Rooftop Gourmet

If there was one word that could sum up the evening of December 31, 2011 it would be indulgence.

My wife and I held a dinner party for seven of our closest friends on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the end of what was probably the busiest year of our lives.

When it came to menu planning, I may have gotten a little bit carried away, but as the clock struck midnight, and we all sat at the table, exhausted, clutching our elastic waistbands and simultaneously picking at cheese and coconut cake, it was totally worth the effort. Everyone was happy, thankful, and over-indulged.

There’s something calming and comforting, spending the night with great food, close friends, and delicious wines rather than fighting crowds for cheap Champagne at a bar  or baring the elements in Times Square. Let’s just say that we really ended 2011 with a bang… or was that the sound of someones belt buckle popping off?

Here is a copy of the New Years Eve menu:

First Course:

Assorted Cheeses From Around the World

Foie Gras Mousee’

Marinated Olives

Duck Liver & Black Truffle Terrine

Caviar

Second Course:

Crispy Braised Pork Belly, Carrot Puree’, Pickled Apples

Third Course:

Island Creek Oysters 2 Ways

Classic Baked Rockafeller

Freshly Shucked with Ossetra Caviar, Creme Fraiche’, Tarragon

Fourth Course:

Baked Escargot Gratin; Garlic-Parsley Butter, Warm Baguette

Fifth Course:

Raviolo Uovo

Wild Mushrooms, Thyme-Butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, White Truffle Oil

Sixth Course:

Sliced Beef Tenderloin with two Sauces;

Classic Bordelaise’ & Creamy Horseradish-Tarragon Sauce

Pommes Puree’, Roasted Butternut Squash & Raw Kale Salad

Seventh Course:

Double Coconut Cake

I get cold sweats just typing that up again! Thankfully, I received a ton of help from some of my favorite vendors and friends. I spent the last week of the year brainstorming, prepping, and and anxiously awaiting our event. Each course represents one of my all-time favorite foods, whether it is in its natural state, prepared classically, or with a new and exciting twist. Thanks to Wasiks Cheese Shop in Wellesley (http://www.wasiks.com/), I had more cheese in my 900 square foot condo than the entire country of Switzerland.

Everything you could possibly imagine, from sharp and nutty Gruyere to oozy gooey, buttery Triple Creme. I also had a pound of Foie Gras Mousse’ that I picked up from the Butcher Shop in the South End. It was so rich but light and airy at the same time.

We spread it like butter on slices of a fresh baguette and let the goose liver melt in our mouths. The texture was like whipped butter and when combined with a few crumbles of the pungent, blue cheese it was heaven in a single bite (That last phrase will most likely become repetitive throughout this whole post). After we grazed the cheese boards, everyone sat down at the table that my wife so wonderfully decorated with white roses and printed menu cards. I brought out the first course which shows off my love for the ever-so versatile pig.

I had braised pieces of fatty pork belly in winter spiced ale, soy and aromatics until it was completely tender, about 3 hours. Right before I served it, I crisped up the outsides of the pork belly in a skillet and served it atop a silky carrot puree. The bright orange color of the puree was a beautiful contrast with the rustic hunk of pig.

For a slight pop of acidity, I used my melon-baller to release little balls of granny smith apples, in which I pickled with cinnamon sticks, and cloves to infuse a wintery spice. It gave the oversized cube of bacon a familiar companion of applesauce and cinnamon aromas and flavors that it’s used to. The juicy belly meat, woven in between layers of succulent fat seemed to dissolve in my mouth. The sweet carrots and sharp pickles were exactly what the belly needed to help balance out the dish.

It was a perfect first bite to lead into an even more extravagant meal. The next course required some serious grunt work. A dinner party set to the theme of indulgence wouldn’t be complete without some fresh oysters. We picked up two dozen of one of my favorite varieties, Island Creek oysters from Duxbury, MA. They always seem to be the perfect size, not too small and not intimidatingly large.

They have striking minerality and freshness with a plump body, and a rather salty finish that I can’t get enough of. With the first dozen, we decided to bake in the classic Rockafeller style. I topped each bivalve with crispy bacon, sautéed spinach, shredded Gruyere cheese, heavy cream, Pernot, and fresh lemon juice. After a few minutes in the broiler, the cheese has melted and the contents of the deep, metallic shell was bubbling away. The rich, creamy and nutty topping had an underlying hint of anise aroma from the evaporated, French liquor.

Trying to shoot them back without making loud, and obnoxious, “mmmmmmm”, sounds was a real feat. In the meantime, I shucked the other dozen and served them on ice with a dollop of creme fraiche, a spoonful of Ossetra caviar, and a sprig of fresh tarragon. In my opinion, this could have been my favorite bite of the evening. It was simple, luxurious, and gratifying; not to mention the balance of flavors really just worked well together. As the last oyster shell was tossed into the garbage, the smell from the next course had already permitted throughout the entire house. I had a baking dish in the oven, littered with baby snails that were all bubbling away in a homemade garlic-parsley butter and topped with breadcrumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Thankfully, the couples at dinner weren’t on a first date, because this butter was garlicky! We plated this course family-style and all of us dove in with chewy bread to soak up the cheesy butter. The snails were delicate and tender, offering earthy, mushroomy flavors as they swam in the bright green butter.

The oysters and snails course was paired with some Grand Cru Chablis from William Fevre that was crisp and refreshing. Notes of butterscotch, baked apples and puff pastry came off the initial wave of aroma, but the wine was perfectly balanced, clean, and crisp on the finish. Just when everyone thought that the night was dying down, we hit them with the next course which is hands down, one of my favorite pasta dishes I have ever eaten. Thanks to Leigh from Nella Pasta (http://www.nellapasta.com/), this single Raviolo was freaking amazing!

Raviolo Uovo is only one ravioli, filled with a creamy ricotta filling and a fresh egg yolk. Leigh put some serious time and effort into not only making the homemade pasta, but shopping for the highest quality local ingredients. She rolled out the pasta into thin sheets and filled the massive ravioli with a piped, local ricotta mixture that was studded with chopped black truffles. A well was formed in the cheese and she carefully dropped in these gigantic, farm-fresh egg yolks that were so bright and orange that they glimmered through the thin sheet of pasta on top.

Leigh expressed her frustration with the delicacy of the yolks and how they kept popping on her wedding ring, and ended up thrown across the kitchen. Finally, she managed to keep ten ravioli in great shape for the walk over. We gingerly simmered the pasta for a mere minute before sautéing and basting them in a thyme-brown butter sauce. We served the Uovo on a plate with some roasted wild mushrooms and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finished with an abnormal dowsing of white truffle oil.

My knees began to buckle while plating due to ingestion of sensual truffle fumes. We all anxiously awaited the”ta-da”,  moment where one of our forks pierced the raviolo, displaying a slow, oozing of the poached egg yolk onto the plate. It was one of the sexiest moments and bites I have ever witnessed in all my days of cooking and eating. We managed to capture the “money-shot” of the fatty yolk swirling on the plate with beads of truffle oil floating atop the surface.

I served this pasta course with a magnum of 2004 Marchesi di Barolo Cannubi Barolo that I had been decanting for over 5 hours. It opened up beautifully and displayed delicate aromas of fresh violets, cherries, and spice. The tannins in the young Nebbiolo cut through the creamy egg yolk and the truffles and Barolo were reunited again. Believe it or not, we were ready for our final savory course of the night… and making good time thanks to our impromptu dishwashers. I had made two different sauces for the beef tenderloin the night before. One was a traditional bordelaise sauce that started off by making one of the most intense beef stocks ever. I roasted pounds and pounds of bones and made a homemade stock for an entire 24 hours, periodically skimming the fat and impurities from the surface.

Then I combined the rich stock with the reduction of two bottles of dry red wine. As the sauce slowly reduced, it thickened and intensified. The other sauce I made was a simple cream sauce with freshly grated horseradish root and sliced tarragon. The balance of spicy and savory was an interesting accompaniment to the tender beef. I simply seared the five-pound roast and rolled in on my cutting board through handfuls of smashed, whole black peppercorns. As it roasted in the oven, it gave us a chance to digest and have a little fun with my new toy that I bought for the evening… a porron!

A porron is a vessel commonly seen in tapas’ bars throughout Spain. It looks like a wine decanter with a spout, and it is filled with wine that eventually gets poured directly into your mouth from very high level. The thin stream gives you just enough time to swallow and allows for pinpoint accuracy when poured from several feet in the air. Here is a video that demonstrates how the porron is used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCqCp1ot15A. Needless to say, we managed to keep the wine out of our clothes and our carpet, and my wife was able to take a deep breath. I pulled the roast from the oven at the perfect time, and allowed the juices to redistribute before slicing it into pieces. We served it medium rare with a creamy pommes puree’, both sauces, and a roasted butternut squash and raw kale salad with chopped hazelnuts.

We figured that we needed something fresh and green to serve after all these overly rich dishes. You could cut the tenderloin of beef with a fork it was so tender and juicy. I typically prefer cuts of meat that aren’t as lean, but with the two sauces, the flavor was still booming. For the grand finale, we popped a 3.0 Liter bottle of 2006 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon to serve with the beef. For the time it took me to pop the oversized cork on this monster, the wine better be damn good.

It was loaded with powerful blackberry, cherry, and cassis up front, and more developed, richer flavors of vanilla, toasty oak, and creamy coffee on the finish. By this time, we didn’t think anyone would be ready for dessert, but we were wrong. I ordered the double coconut cake from Sportello down the street and when we picked this thing up we didn’t realize that it weighed about twenty pounds. I’m not a big dessert guy, but whenever we eat at Sportello, I have to end the night with a sliver; it’s just that good. The shredded, toasty coconut isn’t just flaked on the outside of the frosting, but baked into each layer of cake as well. We sat around, reminiscing about the meal we just conquered, sipping on Pretty Things, St. Botolph’s Old Town Brown Ale fresh from the keg, and small glasses of 12yr old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon.

At midnight we popped a few bottles of the 2003 Roderer Estates L’Ermitage Brut and washed back some of the leftover caviar and cheese as if we couldn’t get enough, knowing that 2012 was the start to diets and healthy lifestyles. We lasted long into the night playing silly games, picking at leftovers, and enjoying each others company. I hope that 2012 is filled with even more great food, family and friends. Happy New Year to everyone!

Christmas Season at my house starts the moment Thanksgiving ends. My wife is like a little elf, running around turning our tiny, 900 square foot condo into the North Pole. Garland, Poinsettia plants, ornaments, nutcrackers, cinnamon scented pine cones, and stockings are just a few of the decorations that transform my kitchen into Santa’s Workshop. When I get the holiday spirit flowing through my body (which it’s hard not too at home), I start thinking about meals that remind me of this time of year. A roast is something that I associate with Christmas-time because of all the warming aromas that come from the oven throughout the entire process, and they’re usually big enough to feed an entire family or large group of friends.

Not too long ago, I was leaving my friends Bachelor party in New Orleans and through my mid-hangover beer goggles, I glanced at the cover of an issue of Bon Appetit magazine while stumbling through the airport.

Anytime a crispy pork product crosses my path, I tend to pay more attention. On the cover was a massive roast, wrapped in Prosciutto surrounded by beautifully caramelized apples and fresh herbs. It should be illegal to sell magazines like this at airport terminals because there’s no food like it during my lay-over in Columbus, Ohio.

I was in a rush to catch my connecting flight so I couldn’t buy the magazine, but that photo has haunted me ever since.

The other night, I set out to recreate that beautiful image that I have dreamt about ever since. I don’t know what the actual recipe is because I never got a chance to turn the page but in this instance, beauty is only skin deep (or prosciutto deep).

I put my own spin on the cover story, Prosciutto wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples with an audience of colorful, wooden soldiers cheering me on. I started by butterfly-ing my pork loin, which is essentially opening it up and turning it into a pork placemat which makes it easier to stuff.

I sautéed some baby kale and walnuts, lightly seasoned with lemon zest, salt and pepper and used this mixture as my stuffing.

I rolled the pork back up into a familiar cylinder and then wrapped the entire thing, in an even layer of salty Prosciutto di Parma. The only thing better than pork-on-pork is pork-on-pork-on-pork; but I didn’t go there.

Once you have a nice, snug and delicious package that resembles a pigskin, tie it up with butchers twine and slip some fresh rosemary in between the knots. I arranged my roast in a pan surrounded by local apples, cippolini onions, and a few garlic cloves. Into the oven it went, and before I knew it, the entire kitchen smelled like sizzling bacon, rosemary, and sage.

For my sauce, I sautéed some minced shallots and hit it with about a cup of dry white wine.

After the wine had reduced to a mere tablespoon of liquid, I stirred in a cup of heavy cream, a large spoonful of whole-grain mustard, and a pinch of nutmeg.

The sauce slowly thickened on the back burner and intensified in flavor as it simmered. The rich, creamy sauce was sharp with mustard and the hint of nutmeg made it slightly Christmas-y.

One of the reasons that I love pork so much is that it is extremely versatile when it comes to wine pairing. As flavorful as it is, it can be transformed into something light and elegant and served with a delicate white wine, or manipulated to stand up to a big, brawny red.

In this instance, I popped a bottle of the 2009 Owen Roe, “Ex Umbris” Syrah from Washington State. Winemaker David O’Reilly (who I’ve written about in the past) just got some crazy accolades for this wine.

It was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator and ranked #25 on the Top 100 Wines of the Year list. Deep plum and dark cherry perfume the nose while peppery, red fruit swarms the palate. It has a creamy, velvety texture and a resemblance to biting into a bacon-wrapped date! It’s very typical for the Syrah grape to have a meaty, bacon fat quality to it, which makes it one of my favorite grape varietals. Slight notes of anise and root beer on the finish that is breathtakingly long.

I pulled the roast from the oven and the crispy prosciutto was shimmering! I inserted a meat thermometer and the doneness was perfect, almost 145 degrees (add about 10 more degrees after resting). Slicing into this beast was breathtaking!

All of the different colors, smells, and textures were mind-blowing as ring, after ring, of pork heaven flopped onto the cutting board. Each slice was a work of art and it was so incredibly easy to assemble. I served a slice of the roast with some caramelized cipollini onions, a drizzle of the rich mustard sauce, and a sprig of rosemary.

The juicy pork was so tender and the center was filled with bitter greens and crunchy walnuts, making for a perfect contrast. The crispy outside was salty and held all of the mouth-watering juices inside. Siobhan and I (yes, it was just the two of us and our creepy nutcrackers) sat down at the table, with some Christmas music, a mammoth roast that could serve 12, and a bottle of the #25 wine of the year.

It was a perfect start to the holiday season and an even more perfect reason to get back to the gym. Hopefully the next cover of a magazine that catches my eye demonstrates some portion control.

Introducing the trendy dish of season! Pumpkin Mac & Cheese. It’s literally everywhere these days and every chef, blog, magazine, and cooking show wants to put their own spin on it; and that’s exactly what I did. I have to admit, whoever was the true Pumpkin Mac & Cheese originator was pretty brilliant.

Not only did they take one of the most iconic American, home-cooked dishes, throw in some seasonal flare, and make it unique, but they captured the culinary worlds’ attention and caused a massive, gooey, cheesy, pumpkin-y phenomenon. It’s just plain hard to read the words, “Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese” and not stop in your tracks. The two things have never gone together before yet both sound so damn good together.

With the artisanal, gourmet mac & cheese craze still booming, and the pumpkin beer obsession on the rise, this combination of flavors, texture and spices is nothing shy of genius. I know that I am not alone when I say that when I first saw a recipe for this, I said to myself, “why the f@*# didn’t I think of that”! Okay… I’m jealous, but my stomach is now extremely full and I am completely satisfied.

I went out to buy two medium sized pumpkins because the ones that we used to decorate our front doorstep got smashed. Surprise… welcome to city living.

All I did was slice them into six equal parts, removed the seeds and guts, and roast them at 400 degrees until they were completely tender. I threw the bright orange, steamy flesh into the food processor and pulsed away until I was left with my homemade pumpkin puree.

If you’re too lazy to do this, just grab a few cans from the grocery store, and if you’re really lazy, just ask someone else to open the cans for you. I promise you that the “from scratch” method produces a much tastier and healthier pumpkin flavor.

For my macaroni and cheese, (which wasn’t really macaroni at all) I used an orecchiette pasta which in Italian means “little ears”. Every time I cook with orecchiette I can’t help myself from grabbing one of the baby ears and re-creating my favorite scene from Reservoir Dogs , screaming into the little dried pasta, “Hey… what’s goin on? Can you hear that”?

As the pasta water was coming to a boil, I diced up some applewood-smoked ham to give the macaroni & cheese some extra flavor.

I started to make a roux, which is equal parts butter and flour, whisked together in order to thicken my cheese sauce. I essentially made a pumpkin Mornay sauce which is a classic French Bechemel with the addition of shredded cheese, and of course pumpkin puree.

I specifically chose four different cheeses for flavor, balance, and texture. I used a classic Gruyere because of its impeccable melting quality and nutty flavor. I used a bright orange Vermont Cheddar for its color, and its sharp flavor. I used a smoked Mozzarella for the intense smoky flavor which I thought would work nicely with the pumpkin and the autumn spices, and lastly a creamy, fresh goat cheese for a tart punch.

All of the cheeses were slowly whisked into the Bechemel creating a thick, ultra-rich, cheesy euphoria. I finished the sauce with some minced sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

I had a hard time keeping my fingers and utensils out of the sauce and trust me… it didn’t suck.

I poured the sauce all over the top of the al dente pasta and stirred it around with the smoked ham. It got spooned into individual and group-sized ramekins and then covered with homemade breadcrumbs.

I took some old bread, and pulverized it in the food processor with fresh sage and some nutmeg. A little melted butter brought the crumbs together into a golden, aromatic crust for the mac & cheese. Roughly thirty minutes in the oven, and the breadcrumbs were toasty and the cheese sauce was bubbling away.

I served this American classic with arguably one of the most exciting and popular grape varietals of the times; Argentinian Malbec. The 2010 Altos las Hormigas Malbec comes from Mendoza Argentina. In 1995 Alberto Antonini, a well-known Italian winemaker took a trip to visit the major viticultural areas of Argentina. He returned powerfully impressed by the potential of Malbec in the Mendoza region. Later that year he purchased 216 hectares of vineyards and Altos las Hormigas was born.

The project has turned into a huge success and his Malbecs are some of the best in South America. This one is a deep violet, purple color and rich with peppery spices. The wine is full-bodied and marries well with the “pumpkin” spices of the dish and the sweet pumpkin flavor in the pasta.

The bold wine has notes of mocha and coconut in the finish and is actually equally as rich as the cheesy pasta. The crunchy breadcrumbs add a contrast in texture and buttery flavor to the velvety orecchiette. I love how present the actual pumpkin flavor was in the dish and how well the smoky cheese and ham complimented the cinnamon and nutmeg.

As I expected from the very beginning, the person who came up with this idea is brilliant and should be awarded for his or her ingenuity and creativity. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Wow. I finally found some time in between the hustle and bustle of the last few months to pull out the camera. I’ve been itching to post another meal for quite some time, but my schedule just hasn’t permitted it.

The other night, I was craving two of my favorite things… pork and clams. Tasty on their own, but euphoric when eaten together.

I had a few links of chorizo on hand and I picked up a dozen cockles from the new Legal Harborside Market. Chorizo is a cured, Spanish pork sausage that gets its brick red color and its intense smokiness from dried, smoked red paprika.

Cockles are tiny, saltwater clams that are sweet and briny. I tossed the chorizo into a food processor and made “chorizo-bits”, and then gently sauteed them to make them nice and crispy.

As I tried to restrain myself from nibbling on all of the “bits”, I made a silky, white bean puree. I simply simmered some white beans in vegetable stock and fresh thyme before breaking out the boat motor blender. I let it simmer on the back burner with a splash of cream to to add richness and to thicken it just a bit.

Finally, I got to my main protein… the halibut. I seared the fish in a skillet, skin-side down and let it get nice and crispy.

As soon as it was almost halfway done, I finished it in the oven and poured a glass of 2007 Vincent Girardin Rully “les Cloux”, a Premier Cru White Burgundy. The wine is 100% Chardonnay and is a beautiful golden color in the glass. It exudes intense aromas of cold butter and hazlenuts followed by flavors of green apple, custard, and a signature lemon finish.

The wine is medium bodied and chalk full of acidity which makes it perfect for this rich dish.

When I pulled the fish from the oven, I transferred it to a warm plate and started a quick pan sauce. I added some white wine, butter, parsley and the cockles and let everything reduce while the clams steamed open. Towards the end, I tossed in a few morel mushrooms and a spritz of lemon.

Morels are like the Lamborghini of the fungal world. They have a unique flavor and look like something out of a Super Mario Brothers game.

Their sponginess soaks up all of the sauce and flavors that you cook it in. I drizzled the morels around the pan roasted halibut with the steamed cockles and topped the fish off with a dusting of the chorizo crumble. Each bite of the moist, flaky halibut gently slid off into the creamy bean puree and sopped it all up.

A crunchy bite of salty chorizo adds extreme texture and flavor and is cut by the lemony sauce and fresh parsley. Just as I had anticipated, the succulent clams were drop-dead delicious when combined with the smoky pork sausage and the morels were a bonus treat.

I apologize for the long hiatus in between posts. I have been so busy getting ready for my wedding and I feel like we have something going on every night of the week. Most of our dinners now are healthy, simple, and quick…most of the time too quick to even pull out the camera.

I made this “Fat Elvis” sandwich the week after I got back from my bachelor party in Vegas. Let me tell you…this baby can cure a three-day Sin City hangover!

It all started with a fresh loaf of sourdough and some freshly ground peanut butter. I recently started using the “grind yourself” machine at Whole Foods, which transforms a handful of peanuts, hazelnuts, or almonds into the richest butter ever.

I spread a layer of peanut butter on one side of the bread so thick, it would shut up a barking dog for weeks. The next layer was a sliced banana, perfectly ripe and mushy followed by a few girthy, slabs of crispy bacon.

To top everything off, I spread some some raw honey from Honey Gardens, in Vermont on the other side of the bread. I toasted the sandwich in a buttered skillet the way you would for a grilled cheese and watched as the innards warmed, and oozed out of the sides.

If it wasn’t for the tall pint of beer to wash each bite down, this would have been a one-hour sandwich. Every bite was rich and indulgent. The classic peanut butter and banana combo was flirting with the smoky, savory bacon and the honey added just the slightest touch of sweetness.

The Dogfish Head “Namaste” is a Belgian style ale brewed with coriander, orange peel, and lemongrass. It’s quite cloudy and unfiltered but packed with flavor. The added spices and flavors were simply background notes that contributed complexity rather than masking the true flavor of the beer itself.

It was a refreshing pint to help wash down the “Fat Elvis” and great closure to an unbelievable weekend.