Pork Belly Blues

Happy Fall!
I suppose that I should change the title of my blog to quarterly thoughts from the test kitchen as I am certainly not a regular blogger.
I have a gripe to share...its more of an observation. Can we please move on from pork belly. I know you might be saying to yourself..."why?"...pork belly rocks....and in moderation, I agree. But we have gone overboard.
Pork belly made its way back onto the scene a few years ago and I have had some truly amazing dishes with this succulent, yummy cut of pig - including David Chang's famous pork buns on numerous occasions.
It is unfortunately becoming the tuna tartar of the 80's the sliders of the 90's. I fell victim to the urge a few years ago, looking for any opportunity to pair a crispy piece of pork belly with halibut or salmon. Next stop, the Applebees near you.
But its not just the overuse that gets to me, its the gluttony factor. Maybe I am getting old and this is the first sign, but I get more excited about farro and squash and things that make my body feel in balance and alive. I don't mind when the wine gives me a hang-over but the food shouldn't! Until next time...think, food for life...

A request for vegetable inspiration...

I fell out of my usual blogging rhythm...sorry about that...Well it's Spring in New England and after months of root vegetables and produce from other parts of the world we are finally seeing signs of "edible life". I have been on a journey over the last few years, trying to figure out how to bring as much local produce to a large restaurant company as I can...I have accomplished this with varied success. There are all sorts of collaborations and associations inspired by the mission of bringing the "farm to fork"...whose assistance I have solicited. And last summer was the perfect storm, as social responsibility met $4 gas prices. Everyone wanted celery from their home-state because fuel charges had evened the playing field. But the challenges of getting local anything infront of 8 million guests is tricky business. But that's my deal not yours...So has the "economy" changed peoples desire to eat local? Are guests driven as much by a "deal" this summer as they were a "local meal" in season's past? I am endeavoring to do both. What's on the menu this year you ask... I am looking for feedback from any readers out there. What veggies do you crave this year? Hopefully micro greens and baby vegetables are behind us and we can grow up and eat full sized produce together. So let me know...what's the collective palate looking for this summer...Stay tuned.

"bonne femme"...simple fare

Bonne femme actually translates to "good wife" but the jist is authentic, rustic and delicious!

Here I go again, tauting the positive attributes of simple, honest cooking. I can't seem to help my self...every time I braise something slowly, roast a chicken in a Dutch oven, or as luck may have it make a beautiful Paella. It is the layers of flavor that are created through the slow cooking process that I love so much. To illustrate my point, I am going to explain how I make Paella.





Starting with a well seasoned Paellera, bring to a medium heat (over a wood-fired grill is the best) First, render some good quality Spanish Chorizo...very different from the Portuguese version which doesn't have the great smoked paprika, and the fat ratio is so different.


Once the chorizo has released its precious fat, I remove from the pan and add some shrimp...my goal here is to just sear the outside of the shrimp. Two things happen: first, the shrimp pick up the great flavor of the chorizo, but even more important is the flavor that begins building in the Paella pan. Remove the shrimp once browned well on one side and into the pan add the vegetables of your choosing...I usually go with leeks, some red bell peppers and corn during the summertime. Once the vegetables are slightly tender add some garlic and season with salt and paprika. Now, start adding the rice (again it needs to be a short grain rice from Spain, "Bamba" is one of my favorites but something from Valencia is key). Stir well...veggies, rice and paprika and add in the browned chorizo. So here is the critical step, add just enough stock (I bloom the saffron into the stock) to cover the rice and adjust the heat so that the liquid just barely simmers. The fun part starts...once the rice is about half way cooked, start adding the seafood you have chosen, starting with the species with the longer cooking times. Here is the order that I used last week: clams, mussels, lobster, shrimp, snails and then squid. You may need to add a little more stock, but that depends on what you see happening in your pan...so pay attention and use your instincts. Just towards the very end, I add lemon wedges along the edge of the pan and finish with some freshly chopped herbs (basil and parsley).

Obviously this isn't a specific recipe, just the technique...but give it a try.

Its all about layers...

The Paella in the picture above is from a recent 4 course dinner... the main course was this paella, served family style...followed by dessert of churros with goat's milk caramel.

Until next time...

If I knew then, what I know now...

We all say it, as we grow and look back on our past work...."if I knew then what I know now..." Would my choices have been different? Menu writing, management style, priorities...how would they have been different with my current perspective. One of my greatest joys has been seeing the growth and progress of some of the idividuals that I have worked with over the years. In my seemingly young career, I have now seen a 5th former employ go on to open their own restaurant. Amazingly, 3 former sous chefs are now chef/owners of their own properties. So, in short, whatever I've done in the past it has made it seem possible and for that matter desirable to enter into this crazy business and put one's name on the door. So, if I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently. Nothing! My advise to all that have chosen the path of ownership...enjoy every minute of it, every little detail. Bringing in the garbage cans on Christmas morning when the whole city is quiet. Answering the fire department's call at 3am to a false alarm. Getting your first great review. Being the first one in the building and the last one out, far too often. The look on the guest's face when they tell you it was the best meal of their lives. People ask me from time to time if I ever want to have my own restaurant again, and my answer is usually the same...you never know...

What happened to the classics???

Why must everything be NEW and innovative? I know that being in the development business, I might sound like a heretic. But let's discuss this for a second. The culinary arts used to be considered a trade, more like brick laying than impressionist painting. Nowadays with the growing popularity of restaurants such as Alinea, WD-50 and the hundreds of others dabbling in "molecular-gastronomy" there is a growing generation of cooks that are only driven by the "new and different". I fear we are loosing touch with the true building blocks of the art form. Bread baking and charcuterie are great examples of lost skills. Ask a budding chef to make a classic country pate or rustic bread and they'll glaze over. Frankly, I am going on strike. I want to encourage others to do the same. By no means am I saying we need to be Euro-centric about this...it could be a great bowl of Pho! My point is lets celebrate the craft. Spread the word, invite over friends to make home-made pasta. Teach your children to make bread from scratch and most importantly, put a classic dish on your menu without an apology or a modern twist. Don't be lured in by the press tauting the next great culinary genius. The genius I am inspired by, is the ability to make the perfect baguette day after day.