Kosher Dosher...“I am a culinary Heretic"

So why another Bresaola? I love cured meats!! There is a science and mystery about curing meats and a love for the process.   Think about it for a moment.  You are in complete control over what happens to a piece of muscle or for that matter sausage.  From start to finish you have the ability to transform it into something it was never intended to be.  My Grandfather on my Dads side was Sicilian and I grew up eating a lot of cured meats.  I.E Capicola, Cacciatore, Motadella, Pancetta, Prosciutto, Salame and Sopressata.  I have not touched the stuff in 14 years for religious reasons.  Suffice it to say I did not stop eating Italian cured meats because they tasted bad, Oh contraire.  Anyhow I decided to to make my own non Treif versions so here we go again.  In an earlier blog Bresaola using UMAI Charcuterie Bags  I made my first Bresaola and the picture above shows how beaut...

Who doesn't like Meatballs?   They even made a movie about them!!  Meatballs are fashionable, accessible and just plain beautiful. They are crowd-pleasing!! I am sure everyone has eaten meatballs before, but not everyone is able to make them well, so this post is dedicated to the perfect meatball. From Swedish to Italian meatballs they're all excellent. I know people are always trying to replicate recipes, but they fail none-the-less. But are why do they fail? With meticulous studious attention to detail they follow the recipe to the tee, but somehow the meatballs still come out dense or dry. A meatball is not some serendipitous ornament that can be thrown together without thought and hung on some tree. A meatball is something special or as the French would say Je ne Sais Quoi .   What's missing from many great meatball recipes is techniques that transform simple ingredients into somet...

In a previous post I wrote about the "Introspective Meatball" . I would suggest reading this first before undertaking this meatball.  Pasticcio Vitello Polpetta is a fancy way of saying in Italian a hodgepodge or medley  Veal Meatball .   Ingredients 3 lbs of ground Veal 6 eggs scrambled 150 grams currants.  60 grams roasted pine-nuts 60 grams Onion 5 cloves Garlic (20 grams) 40 grams Sun-dried Tom in Olive oil 1 cup Ricotta (300 grams) 2 oz butter 1/2 cup of Port 2 Tsp pepper 1 Tbl Salt Handful Parsley (20 grams) Handful Basil (20 grams) 90 grams of white bread cut into small pieces  1 cup milk 1 cup Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino cheese 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs Additional bread crumbs to coat meatballs.  Place meat in very large bowl .   Things to do ahead Weigh out all ingredients Weigh out currants and dose with a little port to re-hydrate.  Cut up br...

From this no-cook sauce, you can make endless versions of pasta dishes.  Ingredients 15 oz Jar Roasted Bell Peppers (drained) 3 oz Sun-dried Tomato packed in olive oil 1 cup dry roasted pine nuts (heated in skillet for a few minutes) 5 cloves of garlic (more if you love garlic) 2 oz Shallot 2-3 scallions (green onions rough chopped) 2/3 cup of parsley (to make a Greek version add mint) 6 very large Basil leaves 3 oz Tomato Paste 2/3 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino Romano Cheese. If you're into Greek food, add Feta Cheese and Olives. 2/3 cup Olive Oil Salt and Pepper to taste and Cayenne if you like HOT Put everything in a food processor (or blender….may have to add more olive oil for it to puree if using a blender) and process until smooth. This should only take a minute or less. Place all contents in a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Sometimes I will freeze some too.  Optional to toss in- I like to roast Garlic, ...

What should I call this post? A rant? An opinion? Informational? This may be my way to start the new year with something meaningful and helpful. You be the judge. One of the best cuts of Beef has to be the Ribeye!! The beefiness is undeniable. What's also indisputable is the different methods of cooking this hunk of meat. Some are good, and some are bad. The bad ones really stand out to me.   I've read countless posts that discuss Time/Temperature with religiosity. An orthodox or dogmatic approach to Sous-Vide is counter-intuitive if you ask me. Sous-Vide cooking is ultimately intuitive, meaning everyone has to zero in on what works for them. This comes with trial and error as to what they think they like. Nothing is black and white because there are too many factors to consider. If you are anything like me (most are not), you will cook a ton of meat and figure out what works and does not. Will there be failures along the way...YES.   You have to app...