TWISTED BACON!

This post is about an English painters landmark exhibition I saw at the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York). His name is Francis Bacon. Before the art show I did not know what his pieces of art were about. I heard about his bold austere and often nightmarisish paintings. One of the exhibitions highlights is still in my mind. I think it is one of his masterpieces it’s a variation on a crucifixion and its dreadful focus on death is in my opinion frankly – twisted!

Meat show
The painting shows a slauthered animal hanging in the style of a crucifix over an umbrella covered beheaded person in a black suit jacket. You might encounter a scene like that in a horror movie recorded in a meat shop.

Art inspires what I do in my kitchen so I enjoyed the exhibition very much.

Cook me?
Last year we had great success with a “back-from-the-beach suckling pig” menu so I brought it back for this month. After the museum I went straight to my restaurant were we prepared a 25 pound suckling pig for the new menu. Dissecting the little piggy reminded me of the masterpiece in the museum. I found it interesting to combine the artist Bacon with my suckling pig.

- The suckling pig was parted in pieces (legs, shoulders, loin). We took the bones out of these  parts.
- The pig was brined for 24 hours which helped to keep it moist and to make sure that it had  this succulent pinkish color.
- The pig parts were seasoned generously with roasted garlic, lemon thyme, fresh pepper and  salt. We shaped the parts by rolling them tightly into plastic wrap. Basically twisted like a  candy wrapper.
- We set the temperature of the Thermal circulator at 165 degress Fahrenheit then cooked it for  twelve hours. Once cooked it was chilled then portioned.
 
(Suckling pig - twisted saddle, belly, ribs with kale and twice backed potato terrine)
The pig was tender and succulent and kept its “twisted” shape.

 
(kale and mustard greens are beautiful right now)

DO BEARS LIKE HIPPIE CHICKS?

I thought I had a collective knowledge about local berries. Recently I had a conversation early in the morning with a farmer at the Greenmarket. She was talking about black-cap pie. I asked what that was and she explained black-caps were black raspberries – not blackberries. She bakes it every year around this time. I never had heard of black raspberries I knew of golden, purple and ruby colored ones. Later on at home I smeared some store bought mixed berry jelly on my breakfast bread. Curious about the ingredients I discovered black caps on the ingredient list. Now really curious I turned on my laptop and did some research on line about them.

Black-caps
The berry originated in the eastern parts of North America. It’s a shrub plant. Compared to the common raspberries they have little numerous tiny, noticeable seeds inside. They have an intense dark colour and have a high level of anthocyanins. It is supposed to retard the effect of aging and has anticancerous properties.
 
(Sour cherry strudel & Morello cherries with creme brulee ribbon)

Where are the berries?
These berries are hard to get buy but many folks at the market seem to have “their own” black-cap story to tell. “My grandma’s black-cap shortcake, my mom’s black thimble berry pie (another name given to black-cap berries).” They seem to have a short season and people shy away from picking them because of their thorny branches.

Berry lady
One source finally brought a basket of black-caps to the restaurant. A young hippy looking lady with berry tinted hands and stormy hairdo arrives bearing berries (I guess from picking berries in the thorny bushes). She randomly comes by during rush dinner hours. Normally people would get an earfull at that time in a busy kitchen. With her we make an exception. Her goods are handpicked at peak and not comparable to the average quality and taste bought in stores. She is not into revealing where she gets her fruits from “Somewhere in the Hudson Valley”.

Going the extra mile for quality?
We are amused by the berry lady’s stories, “I stayed over night in the woods in my tent and I guess a black bear picked up the smell of the berries. I locked myself into the car for safety reasons”!!

(Black-caps & red currants with raspberry meringue and rose petals)

 
(Black bears are hungry for berries!!) 
(Photo by Mark Cunningham)

 

SCHNITZEL THIS

The movie BRUNO with its heavy German accent is out. All of a sudden people seem to be curious about Germanic foods. THIS should answer a few questions.
 
Schnitzel WHERE
In Austria, my birth country schnitzel is the definite national signature dish.  Many food establishments are named for it schnitzel this schnitzel that etc. It is similar to the volume of restaurants we have here in the US dedicated to burgers.
When we were kids our holiday family eat-outs at the local restaurant consisted of a golden-fried schnitzel. Food fantasies of monstrous french fried potatoes  and a perfectly puffed breaded piece of meat hanging over my plate, yes it was that large. Ketchup was the “sauce” of choice.
 
Schnitzel WHAT
Usually I refer to it when a food product is about a quarter of an inch thick slice of vegetable, fish, meat or poultry. Meats and poultry are traditionally flattened with a meat hammer which tenderizes it since it breaks down the connective structure. Its is commonly crusted with flour, egg and bread. In my opinion the best schnitzel(s) that I have been making are pan fried versus deep fried. It is street food and served in many high end restaurants. To me it is somewhat an old-world food and seems to arouse memories for people I talk to in the restaurant. 
 
(Lamb schnitzel with potato confit & brocoli rabe, with mint extract)

Schnitzel WHEN
Many of my guests are under the impression that Wiener schnitzel is a German food. It actually may have orginiated in Milano Italy. It first appeared in cook books during the
15th century.  You will find many dishes with the word “Milanese” on Italien menus.
Let’s get this clear Viennese/Wiener schnitzel is Austrian. Vienna/Wien is the capital of Austria and a Wiener is a person who populates Wien/Vienna. It is protected by law there even. In Austria schnitzel must be made from veal in order to be called Wiener Schnitzel. Schnitzel from pork or chicken or whatever should explain what kind of schnitzel it is when listed on a menu e.g. Schweins Schnitzel (pork), Hühner Schnitzel (chicken) or  Schnitzel Jäger Art (in the style of - or hunter style…) which is served with mushrooms. Let me tell you there are endless styles for making schnitzel.

Schnitzel HOW
First cut a half inch thick slice of an all natural veal. The part of veal you may use is loin or it should be from the animal’s upper leg/butt cheek. In Austria we used a part of the veal which was called fricandeau (veal leg).
1. Cover a flat kitchen surface with plastic wrap (10 x 10-inch).
2. Lay the sliced veal on top of it then cover with another piece of plastic.
3. Using a meat hammer or an other heavy flat object such as a small pot, flatten the meat gently (1/4-inch thick).
4. Season the flattened meat with fresh pepper and salt.
5. Prepare three plates for the schnitzel coating. One plate with flour, second with shirred egg and the third with finely ground white bread crumbs.
6. Dip the seasoned meat in flour, shake-off the excess. Drench the flour coated meat in whisked eggs and lastly coat it lightly with bread crumbs.
7. On medium heat setting heat vegetabel oil (1/2-inch deep) such as canola in a skillet. Dip the breaded veal into the oil, if it makes a bubbling frying sound the oil is hot enough to carefully drop the schnitzel into the oil. During frying shake the skillet carefully back and forth in this way the oil swabs in waves over the schnitzel’s top. (It is best to not fry to many schnitzels at once in the skillet. They should have space to “float” freely in the hot oil). This is refered to as “souffleing” and the schnitzel will get an airy layer between meat and crust. The meat creates steam when it heats in the hot oil. This will put a layer of hot air between crust and meat meaning it will be airy and puffy. Once the schnitzel is golden brown
(after 3-4 minutes) in color on the bottom, turn it over to brown the other side still continuously moving the skillet back and forth. (It should be “puffed-up” and doubled in its thickness when “souffled” as directed.)
8. Drop a teaspoon sized piece of butter into the pan and squeeze fresh lemon juice into the pan
(1/8-lemon). The butter and fresh lemon will give the schnitzel its authentic lemony-buttery flavor note.
9. Transfer the schnitzel on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess fat.
 
(Wiener/Viennese schnitzel with wild cress & potato confit and parsley juice)

A notable garnish for a schnitzel is lingonberries. Their acidity and tartness balance the richness of the schnitzel. A simple lemon in addition will border on perfection!!
Traditional schnitzel pairs well with potato salad and perhaps cucumber salad.

OTHER WELL KNOWN SCHNITZELS

Cordon Bleu 
A rolled schnitzel which is stuffed with cheese and ham and then fried. Delicious!! It is said to be invented in the french speaking part of Switzerland.

Holstein Schnitzel
A German style schnitzel topped with a sunny-side up egg and garnished with anchovies and capers

Cotoletta Alla Milanese
It is a schnitzel invented in Milano, Italy made of a veal chop and it is cooked “bone-in” style.

Tonkatsu
A popular dish in Japan it consists of pork and is crusted with panko bread crumbs besides flour and eggs. It is served with rice.

Chicken Parmigiana
A chicken schnitzel which is topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Created by Italian chefs. 

DELICIOUS SWEETBREADS

An excerpt from a service staff meeting in my restaurant.

“What do you know about sweetbreads“ 
Some said it is cow’s brain others assumed it is the reproductive organ of a lamb …

Not that it sounds all that good but here is what sweetbreads are:
Either stomach sweetbreads which are an animal’s pancreas, and the other an animal’s thymus gland (it is located at the throat of the animal) which is responsible for the growth of  young pigs & lamb but more commonly cattle (beef, cow). After the age of one to one and a half years the young cattles thymus gland shrinks and later after the age of two, it is gone completely.
Sweetbreads are part of the family called variety meats (innards) similar to liver, stomach, intestines, heart etc. also sometimes refered to as offal.
 
(Charred sweetbreads with preserved truffles, radish and rhubarb salad)

My recipe for sweetbreads
I grew up in a household were the food budget was somewhat limited. My mother bought all kinds of variety meats at the local butcher store – nothing was wasted everything was cooked in some way and eaten.

1. Place sweetbread in water for at least 24 hours (refrigerated) and change the water twice in  that time, this will take the blood out of it.
2. Poach sweetbreads for 10 minutes in plain water then transfer to an ice bath.
3. With your fingers pull the sweetbreads outer skin carefully off.
4. Line kitchen counter with plastic wrap (9x9-inch)
5. Season sweetbread with salt, fresh black pepper, thyme leaves and bay leaf
6. Roll sweetbread into plastic wrap tightly. Twist both sides like candy wraping paper to tighten  rolls. To prevent plastic from loosening up secure with another layer of plastic wrap. 
7. Put rolled sweetbread into a cooking pouch such as a Zip-loc bag. Press air out of bag and zip  close.
8. Cook in preheated water bath for two hours at 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Cool in ice bath then cut slices (1-inch thick) of sweetbread.
10. Sear sweetbread in vegetable oil such as canola oil for three minutes or until golden-brown in color on both sides.
 
(Veal cheeks layered & sweetbreads with broccoli rab, toasted hemp broth and cilantro delfino)

Sweetbreads have a delicious mild flavor with a creamy, velvety texture that pairs well with soft lettuce or fragrant mushrooms. I still remember when I worked in a haut cuisine temple in Europe I larded sweetbreads with match-stick sized black truffle pieces. It was served with a tiny amount steamed white cabbage leaves, truly an exceptional dish.
Now-a-days  these offal foods are considered a delicacy by many. More recipes to come…