Just Eat

I am sorry I have not posted on my blog for several weeks opening 2 restaurants in 6 weeks will do that to the best of us.The signs of spring are around us but as spring usually does, at first it is just a tease.Some warm days that get pushed aside with fresh winds ,rain and unexpected cold weather.As asparagus make it to the market and morel mushrooms,fiddle head ferns and other New England delights it is a welcome change from mashed potatoes,and other root vegetables from the winters harvest.Time to start thinkin spring pasta, lighten you’re sauces and be creative in you’re salad making

I just returned from daffodil parade on Nantucket and our host Heidi Bouchard from the famed A.J.Martin meat and provisions  co. she made a baby spinach salad with spring peas and Parmesan cheese that was to die for~!!!!And served it with orzo salad with roasted vegetables, yummy that’s good cooking. So follow you’re yearning get creative during this twiner season because its too early for hot dogs still(or is it?)                                                                                           

I have a friend that after drinking red wine for most of the day he says he speaks Chinese,Because I am usually drinking with him I totally understand him,kind of like an interpreter.Well today is the day before we actually open Chinese Laundry,we have been working on this project for over 4 years.Some construction issues where replacing the architect,hitting a spring,going through not one but two hysterical(historical) societies,and of course  over the top building codes which are the toughest in the country.If we had just enforced existing codes we would of been fine,but nooooo.Anyway I am excited and relieved that the day before the day is finally here.   February and March are in-between months for food,winter seems like it starts to wind down(at least to the produce dept.) and spring is just not there yet.Do what I do turn to soups and protein enriched salads.Soup can be a harbinger to spring organic produce cabbage,garlic in a rich chicken stock with the addition of cannellini beans yummy.Also a nice mixture of bitter Greens with some haricot verts,hard cooked egg,crunchy vegetables,and some either roast chicken,tuna,or grilled steak,with of course warm bread from the oven makes for an delicious dinner.As you eat look out the window spring is around the corner….                                                         

Gowing up I have always enjoyed tomatoes,in season out of season not that I would ever get an out of season tomato and add salt and start eating it but you know on tuna or maybe grilled cheese sandwiches or on a greek salad. Ever since I would go and purchase my produce at the Chelsea market in Boston when I worked at Cafe in the Barn I have been changing the way I think about tomatoes. Back when I weighed 176 pounds I went to the market and they were all sold. (The best tomatoes back then were 5×6 boxes of tomatoes).Then baby vegetables and Raddichio lettuce was just becoming available.I went into a huge room where they were gasing green tomatoes to turn then pink from green,who ever thought that tomatoes were picked and shipped green?That was the beginning of mistrust of the tomato for me(don’t get me started on waxed vegetables and fruit)My appreciation for native tomatoes and produce has grown to the point that It is diffucult for me to eat out of season and waxed produce.As a matter of fact as of last weeks I am done with eating lousy tomatoes.Now I am on record 2/11/08

Braised Short Ribs with Oilve Oil Mashed

Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs Serves 4 4 ea 14 oz Bone in All Natural Beef Short ribs 2 oz. Extra Virgin olive oil 1 Organic White Spanish Onion diced large 4 stalks Organic celery diced large 2 Organic carrots diced large 6 Peeled garlic cloves ½ bottle California Red Zinfandel 1Qt. Organic chicken broth 2 Tbs. Tomato paste 2 Bay leaves 1 Sprig Thyme 5 Sprig Rosemary Kosher Salt and Coarse Ground Pepper Directions Pre heat oven to 325 degrees Season the short ribs with 2 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. cracked black pepper. Add olive oil to large, oven proof skillet and heat over medium-high until oil is hot. 3. Sear short ribs, turning on all sides until evenly browned. 4. Remove short ribs from pan. In the same pan, add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Stir often and cook until caramelized (about 5 minutes). 6. Add tomato paste, reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until well blended. Add red zinfandel and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the beef drippings. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes to burn off alcohol and reduce slightly. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, fresh thyme, and one rosemary spring. Stir and heat throughout. Add salt and pepper as desired. Return seared short ribs back into liquid. They should be fully submerged, if not add a little more chicken broth. Remove from heat; cover pot with foil and place in a 325 degree oven for 4 hours or until meat falls off the bone. Serve over Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and serve with pan sauce from the short ribs. Garnish each plate with rosemary sprig.

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes Serves 4 2 ½ lbs. 14 oz Bone in All Natural Beef Short ribs ¼ C Extra Virgin olive oil ½ C Organic White Spanish Onion diced large 6 oz. Organic celery diced large 2 Tbs. Organic carrots diced large ½ tsp. Peeled garlic cloves Directions Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces Place potatoes into large pot with enough cold water to completely cover the potatoes Add 1 Tbs. salt and ½ tsp. of white pepper to the water Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork soft (about 25-30 minutes) Drain potatoes and return to the pot Mash potatoes until smooth Add heavy cream, butter and olive oil to the potatoes Stir vigorously to incorporate all ingredients until airy and fluffy Season with additional salt and pepper as desired

The older I get it seems that I get a little less romantic.  After further review,  I have decided it is not entirely my fault.  I could not be happily married for 24 years by blaming my wife for anything.  As a matter of fact the more I accept blame for misfortunes, the happier my wife is.  Anyway,  getting back to romance when we first started dating, I would love to give my future wife Suzanne gifts that made her happy.  Whether it be a stuffed teddy bear, whole unpaturized milk, (she loved that) a pair of love birds, (she hates birds) a new puppy, (cairn terrior) she hated that too.  I also did other romantic gestures.  I put rose petals under the sheets after a romantic candle lit meal (she thought that was weird) and when I spent $90 dollars on roses one year and the next day they died, she yelled at me that it was the biggest waste of money she had ever seen.  But, one day we had the most beautiful daughter together.  Laura was the greatest gift I could have given her,that was romance!