Who's Hungry? Magazine | No 4

judith mara | Editor and Writer

Judith has worked with Stephen for almost seven years and helps to lead the editorial concept and execution of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine. An award-winning former creative director for major ad agencies such as Leo Burnett and J. Walter Thompson, Judith sweats the details, pens Weather Permitting and literally hand writes How We Did It.

ian law | Design

Ian designed every aspect of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine with meticulous attention to detail and typography, and helped turn static images into an interactive experience. His award-winning design work has been featured in the pages of Print, Creativity, How, PDN and Graphic Design USA.

Deirdre O’Shea | Production Director

If you have worked with Stephen Hamilton, you’ve worked with Deirdre. Drawing on 15 years of experience in managing photography studios, Deirdre has a hand in nearly every aspect of Stephen’s business. She’s been instrumental in organizing the magazine’s shoots, sourcing ingredients, and always keeping production on schedule.

Dannielle Kyrillos | Writer and Television Commentator

A series judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef Just Desserts,” Dannielle is an expert on stylish entertaining, food, fashion, and travel. She appears regularly on NBC’s “Today” and “The Nate Berkus Show,” as well as on “E! News,” BetterTV, CNBC, CNN, and local morning programming in New York and Philadelphia. For Who’s Hungry?™ Magazine, Danielle clued us in on the most comforting dishes from across the country.

kathryn o’malley | Associate Editor and Writer

Kathryn’s love of food is matched only by her passion for writing about it; as the newest addition to the Who’s Hungry?™ team, she indulges in a bit of both. Her popular food blog, dramaticpancake.com, garners more than 40,000 unique viewers per month and highlights the people and stories behind great recipes.

molly sorge | Writer

A lifelong lover of all things equine, Molly Sorge found a way to unite her greatest passions when she began writing and photographing for the weekly equestrian magazine The Chronicle of the Horse fourteen years ago. When she isn’t traveling or scooping up a story, Molly can be found galloping across the countryside on her own steed, the inimitable Elf. For Who’s Hungry?™ Magazine, she recounts the thrill of a Virginia foxhunt and the delectable breakfast that follows.

a special thanks to : Tony Priolo, Melissa Clark, Laura Calder and HarperCollins Canada, Gramercy Tavern, Molly White, the Piedmont and Orange County Hunt Clubs, CeCe Campise, Ruth Siegel, Josephine Orba, Andrew Burkle, Raymond Barrera, Sara Cruz, Paula Walters, Tom Hamilton Walter Moeller, Brittany Culver, Lissa Levy, Juliette Pope and Paul Michel

LETTER FROM STEVE

Something new I’m particularly excited about is the addition of Dannielle Kyrillos to our Who’s Hungry? family. Dannielle, a Top Chef Just Desserts series judge and a regular on NBC’s “Today”, will be sharing some of her favorite finds in each issue. In this issue she provides us five comforting dishes by chefs such as Marcus Samuelsson and John Bess.

Change is a way of life at WH magazine. We’ve done things different from the start. We’re a publication that leads visually and beyond that there are no rules––we go the way the wind blows. We develop each issue by gathering around a big table and sharing our ideas. As the ideas fly, I am constantly thinking, how can I make this work visually?

Fall is a time for change. With the weather transforming all around me, the change I like best is cozying up and relaxing after a fun-filled summer. I also enjoy that it feels new each autumn when the kids go back to school and we change the way we cook and entertain.

In one of our discussions someone brought up fox hunting in Virginia and the traditional breakfast that follows.

I instantly knew that “Tally Ho!” was a story I wanted to photograph. I traveled to Middleburg and enjoyed two hunts, gregarious people, great food––and not a single fox was harmed.

For a fresh approach on what to serve this Thanksgiving, in “In Season” we shake up tradition with game bird recipes from Melissa Clark and Laura Calder. And in “Weather Permitting” we offer some heartwarming ideas for meatless mains made with winter squash.

Now, “Who’s Hungry?™” for fall?

STEPHEN HAMILTON

STYLIST’S

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY CORNER

The Fall Harvest

To create her harvest-inspired table setting, prop stylist Paula Walters turned to nature for easy, elegant embellishments. Speckled quail eggs, velvety feathers, and ruffled kale lend a touch of the exotic, while décor like pumpkins and wild corn maintain a link to the traditional and familiar.

When recreating this look for your table, Paula says, begin with a color scheme. A modern palette of smoky purples, tawny neutrals, and verdant greens offers the perfect backdrop for the rich, warm hues of an autumnal feast. Then, look for ways to work in varying tones and textures, and don’t be afraid to get creative. Favorite items from around the home—like a vintage wooden drawer and ceramic pottery— are a perfect match for a rustic, organic setting like this one.

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | STYLED BY PAULA WALTERS

paula walters

FAVORITE

COMFORT FOOD DISHES FROM RESTAURANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

by DANNIELLE KYRILLOS

Dannielle Kyrillos, a series judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef Just Desserts” and expert on all things food and entertaining, shares her five favorite comfort food dishes from around the country.

Portrait by Peter Hurley

At this time of year, craving something different from the roasty, smoky goodness they’re cooking up at The Woodshed is like wearing a seersucker suit to Thanksgiving dinner—it’s just not right. Meat cooked outdoors with hickory and pecan wood kicks at our most primal urges, the very ones governing the whole idea of comfort food. Tim Love’s take on posole (also spelled “pozole”), the sultry Mexican soup

of hominy, chili peppers, broth and flesh, is usually inspired by the previous day’s spit-roasted meat. He’ll use pork, turkey… it’s all good, as long as it’s really, really spicy. Posole is not just a mouthwatering use of leftovers, it’s a “gangster hangover cure,” according to the chef. Perhaps it’s because I first tried this elixir after a morning spent swearing off ever drinking again, but I can attest that he’s quite right.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

When three of your downtown restaurant’s walls are glass-paned industrial garage doors that offer the best people watching in all of Manhattan but less in the way of coziness, putting beautifully wrought comfort on the plates inside is key. Jonathan Waxman’s earthy Italian cooking envelopes you like one of the shaggy fellow’s hugs, and his gnocchi, soft nuggets of perfection snuggling with some brown butter and seasonal produce such as nutty, golden squash, for me epitomizes autumn in New York: somehow exciting and invigorating and soothing and nourishing all at once. To eat this at the bar with a glass of the Pio Cesare Barbera is to feel like a superhero restoring her powers. “The world revolves around pasta,” Waxman has written. Truer words…

Every culture on the planet has a dish that its grandmas have been cooking for hundreds of years to make everyone feel better about just about anything. No one blends the soothing power of so many different grandmas as elegantly as Marcus Samuelsson. Every once in a while at his Harlem hotspot Red Rooster and at special events, he concocts a potion he likes to call Ramen Afrique. The

noodles are made specially for him with teff, the gluten-free Ethiopian grain used in injera; raw shrimp and scallops cook a bit in the miso broth, and a poached egg lends extra lusciousness. “I love having ramen when the temperature drops and this version I can call my own,” says Samuelsson. The mark of a winning comfort food is intense flavor, and his creation has three continents’ worth.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN

There’s a whole chapter in John Besh’s latest cookbook, My New Orleans, called “Gumbo Weather,” so you know the guy believes in the power of that lusty stew at this time of year to warm up anyone from buddies at his hunting camp to New Orleanais brunchers. He loves making it with the spoils of a duck hunt, but the seafood version he serves at his brasserie, Lüke, is so rich with oysters, shrimp, sausage, and okra 333 504.378.2840

that once you’ve had it, nothing else feels as restorative. Its base is a roux cooked to chocolate-brown—Besh has said he no longer believes the old Louisiana credo that would have one brown the flour in the fat for as long as it takes to down two longneck beers or to listen to both sides of an LP, but each warm bite of layered flavor tastes like someone spent his whole life perfecting it.

MICHELLE RIBS FALLING THE BONE

MICHY’S 6927 BISCAYNE BLVD. MIAMI, FL 33138 (305)759-2001

Even skinny, half-clad Miamians crave more substance when the months start to end in “r.” Naturally, they turn to the lady who’s described her whole style as “luxurious comfort food,” Michelle Bernstein. Does it go without saying that nothing sticks to your ribs like actual ribs? In this case, the Short Ribs Falling off the Bone at Michy’s, luxuriating in their jus, on a cozy saffron

blanket of potato and corn mousseline, are what to eat when it’s time for a real meal, one that will make you smile and feel like all is right with the world when you wake up the next morning. About now she’s doing them with roasted root vegetables, which make partaking in this treat feel even more like being in a bubble bath with a bottle of red wine.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

THE ART of the

STEAM SHOT

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY

Few elements in food photography elicit a visceral reaction as powerfully as steam rising up from a dish. We’ve come to associate those seductive plumes with heat, freshness, and comfort—and that’s enough to rev our appetites almost instantly. But creating and capturing steam is no easy task; it has to swirl in just the right way, and it has to be visible to the camera. Thankfully, we’ve got some tricks up our sleeves that help make this possible. Click the bullets to the right for more on our methods.

DARK BACKGROUND

Contrast is crucial. Since steam is light and somewhat transparent, it needs to be set against a dark background in order to make it pop.

»

BACKLIGHTING

ARTIFICIAL STEAM

Real steam fades quickly, and it can be tough to control exactly where it goes. Alternative methods range from the simple (a micro waved, water-soaked tampon) to the complex (a custom-built steam and helium rig).

Lighting directed towards the camera, from behind the food, shines through the steam and enhances its visibility.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

OUT of the BAG

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY

The Feds raid criminal hideouts. Teenagers raid their parents’ liquor cabinets. And food stylists? Well, they’ve been known to raid the pantry. Turns out everyday items like Crisco ® and cornstarch make for some unexpected, but useful, styling tools. Read on to learn more about the humble styling stars that may already be stashed in your pantry—just waiting to be discovered.

1.hungry jack ® potatoes

Mashed potatoes, meat’s faithful sidekick, can be tucked under a bed of greens or the filling of a pie to give the dish shape and height.

2.kitchen bouquet ®

A browning agent adds deep, rich color to everything from meat and stews to sauces and gravies.

3.cornstarch

This powdered sugar look-alike doesn’t dissolve or melt when sprinkled atop baked goods.

4.crisco ®

The stuff behind tender-flaky pastry, shortening also does a great job of binding together food crumbs.

Chef Tony Priolo brings an authentic slice of Italy to the Chicago culinary scene with his popular restaurant Piccolo Sogno and sister hot-spot, Piccolo Sogno Due. While the latter carries with it an added emphasis on seafood, Tony’s clean and rustic cooking style, focus on high quality ingredients, and masterful preparation make both dining experiences truly exceptional. We invited Stephanie Izard, the subject of last issue’s “Portrait of a Chef,” to ask Tony anything she wanted…and Tony was happy to oblige.

what do you eat on your days off?

On my days off, I try and cook for my lovely wife Sarah something that she requests in the morning so it is ready when she gets off work. Something like chili or matzo ball soup. Or, if I am not cooking I try and go out to dinner with my friends who are also chefs. Sometimes we like to go to ethnic neighborhoods and eat food from other cultures, such as in Chinatown or on Lawrence Avenue for Korean food.

have you spent a lot of time in italy?

I have spent a lot of time in Italy, I try to go at least once a year. It is hard to get away for any longer but I do occasionally sneak in a second trip.

what are your favorite food regions?

I have to say that in all my travels to Italy, my past trip last January to Sicily was by far the best. The food, the culture, the setting and the people really make it the best. In Sicily you can get the most simple of foods in the Palermo market from fried panelle to arancini, to a mystery meat basket of all kinds of steamed innards and assorted meats. My favorite is Sfincione, a flatbread pizza baked with tomatoes ground with pecorino and anchovies.

what is your favorite childhood food memory?

One of my best childhood memories (I must have been six years old) was with my Grandmother Priolo. She was an avid cook and would travel all around Chicago by bus to get the best ingredients and food products. I remember one trip I took with her to Little Italy, which was at least three bus rides away from the Northwest side of Chicago where I grew up, to get a part for her meat grinder that was broken from overuse.

who would you want to cook for if you could chose one person dead or alive?

There is only one, my grandmother, Fay Priolo. I would like to show her how she influenced my whole life.

best question, what is your favorite movie?

LOL, this is a hard one. I have two: first it would be Shawshank Redemption and second The Rookie (I am a baseball fanatic).

One of the many standouts on the menu at Piccolo Sogno Due: the grilled veal loin with summer squash, cured tomatoes, Tropea onions and aged balsamic.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

IN SEASON

Beyond the Usual Bird

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY

Turn to any list of foods that help you fall asleep, and you’ll find turkey, with its sleep-inducing amino acids, somewhere at the very top. But the last thing you want to do this holiday season is put your guests to sleep. If you’re ready to try something new and venture beyond the traditional bird, we’ve got just the right alternatives to liven up your dinner party. From Melissa Clark’s Cider-Braised Pheasant with Pearl Onions and Apples to Laura Calder’s Roasted Quail with Grapes, each dish makes for a wonderfully festive and deli ciously satisfying centerpiece to surround with all your favorite fixings.

( Non-Turkey Alternatives to Celebrate Thanksgiving )

Cider-Braised with Pearl Onions Apples Melissa Clark’s

When it comes to cooking with game birds, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. As Melissa Clark, New York Times food columnist and author of over 30 cookbooks, so aptly puts it, “A bird is a bird is a bird—whether we are talking chicken or quail or wild duck. Just follow the recipe and then you’ll find that the hardest thing about cooking game is tracking it down.”

Game birds can be found at many farmer’s markets and high-end butchers, but be sure to place your order well in advance to ensure availability; alternatively, they can easily be purchased online.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

“Pheasant is very mild, like a cross between chicken and turkey. It’s a delicious and overlooked bird.”

MELISSA CLARK

If you’re short on time and have a smaller group to feed, quail might just be the bird for you.

Not only does their dainty size make them easy to handle and quick to cook up, but as Laura Calder—television host and bestselling cook book author—describes to us, they are “festive little things: the fact that they go so well with deep flavors like fruits or braised mushrooms makes them great for celebrations.”

Roasted Quail with Grapes

PHOTOGRAPHY

A regular feature at fine-dining establishments, duck is far easier to work with than one might imagine.

Take a dip into fancy-pants waters with Melissa Clark’s honey-lacquered duck, a deep golden roast with rosy meat and crisp, burnished skin. Place your favorite produce—think thick-sliced apples, onions and potatoes—at the bottom of the roasting pan and let it caramelize beneath the bird. Or, forgo the fruits and veggies and save the rendered duck fat— this stuff is pure gold. Refrigerate the fat in a clean, sealed container and use it for frying extra-crispy potatoes, working into tart crusts or making confit.

Honey-Roasted Duck

View Melissa Clark’s recipe on page 59 »

honey-roasted duck

Duck isn’t reserved for reservations-only restaurants. Melissa Clark’s Honey-Roasted Duck is impressive and accessible.

duck salad

Let’s be honest: No one likes cooking the day after an elaborate dinner, but that doesn’t mean your post-party meals have to suffer. Leftover duck is great atop a simple salad of mixed greens, vinaigrette, cannellini beans or plump dried fruit.

FALL

WEATHER PERMITTING

by JUDITH MARA

WEATHER INTO WINTER SQUASH

One vegetable family is the epitome of fall and winter food. I’m talking about winter squash. Not only do all the classics like butternut, acorn and sugar pumpkin have a comforting, sweet, earthy taste, they’re probably one of the easiest vegetables on earth to cook. Which is also comforting.

Farmer’s markets are brimming with all kinds of exciting and new gold-greenorange winter squash. Did I say exciting?

Yes, because each year more heirloom varieties are being rediscovered and grown by small farmers, most of which you can’t find at a supermarket.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN HAMILTON

acorn squash

Acorn squash stuffed with rice, roasted squash, dried cranberries and scallions. Bake in a shallow amount of water (bain-marie) to retain the shape of the squash.

It used to be easy to answer the question of what the difference was between summer and winter squash: Summer squash is thin-skinned and winter is thick-skinned, hence better for winter storage. Not so anymore. Two heirloom types coveted right now are red kuri and delicata, and both are so thin-skinned that the entire squash is edible from seeds to skin.

squash risotto

One of our favorite characteristics of winter squash is that you can create all kinds of hearty meatless main dishes with it. A creamy au gratin of butternut squash combined with cheese, cream and bread crumbs is always welcome. Acorn squash makes a wonderful container for any kind of stuffing from rice to quinoa. Risotto, a dish of creamy carnaroli rice simmered in broth and flecked with roasted squash, is as mellow and comforting as a warm fall day. BY

A traditional style of squash risotto garnished with shaved truffles.

squash tips for cooks

1. Just like pumpkin seeds, all winter squash seeds can be cleaned and toasted for a healthy snack. Just follow any recipe for toasting pumpkin seeds. We recommend low and slow.

2. My grandmother kept winter squash (thickskinned) in the cellar all winter. But most people don’t have a 45-degree cellar. Thankfully, there are other steps you can take to ensure your

squash lasts as long as possible. Make sure there are no bruises or cuts on the squash you buy, then leave it on the countertop for one to two weeks to thicken the skins. At that point, you can keep the squash in the fridge (or a cellar) for quite a while. Avoid the vegetable drawer, however, as it is far too humid.

3. All cooked squash or pumpkin freezes well.

au gratin

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Peel and slice butternut squash very thinly and layer in a buttered ceramic dish with shredded Gruyère cheese, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour about 1 1/2 cups cream over the top and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Bake at 375˚F for 40 minutes.

View Gramercy Tavern’s recipe on page 64 » man about town

MAN ( and woman ) ABOUT TOWN HIGH SPIRITS

There are cocktails and then there are the cocktails that beverage director Juliette Pope’s team at Gramercy Tavern in NYC create. Stylish and sophisticated, yet carefully rooted in the classics, their latest addition, the Man About Town, has a long pedigree.

The name Man About Town was devised by bartender Paul Michel who worked on the cocktail—it is simply the translation of the French Boulevardier and seemed appropriate, given its sleek yet jaunty elegance.

The inspiration for the cocktail came from the Negroni, a classic Italian cocktail. While playing around with a different version of the Negroni, the staff at Gramercy Tavern made an older, lesser-known riff on the drink, the French Boulevardier. It substitutes rye for

gin as a partner to the Campari and the sweet vermouth—all in equal parts.

Upon tasting it, the team thought it was great for autumn because of its orangegold hue, but they wanted to make it more drinkable. They added sweeter amaro, the classic Sicilian Cynar, upped the proportion of rye and were thrilled with the resulting cocktail—one that any man or woman about town would love.

by JUDITH MARA BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

TALLY HO!

by MOLLY SORGE

Molly Sorge, an equine journalist from Ruther Glen, Virginia and her horse, Elf, often spend autumn mornings on a fox hunt. Molly shares with us a story that transports us into her world of hunts, horses, hounds and a hunt breakfast.

Stephen Hamilton recently traveled to Middleburg, Virginia to photograph and experience first hand a traditional fox hunt and all its trimmings. By his photos you’ll see he didn’t go hungry.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA & MICHAEL MARTIN

Hunting mornings start early, drenched in fog and spiked with light as the sun makes its way through the trees. As I ready my horse, I chat with friends, catching up on all the news and sharing stories. After swinging a leg over my horse and setting off amidst the field of riders, I pause a moment and close my eyes, smelling the sharp, tangy sweat of my horse and the smoky musk of the leaves underfoot.

The air has a piercing chill. We’ve stopped at a check, which means we are waiting for the hounds to pick up the scent of a fox. I lay my hand quietly on my horse’s neck, murmuring, seeking to calm him because he lives to chase the pack. He chews on his bit excitedly, creating a metallic music of his own.

The 20 or so riders of the hunt field all standing, waiting, listening. A friend hands me a flask filled with liquid warmth and courage. The huntsman in charge of the pack of hounds urges them on with a soft voice and short blows of his horn. They’re looking for the fox.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA & MICHAEL MARTIN

The huntsman in charge of the pack of hounds urges them on with a soft voice and short blows of his horn.

The joyous voices of the hounds draw us dashing through the woods and leaping over stone walls, the thrill of the chase giving wings to our horses’ feet.

A melodic cry splits the air—a hound has caught the scent. The crisp fall air echoes as the pack of hounds gives voice in tune like a choir—not barking, but literally singing their delight at giving chase. The horses swing their heads high and pull on the reins. We’re off, galloping over the fields. My horse’s hooves beat out a staccato rhythm as the wind whistles in my ears and blood races through my veins. The joyous voices of the hounds draw us dashing through the woods and leaping over stone walls, the thrill of the chase giving wings to our horses’ feet.

The hunt flies by, hours of mad gallops interspersed with quiet checks as the hounds alternatively discover the fox’s scent, then lose and have to search for it again. The cry “Tally ho!” reverberates across the field as a sleek, crafty fox darts through the meadow, circling back on his tracks in full view of all of us, but giving the hounds the slip.

BY STEPHEN HAMILTON RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA MICHAEL

At the end of the day, the fox merrily finds his way home, having given us grand adventures, and we walk back to the gathering of trucks and trailers, sweaty, sated, and hungry. Sometimes we eat right outside the trailers, but today we will be at a beautiful home in the hills. I untack my horse and tie him to the trailer, leaving him to contented hay-munching. It’s time for the hunt breakfast.

As hungry as foxhunters are for thrills, they’re just as ravenous for a fulfilling repast after a hard gallop. One by one each of us takes a turn scraping the mud off our boots on the cast iron boot scraper. Then we clomp loudly as we walk up the steps of our host’s large frame farmhouse. The door swings open and a gush of warm air touches our cheeks and our fingers as we peel off damp leather gloves. We rub our hands together to relieve the numbness and in anticipation.

assorted artisan cheeses & fruit

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA & MICHAEL MARTIN

Across from the stone fireplace an antique table creaks under the platters of ham biscuits—a must on any Virginia menu, quiches, baked apples and a marvelous cheese and fruit plate. It’s a feast fit for a king, and our hosts have also included a steaming hot stew and roasted vegetables from their fields. The beguiling scent of autumn and tradition surrounds us.

No hunt breakfast is complete without a few sips from the flask; each foxhunter has his or her own personal concoction for the day. I am soon balancing a plate full of decadent morsels on my lap, feeling the adrenaline of the chase fade and a deep sense on contentment flood over me.

“That was quite a leap over that wall! Did you need a parachute to land?” jokes a fellow hunter. I wink at him and ask how he’d been able to see me, since his horse had been accelerating rapidly, which looked unintentional.

View Josephine Orba’s recipe on page 60 »

boeuf bourguinonne

Make biscuits according to your favorite recipes. Heat and slice the ham. While still warm, spread a split biscuit with whole grain Dijon mustard, watercress and sliced Virginia ham. Serve with cornichons.

Recipe courtesy of Josephine Orba ham biscuits

View Michael Martin’s recipe on page 61 » baking powder biscuits (cat head biscuits) BY STEPHEN HAMILTON RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA MICHAEL MARTIN

View Josephine Orba’s recipe on page 62 » roasted vegetables

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA & MICHAEL MARTIN

This breaking of bread is much like a family dinner, with teasing and congratulations flung about against the background of camaraderie. The end-of-day banter lets us relive each moment, laugh at each other, and soak the experiences into our bones.

baked apples

Baked apples are stuffed with chopped dates, raisins, chopped pecans, butter, brown sugar, and sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves).

View Josephine Orba’s recipe on page 63 » panna cotta with jelly

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA & MICHAEL MARTIN

The Virginia hunt breakfast is actually served later in the day after a full morning of fox hunting. By that time, guests are ravenous and the “breakfast” more closely resembles a hearty feast. On our menu you’ll find delightful autumn dishes from ham to roasted vegetables to baked apples to panna cotta. And of course, there has to be some eggs.

hunt breakfast buffet menu -assorted artisan cheeses and fruit -classic quiche lorraine -baked virginia ham and ham biscuits -baking powder biscuits -baked apples

-boeuf bourguinonne -egg noodles, not shown -roasted vegetables -panna cotta with jelly

virginia hunt breakfast BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JOSEPHINE ORBA & MICHAEL MARTIN

HOW WE DID IT

Deconstructing a shot from Stephen Hamilton’s The Restaurant Project

by JUDITH MARA

favorite dish Cassoulet

Restaurant Maude’s Liquor Bar, Chicago

food stylist Josephine Orba prop stylist Paula Walters

ingredients for marinade:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 5 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, whole 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 1/2 oranges) 3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 1/2 oranges) large pinch kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 (3-pound) pheasants, each rinsed inside and out, patted dry, cut into 6 pieces

serves 8

By Melissa Clark

cider-braised pheasant with pearl onions and apples

make marinade:

In blender, combine olive oil, ginger, tarragon, orange juice, zest, salt, and pepper and purée until smooth. In large bowl, combine marinade and pheasant and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.

braise pheasant:

In very large Dutch oven over moderately high heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Remove pheasant pieces from marinade, scraping off excess, and sprinkle with salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches, sear pheasant pieces until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Skim off all but 1 tablespoon oil from pan, leaving browned bits at bottom, and set pan over moderately low heat. Add butter and heat until melted. Stir in onions, bay leaf, fennel seeds, salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are well caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes.

Return pheasant to pot. Add chicken broth, cider, and wine. (Liquid should cover half of pheasant pieces. Add more chicken broth if necessary.) Raise heat to high and bring liquid to simmer. Add apples, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Braise, turning pheasant pieces occasionally, until meat is cooked through and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Using tongs or slotted spoon, transfer pheasant to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Set pot over high heat and bring pan juices to boil. Boil, uncovered, until sauce is well reduced and thickened, about 25 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

while juices are reducing, prepare caramelized onions and apples: Bring medium pot of water to boil. Add pearl onions and boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain and run under cold water until cool enough to handle; slip off skins.

In small skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, apples, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Sear, shaking pan occasionally, until onions and apples are dark golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in apple cider, scraping up any browned bits in pan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until onions are fork tender, about 2 minutes more.

serve:

Spoon some of sauce over pheasant and garnish with onions, apples, and chopped tarragon. Serve additional sauce alongside.

ingredients for braise:

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon table salt pinch sugar

2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus additional, if necessary

2 cups apple cider

1 cup dry white wine

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

ingredients for caramelized onions & apples:

10 ounces pearl onions, root ends trimmed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 teaspoons sugar pinch kosher salt pinch freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons apple cider

ingredients to serve:

Fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

roasted quail with grapes

Recipe from French Taste by Laura Calder. ©2009 by Laura Calder. All rights reserved. Published by HarperCollins Canada.

Rinse, pat dry, and truss the quail. Mix the oil with 1 tablespoon with 1 tablespoon of the Cognac, and salt and pepper. Rub well all over the hens in a dish, and set aside half an hour to marinate. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat, and brown the quail well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Spoon out any excess oil from the pan, and transfer the quail to the oven to finish cooking, about 25 minutes or until the juices run clear at the leg.

Transfer the quail to a serving platter, and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the fat off the pan, and discard. Over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons Cognac to the pan and carefully light it. When the flames die out, add the stock and boil to reduce by about half. Reduce the heat to low, add the grapes, and heat for about 3 minutes to warm through and barely soften them. Pour the sauce and the grapes over the quail, and serve.

honey-roasted duck by Melissa Clark

makes 4 servings

ingredients for brine:

2 tablespoons salt, more to taste

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 bay leaves, crushed

One 5-pound Long Island (a.k.a Pekin) duck

ingredients for roasting pan:

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 lemon, quartered

3 large sage sprigs

3-4 sprigs thyme

3 tablespoons honey

Trim the excess fat from the duck; you’ll see lumps of it next to the tail and around the neck opening. To brine the duck, in a small bowl stir together salt, pepper, minced garlic cloves and bay leaves. Rub the duck all over with the brine mixture, including the cavity. Using a skewer or the point of a paring knife, prick the duck skin all over, being careful not to pierce the flesh. Place the duck in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Fill a stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Carefully, using a pair of tongs and a wooden spoon to stabilize the duck, lower the duck into the boiling water and blanch for 5 minutes. The blanching tightens the skin and helps it crisp during roasting. Bring the pot next to the sink; place a colander inside the sink. Carefully, using the tongs and a wooden spoon, lift the duck out of the water and into the colander to drain.

When the duck is cool enough to handle but is still warm, stuff its cavity with the lemon and remaining 6 garlic cloves. Place the sage and thyme in last so the herbs poke out of the cavity–they will act as netting and prevent the stuffing ingredients from falling out.

Place the duck on a roasting rack, breast side up, over a roasting pan. Roast for 45 minutes; then using a wooden spoon and a pair of tongs, flip the duck so it’s breast side down. Roast duck for another 50 minutes. Brush the back of the duck with 1 tablespoon of honey, flip the duck so it’s breast side up again, and roast another 20 minutes. Raise the heat to 500ºF, brush the duck breast with 2 tablespoons of honey, and roast 15 or so minutes until the skin is crispy and brown. Allow the duck to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Serve warm.

makes 16 servings boeuf bourguinonne by Josephine Orba

ingredients:

olive oil

4 - 5 pounds beef (top sirloin or top round) trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes.

4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

2 cloves of garlic minced (optional)

1 bag frozen white pearl onions

1 - 2 cups beef stock

2 - 3 cups red wine

1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned, cut in half if they are large salt, pepper

Beurre Manié (equal parts flour mixed with soft butter, added to thicken the sauce, you’ll need 1- 2 tablespoons)

Chopped fresh thyme and parsley

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Pat beef dry. On the top of the stove, brown the meat in a little olive oil in a large skillet. Place into heavy casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Cook onions and carrots in same pan until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook a few seconds and add the vegetables to the meat. Deglaze sauté pan with wine, then pour wine and stock over meat and braise in slow oven for 2 - 3 hours.

While meat is braising, sauté mushrooms in a little butter, set aside.

After the meat is tender, remove from oven add the Beurre Manié to the pot. Stir well and return to oven. Add mushrooms and heat through. Check seasoning. Stir in fresh thyme and parsley.

baking powder biscuits (cat head biscuits)

by Michael Martin

Michael Martin is an owner/rider/trainer from Franklin, TN. He has fox hunted for years in Virginia and Pennsylvania. They call these Cat Head Biscuits “Cause they’re as big as a cat’s head”.

makes 12-15 biscuits

ingredients for brine:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

· teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Using fork, cut shortening into flour until consistency of coarse meal. Add milk; stir with fork until mixture leaves sides of bowl and forms a soft, moist dough.

On floured surface, toss lightly until no longer sticky. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick, and cut with 2-inch round, floured cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Makes about 12 to 15 biscuits.

makes 16 servings roasted vegetables by Josephine Orba

ingredients:

3 parsnips

6 carrots

1 red onion

1 large sweet potato

1 pound Brussels sprouts

3 cloves garlic

olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub carrots and parsnips (cut into 2-inch pieces if large). Slice red onion in rings. Peel and slice sweet potato into wedges. Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Peel garlic cloves and toss all vegetables in generous amount of olive oil. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Spread onto a large baking sheet and roast, tuning occasionally until cooked and browned, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

panna cotta with jelly by Josephine Orba

for the panna cotta

Sprinkle gelatin onto 1/2 cup cream to soften. Heat 2 cups of cream with 1/2 cup sugar –do not boil. Combine hot cream and cream with gelatin and cream. Add vanilla and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Pour into small, clear serving containers. Cool and refrigerate until set.

for the jelly

Make raspberry Jello or add 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons gelatin to 2 cups fruit juice. Allow to cool but not set. Place single raspberry on surface of set cream and pour raspberry Jello or gelatin over it. Return to fridge to set. for

makes 1 cocktail

Stir until very cold in mixing tin filled with ice:

2 oz. rye (we use Rittenhouse but any good rye will do)

1 oz. Cynar (a specific brand of Italian amaro)

1 oz. sweet vermouth (we use Dolin)

Strain into coupe or martini glass. Optional garnish: a brandied cherry in the bottom of the glass.

High Spirits: Man About Town

Recipe courtesy of Gramercy Tavern

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