'There's a lot of work in making chorizo'
An unusual wedding gift of a pair of pigs set Jon and Charlotte Clarkson on the road to producing high-quality pork products
Phil Daoust
We live and work high on the Yorkshire wolds, on land that Jon's family has been farming for 85 years. We've been raising rare-breed pigs here since 2005, when a neighbour who wanted to give us something unusual for our wedding treated us to a pair of Berkshire gilts – young females that had never been impregnated. We had them inseminated, but while we were waiting for those first litters, we got impatient and bought three little pigs to fatten. They spent most of their lives escaping and digging up the garden, but eventually they became three bigger pigs and we took them to the abattoir. When the carcasses came back, we dropped them on the kitchen table and thought, "Well, now what?"
That question took a while to answer, but after a few years selling fresh pork and bacon, Three Little Pigs has found its niche. Since 2011 we've been supplying restaurants, delis and the public with salami flavoured with oregano and thyme, as well as mild and spicy chorizos featuring the smoked Spanish paprika known as pimentón de la Vera.
Ours is a real family business, with the oldest of our three children, who's six, occasionally lending a hand. All the meat comes from our own pigs, raised on a GM-free diet that includes potatoes, pea plants and other produce from our farm at Dalton Holme near Beverley. They're slaughtered locally, at a small abattoir that treats them with respect.
Our handful of Berkshires has grown to 150 or so, which spend their days outdoors and their nights in straw-filled huts. This breed is perfect for us: not only is the meat succulent and sweet, but the animals are hardy enough to benefit from a free-range, low-maintenance lifestyle.
We're clearly doing something right, as all three of our products won gold at the Guild of Fine Food's Great Taste awards.
There's a lot of work involved in making chorizo and salami, since before being air-dried the raw meat must be fermented. To do it properly takes time.
While the intensively reared "pink pigs" that dominate farming are lucky to reach six months old before they're sent to slaughter, our Berkshires live to at least 10 months. We use almost the whole pig, while pork producers who buy their meat in typically use just one or two cuts – belly, perhaps, or shoulder. This gives our English sausages a lovely soft texture.
We refuse to rush our curing: while many Spanish producers, say, will knock their chorizo out in 10 to 14 days, ours takes three or four weeks to ferment and dry, and will keep for six months without refrigeration. By that time it will have lost about 40% of its weight. This makes it more expensive – but we'd rather compete on quality than on price.
Paella rice with chorizo and prawns
This quick and tasty meal is a family favourite.
Serves 2
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
100g chorizo (spicy or mild), chopped into pieces
150g paella rice
A pinch of saffron
400ml chicken stock
125g cooked prawns
Juice of ½ a lemon
A small bunch of parsley, chopped
1 Cook the onion and pepper in the oil in a wide, shallow pan over a medium heat until softened.
2 Add the chorizo and cook for a minute or two until the lovely red oil is released.
3 Stir in the rice until coated. Add the saffron to the stock and then add this to the pan and stir again. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
4 Add the prawns and heat them through completely. Before serving, squeeze over some lemon juice and stir in the parsley.
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Phil Daoust
We live and work high on the Yorkshire wolds, on land that Jon's family has been farming for 85 years. We've been raising rare-breed pigs here since 2005, when a neighbour who wanted to give us something unusual for our wedding treated us to a pair of Berkshire gilts – young females that had never been impregnated. We had them inseminated, but while we were waiting for those first litters, we got impatient and bought three little pigs to fatten. They spent most of their lives escaping and digging up the garden, but eventually they became three bigger pigs and we took them to the abattoir. When the carcasses came back, we dropped them on the kitchen table and thought, "Well, now what?"
That question took a while to answer, but after a few years selling fresh pork and bacon, Three Little Pigs has found its niche. Since 2011 we've been supplying restaurants, delis and the public with salami flavoured with oregano and thyme, as well as mild and spicy chorizos featuring the smoked Spanish paprika known as pimentón de la Vera.
Ours is a real family business, with the oldest of our three children, who's six, occasionally lending a hand. All the meat comes from our own pigs, raised on a GM-free diet that includes potatoes, pea plants and other produce from our farm at Dalton Holme near Beverley. They're slaughtered locally, at a small abattoir that treats them with respect.
Our handful of Berkshires has grown to 150 or so, which spend their days outdoors and their nights in straw-filled huts. This breed is perfect for us: not only is the meat succulent and sweet, but the animals are hardy enough to benefit from a free-range, low-maintenance lifestyle.
We're clearly doing something right, as all three of our products won gold at the Guild of Fine Food's Great Taste awards.
There's a lot of work involved in making chorizo and salami, since before being air-dried the raw meat must be fermented. To do it properly takes time.
While the intensively reared "pink pigs" that dominate farming are lucky to reach six months old before they're sent to slaughter, our Berkshires live to at least 10 months. We use almost the whole pig, while pork producers who buy their meat in typically use just one or two cuts – belly, perhaps, or shoulder. This gives our English sausages a lovely soft texture.
We refuse to rush our curing: while many Spanish producers, say, will knock their chorizo out in 10 to 14 days, ours takes three or four weeks to ferment and dry, and will keep for six months without refrigeration. By that time it will have lost about 40% of its weight. This makes it more expensive – but we'd rather compete on quality than on price.
Paella rice with chorizo and prawns
This quick and tasty meal is a family favourite.
Serves 2
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
100g chorizo (spicy or mild), chopped into pieces
150g paella rice
A pinch of saffron
400ml chicken stock
125g cooked prawns
Juice of ½ a lemon
A small bunch of parsley, chopped
1 Cook the onion and pepper in the oil in a wide, shallow pan over a medium heat until softened.
2 Add the chorizo and cook for a minute or two until the lovely red oil is released.
3 Stir in the rice until coated. Add the saffron to the stock and then add this to the pan and stir again. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
4 Add the prawns and heat them through completely. Before serving, squeeze over some lemon juice and stir in the parsley.
Spanish-Style Cod in Chorizo-Tomato Broth
Jennifer Olvera
Note: Paprika-scented Spanish chorizo is very different from the Mexican version, so they aren't interchangeable. Buy it at well-stocked grocery stores, or order it from a purveyor like La Tienda.
About the author: Jennifer Olvera is a veteran food and travel writer and author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago." Follow her on Twitter @olverajennifer.
Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!
Spanish-Style Cod in Chorizo-Tomato Broth
Save Recipe
About This Recipe
Yield: Serves 4
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
This recipe appears in: Sunday Supper: Spanish-Style Cod in Chorizo-Tomato Broth
Ingredients
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely diced Spanish chorizo or pancetta (see note above)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 teaspoons pimentón (smoked paprika), divided
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt
4 (6-ounce) skin-on cod fillets
8 slices of baguette, 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Procedures
1
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add chorizo and continue to cook until sausage is lightly browned, about 4 minutes more. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, vinegar, tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons pimentón, crushed red pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2
While the sauce is simmering, season fish with salt, pepper, and remaining teaspoon of pimentón. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet pan over high heat until shimmering. Carefully place cod in pan skin-side down. Cook without moving until skin is crisp and nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip fish, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until fish is firm to the touch and no longer opaque, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined plate to rest.
3
Add baguette slices to pan. Brown on one side and let it and soak up the pan juices. Flip after 1 minute and brown on the other side for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
4
Discard thyme sprigs from tomato broth. Plate fish by spooning a generous amount of broth into individual bowls. Top with fish, two slices of baguette and parsley and serve immediately.
Read more
Note: Paprika-scented Spanish chorizo is very different from the Mexican version, so they aren't interchangeable. Buy it at well-stocked grocery stores, or order it from a purveyor like La Tienda.
About the author: Jennifer Olvera is a veteran food and travel writer and author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago." Follow her on Twitter @olverajennifer.
Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!
Spanish-Style Cod in Chorizo-Tomato Broth
Save Recipe
About This Recipe
Yield: Serves 4
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
This recipe appears in: Sunday Supper: Spanish-Style Cod in Chorizo-Tomato Broth
Ingredients
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely diced Spanish chorizo or pancetta (see note above)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 teaspoons pimentón (smoked paprika), divided
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt
4 (6-ounce) skin-on cod fillets
8 slices of baguette, 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Procedures
1
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add chorizo and continue to cook until sausage is lightly browned, about 4 minutes more. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, vinegar, tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons pimentón, crushed red pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2
While the sauce is simmering, season fish with salt, pepper, and remaining teaspoon of pimentón. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet pan over high heat until shimmering. Carefully place cod in pan skin-side down. Cook without moving until skin is crisp and nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip fish, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until fish is firm to the touch and no longer opaque, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined plate to rest.
3
Add baguette slices to pan. Brown on one side and let it and soak up the pan juices. Flip after 1 minute and brown on the other side for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
4
Discard thyme sprigs from tomato broth. Plate fish by spooning a generous amount of broth into individual bowls. Top with fish, two slices of baguette and parsley and serve immediately.
The Sun, the Moon, the Tapas
A Review of SolunTapas Bar and Restaurant, in Woodbridge
Christopher Brooks
Solun Tapas Bar and Restaurant is the sort of place that makes a great first impression. Its brick red color scheme, with splashes of mango yellow and a pair of wall panels partitioned into yellow, blue and red, presents a cheerful, festive air. Then there’s the can-do quality of the staff, from the welcoming hostess to the service crew. And the food, if not quite on the level of fine dining, is often prepared well enough to put diners in a good mood.
Mushroom ceviche with portobello, cremini and oyster mushrooms, red peppers, cilantro, Vidalia onions, lime juice, and sweet potato.
Solun, a contraction of the Spanish sol and luna (sun and moon), opened in Woodbridge in March 2012, an offshoot of Tinto Bar and Tapas (formerly Meigas) in Norwalk. Both are owned by a Guatemalan expatriate, Carlos Hernandez, who, having honed his culinary skills in Spain, serves as executive chef at both.
Like its sister restaurant, Solun specializes in Spanish cuisine with a twist, cross-pollinating traditional ingredients (Bomba rice, Pedro Ximénez sherry, manchego cheese, figs, squid, Serrano ham, saffron), with more unconventional items (chipotle peppers, wasabi, Vidalia onions, chimichurri, guacamole, cranberries).
Even the most Spanish of tapas, tosta de boquerones, consisting of wonderfully tender vinegared anchovies, draped over toasts spread with black olive coulis, receive a modern updating with a lightly smoky chipotle aioli squiggled over the fish. The same mayonnaise crosshatched a pair of delightfully crisp and light empanadas de pollo, which contained a harmonious blend of chicken, spinach, cheese and a touch of cream. (They were, however, missing the avocado purée promised by the menu.)
One of Solun’s most inventive tapas, mushroom ceviche, proved a welcome innovation. This marriage of coarsely chopped cremini, portobello and oyster mushrooms, served in a long-stemmed martini glass and suffused with tangy lime juice, cilantro, tomato, onion and bell pepper, was a refreshing change from the standard fish ceviche. The inclusion of diced, roasted sweet potato was a discordant note, however.
I had no such quibble with the stuffed artichokes, which were presented like twin bells with their long stems pointing upward. The enjoyable filling of finely minced shrimp, peppers and onion inside the hollowed-out artichokes was beautifully complemented by a velvety smooth lobster sherry cream sauce.
Sauces would seem to be one of Solun’s strengths; the highlight of an otherwise unmemorable serving of spinach ravioli was its light, fresh-tasting tomato passata. The citrusy chimichurri sauce — dense with garlic, parsley and cilantro — that accompanied twin skewers of grilled Angus beef was so good I almost overlooked the chewiness of the steak. And a salsalike citrus-mango-pineapple vinaigrette was an inspired pairing with two other tapas, a lovely melding of seared shrimp, roasted beets and avocado, and a serving of crisp-tender grilled baby squid.
In addition to offering 38 tapas, Solun’s menu lists 8 entrees. Among them, I particularly liked the superbly tender boneless Black Angus short rib, accompanied by twin grape-leaf packets stuffed with buttery mashed potatoes permeated with manchego cheese and accented with bits of chorizo. The gambas plato was similarly successful, its moist, flavorful shrimp expertly griddle-grilled and served atop a mound of sofrito-infused chickpeas and spinach. The assertive presence of saffron, however, with undertones of honey, all but obscured any flavor of the advertised ginger-wasabi soy reduction.
Less agreeable was cochinillo de Segovia, an inch-thick square of suckling pig that was crusty and oily. And paella Valenciana, while amply endowed with chicken, shrimp and peas, was marred by shriveled, overcooked clams and mussels, and, again, too pungent a presence of saffron.
Solun’s apple and sweet potato flan had an intriguing flavor, partly overpowered by the Granny Smith apples in the dish; its texture, however, verged on mealy. As for the sorbets, the lemon had an appropriate acidity, whereas the mango was virtually flavorless. Both the caramel and goat cheese ice creams, although so dense as to be nearly cloying, were nonetheless irresistible.
My favorite among these house-made desserts were the Rioja-poached pear, seasoned with just a whiff of cinnamon, and the tres leches cake. After polishing off that cake, its spongelike texture delicately impregnated with cream and condensed milk, you are likely to leave Solun with just as favorable an impression as you entered with.
The Solun Tapas Bar and Restaurant
245 Amity Road
Woodbridge
(203) 298-9741
soluntapasbar.com
GOOD
THE SPACE The lounge, with 26 seats, feeds into the bar area. A more formal dining area, with 46 seats, has pocket doors that can be closed for privacy. The terrace flanking the entrance has eight more tables (about 35 seats). Wheelchair accessible.
THE CROWD Couples and small groups of friends, in their 30s and (mostly) older. Servers are attentive and friendly.
THE BAR A total of 42 seats at the counter and at high-top tables. Over 40 wines by the bottle, mostly from Spain, Chile and Argentina, $24 to $69, and 13 by the glass, $7 to $10. A half-dozen beers on draft, $5 to $6. The mojitos ($8) are very good, too. A discount of $2 off drinks and tapas at the bar during happy hour, Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m.
THE BILL Tapas, $7 to $16; salads, $12 to $16; main courses, $23 to $30; desserts, $5 to $8. Same menu at lunch and dinner. All major credit cards accepted.
WHAT WE LIKED Crispy calamari salad, tosta de boquerones, mushroom ceviche, mussels, empanadas de pollo, stuffed artichokes, steamed octopus, grilled baby squid, shrimp and avocado, Hudson Valley foie gras; boneless Black Angus short rib, gambas plato; tres leches cake, wine-poached pear, goat cheese and caramel ice creams.
IF YOU GO Lunch: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner: Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Closed Monday. Reservations accepted; parking in front.
RATINGS Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
A version of this review appeared in print on July 21, 2013, on page CT7 of the New York edition with the headline: The Sun, the Moon, the Tapas.
Read more
Christopher Brooks
Solun Tapas Bar and Restaurant is the sort of place that makes a great first impression. Its brick red color scheme, with splashes of mango yellow and a pair of wall panels partitioned into yellow, blue and red, presents a cheerful, festive air. Then there’s the can-do quality of the staff, from the welcoming hostess to the service crew. And the food, if not quite on the level of fine dining, is often prepared well enough to put diners in a good mood.
Mushroom ceviche with portobello, cremini and oyster mushrooms, red peppers, cilantro, Vidalia onions, lime juice, and sweet potato.
Solun, a contraction of the Spanish sol and luna (sun and moon), opened in Woodbridge in March 2012, an offshoot of Tinto Bar and Tapas (formerly Meigas) in Norwalk. Both are owned by a Guatemalan expatriate, Carlos Hernandez, who, having honed his culinary skills in Spain, serves as executive chef at both.
Like its sister restaurant, Solun specializes in Spanish cuisine with a twist, cross-pollinating traditional ingredients (Bomba rice, Pedro Ximénez sherry, manchego cheese, figs, squid, Serrano ham, saffron), with more unconventional items (chipotle peppers, wasabi, Vidalia onions, chimichurri, guacamole, cranberries).
Even the most Spanish of tapas, tosta de boquerones, consisting of wonderfully tender vinegared anchovies, draped over toasts spread with black olive coulis, receive a modern updating with a lightly smoky chipotle aioli squiggled over the fish. The same mayonnaise crosshatched a pair of delightfully crisp and light empanadas de pollo, which contained a harmonious blend of chicken, spinach, cheese and a touch of cream. (They were, however, missing the avocado purée promised by the menu.)
One of Solun’s most inventive tapas, mushroom ceviche, proved a welcome innovation. This marriage of coarsely chopped cremini, portobello and oyster mushrooms, served in a long-stemmed martini glass and suffused with tangy lime juice, cilantro, tomato, onion and bell pepper, was a refreshing change from the standard fish ceviche. The inclusion of diced, roasted sweet potato was a discordant note, however.
I had no such quibble with the stuffed artichokes, which were presented like twin bells with their long stems pointing upward. The enjoyable filling of finely minced shrimp, peppers and onion inside the hollowed-out artichokes was beautifully complemented by a velvety smooth lobster sherry cream sauce.
Sauces would seem to be one of Solun’s strengths; the highlight of an otherwise unmemorable serving of spinach ravioli was its light, fresh-tasting tomato passata. The citrusy chimichurri sauce — dense with garlic, parsley and cilantro — that accompanied twin skewers of grilled Angus beef was so good I almost overlooked the chewiness of the steak. And a salsalike citrus-mango-pineapple vinaigrette was an inspired pairing with two other tapas, a lovely melding of seared shrimp, roasted beets and avocado, and a serving of crisp-tender grilled baby squid.
In addition to offering 38 tapas, Solun’s menu lists 8 entrees. Among them, I particularly liked the superbly tender boneless Black Angus short rib, accompanied by twin grape-leaf packets stuffed with buttery mashed potatoes permeated with manchego cheese and accented with bits of chorizo. The gambas plato was similarly successful, its moist, flavorful shrimp expertly griddle-grilled and served atop a mound of sofrito-infused chickpeas and spinach. The assertive presence of saffron, however, with undertones of honey, all but obscured any flavor of the advertised ginger-wasabi soy reduction.
Less agreeable was cochinillo de Segovia, an inch-thick square of suckling pig that was crusty and oily. And paella Valenciana, while amply endowed with chicken, shrimp and peas, was marred by shriveled, overcooked clams and mussels, and, again, too pungent a presence of saffron.
Solun’s apple and sweet potato flan had an intriguing flavor, partly overpowered by the Granny Smith apples in the dish; its texture, however, verged on mealy. As for the sorbets, the lemon had an appropriate acidity, whereas the mango was virtually flavorless. Both the caramel and goat cheese ice creams, although so dense as to be nearly cloying, were nonetheless irresistible.
My favorite among these house-made desserts were the Rioja-poached pear, seasoned with just a whiff of cinnamon, and the tres leches cake. After polishing off that cake, its spongelike texture delicately impregnated with cream and condensed milk, you are likely to leave Solun with just as favorable an impression as you entered with.
The Solun Tapas Bar and Restaurant
245 Amity Road
Woodbridge
(203) 298-9741
soluntapasbar.com
GOOD
THE SPACE The lounge, with 26 seats, feeds into the bar area. A more formal dining area, with 46 seats, has pocket doors that can be closed for privacy. The terrace flanking the entrance has eight more tables (about 35 seats). Wheelchair accessible.
THE CROWD Couples and small groups of friends, in their 30s and (mostly) older. Servers are attentive and friendly.
THE BAR A total of 42 seats at the counter and at high-top tables. Over 40 wines by the bottle, mostly from Spain, Chile and Argentina, $24 to $69, and 13 by the glass, $7 to $10. A half-dozen beers on draft, $5 to $6. The mojitos ($8) are very good, too. A discount of $2 off drinks and tapas at the bar during happy hour, Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m.
THE BILL Tapas, $7 to $16; salads, $12 to $16; main courses, $23 to $30; desserts, $5 to $8. Same menu at lunch and dinner. All major credit cards accepted.
WHAT WE LIKED Crispy calamari salad, tosta de boquerones, mushroom ceviche, mussels, empanadas de pollo, stuffed artichokes, steamed octopus, grilled baby squid, shrimp and avocado, Hudson Valley foie gras; boneless Black Angus short rib, gambas plato; tres leches cake, wine-poached pear, goat cheese and caramel ice creams.
IF YOU GO Lunch: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner: Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Closed Monday. Reservations accepted; parking in front.
RATINGS Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
A version of this review appeared in print on July 21, 2013, on page CT7 of the New York edition with the headline: The Sun, the Moon, the Tapas.
Menu: A Tapas and Sangria Party
Menu: A Tapas and Sangria Party
A menu of Spanish small plates is ideal for hot-weather eating—these dishes pack plenty of flavor without being too filling, encouraging long summer evenings of grazing. Set out three varieties of cooling, fruity sangria for a colorful, no-fuss fête.
The Menu
Olive Oil Tortas
Lemon and Coriander Marinated Olives
Spanish-Style Toast with Tomato (Pan Con Tomate)
Tortilla Española
Shrimp with Garlic and Cayenne
Padrón Peppers with Serrano Ham
Almejas à la Gaditana (Clams in Sherry Sauce)
Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Salt Cod Purée
Stone Fruit Rosé Sangria
Kalimotxo
White Wine Punch
Make ahead: the marinated olives can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month; bring them to room temperature before serving. The tortilla Española is also served at room temperature, so prepare it a few hours before party time. Finally, the rosé needs at least 4 hours to chill before serving.
The recipe for Kalimotxo, a red wine and cola cocktail, yields one drink. To scale it up for a crowd, multiply the ingredients by six and stir together in an ice-filled pitcher.
Ines Rosales Olive Oil Tortas (pictured) are large, impossibly crispy crackers that toe the line between sweet and savory—they're perfect for smearing with soft cheeses or dips, or simply eating as is. They're available online at La Tienda.
For more small plates ideas, see our gallery of Spanish tapas:http://www.saveur.com/article/null/Spanish-Tapas-Recipes
Ibérico Pork, The Extra Virgin Olive Oil Of Meats
Caroline J. Beck
“Just let it melt on your tongue,” Jose Martinez-Valero instructed. “It will dissolve into pure flavor.” I placed the tiniest sliver of jamón Ibérico de bellota in my mouth and waited. The finely marbled fat melted like silk, but the finish was remarkably pure, strangely akin to a classic palate cleanser.
As I positioned myself to snare another sample in the elbow-room frenzy of the Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavor conference at Napa, California, Martinez-Valero hit me with an even bigger surprise. “This fat is just like the very best olive oil, it’s monounsaturated. It comes from a breed of Spanish pig we call the four-legged olive tree,” he said.
And suddenly I understood why the mouthfeel was so familiar. With years of olive oil tasting under my belt, it was easy to recognize the difference between greasy, mouth-coating fat and this high-quality clean finish.
Jamón Ibérico de bellota is familiar to food cognoscenti as the cured form of this extraordinary animal. At prices north of $1,000 for a single ham, it is not widely available in restaurants or markets. But those who can afford it will go to great lengths to find a reputable source, because it is considered one of the finest foods in the world.
At the heart of its difference is that purebred Ibérico pork represents a very old-world approach to one of the tenets of today’s cuisine: a sustainable, simple focus on pure flavor. But like high-quality extra virgin olive oil, purebred Ibérico pork is under siege from unscrupulous distributors who pass off crossbred meats as purebred, elitist pricing and a disappearing ecosystem (needed to support the swine’s unusual eating habits). The species has been on endangered or at-risk lists for years, a dwindling breed supported by a handful of dedicated producers on a lifelong mission to avoid extinction — of the pig, its pastureland and their very livelihoods.
Martinez-Valero represents Ibérico Fresco, one of few Spanish distributors of 100% purebred, acorn-fed fresh Ibérico meat in the United States. Over the din of pork belly- and backfat-crazed chefs at the CIA‘s annual event, he spoke passionately about the plight of this pig and its unique grazing land, the dehesa (forest) of the Iberian peninsula in Spain.
“It is the very definition of sustainable agriculture. The man takes care of the forest, the forest takes care of the pig, and the pig takes care of the man,” explained Martinez-Valero.
Raising Ibérico pigs is an expensive labor of love
Ibérico pigs are not particularly pretty, galloping along with long legs supporting a chunky body. They are best identified by their distinctive black hooves, hence the Spanish name, pata negra. There are many different breeds of Ibérico pigs, ranging from the productive, big Torbiscal to the delicate Entrepelado, but they all have certain traits in common that strain any producer’s pocketbook. Those include litters half the size of crossbreds, production cycles that are three times as long, and particularly expensive eating habits.
In contrast to the ordeals of pigs jammed into cramped pens and pumped full of antibiotics seen in television news reports on the pork industry, the lives of purebred Ibérico pigs seem like a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
By Spanish law, truly purebred (genetically 100%) Ibérico pigs are required to attain at least 40% of their weight grazing exclusively on holm oak acorns during the montanera, or period of fattening between October and January. Each pig is provided 2 hectares (about 5 acres) of personal space to reach its best weight. The high oleic acid content of the acorns and the genetic makeup of the Ibérico help convert the pig’s fat into its distinctive monounsaturated marbling.
“It’s a marvel, a machine for making healthy meat. It’s perfection,” said Lucia Maesso Corral, president of Aeceriber, the Iberian Pig Breeders Association. She represents purebred producers who are fighting an uphill battle against lesser quality, far less expensive crossbred options that are allowed to take the name “Ibérico.” But their passion for truth-in-labeling and authentic, quality production is palpable.
Without question, the better-known cured ham version is amazing. But one taste of the fresh meat they now call “the other red meat” and you will understand the depth of these producers’ dedication. For a dinner party of two, I sautéed a secreto of carne de cerdo ibérico de bellota (acorn-fed Iberico pork shoulder skirt) for no more than two minutes per side, classically medium rare with a deep pink in the center, and sliced it like flank steak. Without exaggeration, it may well be the best meat I’ve ever eaten: succulent, sweet, almost nutty. Good enough that we didn’t have the discipline to stop, finishing off the entire cut with no regrets.
Monastrell’s Ibérico Pork with Manchego Cheese and Saffron
I went straight to the best source I know in Spain for a professional’s opinion of the meat. Chef María José San Román of Monastrell in Alicante, Spain, heralds the pig on her Michelin-starred menu with a simple appetizer that showcases the meat by surrounding it with gentle flavors: a foam of Manchego cheese crowned with spring-fresh watercress.
“Many people only know Ibérico ham in its cured form, but fresh cuts of the pig are extraordinary examples of the best pork Spain has to offer,” San Román said. “Like the Manchego cheese it is paired with, Ibérico pork is quintessential Spanish cuisine.”
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
8 teaspoons (40 ml) extra virgin olive oil (preferably Picual variety), plus more for frying
1 pound (500 g) piece acorn-fed purebred Ibérico shoulder loin (presa) (see note below)
1.7 ounces (50 g) salt
100 mg saffron powder (see note below)
1½ ounces (40 g) each of capers, small gherkins, and finely chopped spring onions
2 teaspoons (10 ml) sherry vinegar
¼ pound (100 g) watercress
7 ounces (200 g) Manchego cheese
6 ounces (175 g) fresh cream
5 ounces (150 g) fresh milk
1 pound (500 g) potatoes, cut into matchsticks with a mandoline
Olive oil for frying
Foam maker, such as the iSi Gourmet Whip Plus
Directions
1. Marinate the pork for 3 hours in 2 cups (500 ml) of water with salt and saffron powder. Pork should be room temperature before cooking. Do not trim excess fat. Pat meat dry to remove excess moisture.
2. Place a frying pan with a little extra virgin olive oil over high heat. Place meat fat side down and sear for three minutes. Turn over and sear for two minutes on the other side until meat is just pink. Let rest for 5 minutes, slice angled strips against the grain and set aside.
3. Prepare vinaigrette by mixing capers, gherkins, spring onions, sherry vinegar and 8 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add to watercress and toss to coat.
4. Heat cheese, cream and milk until the cheese is melted, but do not boil. Put through a sieve and into the siphon and keep hot.
5. Deep fry the matchstick potatoes in olive oil and drain on tissue paper.
6. Put the potatoes in the center of the plate, layer slices of pork around it and place the dressed watercress salad on top.
7. Surround with the hot cheese foam.
Note
Fresh, acorn-fed 100% Ibérico pork and saffron powder can be found at tienda.com.
Top photo: Ibérico pigs. Credit: Courtesy of Aeceriber
Caroline J. Beck is a freelance food and wine writer and a strategic advisor to specialty food start-ups. Her articles and columns have appeared in such publications as the Santa Ynez Valley Journal, Michigan BLUE -- Michigan's Lakestyle Magazine, and The Olive Oil Source, the world's top-ranked olive oil-related website, where she has served as editor since 2007. Caroline's website, www.carolinejbeck.com, provides common sense advice for enthusiastic entrepreneurs looking to succeed in the specialty foods business.
Read more
“Just let it melt on your tongue,” Jose Martinez-Valero instructed. “It will dissolve into pure flavor.” I placed the tiniest sliver of jamón Ibérico de bellota in my mouth and waited. The finely marbled fat melted like silk, but the finish was remarkably pure, strangely akin to a classic palate cleanser.
As I positioned myself to snare another sample in the elbow-room frenzy of the Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavor conference at Napa, California, Martinez-Valero hit me with an even bigger surprise. “This fat is just like the very best olive oil, it’s monounsaturated. It comes from a breed of Spanish pig we call the four-legged olive tree,” he said.
And suddenly I understood why the mouthfeel was so familiar. With years of olive oil tasting under my belt, it was easy to recognize the difference between greasy, mouth-coating fat and this high-quality clean finish.
Jamón Ibérico de bellota is familiar to food cognoscenti as the cured form of this extraordinary animal. At prices north of $1,000 for a single ham, it is not widely available in restaurants or markets. But those who can afford it will go to great lengths to find a reputable source, because it is considered one of the finest foods in the world.
At the heart of its difference is that purebred Ibérico pork represents a very old-world approach to one of the tenets of today’s cuisine: a sustainable, simple focus on pure flavor. But like high-quality extra virgin olive oil, purebred Ibérico pork is under siege from unscrupulous distributors who pass off crossbred meats as purebred, elitist pricing and a disappearing ecosystem (needed to support the swine’s unusual eating habits). The species has been on endangered or at-risk lists for years, a dwindling breed supported by a handful of dedicated producers on a lifelong mission to avoid extinction — of the pig, its pastureland and their very livelihoods.
Martinez-Valero represents Ibérico Fresco, one of few Spanish distributors of 100% purebred, acorn-fed fresh Ibérico meat in the United States. Over the din of pork belly- and backfat-crazed chefs at the CIA‘s annual event, he spoke passionately about the plight of this pig and its unique grazing land, the dehesa (forest) of the Iberian peninsula in Spain.
“It is the very definition of sustainable agriculture. The man takes care of the forest, the forest takes care of the pig, and the pig takes care of the man,” explained Martinez-Valero.
Raising Ibérico pigs is an expensive labor of love
Ibérico pigs are not particularly pretty, galloping along with long legs supporting a chunky body. They are best identified by their distinctive black hooves, hence the Spanish name, pata negra. There are many different breeds of Ibérico pigs, ranging from the productive, big Torbiscal to the delicate Entrepelado, but they all have certain traits in common that strain any producer’s pocketbook. Those include litters half the size of crossbreds, production cycles that are three times as long, and particularly expensive eating habits.
In contrast to the ordeals of pigs jammed into cramped pens and pumped full of antibiotics seen in television news reports on the pork industry, the lives of purebred Ibérico pigs seem like a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
By Spanish law, truly purebred (genetically 100%) Ibérico pigs are required to attain at least 40% of their weight grazing exclusively on holm oak acorns during the montanera, or period of fattening between October and January. Each pig is provided 2 hectares (about 5 acres) of personal space to reach its best weight. The high oleic acid content of the acorns and the genetic makeup of the Ibérico help convert the pig’s fat into its distinctive monounsaturated marbling.
“It’s a marvel, a machine for making healthy meat. It’s perfection,” said Lucia Maesso Corral, president of Aeceriber, the Iberian Pig Breeders Association. She represents purebred producers who are fighting an uphill battle against lesser quality, far less expensive crossbred options that are allowed to take the name “Ibérico.” But their passion for truth-in-labeling and authentic, quality production is palpable.
Without question, the better-known cured ham version is amazing. But one taste of the fresh meat they now call “the other red meat” and you will understand the depth of these producers’ dedication. For a dinner party of two, I sautéed a secreto of carne de cerdo ibérico de bellota (acorn-fed Iberico pork shoulder skirt) for no more than two minutes per side, classically medium rare with a deep pink in the center, and sliced it like flank steak. Without exaggeration, it may well be the best meat I’ve ever eaten: succulent, sweet, almost nutty. Good enough that we didn’t have the discipline to stop, finishing off the entire cut with no regrets.
Monastrell’s Ibérico Pork with Manchego Cheese and Saffron
I went straight to the best source I know in Spain for a professional’s opinion of the meat. Chef María José San Román of Monastrell in Alicante, Spain, heralds the pig on her Michelin-starred menu with a simple appetizer that showcases the meat by surrounding it with gentle flavors: a foam of Manchego cheese crowned with spring-fresh watercress.
“Many people only know Ibérico ham in its cured form, but fresh cuts of the pig are extraordinary examples of the best pork Spain has to offer,” San Román said. “Like the Manchego cheese it is paired with, Ibérico pork is quintessential Spanish cuisine.”
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
8 teaspoons (40 ml) extra virgin olive oil (preferably Picual variety), plus more for frying
1 pound (500 g) piece acorn-fed purebred Ibérico shoulder loin (presa) (see note below)
1.7 ounces (50 g) salt
100 mg saffron powder (see note below)
1½ ounces (40 g) each of capers, small gherkins, and finely chopped spring onions
2 teaspoons (10 ml) sherry vinegar
¼ pound (100 g) watercress
7 ounces (200 g) Manchego cheese
6 ounces (175 g) fresh cream
5 ounces (150 g) fresh milk
1 pound (500 g) potatoes, cut into matchsticks with a mandoline
Olive oil for frying
Foam maker, such as the iSi Gourmet Whip Plus
Directions
1. Marinate the pork for 3 hours in 2 cups (500 ml) of water with salt and saffron powder. Pork should be room temperature before cooking. Do not trim excess fat. Pat meat dry to remove excess moisture.
2. Place a frying pan with a little extra virgin olive oil over high heat. Place meat fat side down and sear for three minutes. Turn over and sear for two minutes on the other side until meat is just pink. Let rest for 5 minutes, slice angled strips against the grain and set aside.
3. Prepare vinaigrette by mixing capers, gherkins, spring onions, sherry vinegar and 8 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add to watercress and toss to coat.
4. Heat cheese, cream and milk until the cheese is melted, but do not boil. Put through a sieve and into the siphon and keep hot.
5. Deep fry the matchstick potatoes in olive oil and drain on tissue paper.
6. Put the potatoes in the center of the plate, layer slices of pork around it and place the dressed watercress salad on top.
7. Surround with the hot cheese foam.
Note
Fresh, acorn-fed 100% Ibérico pork and saffron powder can be found at tienda.com.
Top photo: Ibérico pigs. Credit: Courtesy of Aeceriber
Caroline J. Beck is a freelance food and wine writer and a strategic advisor to specialty food start-ups. Her articles and columns have appeared in such publications as the Santa Ynez Valley Journal, Michigan BLUE -- Michigan's Lakestyle Magazine, and The Olive Oil Source, the world's top-ranked olive oil-related website, where she has served as editor since 2007. Caroline's website, www.carolinejbeck.com, provides common sense advice for enthusiastic entrepreneurs looking to succeed in the specialty foods business.
Summer Punch Recipe: Chicha Morada
Emily Ho
What do you get when you combine purple corn, fruit, and spices? Chicha morada, a refreshing Peruvian punch that just might become your new summer beverage staple!
Gloriously-hued chicha morada is an Andean drink made from purple corn, or maíz morado. Maize-based beverages have existed in the region since Pre-Columbian times, and this one has a fruity, tangy, spiced note from the addition of ingredients like pineapple, apple, lime, cinnamon, and cloves. Served cold, it makes a delicious non-alcoholic punch — or spike it with pisco for a boozy, grapey version. Packed with antioxidants and anthocyanins, purple corn also has lots of potential health benefits.
→ Find it: Dried purple corn or maíz morado is generally available at well-stocked Latin American markets, or online at La Tienda.
Drink Recipe: Peruvian Chicha Morada
Recipes for chicha morada vary between places and individuals. This one is based on a recipe generously shared by Los Angeles resident Marina Hayes, who grew up frequenting a Peruvian restaurant where she fell in love with the big glasses of punch. "The cinnamon and cloves lightly scented that deep purple juice and the result was an entirely unique drink that I was just crazy about," Marina says. As she got older, Marina developed her own recipe based on researching foreign food blogs and gleaning hints from friends.
I love her version, which is intensely flavored — perfect for that shot of pisco — and completely customizable in the sweetness department. (Marina likes palm sugar; I use honey.) I also like how her method uses just the pineapple rinds and cores, parts that would normally go to waste. You can eat the rest of the pineapple separately, or do I do: cut it into chunks, freeze, and use as "ice cubes" for the chicha morada.
Marina makes two or three gallons of chicha morada each week in summer, and with many hot days ahead, I won't be surprised if I start doing the same. This recipe makes a lot, and though it can certainly be halved, boiling the chicha morada does heat up the kitchen, so I find it worth it to make a larger batch at once.
Punch Recipe: Chicha Morada
Chicha Morada
Makes about 2 gallons
2 (15-ounce) bags dried purple corn (maíz morado)
Rind and core from one large, ripe pineapple (see How to Cut Up a Whole Pineapple)
2 tart Granny Smith apples, quartered
1 heaping tablespoon whole cloves
4 Ceylon cinnamon sticks, broken (also called Mexican cinnamon or canela; can substitute 2 to 3 Cassia cinnamon sticks)
2 gallons + 1 cup water
Juice of 5 limes
Juice of 3 lemons
Sweetener of your choice: palm sugar, white sugar, simple syrup, agave nectar, honey, etc.
Combine purple corn, pineapple scraps, apples, cloves, cinnamon, and water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes and then uncover the pot and continue simmering for 30 more minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (or let sit overnight for a more intense flavor). Strain and discard the solids.
Stir in lime and lemon juice. Sweeten to taste. Put in the fridge until completely chilled and serve over ice. Garnish with lime or chopped apple and pineapple, if desired.
The punch can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
To give the chicha morada a more complex flavor, you might add spices like star anise, allspice, or nutmeg, as well as fruits like prunes, dried cherries, apricots, fresh quince, or membrillo paste.
Based on a recipe from Marina Hayes. Thanks, Marina!
Read more
What do you get when you combine purple corn, fruit, and spices? Chicha morada, a refreshing Peruvian punch that just might become your new summer beverage staple!
Gloriously-hued chicha morada is an Andean drink made from purple corn, or maíz morado. Maize-based beverages have existed in the region since Pre-Columbian times, and this one has a fruity, tangy, spiced note from the addition of ingredients like pineapple, apple, lime, cinnamon, and cloves. Served cold, it makes a delicious non-alcoholic punch — or spike it with pisco for a boozy, grapey version. Packed with antioxidants and anthocyanins, purple corn also has lots of potential health benefits.
→ Find it: Dried purple corn or maíz morado is generally available at well-stocked Latin American markets, or online at La Tienda.
Drink Recipe: Peruvian Chicha Morada
Recipes for chicha morada vary between places and individuals. This one is based on a recipe generously shared by Los Angeles resident Marina Hayes, who grew up frequenting a Peruvian restaurant where she fell in love with the big glasses of punch. "The cinnamon and cloves lightly scented that deep purple juice and the result was an entirely unique drink that I was just crazy about," Marina says. As she got older, Marina developed her own recipe based on researching foreign food blogs and gleaning hints from friends.
I love her version, which is intensely flavored — perfect for that shot of pisco — and completely customizable in the sweetness department. (Marina likes palm sugar; I use honey.) I also like how her method uses just the pineapple rinds and cores, parts that would normally go to waste. You can eat the rest of the pineapple separately, or do I do: cut it into chunks, freeze, and use as "ice cubes" for the chicha morada.
Marina makes two or three gallons of chicha morada each week in summer, and with many hot days ahead, I won't be surprised if I start doing the same. This recipe makes a lot, and though it can certainly be halved, boiling the chicha morada does heat up the kitchen, so I find it worth it to make a larger batch at once.
Punch Recipe: Chicha Morada
Chicha Morada
Makes about 2 gallons
2 (15-ounce) bags dried purple corn (maíz morado)
Rind and core from one large, ripe pineapple (see How to Cut Up a Whole Pineapple)
2 tart Granny Smith apples, quartered
1 heaping tablespoon whole cloves
4 Ceylon cinnamon sticks, broken (also called Mexican cinnamon or canela; can substitute 2 to 3 Cassia cinnamon sticks)
2 gallons + 1 cup water
Juice of 5 limes
Juice of 3 lemons
Sweetener of your choice: palm sugar, white sugar, simple syrup, agave nectar, honey, etc.
Combine purple corn, pineapple scraps, apples, cloves, cinnamon, and water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes and then uncover the pot and continue simmering for 30 more minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (or let sit overnight for a more intense flavor). Strain and discard the solids.
Stir in lime and lemon juice. Sweeten to taste. Put in the fridge until completely chilled and serve over ice. Garnish with lime or chopped apple and pineapple, if desired.
The punch can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
To give the chicha morada a more complex flavor, you might add spices like star anise, allspice, or nutmeg, as well as fruits like prunes, dried cherries, apricots, fresh quince, or membrillo paste.
Based on a recipe from Marina Hayes. Thanks, Marina!
Wedding Gifts For Food Lovers
It's official guys, wedding season is here. As soon as the weather gets nice again, people begin to practice their vows and order their wedding cakes. And this usually means that your summer schedule is filling up -- not with sun-filled beach vacations but with plenty of weddings to attend. This also means that you need to start thinking about wedding gifts.
Sure, you could just pick something off the registry that's within your price range, but there's not much fun in that. How many Cuisinart food processors can you really buy in your life (that don't end up on your own counter)? Think outside the registry, guys! And if your soon-to-be-wed friends happen to be food lovers, getting them an original and totally awesome gift is so easy. Check out our ideas below.
Cured Meats of Spain Sampler - Sliced & Packed in Burlap Sack
Cured Meats of Spain Sampler, $149.00
For the meat-loving couple, nothing will mean more than a sampling of the best cured meats Spain has to offer.
Classic Barbecue Pork Ribs with Smoky Bacon Barbecue Sauce
Bruce Aidells
Makes 4 to 6 servings
active time
1 hour
total time
4 hours plus 12 to 24 hours for the ribs to sit coated in the rub
Cookbook author and meat authority Bruce Aidells created this recipe exclusively for Epicurious. Aidells' garlic and fresh herb rub and bacon-infused barbecue sauce make for ribs that burst with flavor, while his cooking method—the ribs are baked first then quickly finished on the grill or in the broiler—means home cooks can make tender, meaty ribs without a lot of fuss.
The recipe makes 2 cups of barbecue sauce, but you'll need only about 1/2 cup to glaze the ribs. Aidells recommends serving the extra sauce alongside the ribs, and holding onto any leftovers, which can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. "It's a great thing to have around for other barbecues," says Aidells. "And you can use the sauce to rewarm leftover ribs by gently heating the ribs in the sauce."
For more on Aidells' ribs, rub, and barbecue sauce, see Classic Recipes: Barbecue Ribs and Barbecue Sauce.
ingredients
For the ribs:
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, preferably Pimentón de la Vera*
2 teaspoons ancho or New Mexican chile powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dry mustard, preferably Colman's
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 slabs St. Louis–style pork spareribs (about 7 pounds total) or 2 slabs pork spareribs (about 8 pounds total)
For the barbecue sauce:
6 ounces bacon, diced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons smoked paprika, preferably Pimentón de la Vera*
1 tablespoon ancho or New Mexican chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup brewed coffee
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus more to taste
1 cup ketchup
Few dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more to taste
3 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
Kosher salt
*Smoked paprika is available at most supermarkets. Pimentón de la Vera is a sweet red chile grown in the La Vera valley of western Spain, and slowly smoke-dried before being ground into a powder. It's available at specialty food stores and online at LaTienda.com. Hungarian smoked paprika is a good substitute.
Equipment:
Large, rimmed baking sheet; flat metal cooling rack
Preparation
Prepare the rub and bake the ribs:
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, chile powder, black pepper, sage, thyme, dry mustard, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cayenne pepper if using. Generously coat the ribs with the rub then wrap each slab in a double layer of plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours. DO AHEAD: To develop maximum flavor, place the ribs, coated in the rub, in the refrigerator and chill at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. If you have a flat metal cooling rack, arrange it in the baking sheet and place the ribs, bone side down, on the rack. If you don't have a rack, place the ribs, bone side down, directly on the foil-lined baking sheet. Bake the ribs until the meat is tender and starting to pull away from the bones, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. At this point, the ribs are ready to be served, but we recommend taking the time to finish them on the grill (or in the broiler), while glazing with homemade barbecue sauce. DO AHEAD: Ribs can be baked ahead of time and kept, wrapped in foil, at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, before finishing them on the grill.
While the ribs are baking, make the barbecue sauce:
In a heavy, medium saucepan over moderately low heat, cook the bacon until the fat renders and the bacon starts to brown, about 10 minutes—do not let the bacon get crispy. Add the onions and continue cooking, covered and stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the smoked paprika, chile powder, cumin, black pepper, and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the coffee, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar and stir well to combine. Raise the heat to moderate and bring the sauce to a boil, scraping the saucepan with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits from the bottom. Add the ketchup, hot sauce, and bay leaves, then lower the heat to moderately low and simmer the sauce until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but isn't as thick as ketchup, about 30 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more vinegar or hot sauce to taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaves. DO AHEAD: BBQ sauce can be made ahead and stored, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 2 weeks. Warm the sauce gently on the stove before using.
Grill the ribs:
While the barbecue sauce is simmering, prepare your grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat: If using a charcoal grill, open the vents on the bottom of the grill and light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood). When the coals are covered with white-gray ash (about 20 to 30 minutes later), spread them out on the grill's bottom rack, leaving a space to one side that is equal to the size of the food to be grilled so that it can be moved there in the case of flare-ups. Test the heat of the charcoal by holding your hand 5 inches above the coals for about 3 seconds for medium-high heat. If the charcoal is too hot, continue to let it burn until it reaches medium-high.
If using a gas grill, preheat all burners on high, covered, for 10 minutes, then adjust the heat to medium-high.
Depending on the size of your grill, place 1 or 2 slabs, bone side down, over the heat and brush the fat-covered side generously with barbecue sauce. Grill the ribs, covered, for 2 minutes. Flip the slab over, brush the bone side with sauce, and grill, covered, until the sauce on the fat-covered side is caramelized and lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the slab over and continue grilling, covered, until the sauce on the bone side is caramelized and lightly charred, 1 minute. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let them rest for 10 minutes. If necessary, repeat the grilling and glazing process with the second slab of ribs. Cut between the ribs and serve immediately with plenty of barbecue sauce on the side.
Cook's notes:
Baked ribs can also be finished in the broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil, then arrange the slabs, bone side down, on the pan and brush the fat-covered side with barbecue sauce. Broil, 3 to 4 inches from the heat, until the sauce on the fat-covered side begins to caramelize and lightly char, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the slab, brush the bone side with barbecue sauce, and continue to broil until the sauce on the bone-covered side begins to caramelize and lightly char, 2 to 3 minutes.
Read more
Makes 4 to 6 servings
active time
1 hour
total time
4 hours plus 12 to 24 hours for the ribs to sit coated in the rub
Cookbook author and meat authority Bruce Aidells created this recipe exclusively for Epicurious. Aidells' garlic and fresh herb rub and bacon-infused barbecue sauce make for ribs that burst with flavor, while his cooking method—the ribs are baked first then quickly finished on the grill or in the broiler—means home cooks can make tender, meaty ribs without a lot of fuss.
The recipe makes 2 cups of barbecue sauce, but you'll need only about 1/2 cup to glaze the ribs. Aidells recommends serving the extra sauce alongside the ribs, and holding onto any leftovers, which can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. "It's a great thing to have around for other barbecues," says Aidells. "And you can use the sauce to rewarm leftover ribs by gently heating the ribs in the sauce."
For more on Aidells' ribs, rub, and barbecue sauce, see Classic Recipes: Barbecue Ribs and Barbecue Sauce.
ingredients
For the ribs:
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, preferably Pimentón de la Vera*
2 teaspoons ancho or New Mexican chile powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dry mustard, preferably Colman's
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 slabs St. Louis–style pork spareribs (about 7 pounds total) or 2 slabs pork spareribs (about 8 pounds total)
For the barbecue sauce:
6 ounces bacon, diced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons smoked paprika, preferably Pimentón de la Vera*
1 tablespoon ancho or New Mexican chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup brewed coffee
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus more to taste
1 cup ketchup
Few dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more to taste
3 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
Kosher salt
*Smoked paprika is available at most supermarkets. Pimentón de la Vera is a sweet red chile grown in the La Vera valley of western Spain, and slowly smoke-dried before being ground into a powder. It's available at specialty food stores and online at LaTienda.com. Hungarian smoked paprika is a good substitute.
Equipment:
Large, rimmed baking sheet; flat metal cooling rack
Preparation
Prepare the rub and bake the ribs:
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, chile powder, black pepper, sage, thyme, dry mustard, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cayenne pepper if using. Generously coat the ribs with the rub then wrap each slab in a double layer of plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours. DO AHEAD: To develop maximum flavor, place the ribs, coated in the rub, in the refrigerator and chill at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. If you have a flat metal cooling rack, arrange it in the baking sheet and place the ribs, bone side down, on the rack. If you don't have a rack, place the ribs, bone side down, directly on the foil-lined baking sheet. Bake the ribs until the meat is tender and starting to pull away from the bones, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. At this point, the ribs are ready to be served, but we recommend taking the time to finish them on the grill (or in the broiler), while glazing with homemade barbecue sauce. DO AHEAD: Ribs can be baked ahead of time and kept, wrapped in foil, at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, before finishing them on the grill.
While the ribs are baking, make the barbecue sauce:
In a heavy, medium saucepan over moderately low heat, cook the bacon until the fat renders and the bacon starts to brown, about 10 minutes—do not let the bacon get crispy. Add the onions and continue cooking, covered and stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the smoked paprika, chile powder, cumin, black pepper, and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the coffee, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar and stir well to combine. Raise the heat to moderate and bring the sauce to a boil, scraping the saucepan with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits from the bottom. Add the ketchup, hot sauce, and bay leaves, then lower the heat to moderately low and simmer the sauce until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but isn't as thick as ketchup, about 30 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more vinegar or hot sauce to taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaves. DO AHEAD: BBQ sauce can be made ahead and stored, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 2 weeks. Warm the sauce gently on the stove before using.
Grill the ribs:
While the barbecue sauce is simmering, prepare your grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat: If using a charcoal grill, open the vents on the bottom of the grill and light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood). When the coals are covered with white-gray ash (about 20 to 30 minutes later), spread them out on the grill's bottom rack, leaving a space to one side that is equal to the size of the food to be grilled so that it can be moved there in the case of flare-ups. Test the heat of the charcoal by holding your hand 5 inches above the coals for about 3 seconds for medium-high heat. If the charcoal is too hot, continue to let it burn until it reaches medium-high.
If using a gas grill, preheat all burners on high, covered, for 10 minutes, then adjust the heat to medium-high.
Depending on the size of your grill, place 1 or 2 slabs, bone side down, over the heat and brush the fat-covered side generously with barbecue sauce. Grill the ribs, covered, for 2 minutes. Flip the slab over, brush the bone side with sauce, and grill, covered, until the sauce on the fat-covered side is caramelized and lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the slab over and continue grilling, covered, until the sauce on the bone side is caramelized and lightly charred, 1 minute. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let them rest for 10 minutes. If necessary, repeat the grilling and glazing process with the second slab of ribs. Cut between the ribs and serve immediately with plenty of barbecue sauce on the side.
Cook's notes:
Baked ribs can also be finished in the broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil, then arrange the slabs, bone side down, on the pan and brush the fat-covered side with barbecue sauce. Broil, 3 to 4 inches from the heat, until the sauce on the fat-covered side begins to caramelize and lightly char, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the slab, brush the bone side with barbecue sauce, and continue to broil until the sauce on the bone-covered side begins to caramelize and lightly char, 2 to 3 minutes.
Father's Day Gift Guide
Going Whole Ham
David Lynch, The Wine Insider
GOING WHOLE HAM (Slide #6 of 10)
Bellota Ham
"A Spanish colleague told me how his family kept a jamón ibérico on the counter at all times. This baked beauty is my start down that road."--David Lynch, the Wine Insider ($249 for 4.5 lb.; latienda.com)
Read more
David Lynch, The Wine Insider
GOING WHOLE HAM (Slide #6 of 10)
Bellota Ham
"A Spanish colleague told me how his family kept a jamón ibérico on the counter at all times. This baked beauty is my start down that road."--David Lynch, the Wine Insider ($249 for 4.5 lb.; latienda.com)
LaTienda.com, primer súper online de comida española en USA
En 1996, Don Harris tuvo una idea revolucionaria y montó una tienda online para llevar lo mejor de la gastronomía española a cualquier punto de Estados Unidos.
El chef José Andrés es una eminencia en Estados Unidos y, gracias a él, cada vez son más los extranjeros que incluyen productos españoles en su dieta diaria. Pero antes de que el asturiano se convirtiera en un gurú gastronómico al otro lado del charco, Don Harris se instaló en Cádiz, se enamoró de nuestra comida y decidió exportarla y darla a conocer en EEUU, su país de origen.
Comida española en Estados Unidos.En 1996 casi nadie había oído hablar del comercio electrónico, pero él tuvo una idea revolucionaria y montó una tienda online en Williamsburg (Virginia) con alimentos típicos de nuestra tierra. “En esa época sólo había algunas tiendas de productos españoles en Nueva York y Miami, así que nos dimos cuenta de que el e-commerce era la mejor manera de llegar a la gente que no vivía en esas ciudades”, explica Tim Harris, uno de los hijos del fundador.
Precisamente fue Tim quien le sugirió a su padre colgar una fotografía de un jamón en la web y preguntar a los usuarios si querrían tenerlo en sus cocinas. Tanto españoles expatriados que echaban de menos su embutido estrella como estadounidenses cautivados por su sabor ibérico, respondieron alto y claro: “Sí, querríamos”. Y la familia Harris aprovechó esa base de clientes para iniciar su actividad importadora: “Negociamos con un importador de jamones en Nueva York que tenía contactos con las marcas Navidul y Redondo Iglesias. Ese mismo año, en 1996, nos convertimos en la primera empresa americana que ofrecía jamón español directamente al público”.
Hace unos años abrieron una tienda física con productos españoles.Desde entonces, han pasado 17 años y los Harris no han parado de crecer: “Estamos presentes en EEUU, Canadá, Puerto Rico y toda la Unión Europea. Quizá el siguiente paso sea América Latina”, comenta Tim. Tienen más de 3.000 artículos españoles en su web y más de 100 acuerdos de distribución con marcas españolas. Desde 2001, cuentan también con la suya propia, bautizada como “Peregrino” e ilustrada con la concha típica de LaTienda.com. Además, hace cuatro años decidieron dar el salto al comercio tradicional e inauguraron una tienda-restaurante en Williamsburg, que se ha convertido en un punto de referencia para los amantes de la cultura y la gastronomía de nuestro país. “Hacemos paella todos los viernes, organizamos catas de vinos españoles y damos a conocer diferentes tapas. También llevamos al local a profesionales que enseñan en directo a los estadounidenses cómo cortar el jamón”, explica Johnatan Harris, hijo de Don y hermano de Tim.
Como ocurre en otros países, en Estados Unidos este embutido es el producto más apreciado de la gastronomía española. Por eso, los Harris incluyen en su web textos explicativos sobre el origen y los distintos tipos de jamón español. “Aquí prestamos mucha atención a los detalles para educar a la gente, que tiene que saber las diferencias que hay entre el jamón serrano, el ibérico o el ibérico de bellota”. También gusta mucho el chorizo, las carnes frescas ibéricas, los quesos y las aceitunas, unos sabores propios de España que hacen que los estadounidenses recuerden los buenos momentos pasados aquí. De hecho, la mayoría de los clientes de este e-commerce ha estado previamente en nuestro país y conoce nuestra gastronomía de primera mano: “El 30% de nuestros compradores ha vivido en España y el 60% la ha visitado alguna vez”.
Según Tim, aunque los pedidos llegan de ciudades de todo el territorio americano, hay diferencias entre los estados: “Nuestros productos se venden mucho en Florida, Texas, Nueva York y California”. No obstante, todos los estadounidenses esperan que nuestros alimentos tengan ingredientes naturales, no lleven conservantes y sean sanos y saludables. Esas son las fortalezas de nuestras materias primas, que convencen dentro y fuera de España. En el mundo anglosajón, además,se han convertido en un exponente mundial de la excelencia y la calidad.
Read more
El chef José Andrés es una eminencia en Estados Unidos y, gracias a él, cada vez son más los extranjeros que incluyen productos españoles en su dieta diaria. Pero antes de que el asturiano se convirtiera en un gurú gastronómico al otro lado del charco, Don Harris se instaló en Cádiz, se enamoró de nuestra comida y decidió exportarla y darla a conocer en EEUU, su país de origen.
Comida española en Estados Unidos.En 1996 casi nadie había oído hablar del comercio electrónico, pero él tuvo una idea revolucionaria y montó una tienda online en Williamsburg (Virginia) con alimentos típicos de nuestra tierra. “En esa época sólo había algunas tiendas de productos españoles en Nueva York y Miami, así que nos dimos cuenta de que el e-commerce era la mejor manera de llegar a la gente que no vivía en esas ciudades”, explica Tim Harris, uno de los hijos del fundador.
Precisamente fue Tim quien le sugirió a su padre colgar una fotografía de un jamón en la web y preguntar a los usuarios si querrían tenerlo en sus cocinas. Tanto españoles expatriados que echaban de menos su embutido estrella como estadounidenses cautivados por su sabor ibérico, respondieron alto y claro: “Sí, querríamos”. Y la familia Harris aprovechó esa base de clientes para iniciar su actividad importadora: “Negociamos con un importador de jamones en Nueva York que tenía contactos con las marcas Navidul y Redondo Iglesias. Ese mismo año, en 1996, nos convertimos en la primera empresa americana que ofrecía jamón español directamente al público”.
Hace unos años abrieron una tienda física con productos españoles.Desde entonces, han pasado 17 años y los Harris no han parado de crecer: “Estamos presentes en EEUU, Canadá, Puerto Rico y toda la Unión Europea. Quizá el siguiente paso sea América Latina”, comenta Tim. Tienen más de 3.000 artículos españoles en su web y más de 100 acuerdos de distribución con marcas españolas. Desde 2001, cuentan también con la suya propia, bautizada como “Peregrino” e ilustrada con la concha típica de LaTienda.com. Además, hace cuatro años decidieron dar el salto al comercio tradicional e inauguraron una tienda-restaurante en Williamsburg, que se ha convertido en un punto de referencia para los amantes de la cultura y la gastronomía de nuestro país. “Hacemos paella todos los viernes, organizamos catas de vinos españoles y damos a conocer diferentes tapas. También llevamos al local a profesionales que enseñan en directo a los estadounidenses cómo cortar el jamón”, explica Johnatan Harris, hijo de Don y hermano de Tim.
Como ocurre en otros países, en Estados Unidos este embutido es el producto más apreciado de la gastronomía española. Por eso, los Harris incluyen en su web textos explicativos sobre el origen y los distintos tipos de jamón español. “Aquí prestamos mucha atención a los detalles para educar a la gente, que tiene que saber las diferencias que hay entre el jamón serrano, el ibérico o el ibérico de bellota”. También gusta mucho el chorizo, las carnes frescas ibéricas, los quesos y las aceitunas, unos sabores propios de España que hacen que los estadounidenses recuerden los buenos momentos pasados aquí. De hecho, la mayoría de los clientes de este e-commerce ha estado previamente en nuestro país y conoce nuestra gastronomía de primera mano: “El 30% de nuestros compradores ha vivido en España y el 60% la ha visitado alguna vez”.
Según Tim, aunque los pedidos llegan de ciudades de todo el territorio americano, hay diferencias entre los estados: “Nuestros productos se venden mucho en Florida, Texas, Nueva York y California”. No obstante, todos los estadounidenses esperan que nuestros alimentos tengan ingredientes naturales, no lleven conservantes y sean sanos y saludables. Esas son las fortalezas de nuestras materias primas, que convencen dentro y fuera de España. En el mundo anglosajón, además,se han convertido en un exponente mundial de la excelencia y la calidad.
Diner's Journal: Notes on Eating, Drinking and Cooking
Front Burner
Florence Fabricant
To Taste: Celebrating Spring the Catalonian Way
A sign of spring in Catalonia is the calçotada, a party featuring calçots, a kind of spring onion. They are grilled until they are black and then piled on the table. It’s strictly hands-on as you peel off the charred outer layers to get to the sweet, smoky, tender young vegetable, which you dip in romesco sauce, a mixture of roasted peppers, almonds, garlic, chiles and olive oil. You might wear a bib to participate in the messy ritual, which includes plenty of wine. This year, for another 10 days to two weeks, you can order American-grown calçots from La Tienda, a Web site and shop in Williamsburg, Va., and do your own calçotada: $22 for about a dozen calçots (romesco is $8.90, or you can make your own), tienda.com.
Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times
To Drink: Ireland and Mexico Meet in a Glass
In the Shamrock Amigo, a standout on the cocktail menu at Wylie Dufresne’s new East Village restaurant, Alder, a seemingly untenable assortment of ingredients comes together to make a perfect Mexican-Irish marriage. The creation came to life after the mixologist Kevin Denton discovered Fernet-Vallet, a Mexican product that is drier and more austere than Italy’s more famous Fernet-Branca. He blended it with Jameson Black Barrel whiskey, a little Del Maguey Vida mezcal and a barley malt syrup infused with chipotle peppers, then crowned it with Guinness. The beer, stabilized with powdered egg whites, creates a head that sticks around for a while. A smoky, woodsy, herbal complexity sets in after the first stoutlike sip. Don’t underestimate it. This may look like a baby beer, but it’s a grown-up cocktail: 157 Second Avenue (East Ninth Street), (212) 539-1900, aldernyc.com. — ROBERT SIMONSON
To Shop: Is It a Bar? A Grocery? Actually, It’s Both
The full name of the hot new bar in the financial district is the Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog. We get the grog part, but grocery? The mixologist Jack McGarry, who owns the bar with Sean Muldoon, also a mixologist, and the restaurateur Peter Poulakakos said it’s a tradition going back to the early 19th century, put in place to satisfy the temperance faction. “Bars had to sell food,” he said. “They were called spirit grocers.” So in the rear of the ground-floor bar are shelves of condiments, jams, canned seafood, chips and pickles (often English and Irish) and items like bitters, made in-house. “It’s mainly stuff that keeps, but we hope to add cured meats and cheeses,” Mr. McGarry said. “There are very few places to buy these things in this neighborhood”: Open 11 a.m. to 4 a.m., 30 Water Street (Broad Street), (646) 422-7906, deadrabbitnyc.com.
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
To Use: Upper-Arm Strength Not Required
Assuming that your mother is not a stevedore, she might appreciate a new line of lightweight but effective cast iron cookware from Japan. Designed by Komin Yamada, the sleek five-quart Dutch oven with comfortable loop handles weighs about four and a half pounds, or about six pounds less than my French cast iron one. But it browned and braised just as well. The pot has a nonstick silicone finish and can be used on an induction cooktop; the stainless steel lid is easy to lift with one hand. A nine-and-a-half-inch skillet also performed well at a pound lighter than my cast iron heirloom. I did not try the handsome 10-inch round grill pan, the other piece in this collection: Komin Dutch oven is $199.95, skillet is $79.95 and grill pan is $89.95 at Williams-Sonoma stores, Williams-Sonoma.com.
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
To Give: A Bouquet Meant for Nibbling
Lilies of the valley, or muguets (pronounced moo-GAY) as they are called in France, perfume and flavor special macarons that Ladurée has made for Mother’s Day. The macarons in gold and pale green have a creamy, fragrant filling: $26 for eight, or $2.80 each, at Ladurée, 864 Madison Avenue (70th Street), (646) 558-3157.
New York/ADAGP, Paris
To Behold: Thanks $16 Million, Mom
Maybe Mom would like “Le Petit Pâtissier” (“The Little Pastry Chef”), one of a series of paintings of pastry chefs by Chaïm Soutine (1893 to 1943), a French artist whose works figure prominently in the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. This painting is up for auction at Christie’s on May 8. Oh, and talk about rich desserts: it is expected to sell for $16 million to $22 million, a record for the artist: christies.com.
To Read: Food on Wheels, a New York Tradition
A chronicle of the food-truck culture, “New York à la Cart” describes 47 trucks neighborhood by neighborhood, with stories about how each got started, photos and recipes. It provides a fascinating glimpse at the trucks’ owners — determined, hard-working entrepreneurs, many of whom are immigrants. The book also gives the history of New York’s food trucks, starting with 17th-century street peddlers, and the growth of their numbers. (They peaked in 1934, at 14,000 licenses, which led Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia to build public markets like the Essex Street Market to get them off the streets.) A fast-forward to the present documents how the trucks are organized and the role of social media in their success. On the way you might try recipes for Uncle Gussy’s pork chops; Dominican carne mechada for sandwiches, from Patacon Pisao; or the Austrian potato salad from Schnitzel & Things. There’s a useful index with contact information and a guide to Chinatown: “New York à la Cart: Recipes and Stories From the Big Apple’s Best Food Trucks” by Alexandra Penfold and Siobhan Wallace (Running Press, $18).
A version of this article appeared in print on 05/08/2013, on page D3 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Front Burner.
Read more
Florence Fabricant
To Taste: Celebrating Spring the Catalonian Way
A sign of spring in Catalonia is the calçotada, a party featuring calçots, a kind of spring onion. They are grilled until they are black and then piled on the table. It’s strictly hands-on as you peel off the charred outer layers to get to the sweet, smoky, tender young vegetable, which you dip in romesco sauce, a mixture of roasted peppers, almonds, garlic, chiles and olive oil. You might wear a bib to participate in the messy ritual, which includes plenty of wine. This year, for another 10 days to two weeks, you can order American-grown calçots from La Tienda, a Web site and shop in Williamsburg, Va., and do your own calçotada: $22 for about a dozen calçots (romesco is $8.90, or you can make your own), tienda.com.
Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times
To Drink: Ireland and Mexico Meet in a Glass
In the Shamrock Amigo, a standout on the cocktail menu at Wylie Dufresne’s new East Village restaurant, Alder, a seemingly untenable assortment of ingredients comes together to make a perfect Mexican-Irish marriage. The creation came to life after the mixologist Kevin Denton discovered Fernet-Vallet, a Mexican product that is drier and more austere than Italy’s more famous Fernet-Branca. He blended it with Jameson Black Barrel whiskey, a little Del Maguey Vida mezcal and a barley malt syrup infused with chipotle peppers, then crowned it with Guinness. The beer, stabilized with powdered egg whites, creates a head that sticks around for a while. A smoky, woodsy, herbal complexity sets in after the first stoutlike sip. Don’t underestimate it. This may look like a baby beer, but it’s a grown-up cocktail: 157 Second Avenue (East Ninth Street), (212) 539-1900, aldernyc.com. — ROBERT SIMONSON
To Shop: Is It a Bar? A Grocery? Actually, It’s Both
The full name of the hot new bar in the financial district is the Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog. We get the grog part, but grocery? The mixologist Jack McGarry, who owns the bar with Sean Muldoon, also a mixologist, and the restaurateur Peter Poulakakos said it’s a tradition going back to the early 19th century, put in place to satisfy the temperance faction. “Bars had to sell food,” he said. “They were called spirit grocers.” So in the rear of the ground-floor bar are shelves of condiments, jams, canned seafood, chips and pickles (often English and Irish) and items like bitters, made in-house. “It’s mainly stuff that keeps, but we hope to add cured meats and cheeses,” Mr. McGarry said. “There are very few places to buy these things in this neighborhood”: Open 11 a.m. to 4 a.m., 30 Water Street (Broad Street), (646) 422-7906, deadrabbitnyc.com.
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
To Use: Upper-Arm Strength Not Required
Assuming that your mother is not a stevedore, she might appreciate a new line of lightweight but effective cast iron cookware from Japan. Designed by Komin Yamada, the sleek five-quart Dutch oven with comfortable loop handles weighs about four and a half pounds, or about six pounds less than my French cast iron one. But it browned and braised just as well. The pot has a nonstick silicone finish and can be used on an induction cooktop; the stainless steel lid is easy to lift with one hand. A nine-and-a-half-inch skillet also performed well at a pound lighter than my cast iron heirloom. I did not try the handsome 10-inch round grill pan, the other piece in this collection: Komin Dutch oven is $199.95, skillet is $79.95 and grill pan is $89.95 at Williams-Sonoma stores, Williams-Sonoma.com.
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
To Give: A Bouquet Meant for Nibbling
Lilies of the valley, or muguets (pronounced moo-GAY) as they are called in France, perfume and flavor special macarons that Ladurée has made for Mother’s Day. The macarons in gold and pale green have a creamy, fragrant filling: $26 for eight, or $2.80 each, at Ladurée, 864 Madison Avenue (70th Street), (646) 558-3157.
New York/ADAGP, Paris
To Behold: Thanks $16 Million, Mom
Maybe Mom would like “Le Petit Pâtissier” (“The Little Pastry Chef”), one of a series of paintings of pastry chefs by Chaïm Soutine (1893 to 1943), a French artist whose works figure prominently in the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. This painting is up for auction at Christie’s on May 8. Oh, and talk about rich desserts: it is expected to sell for $16 million to $22 million, a record for the artist: christies.com.
To Read: Food on Wheels, a New York Tradition
A chronicle of the food-truck culture, “New York à la Cart” describes 47 trucks neighborhood by neighborhood, with stories about how each got started, photos and recipes. It provides a fascinating glimpse at the trucks’ owners — determined, hard-working entrepreneurs, many of whom are immigrants. The book also gives the history of New York’s food trucks, starting with 17th-century street peddlers, and the growth of their numbers. (They peaked in 1934, at 14,000 licenses, which led Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia to build public markets like the Essex Street Market to get them off the streets.) A fast-forward to the present documents how the trucks are organized and the role of social media in their success. On the way you might try recipes for Uncle Gussy’s pork chops; Dominican carne mechada for sandwiches, from Patacon Pisao; or the Austrian potato salad from Schnitzel & Things. There’s a useful index with contact information and a guide to Chinatown: “New York à la Cart: Recipes and Stories From the Big Apple’s Best Food Trucks” by Alexandra Penfold and Siobhan Wallace (Running Press, $18).
A version of this article appeared in print on 05/08/2013, on page D3 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Front Burner.
El Ruibarbo
This refreshing drink is clean and crisp -- with a kick. The allspice notes in the bitters highlight the fresh rhubarb flavor, while the brandy adds depth.
This recipe calls for a porron, which is a communal glass drinking vessel native to Spain. You can order it online via www.latienda.com or buy it locally at Salt & Sundry in Union Market.
4 servings
Ingredients:
16 ounces chilled vinho verde
2 ounces brandy
2 ounces homemade or store-bought rhurbarb syrup, such as Morris Kitchen
13 to 15 drops Bittermens Elemakule Tiki bitters
Directions:
Combine the vinho verde, brandy, rhubarb syrup and bitters (to taste) in a porron. Mix them by holding the porron by the handle and swishing (rotating at a steady, not-too-fast pace) for 1 minute. Drink right away.
Recipe Source:
From Amanda McClements, owner of Salt & Sundry in Union Market.
