Although there’s nothing better than a well-aged Prime sirloin steak, the humble hamburger, when it’s got the optimal ratio of fat to lean meat, can be extraordinary. And I even have fond memories of the Swiss steak my mom made me with the beef that had been sent through the automatic tenderizer. She’d sear it, heat a can of cream of mushroom soup to pour over it, and serve it with rice. It was delicious.
The main thing I look for when I buy beef is the fat—I want plenty of good marbling. A pork chop for pan-frying or a tough short rib for braising should also have a good proportion of fat. Though I applaud the smaller farmers who are raising livestock responsibly, I still prefer the flavor and the quality of fat in beef from steers finished on grain rather than from those fed exclusively on grass.
How you cook meat is determined primarily by the cut. If it comes from a lesser-used muscle, such as the loin or tenderloin, we cook it quickly, typically in a very hot pan or on a hot grill, to develop a flavorful sear. If it comes from one of the heavily worked muscles, from the shank or shoulders, which have developed a lot of connective tissue, it will need to be tenderized by long, gentle cooking. Even these cuts benefit from a good initial sear. I sear meat in plenty of oil. Don’t worry about using too much—you’re using it only to brown the meat (see How Much Oil).
Perhaps the most critical part of cooking meat is allowing it to rest once it has been removed from the heat. Resting allows the heat to equalize and the juices to be redistributed evenly throughout the cut. The effect on beef is especially vivid. You can’t really achieve that perfect medium-rare without a resting period. Steaks should generally be allowed to rest for about the same amount of time they took to cook; big roasts should rest for 20 or 30 minutes.
Humanely raised animals usually means better-tasting meat. Again, develop a relationship with your butcher or grocer, who can help you find the best.
How do you judge how hot oil is? Mainly by sight. Oil is viscous—sluggish when it hits a cold pan—but as it gets hotter, it appears thinner. For sautéing you want to see the oil rippling, which means it’s very hot. Any hotter and the oil begins to smoke and starts degrading. Heating it further will increase the risk of accidental flaming, as vapors coming off smoking oil can ignite.
When I sauté, I want plenty of oil in the pan. I’ve never felt comfortable with a recipe that specifies how much oil to use to sauté a piece of meat or fish. Volume measurements—say, so many teaspoons—are dependent on the size of the pan, and depth measurements are impractical and fail to take into account all variables. Many people fear using fat and so try to use as little oil as possible. Actually, using too little oil leads to more problems for the home cook than using too much oil.
It’s important to understand what’s happening when you put meat into a pan. The meat cools the oil and the pan, so you need enough oil to carry enough heat to compensate for what this cooler item will do to it. If there’s not enough oil, the food can cool the oil to the point that it won’t sear the meat and may lead to the meat’s sticking to the pan. For items that are not uniformly flat (for instance, scallops), parts of the surface of what you’re sautéing may not even be touching the pan or the oil if you use too little oil.
By contrast, when you use more oil than you need, you can simply pour it off after you have a good sear. Regardless of how much oil you use, you’re not consuming appreciably more or less oil. And the cost of adding a little more oil is not extraordinary.
It’s always a good idea to heat your pan before you add the oil—that way, you’re not in danger of forgetting about the pan and letting it get too hot and even igniting. Once you’ve added your oil to the pan, you need to allow the oil to get hot. If you inadvertently let the oil become too hot, simply add some more oil to cool the pan down.
Sautéing involves many points of finesse, one of the most important of which is adding the right amount of oil to your pan. It’s one of the most common acts we do as cooks, so it’s important that you feel comfortable judging the amount of oil by sight.
RED WINE REDUCTION
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup diced (½-inch) yellow onion
1 cup ½-inch-thick slices peeled carrots
1 cup ½-inch-thick slices leeks (white and light green parts only)
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms and/or mushroom stems
3 thyme sprigs
6 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
3 large garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
BRAISE
1 piece (about 2½ pounds) boneless chuck short rib
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Canola oil
1 cup diced (½-inch) yellow onion
⅔ cup ½-inch-thick slices peeled carrots
1½ cups ½-inch-thick slices leeks (white and light green parts only)
2 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
3 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
About 5 cups Beef Stock
Braising is such a satisfying process for the cook. First, you brown the ribs in fat, then cook them in a rich braising liquid—until they’re tender but still have some body to them, not until they’re falling apart—then cool them in the braising liquid. The flavor improves with time, so these are actually best cooked at least a day before you plan to serve them.
Ask your butcher for a cut called “boneless chuck short rib.” Cooking it whole off the bone allows you to cut portions as you wish after it has cooked and cooled. Serve this with a rich, creamy side dish, such as Polenta, Puree of Garlic Potatoes, or Celery Root with Melted Onions. These short ribs are also the base for the Beef Stroganoff and Catalan Beef Stew.
Combine all the ingredients for the red wine reduction in a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot that will hold the meat comfortably. Bring to a simmer over high heat and reduce the heat to maintain the simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, until the wine has reduced to a glaze.
Meanwhile, trim any pieces of sinew from the top of the short ribs; leave the layer of fat and silverskin. Remove any remaining connective tissue from where the bones were removed. Season all sides of the meat generously with salt and pepper and coat in flour, patting off any excess.
Heat some canola oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until it shimmers. Add the meat fat-side-down, reduce the heat, and brown the meat for 3 minutes. Turn the meat and brown the other side. Transfer the meat to a tray.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the onion, carrots, leeks, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the wine reduction and toss together. Cut a piece of cheesecloth about 4 inches larger than the diameter of the pot. Moisten the cheesecloth and wring dry, place over the vegetables, and fold over the edges to form a “nest” for the meat. (The cheesecloth will allow the liquid to flavor and cook the meat but prevent bits of vegetable and herbs from clinging to it.) Put the meat on the cheesecloth and add the stock; it should come just to the top of the meat. Cut a parchment lid and place it over the meat.
Transfer the pot to the oven, reduce the heat to 325°F, and braise the beef for 1½ to 2 hours, until very tender. To check, uncover the meat and press on it: the fibers should separate as you press down, but the meat shouldn’t be falling apart.
Transfer the meat to a heatproof container. Strain the braising liquid twice through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a bowl, then strain into a fat separator or deep bowl and allow the fat to rise to the top. Skim off the fat and strain the liquid over the meat. (The meat can be refrigerated in the liquid for up to 3 days, then finished as follows. Or it can be used to make Beef Stroganoff or Catalan Beef Stew.)
To get ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Remove any solidified fat from the surface of the liquid. (If the liquid has gelled, place the container in the oven or microwave and heat until the liquid melts and you can remove the meat without breaking it.) Put the meat fat-side-down in an ovenproof sauté pan and pour in about ¼ inch of the braising liquid. Pour the remaining liquid into a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency. Remove the sauce from the heat.
Meanwhile, put the pan of short ribs over medium heat and bring to a simmer, spooning the juices over the meat. Transfer the uncovered pan to the oven to heat through, about 15 minutes, basting with the juices once or twice. Turn the meat over and baste generously with the juices. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes or so, basting two more times, until the meat is hot and richly browned with the sauce.
Cut the short ribs against the grain into slices about ½ inch thick (Cutting Meat Across the Grain). Keep checking the meat as you slice, as the grain will not follow a straight line, and adjust your knife to keep cutting against the grain. Arrange the meat on a platter and spoon the sauce over it.
SERVES 4
CREAM SAUCE
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut in ¾-inch pieces
1 tablespoon (½ ounce) unsalted butter
⅔ cup chopped onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups heavy cream
1 Sachet, without the garlic
⅓ cup crème fraîche
MUSHROOMS
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound small or medium cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Braised Beef Short Ribs, chilled, braising liquid reserved for another braise if desired
Pappardelle, homemade (see To Roll the Pasta and Pasta Dough) or store-bought
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Beef stroganoff made with Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup was a mainstay of the 1970s that I still feel some nostalgia for. This interpretation of that all-American version of stroganoff calls for braised beef short ribs with a mushroom cream sauce, enriched with crème fraîche. This is just as much about the mushrooms as it is the beef. Some of the cremini are pureed to use in the sauce, and some are sliced and sautéed to toss with the noodles.
Working in a couple of batches, process the mushrooms for the sauce in a food processor, scraping down the sides as necessary, until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped mushrooms, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.
Pour in the cream, add the sachet, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to keep the cream at a simmer and simmer for about 35 minutes, until the cream is reduced by about one-third and infused with the mushroom flavor.
Meanwhile, set a cooling rack over a baking sheet and line the rack with paper towels. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the canola oil and heat until the butter melts. Add half of the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, without stirring (if you toss or move the mushrooms too early, they will steam rather than brown), for about 3 minutes, until the first side is golden brown. Turn the mushrooms and cook for another minute or two, until golden brown. Transfer to the lined baking sheet to drain and cook the remaining mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil.
It is easiest to cut the short ribs into pieces while the meat is cold. Cut into 2-inch cubes and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
When the sauce is ready, discard the sachet, pour the sauce into a blender, and blend until smooth. Strain the sauce into a medium saucepan, set over medium-low heat, and stir in the crème fraîche until incorporated. Reserve about ¼ cup of the sautéed mushrooms, and add the remaining mushrooms to the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce will be on the thick side. Keep warm on the back of the stovetop or on a diffuser over very low heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat some oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meat, presentation (nicest) side down, and brown for 2 to 3 minutes, until richly caramelized. Turn the meat over, transfer to the oven, and heat through, about 10 minutes.
Add the pappardelle to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 2 to 4 minutes if fresh. Reserve a cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the butter.
Meanwhile, if necessary, reheat the cream sauce over low heat. Reheat the reserved sautéed mushrooms in a small pan.
Toss the noodles with the cream sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit of the reserved cooking water to thin. (The cooking water will have some starch in it from the pasta and will maintain the silkiness of the sauce while thinning it.) Add half of the sautéed mushrooms to the noodles and arrange them on a platter. Arrange the short ribs and the remaining mushrooms on the top. Sprinkle with gray salt and garnish with parsley.
SERVES 4
8 baby fennel bulbs, about 1 inch in diameter, or 2 medium fennel bulbs (about 10 ounces each)
12 baby leeks, about ½ inch in diameter, or 3 small leeks (about 8 ounces each)
Kosher salt
12 fingerling potatoes, about 2 inches long (about 1 pound total)
1 Sachet
Braised Beef Short Ribs, chilled
½ cup Soffritto
⅔ cup pitted oil-cured Spanish olives
2 large strips orange zest—removed with a vegetable peeler
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Short rib braises can be taken in numerous directions. Here we use ingredients common in Catalonian cuisine—black olives, orange, and fennel—along with fingerling potatoes. The soffritto, a combination of slow-cooked onions and tomato puree, reduced to almost a jammy consistency, adds great depth to virtually any stew or braise.
If you cannot find baby fennel and leeks, substitute larger ones, cut into smaller pieces.
If using baby fennel, trim the root ends. Cut off the stalks, and reserve the fronds for garnish. If using larger fennel bulbs, trim off the stalks; reserve the fronds for garnish. Peel off the tough outer layer of each fennel bulb. Trim the root ends, keeping the bulbs intact. Cut the bulbs lengthwise in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges.
Trim the roots and dark green leaves from the leeks. The baby leeks should be about 4 inches long. Cut larger leeks into 4-inch sections, then quarter each piece lengthwise. Rinse well to remove any dirt.
Blanch the fennel wedges and leeks separately in a large pot of boiling salted water (see Big-Pot Blanching). The fennel will take about 4 minutes, the leeks 3 to 4 minutes. Chill in an ice bath, drain, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Once they are cooled, peel off the wilted outside layer of the leeks.
Put the potatoes and sachet in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, discard the sachet, and transfer the potatoes to a tray.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and set aside. (If the liquid has gelled, place the container in the oven or microwave and heat until the liquid melts and you can remove the meat without breaking it.) Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a large measuring cup; discard any solids. Allow the fat to rise to the top, then pour off and discard.
Cut the short ribs into pieces about 2 inches by 1 inch; you will need at least 8 pieces. Put the pieces presentation (nicest) side down in an ovenproof sauté pan that will hold them in a single layer with room enough to baste them. Add enough of the braising liquid to come ½ inch up the sides of the pieces and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (Reserve the remaining braising liquid.)
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the short ribs are hot, about 10 minutes. Turn the ribs, baste with the pan juices, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Baste with the pan juices again and return to the oven for 5 more minutes. Carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate and set aside. Strain the braising liquid in the pan through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a measuring cup. You need 2 cups liquid; if necessary add some of the reserved braising liquid to make up the difference (see Note).
Put a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the soffritto and braising liquid, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the olives and orange zest and simmer for 5 minutes, to allow the flavors to marry and the sauce to reduce.
Add the potatoes and stir to coat. Add the short ribs, tucking them in and around the potatoes, and baste the meat with the sauce (the sauce should be thickening and beginning to glaze the meat). Put the leeks and fennel on the top, and spoon a light coating of sauce over them. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Baste the meat and vegetables again, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
Garnish the stew with the reserved fennel fronds, sprinkle with gray salt, and serve directly from the Dutch oven.
SERVES 4
Note If you have any leftover braising liquid, it can be reduced and used as a flavorful sauce, or it can be frozen and used for another braise.
¼ cup black peppercorns, preferably Telicherry
Canola oil
Six 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks, 1½ inches thick, trimmed if necessary
Kosher salt
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Ahearty coating of peppercorns that have been steeped in oil to soften their bite offers a contrast to the delicate texture of this tender, lean muscle. If you want to lessen the bite further, double the amount of oil you steep them in. Honey-Glazed Cipollini Onions go well with this, as does Horseradish Cream. (Save leftover oil for vinaigrettes.)
Put the peppercorns in a small saucepan, cover them with 1½ cups canola oil, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let the peppercorns steep in the oil for 1 hour.
Drain the peppercorns and reserve the oil for another use (see Note). Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a mortar with a pestle or use the bottom of a heavy pan. Spread them on a work surface, coat both sides of the steaks, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Heat some canola oil in 2 large frying pans over medium-high heat. Season the steaks with kosher salt and add 3 steaks to each pan, without crowding (if the meat is crowded, it will steam instead of sear). Sear for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side, until richly browned. When you turn the steaks, move them to a different part of the pan (see Lightbulb Moment). Transfer to the rack.
Transfer the steaks to the oven and cook for about 18 minutes, or until the center registers 125° to 128°F. Remove from the oven and allow the steaks to rest for about 10 minutes for medium-rare before serving. Sprinkle with gray salt.
SERVES 6
Note The pepper oil can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.
1½ pounds beef sirloin
12 ounces beef brisket
12 ounces beef chuck
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
The way to ensure a great burger is to use the proper cuts of meat, with a good amount of fat; to season it before grinding it; and to combine all the ingredients without overworking the mixture. I like a combination of sirloin, brisket, and chuck, for flavor and for a succulent burger. If you don’t have a grinder, ask your butcher or the meat department of your grocery store to grind the meat for you, all together, first through a large die and then through a small die, alternating quantities of each meat through the grinder so they are mixed. Besides great flavor, there’s an important safety reason to grind meat from whole cuts. Some meat ground at processing plants has been found to carry a harmful strain of E. coli. When you grind your own, the possibility of bacterial contamination is considerably reduced, so that you can serve your hamburgers medium-rare without worrying about bacteria.
Add seasonings to your own taste, such as sautéed (and chilled) sliced garlic, onions, and/or chiles. Try the burgers with Fingerling or Sweet Potato Chips.
Trim any excess fat or sinew from the meat, leaving about ¼ inch of fat. Cut all the meat into 1-inch pieces and put in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (The amounts listed for salt and pepper will give you a moderately seasoned hamburger; if you’d like, add more or less.)
Set up a grinder with the ⅜-inch die. Fill a large bowl three-quarters full with ice water, and put a bowl on top of the ice for catching the ground meat. Grind the meat, alternating pieces of sirloin, brisket, and chuck. Run a piece of plastic wrap or parchment through the grinder to pass all the meat through (Every Last Bit). Change the die to the smaller one and run the meat through again.
Divide the meat into 6 portions. Handling it gently, form it into ¾-inch- to 1-inch-thick burgers. Do not squeeze, mash, or overwork the meat—try to keep the strands intact.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for two-temperature cooking, with one area for medium-high heat and the other for medium heat (Grilling Basics).
Put the hamburgers over medium-high heat and cook, without moving, for 2 minutes, or until they are well marked. (Do not move them too early; they need to cook long enough to prevent sticking to the grate.) Turn the hamburgers 90 degrees to make a crosshatch pattern, and grill for 2 minutes. Flip the hamburgers over, move to medium heat, and grill, without moving them, for 5 minutes. Turn the hamburgers 90 degrees and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, transfer to a platter, and let rest in a warm spot for about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
SERVES 6
Every last bit A good trick for pushing the last chunks of meat through a meat grinder is to tear off about a foot or so of plastic wrap and feed it into the grinder, holding on to the end to ensure it’s traveling the length of the auger (you should feel it tugging as it moves toward the blade). The plastic wrap will push the meat through the blade and die, but the blade won’t cut the wrap.
It is almost always better to grind your own meat than to buy it preground from the grocery store. First, it allows you to choose precisely what cuts you want to use, such as flavorful chuck, brisket, and sirloin for these hamburgers, or to include veal and well-marbled pork butt, as we do in the meatballs. Fat is essential in any ground meat preparation, and when you grind your own meat, you can make sure to include enough fat so the results won’t be dry. For a juicy burger with good texture, you need to keep the meat and fat you’re grinding cold. One way is to grind them into a bowl set over an ice bath.
Be sure to have your blades sharpened regularly or buy new ones on a regular basis—dull blades can ruin the texture of ground meat.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces boneless beef sirloin
12 ounces boneless beef chuck
8 ounces boneless pork butt
8 ounces boneless veal shoulder or top round
¼ cup Dried Bread Crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
1 pound pappardelle, homemade (see To Roll the Pasta and Pasta Dough) or store-bought
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
Juice of ½ lemon
Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce, warmed
Fried oregano herbs
This was one of my dad’s favorite meals at Ad Hoc—meatballs stuffed with fresh mozzarella and served over oven-roasted tomato sauce, alongside big hearty noodles. The meatballs can also be served with many side dishes for a festive family meal. Or serve them as a first course or even an hors d’oeuvre. Instead of the tomato sauce, they can be served in a broth with potatoes and other vegetables. Or you can pan-fry them for a crisp crust and serve them as a tapas plate or part of a mezze platter, with some tomato sauce for dipping.
If you don’t have a meat grinder, ask the butcher to grind the meats for you (see lightbulb moment), alternating quantities of each meat as they go through the grinder so that they are well mixed. Or, if necessary, buy ground meat.
Heat the canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat. Cook gently for about 20 minutes, to soften the vegetables without browning them. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, trim any sinew from the meat. Cut all of the meat into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon salt.
Set up a meat grinder with a ⅜-inch die. Fill a large bowl with ice water and nestle a smaller bowl in it to catch the ground meat. Grind the meat, alternating the types of meat. (To get every bit of meat out of the grinder, seeEvery Last Bit.) Change the die to 3/16 inch and run the meat through again.
Add the onion and garlic, bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and the egg to the meat and mix gently to incorporate evenly; do not overwork the mixture. To check the seasoning, put a small patty of the meat on a plate and cook in the microwave for 30 seconds, then taste and add more salt if desired.
Divide the mixture into 12 equal balls, using a scant ½ cup (4 ounces) for each.
Cut the cheese into 12 cubes, about ¾ inch. Shape the meatballs, stuffing a cube of cheese into the center of each one (see Note).
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Put the meatballs on the cooling rack and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until cooked through but still juicy. Remove from the oven and let the meatballs rest on the rack for a few minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle; drain and put in a large bowl. Toss with the melted butter, the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and the lemon juice.
Spoon the tomato sauce into a gratin dish or shallow serving dish. Top with the meatballs and garnish with the oregano. Serve the pappardelle on the side.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Note Once the meatballs are stuffed, they can be placed on a baking sheet and frozen uncovered, then stored in a sealed plastic bag. Spread the meatballs on a tray and defrost in the refrigerator before cooking.
Three 1½-inch-thick porterhouse steaks (about 1½ pounds each)
Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1 cup Herb and Shallot Butter, at room temperature
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
It’s fun to serve a porterhouse steak because it gives you two different cuts of meat, the flavorful strip loin and the delicate tenderloin. We grill this for flavor, but carefully—we don’t want it overly charred. It’s delicious topped with the Herb and Shallot Butter and served with Creamed Baby Spinach.
Trim the excess fat from the steaks, including the “tail” if it is very fatty. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour. Just before grilling, coat the steaks with canola oil and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for two-temperature cooking with one area for medium-high heat and the other for medium heat (Grilling Basics).
Grill the steaks over medium-high heat, without moving, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are well marked. (For a nice crust, and to prevent the meat from sticking to the grate, do not move the steaks too early.) Rotate the steaks 90 degrees to make a crosshatch pattern, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the steaks over, move to medium heat, and grill, without moving them, for 3 minutes. Rotate the steaks 90 degrees and cook for another 8 to 12 minutes (timing can vary greatly, depending on the heat level), brushing the steaks 2 or 3 times with the herb butter, until the center of the meat registers 125°F to 128°F. Transfer the steaks to a carving board, brush with herb butter, and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes for medium-rare.
Slice the meat away from the bones, and cut against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices (see Cutting Meat Across the Grain). Arrange the meat around the bones on a serving platter and sprinkle with gray salt.
SERVES 6
You can clean and oil a grill grate with just an onion. Cut a large yellow onion crosswise in half. Spear the root end with a grill fork. Pour about ¼ inch of canola oil into a shallow bowl just slightly larger than the onion. Heat the grill to high, dip the cut side of the onion in the oil, and rub it against the grate. It will smoke as it cleans and coats the grill. Once it is clean, set the onion aside, and adjust the heat as needed. As soon as you finish grilling, quickly repeat the technique with the onion. For the best results, use the onion one last time before the grill is completely cool.
A mortar and pestle are enormously useful for grinding sea salts that may be a little too coarse. We also use them to grind peppercorns, whole fresh or toasted spices, fresh herbs, preserved lemon, or nuts. They’re also fantastic for making sauces such as pesto, salsas, and aioli. On top of this, they’re beautiful objects; I have all kinds in different sizes.
For most of our cooking, we use kosher salt, and I recommend you do too. The brand is less important than using the same kind consistently so that you become accustomed to its effects, to the feel of it between your fingers, and learn to gauge how much you are adding. The two major brands are Morton’s and Diamond Crystal. Morton’s is considerably heavier than Diamond Crystal; a cup of Morton’s weighs about 8 ounces; a cup of Diamond Crystal weighs about 5 ounces. We prefer Diamond Crystal because it gives you a little more control, has a cleaner flavor, and doesn’t contain any anticaking agents.
Because of the wide variations in salt densities, we recommend you weigh salt when you’re using a lot of it, as in a brine. But when using small amounts of salt to season food, I recommend you learn your own “pinch volumes”—that is, the amount of salt you pick up when you pinch salt between your thumb and three fingers, two fingers, or one finger. You will be able to pick up about a teaspoon of salt or perhaps a little less if you gather as much as you can between thumb and three fingers, about ½ teaspoon between thumb and two fingers, and ¼ teaspoon between thumb and one finger. You should use salt all the time in your cooking, seasoning as you go. Measuring by hand and sight is not difficult to learn, and it makes you a more efficient cook.
While kosher salt is our basic seasoning, we use a few other salts too. Fleur de sel is a lovely sea salt from Brittany that we use to finish fish and white meats. It has a mild flavor and crunch. Sel gris, gray salt, from the same region, has a more mineraly flavor and decidedly more crunch; we use it to finish red meats. Maldon salt, a flaky sea salt produced in Essex, England, is a favorite for its delicate texture. It’s excellent for fish and vegetables and flatbreads, where we don’t want it to dissolve too quickly. While all these salts have nuances of flavor, finishing salts are used primarily for the texture they give a dish.
Another technique we use is to grind high-quality sea salts that are a little too coarse for some purposes in a mortar and pestle. We do this for salads and for other dishes, or even fruits, when we want to add a nice mineral burst but don’t want crunchy pieces of salt. Sometimes we chop coarse sea salt very fine in a food processor and use it for finishing certain dishes. Salt isn’t oil-soluble, so we use finely chopped salt to finish dishes like fried chicken, or the roasted nuts that we toss with a little oil (larger flakes of salt wouldn’t dissolve).
And we occasionally use special salts for their unique flavor. Sometimes we flavor the salt ourselves, as in the lime salt for Corn on the Cob (see Corn on the Cob with Lime Salt).
MARINADE
6 thyme sprigs
Two 8-inch rosemary sprigs
4 small bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
5 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Six 8-ounce trimmed outer skirt steaks (see headnote)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
4 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
Skirt steak, part of the diaphragm, is a very flavorful cut. There are two sections of the skirt, an outside muscle and an inside muscle. The inside muscle is smaller, a little more uneven, and a little tougher than the outer skirt, which we prefer. The outer skirt is still a tough cut of meat and, because it’s served medium-rare, not tenderized through long cooking, you need to slice it across the grain, straight down (thereby shortening the long muscle fibers that otherwise make it tough), to ensure that it’s tender (Cutting Meat Across the Grain). The marinade we use here, with abundant herbs and garlic, is excellent for all cuts of beef.
Combine the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, and oil in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let the marinade cool to room temperature.
Pull away the excess fat from the skirt steak and discard. If necessary, trim the steak of any silverskin. Cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Put in a dish or a resealable plastic bag, add the marinade, and cover the dish or seal the bag, squeezing out excess air. Marinate for at least 4 hours, or for up to a day, in the refrigerator.
Remove the meat from the marinade and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking; discard the marinade. Dry the meat with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When it shimmers, add half the meat and quickly brown the first side. Turn the meat and, working quickly, add 1 tablespoon of the butter, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 garlic clove and brown the meat on the second side, basting constantly; the entire cooking process should take only about 1½ minutes. Transfer the meat to the rack and spoon the butter, garlic, and thyme over the top. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining steaks.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the center of the meat registers about 125°F. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest on the rack in a warm place for about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
Arrange the steak on a serving platter, or slice each piece against the grain, cutting straight down, and arrange on the platter. Garnish with the garlic and thyme.
PHOTOGRAPH HERE
SERVES 6
One 2½-pound tri-tip roast, about 3 inches thick at its thickest point
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon piment d’Espelette
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Kosher salt
Canola oil
1 tablespoon (½ ounce) unsalted butter
1 rosemary sprig
1 garlic clove, smashed, skin left on
5 very thin lemon slices, preferably Meyer lemon, seeds removed
The tri-tip is a cut from the very bottom of the sirloin section of the cow, between the ribs and the rump. It’s a single triangular-shaped muscle—there’s one on either side of the animal—sometimes called the sirloin tip; cuts vary throughout the country, and sometimes the tri-tip is included as part of another cut.
Accounts of the history of the tri-tip suggest that because it could quickly become tasteless and flavorless when cooked for too long, it was usually given to the workers on the ranches of the central California coast. But cooks eventually discovered that properly barbecued, it was delicious, every bit as flavorful as meat from the rib and loin, and Santa Maria, north of Santa Barbara, became known for its tri-tip barbecues.
We like to serve this with succotash made from our local corn. Start the recipe a day ahead to allow the spices to penetrate the meat.
One day ahead, trim the meat of all silverskin. Combine the black pepper, Espelette, and paprika and rub all over the meat. Wrap the meat tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Thirty minutes before cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Pat the meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle on all sides with salt. Heat some oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the meat and sear, without moving it, for 1 to 1½ minutes to brown the bottom. Turn the meat over, add the butter, rosemary, garlic, and lemon slices, and brown the second side of the meat, another 2 minutes or so; as it browns, tilt the pan from time to time and baste the top of the meat with the butter mixture. Transfer the meat to the rack and arrange the lemon slices, rosemary sprig, and garlic clove on top.
Put the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the roast, until the temperature in the center of the meat is about 135°F. Let the meat rest on the rack in a warm spot (such as the back of the stove) for about 30 minutes for medium-rare, allowing the juices to redistribute.
Cut the roast into thin slices: the grain in the tri-tip does not follow a straight line, so adjust the angle of the knife as you carve to continue cutting against the grain. Arrange the meat on a platter and garnish with the lemon slices, rosemary, and garlic.
SERVES 6
Cutting meat across the grain Meat is muscle. The muscles of land animals are composed of fibers that are very thin (about the width of a human hair, according to Harold McGee) and long, sometimes as long as the entire muscle. These fibers are wrapped in bundles, like cables; the sheathing for the cable is the connective tissue. The more a muscle is worked, the bigger those fibers get, and the more connective tissue there is. The bundles of fibers that compose muscle are tough to separate, and thus can be tough to chew. We make tougher meats more tender by long, slow cooking, which melts the connective tissue, and also by the way we cut it. Slicing meat across the grain shortens the long strands and makes them easier to separate from one another. You can see the grain—the way the fibers are running—in any piece of meat. Cut across the grain. Some cuts, such as the tri-tip sirloin, don’t have one straight grain throughout, so keep an eye on the grain as you proceed.
9 pieces (about 10 ounces each) oxtail
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
About 5 cups Beef Stock
12 ounces (about 5 cups) oyster mushrooms, cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
One 1-pound loaf rosemary ciabatta or other thick flat bread
Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup thinly sliced white onion
When you have leftover braised meat—short ribs, osso buco, pot roast—from a previous dinner, it makes amazing sandwiches. But it’s worth cooking extra just for this purpose. Oxtails (which are more commonly beef tails) contain meat, bone, and cartilage, making them ideal for braising. The meat gives flavor to the cooking liquid, and the bone and cartilage add great body. Here we make a thick ragù with them, add some oyster mushrooms, and serve it all on ciabatta bread, topped with sliced onions (pickled vegetables would work well too). It’s simple, and it’s really, really good. (You could probably put it between slices of Wonder Bread and it would still be delicious.) The ragù would also be a great sauce for pasta, or serve it for breakfast with eggs and hot sauce.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Generously season both sides of the oxtails with salt and pepper. Pour some canola oil into a large ovenproof sauté pan that will hold the oxtails in one layer, and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to medium, add about half the oxtails, and cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the first side is richly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown the second side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to the cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining oxtails.
Pour off the fat and return the oxtails to the pan. Add enough beef stock to come halfway up the oxtails. Bring to a simmer, cover, transfer to the oven, and cook until the oxtails are tender, 2½ to 3 hours.
Turn the oxtails over and let rest on top of the stove for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
Remove the oxtails from the cooking liquid, and strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh conical strainer; set aside. Remove the meat from the bones, discarding the fat and tough connective tissue, and put the meat in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The meat can be covered with the strained cooking liquid and refrigerated overnight. The cooking liquid will solidify; when you reheat the oxtails, it may be necessary to add about ¼ cup water.)
Heat some canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add half the mushrooms and cook, without moving them, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Cook the remaining mushrooms in the same way.
Return all the mushrooms to the sauté pan, add the shallots and thyme, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the shallots soften. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the liquid the mushrooms release has cooked off and they are glazed with butter, about 2 minutes. Stir in the oxtails, then pour in the reserved cooking liquid, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the liquid has reduced considerably and glazed the meat and mushrooms, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
Slice off the top of the loaf of bread and reserve for another use. Brush the bread generously with olive oil, and toast under the broiler. Transfer to a serving platter.
Spoon the meat and mushrooms over the bread and scatter the onion slices over the top. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.
Serves 6 as an appetizer, for lunch, or as a light main course
One 2-bone center-cut rib roast (about 4½ pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Horseradish Cream (recipe follows)
I cook rib roast in a very low oven to ensure that it is a rosy medium-rare from the very center almost to its outer edges. But we like the dark caramelized surface, for flavor and for visual appeal, which is typically achieved through roasting at high heat. We discovered that if you start by giving meat a quick heating using a blowtorch, though it won’t look particularly brown after the toasting, it will develop a beautifully browned surface even in that very low oven.
Propane torches are inexpensive and easy to use. Available at most hardware stores, they usually cost less than $20; replacement cylinders are usually less than $5. Avoid the smaller butane-fired torches sold at gourmet shops; propane torches are more effective. You can use a torch for caramelizing sugar on crème brûlee, browning meringue, and, as we do, giving a crust to your roast beef. Be sure to store your torch in a safe place.
Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 275°F.
Put the roast on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Hold a blowtorch about 1 inch from the roast and turn to lightly brown the fat on all sides; the idea is to start the fat rendering and to torch the meat just until the surface begins to turn gray. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper.
Transfer to the oven, with the meat toward the back of the oven, and cook until the roast registers 128°F in the center. The total cooking time will be about 2 hours, but begin to check the temperature after 1½ hours. Remove from the oven and let rest in a warm spot for at least 30 minutes for medium-rare.
To carve, cut the meat away from the bones. Separate the bones and put them on a serving platter. Cut the roast in half through the center, turn each piece cut side down, and slice straight down into slices that are about ½ inch thick. Arrange the meat on the platter and sprinkle with gray salt and pepper. Serve with the horseradish cream on the side.
SERVES 6
½ cup very cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
About ¼ cup drained prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon fleur de sel, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
This is a basic, and very easy, horseradish sauce—prepared horseradish and cream, seasoned with salt and pepper and a little bit of sherry vinegar. It goes especially well with grilled or roasted beef, like this prime rib roast, and the Peppercorn-Crusted Beef Tenderloin.
Put the heavy cream and vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk until the cream holds a soft shape. Whisk in the horseradish, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
When you season food with salt (or other seasonings, for that matter), whether the food is raw or cooked, always season from high above the food to ensure an even distribution. By contrast, when you hold your hand right over the food as you sprinkle the salt, the seasoning winds up concentrated in a smaller area.
2 lemons, halved
18 baby artichokes (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt
Twelve 1¼-inch-thick lamb loin chops (about 4 ounces each)
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
4 thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, slightly crushed, skin left on
3 tablespoons capers
1 cup oil-cured black olives
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
The flavor of lamb is showcased in this cut, the loin chop. But the loin chops are often cut too thin to be cooked perfectly medium-rare, the temperature I prefer most sautéed or grilled red meat, so it’s a good idea when you order these from your butcher or meat department to specify the thickness. Artichokes and lamb are a great springtime combination. Here we also include roasted tomatoes, capers, and olives.
Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the juice of the lemons. Add the lemon halves. Working with one artichoke at a time, snap off the outer leaves until you reach the pale inner leaves. With a paring knife, trim the bottom of the artichoke, starting from the top of the heart and slicing down to create a smooth line. Cut off the bottom of the stem. Cut off the top of the artichoke at the point where the leaves begin to take on a pink hue, and put the artichoke in the lemon water.
Remove the artichokes, drain them, and put them in a saucepan that will hold them in a single layer. Cover with water and add 2 tablespoons of the lemon water and a generous pinch of salt. Lay a clean, dampened kitchen towel over the artichokes to keep them submerged. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the artichokes to a small bowl, and pour in just enough cooking liquid to cover. Let cool. The artichokes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Remove the lamb chops from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Season the lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 6 of the chops and cook until well browned on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chops, add half the thyme and garlic, and cook, basting the meat with its own fat, until browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the cooling rack, along with the thyme and garlic. Repeat with the remaining chops, thyme, and garlic. Pour off the excess fat and set the pan aside.
Transfer the chops to the oven and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat is 128° to 130°F. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest in a warm spot for 15 minutes for medium-rare.
Meanwhile, drain the artichokes, cut them lengthwise in half, add to the skillet, and heat over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the capers and olives and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook just to warm through, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange the chops on a serving platter, top with the vegetables, sprinkle with gray salt, and garnish with the thyme and garlic.
SERVES 6
with honey mustard glaze
2 frenched 8-bone racks of lamb (2 to 2¼ pounds each) (see headnote)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
¼ cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cloves Garlic Confit or 1 tablespoon Garlic Puree
3 to 5 anchovy fillets, salt packed or oil packed, rinsed, dried, and minced
1½ cups Dried Bread Crumbs or ground panko crumbs
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Rack of lamb is a special dish—impressive to bring to the table and carve, tender, and delicious. We coat the racks with buttered bread crumbs seasoned with anchovy, rosemary, and garlic. The anchovies add a salty, savory depth, rather than an anchovy taste, to the breading. You can omit them if you don’t like anchovies or, if you love anchovies, you could add more. The racks can be seared and coated with the crumbs up to 6 hours ahead, then roasted when you are ready. This would be good with a potato gratin and braised endive.
Score the fat covering the lamb in a ½-inch crosshatch pattern; be careful not to cut into the meat. Season the racks on all sides with salt and pepper.
Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Put 1 rack fat-side-down in the pan and sear until golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes; carefully move the lamb as it sears to brown as much of the fat as possible. (It is best to sauté 1 rack at a time, so the temperature of the pan doesn’t drop dramatically.) Transfer the lamb to the roasting rack, meat-side-up. Drain off the fat, reheat the pan, adding fresh oil, and sear the remaining rack.
Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl; set aside. Combine the butter, garlic, and anchovies in a small food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree to a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, and rosemary to combine. Do not overmix; the mixture should be moist, but it may not all come together.
Brush the mustard mixture over the fat and meat (do not coat the underside of the racks). Spread the bread crumbs evenly over the racks, pressing gently and patting them so the crumbs adhere. (The lamb can be refrigerated, on the rack in the roasting pan, for up to 6 hours; remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting it.)
Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Put the lamb in the oven, with the meat side toward the back, and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, until the temperature in the center of the meat registers 128° to 130°F. Let the racks rest on the rack in a warm place for about 20 minutes for medium-rare.
Carve each rack into four 2-bone chops and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle with gray salt and serve.
PHOTOGRAPH HERE
SERVES 8
One 6½-pound trimmed leg of lamb, bone frenched (see headnote)
5 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
4 rosemary sprigs
½ cup canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Leg of lamb marinated with canola oil and garlic and thyme, studded with more garlic, and coated with plenty of aromatic herbs is a traditional dish. We insert the garlic cloves so that the meat is evenly flavored and the lamb is appealing when carved, and we use rosemary instead of thyme. It’s important to remove the fell, the membrane covering the fat, because it has a very gamy flavor; you can ask your butcher to do this if necessary. Also ask him to french it—clean the end of the bone—which makes a nicer presentation and also provides a “handle” for carving. Be sure to allow this big cut to come to room temperature before roasting it. We cook the leg to medium, rather than medium-rare, so that it becomes a little more tender. A long resting time is also important with a big cut such as this.
Try this with artichokes or asparagus, Butter-Poached Marble Potatoes and some Tomato-Basil Marmalade.
Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan. If the fell, the thin membrane over the outer layer of fat, is still intact, carefully remove it with a sharp knife. (Don’t be concerned if some of the fat is removed with the fell.) Make ten ½- to 1-inch-deep incisions in the thickest parts of the leg, where the garlic will be visible when the lamb is sliced, and insert a piece of garlic in each. Make another incision in the meat just above the frenched bone and insert 1 sprig of rosemary in the incision. Lay another 2 sprigs in the groove of the sirloin.
Turn the leg over and rub ¼ cup of the oil over the meat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn the meat back over, tuck the flap of sirloin under the roast, and place on the rack. Rub the top of the roast with the remaining ¼ cup oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Pull off the leaves of the remaining rosemary sprig and scatter them over the roast. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until it has reached room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Put the lamb in the oven and roast for 1 hour.
Turn the pan around and roast for 30 minutes, or until the very center of the top round registers 135°F.
Remove from the oven and let the meat rest on the rack for 45 minutes.
To carve the roast, hold the exposed bone, stand the lamb up on a cutting board, and slice the meat vertically, against the grain, until you reach the bone. Turn the roast around and carve the other side in the same manner until you reach the bone. Finally, slice across the sirloin. Arrange the meat on a serving platter and sprinkle with gray salt.
SERVES 8 TO 10
on lamb I love lamb for its unique flavor, as well as for the diversity of cuts you get from lamb. I especially like to cook whole cuts, such as rack of lamb—very tender, and delicious and special—or a leg of lamb, which gives you all kinds of textures and variations in doneness and will serve a big group. We raise wonderful lamb in the United States and I find that it has a subtler flavor than that of New Zealand or Australian lamb, which tends to be more assertive. I have a strong relationship with a lamb farmer in Pennsylvania, Keith Martin, who sells his lamb under the brand name Pure Bred. He raises the best lamb I’ve ever tasted, and it’s worth finding out if it’s available in your area (Sources).
Two of the most important parts of cooking are “tempering” meats and fish that have come out of the refrigerator (letting them come to room temperature) and resting meats and some fish after you remove them from the heat. Tempering happens on the countertop away from the stove, and resting takes place in a warm spot such as the top of your stove. They should be considered critical parts of the cooking process.
If you put a piece of meat, poultry, or fish straight from the refrigerator into a hot pan or oven, it can’t possibly cook evenly. To ensure even cooking, you must allow it to come to room temperature.
The bigger the item, the more necessary this is. A whole chicken or a prime rib should sit at room temperature for at least an hour, even longer for a large roast. But smaller cuts all benefit from being allowed to come to room temperature before going into the heat.
Equally significant is the resting period after the food has been removed from the heat. Everything continues to cook once it’s out of the heat, an effect called carryover cooking. But, even more important, as meat rests, the juices can redistribute throughout the meat. The meat fibers also firm up a little as they rest and are able to hold more juices. Allow a good long rest for big roasts, 30 minutes or so, and for whole birds, at least 20 minutes. Don’t worry about the food getting cold; the dense flesh stays hot for a long time. The smaller the item, the less time it needs to rest. The only items you should not let rest are thin fillets of fish, which lose moisture easily and can dry out.
Pork Brine, cold
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each), silverskin and excess fat removed
Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
6 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
8 slices Cured Lemons
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Pork tenderloin is inexpensive, very tender, and flavorful. Here we brine it, then sear it, adding plenty of flavor by caramelizing slices of cured lemon in the pan, and finish it in the oven, covered with the lemon slices. Serve this with something hearty, like braised chard or chicory, and with something rich like the Polenta to balance the lean meat.
Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the pork and add the pork. Refrigerate for 4 hours (no longer, or the pork may become too salty).
Remove the pork (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry. Let the tenderloins sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Pour some canola oil into a large frying pan or small roasting pan large enough to hold the pork and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Season the tenderloins with kosher salt and pepper, add to the pan, and sear, turning them occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add the butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and lemon slices and cook, tilting the pan and using a spoon to baste the pork with the pan juices, for 2 minutes.
Transfer the meat to the roasting rack. Overlap the lemon slices down the length of the tenderloins and top with the garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Roast until the internal temperature is 135° to 140°F (use the latter if you prefer your pork less pink), about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 15 minutes for medium-rare to medium.
Slice the pork on the diagonal into ½- to ¾-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a serving platter and garnish with the garlic, rosemary, and lemons. Sprinkle gray salt over the top.
SERVES 6
Pork Brine, cold
One 6-bone center-cut rack of pork (about 4 pounds), bones frenched (see headnote)
½ teaspoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
6 garlic cloves
1 lemon
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 tablespoon minced sage
3 tablespoons canola oil
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
According to a perhaps apocryphal story, a church council in Florence had convened dignitaries from Greek and Roman churches to smooth out their differences, and when they were served a dish of roasted pork—heavily seasoned with cloves, pepper, garlic, fresh herbs—the dignitaries were heard to murmur, “Arista, arista!” (This is terrific, the best!) And so it was called.
We almost always brine pork loin, pork racks, and most cuts of pork, which both seasons the meat and keeps it juicy. For the arista, the brined pork is rubbed with a paste of aromatic spices, herbs, garlic, and lemon juice, which creates a beautiful crust during roasting. Sometimes we serve a little jus with the loin, but it goes well with any of the prepared mustards along with a side of Celery Root with Melted Onions; in late summer, serve it with Tomato-Basil Marmalade.
Ask your butcher or meat department for a center-cut rack of pork, with a large fat cap. The fat cap is the fat and well-marbled exterior of the loin; it adds flavor and succulence to the finished dish.
Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the pork and submerge the pork in the brine. Refrigerate for 10 hours (no longer, or the pork may become too salty).
Remove the pork from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels or let air-dry. Score the fat, making shallow cuts about 1 inch apart in a crosshatch pattern; be careful not to cut into the meat.
Tying the roast keeps it in a compact shape and helps to cook it more evenly. Cut 5 pieces of twine about 15 inches long. Stand the roast on a baking sheet, meat side down and facing you. Position a piece of twine under the meat, bring up the ends between the first and second bones, and tie into a knot. The twine should hold the meat but not be pulled so tight that it cuts into the meat. Repeat between the second and third bones and then continue in the same manner. Trim any excess twine.
Make the rub just before using it for the most intense flavor: Grind the cloves and peppercorns with a mortar and pestle until pulverized. (Alternatively, put the cloves and peppercorns in a heavy-duty plastic bag and crush with a meat pounder or heavy pan.) Using a Microplane or box grater, grate the garlic and then the zest of the lemon directly into the ground peppercorns. Add a big pinch of salt and mash to a paste. Add the herbs and mash to a paste. Transfer to a bowl. Juice the lemon and stir the juice and oil into the paste.
Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan, put the roast on the rack, and massage the rub all over the roast and into the scored cuts. Let the meat stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Roast the meat for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the temperature in the center of the roast is 135° to 140°F (use the latter if you prefer your pork less pink). Remove the pan from the oven, cover the meat with a foil tent, and let rest on top of the stove for 30 minutes for medium-rare to medium.
Carve the meat into chops, arrange on a platter, and sprinkle with gray salt.
SERVES 6
3 racks pork short ribs (1½ to 1¾ pounds each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Short ribs are the first three ribs, those closest to the shoulder of the pig. They are fatty and contain some white meat, the beginning of the loin, but the prize is the dark meat close to the bone. Short ribs aren’t tender, like back ribs, so they require long, slow cooking. We sear them in fat first and then roast them for about 2 hours, until they’re tender. We serve this in winter with sides like Borlotti Bean Ragù or Caramelized Savoy Cabbage and maybe something sweet like the Honey-Glazed Cipollini Onions or stewed fruit.
Remove the short ribs from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Generously season both sides of the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sauté the racks in batches to avoid crowding. In a frying pan that will easily hold 2 racks, heat some canola oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 2 racks of short ribs, fat-side-down, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer the short ribs to the rack, bone side down. Clean the pan, add oil as needed, and brown the remaining short ribs.
Transfer to the oven and roast until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven and let the short ribs rest in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes. (The longer resting time will yield slightly more tender meat.)
Slice the meat from the ribs and cut against the grain into thin slices. Arrange the slices and a stack of the bones on a serving platter. Sprinkle with gray salt.
SERVES 6
RUB
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sweet pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 slabs pork spareribs (each about 3 pounds), cut into 3-bone portions
I love finger food, and spareribs are among the best finger food I know—seared over a hot grill, then cooked over indirect heat until tender, with a smoky spicy sweet flavor. We coat them in a flavorful dry rub and allow them to stand for 2 to 6 hours before cooking so that the flavor penetrates the meat. If you like to smoke with wood chips, extra smokiness works perfectly here. Serve the ribs with summery side dishes such as Smashed Roasted Marble Potatoes, Creamed Summer Corn, Coleslaw, and/or Red Potato and Green Bean Salad with Creamy Pepper Dressing.
Combine all of the rub ingredients in a medium bowl.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub the spareribs on all sides with the spice rub. Put on the baking sheet and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 6 to allow the flavors to develop. (The rub will also help tenderize the meat.)
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat cooking followed by indirect-heat cooking (Grilling Basics). To use an onion to clean and oil the grill, see Lightbulb Moment.
If your grill is small, sear the meat in batches. Place the ribs meat side down, without crowding, on the hot section of the grill and cook for about 2 minutes, until grill marks appear. Turn the ribs 90 degrees to create a crosshatch pattern and cook for another 2 minutes, or until well marked.
Transfer the ribs, meat side up, to the cool section of the grill, close the lid, and cook until tender but not falling off the bones, about 2 hours; move the ribs around after the first hour so they cook evenly. The temperature of the grill should remain at about 250°F; if the grill doesn’t have a thermometer, put an oven thermometer next to the meat to check the temperature, and adjust the heat as necessary.
Cut the spareribs into individual ribs if desired, and arrange on a serving platter.
SERVES 4 to 6
on pork Its fat is one of the things that makes pork so special. It’s got a flavor and creaminess that’s unlike any other kind of fat. Another reason chefs love pork is its sheer versatility, with all the various fresh cuts, from the rack to the shoulder to the belly, and all the cured products made from pork, including great bacon and hams, such as the very special dry-cured ibérico ham from Spain. We have come so far in this country. So many of us grew up eating ham sandwiches without any idea at all where ham came from! We’ve finally come to realize how great a part pigs have played in our culinary heritage.
Pork Brine, cold
One 2½-pound pork loin roast
1 large fennel bulb
Canola oil
½ cup ½-inch cubes ciabatta or other artisan bread
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 cup Fig and Balsamic Jam
¼ cup Chicken Stock
½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
A stuffing is a good way to introduce flavors into the pork. You can stuff the pork by hand, as described here, or use a piping bag. We sear the loin to brown and crisp the fat layer, then roast it to an internal temperature of 135°F, so that the interior is pale pink and juicy. Side dish possibilities include roasted parsnips, Caramelized Fennel, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Chile Flakes, and Glazed Sweet Potatoes; you might also accompany it with Fennel Mustard.
Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the pork loin and add the pork. Refrigerate for 10 hours (no longer, or the pork may become too salty).
Remove the pork loin from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry.
Using a long thin knife, make a horizontal lengthwise cut all the way through the center of the loin. (Instead of making one long slit, you may find it easier to cut halfway into the meat, working from either end.) Turn the knife and make a vertical cut through the meat (the two cuts should intersect like a plus sign). Let the meat rest at room temperature while you prepare the stuffing.
Cut the stalks from the fennel and trim the root end. Remove the thicker outer layers. Separate the bulb into individual layers and cut into batons about 1¼ inches long and ½ inch wide (see photo here); you need ½ cup fennel. Reserve the remaining fennel for another use.
Set a cooling rack over a small baking sheet and line it with paper towels.
Heat some canola oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and cook, tossing to brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread cubes to the lined rack.
Pour off any excess oil, leaving just a light film in the pan, return the pan to the heat, and add the fennel. Cook until tender with just a little bite left, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the jam and warm through, then add the bread cubes, chicken stock, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put a roasting rack in a small roasting pan and put it in the oven.
Meanwhile, use your fingers to widen the cavity in the meat enough to hold the stuffing, working from either end of the loin. Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe it into the opening on one side of the pork, pushing the filling into the center of the roast. Turn the loin around and finish stuffing it from the other end. Tie the roast with kitchen twine (see Tying a Boneless Roast), being careful not to pull the string so tight that it pushes out the filling.
Season the loin on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the loin to the pan and brown on all sides, moving it to a different area of the pan with each turn (see Lightbulb Moment, page 89), for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the pork to the roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 135° to 140°F (if you prefer your pork less pink). Remove from the oven and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes for medium-rare to medium.
Remove the string and cut the loin into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with gray salt.
SERVES 6
This pork loin could simply be tied with several pieces of kitchen twine an inch apart, but this method allows the meat to maintain its shape without the twine cutting into the meat.
Put the loin fat-side-up on the work surface. Loop the twine around one end of the loin, leaving several inches of twine hanging at the end.
Pull off more twine from the spool and twist the twine to make a loop over the other end of the loin.
Bring the twine back to the other end of the loin, about ¾ inch or so from the first loop.
Tighten to secure, without cutting into the loin, adjusting the loop as necessary so it is in the center of the meat. Continue to pull off more twine, twisting it into loops and moving down the length of the loin until you have tied the entire loin.
Flip it over.
Cut the twine from the spool, leaving a piece about 3 inches longer than the loin, and weave the twine through the ties.
Tie the ends of the twine together to secure the roast.
Final tied roast
fresh pork belly Pork belly is simply wonderful. It gives us bacon and pancetta. It can be braised or turned into confit. Because it’s so rich, with a nearly even ratio of fat to meat, you wouldn’t want to serve big portions. Instead you might combine it with something else, such as big sea scallops. Ask your butcher or supermarket for the center cut of the belly, which will have the best proportion of meat to fat (if you buy it from a supermarket, you’ll probably need to order it ahead of time).
Pork belly is a tough muscle, so it must first be braised or confited for hours to tenderize it; both methods follow. Then it can be sliced into smaller pieces and sautéed to develop a lovely crisp exterior while the center remains succulent and tender.
After cooking the pork belly, we like to press it, weighting it down, as it cools, for a more uniform shape and a better texture, but, strictly speaking, it’s not essential; you can simply allow the belly to cool submerged in the fat or cooking liquid. Then it can be cut in different ways—sliced lengthwise, for example, almost like bacon, and served at brunch. If you want to serve it with scallops, cut it into pieces roughly the same size as the scallops. Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Chile Flakes would make a good side dish in that case.
Pork Brine, cold
One 2½-pound slab pork belly with skin
About 6 cups (3 pounds) lard
Canola oil
Gray salt or coarse sea salt
Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the pork belly and add the pork. Refrigerate for 10 hours (no longer, or the pork may become too salty).
Remove the pork belly (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry.
Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Choose an ovenproof pot, such as a 12-quart Dutch oven, that is only slightly larger than the pork belly and has a lid; the pot should be just large enough that the pork will be surrounded by the lard. Put the belly in the pot and cover with the lard; the lard should cover the pork by ½ to ¾ inch.
Heat the pot over low heat until the lard registers 190°F. Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook until the pork is meltingly tender; this will probably take 5½ to 6 hours, but start checking after 4 hours. As the belly cooks, it will lose fat and shrink; it is best to transfer the meat and fat to a smaller pot, always keeping the belly covered by fat. Remove the pot from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
The belly can simply be refrigerated in its fat, but we prefer to press it to compress the internal layers of connective tissue and force out some of the excess fat, resulting in a better texture and appearance. To press it, transfer it to a deep baking dish. Pour enough fat into the dish to just cover the belly. Cover with plastic wrap, top with a smaller baking dish, and weight it down with a brick or large can. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours; reserve the extra fat.
Once it’s been pressed, the pork belly can be refrigerated, covered by fat (add some of the reserved fat if necessary), for up to 1 week.
To serve, remove the pot from the refrigerator and let sit in a warm spot to soften the fat for 2 to 3 hours. You want to soften the fat enough so you can scrape it from the belly while keeping the belly as cold as possible so it will be easier to slice.
Remove the pork belly from the fat, and wipe off any cooking fat that clings to the meat. Remove the skin and score the fat on the belly in a crosshatch pattern. The belly can be cut into any shape. Slice it or cut it into squares, and let sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before sautéing. (The fat can be reused to confit pork belly several more times as long as it does not taste too salty. Pour it into a pot and heat gently to liquefy, then strain through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a storage container. Refrigerate for up to 2 months or freeze for up to 6 months.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat some canola oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat just until smoking. Put the pieces of belly fat-side-down in the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the excess fat is rendered and the fat side is browned, about 18 minutes; pour off excess fat about halfway through the cooking.
When the pork is browned, transfer the pan to the oven to heat through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with gray salt, and serve.
SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER
Pork Brine, cold
One 2½-pound slab pork belly, skin removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 cups Beef Stock, warmed
Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the pork belly and add the pork. Refrigerate for 10 hours (no longer, or the pork may become too salty).
Remove the pork (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Season the pork belly with salt and pepper. Put the belly fat-side-down in an ovenproof sauté pan that is just large enough to hold it comfortably. Set over medium-low heat and cook until it begins to render out the fat. Cook until the fat is golden brown, about 15 minutes; pour off the excess fat several times as the belly cooks.
Remove the belly from the pan and pour off all of the remaining fat, then return the pork to the pan, fat side down. Ladle in enough stock to come about halfway up the belly and bring to a simmer. Cover with a parchment lid, transfer to the oven, and cook, checking it once an hour, until tender, about 2½ hours.
Turn the belly over, baste with the pan juices, and return to the oven, uncovered, to glaze the pork, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
The belly can simply be stored in its liquid, but we prefer to press it to compress the internal layers of connective tissue and force out some of the excess fat, resulting in a better texture and appearance. To press it, transfer it to a deep baking dish. Pour enough braising liquid into the dish to just cover the belly. Cover with plastic wrap, top with a smaller baking dish, and weight it down with a brick or large can. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Reserve the extra liquid.
Once it’s been pressed, the belly can be refrigerated, completely covered by liquid (add some of the additional reserved liquid if necessary), for up to 3 days.
To serve, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Remove any fat that may have solidified on the surface of the liquid. Put the belly fat side down in an ovenproof sauté pan and add enough of the liquid to come about ¼ inch up the meat. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, spooning the juices over the meat. Transfer the (uncovered) pan to the oven and cook, basting the meat once or twice, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Turn the meat over and baste several times, then return to the oven for another 5 minutes, basting every 2 minutes, until the meat is richly browned and glazed with the braising liquid.
Meanwhile, pour the remaining braising liquid into a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and reduce to the consistency of a sauce.
Carve the meat into ½-inch slices, sprinkle with gray salt, and serve with the reduced sauce on the side.
SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER OR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
Brining is a powerful tool. It can cure chicken, pork, other meats, and fish, as well as change their texture, flavor, and juiciness. It also allows us to season meat or fish uniformly.
We brine chicken and pork long enough to introduce flavors into the meat. This is especially noticeable in Buttermilk Fried Chicken—in fact, the brining is what distinguishes this preparation. A seasoned crust is easy (flour is flour), but the herb-infused brine gives the meat a wonderful aromatic flavor. Pork also absorbs flavors well and, because of the nature of the osmotic effect of the salt, the meat actually retains more moisture after cooking.
We don’t flavor the brine for fish as we do for meat brines because we don’t brine them long enough for flavor to penetrate. So it is simply salt in solution and it works well for all fish that will be cooked. The brine is usually a solution of one part salt to ten parts water. The quick brining seasons the flesh, gives it a little firmer texture, and, most important, prevents its soluble protein from coagulating into unsightly white masses on its surface as it cooks.
As a rule thin fillets, such as sole, should be brined for 3 to 5 minutes. Pieces that are 1 inch thick or more can be brined for 10 minutes. And we almost always give clams and mussels a brine, or a series of short brines, to help purge them of sand.
Brining fish, chicken, and pork also ensures uniform and perfect seasoning, perhaps the most important factor in the quality of a finished dish.
From a technique standpoint, the one critical thing to remember is that the brine needs to be completely chilled before you add the meat or fish. Therefore, it’s a good idea to make your brine the day before you’ll need it. Brine times are important—so stick to them—but keep in mind that the brined food does not have to be cooked immediately: it has in effect been cured by the brine, so once it’s removed from the brine it can be refrigerated for a day before being cooked.
Finally, discard the brine after it’s used—never reuse it.
2 whole veal shanks (about 4 pounds each)
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
Rather than buying veal shank pieces to make osso buco, a common preparation for this muscle, try slow-roasting the whole shank. The meat acquires a texture like the long-cooked and pulled pork you might enjoy at a barbecue. Veal has a subtle flavor, but the long cooking time helps it to develop some complexity, enhanced in the end by the gremolata, the traditional garlic-parsley-lemon-zest garnish. This would be excellent with Polenta.
Remove the veal shanks from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Toss the onion, carrots, and celery together and spread out in a small roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold the shanks.
Season the shanks generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat some canola oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Put 1 shank in the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, about 6 minutes. Place on the vegetables, and repeat with the remaining shank.
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 7 to 8 hours, turning the shank 3 or 4 times during the cooking to brown evenly. Cook until the meat is extremely tender and can be pulled off the bones with a meat fork. Remove from the oven and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
Stand the shanks on end on a platter to present at the table. With two meat forks, pull the meat from the bones. Sprinkle each serving with gremolata.
SERVES 6
⅓ cup Dried Bread Crumbs
1 to 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon
1 medium garlic clove, or to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gremolata, a mixture of lemon zest, finely minced garlic, and chopped parsley, brings a lemony freshness to any number of dishes. It’s traditionally used with braised dishes as a bright counterpoint to the deep rich flavor of, say, osso buco or braised short ribs, but its lemonyness makes it a perfect garnish for fish. Traditionally gremolata does not have bread crumbs, but I love the crunch that they add.
Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl and toss with just enough olive oil to lightly coat. Toss in the parsley. Using a Microplane grater, grate the lemon zest and then the garlic into the bowl (if you don’t have a Microplane, zest the lemon with a box grater and finely mince the garlic). Season to taste with salt and pepper. The gremolata is best served shortly after it is made.
MAKES A GENEROUS ½ CUP
Flat or curly Parsley plays an important role in cooking whether used fresh or cooked. Like most chefs I know, I prefer flat-leaf parsley to curly, because it is less assertive and has a more gently herbaceous quality. In this gremolata, the fresh flat-leaf parsley imparts vivid color and fresh taste. Parsley also falls into a category of ingredient we call aromatics, those herbs, spices, and vegetables—thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, onions, and leeks, for example—that we add to stocks, soups, stews, and braising liquids for their aromatic qualities.
2 pounds trimmed veal top round, cut across the grain into twelve ½-inch-thick slices
3 small or 2 medium fennel bulbs
About 3 cups panko crumbs
All-purpose flour for dredging
2 to 3 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peanut or canola oil for shallow-frying
6 ounces (about 8 loosely packed cups) arugula, rinsed and dried
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instead of buying presliced cutlets, consider slicing the meat yourself. It’s always better to cut thicker cutlets and pound them thin, as opposed to cutting them thin to start, because pounding tenderizes the meat. You can do this with other meats for cutlets too. When it comes to veal, we prefer cutlets cut from the top round.
As with all meats, try to find humanely raised veal. It will be a little darker in color and have a richer, more complex flavor than other veal.
Lay 2 pieces of veal on a large piece of plastic wrap, cover with a second piece of plastic wrap, and, using a meat pounder, pound to ¼ inch thick. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining veal. (The cutlets can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 12 hours.)
Fill a large bowl with ice water. Remove the stalks from the fennel bulbs. Using a Japanese mandoline, vegetable slicer, or a very sharp knife, thinly shave the fennel crosswise. Transfer to the ice water to keep the fennel crisp. Set aside.
Place the panko crumbs in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Set up a dipping station: Put about ½ inch of flour in a shallow bowl wide enough to hold the cutlets. Lightly beat 2 eggs in a second bowl. Spread ½ inch of panko crumbs in the third. Replenish each bowl as needed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Season the meat with salt and pepper and coat each piece, one at a time: Dip both sides of a cutlet in the flour, patting off any excess, then dip into the eggs, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, and then coat on both sides with panko crumbs, patting them so they adhere; transfer to the baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Pour just under ½ inch of peanut oil into a large frying pan and heat to 350°F. Add 2 cutlets to the hot oil and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until crisp and golden. Transfer to the rack, and keep warm in the oven. With a skimmer, remove any pieces of coating remaining in the oil. (Do not allow the oil to get too hot, or any bits of coating will burn and give the oil an off taste.) Fry the remaining cutlets in batches, transferring them to the oven.
Drain the fennel and pat dry. Toss with the arugula in a large bowl. Squeeze 2 of the lemon wedges over the greens. Drizzle the olive oil around the sides of the bowl (see photo here), season with salt and pepper, and toss.
Arrange the cutlets on one side of a platter, overlapping them. Arrange the greens on the other side of the platter. Garnish the platter with the remaining lemon wedges.
SERVES 6
