The New Parmentier!

The newest creations in the kitchen have been some changes to classics. What better dish to start with than my favorite!  With the late fall and winter here, I decided to work with one of my favorite vegetables for the season which is the beautiful sunchoke (topinambour in  French).  This vegetable pureed and fried into chips have equally flavorful results.  Here I have combined this puree with a mix of sautéed mushroom and duck confit with a little teriyaki and jus.  One of my favorite spices right now is the togarashi spice, which works very well with the combination of all these flavors.  Give it a try, it is a pretty simple dish and will be a pleasant surprise. 

 

Surf & Turf

     

The concept of meat and fish together has always fascinated me, especially now.  At Frame I am having much more fun with it and getting a bit more creative. This dish is an Asian fusion surf & turf.

For the sauce I have mixed wasabi, lime juice and creme fraiche,. braised the pork and finished with an orange teriyaki glaze.
The dish is finished with a seared scallop, wakame, pickled ginger and a salad of mustard greens.

I love the garnish for this plate, crushed wasabi peas.

What is your favorite Asian Fusion dish you make?

 

Parmentier

I have fallen in love with a lot of classic French dishes.  I really enjoy putting my California twist on them.

Today my post is of a very simple comforting dish called Parmentier.  The classic dish is made up of leftover beef stew and mashed potatoes.  It is also sometimes made with duck.

I decided to add orange zest to the potatoes for a fresh flavor.  After I put the potatoes it in a bowl (spread even throughout), I topped with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter.  I gratined it until the breadcrumbs were toasted.

Next I mixed the confit duck with tomato, a little honey and sweet chili sauce and simmered it with a little broth until it reduced to a ragout.

For the garniture, I roasted some root vegetables, sprinkled them with sesame seeds and a little rocket arugula.

It really is an easy and delicious dinner idea for anytime of the year.

Enjoy!

 

Smoked Haddock Carbonara

 

At FRAME, we change our formula menu every week.  This gives me the chance to try out new ideas and even use new products.  Sometimes it is a learning process, especially when ordering and receiving something you were not expecting.  Last week I ordered haddock, which for me is a species of fish from the North Atlantic, but in France it always refers to the product of smoked aiglefin fish.  It proved to be a very nice surprise though.

For this dish I used fresh tagliatella pasta.  You may use whatever size and shape you wish, sometimes I prefer papardelli.  Start the dish by cooking your pasta in salted water to al dente (firm to the bite).  It is best to under cook the pasta  as it will continue cooking when you add it to the sauce.

For the sauce, start by sautéing chopped onions and garlic.  After the onions are soft, add part of the fish and deglaze with white wine. Reduce the wine by half and add cream and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  You can also add vegetables.  I prefer adding roasted tomatoes because it goes well with the cream, smoke and fish.

To finish, toss the pasta with the sauce and stir in a raw egg yolk.  The raw egg yolk will add a glorious texture to the dish.  Top with a cabbage slaw dressed simply with olive oil then thinly sliced haddock with olive oil and black pepper.

 

Pineapple braised pork shoulder

Braising meats is simple and delicious.  It is a great way to get a lot of flavor into your protein.  You typically only want to braise meats that are tougher cuts (for example, the shoulder, roasts, chicken legs, etc.).

Braising is a combination of moist and dry heat methods.  Usually you will sear the meat in a hot pan, then cover with a liquid (usually a stock) and cook at a low temperature for a few hours.  Pressure cooking and slow cooking are forms of braising.

For my braised pork I started out by breaking down the pork shoulder into manageable pieces.  Season the pork with salt, pepper, and a mix of your favorite chili powders.  After it has been seasoned let it sit at room temperature for a half an hour.  The meat will sear better if it has had time to loosen up.

In a hot pan, add canola or grape seed oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan.  Gently place your meat in the pan using a pair of tongs so you do not burn yourself.  Let the meat sear for a couple of minutes until it has a dark caramelized color then flip the meat and repeat the process until all sides of the meat are browned.

Remove the caramelized meat from the pan and place in your baking pan.  Sear carrots, celery, onions, and pineapple in the same pan that you cooked the pork in.  Keep turning every couple of minutes until the vegetables have a nice color.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the pineapple juice and add a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary.  Pour your pork stock over the vegetables, then transfer to the pork.  Make sure the liquid covers the meat completely and then cover with foil and place in the oven at 325 degrees.  Bake until it is fork tender all the way through.   This will take at least an hour (depending on the size of the pork it could take a couple of hours).

Once the meat is finished braising, discard the vegetables and strain off the liquid, saving a little to toss with the meat.  To serve, you can break the meat into portion sizes and serve with your favorite side dishes.  You can also shred it into a bowl with a fork with a little of the braising liquid and BBQ or teriyaki sauce for a sandwich or slider.

Once you master braising, a whole new world opens up and your meals will become much more exciting.  Have Fun Braising!!!