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Friday, March 14, 2008

Butternut Squash Soup



1 Butternut Squash3 cloves Garlic2 Shallots 6 link Andouille Sausage (small dice)2 tsp Red Chile Paste1 quart Chicken Stock5.6oz can Coconut Milk1/4 cup Rice2 tbsp Cinnamon3-4 sprigs Fresh Thyme1-2 sprigs Fresh Oregano Sea Salt (to taste)White Pepper (to taste)Peanut OilButterPeel the Butternut Squash and cut the top off. Cut six 1/2" slices off of it and chop those into a 1/2" dice for the garnish. Roughly chop the remainder of the Squash and mix it with a bit of Peanut Oil, and a few sprigs of fresh Thyme and Oregano – roast off in a 375F oven until soft (about 30min).

Step 1:
Mince the Garlic and Shallots. .

Step 2:
Saute the Zest, Garlic, Tien Tsin and Shallot in a bit of Oil until tender.

Step 3:
Deglaze with the Chicken Stock and add the Rice.

Step 4:
simmer.

Step 5:
Let simmer until the Rice is cooked.

Step 6:
Once the Rice is cooked, add the Roasted Squash, complete with the Oil and Herbs, and add the Chili Paste, Coconut Milk, , Cinnamon .

Step 7:
Bring back to a simmer and puree in a blender.

Step 8:
In the meantime roast the Andouille in the oven at 400F to bring out the flavor (about 10 minutes). Heat up a bit of Oil in a pan and add the diced Squash and a few Thyme and Oregano leaves.

Step 9:
Toss in a small knob of butter and cook the Squash a l'etuve, whereas you'll let them steam in their own juices under a foil or parchment lid (just cut a small hole in the middle and fit it over the veggies).

Step 10:
Due to the small size, they should be soft in about 5-6 minutes, and need no further liquid added to them. Once soft and tender, combine with the Andouille.

Step 11:
And form a mound in the center of a bowl. Pour the bisque into the bowl and serve.

Step 12:
Closeup of the Andouille sausage and squash.


step 13: Apple cider foam , Blend & skim of foam from the top ! Ladle 1 tsp. before service on top of garnish !

Monday, March 3, 2008

Spicy Shrimp Ceviche


6 ounces medium uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined and sliced in half lengthwise
1 medium red onion, sliced as thinly as possible
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons raisins, finely chopped
4 anchovies, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 recipe Salsa Verde (see below)
Popcorn for garnish (see below)

Salsa Verde:
1 bunch parsley, leaves only
8 basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
4 anchovies
Juice of one lemon
salt and pepper for seasoning

Popcorn:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup corn kernels

1. Whisk vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add onions and stir to combine. Let sit 15-30 minutes.
2. In a medium non-reactive bowl, combine raisins, anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes. Stir well to combine. Add onion mixture and stir well. Add shrimp and gently toss to completely coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to let shrimp "cook."
3. For each serving: Put 2 tablespoons salsa verde in the bottom of a martini glass. Top with 1/4 cup of shrimp mixture and garnish with popcorn. Serve immediately.

Salsa Verde:
1. Combine ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Popcorn:
1. Combine oil and corn in a large saucepan or stockpot and cover. Shake to evenly distribute corn and oil in pot.
2. Cook, covered, over medium high heat, shaking frequently.
3. When the corn has stopped popping, remove from heat and let sit 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove lid and serve.

Sam Talbot

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Best Pork In NYC

Best Pig
Suckling-pig confit.
Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave.; 212-889-0905
It’s easy to overdose on pork products in New York restaurants these days. In fact, if you aspire to be a big-city gastronome, it’s almost an obligation. But if you have room in your cluttered belly for just one more pig dish, may we recommend a visit to Danny Meyer’s newly revamped Eleven Madison Park? The restaurant’s precocious Swiss chef, 29-year-old Daniel Humm, has come up with a condensed version of suckling pig that is part indulgence, part high-minded haute cuisine showpiece, and part pure barnyard pleasure. Humm braises his Vermont-grown piglet to a kind of preternatural softness, pulls the meat from the bone, simmers everything in duck fat, and presses it into a little brick of golden-brown crispness. This Heath Bar–size confection is plated with cipollini onions and a spot of fresh-made plum chutney, and it’s so full of crackly, porky flavor that you’ll be tempted to finish, then order it again.