Pastrami

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  I've been lucky enough to travel quite a bit, and one of my favorite places on Earth is New York City. It was there that I discovered wood-fired pizza, creme brulee, and the Jewish Deli. Enraptured, I tried repeatedly to capture the flavors I found in the delicatessens - and couldn't! Woe! Disaster! For years I simply remembered the intense flavors and avoided the pale imitations so as not to cloud the memories.
  Then I stumbled across an antique cookbook with a large section on brining and preserving meats. I was of course familiar with the preservation methods used in my Appalachian South - mainly salting, smoking and canning. Pickling meats I had heard of - but the information had never really percolated. I realized that pickled meats would include the two pinnacles of delicatessen Heaven - Corned Beef and Pastrami. I tried corned beef first - with amazing success. It was so easy! Make a brine, submerge a hunk of cow, turn it once a day and there was lusciousness after a week! I immediately worked out the critical flavors I wanted in Pastrami - with black pepper and juniper at the forefront, but with more to highlight and emphasize.
  Once again I couldn't believe the simplicity of the method. The difference with the pastrami was that I smoked it then roasted it before slicing. The flavor was amazing. Several batches later I've happily tweaked my method, and I'm ready to share it. Take a few minutes to put this together - you'll love me for it.

 

• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 6 bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons whole juniper berries
• 16 cups (or 4 quarts) water
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 beef brisket (about 4 to 5 pounds)

To Finish the brisket:

• 1 2/3 cup coarsely ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup crushed juniper berries

1. Find a quart jar or mixing bowl, and combine the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, garlic and whole juniper berries. I use a food processor to go the garlic work for me.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine water, salt and brown sugar. Turn heat to medium, and heat just until salt and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Pour salt/sugar mixture over the spice mixture, and allow it to steep for about an hour or so.
3. Meanwhile, trim brisket. Place in a large, clean container. Once the 'spice tea' has steeped, pour it over the beef. Add just enough ice or very cold water to completely submerge the beef completely. Cover it. Stash the whole thing in the fridge - you want a temperature no higher than 38F.
4. Every few days, turn the brisket and stir the brine. Allow the brisket to brine for at least one week. I've read it can go for 3 weeks - but I've never waited that long.
5. After a week, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse well in cold water. Pat it dry. Discard the brine - but get your container ready for another batch. You're going to want it.
6. Preheat a smoker or grill with a smoking packet to 200-225F. In a bowl or food processor, process together the black peppercorns and juniper berries. I like mine heavily seasoned, and this does it. Use less for a lighter flavor. Rub the pepper/juniper mixture evenly over both sides of the brined brisket.
7. Smoke the brisket over low heat for at least an hour, but no more than two. Remove from the smoker. Preheat oven to 350F.
8. Place the brisket on a broiler pan over a deep sided baking sheet. Pour several cups of hot water into the baking sheet. Carefully put the whole thing in the oven.
9. Roast for an hour to an hour and a half (for a large brisket). I usually start sneaking little tastes at this point.
10. Allow the brisket to rest for at least half an hour before slicing. Slice the pastrami very, very thinly across the grain.

You can serve this however you like - the ultimate pastrami sandwich for me has simply whole grain mustard and wheat or rye bread and is grilled off. I also like it snuck out of the fridge in bites. Mmmmm.  Good stuff.

Molten Lava Cake

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You'll need:

• 6 ounces chocolate - unsweet or semi-sweet, chopped
• 6 Tbl butter, plus 1 Tbl butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and the butter.
2. Preheat oven to 400F.
3. Meanwhile, butter 4 ramekins with a Tbl of butter. Butter them well - if you don't you're cakes won't come out of the ramekins when they're done and you'll cry.
4. In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs well.
5. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and stir in the sugar.
6. Temper the eggs (tempering means you slowly raise the temperature of something) by adding a tablespoon of melted chocolate at at time, beating after each addition, until you've added about 1/4 of the chocolate. At that point you can go ahead and add the remainder of the chocolate to the egg mixture. Don't skip this! You'll get scrambled eggs and that's just nasty.
7. Mix in the flour, making sure it's well incorporated. Pour the batter equally into the ramekins.
8. Bake for 10 minutes. The exterior will be set - the edges done. But the interior will be 'molten' - a warm gooey yumminess. Invert each ramekin onto a plate and allow it sit for a couple of minutes - this helps insure that the cake comes out completely, and that the edges can set up a little more. Don't skip this - the cake could squish into a puddle if you do. Not always a bad thing - but not very pretty.

Now - if you want to dress it up -flavorings can be added at the last - if you wish you can use orange or mint extracts, or vanilla. If you have vanilla sugar, use it along with the vanilla bean itself - just add it with the sugar.
Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbl Chambord (for raspberry) or Grand Marnier (for orange)
• 1 Tbl sugar

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and beat until soft peaks form. Serve immediately.

For raspberry sauce:

• 6 oz fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tbl light corn syrup
• 1 Tbl cornstarch

1. Combine raspberries, sugar and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer, smashing the raspberries down. Simmer for about five minutes, or until the berries have really disintegrated.
2. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and allow to boil for one minute. Remove from heat.
3. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, using a spatula to get as much liquid as possible. It's ready!

Beef and Guinness

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It's all about method here - so I keep the ingredients simple. What's wonderful in this dish is the results of the beef cooking in the Guinness for a long time over slow heat. Match the other seasonings to the resulting strong flavors and you'll be Bombshell.
So you'll need:

• 1 lb beef stew meat, trimmed of extra fat
• 1 cup flour - all purpose is fine
• 3 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
• 2 tsp onion powder, divided
• 2 tsp garlic powder, divided
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 4 medium carrots
• 2 large yellow onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bottle Guinness
• 1-2 cups chicken or beef stock (maybe)
• several tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1. Traditionally this was made with beef shank, which is a pretty tough cut. Stew beef of course is much more common, so that's what I use. I do however pick it over and trim it of extra fat, and usually cut each piece in half to be a better 'bite' size. About 1 inch pieces are what I look for.
2. Mix the flour with 1 tsp each of the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Season the flour liberally - taste it. It's just flour - it won't hurt you. The point is, the flour should be savory - if it isn't, season more heavily. This is one of the main flavor bases, so make sure it's done well.
3. Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Working in small batches, dredge the beef in the flour, shaking off the excess flour. Brown the beef in the olive oil a little at a time. Don't crowd the pieces in the pan - they'll steam instead of brown. Ick. If you're going to cheat on something, pick something else. Poker maybe. Just be patient - it doesn't take that long and makes a big difference. You will probably need to add a little more oil in between batches. As each batch browns, transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
4. Once all the beef is browned off, set it aside. Make sure there is a little oil in the bottom of the pan, adding more if necessary. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pot. Cook them for about ten minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the onions and garlic are very fragrant. Stir well to scrape the fond - the brown bits - off the bottom of the pot.
5. Return the beef to the pot. Add the Guinness, rosemary, thyme, bay and the remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir well. The Guinness should just barely cover the contents of the pot. If it doesn't, add enough chicken or beef stock to cover.
6. Reduce heat to a bare simmer - you want almost no movement in the liquid. Cover, keeping barely at a simmer, for about two hours. The meat should be very tender and the carrots as well. Alternately, you can cook in a very low oven - 250F - for about two hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

You can serve this with anything you like. I like to liberally sprinkle it with fresh parsley, and serve it either next to or over the top of Poundies - fabulous mashed potatoes.

How to Cook a Sirloin Roast

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The Recipe!

You'll need:

• 1 3-5 lb roast
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• several cranks of freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 Tbl olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Put all ingredients except the roast into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times until finely chopped. You can also chopped them, and whisk together by hand. Don't skimp the salt - the salt will work with the natural juices of the roast to form the crusty exterior.
3. Rub the garlic/rosemary mixture thoroughly over the surface of the roast, massaging it in. Insert the probe of a meat thermometer into the very center of the roast.
4. Place in oven, and roast until you reach an internal temperature of 130F for medium rare. For each additional 'step' of doneness, add ten degrees. So medium would be 140, medium well, 150, and well done 160.
5. Pull from the oven when the thermometer reads 130. Make a tent of foil and loosely cover the roast. You'll see carryover cooking increase the temperature another 5-10 degrees. That's fine - you planned on it.
6. Carve the roast on a cutting board or large platter to catch the juices. Don't waste those - they are delicious too! Use a spoon to drizzle the jus over the meat when you serve it

A little horseradish sauce is also a very fine thing - as is good Dijon, or a red wine sauce....or nothing! This one is flavorful to go naked! Yay naked!

Rack of Lamb - Rosemary, Garlic and Mint Crusted Lamb

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This one is very simple - you're simply going to sear off the lamb in a hot skillet, and finish in the oven. For the entire dish you'll need:
For the Lamb:

• 2 racks of lamb, Frenched
• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, stripped
• 2 sprigs fresh mint
• 4 Tbl olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth, or veal stock if you're fabulously lucky
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 Tbl red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbl butter

1. Combine all ingredients except the lamb in the bowl of a food processor and process for a few seconds, until the herbs are finely chopped.
2. Place the racks in a shallow baking or casserole dish. Pour rosemary/mint mixture over racks, and thoroughly rub it in. Cover racks, and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350F.
4. In a large skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the racks of lamb on both sides. Place the 'pretty' or rounded side down first. This only takes a few minutes per side, but you do want a nice golden exterior. Once flipped, insert a meat thermometer into the middle of one rack. Insert the probe on the 'bottom' or concave side, so that the pretty side will not be marked. If you're going to slice the racks into chops before serving, don't worry about where you put it - it won't show or matter.
5. Once both sides have turned golden, put the skillet into the preheated oven. You'll roast for about 20-25 minutes, but the important number is an internal temperature of 145F for medium rare. Pull the lamb at 145F, tent with foil, and allow the racks to rest, untouched for ten minutes. You'll see an additional climb of ten degrees in temperature as it rests - that's perfect.
6. While the lamb is resting, pour off all but a tablespoon or two of the oil in the pan. Make sure you hang on to the juices - just not the grease. Return the pan to the stove top, and adjust heat to medium high.
7. Deglaze the pan with the wine, or if you wish to skip the wine, use a little extra chicken broth. Once it comes to a boil, stir well, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom. Add the remainder of the chicken or veal stock and the vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and allow the mixture to simmer until reduced by half. The sauce should be thickening nicely.
8. Once reduced, remove from heat. Stir in the butter.
9. To serve, slice the lamb into individual chops, and drizzle with the buttered jus.

 

Mushroom Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

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• 4 very thick cut pork loin chops
• 1 cup sauteed mushrooms, or leftover Toasted Mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated very fine
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1 Tbl fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbl butter
• additional salt and pepper to taste, freshly cracked pepper is far better

1. Cut a pocket into each pork chop. Season the interior of the pocket of each chop. Divide the Parmesan cheese into 4 equal portions, and put one portion into the pocket of each chop. Repeat with the Toasted Mushrooms.
2. Using a couple of toothpicks for each chop, seal the open edge of each pork chop. This works best with a little zig zag motion.
3. Make a breading station - this just means lay out the elements of the breading so it's easy to use. In one bowl place the flour, and season heavily with salt and pepper. In the second bowl place the two lightly beaten eggs and again, season heavily with salt and pepper. In the third bowl mix together the bread crumbs, fresh parsley, onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper.
4. Bread the pork chops by dipping first into the flour and shaking off the excess. Then dip the floured chop into the egg and allow the extra to dip off. Finally dip each chop into the bread crumb mixture, patting each chop well to adhere as much breading as possible.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F.
6. In a large skillet with an ovenproof handle, melt the butter over medium heat. Just as the butter melts and turns foamy, add the pork chops. Be patient at this stage. You want each side to turn golden brown, and you may need to turn the chops on their ends or edges to brown them off as well, if the chops are thick enough.
7. Once the second side has brown, and the pork chops are golden brown and beautiful all over, slide the pan into the oven to finish cooking. They should need only about 15-20 minutes.
8. Pull the pan from the oven and set the chops on a platter. Tent with foil to allow them to rest. It is really important that you give your chops ten minutes under the foil to rest. This redistributes the juices throughout the meat, and allows the carryover cooking to finish.

That's it - that's all there is to it. Serve it with just about anything. Think about the flavors that you are using in the meat - be it pork loins like this example, or chicken or beef or even whole fish - and what would be nice with that flavor profile. This particular recipe is really luscious - and you'll adore it if you try it. But the method is what is important here. It works with so much! Try it...right now. Go.  Cook.

Mushroom Parmesan Risotto

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1 1/2 cups short grain rice
1/4 stick butter
1/4 cup of dry white wine or chicken broth
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
3 cups chicken broth or stock, hot
1 cup sauteed or Toasted Mushrooms
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1. Over medium heat in a large saucepan, melt 2 Tbl of the butter. Saute shallot and garlic for about 3 minutes, or until beginning to turn fragrant. Add the thyme to the pot.
2. Add rice to the pot, and saute for five minutes, or until beginning to turn toasty golden brown.
3. Add wine or broth, and cook until the pan is nearly dry, stirring well.
4. With a ladle, dip the hot broth into the rice, and stir well. You want to keep the liquid level of the pan very low - just where the rice looks very wet.
5. Risotto doesn't have to be completely watched, but don't go get on the phone or mow the lawn. Stir it nearly constantly, and as the liquid is absorbed add more. The total cooking time is just about 20 minutes once you begin to add the chicken broth. When nearing the end of this cooking time and getting to the last of your broth, taste for doneness. You should be just about there.
   
6. Once the risotto is at just barely past al dente, remove from the heat, and stir in the Parmesan and Toasted Mushrooms. Taste, and adjust for seasoning. Top with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.