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Brisket is a tough working muscle that needs to be cooked for a long time at a low temperature. It is commonly either smoked (Texas-barbecue style), or braised, as I’ve made it here. This recipe is adapted from The Silver Spoon cookbook, a classic from New York City’s beloved kitchen supply shop. The onions provide a sweetness that works well with the richness of the brisket, as well they provide more than enough liquid to braise the tough cut of beef.

Brisket comes from the breast area of the steer and consists of two main cuts. The first cut, also called the flat, is the leaner end of the brisket and the second cut, also known as the point or the double, is much fattier, with two muscles bisected by a layer of fat. Both cuts are great, but it depends on which you prefer. The point will be juicier due to the additional fat, but the flat is leaner for those who shy away from extra fat.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

5-6 lbs                 brisket (flat or point)
To taste               salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp               flour (for dusting)
4 tbsp                  vegetable oil, divided
8                          large onions, halved and sliced about ½ inch thick
3 tbsp                  tomato paste
4                          garlic cloves, chopped
2                          medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
4                          bay leaves
6                          thyme branches

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Season the brisket liberally with salt and pepper, then dust it with flour on both sides. Place a large heavy bottom roasting pan (large enough to hold your brisket) over a medium high heat. Add the oil and let it get hot. Lay the brisket in the hot pan and brown on both sides. Once browned (about 7-8 minutes per side), remove the brisket, and set aside on a plate.
3. Turn the heat down to a medium and add the onions to the roasting pan. Stir well, scraping up the fond on the bottom of the pan left from the brisket. Let the onions cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown. Turn the heat off under the pan, then place the browned brisket (and any collected juices) on top of the onions, and spread the tomato paste all over the top of the brisket. Scatter the garlic, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme around the meat. Cover tightly with a double layer of tin foil and place in the over to roast for 1.5 hours.
4. After 1.5 hours, remove the pan from the oven, and reduce the heat to 325°F. Take the brisket out (it will still be tough), and transfer to a clean cutting board. Slice the brisket against the grain at about 1/8” to ¼” thick, then place the sliced meat back into the roasting pan (the slices should be arranged to look like the original shape of the whole brisket in your pan). Cover tightly again with foil and return to the oven from another 2 to 2.5 hours, checking for tenderness after the 2-hour mark. The brisket should be fork-tender before removing it from the oven.
5. To serve, spoon the onions and vegetables into a large serving dish and lay the brisket on top, drizzling the sauce from the roast over the meat. Serve extra sauce on the side.

Gemelli, the Italian word for twins, is a spiral-shaped pasta like a tight fusilli. It works very well with meat ragus, as the sauce gets into the narrow folds of the pasta, reinforcing the overall flavour of the noodle. Braising meat in milk is a very old technique – the acidity of the milk helps break down the protein, and the fat gives the sauce a smooth mouthfeel. You should use very fresh milk, and not let it come to a hard boil, or else you risk curdling the milk. If the milk curdles though, have no fear. It will not influence the finished sauce other than looks.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 ½  lbs                ground pork
1 ½ tsp                 salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp                    pepper, plus more to taste
pinch                    ground clove
pinch                    ground nutmeg
3 tbsp                   white wine
1 ½  cup               chicken stock
1 ½ cup                milk
½ lb                      oyster mushrooms, torn into strips
1 cup                    frozen peas
1 tbsp                   butter
2 tbsp                   Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, plus more to top the pasta
1 tbsp                   Italian parsley, chopped
2 cups                  gemelli pasta (or substitute with fusilli or penne rigate)

Method

1. In a work bowl, mix the ground pork with the 1 ½ tsp salt, the ½ tsp pepper, the clove, the nutmeg, and the white wine. In a saucepan over a medium heat, brown the seasoned pork, stirring constantly, for ten minutes or until the meat is slightly browned.
2. Add the stock and the milk and reduce the heat to low. Bring to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by just over half. The ragu should be saucy, not soupy or completely dried out. If the liquid evaporates too much, add in a little extra stock.
3. Add the mushrooms and the frozen peas to the ragu and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, or until the peas are completely defrosted. Turn the heat off and add the butter, Parmigiano, and parsley to the pan, stirring vigorously to emulsify. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
4. Bring a large pot with at least 2 quarts (liters) of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the gemelli and cook until al dente, or just cooked through. Drain and toss with the ragu.
5. Serve immediately, and top with a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano, if desired.

Saltimbocca is a Roman dish, traditionally made of veal cutlets draped with prosciutto and sage and fried until golden. For this recipe, I am taking boneless skinless chicken breasts and giving them the same treatment for a finished dish that is a little lighter, but still big on flavour. Serve these with a simple green salad, a pasta, or some steamed vegetables.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, each breast filleted in half to make four cutlets
salt and pepper to taste
8 sage leaves
4 slices of prosciutto
1 cup flour (for dredging)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Using a mallet or the side of your knife, lightly pound the chicken cutlet so they are a uniform thickness.
2. Season each chicken cutlet with salt and pepper, going a little light on the salt (as the prosciutto will be salty enough).
3. Lay 2 leaves of sage on one side of each cutlet. Lay the prosciutto on top of the sage, covering one side of the cutlet like an eclipse (timely!).
4. Spread the flour out on a plate, and dredge each side of a cutlet, tapping off any excess flour. Set the dredged cutlet aside on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining 3 cutlets.
5. In a large pan on medium high heat, melt the butter with the oil. When the butter starts to foam, place the cutlets in, prosciutto side first, cooking until golden brown (about 3 minutes). Work in batches if the pan can only fit two cutlets at a time. Turn the cutlets over and finish the cooking (about another 3 minutes). Drain on paper towel and serve immediately.
6. Saluti!

This recipe, abridged from Cooking Meat, is based on a couple of French country recipes I’ve played with over the years. You start it right after breakfast, it cooks slowly while you go about with your day, and you finish it when your guests show up. Easy-peasy.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 (6–7 pounds) bone-in leg of lamb, aitch bone removed (ask your butcher)
Salt and pepper
1 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
4 bulbs garlic, split into whole, peeled cloves (30–40 cloves)
6 rosemary sprigs
2 cups Beef Stock
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Have a roasting pan with an elevated roasting rack ready.
2. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and rub in the 2 Tbsp of oil. Place the lamb on the roasting rack and set the roasting pan in the oven. Roast until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven, and turn down the oven temperature to 250°F.
3. In an ovenproof casserole dish just large enough to fit the leg of lamb, heat the remaining 1 cup of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and fry until the garlic starts to release its aroma. Place the browned lamb leg on top of the garlic, then add the stock over and around the lamb. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and place in the oven. Roast for 7 hours, or until fork tender.
4. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and carefully transfer the lamb to a serving platter (it will want to fall off the bone) and cover with aluminum foil while you make the sauce.
5. Using a ladle, skim off and discard as much fat as possible from the top of the roasting juices (without removing the brown juice). Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will still be in the pot—that’s ok).
6. Place the casserole over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Strain the roasting juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, using the back of the ladle to push the cooked garlic through, puréeing it as you do so. Scrape the underside of the strainer, ensuring all the good bits of garlic get into the sauce. Discard the solids from the strainer. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, season to taste, and pour into a gravy boat.
7. To serve, remove the foil from the lamb. “Pull” chunks of the lamb away from the bone, slice, and serve on a platter, setting the garlic sauce alongside.

Homemade Hamburger Helper
adapted from Cooking Meat

I have fond memories of eating Hamburger Helper when I was a kid. So much so that I bought a box to enjoy as an adult. Some memories are best left in the past. However, I still like the idea of a quick and easy meat sauce that can poured on top of short pasta, so here’s my version of Hamburger Helper. You and your kids will notice a difference!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp salt (divided)
1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in medium dice
½ tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 pound ground beef
1 Tbsp paprika
1 pound pasta of your choice (small noodles work best)
1 (10 ounces) can chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
½ bunch green onion, chopped

Method:

1. Fill a large pot with water, add the 1 Tbsp of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, set your biggest frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. When it’s hot, add 1 tsp of salt, the onions, and pepper. Turn down the heat to low, cover the pan, and allow the onions to cook, stirring every minute or so, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. Add the beef, then turn up the heat to medium. Using a spoon, mash the beef with a spoon so it browns all over. Stir in the paprika and cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until the beef is no longer red.
4. When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta, stir, and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. Stir the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste into the beef mixture and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
6. Stir the sour cream into the beef mixture and turn down the heat to low. Stir until the beef is well coated and saucy, then add the drained pasta and cheese, stirring well to allow the cheese to melt into the sauce.
7. To serve, scoop the hamburger helper into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped green onions. Ta-dah!

This simple Alsatian dish, abridged from my book “Cooking Meat”, takes some time to make but it is rustic comfort food at its best, and truly celebrates many of the cuts the pig offers us. On the next cold night, invite some friends over and throw this popular French bistro dish in the middle of the table with a baguette, some good mustard, a jar of gherkins, and plenty of Riesling. You’ll be a star.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter (divided)
½ pound sliced bacon, cut in 1-inch dice
3 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large smoked ham hock , 1 ¼ lbs, cut in quarters (ask your butcher to cut it on the band saw)
1 small head Savoy cabbage , shredded
1 herb sachet (1 Tbsp juniper berries, 10 thyme sprigs, 6 bay leaves – all tied in a cheesecloth or a tea-ball)
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
2 cups dry white wine
4 smoked pork chops
4 large good-quality smoked pork sausages
4 weisswurst (found at German/Eastern European delis)
4 pork wieners (hot dog–style)
1 pound mini potatoes, washed
1 Tbsp sliced chives
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter with the bacon. Add the onions and garlic and sweat until translucent.
2. Add the pork hock, turn down the heat to medium-low, and cover the pot. Sweat for 15 minutes, then add the cabbage and herb bundle. Stirring frequently, cook for 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is translucent. Add the sauerkraut and wine, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours.
3. Turn the heat off the cabbage and keep warm. Using a pair of tongs, remove the ham hock and cool slightly. When cool to the touch, discard the skin and the bone, and shred the meat. Add the shredded hock meat back to the pot with the smoked pork chops, smoked sausages, weisswurst, and wieners. Cover and steam for 12 to 15 minutes.
4. While the meats are steaming, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the mini potatoes and boil until fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, and toss with the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and the chives. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chops, smoked sausages, weisswurst, and weiners to a cutting board. Slice them into attractive, bite-sized pieces. Taste the cabbage, and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
6. To serve, pile the cooked cabbage and hock-meat stew onto a large platter and arrange the smoked meats on top. Serve with the mini potatoes.

At this time of year, when winter’s grip is loosening but still hanging on, I like to make food that will warm my bones and give me the energy to push through to spring. Chicken soup fits the bill, and while I generally make a chicken soup or broth with bones, using chicken legs can increase the flavour and body. Legs have skin and fat, which carry extra flavour, and has a good amount of meat that can be shredded from the bone to add to the soup. I recommend using whole legs in your next soup!

Chicken and Rice Soup with Ginger

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4                           whole chicken legs
1                           large onion, peeled, and cut into quarters
6 cloves                garlic, peeled
2 knobs                ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (each “knob” should be                                     thumb-sized)
2                           carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1                           celery stalk, washed and roughly chopped
1 tbsp                   salt
1 tsp                     peppercorns
2                           bay leaves
2 cups                  cooked rice (jasmine works well, but you can use any type)

Method

1. Place all the ingredients (except for the rice) and a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the ingredients by an inch.
2. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1.5 hours, skimming the surface of the soup often to remove impurities.
3. Cool the soup down for 2 hours, or until the chicken is cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the liquid in a clean pot.
4. Using your clean fingers, separate the skin and bone from the chicken leg meat. Add the meat to the strained broth. Discard the remaining solids from the strainer.
5. Add the cooked rice to the broth and chicken meat and bring back to a simmer. Stir and serve immediately.

Millions of people will be celebrating Lunar New Year tomorrow, and with that celebration comes much feasting. There are the traditional dishes, such as Longevity Noodles, Steamed Whole Fish, and Sweet Rice Balls, but perhaps my personal favourite is Peking Duck. I love ordering this at restaurants because of the multi-course aspect: the crisp skin is commonly eaten first while still hot, followed by the carved meat that one wraps in thin crepes, and sometimes also served with more of the meat chopped and used in a fried rice. The rich flavour of the duck meat and the shattering crispiness of the skin are heavenly. However, true Peking duck is a very challenging dish to make at home. The preparation involves blowing air into the whole duck to separate the skin from the meat, then blanching the whole duck before hanging them to air dry to tighten the skin. The hanging duck gets brushed with honey and spices before left to dry for 24 hours.  The final step is roasting in a preferably wood burning oven until the skin is lacquered and the meat to fully cooked.

As much as I like to try to make everything myself, this is one of those dishes that is just so much better at a restaurant that knows what they’re doing. However, there’s nothing holding us back from replicating the flavour of Peking duck at home with some spices and a duck breast. Is it authentic? No, it is not. Is it delicious? Absolutely.

 Five-Spice Roasted Duck Breast with Chive Crêpes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4                           duck breasts
to taste                 salt
1 tbsp                   Chinese Five Spice Powder (approximate amount)
2 tbsp                   honey, warmed to liquify

Chive Crêpes:
2                           large eggs
1¼ cups               milk
1 cup                    all-purpose flour
1 tbsp                   vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
Pinch                    salt
1 tbsp                   minced fresh chives

For Serving:
1 cup                    cucumber, sliced into thick matchsticks
1 cup                    green onion, thinly sliced
to taste                 hoisin sauce

 Method:

1. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the skin of each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern at ¼-inch intervals. Score only the skin so the fat can escape while rendering, not the meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper, then sprinkle lightly all over with the five-spice powder. Set the duck, skin side down, in a large frying pan, place over medium-low heat, and allow the duck to warm and cook slowly for about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the crêpes. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until a smooth batter forms. In a small non-stick frying pan, heat a little oil over medium heat, using a paper towel to spread the oil around the base of the pan. When hot, add a stream of the batter until it just coats the bottom of the pan. Allow the batter to set (about a minute), before flipping to finish cooking for another 30 seconds or so. Transfer the crêpe to a plate and cover with a clean towel. Repeat the process until all the batter is used.
3. At the 10-minute point, turn the duck breasts over and brush each skin with the honey. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate and allow them to rest.
4. To serve, thinly slice the duck breast and arrange on a platter. Serve with the warm crepes, the vegetables, and the hoisin for dipping/spreading. Enjoy!

Nothing cures the winter blues like a bowl full of chili! Invite your friends and family over to your very own chili cookout! Warm your bellies and your kitchen with this slow cooked pot of simmered spicy beef. Heck, you could even make a bread bowl out of one of Blackbird’s Kensington White Sourdoughs and fill it up with this recipe – you’re the boss!

All Beef Chili
adapted from Cooking Meat

Serves 6-8

2 pounds ground beef
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (divided)
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 celery stalk, finely diced
½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp Spanish paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
⅓ cup tomato paste
⅓ cup water
Salt and pepper
1 (16 ounces) can plum tomatoes|
1 Tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce
1 heaping cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup Beef Stock
1 heaping cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice

Method

1. In a large pot over medium heat, brown the beef in 2 Tbsp of the oil. Once brown, drain off the excess oil, transfer the beef to a plate, and set aside.
2. Return the pot to the heat and add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and bell peppers and continue cooking and stirring for another few minutes.
3. Turn down the heat to low, stir in the chili powder, paprika, coriander, and cumin, and cook for 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Finally, add the tomato paste and water, stir well and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pass the tomatoes and chipotle peppers through a food mill or food ricer. (If you don’t have one, use a food processor—but the seeds may add a bitter taste to your chili.) Add this puréed tomato mixture, the cooked beef, kidney beans, and stock to the pot and stir well to combine. Bring the chili to a simmer over low heat, cover, and simmer for 1¾ hours. Stir occasionally, to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom.
5. Add the black beans and cilantro, then stir in the sugar and lime juice. Season to taste: the chili should be tangy and spicy with a hint of sweetness. Cook until the beef is tender, about 15 minutes.
6. To serve, pour the chili into a large serving bowl and pass the bowls.

Note: Chili, like people, improves with age. Make this recipe a day or two before serving and refrigerate to allow the flavor to develop.