Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• 100g celery (4 or 5 ribs), in large pieces
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 tbsp thyme (or a handful of fresh thyme branches)
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 tbsp butter, divided
• 200g (1/2 lb.) white mushrooms, in pieces (around 1cm or 1/2")
• 1 leek, minced
• 1 or 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 200g (1/2 lb.) ground veal
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 200 mL (1 c.) cream
• 2 egg yolks
• Freshly ground pepper and salt
• 4 round puff pastries (bouchées à la reine)
• Parsley

Preparation

Place the chicken in water with the celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. Season heavily with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for around an hour, removing the foam regularly.

In a separate pan, cook the mushrooms and the leek with 1 tbsp. of the butter and the lemon juice. Season heavily with salt and pepper (this mixture should be a bit overseasoned, by itself), and add some of the stock from the chicken pot if they start to dry out.

Form the ground veal into meatballs about the size of marbles (around 1/2" or 1cm, maybe a little bigger), and cook them for two or three minutes in boiling salted water. Plunge them into cold water to stop their cooking.

When the chicken is done, bone it and cut it into pieces. Sieve the chicken broth and discard the solids. Make a roux with the remaining 4 tbsp. of butter and the flour. Slowly add the chicken broth until you get a slightly thick, smooth sauce, the consistency of a quite thick gravy. (It should take around 3 or 4 cups, 75 or 100 cL; it should also be a bit too thick, as you’ll thin it with the cream in a moment.) Cook the sauce for a bit.

Add the chicken, the meatballs, and the mushroom mixture. Let that simmer for a second to blend flavors. Add half of the cream and bring back to a simmer. Mix the egg yolks with the remaining cream, and add this to the sauce. Warm it just until it thickens, but do not let it boil.

Serve over the puff-pastry rounds, garnishing with parsley.

visit.brussels, edited heavily

Ingredients

• 1 whole suckling pig, around 20lb/10kg
• salt and pepper
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 1 tsp. juniper berries, chopped
• 2 bay leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 275 F. Chop together the garlic, rosemary, parsley, sage, and juniper berries, and stir in 2 tbsp. of oil. Rinse the pig inside and out, pat dry. Season inside and out with oil, salt, and pepper. Place the herb mixture inside the cavity of the pig. Cover ears and tail with tin foil to keep them from burning, and put a ball of tin foil in the mouth if you want to add an apple later.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer reads 160 F at the deepest joint (the shoulder near the head), around 4 hours (or less). (If you want to hold the pig, you can tent it with foil at this point until ready to continue.) Increase oven temperature to 500 F and cook for 30 minutes more, until skin is crisp all over.

[Consider serving this with Czech potato pancakes.]

Serious Eats and Recipe 4 Living, edited

Ingredients

Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes, juiced

Wontons

• 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled, seed removed, and diced
• 1 package won ton wrappers
• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together cilantro lime dipping sauce ingredients. Set aside.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat (should reach 350 degrees).

3. While oil heats up, whip the cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth. Add in the diced avocado and gently fold in with a spoon.

4. Lightly brush both sides of the wonton wrapper with the egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water). Put about a teaspoon of the avocado cream cheese filling in the center of each wonton. Fold the wonton wrappers in half, forming a triangle, and seal the edges. Fold the very ends of each point of the triangle over.

5. Fry wontons in the hot oil 4 at a time until golden brown. This will only take about a minute.or two. Using a slotted spoon, remove the golden brown wontons from the oil and put on paper towels to drain.

6. Divide the dipping sauce into individual bowls and serve with hot wontons.

The Stay at Home Chef

Ingredients

for the bread

• 1 c. warm water
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 c. bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp lard or vegetable shortening
• sesame seeds
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp cold water

for the olive salad

• 1 1/2 c. green olives, pitted
• 1/2 c. kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 c. giardiniera
• 1 Tbsp. capers
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/8 c. celery, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. roasted red peppers
• 1 Tbsp green onions, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 1 1/2 c. olive oil

for the sandwich

• 1/4 lb genoa salami
• 1/4 lb hot capicola (or regular ham)
• 1/4 lb mortadella
• 1/8 lb sliced mozzarella
• 1/8 lb sliced provolone

Preparation

to make the bread Combine the water, yeast and sugar in the workbowl of a stand mixer, stir well and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until good and foamy. Meanwhile, combine the flours, salt, and lard in a bowl and work in the fat with your hands until broken up into very small pieces. When the yeast is foamy, fit the mixer with a dough hook attachment and gradually add the flour on low speed until its all incorporated. Scrape the sides down between additions. When the dough comes together, turn it onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary.. Alternatively, you can let the machine do the work, but for me, bread is a touch thing. Coat a large bowl with the Olive Oil, then put the dough in, turning once to coat both sides. Cover loosely with a clean dry towel, or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape into a flat round about 9 inches across (it will expand to about 10″.) Place the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, about 2-3 Tbsp should do it, then press them lightly into the dough. Loosely cover the loaf and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. When the dough has risen, remove the cover, gently brush with the egg wash then gently place into a preheated 425 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees F for an additional 25 minutes or until it’s golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

to make the olive salad Crush each olive on a cutting board with your hand. Combine all ingredients. Cover with oil. Put into a bowl or jar, cover and let the flavors marry for about one week.

to assemble the sandwich Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Brush both sides with the oil from your 1 week old Olive Salad, go a little heavier on the bottom. Layer half of the salami on the bottom half of the bread. Then the mortadella. Then the mozzarella, then the capicola/ham, provolone, and the remainder of the salami. Top this with the olive salad. Put the lid on and press it down without smashing the bread. Quarter it.

NOLA Cuisine

Ingredients

Chile-Scallion Oil

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 star anise pods
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Noodles and Assembly

• 6 oz. Japanese wheat noodles (such as ramen, somen, or udon)
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• ½ large English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves or any sprout

Preparation

Chile-scallion oil Cook all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until scallions and garlic are just golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool; transfer oil to a jar.

Noodles and assembly Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions; drain. Rinse noodles under cold water, then shake off as much water as possible. Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and oil in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Add noodles, chicken, and scallions; toss to coat. Toss with cucumber, radishes, and cilantro and drizzle with chile oil just before serving.

Bon Appetit

Ingrédients

• 400gr pâte d’amande 50%
• 40gr pâte de pistache
• 75gr d’oeufs
• 50gr de beurre fondu froid
• 20gr de farine
• framboises fraîches

Préparation

Mélanger au batteur avec la palette la pâte d’amande et la pâte de pistache. Ajouter progressivement les oeufs puis le beurre fondu froid, stopper et ajouter la farine tamisée à la spatule. Garnir les moules (mini-moules pour canelés) à la moitié à l’aide d’une poche, dépose une framboise et recouvrir avec l’appareil. Cuisson 13min à 175C. Démouler a foid. Finition: une framboise posée à l’envers sur le mignon, une pistache entière à l’intérieur.

Elastomoule MINI CANELÉS

Ingredients

• 1 lb. crawfish tails
• 1 lb. cream cheese, softened
• 4 scallions
• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. chopped tarragon
• 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• salt
• lime juice
• 1/2 lb. phyllo sheets
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. breadcrumbs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roughly chop crawfish meat and combine with cream cheese. Chop green and white of scallions and add to cream cheese along with cilantro, tarragon, garlic, and curry powder. Add pepper flakes, salt, and lime juice to taste.

Lay out one sheet of dough. Brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Repeat with two more sheets, stacking one on top of the other. Cut widthwise into three pieces. Place a large spoonful of filling in the corner of each piece and fold flag-style into triangle. Brush with butter and place on a tray sprinkled with breadcrumbs. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets. Bake until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Serves 10-12.

The hallway by the bathroom, Bayona

Ingredients

• 400 g. chestnuts
• 2 lg shallots, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 c. dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Place the dried porcinis in hot water to steep. In a 2-qt sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, and shallot. Cook vegetables until soft. Coarsely chop the chestnuts and add them to the pan. Add the porcini and the steeping liquid (being careful not to add any dirt at the bottom of the bowl).

Add broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until all ingredients are fork-tender, 15–25 minutes. Remove from heat and homogenize with an immersion blender. Return to low heat, add cream, and season to taste.

D’Artagnan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• Salt

Preparation

In a small saucepan, soak the apricots in the Cognac for 10 minutes. Bring to a boil, then carefully ignite with a long match. When the flames subside, add the brown sugar and cook over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a food processor and let cool. Add the butter and process until fairly smooth. Season the butter with salt. Scrape the apricot butter into a large ramekin and serve with crusty bread.

Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 4 ounces very thinly sliced country ham or prosciutto
• 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, divided
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 2 bunches collard greens (about 1 pound), center ribs and stems removed
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until crisp, 20–25 minutes; let cool and break into pieces.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet; toast over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and add thyme and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Mix in ham and set aside.

Cook collard greens in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl of ice water, and let cool. Drain and squeeze dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop greens and place in a large bowl.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to bowl with greens; set aside. Reserve saucepan.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Melt butter in reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and very pale brown, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, 1/2-cupful at a time; add nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 5–8 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Add béchamel to collard greens mixture and mix to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Transfer collard greens mixture to a 10" cast-iron skillet or 9" pie dish and top with breadcrumb mixture; place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until gratin is bubbling, 15–20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Bon Appetit, November 2013