Black Bean Soup

Recipe: Black Bean Soup
Page: 62
Date Cooked: March 26, 2011

Black bean soup is one of those incredibly rich and hearty soups. To be honest, I don't eat it often and rarely make it. So I was kind of excited to see what Jonathan Waxman had in store. Though this recipe calls for ham hock, Jonathan Waxman makes note that it can be removed to make this a vegetarian recipe, while not compromising the flavor.

Ingredients: Dried black beans, red onion, jalapeno chile, garlic, olive oil, ham hock, bay leaves, spicy store-bought salsa, cilantro, pepper, salt, lime, sour cream, and chives

Of course since the recipe called for dried black beans, the first step was to soak them overnight. The next day it was on to mincing the onions and jalapeno chile; also separating the garlic head into whole peeled cloves.

From Left to Right
1.Beans soaking 2.Minced onions 3.Cloves of garlic

Olive oil was heated in a saucepan. The onions, garlic, and ham hock were added to the pan until the ham hock was browned and onions light gold.

Onions, garlic, and ham hock being cooked

Next, the beans, bay leaves, jalapeno, salsa, cilantro stems, and black pepper were all added to the pot. Finally after adding some water, the soup was placed to simmer for almost 2 hours.

Black bean about ready to simmer

After the said time, the soup was removed from the heat and the bay leaves and ham hock were fished out. The meat was removed from the bone and diced. The soup was seasoned with additional salt and pepper and the ham meat was added back.

Diced ham meat

The soup was reheated and ladled into bowls and topped with sour cream. Mined onions, chives, and cilantro were sprinkled on top. Finally, the soup was finished off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Black Bean Soup

I think when you have a number of complimentary flavors and ingredients and you have the opportunity to cook them all together for a long period of time - it's just hard to go wrong. I really enjoyed the soup. It was definitely rich and without a doubt hearty - especially with the pieces of ham mixed in. Of course the garnishes (sour cream, onion, cilantro, and chives) added the freshness and lightness to the soup, which was well needed. Also, it is a hassle free soup. The most time consuming portion is the time it takes to soak the beans. Looks like another soup recipe success.

Enjoy! 

Guacamole and Fresh Chips

Recipe: Guacamole and Fresh Chips
Page: 19
Date Cooked: March 24, 2011

In the foreword of Jonathan Waxman's "A Great American Cook," Bobby Flay describes how the first thing Jonathan Waxman asked him to "cook" was a bowl of guacamole.

Jonathan showed me how attention paid to each ingredient could make all the difference in the world. He explained how to mash the ripe avocados with a fork and fold in the aromatic ingredients such as chiles and onion so that the guacamole would have contrasting textures. He taught me to chop the cilantro coarsely to accentuate its freshness. He showed me that just a kiss of fresh lime brings all the flavors together. That was also the first time I fried my own corn tortillas to make chips. Jonathan told me that peanut oil would make them crisp and light. Jonathan's favorite snack might be mine now, too.

Ingredients: Peanut oil, corn tortillas, sea salt, sweet onion, jalapeno chile, searrano chile, cilantro, salt, avocados, lemon, and lime

First step was to make the fresh chips. The corn tortillas were cut into eighths and fried in hot peanut oil until golden brown. Once cooked, they were removed with a slotted spoon and immediately sprinkled with sea salt.

Corn tortillas being fried

And now on to the guacamole. The minced onions, chiles, cilantro, and some salt were placed in a food processor and pureed until almost liquid. Out of curiosity, I tried some of this mixture and it was good and of course had a bit of kick - which I like.

Onion-cilantro mixture

Next, the avocados were mashed with a fork. The onion-cilantro mixture was then folded in. Finally the fresh lemon and lime juice were added to the guacamole. Everything was mixed well and additional salt was added. Finally, it was ready to serve and eat.

Guacamole and Fresh Chips

I could not stop eating this. It was the best guacamole I have ever had. And the chips were delicious. The best part of course is that it didn't take a whole lot of time to prepare. I got to thinking later, how it was such a good idea to have in your back pocket - a definite upgrade from store bought guacamole and chips. All in all, it may be one of new favorite snacks!

Enjoy!

Crispy Chicken and Goat Cheese Burritos

Recipe: Crispy Chicken and Goat Cheese Burritos
Page: 48
Date Cooked: March 17, 2011

I made these "burritos" and immediately my thought was that they weren't really burritos. Nothing about it felt like a burrito. Then of course when I began to write this entry, I noticed this little tid bit that Jonathan Waxman inserted in the intro for this recipe.

"These aren't really burritos. I don't know precisely what qualifies a burrito as a burrito, but the tortillas are corn rather than flour, and there aren't any beans involved here. The truth is they really are more like flautas or crispy tacos, but I like the term 'burrito,' and it has stuck."

Ingredients: Chicken legs, chili powder, salt, black pepper, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, jalapeno chiles, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon, lime, scallions, unsalted butter, goat cheese, cilantro, and corn tortillas

Unfortunately, my grocery store did not have whole chicken legs - but since a chicken leg is simply the chicken thigh + chicken drumstick, I improvised. The chicken was sprinkled with the chili powder, salt, and pepper and placed in the oven to roast until the meat was cooked through and the skin was crispy. Once the chicken cooled - the meat was shredded and the skin thinly sliced.

1.Raw chicken sprinkled with chili powder, salt, and pepper 2. Roasted chicken 3. Shredded chicken

The bell peppers and chiles were prepared using the "blacken and blister" technique, this is now what I call it. I had used this exact method in two previous recipes (Warm Lobster Tacos with Guacamole and Pork Shoulder with Mole Sauce). Once chopped, the peppers and chili were mixed with the chicken.

1. The peppers and chili 2. Peppers and chili blackened and blistered 3. After being peeled - they were chopped

The onion and garlic were minced and were cooked with olive oil just until the onions became tender. Next, the chicken, chiles, and peppers were added to the onion mixture. Finally some water was added to the skillet and cooked until the water has just evaporated.

Left: Onion and garlic mixture
Right: Onion mixture along with chicken, peppers, and chili

Once the water had evaporated, the lemon juice was added to the chicken. The mixture was transferred to a bowl and I then added the goat cheese. Once everything was mixed well, the minced scallions, cilantro, and lime juice were also added.

Chicken and goat cheese mixture

Finally, it was time to put the burritos together. The tortillas were placed on a flat surface and the chicken mixture was placed in the center of the tortilla. The two sides were folded over and then the top and bottom of the tortilla were also folded to wrap the mixture.

Chicken mixture on the corn tortilla

Finally a baking sheet was brushed with melted butter and the burritos were placed on the sheet seam side down. They were baked for about 20 minutes until each side was crispy. Finally, the burritos were topped with guacamole. Jonathan Waxman suggests using the guacamole from another recipe, but since I hadn't gotten there yet, I used store bough guacamole.

Crispy Chicken and Goat Cheese Burritos

I really liked the "burritos." I sampled the chicken and goat cheese mixture on its own and it was delicious. I would even recommend using the chicken mixture as some sort of dip. The cilantro also added a great freshness to the whole mixture, making it feel very light.

But I have to completely agree with the intro about this really not feeling like a burrito. Moreover, I think using flour tortillas would have been better. Flour tortillas are just a little more subtle and you would then be able to really appreciate the flavors of the filling. Nonetheless, it was fun finding out how well these flavors meshed.

Enjoy!

Greens, Pancetta, and Poached Egg Salad

Recipe: Greens, Pancetta, and Poached Egg Salad
Page: 81
Date Cooked: February 26, 2011

This particular recipe is a result of Jonathan Waxman's "quandary of coming up with a special egg dish at [his] restaurant Bud's in New York City" and I can say it is more than just an egg dish. This was my first time poaching an egg in red wine and I'm still not sure if I did it correctly. Nonetheless, I completed the dish.

Ingredients: Pancetta, shitake mushrooms, pepper, Beaujolais, red wine vinegar, curly endive, mustard, olive oil, and eggs

The pancetta is cut into thin strips and sautéed until crispy. The pancetta is removed from the pan, leaving the fat. Chopped shitake mushrooms are then placed into the same skillet, peppered, and cooked until lightly browned.

Top Left: Chopped pancetta strips
Top Right: Chopped shitake caps
Bottom Left: Crispy Pancetta
Bottom Right: Shitake sauteed in pancetta fat

While the mushrooms cooked, the Beaujolais and red wine vinegar were placed in a saucepan and brought to a simmer. The endive was washed and dried. Then the pancetta, shitakes, and pancetta fat were all added to the endive and tossed.

Left: Beaujolais and red wine vinegar simmering
Right: Curly endive tossed with pancetta and shitakes

The mushroom pan was deglazed with some more red wine vinegar. Mustard and olive oil were added to the pan and cooked for a few minutes. 

Mustard vinaigrette in the making

Finally, the eggs were poached in the red wine mixture. This step was a little harder than I expected and also the eggs looked a little strange having been poached in red wine. Nonetheless, all the components of the salad were now ready. The vinaigrette was tossed into the salad and the poached eggs were placed on the top. 

Greens, Pancetta, and Poached Egg Salad

Alright, I want to make note that I don't think this is the prettiest looking dish - that is the red wine poached egg is well kind of ugly. And this may very well be because I didn't poach it quite right but I guarantee you I did the best I could. 


Despite the visual, the salad was amazing. I ate it ravenously - every bite just got better. The shitakes were perfect - cooking them in the pancetta fat was just brilliant. Not only did it retain its meaty texture you got a bit of the salt from the pancetta and the additional pepper. The poached egg on top added a whole new dimension. Once you broke the yellow of the egg into the salad, you were able to sop it all up with the other salad components. And again it was just damn good. 


All in all, I loved the salad. Heck, I made it two nights in a row, I thought it was soo good. Now if only I could get that red wine poached egg to look pretty!

Enjoy!

Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Sandwich

Recipe: Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Sandwich
Page: 110
Date Cooked: February 20, 2011

The best way to describe this recipe is: Fancy Ham and Cheese. But not only is it a fancy little sandwich, it was pretty delicious as well. And boy oh boy, does Jonathan Waxman love his butter!

Prosciutto, Fontina, French sourdough, and butter

Slices of prosciutto and Fontina were layered on the bread. The top of each sandwich was also lightly buttered.

Layered slices of Fontina and prosciutto

Butter was melted in a skillet and once it began to bubble, the sandwich was added, un-buttered side down, flipped once, and cooked till golden brown on both sides.

From Left to Right: 1.Melting the butter 2.One side being grilled 3.The flip and other side being grilled

Once the cheese was visibly melting, the sandwich was removed, sliced in half, and served with pickles and mustard.

Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Sandwich

Like I mentioned earlier, this is a fancy ham and cheese. However, I am a huge fan of Fontina cheese - it really has this wonderful earthy taste that pairs incredibly well with the prosciutto (and I'm sure the 45% milk fat content doesn't hurt either). All in all, it was good but not glamorous.

Enjoy!

Garden Salad

Recipe: Garden Salad
Page: 72
Date Cooked: February 14, 2011

This is the fourth Jonathan Waxman salad I have delved into. The previous salad recipes (Warm Squid Salad, Three Tomato Salad, Version 1, Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad) provided inspiration for my day to day cooking may that be a new found appreciation for the kumato, basic vinaigrettes, or even a new green such as dandelion. This recipe was the quintessential basic salad and I wasn't particularly inspired.

Arugula, Boston lettuce, baby frisee, black pepper, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil 

The recipe called for a variety of greens - from which I chose arugula, Boston lettuce, and baby frisee. The lettuce is washed and dried and placed in a bowl. Black pepper is added along with a touch of salt and the lettuce is tossed.

Washed and dried lettuce in bowl

Next, a small amount of balsamic vinegar is added to the greens and then tossed. Then the olive oil is tossed with the greens. You've added enough olive oil once the "salad glistens." And well....That is the end of the recipe.

Garden Salad

The salad tasted fine. But it wasn't anything exceptional by any means. Apparently, according to Jonathan Waxman, the key is to "always add the vinegar first." Why this is the case - I have no clue. I tried to find something about it, but came out of the search with no consensus. I want to assume it has something to do with the chemistry of oil and vinegar. Overall, the greens were good and the salad was just simple.

Enjoy!

Braised Lamb Shoulder with Fried Shallots

Recipe: Braised Lamb Shoulder with Fried Shallots
Page: 186
Date Cooked: February 13, 2011

"Braised Lamb Shoulder with Fried Shallots" is Jonathan Waxman's take on a classic French daube - a stew with meat (traditionally beef), wine, garlic, and herbs. If you ask me, I think braising meat is such a smart way to get a really hearty meal and it's difficult to mess up. Now I must state upfront, that I couldn't get lamb shoulder and had to make a substitution (my first one in this journey) - hence I used lamb leg. The biggest difference is that lamb leg is obviously a bit leaner than shoulder, which I was OK with.

Ingredients: Olive oil, salt, pepper, boneless lamb leg roast, Chianti, white onion, carrot, leek, garlic, jalapeño, kalmata olives, bay leaf, thyme, canned plum tomatoes, shallots, and all-purpose flour

The lamb piece is initially salt and peppered and then seared on all sides with olive oil. Once seared, the lamb is removed from the dish and Chianti is used to deglaze the pot. The lamb is then placed back in the dish and set aside.

From Left to Right: 1. Pre-seared lamb 2. Seared Lamb 3. Lamb with Chianti

Next, the onions, carrots, leeks, garlic, jalapeño, olives, and tomatoes are cut and chopped. All of vegetables along with the bay leaf and thyme were added to the casserole dish, scattered around the lamb. Water was added to the casserole dish as well - just until about the top of the lamb. The dish is then covered and placed in the oven to braise for 4 hours.

Seared lamb with vegetables and herbs

A few minutes before the 4 hours were up - I begin preparing the fried shallots. The shallots were thinly sliced and tossed in some flour. Finally they were fried in batches in hot olive oil. Once they achieved a crispy look, the shallots were removed from the oil and salted.

From Left to Right: 1. Thinly sliced shallots 2. Shallots tossed in flour 3. Frying shallots in olive oil

Finally, the fat was skimmed off the top of the stew and the bay leaf discarded. I was afraid that the lamb wasn't going to be tender enough (it looked as if it was still in it's entirety - see picture below) but surely as Jonathan Waxman makes notes, it broke apart in large chunks with no effort.

After 4 hours of braising in the oven 

A good piece of the lamb, the braising liquid, and some vegetables were spooned into a bowl. Finally, the stew was topped with the fried shallots.

Braised Lamb Leg with Fried Shallots

The stew was yummy. The lamb perfectly tender - it just melted in your mouth. Also, the braising liquid was incredibly flavorful. Moreover, I was somewhat amazed that the vegetables hadn't become a soggy mess. Don't get me wrong they were soft but still maintained remnants of their solid form. The crispy shallots on top provided a nice textural contrast and a little additional salt, which was appreciated. On a personal note, the fried shallots made me reminisce  about my mom's Indian cooking (fried onions are used in a number of Indian dishes).

The one thing I do need to comment on however is Jonathan Waxman's idea of portions. This isn't a novel thing in his recipes thus far, but I feel as it must be mentioned. I actually halved this recipe. However, the original recipe called for a 6 pound boneless lamb shoulder - which was estimated to make 6-8 servings. That's almost a pound of lamb + braising liquid + vegetables per person. A lot of food. I'm pretty sure using an approximately 3 pound boneless lamb leg gave me 6-8 servings. Luckily, I really like the stew because otherwise I'm not sure what I would do with 2 containers of braised lamb leg!

All in all, it was a great recipe and quite simple to make. Everything really cooks in its own juices and flavors and you get to really savor that, all with a touch of Chianti.

Enjoy!