Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (11 page)

SERVES 8

SOUP

2 large
onions,
thinly sliced (about 1 pound 500 grams)

4 tablespoons 56 grams
unsalted butter

½ teaspoon 3 grams
fine sea salt

1 quart 900 grams
apple juice

1¾ cups 400 grams
water

1 pound 2 ounces 500 grams
sharp Cheddar cheese,
grated (about 4½ cups)

1½ pounds 680 grams peeled, sliced
apples
(from 4 large or 5 medium)

FRITTERS

1 cup 150 grams
all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon 6 grams
baking powder

¼ teaspoon 1.5 grams
fine sea salt

1 large
egg,
lightly beaten

½ cup 130 grams
whole milk

½ cup 125 grams
unsweetened applesauce

3 slices
thick-cut bacon,
cooked and finely chopped

4 ounces 113 grams
sharp Cheddar cheese,
cut into ½-inch 13 mm cubes

½ cup 55 grams peeled, diced
apple

2
scallions,
finely sliced

Peanut oil
or canola oil, for frying

½ cup 120 grams
crème fraîche
,
homemade or store-bought

2
scallion greens,
thinly sliced

½ teaspoon 2.5 grams
prepared horseradish

MAKE THE SOUP:
In a large saucepan, combine the onions, butter, and salt. Cook the onions over low heat until they are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the apple juice and water, increase the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the cheese a handful at a time, whisking constantly to incorporate. Once the cheese has melted into the broth, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FRITTER BATTER:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, and pour the mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the applesauce and stir to blend. Fold in the bacon, Cheddar, apple, and scallions, folding until thoroughly combined. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until you are ready to fry, up to 1 hour.

Strain the soup into a clean pot, discarding the solids, and add the apples. Set the pot over medium heat, bring the soup to a simmer, and cook until the apples are tender and falling apart, about 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute, working in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the pot and keep warm while you finish the fritters, or chill the soup in an ice water bath and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve, or up to 3 days.

MAKE THE FRITTERS:
Pour the peanut oil into a medium pot to a depth of 3 inches (8 cm). Heat the oil to 370ºF (188°C). Add the batter to the oil by the tablespoonful and fry the fritters, turning occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the fritters to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or a paper towel–lined plate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, scallion greens, and horseradish. Taste and add a few grains of salt if necessary.

To serve, divide the soup among 8 serving bowls and top each one with a dollop of horseradish crème fraîche. Arrange the fritters on a platter and serve alongside the apple soup.

MUSHROOM SOUP

THIS IS NOTHING LIKE THE SOUP THAT YOU CAN BUY IN CANS
and use as a base for casseroles. This is a soup that celebrates the earthy flavor of the mushroom. The recipe calls for a blend of mushrooms, but if you can’t find them all at your local market you can substitute different ones or up the quantity of oyster and shiitake mushrooms. We add Indian lime pickle, readily available in most gourmet or ethnic food markets, for its complex spicy flavor. A generous splash of good Scotch adds depth and a hint of smokiness, while the finishing touch of green sauce gives the soup an herbal kick. If you make this for a smaller group, you could use the leftovers in a mushroom
Potato Gratin
by substituting the soup for the milk, and any leftover green sauce will go equally well with meat or seafood.

SERVES 8

12 ounces 340 grams
cremini mushrooms

12 ounces 340 grams
shiitake mushrooms

8 ounces 225 grams
portobello mushrooms

4 ounces 115 grams
oyster mushrooms

4 ounces 115 grams
maitake mushrooms

3 tablespoons 45 grams chopped Indian
lime pickle

2 ounces 60 grams Ardmore or other smoky
Scotch

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons 60 grams
tamari soy sauce

3⅓ cups 750 grams
water

Green Sauce

Remove the stems from all of the mushrooms and put the stems in a pressure cooker with the lime pickle, Scotch, soy sauce, and water. Cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure dissipate naturally.

Tear the mushroom caps into bite-size pieces and put them into a large saucepan. Strain the mushroom stem stock over the mushrooms and discard the stems. Set the pan over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a simmer, and turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mushrooms steep in the liquid for 20 minutes. Turn the heat back on to medium and bring the soup to a simmer.

To serve, divide the mushroom soup among 8 serving bowls and put a spoonful of green sauce in the center of each.

BEEF CHILI & WAFFLES

WHEN WE TOOK ON CHILI, IT WAS A CHALLENGE. BRAISED BEEF
often suffers from a dry texture, with all of the goodness going into the sauce. Great chili bridges the gap between flavorful meat and sauce so that both are happily eaten on their own. Together they become transcendent. This chili is made with a combination of ground beef and large cuts of meat on the bone. The resulting stew has a great texture. The chunks of meat make it more luxurious than a simple ground beef chili. The marrow from the beef shanks melts into the sauce, giving it richness and savoriness. You can serve the dish with the meat still on the bone, as we do, or you can take the time to remove the bones and gently pull apart the meat. Any leftovers can be shredded and served over pasta the next day for an equally delicious second meal. The light and crunchy cornbread waffles are the perfect partner.

SERVES 8

½ cup packed 105 grams
light brown sugar

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons 50 grams
fine sea salt

5 teaspoons 10 grams
onion powder

1½ teaspoons 3 grams
garlic powder

1 tablespoon 6 grams
ground
cumin

2½ teaspoons 5 grams
smoked paprika

2½ teaspoons 5 grams
dried Mexican
oregano

2½ teaspoons 5 grams
ancho chile powder

2 teaspoons 4 grams
jalapeño powder

1
boneless first-cut beef chuck roast
(about 2¼ pounds 1.2 kilograms)

4
bone-in beef shanks
(about 5¼ pounds 2.4 kilograms total)

12 individual
bone-in beef short ribs
(about 6 pounds 2.72 kilograms total)

3 medium
onions,
peeled

20 fresh
ají dulce peppers

¼ cup 56 grams
rendered beef fat
or olive oil

1 (6-ounce 170-gram) can
tomato paste

24 ounces 675 grams
IPA beer
(2 bottles)

2 (24-ounce 710-gram) jars
strained tomato puree

9 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon 150 grams
tamari soy sauce

⅔ cup 150 grams
water

Cornbread Waffles

4.5 ounces 125 grams freshly grated
Cheddar cheese
(1 generous cup)

1 bunch
scallions,
sliced

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, ancho powder, and jalapeño powder. Put the chuck shoulder, beef shanks, and ribs on a cutting board and season them all over with the spice mixture. Make sure to evenly and completely coat all of the meat with the spice mixture. Put the meat in baking dishes or on several large plates, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, cut the onions into slices that will fit into your meat grinder. Grind the onions and ají dulce peppers through the ¼-inch (6 mm) die and set aside.

Cut the chuck shoulder into strips that will fit through the grinder. Run through the grinder and reserve separately. (If you don’t have a meat grinder you can pulse the meat in batches in your food processor until it is roughly chopped.)

Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).

Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the rendered beef fat and heat until it shimmers. Put 2 beef shanks in the pot and brown them on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the shanks to a large platter and then repeat with the other 2 shanks. Put 3 to 4 beef ribs into the pan, sear the top and the meaty sides, and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining beef ribs. Add the ground chuck shoulder to the pan and use a wooden spatula to stir the meat, scraping up any caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring, until the meat is lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the meat. Add the ground onion and pepper mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Add the beer to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, soy sauce, and water and let the mixture come to a simmer.

Arrange the beef shanks and ribs in 1 large or 2 medium roasting pans. Pour the hot sauce over the meat and cover the pans with foil. Bake until the shanks and ribs are fork-tender, about 6 hours.

Remove the pan or pans from the oven and let the chili rest for 30 minutes before serving. Leave the oven on to keep the cooked cornbread waffles warm. Or the chili can be cooled and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before reheating and serving.

Scoop the chili into 8 bowls and serve with the cornbread waffles, Cheddar cheese, and sliced scallions on the side.

Cornbread Waffles

MAKES 12 WAFFLES

Corn flour is a great ingredient for baking, especially if you are not overly fond of the slightly crunchy texture of cornmeal in baked goods. It is closer in texture to durum than fine cornmeal. Bob’s Red Mill makes a good one that can be found in many supermarkets. We like the flavor of cane syrup in these waffles, although in a pinch you can substitute molasses or maple syrup. The flavor will be different but still delicious.