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Brad S

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Everything posted by Brad S

  1. When in Normandy try to find a place that serves Bourdin Normand. A beautiful Pate Brisse laden with apples, almonds, Calvados and creme fraiche. When in Brittany, the Lamb that grazes on the salt marsh grass (lamb pre-sel I believe) is not to be missed. Brittany's Soupe de Poisson is also fantastic.
  2. Make an enriched mealy dough for your bottom crust (enriched with egg and the fat cut to a cornmeal consistency) for the top make a flaky dough (larger pieces of fat to form steam and lighten the crust) Use pastry flour because it is the lowest in proteins, so it will develop the least amount of glutens. Also be sure you don't over work your doughs so they remain tender.
  3. Pate Brisse is a good choice for your dough, and waxy maize is a better choice than corn starch (IMO) for a thickener because it holds it's texture both hot and cold where cornstarch will thin out when chilled as it's proteins won't bond as well in cool temperature's and it will thin out.
  4. Hi Suzanne, Searching on the Cooks Thesaurus you can find a lot of the info your after. example. http://www.foodsubs.com/LiqueurFruit.html
  5. Brad S

    So You Want to be a MW

    I studied with Tim Hanni before he became a MW at The School for American Chefs, I must say he was and still is a proponent of study and authenticity, while remaining very human and very funny.
  6. " The Glorious Foods of Greece" By Diane Kochilas. Excellent history and recipes. Published by William Morrow.
  7. Dear Gifted Gourmet, I enjoy your insight and am so happy to be honored to be in a position to share and give back. It's all cyclical, yes?
  8. Remember your dealing with a "Rolled in dough" you don't want to develop gluten as they will make the dough tough. Overworking the dough is a culprit for sure. Be sure to use unsalted butter because of flavor, but it stays cooler longer, Salted butter has more moisture. Your Detrempe and butter should always be cold and of similar textures.
  9. This post is right on the money, I wish I wrote it. After 28 years in the kitchens I went into teaching culinary arts (not a great writter) and I love it. It's the perfect way to give back and also stay totally connected.
  10. Brad S

    Looking for a chemist

    I thought maybe some would enjoy these readings. It is translated to English from French so it reads a bit funny, but it's good stuff. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...3D%26ie%3DUTF-8
  11. A couple years ago for my wifes birthday we went to Radius for dinner. The service was excellent, the food was excellent and the house was very smart.
  12. I love Tavels in the Spring and summer. Pierre Gaillards Rose Pourpre and Jaboulets Tavel L'Espiegle are two I look for.
  13. Brad S

    Older Zinfandel ?

    Andre, Here are some tasting notes on older Ridge Zins. http://www.sbwines.com/trh/February3_1999.html
  14. Brad S

    Ceviche science.

    I like Douglas Rodrigues book on Ceviche, http://www.chefdouglasrodriguez.com/books.htm
  15. Brad S

    Salt (merged topics)

    I was given a 1 kilo gift of Fleur de Sel de Camargue. It is one of the finest salts i've yet to taste. It is however very expensive, about $50 a kilo.
  16. Technique wise I think Bux offered the most percise and widely used approach in pro kitchens. I would follow that advice, to take that one step further and to use savoury and sweetness in tandom, try marinated the breast in a bit of black strap mollassas,fresh ginger, a splash of Jack Daniels, a little soy sauce and black pepper. (no salt at this point) as instructed before, criss cross the fat with a knife making sure not to pierce the flesh (also, remove excess marinade)Lay the fat side down in a "cold" pan and raise the heat to medium and very slowly render the fat, you need to do it this way as to not burn the sugars. This will take maybe 15/20 minutes. Have your oven pre heated to 400 degree's, pour out fat and turn your breast and put it in the oven for about 8 minutes. Meantime, boil your marinade and strain through a fine seive to remove the colligen, put back on a simmer and add some duck,chicken or veal stock and mont with butter. Pull the breast and let rest at least 5 minutes, then slice on a bias, season the meat with grey salt or fluer de sel. I like to serve the slices over mashed sweet potatoes and napped with the sauce.
  17. Brad S

    Lobster recipes

    I beg to differ, but as they say, to each his own. We've cooked (including boiling) many a lobster, mostly Maine, and it has never been "water-logged." It's really not about your lobster being water logged, The steaming, aposed to boiling encases the flesh with a softer heat (yet very hot) the lack of turbalence and direct water heat will yield a much more tender beast. Boiled lobster also sheads it's coligen into the water, as a steamed lobsters cologen is trapped
  18. It celebrates Italys wine harvest, Cardoons are a very important vegetable used in Bagna cauda. The garlic and anchovies where put in a black couldren over a fire and aloud to slowly melt into the olive oil. You then would dip your veggies in the oil and holding a piece of italian bread under the veggies bring it to your mouth and let the bread absord the oil. It's not a crudite, it really emphises the fall vegetable harvest and Vina novela wines.
  19. Brad S

    Rabbit

    Any time you have the oppurtunity to cook a protien on the bone, do so. This is where much of your flavor comes from, it also promotes even cooking. I prepare saddle in a # of ways, but technique is what is important. You can confit the thighs and legs a few days in advance, then season your saddle,sear and place in a very hot oven for 15/20 minutes. Remove the saddle and put foil over it (tightly, not as a tent) this will help to hold the heat and help the blood rest. I love glazed parsnips and Charintias carrots (in season) and fresh hearts of palm with rabbit.
  20. I looked up to Chef Soltner more then any other chef in New York during the late 70' and 80's He was a chefs chef, why? because he was always in the kitchen, When you dined at Lutece, you ate the food prepared by Chef Soltner. I was lucky when I entered this field 25 years ago that I had (still do) an uncle with great taste and four times a year would bring me to the city to dine in the "temples" of Haute Cuisine. When I first dined at Lutece it was a lunch of lamb rack, ratatuille and Dauphenous (sp)potatoes, simple, but perfect. To me (1978 in culinary school) this is what food should be, the frozen raspberry souffle with the crunchy fond de succes,The wine, the service, all to me were special. I have not yet read the Times article, but I new after Soltner left (even tho Muiller is a great chef in his own right)it could not be the same. My two favorite chefs of the last 25 years have both left there kitchens, Soltner in the US and Giradet in Europe
  21. Brad S

    Superbowl Food

    Wings and Kettle one.
  22. Brad S

    Murdering Merlot

    ...also isn't Duckhorn a little pricey for "nice"? Just walking softly. The last Duckhorn I drank was the 1990 vintage, I found it complex with deep rich fruit (black) beautiful sweet toast with a nice long finish. I wish I had the disposible income to continue to drink some of these type wine,but $75 for an average bottle is to high for me. I am happy al though I purchased many Napa wines for 84/85 and 86 as well as a # of excellent wines from Europe 82/83/85/86/89/90. So I am drinking mostly from my celler these days.
  23. Brad S

    Murdering Merlot

    Duckhorn made a nice Merlot.
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