To cook the venison:
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Remove the venison from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and white pepper. In a pan or dish long enough to accommodate the venison loins, beat together the eggs and yolk. Dust one side of each loin with flour, shake off the excess, and dip that side into the egg mixture and then into the chestnuts.
3. Heat the olive oil in a roasting pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the venison, chestnut-side down, and cook for about 2 minutes. Turn the loins over and place the roasting pan in the oven. Roast the venison 10 to 12 minutes, until medium-rare. Pull the pan from the oven, and transfer the loins to a warm platter. (You will use the roasting pan with the drippings to make the sauce.) Set the meat aside in a warm place while you make the sauce.
For the sauce:
1 small shallot, peeled, trimmed, finely chopped, rinsed, and dried
2 teaspoons coarsely crushed black pepper
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cups unsalted beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1. Remove as much grease from the liquid in the roasting pan as possible, and place the pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, just until translucent. Add the pepper and orange zest, sauté for a minute more, and then deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, cooking and stirring until the vinegar just about evaporates. Add the red wine and cook down again until the pan is almost dry. Add the sugar and beef stock, and cook at a boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the pan from the heat, and swirl the butter into the sauce.
2. To serve: Slice the loins into 12 to 16 slices, and arrange them attractively on a warm platter. Moisten with the sauce, and serve with the spiced rutabaga.
Originally appeared in Café Boulud Cookbook, by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan (Scribner, 1999).
LES PRÉS D’EUGÉNIE—1978
Caramelized Pears with Puff Pastry and Pear Cream
Makes 6 servings
So simple in its ingredients yet requiring all the skills of the pastry chef: the flaky crust, the sweet poached fruit, the fluffy and deeply flavored cream. Here Guérard, the gastronomic chef, returns to the pastry kitchen, where he started. Simple. Unforgettable.
For the poached pears:
1 moist, plump vanilla bean
¾ cup sugar
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
3 ripe Bosc pears
Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the back of the knife blade, scrape the pulp out of the pod. Put the pulp and pod, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan with 1 quart of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to keep the liquid at a simmer, peel the pears (you don’t want to do this earlier—they’ll darken), and add the whole pears to the pot. Cook the pears at a gentle simmer just until they can be pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and allow the pears to cool in the poaching liquid. (The pears can be made 3 days ahead and should be kept in their poaching syrup for storage in the refrigerator. Drain the fruit before using.)
For the pastry cream:
1 moist, plump vanilla bean
2 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1. Line a deep, rimmed plate with plastic wrap, leaving ample overhang. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the back of the knife blade, scrape the pulp out of the pod.
2. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Stir in ¼ cup of the sugar. Add the vanilla bean, both pod and pulp, and bring to the boil. While the milk is coming to a boil, vigorously whisk the yolks and the remaining ¼ cup sugar together in a bowl until the mixture turns pale, then whisk in the flour and cornstarch.
3. Whisking continuously, very gradually add half the hot milk to the egg mixture. Pour into the saucepan and, still whisking, cook over medium heat until the pastry cream thickens and starts to boil. Allow the pastry cream to boil for 30 seconds, while constantly whisking, then scrape it onto the plastic-lined plate. Smooth the top of the cream with a rubber spatula, and cover the cream with the overhanging plastic wrap (or another sheet of plastic). Press the plastic against the surface of the pastry cream; you don’t want the cream to come in contact with air and develop a skin. Transfer the plate to the refrigerator until the cream is chilled. Remove the vanilla bean when the cream is cold. (The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe will make more cream than you need.)
For the puff pastry:
1 sheet (about ½ pound) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
Confectioners’ sugar
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Cut the puff pastry into six rectangles measuring 2 by 1 ½ inches each, and transfer to a baking sheet. Very gently brush the pastry rectangles with the beaten egg, being careful not to let the egg run over the edges. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Preheat the broiler. Liberally dust the tops of the puff pastry with confectioners’ sugar. Broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute—watch closely—just until the sugar has melted and caramelized. Transfer the rectangles to a wire rack and let cool. Carefully split the top quarter of each rectangle from the bottom and set aside.
Assembly:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons pear brandy (Poire William)
Granulated sugar
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Remove the pears from the poaching syrup with a slotted spoon. Carefully cut each pear in half lengthwise and core it. Trim the pear halves so that they are the same size as the puff pastry rectangles, and thinly slice them crosswise. Reserve the pear scraps. Transfer the sliced pear halves to a lightly buttered baking sheet. Press on each pear half to fan the slices toward the wider end. Sprinkle a liberal amount of sugar over the pears, and broil 1 to 2 minutes—watch them closely—until the sugar is golden brown. (You can also caramelize the sugar with a blow torch or salamander.)
3. Coarsely chop the reserved pear scraps. Using a whisk, whip the heavy cream to medium peaks in a medium bowl. Whisk together ½ cup of the pastry cream and the brandy in a separate mixing bowl. Gently fold the whipped cream and the chopped pears into the pastry cream/brandy mixture to make the pear cream. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pear cream into the bottom of each puff pastry rectangle. Cover with the puff pastry top. Spread a thin layer of the plain pastry cream on top of the puff pastry. Using a spatula, arrange the caramelized pears on top. Serve immediately.
Adapted from Michel Guérard’s original recipe, as it appeared in Les Recettes Originales de Michel Guérard (Éditions Robert Laffert, 1978).
NEW YORK, LE CIRQUE—1987
Bollito Misto
Makes 12 to 16 servings
The first dish I learned when I went to Le Cirque, this is a true “feast for the village.” I can still envision the steam every time we opened the terrine and can hear the inevitable “oohs” and “ahs” from the patrons. It takes a lot to get a Frenchman (especially a chef) to admit that another nation makes a better pot-au-feu, but on a buon giorno, it’s hard to beat a bollito misto.
For the salsa verde:
12 anchovies, finely chopped
6 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
4 clov
es garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
¼ bunch basil, leaves only, finely chopped
¾ cup to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all the ingredients. (The sauce can be made 1 day in advance.)
For the bollito misto (should be made 1 day in advance):
2 pig’s feet, each cut into 6 segments (ask your butcher to do this)
One 2-pound slab bacon
1 calf’s head, deboned, cut in half, rolled, and tied (ask your butcher to do this)
1 veal shank, trimmed (ask your butcher to do this)
1 short rib
24 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
12 turnips, trimmed
12 large carrots, trimmed and cut in half
6 onions, peeled and studded with cloves
6 leeks, split lengthwise, washed and trimmed
2 bunches celery, trimmed and each stalk cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 fresh veal tongue
One 3-pound chicken, trussed
12 zampones or cotechinos, casings pricked with a fork
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Italian mustard fruits (mostarda di frutta), cut into ¼-inch dice (for serving)
1. In the largest pot you have, place the pig’s feet, bacon, calf’s head, veal shank, short rib, potatoes, turnips, carrots, onions, leeks, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients, about 4 to 5 gallons. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, skimming the surface regularly, for 45 minutes. Check the potatoes, and if they are tender enough to be pierced with the point of a knife, remove them and place them in a large bowl.
2. Continue to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, skimming the surface regularly. Transfer the remaining vegetables to a large bowl and set aside. Add the tongue and cook for 1 hour.
3. Remove the pig’s feet, bacon, and calf’s head. Add the chicken and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Add the sausages and cook for 30 minutes.
5. Check to see if the chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove the meats from the broth. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate the meats and broth separately overnight. (The meats will be easier to slice when cold.)
6. To serve: Slice the meats. Rewarm the meats and the vegetables in the broth. Arrange the meats and vegetables on a large, warm serving platter to be passed around. Place the broth in a soup tureen to be passed around. Serve with the salsa verde and the Italian mustard fruits.
NEW YORK, DANIEL—2000
Pancetta-Wrapped Tuna with Potato-Ramp Purée
Makes 6 servings
A rustic yet majestic dish. I made it for Bill Clinton when he spent a weekend in East Hampton. I have yet to find someone who doesn’t like this dish a lot, and I put it on the menu at least once a season. I suppose my favorite time, though, is in the spring, when we get wild ramps from the Hudson Valley. In a way, this recipe is a summing up of where my career has taken me: the rare tuna is very au courant and New York-ish, and the pancetta is like the charcuterie I used to help my uncle make all those years ago.
For the tuna:
8 to 10 ounces slab pancetta, thinly sliced, or an equal amount of sliced bacon
1 ¼ pounds tuna loin, cut like a roast, approximately 6 inches long, 1 ½ inches high, and 1 ½ inches wide
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spread a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, and on it lay out the slices of pancetta (or bacon) vertically, so that each slice overlaps its neighboring slice just a bit. Season the tuna very lightly with salt and pepper (remember, the pancetta or bacon is already salty), and place it crosswise down the middle of the pancetta strips. One by one, wrap each piece of pancetta around the tuna, pressing the pancetta gently against the tuna and keeping the rows even. Secure the pancetta by tying the roast at 1 inch intervals with kitchen twine, just as you would a meat roast. Wrap the tuna in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it while you prepare the potatoes.
For the potatoes and ramps:
1 ¾ pounds potatoes, preferably fingerlings, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 ounces ramps or 3 ounces scallion greens (from about 4 to 5 ounces scallions), trimmed and washed
1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1. Put the potatoes in a large pot of salted cold water, bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced with the point of a knife, about 15 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, bring the milk and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. When the mixture boils and the butter melts, turn off the heat; keep the mixture warm until you’re ready to purée the potatoes.
3. When the potatoes are cooked through, drain them and return them to the pot. Set the pot over medium heat and, shaking the pot to keep the potatoes from sticking, cook just until the potatoes are dry, a minute or two. Remove the pot from the heat, and spoon the potatoes into a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with the fine blade. Push the potatoes through the ricer or food mill into a large bowl. In a slow, steady stream, add the hot milk and butter, stirring the liquid into the potatoes with a wooden spoon. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the potatoes, and set the bowl aside in a warm place, or keep the potatoes warm in a covered heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
4. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Toss the ramps or scallion greens into the pot, and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Scoop the ramps or scallions out of the pot with a slotted spoon (keep the boiling water over the heat) and run them under cold water to cool; dry them well. Toss the parsley into the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the parsley and run it under cold water. When the parsley is cool, dry it as well.
5. Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. If you’re using garlic, add it to the pan and sauté until it is tender but not colored, about 2 minutes. Toss in the ramps or scallions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Scrape the ingredients into the container of a small processor or a blender. Add the drained and dried parsley and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and whir, scraping down the sides of the container as needed, until you have a smooth purée. Stir the purée into the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover again, and keep warm while you cook the tuna.
To finish:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces chanterelles, trimmed and cleaned (halved or quartered if large)
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots, rinsed and dried
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup homemade unsalted chicken stock, or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Warm 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over medium heat; when it’s hot, slip the tuna into the pan. Sear the tuna for about 2 minutes on each of its four sides, then slide the pan into the oven for 5 minutes. (After 5 minutes in the oven, the tuna will be warm and rare-cooked on the outside but not colored anywhere else. If this is too rare for you, increase the tuna’s time in the oven by 1 to 2 minutes, and you’ll have medium tuna.) Lift the tuna out of the pan and onto a warm serving platter (don’t discard the cooking fat).
3. Pour off half the cooking fat from the pan, return the pan to the stovetop, turn the heat to medium-low, and toss in the chanterelles. Cover the pan and cook the mushrooms until they’re almost tender but not colored, 3 t
o 5 minutes. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook another minute or so to soften the shallots. Pour in the vinegar, and allow it to reduce by three-quarters. Add the white wine, bring the mixture to the boil, and allow the wine to cook away. Add the chicken stock. Cook until the stock is reduced by half, then remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, a small piece at a time. (The idea is to melt the butter slowly so that it forms an emulsion.) Sprinkle in the chives.
4. To serve: Cut the tuna into 12 slices (this is done most easily with an electric knife or a very sharp, long, thin-bladed knife). On each of six warm dinner plates, center a scoop of potatoes, lean two slices of tuna against the potatoes, and surround with chanterelles and sauce.
Originally appeared in Café Boulud Cookbook, by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan (Scribner, 1999).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THIS PROJECT BEGAN as a small update to a book I wrote almost fifteen years ago, but in revising it I realized there was (and still is) so much more to say about the work and life of a young chef. Many friends and colleagues who share the same values have helped me to develop and write this new edition, which, hopefully, will continue to motivate young cooks at all levels to achieve success and happiness. I am grateful to those who have made a contribution, either directly with their words and efforts or by inspiring my own. For sure, the list of people who support me daily is even longer than it was a decade ago. Here are just a few.
Letters to a Young Chef Page 14