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BUTCHER'S CUT
The wonders of chuck steak
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TRADITION
Syrian simanim
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EDITOR’S LETTER
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ESSENTIALS What you need and where to get it
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ASK THE EXPERT Some pressing questions, answered
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PROFILE A breakdown of honey
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BACK POCKET One vinaigrette, three ways
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SEASONAL Grilled vegetables 2.0
32 BREAKING BREAD Challah with the flavors of the season 52
CULINARY SCHOOL Koji 101
72 L’CHAIM New wines for the new year
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ROSH HASHANA FEAST
An elegant feast fit for a king
98 TRAVEL Kenyan safari 109 KIDS IN THE KITCHEN Highlight on 13-year-old baker Nina Schottenstein 112 THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CORK Covenant Winery 118 COOKBOOK Now for Something Sweet by Monday Morning Cooking Club 122 TREND Online shopping 126 LAST BITE Savory Fig Jam Chicken
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SOMETHING SWEET New apple desserts for the holiday table
128 RECIPE INDEX
DENVER STEAK, chuck eye roast, French roast and flanken are some other popular cuts from the chuck. We add trimmings from the chuck to our Premium Burger Blend for flavor as well. Chuck is the beefiest, most flavorful of the beef primals, with more marbling than the shoulder and a mix of medium-tender to chewier cuts that benefit from longer cooking or braising.
Chuck steaks are cut from a group of four different muscles, varying in size and shape from steer to steer. The variation in marbling and texture means that every bite is a little different. Our chuck steaks are boneless, about 1½-2 inches thick and 4-5 inches wide. Here’s another tip — our Delmonico steak, a butcher’s cut steak that is especially well-marbled and tender, is cut from the ribeye end of the chuck. So while a regular chuck steak may not have that special top-shelf badge, it’s still going to bring you some of the incredible beefy flavor found in a Delmonico.
AT THE HANAU HOUSE , you’re more likely to find chuck steak on the menu than any other steak. It’s one of our favorites for its great flavor and personality. While ribeye steaks are known for their tenderness and marbling, they are also relatively mild, which might be your thing. For us on the other hand, the flavor, fat and marbling are what make chuck steaks so great.
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We like to sear chuck steaks over high heat, then move them to indirect heat to finish cooking. Cook to your desired doneness, but please don’t overcook! Because of the connective sections, super-rare is not necessarily the best here. If you have an immersion circulator, chuck steaks do very well when cooked sous vide at 132-135℉ for a few hours (recipe follows). For seasoning, use a dry rub or season simply with salt and pepper before searing. Serve small steaks individually or slice and serve on a platter family-style.
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Naf Hanau is the CEO of Grow & Behold, which specializes in expertlybutchered premium-quality kosher meats that are delivered nationwide. Naf’s passion for kosher meat led him to learn shechita before founding Grow & Behold, which produces beef, veal, lamb and poultry raised on pasture with no hormones or antibiotics. Find out more at growandbehold.com.
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CULINARY SCHOOL
BY: SH I F RA KLEIN
WE HAVE BEEN hearing whispers in our circle of meat lovers about koji, a magical ingredient that works at super speed to create results similar to that of aging meats. Aging meat is a process of air drying and curing meat to result in a unique, one-of-a-kind texture and taste. We covered this topic during our first publication year, where we showcased The Ridge Steakhouse in Monsey, NY, with thousands of dollars worth of equipment dedicated to aging meat. Aging meat is a true art and takes a lot of practice, but isn’t too practical for the home cook. This is where the magic of koji enters the scene. Koji is a Japanese word that refers to the process of inoculating rice or barley with the mold aspergillus oryzae. Rice is the most common substrate that koji is grown on. The rice is then fermented and can be used as a vessel to further inoculate the mold into proteins and vegetables. The most elementary way to break into the koji game is using it to ferment, or age, meat.
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CULINARY SCHOOL
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As a Syrian Jew growing up in Brooklyn, my entire extended family lived within walking distance. Holidays were always spent surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. Meals were split evenly between my maternal and paternal grandparents. When my husband and I decided to move to Long Island (more gasp-worthy than the fact that I married an Ashkenaz!), I was committed to keeping my Syrian traditions alive in our home. Food was my answer — though I always cooked basic dinners and Shabbat meals, it was only when we moved that I decided to really challenge myself and conquer the most complicated Syrian cooking. My great-grandmothers, grandmothers and mother are all huge influences in my cooking. In fact, my late maternal great-grandmother, Grandma Sarah Benun, was a matriarch in the Syrian community and famous for her kaak (savory crackers) and sambusak (cheese pastries). My paternal greatgrandmother, Grandma Rae Dayan, wrote a cookbook called For the Love of Cooking, which has become my bible. At 98 years old, she still inspires me to this day. The following recipes are inspired and adapted from many traditional Syrian dishes that have been passed down from generation to generation. For Rosh Hashana, we focus on sweet ingredients to have a Shana Tova U’metuka — a happy and sweet New Year!
ROSH HASHANA FEAST
BY: SHIFRA KLEIN RECIPES BY: ADINA SCHLASS PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SCHNEUR MENAKER
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ROSH HASHANA FEAST
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SOMETHING SWEET
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SOMETHING SWEET
Apples hold spiritual significance on Rosh Hashana, which also coincides with their peak season. To celebrate this tradition, I came up with three simple apple desserts that will impress guests of all ages. AUGUST 2021
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