Dutch Oven Spring Cooking by Brandy Fernow April 22, 2021 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment I have had my 7.25 quart Le Creuset dutch oven for almost 20 years and rarely put it away. It sits on my stovetop in its happy French Blue and dinner usually gets its start in it. People sometimes ask me – what do you do with your dutch oven? I feel like the better question is – what do I NOT do with my dutch oven? Of course, I used it all winter long for soups, stews and stocks, for searing and braising meats and for all the hearty winter grains and veggies. But no need to stash it away come Spring. I will be cooking my favorite flavors of Spring like White Bean and Pea Soup, or Lemony Pasta with Artichokes. The family favorite is a Farro Risotto with Asparagus.The only thing that may convince me to move my dutch oven off its mainstay would be to swap in a new hue. Le Creuset just released a stunning Artichaut color you can find at Marcel’s. Spring dutch oven cooking will shine in this “born of the garden” color! Spring Asparagus and Farro Risotto 2021-04-22 13:32:07 Serves 4 Print Ingredients 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-2” pieces on the bias 8 ounces wild mushrooms, sliced 1 small red onion, sliced or roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/4 cup semi-pearled farro 1/4 cup white wine 4 cups vegetable stock 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan Instructions Heat the vegetable stock in a saucepan. Heat dutch oven over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the asparagus, mushrooms and onion; sauté, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender and mushrooms are browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Remove vegetables to a plate/bowl. Reduce heat to medium and farro; cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until it evaporates. Start adding 1 ladle of the hot stock at a time, stirring the farro constantly. When most of the stock has been absorbed, add another ladle. Continue until farro is cooked, about 15 minutes. Add the cooked vegetables, salt, lemon zest, juice and Parmesan and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Gluten Free Is The Life For Me by Katie Wojciechowski March 11, 2021 by Jill Foucre 1 Comment Two years ago, if someone would have told me that I had to cut gluten out of my diet in order to feel better I would have told them they were nuts! How in the world could I live without beautiful crusty French bread? What would I do without cookies and cakes in my life? Not to mention, what would my every day family-favorite dishes taste like? What kinds of products are out there that actually taste good? Two years later, and on the other side of these questions, I can officially say that gluten-free is the life for me! I still have breads, cookies, cakes and ALL my family favorite dishes in my life. What I don’t have are the aches and pains I once did. Cutting gluten was a challenge that I excepted and have never regretted. Finding products to use as replacements for staples in my pantry was a game of trial and error. Testing different flours and recipes actually became interesting to me. I did a lot of experimenting, mostly in the way of sweets and baked goods, and can now say, for the past two years I have successfully “fooled” my family every night at dinner with a gluten free meal that everyone enjoys. As the saying goes, “Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” -John Locke. Gluten Free Cinnamon Blondies 2021-03-10 16:45:44 Print Ingredients 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 ½ cup Gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1) Topping ¼ cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Cream until all the sugar is incorporated and the butter is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add the baking powder and cinnamon and mix to incorporate. Slowly add in the flour. Mix only until all the flour is incorporated. Grease a 9X13 pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. In a separate bowl combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the topping over the batter evenly. Bake 25-28 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes before slicing. Cut the blondies into 12 large squares. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Just Another Anniversary by Kelly Sears September 24, 2020 by Jill Foucre 2 Comments “Just” is one of those words in the English language that can run the gamut on meaning and connotation: an adjective, adverb, or phrase. This is just what I need! (excitement); I was just there! (very recent); They are just great! (emphasis); Really, just nine years? (agreement); Do you have just this one store? (possible/impossible); Is this just all you do? (simply only).Almost ten years ago, Jill and I meet serendipitously. Seems we soaked our toes in the same place. In separate visits, our names were given to each other as just someone we should talk to, just in case. Why not, it was just a chat over coffee. The chat turned into an interview, interview into interviewing others, into building the staff, training the staff, creating procedures, adjusting procedures, filling shelves, stocking kitchens, sweating small stuff, sleepless nights, millions of what-ifs, how comes and if than’s. And that was all before we even opened the door for day one! One of the biggest questions back then was how do we become more than just another kitchen shop, just another cooking school. There is never just one answer to that, it never takes just one person to answer it or make it happen, and it’s never a question that stops getting asked. Jill steers the ship. Decent, equitable, ethical, firm, and rock steady. She built the ark and the rest of us hopped on board. Dana and the rest of the retail team are extraordinary at finding just the right fit. If you are in search, they will find. They have been rewarded with plenty of “this is just what I need,” “this is just great,” “I was just there!” responses over the past nine years with no signs of slowing down. In the kitchen, our chef team dishes up more than just another cooking class, they create an experience. They engage, educate, inspire, and empower students to take the next step, strive for more, and share the tools to get them there. Our culinary assistant team delivers customer service above and beyond in each and every one of our classes. Both kids and adults receive the same level of care and attention. You would never know these folks are volunteers. And behind the scenes, with dishpan hands and in-between homework assignments, our young flock of dishwashers scrub piles and piles of dishes for each class. A few years ago, the letter M got bigger. Marché and Maison became extensions to and of Marcel’s. Both offering different products and services but just the same level of professionalism and experience. More ways to cook, create and celebrate. Over the past nine years, we haven’t just rested on the base we built. We have amended, listened, adjusted, aimed, and re-aimed to keep all things “M” growing and thriving. The most common question I get asked is, “is this just all you do?” And to that, I can emphatically answer, yes! This is just all I do, and I couldn’t be more proud or lucky. Every day I interact with co-workers that have become friends, people that care as much about the place they work as the person who owns it. We have a team I would trade for nothing; strong, durable, intertwined. After nine years, how do we become more than just another kitchen shop, just another cooking school? We just continue to not be the same. We just choose to be better. Happy nine and on to nine more! If a meal is simple, with few ingredients, there’s no place to hide, fewer ways to hide shortcomings. If you’re just making chicken, it needs to be the best chicken you can make. Roast Chicken (Spatchcocked) with Citrus Herb Butter 2020-09-24 13:52:18 Print Ingredients One whole chicken (gizzards removed) patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper all over the bird. Refrigerate on a sheet pan over night if possible, in not, at least for a few hours. ½ cup softened, unsalted butter 2 Tablespoons minced shallot 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1 garlic clove, minced The zest of one lemon A handful of parsley Instructions Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine butter, shallots, chives, rosemary, thyme, garlic and zest of the lemon in a small bowl and mix well; taste and adjust with salt and set aside. Flip the chicken onto its breast and using sturdy kitchen shears or a 10-inch chef's knife, remove the backbone by cutting carefully down each side of the bone, starting at the tail end of the bird. The entire inside of the chicken should be exposed when you are finished. Then flip the chicken over so that is lies flat. Trim any excess deposits of fat from around the cavity, and gently slide your fingers under the skin and ease it away from the meat, around both sides of the breast and both legs. Carefully smear the compound butter underneath the skin all over the meat, being careful not to break the skin. On a rimmed baking sheet, large enough to accommodate the chicken, layer parsley, left over shallot, and sliced citrus. Lay the chicken on top, making sure the legs and thighs, and wings are splayed out. Roast for 45 minutes to hour depending on the size of the chicken – 3 ½ lbs. about 45 minutes, 5 lbs. about an hour (internal temperature should read 165 degrees). Cover & let rest about 10 minutes before carving, cutting or serving Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Eating and Drinking, The New Normal by Paul Lindemuth August 27, 2020 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment It’s 6 months into the pandemic and we’re all Covid-weary. It’s been quite the summer, with waiting in line for drive-through food pick-ups, masked visits to the farmer’s market, and lots of cooking at home. We’re eager to gather again with friends to share food, drinks and conversation. One of the joys of being a Maison chef has been the ability to get back to work with clients to create events that have given family and friends the opportunity to comfortably gather together. The challenges of offering up food safely has inspired us to get creative. We’ve closed down the buffet tables that allow communal food contact. In its place we’ve done cocktail parties with small mason jars filled with vegetable crudites and a delicious dip, avocado salsa and chips or a demitasse cup filled with carrot velouté. We’ve prepared an elegant and intimate wedding with individual picnic baskets for each guest and small outdoor dinner parties to celebrate special moments (sometimes to take the place of long ago planned trips that had to be canceled). It’s a happy time to see entertaining slowly coming back to life! As we move forward through these challenging times, let’s continue to gather together (safely) and share the love with food and friendship. For more information about Maison, click here. Carrot Velouté 2020-08-27 14:17:46 Serves 6 Print Ingredients 2 pounds carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 4 cups chicken stock or low-salt chicken broth 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup whole milk ¼ teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Instructions In a large saucepan combine the carrots, stock or broth, sesame oil, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pan. Add the cream, milk and Tabasco sauce to the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle the velouté into bowls and garnish with the chopped chives. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Secret Garden Grilling by Robin Nathan July 29, 2020 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Don’t tell anyone, but I live on the greatest block in the greatest neighborhood in the city. Several years ago, we cut a gate between our backyard and that of our next-door neighbor. The neighbor next to them have done the same, creating 3 continuous backyards. During the waning (and warming!) days of Phase 2 quarantine, we began grilling and socializing together – keeping our 6’ of distance, of course! We’d put 3 tables in the middle yard – one for each family. The boys would shoot hoops in our yard, or play with the dogs in the far yard, while we adults sat at our socially distant tables, drinking cocktails and enjoying separate bowls of guacamole & chips. The Zoom classes I taught during quarantine were a special boon to us all – lots of beautiful food created during the class resulted in the perfect opportunity to gather and share. This pork dish I created for my last Zoom Class, themed “Driveway Dinner” was a particular hit. And the Beer Shandies with fresh lemonade we made were so good, I’m sharing that recipe with you, too! Now is the perfect time to try this out with some friends and family soon! Grill Kissed Pork Tenderloin with Scallion Salsa Verde over Warm Potato “Salad” and Beer Shandies 2020-07-30 00:36:56 Serves 4 Print Pork Tenderloin Two 12 – 16 ounce pork tenderloins (do not used pre-seasoned or liquid injected pork) Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon granulated garlic (garlic powder) 1 tablespoon granulated onion 1 tablespoon ground coriander Scallion Salsa Verde 6 scallions, thinly sliced (use white and green parts) Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped 4 mint leaves, minced 1 large clove garlic, minced Juice of ½ large lemon 2 tablespoon Olive oil Salt to taste Potato Salad 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature Large handful flat leaf parsley Salt to taste 1 ½ Pounds red bliss potatoes, skin on, cut into ¾” – ½” pieces Beer Shandies 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup water Zest of one large lemon 1 ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 5-6 large lemons) 3 cup cold water 6 ounces of IPA or good lager per person Tall Glasses Pork Tenderloin Trim the pork of silverskin and remove the very thin end (reserve for another use, if desired). Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining spices in a small bowl and sprinkle generously on all sides of the pork. Set aside at room temperature for up to 1 hour. To start on grill and end in oven: Preheat a grill or grillpan over medium-high heat. Preheat your oven to 400 (preheat to 425 if cooking more than one tenderloin.) Place the pork on the grill grates and grill 2 minutes on one side; turn and grill 2 minutes on the other side. Flip to an edge and cook 30 seconds, flip to the last edge and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove and place on a sheet pan. Place the pork directly into the preheated oven and roast to an internal temperature of 130. Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil and rest 10 minutes. Slice. To cook completely on the grill: Build a 2 stage fire in your grill with one part at 500 and another part about 350. Follow the above directions and sear the pork on the hot portion of the grill. Remove the pork to the cooler portion and cook, turning every 6 minutes, until the internal temperature of 130 is reached. Remove, tent with foil and follow the above directions. To serve, arrange the warm potato salad on a serving platter. Shingle the pork slices on top and dollop the salsa verde over the entire platter. Scallion Salsa Verde Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss together. Store at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or refrigerate until service. Serve at room temperature. Warm Potato Salad with Herb Butter Combine the soft butter, parsley and salt together in a small bowl until fully combined. Set aside at room temperature. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Carefully add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until fork tender, about 12 - 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place them on a sheet pan, spread into a single layer. Dollop the prepared herb butter over the potatoes, allowing it to melt onto the potatoes. Scrape the potatoes onto a serving platter or bowl. Beer Shandies with Fresh Lemonade Heat the sugar, water and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let stand 10 minutes, then strain out the zest. Pour the fresh lemon juice and 1 ½ cups of the syrup into a large pitcher. Fill with the cold water. Taste and add more syrup if needed – keep it on the tart side. For the shandy, fill tall glasses halfway with the lemonade and top with the beer. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/