Who's Hungry? Magazine | No 8

kathryn o’malley | Editor and Writer

Kathryn’s love of food is matched only by her passion for writing about it; as part of the Who’s Hungry?™ editorial 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.

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.

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, Dannielle scouts out the season’s summer classics.

ina pinkney | Chef and Owner of INA’S

Ina has been satisfying Chicago’s appetite since 1991, when she founded her namesake restaurant and turned it into one of the city’s most beloved breakfast spots. A frequent guest on local news and cable TV, the acclaimed chef has also been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Gourmet, Vogue, and many more. For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, Ina opens her kitchen doors and lets us peak into the process behind her upcoming cookbook—an exciting collaboration with Stephen Hamilton.

todd womack | Comedian and Writer

Todd Womack is a Brooklyn-based comedian who has been a writer/performer on the gigantic YouTube series The Key of Awesome, since 2010. The series has over 1 billion views to date, and can be found on the YouTube channel “Barely Political.” His credits include Good Morning America, 20/20, Chappelle’s Show; and appearances on Bravo, VH-1, TNT, and in Esquire magazine. For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, Todd gets dirty with some tantalizing food porn.

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.

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,

heather sperling | Chicago Editor of Tasting Table and Co-founder of Fête

Heather is the Chicago editor of Tasting Table, a free daily email publication about the country’s best food, drink, chefs and more. A co-founder of Fête (a pop-up night market and cultural festival celebrating the finest in Chicago’s food and design) and food editor of The Chicagoan, her work has appeared in Plate magazine, TheAtlantic.com, and Planet Green. For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, Heather explores some of the best— and most colorful—drinks of the season.

As a fourth generation dairy farmer, Inga isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Tending cattle, plucking vegetables from the garden, baking bread, and making cheese: Inga does it all, and makes it all look easy. Her new PBS series, Around the Farm Table, focuses on the work of local farmers, seasonal ingredients and what to do with them. For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, Inga shares her daily adventures from a bustling farm, where the sound of cows in the morning is the only alarm clock she needs.

bryan olsen | Writer and Performer

Bryan Olsen is a writer and performer for Barely Political’s “The Key of Awesome.” Additionally, he wrote for Comedy Central’s Roast of David Hasselhoff, and sold a screenplay to Paramount Pictures and Ivan Reitman. As an actor, Mr. Olsen has appeared on several episodes of Comedy Central’s Chappelle’s Show. For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, Bryan gets dirty with some tantalizing food porn.

Creativity, How, PDN and Graphic Design USA

LETTER FROM STEVE

Food doesn’t spend its life sitting on a plate. At some point it was growing, blooming, mooing, clucking, snorting, buzzing or whatever comes naturally. That’s a fascinating connection I continually appreciate.

Which is what brought my crew and I to Joe Ricketts’ Double T Bison Ranch in Wyoming. In “Bison is Back” we visit this great American animal and explore why bison is finding its rightful place––once again––on our tables.

I have the best job on earth. And it just keeps getting more interesting and exciting every year. Pushing the boundaries of food photography is a thrilling challenge. And that is what’s important about this issue––capturing food related “experiences” to bring an increased dimension to our stories.

We’ve wanted to do a story on honeybees for a while, but had to wait for the right season. In “Sweet Shades of Gold” I get up close and personal to thousands of honeybees at Heritage Prairie Farm in Illinois. And top pastry chefs share creative dessert recipes from Honey Ganache to Honey Nougatine.

At St. Isidore’s Mead Dairy Farm in Wisconsin we get a first person glimpse of the routine of a sustainable dairy farm in “A Day in the Life”. The dairy herd was sweet, gentle and very cooperative considering that dawn was just breaking over the pastures. I couldn’t wait to taste Hannah, Jenny and Mae’s fresh milk in my coffee at breakfast. Who’s Hungry?™

STEPHEN HAMILTON

a special thanks to: Geovanna Salas, Sarah Kosokowski, Meg Galus, CeCe Campise, Art Smith, Justin Brunson, Joe Ricketts, Ruth Siegel, Nate Summer, Jen Straus, Doug Sohn, Jackie Doran, Raymond Barrera, Justin Paris, Josephine Orba, Vanessa Dubiel, Geoff Binns-Calvey, Sara Cruz, Melissa Schwister, Tom Hamilton, Juan Palomino, Paula Walters, Kaitlyn McQuaid, Bryan Olsen, Todd Womack, Seana Monahan,and Fausto Jara, Hans early-Nelson (Primitive Precision)

To us Americans, a campfire in summer probably means grilled meats and toasted marshmallows. Our Spanish friends see it a bit differently: The quintessential summer experience involving an open fire is friends gathered around a giant paella pan, simmering a lusty broth and rice and seafood and vegetables, all of it infused with the smoke of whatever wood is fueling the fire. A close indoor

approximation of this fiery camaraderie is to be had at Jaleo, Spanish national treasure Jose Andres’s tapas spot. You can be sure the chef once questioned by the FBI for importing a paella pan so big it looked like a satellite, and who as a boy yearned for his father to let him tend the paella fire (it’s a very manly job), captures the essence of Spanish summer: intoxicating herbs and spices, rich shrimp flavors and rice-just-so.

Dannielle Kyrillos, things five

Portrait by Peter Hurley

by DANNIELLE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Lobster Shortcake

When Summer picked a mascot, Lobster won, hands—er, claws—down. And while that kooky crustacean most often appears in summer casual garb, just thrown on a buttery roll, he embodies the finest summer splendor when dressed to the nines in Clark Frasier and Marc Gaier’s elegant and exotic lobster shortcake at Arrows Restaurant. The James Beard Best Chefs of the Northeast have been pioneers of sustainable sourcing and cooking, enveloping diners in the

rugged goodness that is Maine for more than twenty years. “The…lobster…comes from the chilly, rough seas right nearby, brought to us by the people who caught it…” the chefs have explained. Gaier and Frasier are true to the old New England ways and the purest ingredients while adding their own Southeast Asian-inspired tweaks, giving lobster the tastiest summer costume imaginable.

View lobster shortcake

Famed chef Sam Mason has partnered with husband-and-wife team Mohan and Holiday Kumar to craft what might be the most outrageously addictive, ridiculously creamy, perfectly savory version of the most classic summer dish of all: ice cream. Licking a cone of ice cream slowly enough to savor it but quickly enough so it doesn’t melt is the ultimate and often only way to cool off in summer in the city, and the gang’s new Brooklyn shop captures the childlike wonder we all feel with a cone in hand with scrumptious sophistication. Using locally sourced milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery in flavors such as blueberry buttermilk, toasted almond coffee bean and manchego pineapple, Mason crafts irresistible combinations that are silky, pure and unforgettable. OddFellows also serves milkshakes, craft sodas and sorbets. Cream Cones

ODDFELLOWS ICE CREAM CO. 175 KENT AVE. BROOKLYN, NY 11249 347.599.0556

There are those hazy, lazy beach days etched into our memories like old movies, with the light so perfect and the salty waves so frisky and the wind so gentle that they could only take place in Southern California. And along with the seagull soundtrack and golden hue is the distinct sensation of breaking apart and biting into a crumbly, juicy peach or berry crostata you picked up that morning at Huckleberry in Santa Monica.

Cruising by the sweet little café (part of chef-baker Zoe Nathan and her husband Josh Loeb’s growing empire of beautiful rusticity) and selecting pastries and sandwiches bursting with farmer’s market produce is as much a part of the ritual as the ocean swim. It’s almost as if the crostata’s recipe includes the luscious fruit dribbling onto your skin and mixing with the saltwater dried on your chin.

View recipe on page 86 » heavenly hots

THE MAKING OF ina’s Cookbook

They’re everywhere. In every room. On my counter. On my nightstand. Overflowing my bookcases. COOKBOOKS!

I read them like novels, because, in a sense, they are. The time, effort and expertise that produces each one is to be honored...revered.

Writing a cookbook was always on my mind but seemed too daunting a task when running a restaurant and not having an office staff to help. But that all changed when Steve Hamilton encouraged me to think about it and promised to take the photographs. It was that magnificent offer that propelled me to start writing down the stories I wanted to share to go along with the recipes.

When Steve showed up at Ina’s with a carful of equipment and the best staff in the food photography business to set up shop upstairs, my terrific kitchen crew went into high gear to produce all the food you’ve come to expect and love.

Steve’s Note: Our plan was to shoot a single dessert straight on, as shown at the top of this page. But when I saw how great the ramekins looked when they came out of the kitchen, I shot all four of them from a straight-down angle, then three (pictured), then two, then one.

To keep up the pace of shooting a cookbook, we built two side-by-side sets. One straight down and another 3/4-angle “beauty” set. This allowed us to be shooting on one set while setting up for another shot on the other set. (Check out Raymond’s set diagram.)

View recipe on page 87 » crisp topping

Does it matter that sometimes a recipe doesn’t work? Or that the print is too small to read? Or that the photographs are bunched up and nowhere near the recipe? You bet it does!

Steve’s Note: There is always collaboration between a client and myself. Here, I am discussing a test shot with Ina before we shoot the final shot.

View

ina’s vegetable hash

PHOTOGRAPHY

View recipe on 90 »

gingerbread pancakes

The images created reminded us that we do serve delicious and beautiful food every day and now we’ll be able to share it with all of you.

This book will be my love letter to everyone I’ve fed and to all of you who make breakfast.

Steve’s Note: Collaboration of the crew is important as well. It takes an entire team to accomplish a great shot. It’s not only about lighting, props, angles, etc.; it’s about directing all of these talents.

The gingerbread pancakes look like they are being eaten. After I shot the whole pancakes, I took a fork and dipped it in whipped cream and removed a piece as if a bite was taken. Then I repeated removing bites until I got the look I wanted. We shot it that way, then added the syrup for the final shot.

by

Justin Brunson has a penchant for pork.

At his popular Denver eatery, Old Major, two or three humanely raised hogs are butchered in house every Wednesday, and then ground, cured, seasoned, cooked and incorporated into dishes across the menu. Fancy ingredients abound (think fois gras and Lillet gelée), but the restaurant maintains a down-to-earth charm that keeps the place cozy.

For a more casual—but just as enticing—option, head a few blocks over to Masterpiece Delicatessen, Brunson’s highly acclaimed deli with a second outpost set to launch this fall. Sandwiches here are built with superior skill and exceptional ingredients, from twelve-hour braised brisket to white truffle egg salad. Dry-cured, peachwood-smoked maple bacon from Brunson’s own Denver Bacon Company can be purchased at the counter and and will soon be available online.

Ready to pig out? Dig into our interview with Chef Brunson, led by the King of Comfort Food and our previously featured chef, Art Smith.

honey, what began your love affair with pigs?

I think back when I was a child and remember the cool time in the fall and spending time with my grandparents, and it seems like they were always preparing for winter. But thats is when I remember my first love affair with that sweet smell of pork chops cooking in my grandmother’s cast iron skillet, in the fat rendered from that morning’s bacon. So that’s what started it, I’m sure, but learning about cooking and how one animal can be used for so many different things is what pushed me over the edge to be such a pork fan.

name three adjectives that define your cuisine. Traditional, whimsical, delectable.

diners are taking a special interest in nose-totail eating right now. why do you think that is?

I think people are really into where their food is coming from right now, and the idea of nose-to-tail starts with farming, I think. I don’t know any guys doing this that don’t know their farmers directly. It’s also the most responsible way to bring product into the restaurant— my pigs are raised about an hour and twenty minutes away from the restaurant and live on a great diet of grasses, grains and vegetables. They live a good life and have a proper death, which is the most important part of an animal’s life. Also, using the whole animal, not wasting any of it is important to people who are conscious of what they feed themselves.

what would you say is unique about the denver culinary scene?

Denver is a culinarily young town that is just getting ready to take off and put itself on the map. We have many great young chefs and this great pride of localness here. The farmers and chefs are working together now and we all know that will make a brighter future for the food scene here. One thing that makes us unique here is that we get along for the most part—not too many haters here which makes for some great events together.

any new projects in the works? what can we look forward to in the future? Well, in October my team and I will be opening another Masterpiece Delicatessen in the Uptown neighborhood here in Denver so the sandwich lovers on the other side of town will be satisfied. I also have several other concepts I would love to do, including a fried chicken shack because Denver deserves my grandmother’s fried chicken.

what do you like to do when you’re off-duty? any trashy television we should know about? Day off? What’s that? I have 3 businesses! But on the chance I get one, I like to get up to the mountains and fly fish whenever possible. Hopefully there will be more of that time off stuff in the future. And as far as trashy TV, Breaking Bad in my mind is the best tv show ever written. BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

tasso ham

Brunson’s perfectly seasoned Tasso Ham takes the humble sandwich from ordinary to extraordinary.

View

That hasn’t stopped bartenders from trying. Beer-based cocktails are in season, spurring creativity and slaking thirst across the country.

The most familiar forms are the Michelada, based on the trinity of hot sauce, lime and beer, and the Shandy, classically a combination of beer and lemonade. These templates have inspired legions of clever riffs, from a Roman Michelada at San Francisco’s Locanda (Campari, lime juice, Italian beer) to an Eastern Shore Shandy at Wit & Wisdom in Baltimore, where pilsner is spiked with lemon juice, vodka and Old Bay simple syrup.

At the new Uncle Boon’s in New York, fiery Thai dishes demand a cool, refreshing counterpoint. Enter the Tamarind Shandy, a refreshing, sophisticated drink that’s designed to battle heat, both on the plate and in the air. “In Thailand, you’re drinking beer,” says Thai-born chef and owner Ann Redding, whose Nolita restaurant matches traditionalism with gentle innovation, with

exciting, unusual results. “We sat down with a bunch of Thai ingredients, and this is what happened.”

Tamarind, lime and palm sugar lend flavor to the drink. They’re ingredients essential to traditional pad Thai, and to Uncle Boon’s version of mee krob, crispy noodles in tamarind sauce, there embellished with fried sweetbreads. Tamarind-palm sugar syrup and lime juice are topped with beer—currently Goose Island’s Sofie saison—and a hearty dose of housemade pomelo bitters, made with the fruit’s juice and rind.

Use any citrus bitters when making this drink at home—and do make it at home. Complex, gently sweet and superbly refreshing, it’s a simple showstopper at a summer cookout, as comfortable next to a chile-and fish-sauce-laden salad as a beer-can chicken or smoky, low-and-slow barbecue. It’s summer satisfaction, improved.

Many will argue that it’s hard to top the satisfaction of an ice-cold beer on a sweltering summer day.

SWEET SHADES OF GOLD

BY KATHRYN O’MALLEY

My mom’s brother was an accountant by day and a mad scientist by night. He and his son conducted chemistry experiments as entertainment, and their small Oklahoma garage doubled as a sewing room for my uncle’s most prized invention, a ventilated beekeeping suit. He was relentlessly curious and endearingly quirky, and after years of backyard beekeeping, he created and marketed the kind of bee suit he himself wanted to wear: one that was durable, protective, and breathable—even at the height of an Oklahoma summer.

When my uncle passed away unexpectedly, my mother took over the bee suit business and has been running it ever since. Thanks to a gift from my uncle, I also grew up sharing a backyard with some 30,000 Italian bees. And though the yellow-streaked stunners have been circling my family for a while now, it wasn’t until I set out to write about them that

I realized how little I knew of their secret, mysterious lives—and the remarkable effort involved in creating just a single spoonful of honey.

Stock your pantry with different varieties, and let the following recipes help guide you to your favorites.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

HUMBLE WORKERS

Bees work hard. Really hard. To make just one pound of honey, bees must visit some 2 million flowers. We depend on them for one of our favorite sweeteners, but they are also responsible for over $16 billion worth of agricultural product through pollination. Our supermarkets would look much different had honeybees not appeared on the scene more than 100 million years ago.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Raw comb honey, courtesy of Heritage Prairie Farm in Elburn, Illinois

FROM NECTAR TO HONEY

A forager honeybee stores nectar in a special region of its gut called a crop. When fully loaded, the bee returns to the hive and transfers the nectar to the aptly named receiver bees that are waiting on the front porch for delivery. The receiver bees take the nectar, now mixed with enzymes from the forager’s special stomach, to the honeycomb, where they complete the process of transforming nectar to honey.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

View recipe on page 93 » honey nougatine by geovanna salas

View recipe on page 94 » milk honey pudding by meg galus

A Seasonal TREAT

It’s easy to forget that honey is a seasonal food since it lasts indefinitely. But honey is entirely dependent on local climate and the nectar of blossoming flowers, which influence the color, flavor and aroma of honey much like the sea shapes an oyster or a barrel impacts wine. As a general rule of thumb, light honeys are faintly sweet (clover), amber honeys are richly mellow (blueberry), and dark honeys are bold and robust (buckwheat).

View recipe on page 95 »

honey mandeleines by sarah kosokowski

View recipe on page 96

honey vanilla ice cream by sarah kosokowski

One of the simplest and easiest ways to enjoy honey is on its own—scooped up by the spoonful—or stirred into a hot cup of tea. The sweet, molten gold can also be spread over buttered toast, drizzled atop oatmeal and baked into breads. Or it can be used to more decadent effect, as evidenced in these desserts.

View recipe on page 97 »

milk chocolate honey ganache by sarah kosokowski

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Almost everywhere, farmer’s markets are sporting tables piled with basil, mint, thyme, arugula, rosemary, parsley and many other types of fresh culinary herbs. Nothing smells as heavenly and few edibles pack a bigger punch of raw flavor.

There is hardly a cuisine in the world that doesn’t use fresh herbs to brighten the flavors of a dish. For many, herbs are used in traditional dishes without much thought as to why. It’s just been done that way for hundreds of years. This is because many herbs have become indigenous to certain climates and soils.

But with the popularity of diverse ethnic cuisines in this country, a great variety of culinary herbs are available to everyone, everywhere. Many farmers we’ve spoken to say that people ask them all the time about how to use, store, cut and grow herbs. Maybe we can help.

Bright Green mint

WEATHER PERMITTING BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

by JUDITH MARA

View recipe on page 98 » roasted potatoes with rosemary & sage

A dozen things you may or may not know about culinary herb s

arugula, fennel, chicory and hops are herbs

Many people don’t know that some of our common greens are actually herbs. This is important because it opens your mind to thinking of herbs in a broader way. Arugula and fennel can both be made into center-ofthe-plate dishes rather than being relegated to the side as a garnish. Both also make great pesto sauces to toss with pasta or use as a pizza topping. And what would beer taste like without the bitter slap of hops?

herbs aren’t savory or sweet

You often hear people describe herbs as sweet, savory or spicy. But herbs are flavor neutral. Herbs do not contain sugar. Nor do they contain sodium. Their flavor comes from oils. So don’t be hesitant to use herbs with fruit, in desserts or in baking. Or to use herbs like mint in savory dishes. You’ll be delighted with how flexible herbs are in the kitchen.

many herb stems are great for cooking

The leaves of herbs such as cilantro, parsley and dill weed are too fragile to cook for long periods of time. But their hardier stems pack a lot of flavor and can be cooked for hours in a broth, bouquet garni, braise or with beans. You can also use whole stems of thyme and fennel in the same way. Rosemary, mint and tarragon stems are woody and are better thrown onto the fire of a hot grill for extra flavor.

if i buy basil on wednesday will it still be fresh on saturday?

More than likely the answer to that question is yes, if you store herbs properly. The easiest way to store them is to wrap them in a barely damp paper towel and put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Then wash them and pat them dry just before using. It’s also trendy now to store basil upright (like a bunch of flowers) in a glass with an inch or two of water, cover with a plastic bag and put in the refrigerator.

the best way to store fresh herbs is to grow them yourself

That’s right, the best way to keep fresh herbs longer is to grow them yourself. Which is pretty easy because most pests don’t like herbs and you don’t need to fertilize them. It’s best to buy herb plants from a local farmer because you know they will grow in your area. Also, they shouldn’t be overwatered but never let the roots dry out, especially rosemary. And always pinch off any flowers the minute you see them.

thyme

don’t buy culinary herbs with flowers (basil, oregano, sage, parsley, cilantro, thyme, mint, tarragon)

Once an herb plant starts to flower it puts all its effort into flowering, decreasing the flavor in the leaves. So never buy herbs with flowers on them unless you’re going to make tea with the blossoms. If that is that is the only plant available, then taste a leaf to make sure it still has lots of flavor.

it’s not hard to learn the difference between herbs

Identifying the look or taste of various herbs seems to puzzle many cooks, but this is easy to fix. Next time you’re at the farmer’s market, pull a small piece of leaf off an herb and taste it. (You may want to ask if you can do this.) If you do this often enough, you’ll quickly become familiar with herbs.

Never buy herb s with flowers on them

cilantro is mexican. basil is italian. That’s not the whole truth. We know many Italian chefs that cook with thyme and sage as much or more than basil. Cilantro, the most widely used herb in the world, is predominantly used in Asian cooking. Basil is also a popular herb used in Asian cooking and mint is used in almost every cuisine. We make this point to encourage cooks to be open to a broader understanding of how to use these magic morsels when cooking. The famous Italian fish dish, branzino, wouldn’t be same without fresh thyme. Green curry without basil is unthinkable.

parsley

mix them up

We wish more farmers would sell mixed bouquets of herbs that you could just chop up and add to a potato or bean salad or sprinkle over a filet or bruschetta. Until they do, mix up your own bouquets from leftover herbs. Start with flat leaf parsley and add basil, chives, oregano, dill, thyme and/or tarragon in any quantity and chop together. For a topping, add a little olive oil.

chop them up. throw them in. but when?

Fresh herb leaves range from sturdy (rosemary, thyme, sage, fresh bay) to soft (basil, cilantro, chervil, tarragon, sorrel) to somewhere in-between (oregano, chives, parsley, marjoram). A rule of thumb is that sturdier herbs can take a little heat.

Soft herbs are always added at the end of cooking. If not, the flavor will just melt away.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

View recipe on page 99 » farm market vegetable cheese tart

herbs are edible garnishes

We use a lot of fresh herbs for garnish in our photography. They lend freshness to a photograph. But we never garnish a dish without considering if the herb(s) we select will also add fresh flavor to the dish in real life. Gone are the days of the tasteless curly parsley garnishes. To stay are the days of making everything you put in and on a dish matter.

cut, rock and roll We find vegetable cleavers are the best tool for a home cook to chop herbs. Their long straight edge gives a clean cut to herbs with minimal bruising. If you don’t have a cleaver, use a sharp

chef’s knife and cut by pressing down and rocking forward in one motion. We also recommend cutting on a wood board as opposed to plastic, as the blade can push deeper into wood and make a cleaner cut.

The last word on cutting is how to cut basil julienne style. Luckily it’s simple: Stack basil leaves on top of each other, largest to smallest. Roll them up lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/8to 1/4-inch pieces.

View recipe on page 100 » herb stuffed tomatoes

THE ART of the CUBE

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY

SILICONE CUBES

Silicone cubes, concocted by special effects man Geoff Binns-Calvey, have a texture similar to Jell-O but look perfectly real in a still photo. The squishy material makes it easy to manipulate and break into different shapes and sizes.

ACRYLIC OR PLASTIC ICE

Photographers and stylists can make ice cubes out of acrylic or plastic, or purchase pre-made cubes online. But with many cubes costing as much as $50 a piece, these can add up quickly.

REAL ICE

Don’t forget about frozen water! For casual shoots that don’t require many adjustments, real ice works perfectly well. You can make your ice with an ice cube tray, of course, or you can source it from an ice provider in all different shapes, textures and sizes. In need of a 400-pound iceberg-sized hunk? They’ve got you covered.

It’s a glorious moment in The Wizard of Oz when the Wicked Witch of the West utters the now infamous lines, “I’m melting, I’m melting!” But ice cubes melting on a photography set? Well, not quite so glorious. These sparkling little cubes help make a cold beverage look positively

refreshing, and it’s important that they remain solid, or at least partially solid, over the course of an hours-long shoot. Thankfully, when real ice just won’t cut it, there are a number of convincing alternatives ready to stand in its place.

A Day in the Life

by INGA WITSCHER

“Red Sky in the morning sailors takes warning”…. That’s ok! We need the rain. This time of year our pastures can benefit from all the moisture they can absorb.

With my overalls tucked into my barn boots, I head out into the field as the sun rises over Wisconsin. Dragging my feet through the morning dew, I take a mental note of what’s growing in the pasture.

There’s clover and plantain, crows foot trefoil and a few pesky thistles ready to bloom. Overall it looks good. We will be able to move the cows into this pasture after the weekend.

S T ISIDO R E ’S M E A D Wisconsin

On our farm, St. Isidore’s Mead, we practice Managed Intensive Grazing, which means we move the cows to a fresh strip of grass every 12 hours. The cows are turned into a new pasture after the morning and evening milkings.

They spend that time eating a diverse diet of native grasses and wild herbs which give their milk a clean, grassy flavor. The cows in turn fertilize the ground behind them, improving the soils for the future.

“Ca-boss, Ca-boss, come on ladies, let’s go,” I call out to our 15 Jersey cows as, one by one, they begin to rise. First is Hannah; she stands up and immediately whips her long brown tail across her back before going into a downward dog-like stretch and then heads off to the water tank. Next Jenny and Mae stand up, arch their backs and file into the line of cows heading towards the barn.

“Ca-boss, Ca-boss, come on ladies, let’s go”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Back at the barn, my husband Joe sanitizes all the milking equipment. Producing high quality milk is extremely important to us. We will never produce a large amount of milk, but we work to produce the best quality. To ensure that high quality, we milk the old-fashioned way, using a bucket milking system. The bucket milkers are

gentler on the cows’ udders, and also on the milk. In a conventional/factory farm system, milk is pumped dozens of times. That pumping shatters the fat globules of the milk. When handled gently, the milk stays in its truest form, creating a fuller flavored milk, perfect for making St. Isidore’s cheese.

At the age of 61, my father, a third generation dairy farmer, became a licensed Wisconsin State cheese maker. Now, when the cows are eating grass as the seasons allow, we transform our grass-fed, organic, high quality milk into a farmstead raw milk cheese. Today is one of those days when we can deliver the milk to him, still warm from the morning’s milking.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

After 8 hours of stirring, then adding the rennet and cultures, the curd comes together. The cheese is then pressed and wrapped in butter-soaked cheesecloth, then pressed again to form 20-pound round truckles. A label is sewn into the cheesecloth with the date, the name of the pasture the cows were grazing in, a description of the weather and the names of the cows who produced the milk. The cheese is then moved into a cave with the correct temperature and humidity. The truckles are turned and brushed continuously throughout a one-year hibernation in the cave. This

guarantees even moisture throughout the truckle. Mold will grow on the cheese which will provide flavor.

After the evening milking, Joe follows the cows to the field and I make a pit stop to make martinis and grab some curds out of the fridge from this morning’s cheese make. Sitting with Joe in the clover, cocktails in hand, we listen to the cows graze—this is a tradition my father started when we first moved to St. Isidore’s Mead. With the last sip of gin, the rain starts to sprinkle, and we head for home.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

HIDDEN

The best dishes that no one knows about…yet

You could argue that Hot Doug’s is not a hidden gem because any food-focused person in Chicago has heard of this encased meat emporium. After all, Hot Doug’s is what local legends are made of: Doug Sohn avoids a career path but loves to cook so he goes to chef’s school.

Hidden Gem

HOT DOUG’S

“THE DOG” AND “FOIE GRAS AND SAUTERNES DUCK SAUSAGE”

Technically (according to our strict requirements), Hot Doug’s is a hidden gem. It’s off the beaten path and you have to seek out the neighborhood and the restaurant. What makes the place easy to find is when the line of hungry humanity curls around the block. Once inside, choosing a sausage from the menu is surprisingly daunting considering Hot Doug’s serves one thing and serves it to perfection—sausages. Yes there are fries, but no burgers, no wraps and certainly no pizza.

After he finishes, he’s working as a cookbook editor and eats a bad hot dog. Two and a half years later he opens Hot Doug’s to bring back the hot dog the way it should be done. “People weren’t doing it justice and I wanted to restore respectability to the sausage,” he explains.

We gave Doug carte blanche to choose his favorite “gem” to feature. He chose two, giving the persuasive reason that they represent the two sides of his menu––classic and creative. His picks were a Chicago–style hot dog with mustard, sport peppers, tomatoes, pickle, relish and celery salt, and a playful Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel.

Be sure to check out Doug’s colorful and irreverent new book Hot Doug’s: The Book, at www.shopbenchmark.com/hotdougs. Gems

Chicago-style hot dogs have a long history as a cheap meal dating back to the Depression. It still is today at Hot Doug’s for only $2 per dog. The Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage is pure Doug at his creative best. Using an existing high quality duck sausage and playing around, Doug concocted this fan favorite. He paired the sausage

with foie gras mousse, truffles and a sprinkle of fluer de sel and thought it would be funny to offer it on his menu, never thinking it would take off.

For those who will be discovering Hot Doug’s for the first time, here are a few newbie tips. Hot Doug’s only accepts cash. They are hard-core about closing at 4:00 p.m., however if you are in line by 4:00 p.m. you will get served. And the real inside scoop is that on Fridays and Saturdays they serve Duck Fat Fries, iconic fries cooked in duck fat. Just another reason why a humble neighborhood sausage shop is stuff legends are made of.

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY

BISON is back

“This scenery already rich pleasing and beautiful was still farther heightened by immense herds of buffalo, deer, elk and antelopes which we saw in every direction feeding on the hills and plains. I do not think I exaggerate when I estimate the number of buffalo which could be comprehended at one view to amount to 3000.”

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN

— Meriwether Lewis, September 17, 1804, near present-day Chamerlain, South Dakota

Once upon a time, the great American bison—often mistakenly called buffalo—flourished in the tens of millions and covered the Great Plains in a blanket of shaggy brown. By the late 19th century, however, settlers had killed some 50 million bison for food, sport and to deprive Native Americans of their most valuable natural resource. Enormous herds were reduced to near extinction.

BISON FACT

Bison are the heaviest land animals in North America, often weighing a ton or more and standing 5 to 6 feet tall at the shoulders. They have large heads, massive humps and sharp curved horns that can grow up to 2 feet long. Despite their formidable size and bulk, bison can sprint at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Propelled by the efforts of early conservationists, the bison population began a slow bounce back in 1905. Recent interest in the animals as a healthy, sustainable alternative to beef

has only quickened their resurgence. Today, bison can be found at parks, reserves and ranches around the country, as well as on the plates of adventurous eaters.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Joe Ricketts, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has played a powerful role in returning the meat to our menus. In 2003, Ricketts founded High Plains Bison, a retailer of natural bison meat and the official bison vendor at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. At Ricketts’s quiet Wyoming ranch, his bison graze in lumbering herds, heads bowed, with shoulders as broad and jagged as the mountains that stand in the distance. Though much has changed since the days of Lewis and Clark, one thing remains the same: the undeniable thrill at seeing these majestic creatures at home in their natural habitat.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

BISON FACT

Bison has a delicious, delicate flavor—lighter and somewhat sweeter than beef—and an impressive nutritional profile. Bison-industry regulations require that bison raised for their meat are never treated with artificialgrowth hormones, chemicals or unnecessary antibiotics. Moreover, bison meat contains far less fat, calories and cholesterol than beef, but higher levels of iron, omega-3’s and other nutrients.

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

BISON FACT

Because bison is so lean, its preparation requires a little extra care to ensure it doesn’t dry out. This means that steaks should never be cooked beyond medium, and tougher cuts (such as chuck, brisket and short ribs) are best cooked low and slow for the most tender and flavorful results.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Captions by Bryan Olsen and Todd Womack of the amazing web series The Key of Awesome . Find it at www.youtube.com/barelypolitical.

ICED ASPARAGUS

Why would some sick bastard ice their asparagus? Did the asparagus sprain its ankle or something? I’m contacting the authorities. Who has Padma’s number?

squished tomatoes

These tomatoes saw what was in the Ark at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

HOW WE DID IT

Deconstructing a shot from Stephen Hamilton’s The Restaurant Project

by JUDITH MARA

favorite dish

Led Zepplin Burger

Restaurant

Restaurant: Kuma’s Corner Chicago, IL stylist Jen Straus stylist Paula Walters

ingredients

6- 1 1/4 pound lobsters, cooked and picked from the shell 1/2 pound unsalted butter cooking the lobster

In a saucepan, boil milk, water, butter, sugar and sea salt together. Add the flour and cook until dry.

Bring a very large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Drop the live lobsters into the water and cook for nine minutes.

Drain into a sink and cool with ice and running cold water.

Pick off the tails and the claws and knuckles, discard the bodies. Crack the shells gently with a heavy knife or cleaver and remove the meat from the shell. (Using scissors will help remove the knuckle meat easier).

Squeezing the tail firmly until it cracks will also allow you to then remove the tail meat by pulling the shell apart. Split the tails in half lengthwise.

Be certain the cartilage inside the claw is removed by making a small slit and sliding it out. This can be done the morning of the dinner and refrigerated until ready for dinner.

reheating the lobster

Melt one pound butter in a small stainless steel pot and have it hot, but not so warm that it is boiling or turning color, medium heat should work well on most stoves.

Using a basket or a slotted spoon place the lobster in the butter for a minute or until it feels warm to the touch. Do not overheat the lobster as the tails will begin to curl and become tough.

Remove the lobster from the butter and place in a warm bowl with just enough rum sauce to coat it lightly.

Assemble shortcakes with curried shallots, butter poached lobster and lime vanilla rum sauce. Garnish with small sprigs of cilantro, basil, and mint finish with a brunoise of shaved green papaya, mango and pineapple.

butter poached maine lobster (from Arrows Restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine)

·

mark’s shortcake

ingredients

1½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoons baking soda

· 1 teaspoons salt

1 ½ sticks butter cubed then frozen ¾ to 1 cup buttermilk

· ¼ cup heavy cream

1/8 tsp ground clove

curried shallots ingredients

method

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add buttermilk until a soft dough is formed. Roll out to a ½ inch thickness and cut with a 3 inch cutter. Brush with cream and bake at 325F.

8 shallots thinly sliced

1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped

· 1 serrano chili

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup rice wine vinegar method

Put all ingredients into a stainless pot and bring to a boil, turn off and allow to cool.

lime vanilla rum sauce ingredients

½ cup lime juice

½ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup dark rum

1 serrano chili

½ vanilla bean split

¼ cup shallots

1 tablespoon ginger peeled and thinly sliced

½ pound unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

· 1 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon rum

method

Place the first seven ingredients into a stainless sauce pan over medium heat and reduce the liquids by 2/3 rd.

Then whisk in softened butter, season with salt and pepper, add lime juice and rum. Strain through a fine sieve discarding solid ingredients.

Serve at once or hold in a warm place for up to one hour.

heavenly hots by Ina Pinkney

When I tasted these light-as-air packed-with-flavor little pancakes, I was hooked.

ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups sour cream

· 1/4 cup cakeflour

2 Tbsp. potato starch

3 Tbsp. sugar

· 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

In a mixing bowl (or blender or processor) beat the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Heat a griddle or fry pan on medium high heat. Coat with a thin film of oil. Carefully ‘drop’ a large spoonful of batter until it makes a circle of about 3 inches. When a few bubbles appear on the top, turn them over very carefully and cook until lightly browned.

We serve them with a peach, raspberry, blueberry compote. I personally think maple syrup is too strong a flavor for them.

crisp topping by Ina Pinkney

ingredients:

7oz. flour

4oz. sugar, white

4oz. sugar, light brown

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

6 oz. butter, unsalted, cut into small pieces

Put all dry ingredients into a food processor and combine. Add butter and ‘pulse’ 7-10 times until the butter pieces are quite small - about the size of rice.

Fill an 8 oz. ramekin with blueberries and put 1/4 cup of topping on each.

Store the topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bake the Crisps at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

ina’s vegetable hash

by Ina Pinkney

ingredients:

· Butter | 1440g

1 ½ lb. Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 lb. Red potatoes, peeled and diced

· ½ lb. Brussels sprouts, fresh or frozen

4 Tbsp. Canola oil

2 Spanish onion, medium, sliced

· 1 Eggplant, medium

2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 lb. Corn, frozen kernels

· 1 c. Cream, heavy

2 tsp. Oregano, dried

2 tsp. Thyme, dried

1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Lea and Perrins Worsctershire sauce

4 tsp. Tamari, gluten free

2 tsp. Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tsp. Kosher salt (plus additional)

1 Tbsp. Ina’s Dirty Spice Mix (recipe, page )

Bring 6 qt. of lightly salted water to a boil.

Using a perforated pasta basket, cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until tender. Remove to an ice bath. Drain thoroughly when chilled. Using the same method, cook the red potatoes and then cook Brussels sprouts until tender.

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high. Add 1 Tbsp. canola oil to pan. Sauté onions until lightly browned. Remove from pan to cool. Add 2 Tbsp. canola oil to pan. Sauté mushrooms until lightly browned. Remove from pan to cool.

Split eggplant in half lengthwise. Score skin and rub with 1Tbsp. canola oil. Season lightly with Kosher salt and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast at 400 F for 15-20 minutes until very tender. Cool, peel and coarsely chop flesh.

To assemble hash, mix all vegetables thoroughly. Into heavy cream, mix all additional ingredients. Pour heavy cream mixture over vegetables, mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop.

To serve, heat a sauté pan to medium and film with canola oil. Add desired amount of hash and cook until steaming hot. Serve with poached eggs.

ina’s award-winning fried chicken

by Ina Pinkney ingredients:

· 2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2- 3 pounds chicken- natural or organic cut into 8 pieces

1/2 gallon Buttermilk

· 1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. Black pepper, freshly ground

· 3 quarts Trans fat-free oil (we use Canola)

coating:

4 cups Flour, all purpose

· 2 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. Black pepper, freshly ground

Wash the chicken and trim any visible fat.

Mix the garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the buttermilk.

Put the chicken into a 1 gallon self-closing plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk.

Close the bag, place on a cookie sheet or into a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Into a large, heavy 6 quart pot, put the oil and heat over medium heat until it reaches 275°F, using a thermometer.

While the oil is heating, remove the chicken from the bag and place on a rack to drain.

For coating, combine flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl and combine.

Dredge and press the chicken into the flour mixture.

Shake off any excess flour. Re-dredge if any part is missing coverage.

CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY put the chicken into the hot oil SKIN SIDE DOWN.

Leave it alone (I’m not kidding!) for 10 minutes. Then you can gently turn the pieces to keep them separate.

cooking times: Wings: 13-15 minutes, Legs: 15-17 minutes, Thighs: 18-20 minutes, Breasts: 20-25 minutes

If you’re not sure the chicken is done, use the tip of a sharp knife and poke to see if the juices run clear or use an instant-read thermometer, which should read 160°F.

gingerbread pancakes by Ina Pinkney

ingredients:

5 oz. flour

1/2 cup each - sugar, potato starch * see note at bottom

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. each - baking soda, ground ginger, ground cloves, dry mustard

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

16 oz. buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. molasses

Yield: about 20 (3 inch) pancakes Preheat oven to 200.

Sift all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and stir vigorously.

Combine all wet ingredients and mix until well blended. Stir into flour mixture and blend well without over mixing.

Heat non-stick pan or griddle over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on the tops - about 3 minutes.

Turn over and cook about 1 minute more.

Place pancakes, uncovered, on a oven-safe platter in the oven until all pancakes are made.

NOTE: You can find potato starch (not flour) in a box in the Jewish Food Section of your supermarket. It might also be in the natural food area.

ham by Justin Brunson

-

-

tamarind shandy

From Uncle Boon’s, New York, NY

ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Tamarind Simple Syrup

1 oz. fresh lime juice

· 5 dashes of house-made pomelo bitters (substitute grapefruit or any citrus bitters)

Top with Goose Island Sofie serves 1

tamarind simple syrup:

8 tsp. tamarind paste

2 cups palm sugar

Add 3 cups boiling water

honey nougatine by Geovanna Salas, Pastry Chef at Table Fifty-Two

Combine sugar and honey in a heavy sauce pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stop stirring and bring syrup to 360°F. Remove from heat and stir in butter and nuts. Scrape the mixture onto baking sheet lined with lightly oiled parchment paper. Spread evenly with an oiled spatula, or press into the pan with a lightly oiled piece of foil. Be careful, it’s hot! Let cool until set. Chop coarsely.

milk honey pudding

ingredients:

Egg yolks | 120g

Local raw honey 100g

Cream 500g

Nonfat milk powder 50g

Gelatin sheets 8g

To bloom gelatin: Completely submerge gelatin sheets in ice water and wait until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Bring the cream, honey and milk powder to a boil over high heat. Using a whisk, slowly temper the hot liquid into the egg yolks, making sure not to curdle the yolks in the process. Add to the cream mixture and cook until it reaches 82°C or nappe, when the liquid is thick enough that when you run your finger down the back of the spatula it holds a line.

Remove from heat and strain the mixture into an ice bath (an empty bowl set over a bowl of ice). Add the bloomed gelatin after about a minute, and whisk. Chill in the fridge until set. Mix lightly and portion into cups.

by Meg Galus, Executive Pastry Chef at Park Hyatt Chicago and NoMI restaurant

honey madeleines

by Sarah Kosokowski, Corporate Pastry Chef at Valrhona, Inc, Eastern Region

Cream butter, sugars and honey until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Mix in all sifted dry ingredients until just combined. Pipe into Madeleine molds and freeze until ready to bake. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes, turn, then bake 4 more minutes until golden brown. Unmold and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

honey vanilla ice cream

ingredients:

Milk | 2700g

Cream | 1430g

Vanilla extract | 25g

Vanilla beans | 3ea.

Honey | 550g

Sugar | 200g

Glucose powder | 310g

Milk powder | 170g

Salt | 8g

Stabilizer | 12g

Egg yolks | 840g

Butter | 225g

Combine milk, cream, vanilla extract, vanilla bean, and honey in a heavy saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Combine sugar, glucose powder, milk powder, salt and stabilizer in a mixing bowl. Add yolks to the powdery mixture and temper into hot liquid. Over medium heat and stirring frequently with a spatula, cook to nappe or until mixture thickens enough that when you run your finger down the back of the spatula it holds a line. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted. Strain with a fine strainer to catch any bits. Allow to chill.

*For orange ginger ice cream, to 3 liters of honey vanilla ice cream base, add:

1 teaspoon orange extract

· Ginger puree | 50g Fabbri mandarin delipaste | 170g

by Sarah Kosokowski, Corporate Pastry Chef at Valrhona, Inc, Eastern Region

milk chocolate honey ganache

Boil cream, vanilla, and honey in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and pour over milk chocolate and mix until smooth. Add softened butter and burr ??? and mix again until smooth. Pour into two ½ sheet pans lined with silpat or aluminum foil, shiny side up; let set overnight before cutting into small pieces. rhubarb 1400g ea.

by Sarah Kosokowski, Corporate Pastry Chef at Valrhona, Inc, Eastern Region

ingredients:

· 1 1/2 pounds potatoes (see note above) scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

2-3 Rosemary sprigs, cut into smaller sprigs and smashed with the flat side of a knife

10 very small sage leaves or large leaves cut into 1/2-inch pieces

· 5 garlic cloves (optional) smashed with the flat side of a knife

4 Tablespoons olive oil

· Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper serves 4

Use any type of red, yellow white or purple (boiling) potatoes you find at the farmer’s market. Rosemary and sage are sturdier types of herbs and can hold up to baking. This is a great side dish to accompany pork, beef or grilled fish.

Preheat oven to 400˚

Toss the potatoes, herbs, and garlic together in a baking dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and give them another toss. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the potatoes (you can always add more later).

Roast for 20 minutes, turn over, then roast another 10-15 minutes or until browned and soft. Taste for seasoning. Serve piping hot.

roasted potatoes with rosemary & sage by Judith Mara

This tart is a real show stopper dish with fresh vegetables and arugula (yes, arugula, sometimes called rocket, is an herb) from the farmer’s market.

ingredients:

2 sheets all-butter puff pastry* (Dufour or Trader Joes are preferred, unless you make your own)

1 egg, whisked

1 tablespoon whole grain or Dijon mustard

· 1 1/2 cups (give or take a little) grated Gruyere, sliced Taleggio or 1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 pint small tomatoes such as Sun Gold, cherry or grape, halved and sprinkled with a touch of salt.

1 medium red onion, cut in 1/4-inch slices

Olive oil

1 bunch of arugula or rocket

Thaw pastry according to instructions.

With a rolling pin, roll out both pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Roll into 10” x 14” rectangles or 12” x 12” squares. Transfer one sheet to a large baking sheet. Cut remaining pastry into 4, 13” long x 2-inch wide strips. Brush an 1-inch perimeter around the pastry on the baking sheet with egg wash. Twist one of the pastry strips and place on an edge of the pastry flush with the bottom but leaving about 1-inch of space on the top. Lightly press ends down. Repeat all around the pastry until an edge is formed. Brush top with remaining egg wash. (Use leftover pastry to make cheese or cinnamon straws.)

Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork about a dozen times and spread the mustard across the bottom. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes.

Place oven rack in the middle and preheat oven to 400˚.

While dough is resting, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a sauté pan and heat on medium-high. Sauté onion slices until they are slightly browned, remove from heat.

Top the pastry with the cheese, the tomatoes and the onions. Bake until golden and crisp and cheese is soft, about 20 minutes.

When pastry is done, remove from oven and top with arugula. Lift some of the tomatoes and onions up over the arugula. Tart can be served warm or at room temperature.

*You can also make this with one sheet of puff pastry but it will be smaller. Instructions: Roll out pastry as instructed above. Using a sharp knife, lightly score a line around the pastry, 1-inch in from the edge to create a rim, then prick the inner rectangle with a fork. Continue as instructed reducing the amount of toppings.

serves 8

farm market vegetable cheese tart by Judith Mara

by Judith Mara

serves 2, per tomato herb stuffed tomatoes

ingredients:

1 beefsteak tomato

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Handful of fresh, chopped herbs: any combination of basil, oregano, Italian parsley, tarragon, arugula or thyme

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

Olive oil

Aged balsamic vinegar (optional)

Pre heat oven to 375˚ or heat grill.

Slice tomato in half. With the cut side up, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the herbs, and mix grated cheese and bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Place tomato halves on a doubled sheet of foil. Sprinkle tomatoes with chopped herbs (reserve a small amount for garnish) and then the cheese mixture, drizzle with a little olive oil and pat down.

If baking, transfer tomatoes on foil to a baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes. If grilling, close foil around tomatoes. Place to the side of the grill. Check after 10-15 minutes to see if they are soft. Continue grilling until done.

Optional serving idea: Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar.

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