Lamb Shanks Roasted “a la Matignon”

Lamb Shanks Roasted “a la Matignon”

Happy 2014!

Before I proceed, I must first apologize for my extended absence last month. It wasn't planned but I found myself too busy to prepare a presentation-worthy dish. One issue I have been wrestling with over the course of the last few months is one of evolution. I'm still inspired by unusual cooking techniques, but I'm becoming confident in my execution. I've also discovered in this past year that pairing food and achieving balance of flavors has inspired me which takes time to plan my dishes.

I learned of this dish back in September when Chef Thomas Keller prepared it for Williams Sonoma during a live Google+ event. I was fascinated by it because I have never roasted lamb shanks and wanted to see for myself if the meat will break down enough to become tender. Also, the sauce intrigued me because I imagined it was extremely flavorful given the size of the mirepoix.

The Challenge

Successfully execute a cooking method I had never attempted.

The Source

The recipe for this dish can be found on the Williams-Sonoma website.

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks, approximately 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds
Kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 large yellow onions, diced
4 large carrots, diced
2 large leeks, cleaned well and diced
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
6 thyme sprigs, 6 parsley stems and 2 bay leaves tied together to form a bouquet garni
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chives, chopped fine
Cooked polenta for serving

Method

1. Finish the mise en place: Preheat the oven to 275° Fahrenheit. Rinse the lamb shanks with cold water, then pat them dry and let them come up to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.

2. Brown the shanks: Season the shanks with kosher salt. In a large sauté pan, heat 1/2 cup oil over high heat and, once hot, sear the shanks, on all sides and in batches of two until brown. Adjust the heat to prevent burning, if necessary. Once browned, remove the shanks and discard the oil.

3. Sweat the mirepoix and roast the shanks: Return the pan to medium-high heat and deglaze it with chicken stock, loosening any fond from the bottom with a wooden spoon. When the stock has almost evaporated, add the onions, carrots, leeks, garlic, bouquet garni and the remaining tablespoon oil, stirring frequently. Season the vegetables with kosher salt. Once the vegetables have softened but before they have browned, add the red wine and bring to a boil. Add the shanks back into the pan and cover it. Once the fluid starts to simmer, transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the shanks until the lamb is tender and the meat is almost falling off the bone, about 3 hours.

4. Finish the dish: Once the lamb has roasted, remove from the oven and let it rest to allow for any carryover cooking, approximately 30 minutes. Turn the temperature down to its lowest temperature and remove the lamb shanks to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil, then put in the oven to keep warm. Strain the vegetables into a fat separator, and once separated, pour back into the original sauté pan. Add the red wine vinegar, then bring to a boil. Taste the sauce for desired consistency and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve with polenta and garnish with chives.

Successful?

I shouldn't have been surprised but the sauce yielded incredible depth of flavor and balanced the lamb well. Despite my skepticism, the lamb was very tender and cook all the way through. My only criticism? The portion size is a little too big.

Potato Risotto with Mushrooms and Bacon

Potato Risotto with Mushrooms and Bacon

Surfing the net one evening, I came across this YouTube video published by the Culinary Institute of America that caught my attention for a couple of reasons. First, it featured Gary Danko. You might not know the name, but he owns a restaurant that bears his name in San Francisco which was awarded a Michelin Star in 2007 (the first year Michelin Guides started reviewing restaurants in the San Francisco/Napa area) and has maintained it every year since. Secondly, my curiosity was piqued because the dish sounded peculiar because I was thinking why would the dish have two starches: rice and potatoes? As I watched the video, I noted Chef Danko substituting potatoes for the Arborio rice.

The Challenge

Apply the risotto method to a rice substitute.

The Source

I adapted the recipe found on ciaprochef.com, but I used the YouTube video noted above as a guide. Chef Danko noted that sautéed mushrooms can be added but didn't demonstrate it so I used the mushroom component from the mushroom risotto I published this past February.

Ingredients

4 ounces bacon (approximately 4 slices), cut into batons, then each baton cut in half
2 shallots, minced and divided
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces white button mushrooms
3/4 cup white wine divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 russet potatoes (approximately 1 pound each) cut into a brunoise
3-4 cups chicken stock, brought to a gentle simmer
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon chives, minced

Method

1. Prepare your risotto flavorings: Add the bacon to a medium sauté pan and place over medium heat. Cook the bacon, rendering it's fat until crisp, approximately 5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to a towel lined plate. Increase the heat, then add garlic and half of the chopped shallots to the rendered bacon fat. Cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until wilted. Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over high heat until the wine has absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sweat the remaining shallots until soft and add the potatoes. Deglaze the pan with white wine and stir until evaporated. Add the warm stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring occasionally-ensuring the potatoes don't stick to the bottom of the pan and brown. Continue the process of adding stock and stirring until the potatoes are al dente.

2. Reduce heat to low and stir in the butter and Parmigiano, then remove from heat and fold in the mushrooms and bacon. Spoon into warmed serving bowls. Garnish with chives and black pepper, then serve immediately.

Successful?

Readers that have been following me for a while might remember I struggled with a risotto I published about a year ago. If only I could have encountered this dish then because my appetite to alter a risotto would have been satisfied with this version. This dish's preparation difficulty is solidly at an intermediate level and I would recommend it only after you're familiar with a standard risotto method. (A good example is the mushroom risotto I referred to above.) I can also see the appeal of this dish to a culinary instructor because it highlights the importance of a evenly cut brunoise. Some of my potatoes were uneven in shape so I some potatoes were more al dente than others. (I feared the smaller pieces would dissolve into the risotto.) The dish was strangely reminiscent of a loaded baked potato or a hash but ultimately, both Mrs. Stuntman and I enjoyed this dish and she requested I prepare it again.

In other news, since I published two dishes before it aired on Sunday I didn't have an opportunity to discuss the most recent episode of Next Food Network Star. I'm obviously pleased Danushka has left the competition but let's look at the remaining contestants:

My early prediction of Nikki still stands but Chad has started to grow on me. I evaluate these contestants by answering the question which contestant's TV show would I regularly watch? He has yet to have a negative evaluation and his POV is the most easily marketable across the country with wide appeal. I'd also like to see him contrasted with Bobby Flay because there is a difference between barbecue and grilling, despite the fact that the two terms are incorrectly used interchangeably. To round out my top three, I'd pick Stacey just because she has performed consistently well up until the most recent episode.

My middle three are:

Damaris: She been inconsistent in presentations.
Lovely: She has camera presence but I hate her POV.
Chris: because he has a relatable underdog story, as we discovered this week.

That leaves my bottom three of:

Viet: He doesn't have much to say beyond his victory over Bobby Flay in Iron Chef America.
Rodney (the pie guy): I'm intrigued by his POV but doesn't appear to have the culinary expertise to execute it.
Russell: In this country where it's population is increasingly demanding healthier foods, his POV will be a tough sell and he doesn't have the charisma to keep an audience interested.

Am I wrong? Comment below.

Light Stunt: Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

I prepared this dish out of curiosity, more than anything. I had seen it prepared by a number of Food Network personalities and even a local TV journalist put one on her personal blog. Chimichurri sauce originates from Argentina and traditionally pairs with grilled beef but can also be paired with chicken, fish or used as a marinade. From the recipe, I could determine that it's similar to a Genovese pesto with similar ingredients (raw herbs, garlic and oil) but I also noted that, because this sauce is served cool, it would be a refreshing contrast to grilled proteins.

The Source

The sauce was taken from page 26 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set.

Ingredients

1 flank steak, about 2 pounds
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 shallot, peeled and chopped roughly
1 small clove garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon
1 pinch lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 bunch fresh chives
1/4 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. Remove flank steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, no more than 30 minutes. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season it with salt and pepper. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear the steak over the grill about 6 minutes per side for medium rare, but check for doneness.
Once the proper temperature has been reached, remove and set aside for 5 minutes to allow for carryover cooking.

2. While the steak is resting, blend the shallot, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon olive oil in a blender until the ingredients form a smooth paste. Add the herbs with the red pepper flakes and pulse until the herbs are chopped and the mixture forms a textured pureé. Add the oil and blend until the sauce is emulsified. All of the remaining oil may or may not be needed. To plate, slice the flank steak across the grain and serve topped with the sauce.

Successful?

I had a little difficulty categorizing this dish because I originally planned to just practice my presentation skills, but I also noted how quickly the dish came together which would make it perfect fir a weeknight meal.

In other news, did you see episode two of Next Food Network Star? I have a couple of questions: 1) Where was Bob and Susie this week? 2) How is Danushka still competing? The only explanation I can offer is that her burger was better than her competitors this week. I like the format of the challenge because it forced the contestants to effectively communicate their message but I was a little bored by the topic of burgers.

What are your thoughts? Reply in the comments.

Guest Post at La Cucina Prima Donna: Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

My second dish this month is another guest post. This time, I have prepared a dish for Carolina of La Cucina Prima Donna. Carolina is an Italian opera singer residing in New York and was even featured in a New York Daily News article. Carolina wrires about Italian dishes, restaurant reviews, and finding Italian ingredients and stories of her trips to Italy. Please 'Like' her facebook page.

When I volunteered to write a guest post for Carolina, her only requirement was to profile an Italian dish. I reviewed the dishes she'd prepared already and noticed she had not profiled a staple that has made it onto countless Italian casual dining chains here in the United States. Regular readers will be familiar with my disdain for these types of restaurants, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to improve upon it at home.

If you want the recipe, then head over to La Cucina Prima Donna now. Then come back for an altered method.

Here, I'll wait....

So after I prepared this dish, I was discussing it with a friend of mine, Chef Robert Dasalla of Little Chef Counter, because I wanted to consolidate the preparation to just a single pan. First, I wanted to make clean-up easier but more importantly, I was concerned the flavors wouldn't blend with each other properly if the mushrooms were sautéed in a separate pan, not to mention the loss of any fond. He recommends rendering the pancetta after removing the seared chicken in the same pan, then sautéing the shallots and mushrooms with the pancetta after it has rendered. Deglaze with the marsala then add in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add back the chicken, cover and reduce heat to low for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and then stir in some butter and mascarpone and simmer to thicken the sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

On a personal note, this may or may not be my last dish I profile this month because I am in the process of moving to a different apartment (i.e. cheaper rent) so, in the meantime, I'll leave you with a preview of where I'll be preparing future stunts. Hopefully my kitchen will remain this clean...