Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes for a Copycat #SundaySupper

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes for a Copycat #SundaySupper

It's interesting how history repeats itself. I say that because there are several themes I have addressed in previous posts that are applicable to this dish I am publishing today.

Let me explain.

Earlier this spring, my mother called and insisted upon seeing her granddaughter over the summer. Either she and my father were going to travel up to Washington from California or my daughter would have to fly down there. So a couple of weeks ago, I flew my daughter to California and spent a few days catching up with friends and family and returned home on Independence Day, leaving my daughter behind. It was nice to see everyone and I made sure I made the most of my foodie opportunity but ultimately, I realized that where I grew up isn't home anymore and am happier at my current residence. I was also fortunate to attend this year's Food and Wine Conference and flew back from Orlando last Monday evening. Mrs. Stuntman flew out to California earlier that day to visit and also pick up our daughter to fly home, but they don't return until this evening so I have been by myself all week. Long time readers might remember the last time both my daughter and wife were away when I prepared this steak dish two years ago. The scenario is the same here as it was then: I was only cooking for myself so I figured I could splurge a little without breaking the bank, which is one of the reasons why I chose a filet.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

I couldn't let this week's #SundaySupper theme of Copycat Recipes go by without participating. Within the first six months I had started this site, I organized a group post called Food Unchained where I replicated a baby back ribs recipe inspired by a national restaurant chain. The idea of 'Food Unchained' was to prepare an improved version of a favorite chain restaurant dish with the idea that if the restaurant would replace the blogger's version of their dish it would help the chain's sales. I used the same approach here, however this time, I used a dish off of a different restaurant menu. This time, I was inspired by the Dallas Filet off of the Texas Roadhouse menu. (It's the other reason why I chose a filet.)

Dish Details

Their menu specifies that the filet includes two side dishes but let's assume the first side is a salad which will act as an appetizer course. For the second side, I was inspired by a baked potato. After all, my version is fundamentally prepared in the same way, but seasoned in a different manner. I will admit that this dish looks a lot like one I prepared about a year ago for the Conference, however I wanted to try something I saw during a cooking demonstration by Chef Michael Ollier of Certified Angus Beef® over this past weekend. Chef Ollier demonstrated a simple pan sauce for beef but he finished it off with tomato paste instead of butter. Would that one ingredient substitution make a huge difference in the sauce?

I adapted this dish from a few different sources. I used the cooking method (i.e. oven temperature and roasting time) from a Tyler Florence dish that can be found on foodnetwork.com. I recommend taking one extra step with the filet that I failed to do here that I will describe below. For the pan sauce, I used the basic sauce making technique found on page 75 of Think Like A Chef by Tom Colicchio with Catherine Young, Lori Silverbush and Sean Fri which was reinforced by a dish on Certified Angus Beef®'s blog, Go Rare. A YouTube video demonstrating the recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

1/4 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more, if needed
1 8-ounce filet mignon, approximately 1-inch thick
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef or veal stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Whole rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Method

1. Roast the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 500° Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and place on a middle rack while the oven is preheating. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic, rosemary and olive oil. Once the oven has reached it's temperature, place the potatoes onto the warmed sheet pan, close the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 425° Fahrenheit. Roast in the oven until the potatoes have a crisp exterior but a soft interior, approximately 20 minutes.

2. While the potatoes roast, sear the steak. Heat the vegetable oil in a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium high heat, then season the filet with salt and pepper. Put the filet into the skillet to sear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm to allow for carryover cooking.

3. Prepare the pan sauce. Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium, then add more vegetable oil if necessary, up to an additional 1 tablespoon. Add the shallots to sweat, approximately 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic to the shallots and cook until fragrant, an additional minute. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up the fond, then simmer until it's reduced by half. Add in the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the sauce until it has a syrup-like consistency, then stir in the tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. To plate, place the potatoes on one side of the plate, then the filet on another. Spoon some sauce over the filet, then garnish with a rosemary sprig or two.

Final Thoughts

From an execution standpoint, I was a bit off my game the evening I prepared this dish, in fact I made a couple of rookie mistakes. The filet was a little undercooked for my taste, so if I were to prepare this dish again, I would place the pan in the oven on a different rack than the potatoes immediately after turning the filet until the desired doneness is reached. Keep in mind that the steak still should be slightly under the desired doneness (i.e. cook to rare in order to achieve medium rare) to allow for carryover cooking. (The temperature of the meat will rise about 5° Fahrenheit as it rests).

In addition, I also slightly burned the shallots because the pan was a little too hot when I added them and I failed to reduce the oven temperature once I placed the potatoes on the hot sheet pan, so I had to scramble and hide the burned herbs and garnish the potatoes with thyme leaves for presentation. Speaking of the potatoes, I'd increase the amount of the potatoes, garlic and rosemary if more than 1 filet is to be prepared. Despite my issues, it was still the best thing I ate since I returned from the Food and Wine Conference.

If you look around the Texas Roadhouse website, they do demonstrate in a video the process of preparing their ribeye steaks, they pan sear before finishing them off on the grill but I can't imagine they would apply the same process to their filet because it would be overcooked. Furthermore, many steakhouses utilize an infrared broiler, so I'm unsure what this company is trying to achieve by this process.

I'd like to thank Coleen of The Redhead Baker for hosting this week's #SundaySupper event. Also, I plan on posting my review of the 2015 Food and Wine Conference later this week but until then, be sure to visit these other Copycat Recipes:

Drinks

• Copy Cat Orange Julius Recipe (sugar free) by Simply Healthy Family
• Hard Rock Cafe's Twist & Shout Shake by The Crumby Cupcake

Appetizers

• Bang Bang Cauliflower Bites by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Copy Cat: Outback Bloomin' Sauce with Onion Petals by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Nopal Dip by Cookin' Mimi

Condiments

• Copycat Hershey's Syrup: Homemade Chocolate Syrup by Brunch with Joy
• Copycat Sriracha Sauce by Nosh My Way
• The Village Cafe's Avocado Dressing by Jane's Adventures in Dinner

Main Courses

• Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad Copycat by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Applebee's Shrimp and Cavatappi by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• B.good's West Side burger with chipotle salsa and avocado by Caroline's Cooking
• Brie and Asparagus Pasta by Life Tastes Good
• Cheesecake Factory Cashew Chicken by Feeding Big
• Chicken Kitchen Chop Chop and Curry Mustard Sauce by Love and Confections
• Chicken Tikka Poutine by Sustainable Dad
• Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• IHOP's Ham, Egg & Cheese Melt by Food Done Light

Side Dishes

• Chevy's Sweet Corn Tomalito by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Henri's Tas-Tee Dressing Clone and Cole Slaw by Palatable Pastime
• Panera Copycat Mac and Cheese by From Gate to Plate

Desserts

• Copycat Cosmic Brownies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cracker Barrel's Double Fudge Coca-Cola Cake by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Friendly's Monster Mash Sundae by The Redhead Baker
• Sheetz "Gobbz" Cookies by The Freshman Cook
• Tiramisu by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Yeasted Sour Cherry Coffee Cake by Pies and Plots

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Banh Mi Burger for #WeekdaySupper

Banh Mi Burger for #WeekdaySupper

Before I begin with my dish, please first let me explain my absence in the last two weeks: I have been busy packing my things for a move. As you're reading this, I'm spending my first full day as a metro Seattle resident. Mrs. Stuntman and I decided to relocate primarily because I had been living in one of the most expensive regions in the country. Why Seattle? It's a short plane ride away from my daughter's grandparents, better schools than in California and the region's reputation for coffee and seafood. I also respectfully request a couple of weeks to get settled before I publish new dishes here.

Earlier this month, I published a sirloin steak dish for #SundaySupper sponsored by The Beef Checkoff so I chose a different cut of beef to display the flexibility of beef, this time for an evening after returning home from the office. In case you haven't already, please 'Like' them on facebook in addition to following them on twitter, pinterest and #SundaySupper's own beef pinterest board. In the interest of full disclosure, this post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff. All opinions are my own. This dish is not traditional, by any means, but has been adapted from the traditional Vietnamese version.

The Challenge

Demonstrate the versatility of beef in a dish appropriate for a weeknight preparation.

The Source

Adapted from a recipe found on Food & Wine magazine's website. I reduced the amount of spice by omitting the jalapeños and decreased the amount of Tobasco because I don't like heavily spiced foods.

Ingredients

1/2 cup julienned carrots
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Tobasco
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I recommend an 80/20 mixture)
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 24-inch baguette, quartered crosswise, then each quarter cut in half length-wise
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Method

1. Finish the mise en place. Preheat the oven to 400⁰ Fahrenheit. Combine the carrots, rice vinegar and sugar in a small bowl and let them steep for 10 minutes. Then remove the carrots with a slotted spoon to set aside and discard the pickling fluid.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Tobasco, tomato paste and garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Separately, combine the ground beef and the curry powder then season with salt and pepper. Form the ground beef mixture into four oval-shaped patties, approximately 6 inches long and 1 inch in length. In addition, spread the butter on the cut side of each piece of baguette.

2. Cook the burgers and toast the baguette. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the burger patties and cook, turning once, approximately 6 minutes per side for medium doneness. While the burgers cook, place each baguette piece on a foil-lined sheet tray, cut side up, and place in the oven, toasting the baguette until lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes.

3. Assemble the burgers. Spread the seasoned mayonnaise onto each baguette half and top one slice with a burger patty. Garnish with the pickled carrots and cilantro sprigs, then top each burger with the remaining halves and serve hot.

Successful?

Despite it not being traditional, it was one of the most well balanced burgers I've prepared. The spice in the mayonnaise balanced out the acidity of the carrots and the savory burger patty. I'll definitely repeat.

Before you go, I present a preview of the other #WeekdaySupper dishes that will appear later in the week. Please check them out.

• Tuesday, August 26th: Secret Ingredient Sliders by girlichef
• Wednesday, August 27th: Deluxe Cheeseburger Kabobs by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Thursday, August 28th: Asian Beef with Peppers by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Friday, August 29th: Steak Quesadillas by The Foodie Army Wife

Light Stunt: Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka

I would categorize Mrs. Stuntman and I as infrequent drinkers. We might have a glass of wine with dinner if we're having friends over for dinner or on a special occasion such as anniversaries or birthdays but that's about it. I might drink a beer twice per year, maybe? I don't have any medical or moral objections to it. I just don't crave it very often. I do buy a lot of wine but it's the cheap stuff I use for cooking.

It is for this reason that I was curious when found an open, half-empty bottle of vodka recently when I was cleaning the kitchen. I vaguely remember using it in a dish but I couldn't tell you when or from what dish. Not wanting to waste food, I went looking for dishes that highlighted the ingredient and zeroed in on a pasta favorite.

The Source

This dish was prepared by Chef Mario Batali on The Chew.

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 pound dried penne
6 ounces bacon, cut into batons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pinch nutmeg
Freshly grated Parmesan and chopped Italian parsley (for garnish)

Method

1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and continue to boil for two minutes less than the box instructs. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside if the sauce isn't finished yet.

2. Prepare the sauce: While the pasta boils, render the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat until slightly crisp, approximately 7 to 10 minutes.

Add in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste turns a darker color and the garlic is fragrant.

Add the vodka to deglaze and stir to blend the flavors. Then add the heavy cream and nutmeg and simmer for a minute or two. Add in the cooked penne and toss to coat, using the reserved pasta water to adjust the sauce and season with salt, if necessary. Serve in warmed bowls garnished with grated Parm and parsley.

Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo

The fact that bone-in skin-on chicken thighs appeal to me is no secret. So one day a couple of weeks ago, I had some defrosting in the refrigerator and was looking for a different way to prepare them.

The Source

I adapted this dish from the recipe I found on Food & Wine.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces smoked ham, sliced into 1/4-inch dice
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced

Method

1. Sear the chicken: In a large skillet, heat the oil until smoking. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then place in the hot oil over medium-high, in batches if necessary, until browned on both sides, adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning, approximately 8 minutes per batch. Once browned, remove from pan and set aside, then discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

2. Season the dish: Reduce heat to medium-low. Sweat the ham, onion, and garlic to the pan until the onion starts to soften, approximately 2 minutes. Add both bell peppers and sweat, stirring occasionally until they soften, approximately an additional 3 minutes.

3: Cook the rice, blend the flavors and finish the dish: To the mirepoix, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and stock, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the rice, add the chicken back to the pan (skin side up), and cover. Simmer it until the chicken and rice are cooked through, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with chives and serve.

Successful?

As I looked around, I noticed it is common for this dish to be photographed while still in the pan, but I wanted to take a shot of an individual plate. In retrospect, I regret the decision. While not my most aesthetically pleasing dish, the flavors definitely were and I'll be preparing this dish again.

In other news, I must ask for your pardon for my short absence. I was pretty busy, partially because Mrs. Stuntman celebrated a birthday last week. She wanted to go to Chef Michael Mina's Arcadia in San Jose. I don't do restaurant reviews but I did want to share the dishes we ordered.

Appetizer: Duck Spring Rolls, Ginger Dipping Sauce, Butter Lettuce, Mint

My Entreé: Buzzards Bay Scallops, Pork Belly, Meyer Lemon, Onion Soubise

Mrs. Stuntman's Entreé: Phyllo-Dusted Sole, Dungeness Crab Brandade, Hericot Verts, Dijon

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Like my previous dish, I originally profiled this classic sauce in a prior website but I wanted to again for a number of reasons. When I published it the first time, it got overshadowed because it was the first time I made pasta from scratch. Secondly, I ran into this version which largely uses the same ingredients but slightly altered technique so I wanted to determine of these differences affected flavor.

The Source

Adapted from page 154 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced medium
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 ribs celery, chopped finely
2 medium carrots, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
3-4 leaves fresh basil, torn plus more for garnish
1 cup fluid from canned tomatoes or whole milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried spaghetti
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method

1. Prepare the protein: In a Dutch oven or a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, place the pancetta into the pan and cook to render the fat but not crisp, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the ground beef to the pancetta and stir to combine, breaking up the large pieces of meat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the beef is well browned and no longer pink, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan and reserve.

2. Flavor the sauce: Add the mirepoix ingredients to the pan of rendered fat and sweat. Stir in the garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two so the flavor concentrates. Deglaze with red wine and reduce so the alcohol evaporates. Add the torn basil leaves and bay leaves and cook for another ten minutes to blend the flavors. Add the tomatoes and reserved meat, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add tomato fluid if the level gets too low.

3. Cook the pasta and finish the dish: During the last 30 minutes the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil for a minute or two less than the box instructions dictate. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain. Then add to the sauce and continue to cook to blend the flavors. Plate onto warmed bowls and garnish with chiffonade basil and parmesan cheese.

Analysis

The recipe I profiled can be found on Saveur Magazine's website. I live this version better because it doesn't simmer as long (however you certainly could do so longer) and it utilizes the pancetta fat more constructively.

Spaghetti with Mushroom Ragù

Spaghetti with Mushroom Ragù

I prepared this dish out of curiosity, more than anything. This is a Lidia Bastianich recipe but Anne Burrell has a version in her cookbook too, which leads me to believe that this is a common dish in Italy.

The Challenge

Explore a common Italian dish

The Source

Adapted from pages 106-107 of Lidia's Favorite Recipes by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali.

Ingredients

1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms (I used a mixture of oyster and cremini mushrooms)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary, approximately 4-inches long
1 large sprig fresh sage with 4 or more leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large shallots, finely chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry Marsala wine
4 cups homemade chicken stock, warmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4-pound dried spaghetti
Freshly grated parmigiano and chopped fresh Italian parsley (for garnish)

Method

1. Finish your mise en place: Soak the dried porcini in the warm water for thirty minutes. Once reconstituted, remove porcinis with a slotted spoon and squeeze out excess water back into the warmed water and reserve. Slice the porcinis into thin pieces no more than 1/4-inch wide. Clean and slice the mixed mushrooms into the same 1/4-inch wide pieces. Tie the thyme, rosemary and sage together with a piece of kitchen twine to form an herb bundle. Fire your salted pasta water(6-8 quarts) over high heat.

2. Prepare the mirepoix: Melt the butter in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted add the shallots and onion, then season with salt. Sweat until softened, approximately 6 minutes. Add all mushrooms (mixed and porcini) evenly to the pan. Season again with salt and add the herb bundle. Cover the pan and raise the heat to medium-high, shaking the pan frequently so the mushrooms release their juices, approximately 3 minutes. Uncover and raise the heat to high, stirring continually until the mushrooms shrink and the juices evaporate, approximately 5 minutes. Once the pan is dry, create a well in the middle and drop in the tomato paste. Stir the paste and toast for a minute then stir it into mushrooms.

3. Simmer the ragù and boil the pasta: Deglaze the pan with the Marsala. Stir until the wine thickens and evaporates. Pour in the mushroom water and half of the chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring to release any remaining fond. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover for approximately 20 minutes, adding stock when necessary to keep the mushrooms submerged. Uncover and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes, continuing to add stock when needed. Drop the spaghetti into the pasta water and boil for 1 to 2 minutes less than the box instructs. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.Once the mushrooms are tender and the sauce thickens, remove from heat and discard the herb bundle. Drain the pasta once completed and add to the ragù, stirring to blend the flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls garnished with parmesan and parsley.

Successful?

When she tried this dish, Mrs. Stuntman said she missed her meats but had great flavor. I actually only used half of the ragù, partially because I did not boil that much pasta that particular evening, but more importantly, Chef Bastianich noted that it could be stirred into a risotto or polenta.

Presenting: Braised Lamb Shanks

Braised Lamb Shanks

Last week on a supermarket trip, I picked up some lamb shanks because they were on sale not really considering the weather later in the week. Fast forward to Thursday evening when I remove said shanks from the freezer to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, again not really thinking about the weather. On Friday, the official high here in my city was 88° Fahrenheit but it felt like 100°. Did I really want to heat up my kitchen?

I miss my grill.

I actually prepared this dish for my last website almost two years ago but was disappointed with the picture I published so I wanted to reshoot. It's actually a straight-forward braise: sear the protein, brown the mirepoix, add in your braising fluid and simmer, but heating my oven to 400° for three hours in hot weather is not my idea of fun.

The Challenge

Improve my photography and presentation skills.

The Source

Taken from page 174 to 176 of Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell with Suzanne Lenzer.

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
1 carrot, chopped coarsely
1 rib celery, chopped coarsely
1 cup tomato paste
2 cups red wine
2 rosemary sprigs
1 handful thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fresh mint or flat leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

1. Finish your mise en place: Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Combine the carrot, onion and celery in a food processor and pulse until it pureéd. Tie the rosemary and thyme together with some kitchen twine to form a herb bundle, then season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper.

2. Sear the lamb: Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with olive oil (approximately 1 tablespoon) and place over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the lamb shanks and brown well on all sides, in batches if necessary. Once browned, remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.

3. Brown the mirepoix: If the Dutch oven is dry, add additional oil. Once hot, place the onion-celery-carrot paste into the Dutch oven and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes, scraping any fond from the bottom of the oven along the way. Stir in the tomato paste, stirring continually until it starts to brown, about a minute or two.

4. Deglaze and add braising fluids: Add the wine to the Dutch oven, and bring to a boil, reducing by half and scraping any remaining fond, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Return the lamb shanks to the Dutch oven and add enough water so that three quarters of the shanks are submerged in braising fluid. Taste the fluid and season, if necessary. (Conversely, if all the lamb shanks don't fit evenly in the Dutch oven, put them in a roasting pan, pour the deglazed mirepoix over the shanks, then add additional water.) Toss in the herb bundle and bay leaves, cover (with aluminum foil if using a roasting pan) and place in the oven for two-and-a-half to three hours. Turn the shanks every hour, and if the braising fluid has reduced significantly, add more water.

5. Finish the dish: Uncover during the last 30 minutes so the shanks can brown and the braising fluid can reduce and thicken. Serve over mashed potatoes or polenta and garnish with mint or parsley.

Successful?

Doesn't the lamb shank look like something Fred Flinstone would eat? After looking at some other presentations, I decided not to plate the sauce like I had the last time. (See below.) Mrs. Stuntman devoured her dinner; my 5-year-old daughter surprised me by declaring her meat Yummy! and even Mrs. Stuntman's colleagues thought the dish was prepared well as leftovers the next day.

So here we are at episode 5 of Next Food Network Star. My three groups remain largely unchanged with Nikki, Chad and Stacey in the lead; Chris and Damaris in the middle plus Rodney and Russell being my prediction for the next two to leave the competition. In the Star Salvation contest, I'm not surprised that Lovely has impressed (She did train under Gordon Ramsay, after all), but what's missing from this segment are challenges focusing on camera presence. Chefs that can execute a great dish are a dime a dozen, but not all of them have the communication skills and the charisma to be a public figure.

Lastly, I wanted to give you a hint regarding an upcoming project. You might see a familiar face if you sign up to receive Chef Fabio Viviani's newsletter.

Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin

For this dish I remain in Europe, but go west to France. With Mardi Gras having just past (and New Orleans cuisine heavily influenced by the French), I wanted to get in the spirit by cooking this dish. It's also a dish that has been on the To Cook list for a while now.

The Challenge

Using some advanced techniques in a braised chicken dish such as building flavor with a mirepoix, and using a roux to make a slurry.

The Source

I chose to replicate Marc Matsumoto's dish off of his site, No Recipes, partially because he created this dish from leftovers. I'm not good enough yet to be able to do this but I have taken steps towards this goal.

The only omission I made from the original was cipollini onions simply because the supermarket was out of stock when I went shopping for ingredients.

Ingredients

1/3 pound extra thick cut bacon cut into batons
8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic sliced thin
1 splash Cognac or Armanac
2 cups red wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 or 2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
8 ounces cipollini onions, peeled
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

1. In a large chef’s pan or dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium heat until most of the fat has rendered out (but not until the bacon is crisp). Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Generously salt and pepper the chicken thighs and place in the hot pan, skin side down. Leave undisturbed for 6-7 minutes or until skin is golden brown, then flip allowing to brown lightly on the second side. Transfer to plate.

Chicken Sauté

2. Remove 2 Tbs of fat from the pan and set aside in a small bowl. Add the onion, celery and garlic and saute until soft, scrapping the fond off the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t burn. Hit the pan with a generous splash of Cognac to deglaze the pan. Allow most of the liquid to evaporate, then add the red wine, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, and tomato paste. Return the bacon and chicken to the pan and turn several times to make sure they are well coated and submerged in the liquid. Cover with the lid slightly askew (so steam can escape) and simmer over medium low heat until the chicken is tender 35 to 45 minutes.

Reserved Fat

Deglazed mirepoix

Chicken and Bacon Added Back to the Braising Fluid

3. Add 2 Tbs flour to the fat you’ve reserved and stir until there are no lumps. When the chicken is tender, transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Add the mushrooms and onions to the pan and turn up the heat to medium, simmering uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the onions are cooked and the sauce has reduced a bit. Add a few tablespoons of sauce to the fat/flour mixture and stir to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce in the pan one spoonful at a time, mixing well after each addition to make sure there are no lumps. I don’t like my sauce too thick, so I stopped about 2/3 of the way through, but if you like a very thick sauce, you can add all the roux. Salt and pepper to taste, then return the chicken to to pot to reheat and coat with the sauce. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or as a stew with a crusty baguette. Garnish with the parsley.

Flour Added...

...to Form a Roux

Braising Fluid Added to the Roux to Form a Slurry

Mushrooms Added to Finish the Sauce

Successful?

Yes, the slurry made the sauce rich with depth of flavor that is difficult to describe.