Antoni in the Kitchen

Roasting a whole fish is great for a dinner party or a date night in because it’s impressive and mostly hands-off. The fishmonger cleans and scales the fish, then you get to stuff it with aromatics like citrus and fresh herbs, which impart their delicate flavours as it roasts. While you have the oven on, you can throw in an easy side, like Roasted Potato Wedges with Montreal Steak Seasoning (page 105) or Asparagus with Oozy Eggs (page 88). Oh, and please don’t forget to go for the cheek meat from the head of the fish – it’s sweet and really the very best part. The photo is on pages 206–207.

2 small red onions, cut into 1cm (½in) wedges, leaving some of the stem end intact

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Cut 3 crossways slashes down to the bone on each side of the fish. Season the cavity and skin generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the slashes on the top side of the fish with a few lemon slices, then stuff the cavity with the parsley sprigs, bay leaves, oregano and remaining lemon slices.

In a roasting pan that’s large enough to accommodate the fish, toss the onion wedges with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then drizzle with the wine and about half of the oil. Arrange the onion wedges in a single layer to form a bed for the fish. Place the fish on top and drizzle with the remaining oil.

Roast until the fish is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. To check for doneness, use the tip of a paring knife to pull back a bit of the meat in the thickest part of the fish. If the meat is opaque down to the bone, you’re good to go.

Transfer the fish and onions to a serving platter. Drizzle with the pan juices and top with the chopped parsley.

To serve, run the tip of a paring knife down the backbone of the fish, then do the same along the collarbone (right behind the head) and at the tail end of the fish. Cut the top fillet in half without cutting through the bone, slip a small metal spatula under it, and gently push, lift, and transfer each one to a serving plate. Starting at the tail end, lift off the backbone. Remove any visible bones from the bottom fillet, halve, and transfer each piece to the serving plate. Serve with the onions, drizzled with any remaining pan juices.

Tip

Any whole fish can be roasted in this manner. If snapper isn’t available, try sea bass, blackfish, sea bream, branzino or Arctic char. If the fish are smaller than what is called for in this recipe, roast two or more to feed the same amount of eaters. Remember to adjust the cooking time, as smaller fish will cook faster.

Scallops

WITH CARROT BUTTER + CRISPY CAPERS

These scallops get a simple sauce of butter, carrot juice and citrus, with crispy capers on top. Frying the little buds in olive oil is a trick I owe to my good pal and old boss, the famed Canadian chef Chuck Hughes.

For the capers: Line a plate with kitchen paper. Pour 1cm (½in) of oil into a small frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until very hot and shimmering but not smoking. Carefully add the capers (the oil will splatter a bit) and fry until the edges are puffed up and lightly golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the capers to the kitchen paper to drain.

For the scallops: Cut 30g of the butter into cubes and return to the fridge. In a small saucepan, bring the carrot juice to a low boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the chilled butter one cube at a time, whisking constantly and allowing each cube to completely blend in with the sauce before adding the next. Whisk in the orange juice, ¼ teaspoon salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Remove from the heat.

Lightly season the scallops with salt on both sides. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the remaining 30g butter over medium-high heat until melted and foaming. Add the scallops and cook, tipping the pan to the side so the butter pools and basting the scallops with the butter, until a golden crust forms along the lower edges of each one, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the scallops are just cooked through, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. (They should be golden on their tops and bottoms but still a bit undercooked and creamy in the very centre.)

Transfer the scallops to serving plates, drizzle with the carrot butter and garnish with the crispy capers and chopped herbs.

Tip

Look for scallops labelled ‘dry’, also called diver scallops. ‘Wet’ scallops (usually not labelled as such) are preserved in a solution of water and chemicals, which dilutes their natural flavour and makes them heavier (and therefore more expensive). And it leaches out during cooking, steaming them, so they don’t sear. Most scallops have a tough little muscle attached. Pull off and discard before cooking.

Pineapple and Shrimp Skewers

WITH GREEN SAUCE

Here’s a great, easy party dish. You’ve got a little fruit and sweetness from the pineapple, a spicy kick from the ginger and chillies, and a hint of funk from the fish sauce. You can assemble the skewers ahead and grill them whenever you’re ready. Since they are as good warm as they are at room temp, they can be noshed on over several hours. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, slide the ingredients off the skewers and toss with your favourite lettuces for an awesome salad. The green sauce is your dressing, built right in.

1 medium red onion, cut into 1cm (½in) thick wedges, leaving some of the stem end intact

Thinly sliced fresh Thai bird’s eye or serrano chillies and chopped fresh coriander for serving

For the skewers: Choose 12 skewers. If using wooden ones, soak them in water for 10 minutes. Thread the prawns onto skewers. Thread the pineapple and onion onto the skewers, alternating them as you go.

Heat a lightly oiled gas or charcoal grill to medium-high or an oiled griddle pan over medium-high heat. (On a charcoal grill, most of the coals should be covered with white ash, and you should be able to hold your palm 2.5 to 5cm/1 to 2in over the cooking grate for no more than 2 to 3 seconds.)

Grill the skewers, turning once, until the prawns are opaque and cooked through and the pineapple is charred, about 2 minutes per side for the prawns, and 4 minutes per side for the pineapple/onion. Remove from the grill.

For the green sauce: In a blender, combine all of the ingredients except the oil and pulse. With the machine running, slowly add the oil to combine.

Arrange the skewers on a platter and drizzle with about 60ml of the sauce. Top with fresh chillies and coriander. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Tip

Since the prawns cook more quickly than the onion and pineapple, it’s best to grill them separately.

Alaskan King Crab Legs

WITH TARRAGON-LEMON BUTTER

Alaskan king crab is probably as decadent as it gets with seafood, and you don’t need to do much for it to be awesomely delicious. I serve it when I need to make amends to someone, or when I just got paid and am feeling flush. It’s certainly not for every day, unless you’re a sheik or an oligarch, but it’s perfect for a special occasion. Alaskan king crab is hard to source in the UK, but Norwegian king crab is gaining in popularity. Otherwise you could prepare any kind of crabmeat – the fresher the better – and serve it with this flavoured butter on the side.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice until fully incorporated, then stir in the tarragon. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Fill a wide shallow serving bowl with crushed ice. Arrange the crab legs on top. Serve with the warm butter for dipping, and plenty of kitchen paper.

Tip

HOW TO EAT KING CRAB LEGS: Start by breaking apart the legs at their natural hinges, removing any stiff pieces of cartilage. Use your fingers or a lobster pick to pull out the meat from the cavities. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, and working along the lightest-coloured side of the shells (these are the thinnest and most easily breakable parts), split the shells lengthways. With your fingers, snap them open to get at the meat inside. If you have claws, use a lobster cracker.

Malaysian Chilli Shrimp

I discovered Malaysian cooking as a short-lived lunch waiter at Zak Pelaccio’s Fatty Crab in New York City. I’d roll in, usually hungover from a raucous night, and head straight to the kitchen for a bowl of rice, which I’d top with a spoonful of crab in chilli sauce and a heap of chopped coriander. Fatty Crab has since closed, but this spin-off of one of Zak’s most famous recipes keeps the love alive.

Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, tomato paste, chilli garlic sauce, sugar, sesame oil and 250ml water in a bowl.

In a very large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes (reduce the heat if the mixture is browning too quickly). Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 4 minutes, whisking occasionally, to slightly thicken the sauce and let the flavours blend.

Nestle the prawns into the sauce. Gently simmer, turning the prawns once halfway through, until opaque and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes (or less for smaller prawns; see Tip). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the prawns to a bowl. Continue to simmer the sauce, whisking occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes more to slightly thicken. Remove the pan from the heat.

Spoon the rice onto serving plates. Spoon the prawns on top. Top with the sauce, spring onions and coriander, and serve.

Tip

I love meaty jumbo prawns (also known as tiger prawns) for this recipe. Since the names for prawn sizes are unregulated (one shop’s ‘jumbo’ is another one’s ‘extra large’), it’s best to look at the numbers. If the big guys are not available, you can use smaller ones; just keep an eye on your cook time (smaller prawns will cook more quickly). If using smaller prawns, when they are done, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the sauce and let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes to thicken slightly.

Chile-Maple Roasted Chicken

A roast chicken is a blank slate. Once you have the technique down, you can apply any flavours you like. This recipe came about when I lived in Brooklyn and was studying acting, and cooking for my roommates, PJ and Ben, also fledgling creatives. Using the only spices we had in the larder, plus the insanely good maple syrup my father sends me from Vermont, I made this ad hoc and utterly delicious dish. It’s now my numero uno.

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, maple syrup, chilli powder and chipotle powder or cayenne until smooth.

Pull off and discard any excess fat around the cavity and neck of the chicken, then pat the chicken thoroughly dry, inside and out. Season the cavity with salt. Squeeze the lemon juice into the cavity and toss in the lemon half, along with the onion and garlic. Starting from the edge of the cavity, slip a finger under the skin of each breast and loosen the skin from the meat of both the breasts and thighs, then spread half of the maple butter mixture under the skin. Rub the remaining butter on top of the skin, then season with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous pinch of pepper.

Place the bird breast side up in a roasting pan or 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) baking dish and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and continue roasting, basting occasionally with the juices, until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork, or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 75°C/165°F, 65 to 75 minutes more. Remove the bird from the oven and let rest in the pan for 15 minutes.

Baste the chicken with the juices. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes more, then carve and serve.

Souvlaki Arahova

I’m told that when my mother was pregnant with yours truly, she craved the souvlaki at Arahova in Montreal, our family’s favourite Mediterranean place. So I guess I can honestly say that my lifelong love affair with Greek food began in the womb. While I no longer get to eat weekly at Arahova, I now make my own version of their souvlaki-grilled chicken topped with a creamy yoghurt and cucumber sauce. I think mine’s just as good as the one I remember.

Set a colander over a plate. Add the cucumbers, toss with ¼ teaspoon salt and let stand for 15 minutes.

Mound the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, mash and chop into a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the yoghurt, lemon juice and dill.

Transfer about half of the yoghurt mixture to a second medium bowl. Stir in the chicken. Cover and chill for at least 45 minutes, or up to 4 hours.

Squeeze the cucumbers to release the liquid. Discard the liquid and stir the cucumber into the remaining yoghurt mixture – which is now tzatziki. Cover and chill.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to its lowest setting. Choose 12 skewers. If using wooden ones, soak them in water for 10 minutes. Remove the tzatziki from the fridge and let it stand at room temp to take the chill off.

Place the shallot in a small bowl and stir in the vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside for 15 minutes to pickle, then drain.

Heat a lightly oiled gas or charcoal grill to medium-high, or heat an oiled griddle pan over medium-high heat. (On a charcoal grill, the coals should be covered with white ash and you should be able to hold your palm 2.5 to 5cm/1 to 2in above the cooking grate for no more than 2 to 3 seconds.)

Thread the chicken onto the skewers, then season generously with salt and pepper; discard the marinade. Grill the chicken, turning once halfway through, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Slide off the skewers and onto a plate.

To serve, put the pittas on serving plates. Spread a dollop of tzatziki onto each pitta. Top with the chicken, feta, tomatoes, pickled shallots, a few dollops more of tzatziki and the mint and chopped dill.

Chicken Livers in Chili Garlic Sauce

WITH BLACKENED ONIONS

As we stepped onto the tarmac at London Heathrow upon arriving in England on a press tour for Queer Eye, Tan said, ‘We have to go to Nandos immediately.’ Since he typically opts for sweets, I was surprised at his enthusiasm for this fast-food joint, but I soon understood why. The chicken livers in chilli sauce resuscitated my love for the rich, delicious organ meat. My version adds blackened onions, an ingredient typically used in a Polish variation on this dish.

Pat the chicken livers dry with kitchen paper. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

In a small bowl, stir together the chilli garlic sauce (or sambal oelek) and lemon juice; set aside.

In a very large cast-iron frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onions, ½ teaspoon salt and a generous pinch of black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are deeply golden and blackened in spots, 15 to 20 minutes.

Move the onions to the perimeter of the frying pan. Add the butter and the remaining tablespoon oil to the centre of the pan and heat until the butter melts. Fry the chicken livers, turning once, until browned on the outside, with a little char, but still pink in the centre, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in the reserved chilli garlic sauce mixture and cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 2 minutes more.

Turkey Meatloaf with a Block of Sharp Cheddar

My dear former boyfriend Joey and I had a tradition of cooking Sunday dinner for his parents. My deep appreciation for their taking me in as one of their own was reciprocated in the best way I knew to convey it: with a meatloaf stuffed with an entire block of my very favourite cheddar ever, from Cabot Creamery in Vermont. Nothing brings me more joy than cheese oozing out of what is essentially a very tasty giant meatball.

Cold leftovers the next day = SO good. A nice thick slice with a bit of mayo and some butter lettuce makes a fantastic sandwich.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is well softened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, coriander, red chilli flakes and 60ml of the ketchup, transfer to a large bowl, and let cool.

Stir the eggs into the milk mixture, then add to the onion mixture. Add the turkey and ½ teaspoon salt and mix well with your hands.

Lightly oil a 32 x 23cm (13 x 9in) baking tin. Shape about half of the meat mixture into a 23 x 13cm (9 x 5in) rectangle in the centre of the tin. Gently press the cheese into the centre, then cover with the remaining meat, building a little wall (about 4cm/1½in thick) along the sides of the cheese block and on top, being sure to seal all the seams.

Mix together the brown sugar, black pepper and the remaining 75ml ketchup, then brush on top of the loaf. Bake until the top is deeply golden and the bottom edges are crisp, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Cast-Iron Butter-Basted Steak

Recently I met a guy about to start college who’d never prepared a meal for himself. He loved steak but didn’t have access to a barbecue, so I decided to teach him the technique of butter-basting in a cast-iron frying pan. Butter-basting bathes the meat with herbs and salt-flavoured fat as it cooks, helping the outside crisp while the inside stays juicy and moist.

2 (450 to 550g) sirloin, boneless rib-eye, or New York strip steaks, 3 to 4cm (1¼ to 1½in) thick

Pat the steaks dry with kitchen paper, then season on both sides with the salt, pressing the seasoning into the meat so that it sticks.

Heat a large cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. (Give your pan 1 to 2 minutes to heat up; this will help you get a nice dark crust.) Meanwhile, blot the steaks with kitchen paper on both sides to absorb excess moisture.

Add the oil to the frying pan and swirl the pan to coat. Add the steaks and cook, undisturbed, until the undersides are deeply golden and a crust has formed, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is deeply golden, about 4 minutes more. Sear the edges of the steaks if they have fat on them, then lay them flat in the pan. Add the butter, thyme, rosemary, garlic and a generous pinch of pepper to the frying pan, then tilt the frying pan so that the butter pools to one side and, using a large spoon, baste the steaks with the butter, herbs and garlic for 1 minute (at this point, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should register 48° to 51°C/120° to 125°F for medium-rare). Remove from the heat.

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board, leaving the juices in the pan. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the steak against the grain into thick slices and arrange on plates. Spoon the pan juices and any collected resting juices over the steak and serve.

Pork Chop like at Kiki’s Taverna

There’s a magical little taverna on the island of Mykonos, near Agios Sostis Beach, that’s run single-handedly by a gentleman named Vassily. To get there, you park your doorless Jimny rental 4x4 and walk a half-mile down a skinny shrub-lined path until you reach a little break in the hillside, and there is Kiki’s Taverna. For a meal here, you leave your name, since no reservations are accepted. And while you wait at least an hour for a table, you sip on Greek rosé from copper cups and watch the stray cats roam over the shack-like restaurant’s roof. Once you’re finally seated, order all of the five salads, and the Kiki’s Taverna pork chop. This is not just a pork chop. It is THE pork chop. Glazed in honey and speckled with fresh oregano, it is hands down the juiciest, most delicious piece of pork you will ever eat. With porky juices dribbling down your chin and a stupid smile on your face, you can gaze at the mega-yachts floating in the water in the cove down below and think, ‘This is the life.’

Until you’re able to get there, make this dish, which is not the official Kiki’s chop but one inspired by my memory of it. The photo is on page 227.

Score the fat along the edges of the pork chops (this helps them stay flat as they cook) and place in a zip-lock bag. Thinly slice 2 of the lemons into rounds. Remove and discard the seeds. Add the slices to the bag with the pork chops.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, oregano, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons lukewarm water and pour onto the chops. Press the air out of the bag, then tightly seal. Rub the outside of the bag to mix the marinade, squishing it around the chops to coat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or as long as overnight.

Heat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7, with a rack in the middle. Let the chops stand at room temperature (still in the marinade) for 20 minutes to take the chill off.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade, scraping off any lemon or garlic pieces; discard the marinade. Season on all sides with 1 teaspoon salt.

Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the frying pan, then add the chops. Cook until the bottoms are golden, about 5 minutes. Stand the chops on their fatty sides and brown the fat, about 3 minutes, then turn the chops uncooked side down.

Place the pan in the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the chops reads 58°C/135°F on an instant-read thermometer, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer the chops to a large plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the pork chops with a generous pinch or two of pepper and salt. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Pork Chop like at Kiki's Taverna and Braised Red Cabbage with Pears and Cumin (page 92)

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

WITH MAPLE-BOURBON ONION JAM

Polish people love pork tenderloin; it’s our filet mignon. Searing this lean cut in butter and oil before finishing it in the oven, as opposed to simply roasting it, allows a nice crust to build. I grew up eating this with peaches or apples that were often cooked into a compote. Here a sweet onion jam, spiked with a little booze, makes a good stand-in.

For the jam: In a large heavy frying pan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon salt, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very tender and sweet, 30 to 35 minutes.

Add the maple syrup and bourbon, increase the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are jammy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt, then adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The jam can be made ahead, cooled, covered and kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)

Meanwhile, for the pork: While the jam cooks, mound the garlic with 1 teaspoon salt on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, mash and chop into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the mustard, rosemary, ½ teaspoon pepper and 2 teaspoons of the oil.

With a paring knife, make twelve X-shaped incisions, about 3mm (⅛in) deep, all over each tenderloin. Rub the tenderloins all over with the garlic mixture, stuffing bits into the incisions.

In a large ovenproof frying pan, heat the butter and remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and foamy. Add one tenderloin and cook until browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and brown the second tenderloin. Return the first tenderloin to the pan and turn them both browned side up.

Transfer the frying pan to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads 58°C/135°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Macadamia-Crusted Lamb Lollies

WITH SPICY HONEY AGRODOLCE

This recipe was born during a family holiday in Hawaii. My father came home from Costco, his special happy place, with a package of New Zealand rack of spring lamb and a massive bag of macadamia nuts, Hawaii’s state nut. Knowing I had a week to use up the contents of the bag (or he would take it back home to Vermont with him and let the nuts sit in his freezer for a decade), I decided to make a crust for the meat with them. Cutting the rack into individual chops speeds up the cooking time and allows for greater coverage of the crushed nut mix. A quick agrodolce, an addictive Italian sauce that’s terrific on anything meaty, lends a welcome kick of spice, balanced by a little sweetness and tang.

To make the crust, spread the nuts on a rimmed baking tray and bake until lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.

Combine the cooled nuts, parsley, coriander and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Spread the mixture onto a large plate. Set aside.

For the agrodolce: In a small saucepan, heat the honey, rosemary and red chilli flakes over low heat just until barely warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Season the lamb chops on both sides with salt. Heat a large cast-iron frying pan or griddle pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Brush with the oil. Cook the lamb chops on the fatty edges until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Then cook for 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove the chops from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes, then press both sides of each chop into the nut mixture.

ANIMAL

Whole Roasted Red Snapper

WITH LEMON + HERBS

Tip