Rooftop Gourmet

I got this crazy idea from a chef named Chuck who has a new show on the Cooking Channel. This guy is an absolute animal and I was cleaning the house the other day while watching him deep-fry a soft boiled egg. I got to thinking about the age old saying, “What came first? The chicken or the egg”?

I was immediately inspired to create a dish involving both parties. I picked up some cornish game hens which are essentially, baby chickens. I had the idea to pair baby chickens, fresh from their hatched eggs, with a chicken egg, that was undercooked and that in a way, represented an underdeveloped bird. In this sick and twisted, dream of a concept that formed in my brain, a beautifully structured dish was formed.

I did some butchering work on these baby birds that were about the size of a softball. I made an incision along both sides of the spine, de-boning the breasts but leaving the leg and wing in tact. I seared the half-birds, skin side down to obtain a super crispy crust and then finished them in the oven.

Meanwhile, I worked on my delicate soft-boiled egg thanks to Chuck. I simply boiled a dozen eggs for roughly four minutes before transferring them to an ice bath to stop the cooking.

The next step is the “do or die” moment of the process. Cracking and peeling soft boiled eggs is like open heart surgery. One misstep and your sink basin is filled with runny yolks and slimy membranes.

It took me at least half a dozen broken eggs before I settled down and channeled my inner Dr. Douglass Ross. Finally, I successfully peeled a few orbs and dredged them in flour, egg, and eventually breadcrumbs.

On the back burner, I had some heavy cream reducing into a thick, creamy sauce that was soon to be added to a mixture of sauteed shallots, garlic, and spinach.

Once the leafy greens got “creamed”, I hit the pot with a squirt of quality Dijon mustard to give it a slight kick of heat and intense flavor. After the cornish game hens were cooked throughout, I plated them in a bowl atop the Dijon creamed spinach and drizzled a quick herb oil onto the crispy skin.

It was a combination of chopped basil and parsley with some extra virgin olive oil that boosted the flavor of the baby bird. For the icing on the cake, I took the breaded, soft-boiled eggs and deep fried them briefly to ensure a crispy crust before adorning each half bird with a whole egg. Right before I served the dish, I took a pairing knife and made a small incision to release the creamy yolks that poured down the sides of the crispy hens and melded with the succulent spinach.

The dish was a mockery of chicken birth but a complete success when it came to flavor and texture. Each bite was loaded with the crispy, meaty chicken, topped with rich spinach and a seductive yolk that drooled all over every morsel.

The crispy skin and crunchy egg added a phenomenal contrast in texture to the moist poultry and smooth greens. I paired this dish with a 2007 Pierre Morey Bourgogne Blanc from Meursault, France. This 100% Chardonnay was lightly oaked but had tons of natural weight to the wine. It was light and fruity on the initial sip, but then finished with a full, creamy and sensual conclusion. The flavors of spiced apple, pear and buttered toast transformed into a finish with loads of acidity that cut right through the creamy yolks.

The young Burgundy was a perfect match with the youthful hen and the mature egg. But the question still remains… which one came first???

I always get excited when fresh corn starts to appear at the market because I know that summer is approaching quickly. Despite the gorgeous weather yesterday, I still had a craving for something warm and comforting. I grabbed a few ears of fresh corn and peeled back an inch of the husk to reveal the golden nuggets that were nice and plump even though it’s quite early for corn season.

I packed them up and set home to make a quick corn chowder. I started off by slicing the kernels off of the cob and boiling the cobs in milk.

This is essentially the same idea as making a stock. All of the corn flavor inside the cobs gets extracted and flavors the milk. After about an hour of simmering away, the milk tasted just like fresh corn.

In my chowder pot, I started off by rendering the fat out of some house cured pancetta until I was left with some crispy matchsticks of delicious pork belly.

I sweated some diced yellow onion, and tossed in the corn kernels and cubes of Yukon Gold potatoes before covering everything with the fresh corn flavored milk. I just let let it simmer away until the potatoes were cooked all the way through.

Lots of times, a flaky white fish is used in a fish chowder so I figured that a nice thick piece of Cod would be a perfect compliment to the corn chowder. I pan roasted it which creates a crispy crust on the top but leaves the inside moist and flaky. One touch from a fork and the Cod splits away into natural medallions that seem to melt on your tongue.

 The flavor was distinct yet delicate. I finished the dish with a sprinkle of fresh chives and a drizzle of really good Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I opened a bottle of 2007 Dumol Russian River Valley Chardonnay, which is pretty rare for me to do because I am not a huge domestic Chardonnay fan.

I cannot get over how most of them are overly oaked, almost to the point that I have to chew the wine it’s so thick and creamy. In my opinion, most producers go so far over the top with their domestic Chardonnays, that they completely over power any dish you put infront of it. I figured I’d give it another shot, and thankfully I did because the Dumol was actually quite balanced and food friendly. There was just the right amount of oak, fruit, and acidity that made it very pleasing even though it was a very big wine.

 There is lots of stone fruits and lemongrass flavors up front followed but a rich finish with hints of nutmeg and allspice. The flavor of buttered brioche toast lingers on your palate for minutes after you swallow. It might have been a little bit too powerful for the dainty Cod, but all the less worked great with the rich chowder. Maybe… just maybe I’m starting to enjoy domestic Chardonnay.

In 2007, the Boston Red Sox brought up Dustin Pedroia from the minors and he produced 8 HR, 50 RBI, a .317 Batting Average, a Rookie of the Year award, and a World Series Championship ring for only $380,000. Talk about value!  This is the same concept that 90+ Cellars, a relatively new and local company, offers with their wine. 90+ Cellars, “is taking advantage of the current economic conditions and purchasing high quality and highly rated finished wines direct from wineries at a discount and passing the savings on to our customers. Our primary selection criteria for wine opportunities is not just price and availability – the wines we purchase must have a pedigree of 90 or higher ratings, best buy or gold medal accolades from major publications. Other companies that offer this concept are usually buying the winery’s excess or distressed wine that they cannot sell on their own for pennies on the dollar. We are buying the winery’s best and most highly rated finished wine, which they would normally sell under their own label. Wineries are willing to sell to us because they either produced more than they need or sales may have slowed down. The wineries in return are promised complete anonymity, which we take very seriously.”

I think that this is an amazing concept and it gives the consumer a chance to try some wines that they typically might not splurge for but now are able to afford and enjoy. I decided to pair the 2007 “Lot 6″ Barossa Valley, Australian Chardonnay with my grilled swordfish dish. I picked up a thick slab of fresh swordfish from Yankee Lobster and seasoned it with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.

While fighting off the nagging rain, I managed to get out onto my deck and grill the fish to perfection without getting soaked. Due to the density and weight of the swordfish, I decided to pair the fish with a sauce that is typically reserved for something other than seafood. I made a creamy walnut sauce in the blender by pureeing buttermilk soaked bread, garlic, thyme, and toasted walnuts to a smooth consistency. When the rich, nutty sauce was spooned over the grilled swordfish it didn’t overpower the meaty flesh at all.

The fish was still moist and flavorful, while the herbaceous cream sauce tied the fresh fish together with the sweet, roasted butternut squash. I added some steamed Swiss Chard to the dish to give it some bitterness and acidity. The Lot 6 Chardonnay was surprisingly rich despite no oak barrel aging, and it paired beautifully with this dish. The tropical fruit, and pineapple aromas were pleasing, followed by some intense complexity and peach flavors on the palate.

There was plenty of acidity on the finish which I consider to be a key component to being a great food friendly wine; just what was needed to cut through the creamy walnut sauce. The finish seemed to linger forever with subtle honey and citrus flavors; only fading due to another heaping fork-filled bite. Even though all of the components to this dish are extremely rich and wintry, I was still able taste the swordfish because of its meaty texture. Of all white fish, the swordfish is the most dense and almost has the consistency of chicken.

Don’t be afraid to throw rich flavors at bold pieces of fish like swordfish or salmon… they can handle it. If you’re looking for high quality wines at an affordable price, make sure you pick up some 90+ Cellars; it’s like driving a Mercedes and paying for a Mercury.