ronaboyer@gmail.com.

Roast Leg of Lamb on the Bone (serves 6-8 people)

1 bone in leg of lamb
8 cloves organic garlic, halved
fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly ground organic black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse unrefined sea salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced into long thin strips

At least 2 hrs before cooking, cut 16 slits, about an inch deep, all over the top and sides of the lamb. Push a piece of garlic into each slit, as deep as it will go. Lightly rub olive oil over the surface of the lamb and season with salt, pepper and rosemary.  Preheat the oven to 425F.  Place the lamb on its rack in the roasting pan, fat side up. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, baste with the pan drippings, place shallots under the lamb and return to the oven. Cook for another 10 minutes. The drippings should begin to caramelize the shallots. Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan and mix with the shallots. Baste the lamb. Return to the oven, After 10 minutes remove the pan from the oven, baste with the pan drippings, and return to the oven. Turn the heat down to 300 degrees. Cook for another 30 to 50 minutes, depending on how you like your lamb - basting every 15 minutes and adding ½ cup water each time if needed to keep the juices liquid.  This liquid is what is called “au jus”. If you need more, just add some water and reduce.Spoon over meat and/or serve in a gravy boat.

Rack of Lamb (serves 6-8 people)
2 racks of spring lamb, frenched by your butcher. 
salt, pepper, olive oil

Rack of lamb is expensive but wonderful. You may need to order it from your butcher in advance. It is the eight lamb chops left together for cooking purposes and then cut into chops for serving. Cooking them as a rack improves the flavor, makes them easier to cook for a larger number of people, produces more rare or medium rare meat and makes a better presentation.

Remove lamb racks from refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub the racks with olive oil, salt and pepper. Score the fat, by making sharp shallow cuts through the fat, spaced about an inch apart. Sprinkle the rack all over with salt and pepper. Place the two racks standing up with the meat on the bottom and the bones crossing each other. Roast at 400°F for 7 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F. Cook for 8-12 minutes longer (until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat shows 125°F for rare or 135°F for medium rare). Remove from oven, loosely cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Cut lamb chops away from the rack by slicing between the bones. Serve 2-3 chops per person.

Serve with:

Zucchini Au Gratin
3 lbs of zucchini
3 eggs (beaten)
8 oz Crème Fraiche (Vermont brand, I buy at Adam’s – or mix 4oz  of heavy cream with 4oz of sour cream). 
5 oz of grated Swiss Cheese
Butter, Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg
Rinse and dry zucchini (do not peal). Cut into large cubes. Cook in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and squeeze in a colander to remove excess water. Place zucchini in a buttered oven dish and mash with a fork. In a separate bowl mix beaten eggs, cream and ¾ of the cheese and some salt, pepper and nutmeg.. Add mixture to zucchini and mix with a fork.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Place in preheated oven (350F) until it is golden brown. (30- 40 minutes) 

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Cherry, grape or small Plum tomatoesWhole cloves of garlic (One for every 4 tomatoes)Olive OilFresh Thyme

Preheat oven to 225F. Halve each tomato..(crosswise for round ones, lengthwise for long ones). Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the tomatoes cut side up on top with cloves of garlic interspersed amongst the tomatoes. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with thyme. Bake in the oven for 2hrs and 45 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tip:
If you have only one oven, make the tomatoes in the morning and keep at room temperature (Tent with aluminum foil). Bake the zucchini au gratin (when cooled wrap with aluminum foil). While lamb is resting and being carved put the gratin and the tomatoes both back in the hot oven (350F)  and reheat before serving. 

Gerard’s wine suggestions:
La Gardonne, Medoc 2003 – majority Merlot, blackberry and cherry aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. $15.99 @ Arlington Wine & Liquor
Présidial, Bordeaux 2009 – 100% Merlot, blackberry with some mineral and floral character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a clean, fresh finish. $18.99 @ Pine Plains Fine Wines – discount on quantity
Prieur de Meyney, St-Estephe 2005 – “majority Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the second wine from Chateau Meynet. A great red with structure and finesse. $22.99 @ Arlington Wine & Liquor
Bourgogne Pinot Noir Laforet 2007, Joseph Drouhin – « the hue has usually a brilliant ruby-garnet color. The nose offers effusive aromas of crushed berries. On the palate, the wine is full of charm and very pleasant to drink : fresh and fruity - $14.99@ Arlington Wine & Liquor.
Nuits St Georges 2006, Nicolas Potel – “this is very “Nuits” in character with an intensely wild nose of earthy and lightly spiced crushed dark berries. Rich, full and admirably fresh flavor underpinned by good energy on the delicious, serious and sappy finish that is firmly structured. Exceptionally priced for Easter at $39.99 instead of $52.99 @ Arlington Wine & Liquor
 

Secrets of Cooking Today’s Pork

After 20 years of living, cooking and eating in France, Italy and Portugal, I came back to the US and had to adjust to cooking with mostly American ingredients. The single greatest disappointment was anything I cooked with pork. During the years I had been away American pork had changed. Pigs were bred to be less fatty and pork was marketed “as the other white meat.” With this 50% leaner pork - all of my recipes produced dried out pork meat. Here is how I learned to adjust!
Secret # 1 - Fat Content
Look for the most marbled pork you can find. Where you can actually see fat within the meat or have the butcher bard it with lard for cooking.  You don’t have to eat the fat – but you must cook with it to produce juicy and tender meat.
Secret #2 - Do not overcook.
Old recipes tell you to cook pork until it is at 170F which means “well done”. Pork meat has always been safe to eat at 137F, but since the meat had such high fat content it was still juicy when well done. Today, the National Pork Producer’s Council & USDA recommend cooking pork to "medium" or an internal temperature of 160F. They suggest removing large cuts of pork such as roasts, from the oven at 155F and letting the meat continue to cook from its own heat while resting for a few minutes before carving.  
Secret #3 - Pork Stock
Pork stock is time consuming to make and relatively rare to find. Consequently many recipes call for water or chicken stock to baste a roast or create a sauce. But water or chicken stock dilutes the pork flavor, so I use Kitchen Basic’s Pork Stock. (Marona’s now carries it.)

Wine pairings:
Millbrook Winery Cabernet Franc 2008 (18% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 75% Cabernet Franc),with aromas of berries and cocoa with earthy undertones. A good Cabernet Franc to drink a bit cool. $15 @ Village Wine in Millbrook.

Chinon Couly-Dutheil La Coulee Automnale 2007 from the Loire Valley (100% Cabernet Franc).  $12.99 @ Alrlington Wine & Liquor.

Here are two pork recipes – use these secrets and either wine with both!

Pork Rib Roast with Braised Red Cabbage
Serves 6-8

Rack of Pork – One chop per person
(Paul at Marona’s barded &“frenched” it for me.)

16 fl oz of Pork Stock
1 Glass of Red Wine.
Salt, Pepper

Pork Fat or Butter & Oil
1 Red Cabbage (cored and sliced)
2 Apples (peeled and sliced)
1 Sweet Onion (sliced & separated into rings)
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Butter
4 Teaspoons Cornstarch
 
Preheat oven to 350F. Place roasting pan (not Pyrex) on the stove. Melt fat and brown pork roast on all sides. Place in hot oven. Roast 20 minutes per pound basting every 15 minutes with some of the stock.  In a dutch oven toss cabbage, apples and onion. Add 1½ cups of water, vinegar, sugar, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for an hour and a half.  When meat is done (should be 155F) remove from pan. Allow to rest 10 minutes outside the oven tented (covered loosely) with a piece of aluminum foil while you make the sauce. Put the roasting pan back on the stove. Add wine and scrape the bottom of pan as the liquid reduces.

Dilute 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 4 teaspoons of boiling stock. Add half to the cabbage, bring back to boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered. Add the other half to the pan juices to thicken the sauce. Whisk. Add rest of stock ¼ cup at a time to pan. Keep whisking. Remove bard from roast and cut in between the ribs to give each portion one chop. Serve on a hot platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and the rest in a gravy boat.  Serve with the braised red cabbage and mashed potatoes.

Pork Tenderloin with Apples & Potatoes

(Inspired by a Guy Savoy recipe)

Serves 4
2 tenderloins of pork
2 lbs Small Potatoes
(Yukon, White Creamers or Red-
Washed and boiled in salted water for 25 minutes. Drained and left to cool in their skins)
1 Apple (peeled and cut first in quarters and then each quarter in thirds lengthwise). 

1 Onion (peeled and diced)
½ cup of lemon juice

1 cup of apple juice
8 fluid ounces of Pork Stock

Butter, Sugar, Chopped Parsley, Salt & Pepper

Brown the tenderloins in butter on all sides for about 10 minutes.  Add the diced onion and let cook for about 20 minutes. Peel the cooled potatoes. In separate skillets, brown the potatoes in melted butter for about 10 minutes and the apple pieces for about 5 minutes. Mix the lemon and apple juices. Remove meat from skillet and keep warm. Pour  juices into the hot skillet, scraping the bottom to get meat flavors to dissolve into the liquid. Add a teaspoon of sugar and ½ of the stock. Whisk. As it thickens add the rest of the stock and keep whisking until it forms a glossy slightly thick sauce. Slice meat and serve on a warm plate with the potatoes on one side and the apples on the other. Nap with the sauce. 

Pasta - Italian Style

Before I lived in France for 15 years, I lived in Italy for 2. There, I ate pasta everyday, often twice a day! I have never been so thin in my entire life, neither before nor since. So, I do not believe that pasta is fattening.  I learned from my Italian friends that the art of making pasta is a bit more complicated than we seem to think. Here are some simple guidelines and tips.

Matching pasta shapes with sauce…

There are many different shapes of pasta because there are many different textures and consistencies of sauce.  Long thin strands (spaghetti, etc) are best with smooth sauces or pestos. Wider long noodles, such as fettuccine and tagliatelle are well suited to creamy sauces like Alfredo.  Short tubular or molded pasta shapes with non-smooth surfaces are made to trap chunkier sauces. Sauces with small to medium chunks are perfect with fusilli or penne.  Sauces with very large chunks are best with shells, rigatoni, or other large tubes.

Boiling the Water

No kidding. There is a right way and many wrong ways! Pasta must be cooked in a great deal of well salted boiling water. About 4 quarts of water with at least one tablespoon of salt for one pound of pasta is the general rule. Check the instructions on the box for how long it should cook, remember that timing starts once the water has started to boil again after the pasta has been submerged. Do not add oil (it prevents the sauce from sticking properly to the pasta). Do not rinse the pasta; it washes away the starch and makes the pasta taste watery.

Easy but delicious Meatballs
I used to mix three or four types of meat to make meatballs which were then baked in the oven before adding to the sauce. Recently, I learned a much easier and better tasting recipe. Just 1 lb of ground beef mixed with finely chopped onions, parsley, 2 tablespoons of plain bread crumbs soaked in 3 tablespoons of water, and one beaten egg (I like to add a tablespoon or two of Parmesan cheese). Make medium size meatballs by rubbing in the palms of your hands and dropping into simmering tomato sauce to cook for about 45 minutes.  Makes about 12-15 medium sized meatballs.

Easy but delicious Tomato Sauce
I also spent many years making my own sauce for hours on end with many different combinations of ingredients.  It was never better than what I do now in just a few minutes.  One jar of Paul Newman’s Tomato & Basil sauce (Marona’s carries it) mixed with two cans of Del Monte stewed tomatoes (One Italian Style and the other Original Style). Blend together with a mixer. Let simmer on the stove with some fresh basil if you have it.  (This makes enough sauce for a pound and a half of pasta which feeds 6 people).

The wines:
Let us succumb to the charms of a superb Chianti Classico (100% Sangiovese) - a dry red wine full of sun and plenty of fruit.

Chianti Barone Ricasoli 2008

Intense ruby red.Chianti with its full body minerality and tanginess.with floral hints and the spices of cloves, pepper, chocolate and wild cherries.  $13.99

Viticcio Chianti Classico 2006

A rich, sensual wine bursting with sour dark cherries, French oak, new leather and flowers. The wine’s inner perfume emerges with melding beautifully into the soft, creamy finish. $19.99
Chianti, Fattoria Lucignano 2008

Medium intensity ruby red. Intense nose, overflowing with fruity aromas of black cherry and violets. Soft and medium bodied on the palate it balances its tannins with moderate acidity. $13.99/btl - $21.99 magnum
All three wines can be found at Cascade Spirit Ship in Amenia.

Send feedback to RonaBoyer@gmail.com

Sautéed Chicken vs. Chicken Fricassée!

These two techniques are almost identical and are both FEVI (Fairly Easy, but Very Impressive) dishes to serve. Sautéing chicken produces a juicy meat with a lovely sauce. A Fricassée, after lightly sautéing, then stews the chicken in broth and/or some vegetables which will infuses the meat with rich and intense flavors. The chicken cooks all the way through, becoming very tender and falling off the bone. A few of the same secrets will make either technique a sure fire success. I have included my favorite recipe for each. Please be sure to read the secrets first because I have not repeated them in the instructions. 

Secret #1
The chicken pieces must be at room temperature when you sauté them or the skin will break and fall away from the meat. Pat dry and let rest on paper towels for at least an hour before cooking.

Secret #2
Do not crowd the pan. Chicken pieces need a bit of room in between them to sauté correctly, but not too much or the fat in the empty space will burn. Leave just enough space so that they are not touching one another. If you need to fill the holes use pieces of chicken that you will not serve (neck or back but not the liver). If there is too much to avoid crowding, then cook the chicken in batches. 

Secret #3
White meat cooks faster than dark meat. So take the breast out 3-5 minutes (depending upon the size) earlier than the dark meat.  If you are cooking in batches, cook them separately and cook the dark meat 3-5 minutes more than the breasts.

Secret #4
Warm your oven to 200F so that you can place the chicken and vegetables in the oven to keep them warm while reducing the sauce.

Secret #5
You must not walk away from the stove while reducing the sauce! (If you need to do something. remove the skillet from hot burner until you come back. You will pick it up where you left off.). Remove chicken and vegetables and keep warm. If you have more than a cup or so of liquid, take some out and reserve. Put up the heat and boil. While boiling it will reduce and thicken. Once it gets a bit thick, add the liquid back in small quantities so that it is reabsorbed into the thickened sauce. If you need more liquid, add additional chicken stock ¼ cup at a time until you have the amount of sauce you need. If this does not work for you, you can thicken with a tablespoon of cornstarch that has been mixed with two tablespoons of boiling water or stock.

Secret #6
Both techniques produce a lovely sauce so the chicken should be served with a starch (mashed potatoes, rice or orzo) that will absorb the delicious flavors of the sauce.

Gerard’s Wine Suggestions:
Sautéed Chicken: Despite the use of white wine in the cooking, we recommend a red wine with this dish. A Vin de Pays d’Oc - Paul Mas Estate 2008, blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. A very nice table wine with appealing “terroir”.  $14.99
Fricassée: The stewed tomatoes in this dish require a wine with tannins and acidity. Gerard chose 2010 Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais Villages Nouveau. 100% Gamay,. $11.99
Special pick for either dish: Présidial 2009 from Jean-Luc Thuvenin, a Brilliant ready-to-drink Bordeaux.  Blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, made by Jean Luc Thuvenin, (he started the “garage movement” in Bordeaux in 1989).  A classic Bordeaux! Experts agree that 2009 is going to be one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of our lifetimes! Don’t miss it! $18.99
Wines available at Pine Plains Fine Wine & Spirits – 518-398-7633 - 20% discount for one case mix and match.

LouLou’s Sauté of Chicken with Shallots
Serves 4
6-8 Pieces of Chicken (at room temperature)
6 -8 Shallots (peeled and separated into any sections)
1 Cup of White Wine
Salt (kosher) & Pepper
5 Tablespoons of Margarine
Heat 5 tablespoons of margarine in a skillet. When hot, brown the chicken on fairly high heat.  (This should take about 5 minutes for the skin /exposed meat to become golden brown – but not burnt). Add the shallots on top of chicken parts and kosher salt. for about 5 minutes. They should cook and brown a bit.  Add pepper. Add thyme. Add wine (enough to have 1/3 of the height of the chicken in liquid). Cover. Let simmer for 30 minutes.  Check every few minutes to ensure that there is some liquid in the pan. If not add ¼ cup of water, each time. Turn pieces over to cook evenly. When chicken is done, remove it and shallots from pan (keep warm). If you need more sauce add another ¼ cup of wine or chicken stock and reduce while scraping the bottom of the pan. Place on warm platter, nap sauce over chicken and shallots.

Fricassée of Chicken with Mushrooms
Serves 4
6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (not a first cold press)
6-8 Pieces of Chicken (at room temperature)
¼  Cup of Flour
1 lb of Fresh Mushrooms
1 Can of Stewed Tomatoes (Del Monte-Italian Style)
Salt, Pepper
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Parsley
Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Trim and separate caps from stems. Cut caps in halves or quarters if large. Dredge chicken pieces in flour. Heat half of the olive oil in a skillet until hot but not smoking. Sauté the chicken pieces until they are brown on all sides. Carefully regulate the heat to avoid scorching.  In a separate skillet heat the remaining olive oil and add mushroom caps and stems, stirring occasionally until brown (5-6 minutes). When chicken is browned, add mushrooms and stewed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium low. Cook covered for about 20 minutes.  Turn the pieces and cook uncovered  for another 10 minutes. Remove chicken and mushrooms from skillet and keep warm while you reduce the sauce. Place chicken on a warm serving platter. Nap some sauce over each piece and sprinkle with the parsley. Pour remaining sauce into a gravy boat.

Au Gratins

Some people think that if you put grated cheese on top and stick any dish under the grill- you have made a ‘Gratin”. While that is not far from the truth, but here are three FEVI (Fairly Easy  - Very Impressive) gratins that work well with a salad and a light red wine for a light meal or as a side dish to dress up a simple roast.  I like to serve the zucchini with lamb, the cauliflower with roast beef and the Mac & Cheese with roast chicken!  

Zucchini Au Gratin
3 lbs of zucchini
3 eggs (beaten)
8 oz Crème Fraiche (Vermont brand, I buy at Adam’s – or mix 4oz  of heavy cream with 4oz of sour cream).
5 oz of grated Swiss Cheese
Butter, Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg
Rinse and dry zucchini (do not peal). Cut into large cubes. Cook in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and squeeze in a colander to remove excess water. Place zucchini in a buttered oven dish and mash with a fork. In a separate bowl mix beaten eggs, cream and ¾ of the cheese and some salt, pepper and nutmeg.. Add mixture to zucchini and mix with a fork.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Place in preheated oven (350F) until it is golden brown. (30- 40 minutes)

Cauliflower Au Gratin
1 large cauliflower
2 cups of milk (I use skim)
1½ cups grated Swiss Cheese
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg
Break cauliflower into pieces (”florets”) and steam or boil in salted water until tender but not mushy.  Drain. Allow to cool.  In a heated sauce pan mix the equal parts of melted butter and  flour. Whisk together adding the milk a ¼ cup at a time. Keep whisking as it becomes a smooth creamy mixture. You just made a Bechamel!  (See that was not hard was it?).  To the béchamel add one cup of the cheese. Stir and when melted remove from the flame. Add salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. In a buttered flameproof dish place the cauliflower and pour in the béchamel sauce. Stir so the sauce is evenly distributes through the cauliflower. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and place in preheated 350F oven until golden brown (about 30 minutes)

Killer Mac & Cheese with Ham
2/3 cup diced onion
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 2/3 cups milk
1 1/3 cups cream
1 bay leaf
4 peppercorns 
11/2 cups grated (mix swiss & cheddar cheese)
1 box of elbow macaroni
1 cup good-quality ham (I love the Farmland’s Pit Ham at Quattros)
2-3 tablespoons bread crumbs
salt, pepper grated nutmeg
In a very large heavy-bottomed saucepan melt the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute gently for 2-3 minutes.  Add the flour and stir well, never allowing the flour to brown.  Switch to a whisk and slowly add half the milk while whisking constantly.  Add all the cream while still whisking, then the rest of the milk.  Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf.  Turn the heat as low as possible and simmer the sauce, whisking occasionally, for 30 minutes.Preheat the oven to 375, slice ham in long pieces. Butter the casserole. Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until tender, then drain and run cold water over it to prevent sticking.  Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove bay leaf. Add ¾  of the cheese, and whisk until it’s all melted.
Add the macaroni and ham stir to incorporate.  You’ll notice the sauce is very loose--the pasta will absorb much of it in the oven.  Pour into buttered gratin dish, or individual large ramekins.  Sprinkle with cheese, breadcrumbs. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.  Turn on the broiler if it’s not browned.  (This is inspired by a recipe from Thomas Keller’s – of Per Se and French Laundry Fame!)

Gerard’s Wine Suggestions
While these gratins all have melted cheese on top, it is the main ingredient inside that will guide our choice of wine.
Zucchini gratin : Languedoc Cotes de Tongue 2009 –a young fruity wine with soupple tannins to pair with the vegetable’s delciate flavor. $10 at Village Wine in Millbrook
Cauliflower Gratin : Côtes-du-Rhône Domaine d’Andezon 2009 –notes of berries that will stand up to the rich flavors of the cauliflower. $12.99 at Arlington Wine & Liquor
Mac & Cheese: Valpolicella Allegrini 2009 Light bodied with notes of cherry. To be chilled before serving.  - $13.99 at Arlington Wine & Liquor

Secrets to Successful Braising

Always delicious, often impressive and once you know the secrets – easy to prepare!

Braising transforms an inexpensive tough cut into a tender juicy dish with a rich flavorful sauce. All in one pot! Here’s what you do: After seasoning the meat with salt and pepper, brown it on  all four sides in a few tablespoons of butter mixed with oil on a  medium high flame. (Use a flameproof casserole with a tight fitting lid).  Remove meat to deglaze the pot by pouring in a glass of wine and scraping any pieces that are stuck to the bottom. This is what will give your sauce body. Replace the meat, add vegetables and stock until the liquid reaches half-way up the meat. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer until tender. Most recipes end there. However, I have learned from LouLou (my French mother-in-law) and a number of friends who happen to be French Chefs – that the following secrets will ensure great success! Be sure to make extra - people tend to take seconds of braised dishes, so be prepared. Also, leftovers warm up nicely and freeze well for a second feast!

Secret # 1 – Cook the day before to remove the fat.  Refrigerating overnight will cause the fat to rise to the surface. Once you have removed this top yellow layer, your dish will taste better, be easier to digest and above all – be much less fattening! 

Secret # 2 – Cook new vegetables. Good restaurants do not serve overcooked tired looking vegetables that were braised for hours with meat. Instead, they discard them and cook fresh ones in the braising liquid before adding them to the pot or to the platter prior to serving. Because braised poultry and Osso Bucco only require about an hour of braising, those vegetables will still be good and should be served!

Secret # 3 – Reduce the liquid to a beautiful sauce. Before serving, remove the meat and keep warm. Take out and reserve most of the liquid, leaving about one cup in the pot. Turn up the heat until it boils. Thicken by whisking a teaspoon of cornstarch* into the liquid until it thickens. Add remaining liquid a 1/2 cup at a time - continuously whisking until it is reduced to a nice thick sauce.
Return the meat and vegetables to the pot. Warm and serve directly from the casserole at the table or place the meat on serving dish surrounded by cooked vegetables. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve with additional sauce in a gravy boat on the side.
*Instead of the cornstarch you can make own roux. Mix a tablespoon of melted butter and another of flour, whisk the mixture into 1 cup of braising liquid until it thickens. Add remaining liquid as above.

Osso Bucco Recipe
4 Veal Shanks cut for Osso Bucco
( I bought at Marona’s- they were delicious!)
¼ cup of butter
1 onion sliced
1 carrot sliced
2 cups white wine
1 can of stewed tomatoes  (Del Monte’s Italian Style)
1 ½ cups of stock  (Kitchen Basic’s Veal Stock)
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 bay leaf
For Optional Garnish:
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
¼ cup of chopped parsley
grated rind of 1 lemon
Brown seasoned veal shanks on both sides in foaming butter in the flameproof casserole. Remove meat. Add carrots and onions. Brown for 2-3 minutes and remove.  Deglaze with one cup of wine. Return veggies and then place the meat on top of the vegetables. Add the rest of the wine and simmer for about 10 minutes until liquid is reduced by half. Add 1 cup of stock and garlic. Add tomatoes. Bay leaf and seasoning. Cover and simmer or bake in the oven at 350 F for about one hour and 15 minutes. (Every 20 minutes, ensure there is enough liquid so it never sticks to the bottom of the pot).  Remove meat. Reduce sauce. Combine garlic, parsley and lemon rind and sprinkle on top. Be sure to eat the bone marrow- it is heavenly!

Gerard’s Wine Suggestions:
We need a red wine that will not overpower the tender veal, but that can stand up to the tomato based sauce. Any of the following will work well :
- Cabernet Franc 2008 de Millbrook Winery, showing a pure fruit, earthiness, spice and soft structure - $16/bt
- Bordeaux rive droite, Château Coustaut La Grangeotte 2009, medium bodied, with a silky texture and clean acidity - $12/btl. 
- Barbera 2009 Colli Tortonesi from Piedmont, Italy. Round but not heavy, showing the fresh expression of young Barbera that sees no oak. Dark fruit up front, good depth with a fresh acidity. $15/btl.  Gerard’s favorite. Cheers!
These wines are available at Village Wine in Millbrook