Braised beef brisket (machaca)

• 5 lb piece beef brisket
• 2 cups red wine
• 20 oz tomato juice
• 1/4 cups lime juice
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup chopped garlic
• 2 tbl black pepper
• 4 tbl ancho powder or 2 whole chiles
• 1 tbl cinnamon
• ½ cup coffee, ground (Guatemalan bean preferred)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Spanish onion, rough cut

Season brisket with coffee, ancho powder and salt. Grill-sear beef to caramelize. Cut beef into similar size pieces (3) and put in large braising pan with all remaining ingredients. Add enough water to cover brisket. Cover with foil and place in 300 degree oven for 3-4 hours. Discard whole onions and bay leaves. Remove brisket from liquid and pull all meat. Reserve liquid to reheat.

Guacamole  

• 6-8 avocados (calavo-haas avocado)
• 1 tbl salt
• 1 tbl chopped garlic
• 1/2 spanish onion diced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro minced
• 1/2 jalapeno minced
• 2 tbl lime juice
• 1/2 tsp black pepperyield

Technique: Split avocado in half and remove pit. Using a soup spoon, remove flesh. Combine avocado with garlic and salt in stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Macerate together using a potato masher. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Amounts may vary slightly depending on size and strength of avocados and jalapeno peppers. Always taste and season with kosher salt if needed.

Variations: Fold in fresh tropical fruits (mango or pineapple), goat cheese, different chiles (chipotle or roasted poblanos) or smoked seafoods (salmon or trout).

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. Carolyn Maldonado, wine consultant for the Pepper Pike store, suggests Au Bon Climat Pinor Noir ($21.99) or Argento Malbec ($11.99). She says both are good summer drinking wines and light enough to enjoy in the heat. She adds that the pinot pairs well with beef, whereas the Malbec is a good choice to complement the chiles and cinnamon.

If you’re enjoying the guacamole as an appetizer, she suggests starting with a Torrontes (Crios – $15.99 – is a good choice) or an Alberino or Vinho Verde. They’re all light, great with chips, and are good starter wines to open up the palate.

As previously posted, I sampled the Au Bon Climat pinot at a wine dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern last week. I wholeheartedly agree with Maldonado – that is a fantastic wine and I highly recommend, and look forward to trying with the chef’s brisket.

Rocco’s Lamb Burgers (makes 8, 6 oz burgers)

Lemon Dill Dressing

Mix all ingredients together. Top burgers with Bulgarian Feta and Rocco suggests using  soft egg rolls, with a nice charred burger.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making these burgers at home, Carolyn Maldonado, a wine consultant from the Pepper Pike store, suggests Petite Sirah or White Blend from X Winery (both $12.99). She explains that the Petite Sirah is great to pair with lamb because it’s a rich wine and is a blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The White Blend would complement the lemon and dill flavors in the dressing and contains Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino and others.

Fun food for thoughts with Rocco Whalen:

1. Favorite non-chef owned restaurant in Cleveland? Diamond Grill-Akron

2. Clogs or Converse Chucks? Converse

3. Favorite non-cooking activity? Thai massage

4. Favorite coffee? Civilization

5. If you were held up at gunpoint and shoved into a walk-in, which chef’s walk-in would it be? Baricelli  

6.Watch of preference?Raymond Weil

7. Shirts or skins? Skins  

8.Gravestone will say? In short ribs we trusted

9. Favorite junk food? Slim Jims  

10. Would you have rather sacked John Elway on the last play of the famous “drive” and still potentially lost the superbowl or save the game in World Series game 7 against the Marlins in 1997 ala Jose Mesa?  Sacked Elway

Here, the chef gives us not one, but three recipes to try at home.

Maple Glazed Pork Belly with Apple, Endive and Walnut Salad

 4 oz Pork Belly

Salad

Glaze

Cook pork Belly covered in a shallow pan at 325 for 2 hours.

For Salad: cut all ingredients in small uniform shape and dress with chives and walnut vinaigrette.

For the Glaze: combine all ingredients in a sauce pot and reduce 75% then strain.

Black Mussels with Ginger, Lemongrass, Spicy Chili

Start by sautéing garlic, ginger, lemon grass, chili paste and mussels in oil until hot.  Add  wine and fish fumet and cover with another pan of equal size.  When mussels open add butter salt lemon juice and reduce liquid by half.  Season and toss in cilantro.

Pan Roasted Walleye with Crème Fraiche Beets, Dill

Sautee Walleye skin side down in a hot pan with olive oil.  Reduce the heat to medium and leave alone.  When the skin is crispy turn the fish over and turn heat off. In a separate small pot combine beets, crème fraiche and butter and slowly bring to a boil.  When mixture boils add lemon juice and dill.

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This post was sponsored byHeinen’s. When making these dishes at home, Laurie Toth, the wine consultant for the Avon store, shares these thoughts: 

For the Maple Glazed Pork Belly Salad, my recommendation is the Charles and Charles Rosé.  A Rosé is one of the most perfect food pairings on earth.  With this particular recipe it’s a match made in heaven.  The wine pairs with the pork, fruit, vegetables, and the maple syrup for the glaze.  Rosés are wonderful during the summer and great with lighter foods.

The Huber Grüner Veltliner is my suggestion with the Black Mussels.  This Austrian wine is light and dry.  Great with unusual light foods especially fish and chicken.  It pairs with the mussels, lemon, ginger, cilantro and the spice of the chili paste.

The Carl Loewen Riesling Kabinett is the pairing I recommend with the walleye. Kabinett Rieslings are delicious with fish and this wine has a touch of citrus on the nose and palate to pair with the lemon.  This delicate wine would be excellent with the delicate fish. 

If you’re planning to entertain anytime soon, here’s a recipe you’ll want to serve (I plan to try  for a summer kickoff party we’re hosting). But as you’ll soon realize, this recipe is all about cooking like Rocco – as in his kitchen on a busy Friday night at the restaurant! Unless you’re hosting several hundred, you’ll want to greatly reduce the quantities (my apologies for not simplifying it).

Mushroom Pot Stickers

Procedure: Mix soy and oyster sauce, set aside. In a larger wok, on high heat, sauté the mushrooms in small. Batches until browned and fragrant.  Reserve. Combine all vegetables and add soy and oyster sauce. Add slurry and cook to thicken. Put on a sheet pan & let cool in walk in until needed. Place 1 oz. of the mushroom mixture onto a pot sticker wrapper. Wet with water to seal, fold into a ½ moon shape.

Serve with sweet and sour mushroom sauce:

Boil all ingredients to reduce by ¼. Enjoy!

If you’re making Rocco’s appetizer, he likes to serve it with a nice pinot noir. Mark Chonko, the wine consultant at the Brecksville Heinen’s (sponsors of this post), agrees. He has two suggestions at two price points: Regusse Pinot Noir ($11.99) or Jadot Santenay Clos De Malte ($29.99).

From Heinen’s: The key to getting perfectly cooked foods with those great grill marks is a clean, hot, well-seasoned grill.  Four simple steps will get you there: heat—brush—season—grill. 

• Allow the grill to heat up completely.
• When it’s good and hot, rub it down with a wire brush.
• Seasoning a grill simply means applying a lubricant to the grill to prevent the food from sticking while cooking. Take a stainless steel bowl with a clean, “sacrificial” towel that’s been moistened – but not to the point of dripping – with vegetable oil.  (Note: Don’t use olive oil here; it has too low of a smoke point and it’s pricey for this purpose.)  Then, grasp the oil-moistened towel with metal tongs and rub the grill’s entire surface.  Put the towel back in the stainless steel bowl.
• Position food on the hot, seasoned grill and begin cooking.

Grilling Meat, Chicken or Seafood: There’s a primary rule here:  The side that is to be presented up on the plate should always go down on the pan or grill first.  You get the best grill marks the first time around.

• For chicken breasts: Position skin side down with the breast on a 45 degree angle to the grill bars.  If skinless, brush each side with a just small amount of vegetable oil.  Too much oil will cause flare-ups, which will cause a soot build-up.

• For salmon: start skin side up.  (Note: The skin is very helpful in helping fish keep its shape during cooking)  If it is a skinless fillet or salmon steaks, brush the each side with a small amount of vegetable oil. 
• For shrimp:  These cook fast.  Just get them pink—and if using a marinade be sure to drain it off before grilling.  Otherwise, flare-ups will leave a sooty coating on the delicate shrimp. 
• For marinated meats: Same here.  Drain well before grilling
• For beef steaks: Remember the first rule.  Serve the first side down on the grill as the presentation side up on the plate.
• Finally, we believe in meat thermometers – always use one to determine the degree of desired doneness. 

Veggie Grilling: Start with relatively uniform-sized vegetables.  If they are small enough to slip through the cooking grate, place the veggies on a perforated and seasoned grill rack which rests directly on the grate. (Season the grill rack in the same manner as the grill grate.)  If the veggies have been marinated, drain off any liquid cooking. Combine any of these local veggies or serve them up solo:

• Thick tomato slices, slowly grilled to create a smoky-flavored sundried tomato-like flavor
• Eggplant slices
• Summer squashes
• Peppers, any type
• Sweet corn– peel down the corn, de-silk it and then rewrap in the husks
• Thick onion slices

Another hint?  Once you’ve fired up the grill, cook extra veggies and hold them for a grilled salad the next day.  Make a nice corn relish or salsa from grilled sweet corn cut from the cob.

Make Mine Fruit: Fruits are perfect for grilling.  Their natural sugar content allows them to caramelize beautifully on the hot grill, imparting a concentrated caramel flavor combined with the smokiness of the grill.  Fruits that grill well:

• Stone fruits—peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines mango
• All citrus fruits
• Bananas
• Pineapples
• Pears and peeled apples
• Avocados—cut in half and just remove the stone or pit

Spray the fruit with cooking spray (away from the heat) and place them on the hot, clean grill.  Allow the surface to caramelize and release.  This only takes a few minutes.

Cut or slice the cooked fruits to make fabulous grilled fruit salad as an accompaniment to a meal.  They make great desserts as well, served straight up or with ice cream, sorbet or whipped cream.  For a real classic, simply drizzle with a bit of balsamic syrup or balsamic vinegar.

Summer beverage picks:

Paul from Hudson: My summer pick would be Altos Malbec from Argentina ($11.99). Malbec has started to become a varietal that more consumers are looking for. Altos has traditional been at the forefront of making a great example of this wine and has numerous times been highly rated. This big, black inky fruit driven wine with hints of white pepper would be a perfect match for anything grilled from steak to spicy ribs. This is one wine you can enjoy all summer long.

Dominique from University Heights: I picked the Kitchen Sink White ($8.99) because it has a handcrafting approach and flavorful wine. Very enjoyable a sure crowd pleaser. Also the Falling Star sauvignon blanc from Argentina with its fresh taste and flavor this is the perfect party/wedding summer wine ($6.99).

Mike from Willoughby: Blue Moon’s Honey Moon, Leinenkugel Summer Shandy and Sam Adam’s Summer Ale.

Laurie from Avon: My favorite summer wine is Simi Sauvignon Blanc.  It’s clean, crisp and refreshing.  Delicious with summer fare such as salad, fish, chicken or as an aperitif.  For the months of June and July it is on sale for $9.99 (regularly $14.99).  If you see me on my deck, it’s a good bet that I’ll have a glass of this wine in my hand!

Bill Sulhan: Sierra Nevada Summerfest: Crispy summer lager that is delicately spicy with a refreshing finish which pairs well with pizza. Bell’s Oberon:  Very smooth wheat ale that has a hoppy character and is great with mild cheeses. Great Lakes Holy Moses:  Very satisfying white ale that is pleasingly spiced with orange peel, chamomile and coriander.

Other selections that were shared:

• Sierra Nevada Summerfest; a Crisp summer lager with a touch of malt and crisp and refreshing finish. A perfect sipper for a warm summer day.
• One of my favorite summer time drinks would be Gasparini Prosecco ($14.99), a nice dry style Italian Sparkling wine. I enjoy serving it as a Bellini, this is a cocktail originated in Venice. Basically, I blend Prosecco with a touch of Looza peach nectar and serve it with a side of sliced white peaches. Try this as part of a lazy breakfast in bed or enjoy it during a perfect Sunday afternoon happy hour.
• Simi 07’ Zin (that’s red Zinfandel); a great value now at $9.99, not over the top style which pairs beautifully with pizza, barbeques, pork, cheeses, etc. Nice cherry-berry fruit, pepper, clove and other soft spices round out this Zin.
• DeRose 06’ Zin – My top zin since 1994 vintage. Huge red in everything including alcohol (not for the timid!) This zin delivers so much more zip than any other. Very old 120 yr-plus vines have a lot of explosive fruit (raspberry plum and raisin) with major spice. This will pair extremely well with steaks, red sauce pasta, pork, very spicy-foods such as jambalaya and dense cheeses.
• Genesis Viognier out of Washington. A great white wine, very tasty peach and apricot with orange blossom and melon mingle with the floralness of honeysuckle. Great by itself as well. My all-time favorite white wine to have all summer!
• Simi Chardonnay. Chardonnay is still king of white wines and Simi has always been my favorite since the early 90s because of its luscious mouth feel. Just enough toastyness of oak to bring complexity of lemon, apple and soft tropical fruit notes with creamy notes make it great to have with chicken, salmon, pork, spicy foods and mild cheeses.

I do not like to grill. At all. On some level, the grill actually makes me nervous – which is kind of weird because I thoroughly enjoy cooking (and I know there’s nothing to fear, on any level). So Jamie is in charge of outdoor cooking and I happily handle all indoor responsibilities. Though I need to get over my grill issues because Jamie likes to overcook meat.

That being said, I love cooking out and enjoy so many dishes when prepared on the grill. I happily prep then pass off to Jamie. But sometimes we cheat. Sometimes I just don’t feel like getting supper together after work, so I’ve often picked up prepared burgers from Heinen’s to quickly grill. And even though I think I make a pretty good burger and prefer mine when cooking at home, I do enjoy the variety of burgers at Heinen’s. And as much as I hate to admit it, my in-laws prefer Heinen’s burgers over my own, so I usually pick these up for them when they visit in the summer.

The folks at Heinen’s asked me to review one of their prepared dishes. While I like the burgers, I’ve found other dishes rather ho hum. In general, they lack seasoning – even a little salt can go a long way. But I took this opportunity to try a new dish, particularly for the grill: the blue and black bean marinated pork kabobs (we bought three for a total of $15).

Knowing what my experience has been thus far, I wasn’t sure what to expect – but they looked fabulous. And I have to admit, they tasted pretty good, too. Jamie grilled them beautifully – the pork, peppers and mushrooms. The meat was tender and much more flavorful than anticipated. I didn’t enjoy as much as the burgers, but definitely more than other prepared dishes I’ve tried. Jamie and Natalie were equally as happy. And for two people, three kabobs was one too many. They are quite generous with the portions sizes, for both the meat and veggies.

Bottom line – if you like to grill, but sometimes are short on time, this is a good alternative. We’ll pick up again.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s.

Fennel & Potato Soup with Smoked Salmon Fritters

In large pot sauté in olive oil:

• 2 white onions, diced
• 1/2 head celery, diced
• 1 heads fennel, cored, diced
• 3# Yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed (toast over medium flame in saute pan until aromatic)

Deglaze pot with 2 cups white wine; cook out white wine. Add 1 1/2 gallons chicken stock. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to boil and simmer to reduce until vegetables are tender. Add 1 quart heavy cream and bring to boil; simmer. Puree with 1 bunch of flat parsley; sieve.

Smoked Salmon Fritter

In food processor, combine:

• 1/2# smoked salmon
• 1 egg
• ¼ tsp baking powder

Pulse to make a smooth pink paste. Scrape side with rubber spatula. Slowly drizzle in heavy cream to create a light pink mousse (about ½ cup). Test 1 small teaspoon sized quenelle in 325F frying oil (peanut or canola).

Presentation: Fry 3 quenelles of smoked salmon batter per serving. Place in center of soup and garnish with lemon olive oil or even a dollop of caviar.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making Herschman’s soup at home, Mark Chonko, the wine specialist for the Brecksville store recommends a sparkling wine or champagne because it would cut through some of the spice and enhance the salmon. His picks include Gerard Bertrand Cremant ($14.99) or Veuve Clicquot Brut ($56.99).

According to Williams, his sofrito recipe is ideal for this time of year, goes well with white wine or margaritas, is easy to make and is a great side dish for main entrees – especially off the grill.

Sofrito

Latin-style sauce comprised of chopped onions, garlic, green chiles, and fresh herbs; similar consistency to a pesto or recado. Can be used to flavor black beans, braised pork, grilled chicken, seafood or vegetables (green beans, potatoes, cauliflower, asparagus, tomatoes, roasted squash or pumpkin). Yields: 2 cups.

3 bunches cilantro
1 bunch scallion
1 tsp fresh oregano
10 cloves garlic
2 shallots
1 med/large poblano green chile
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup water
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper

Wash and clean all fresh herbs and trim tops to scallions. Remove stem and seeds from green chile. Place all ingredients into blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Sofrito can be frozen or refrigerated up to 7 days in air-tight container.

Blanch fresh clipped green beans in heavily salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Shock in iced water immediately to stop cooking. Drain and cool. Heat 1 tbl vegetable oil in pan, add 2 cups green beans, silvered shallots and roasted corn kernels. Sauté on high heat until beans blister. Add 1-2 tbls sofrito, toss, and serve. Can sub roasted butternut squash, blanched cauliflower or roasted potatoes for green beans. (also can be used with sautéed onions and peppers as base for black beans, soups, or stews)

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making Williams’ sofrito, Laurie Toth, a certified sommelier who works in the wine department at the Avon store, likes Dos Equis Lager. She says the pale lager is ideal for Cinco de Mayo and compliments Mexican food in general – especially if it’s spicy.  

According to Steve Schimoler, chef/owner of the wonderful  Crop Bistro & Bar, this dish is a super summertime appetizer, and can be easily prepared a day ahead. He shares that a Causa is basically a potato salad, but with different twists and presentations. Before you start this recipe, you will need to go to the hardware store or kitchen specialty store.  To do the stacks that you see in many recipes or restaurant presentations, you need to have something to serve as a mold. An inexpensive option for the molds uses PVC pipe that you can find at a hardware store. All you need to do is buy a length of pipe as small as 2 feet long, although they will probably want to sell you a standard pipe that is six to eight feet long. You want a 2 inch inner dimension size pipe. At a good lumber yard or hardware store, they may cut it for you, but if not you will need to have a hack saw ready to cut it yourself. To make the molds, simply measure the pipe into 3 inch lengths and cut the pipe into as many segments as you desire. The result is pipe segments that are 3 inches high and 2 inches wide. The edges will be rough so use a fine grit sand paper and smooth all the edges very well, then run them through the dish machine to clean them well. These PVC molds are very useful for many different cold molded foods. Do not attempt to use them in any cooking applications.  Molds are also available in specialty kitchen stores like Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table.

Ingredients:

• Chicken (4 large bone in breasts)
• Purple Potatoes 10 each
• Tomatoes (diced) 1 cup
• Kalamata Olives (pitted and diced) ½ cup
• Capers (minced) 4 tsp
• Garlic (minced)  2 tsp
• Olive Oil ½ cup
• White vinegar ¼ cup
• Dijon Mustard 4 TBSP
• Salt  2 tsp
• Pepper ground 1 tsp
• Balsamic Vinaigrette  ½ cup ( see recipe below)
• Cumin Powder 2 tsp
• Chili Powder 2 tsp
• Garlic salt 1 tsp

Preparation:

For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and combine the cumin, chili and garlic salt in a small bowl. Mix the spices and then sprinkle the mix equally over the skin side of the chicken. Roast the chicken for 18 to 20 minutes until the juices run clear and the skin is well crisped. Let the chicken rest and cool, it can be refrigerated until ready to use in the next steps.

For the Potatoes: Cut the Potatoes into ½ to ¾ inch cubes, place in boiling water and cook for approximately 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and place in a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and white vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Use a hand potato masher and mash the potatoes till well blended but still chunky. Let the mixture cool.

Make the balsamic vinaigrette (below) and set aside.

Dice the olives, tomatoes and mince the capers and garlic, and combine in a bowl.

To assemble the dish: Begin by rubbing the insides of the PVC mold with some olive oil just to coat the surface. Place the molds on a tray or large plate and scoop 3 TBSP of the potato mix into the molds and press down firmly. Sprinkle 2 TBSP of the tomato, olive, caper and garlic mix into each mold and press down. Add more of the potato mixture to fill the rest of the mold and press down firmly. Place in the refrigerator for minimum 1 hour so the set up and can be un molded easily. Using your fingers, pull all the chicken meat and skin from the bones and continue to pull the meat apart so it looks evenly shredded. Be sure to use all the skin, you may want to use a knife to julienne the skin. When ready to serve, remove the molds from the refrigerator and place one on each plate. Carefully push the filling down while you are pulling the mold upwards and off. They should un mold easily. Place approximately 2 TBSP of the pulled chicken on top of each stack and sprinkle some of the extra around the base of the molds. Sprinkle some of the remaining tomato and olive mix around the plate then drizzle 1 to 2 oz. of the balsamic vinaigrette on the stacks and around the plates. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Olive oil 1 cup
• Balsamic Vinegar 1/3 cup
• Dijon Mustard 3 TBSP
• Fresh Basil (finely minced) 1 TBSP
• Salt  ½ tsp
• Pepper ½ tsp

For the dressing: Combine the oil, balsamic, Dijon, basil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Using a wisk, vigorously wisk till the dressing is completely blended and deep mahogany in color. Set aside in clean container or refrigerate till needed.

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This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. Anne Somoroff, the wine consultant for the Pepper Pike store, offers a few suggestions to pair with Steve’s dish. Her first is the MA.SA.GA California Syrah  ($13.99). It’s a full-bodied red with softer tannins. Smooth and round, she says it’s great with the sweetness of the balsamic, plus the olives, tomatoes and  spices.

The DOMAINE DE LA MORDOREE ROSE, Rhone Rose  ($16.99), is a medium-bodied lush rose with berry flavors  which counters the salt of capers/olives and cumin spices. The round fruitiness accentuates vegetables in the dish.

Finally, ESTAMPA VIOGNIER/CHARDONNAY, a Chilean white ($9.99) for its full-bodied fruit that counters salty capers and olives and spice in this dish. Bright acidity in wine compliments the vegetables. The bright acidity helps to carry vinaigrette and roundness of wine accentuates creaminess of potatoes and in general, dry and crisp wine pairs well with chicken.

Coconut cake with caramelized pineapple and lime scented whip cream

Cake

** cream together until light and fluffy

Eggs 5 ea

** add one at a time to the butter and sugar

** sift together and add to wet ingredients alternating it with the coconut milk and vanilla

** alternate with the dry ingredients

Coconut 2 C

**Fold into finished cake batter

Bake at 350, rotating every 7 minutes until done, check with knife by sticking it into the center and if the knife comes out clean it is done.

Pineapple compote

** melt brown sugar and butter together and add vanilla bean and pineapple. stir until pineapple is well coated with brown sugar mixture.

Lime scented whip cream

** whip the heavy cream, vanilla and powder sugar together until stiff and add lime zest and fold in by hand. Take a slice of cake, top it with warm pineapple compote and top with whip cream.

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The recipe was sponsored by Heinen’s. Laurie Toth, the wine consultant at the Avon store, suggests serving it with the Frost Bitten Ice Riesling ($12.99).  She explains that Frost Bitten has flavors of pineapple and a touch of citrus that would pairs well with this dessert.  The dessert wine is similar to an Ice Wine, but cannot be called an Ice Wine because the process is not the same by law.