11 posts tagged “john pleshette”

I always look forward to actor and foodie John Pleshette's meals-of-the-week.  Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Favas and Morels

Fettuccine with Favas and Morels
Serves 4

1 lb of fettuccine or a pasta of your choice
2 lbs or fresh fava beans
1/2 lb of fresh morel mushrooms
2 scallions
3 cloves of garlic
dry white wine
fresh-grated Parmesan
chives
Italian parsley
Fresh tarragon

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Fill a bowl with iced water.

Meanwhile, shell the fava beans.  Drop them in the boiling water and cook for one minute.  Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water; drain.  Pinch off one end of each fava and squeeze out the green kernel inside.

If the morels are sandy, fill the sink with lukewarm water and rinse morels of grit or sand.  Drain in a colander.  Gently squeeze out as much water as you can; roll in a tea towel. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add fettuccine.  Meanwhile, trim and slice scallions into 1/2-inch rounds.  Peel garlic and slice thinly. 

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and a splash of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  When butter stops foaming, add the morels and cook for about 3 minutes.  Add scallions and garlic and continue cooking until they are soft but not browned. 

Add 1/2 of white wine.  Raise heat and cook till wine has almost evaporated. 

Skim 1/2 cup of starchy water from the pasta pot.  When the fettuccine is al dente, drain in a colander, then add to the sauté pan.  Cook over medium heat, adding some of the pasta water and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan.  add the fava beans and the leaves from two sprigs of tarragon.   Toss over heat for another 30 seconds, adding more pasta water if necessary.

Serve with parmesan, fresh chives and parsely on the side.

CellarWise Wine Pairing

Though Hannibal Lecter preferred a nice Chianti with his favas, the inclusion of morels instinctively makes me think Pinot Noir. As consumers, the landscape is shifting our way in Oregon as a number of under-$20 Pinot bottlings are hitting the market. Morels are incredibly well suited to the Willamette Valley version of Pinot’s flavors, simplifying this match. The much-maligned ’07 vintage in Oregon is misjudged, in my mind, as the pure feminine flavors of the grape seem to show through in very pretty wines. Look for under-$20 ‘07s from J. Christopher, Ayres, McKinlay, Grochau Cellars, & Wallace Brook (second label of respected Adelsheim), all simply labeled Willamette Valley. A non-vintage bottling from Brick House (NV Cuvee) is similarly shroom-friendly. Caliphiles may prefer wines from Roessler, Sanford, Au Bon Climat, and Melville, all under $25. Enjoy.

Asparagus Salad

Actor, chef and guest blogger John Pleshette offers us the recipe for a wonderful spring salad:

John Pleshette's Asparagus Salad
Serves 4

2 bunches of thick asparagus (4 per person)
1 large shallot
Champagne vinegar
Lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Italian parsley
Chives
Tarragon
Parmesan Reggiano

Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus.  Holding the asparagus flat on the cutting surface peel down from below the tips with a vegetable peeler.

Meanwhile, fill a large steep-sided pan water and bring to a boil on top of the stove.  Salt generously.  

Peel and slice the shallot into thin rounds.  Put a good pinch of sea salt and several grindings of pepper in the bottom of a bowl.  Add 2 tsps of champagne vinegar and 1 tsp of lemon juice.  Whisk together to dissolve the salt.  then whisk in about a 1/3 cup of olive oil.  whisk in shallots and set aside.  

Put the asparagus in the boiling water.  boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the asparagus are pierced with sharp fork but still have some resistance.  

Meanwhile, fill the sink with cold water and a handful of ice.  As soon as the asparagus are done, remove with tongs and plunge immediately into the ice bath.  Let them cool for a 30 seconds and drain on a clean dish towel.  Roll them up to dry them until ready to serve.

Tear about 1/2 cup of parsley leaves from their stems.  Tear the leaves from 8 sprigs of tarragon.  Roughly chop 1/2 cup of chives.  

Toss asparagus together with vinaigrette and herbs.  Apportion onto four plates.  Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin slices of parmesan over the asparagus.

CellarWise Wine Pairing

Asparagus has an inherent bitter quality, providing the challenge for this match. Sauvignon Blanc can mimic that bitter grassiness, but stick to riper styles from California or Chile. From the former, look for the ’07 Ch St Jean (Fume Blanc) Sonoma County or the ’07 Kenwood Sonoma County, both $12 and readily available. From Chile try the ’08 Vina Montes Leyda Valley Leyda Vyd ($15) or the ’08 Vina San Pedro Elqui Valley ‘Castillo de Molina Reserva’ ($12), two gorgeous fruit-forward examples. For fun think about Oregon Pinot Gris, specifically less floral styles such as the ’06 Eyrie Vyd Dundee Hills or the ’07 Chehalem Willamette Valley (both $17). Enjoy.

John Pleshette's Fettuccine with Chicken Livers and Peas

Fresh peas are starting to pop up in the farmers markets and those little crunches of green cuts through the richness of the livers.  You can substitute frozen peas, just make sure they are room temperature before you add them to the pasta.

Fettuccine with Chicken Livers and Peas
Serves 2-4

1 lb. of fettuccine
1/2 lb. of chicken livers
1 shallot
Butter
Olive oil
3/4 cup of peas
Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt generously. Shell the peas.  Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Wrap the livers in several layers of paper towels to dry thoroughly. Put the pasta in the water.  

When the pasta is nearly done, heat a large sauté pan over a medium high flame.  Salt and pepper the livers.  

Put a splash of oil and 3 tbsps of butter in the pan.  When the butter melts and the foam subsides, toss in the livers.  Brown on both sides over high heat about a minute a side.  Add the sliced shallots, stir into the livers for 30 seconds and remove from the heat.  

Scoop 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside.  When the pasta is cooked, add the peas to the pot, drain in a colander.  

Return livers to the heat and add the pasta.  toss gently to coat the pasta with the livers and peas.  Add a little pasta water if necessary.

Grate some parmesan over the pasta.  Serve the rest on the side.

CellarWise Wine Pairing
Traditionally styled wines seem best here, and either red or white will do. The peas favor whites with similar elements, the oft-ignored Italian classic Vermentino’s green pea and hay flavors seeming perfect.  It ages well so you can look for wines as far back as ’04 or ‘05, but you’re likely find more ‘06s and ‘07s in stores. The Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna “Costamolino” is stellar and retails for about $15. Another widely available version is the Antinori Vermentino Bolgheri Tenuta Guado al Tasso, selling for about $19. A special treat if you can find it is the Vermentino “Ariento” from Tuscany’s Massa Vecchia, a unique and expensive wine that’s worth the search to find.  Reds will need good acidity, and something with black pepper notes seems right.  The impressive ’07 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja “Monte Oton” is just $8 and should work wonderfully.  The Delas Cotes du Ventoux, a great ’07 Rhone that’s $10 is another fine option. If your area is served by a Trader Joe's retailer look for their Italian direct-import line “Epicuro”, including a Vermentino as well as Nero d’Avola, Aglianico, and Salice Salentino reds. Selling for $6, they’re correct affordable options here.

Eggs Benedict

Actor, chef and Good Food guest blogger, John Pleshette shares with us his meal of the week.  This time, it's Eggs Benedict:

"I made this again last weekend for my sisters who were in town to see Mammals and substituted thick slices of toasted cheese bread (Alpine loaf) from the Bread Bar.  Try it.  You'll like it!"

Serves 2-4

2 Thomas’ English muffins
white vinegar
8 paper-thin slices of proscuito (about 1/4 pound)
1 stick of butter
2 whole eggs (4 if you’re really hungry)
2 egg yolks
1 lemon
fresh chives or chervil

Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a small saucepan.  Pour into a measuring cup.  Allow to stand until the white butterfat rises to the surface.  Skim it off.  reserve clarified butter in a warm place.

Split the English muffins using a dinner fork.  

Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer on top of the stove.  Add 2 Tbsp of white vinegar.

Separate eggs.  Beat the yolks in the top of a double boiler off the heat.  Season with salt and white pepper.  Whisk in a few Tbsp of lemon juice.  Dot with 1/4 stick of cold butter.  

Fill the bottom of the double boiler with an inch or two of water.  Bring to a simmer.  

Toast the English muffins under the broiler or in a toaster oven set to “top brown”.  Brown the bottoms first.  Turn over.  Butter and lightly brown top-side up.  

Place the muffins on two warm plates.  Arrange proscuito on top of the muffins.  

Fill the sink with cold water.  

Set the egg yolk mixture in the double boiler and whisk until it attains a custard-like consistency.  Remove frequently from the heat and test the bottom with your hand to make sure it doesn’t get so hot that the eggs scramble and curdle the hollandaise.  To cool down, dip the bottom in sink full of cold water.  

When the hollandaise is thick enough, remove from the heat.  Whisk in the clarified butter in a thin stream, slowly at first.  As the butter is emulsified and the sauce thickens, you can add more butter, stopping at the milky residue on the bottom.  Taste for seasoning.  Add more salt or lemon juice if you wish.

Break the whole eggs into a cup one at a time and slip into the simmering water.  poach for about three minutes.  The whites should be set.  The yolks, runny.  

Remove poached eggs with a slotted spoon and place on top of the English muffins.  

Nap generously with hollandaise.  Garnish with chives or chervil.

CellarWise Wine Pairing

The traditional choice for this elegant breakfast is champagne, but champagne is expensive.  I prefer the clay-like minerality of Cavas, which are made in Spain using the methode champenoise, but are sold widely at a fraction of the price.  Rose Cavas  are more robust in flavor and several nationally-distributed brands, like Freixenet, Cristalino, Codorniu, and Segura Viudas are now producing excellent Cavas.  Explore your local wine store for lesser-known brands and tell me what you find.

Monkfish with Spinach and Root Vegetables

Guest Blogger John Pleshette has a wonderful meal for us this week.  John says that the Monkfish is so easy to make that he included accompaniments, spinach and root vegetables.

Monkfish with Spinach And Root Vegetables

2 lb fillet of monkfish
Olive oil
Fresh thyme
4 small turnips
4 small new potatoes
4 medium carrots
2 bunches of fresh spinach
4 cloves of garlic
Butter
Italian parsley
Chives

For The Vegetables

Bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil.  Salt generously.

Choose vegetables that are approximately the same size.  Peel and trim.

Put in the potatoes and carrots first.  Boil gently for 5 minutes.  Add the turnips.  Boil for about 10 more minutes or until the vegetables are easily pierced with a small, sharp knife.   Test them separately and take out each vegetable as it is done.

If preparing ahead of time, plunge vegetables in a sinkful of cold water.  Drain in a collander.  

Otherwise, drain the vegetables in a collander.  Add 3 Tbsps of butter to the saucepan.  Return the vegetables to the pan and swirl around to coat with butter.  Sprinkle with a handful of chopped parsley and chives.  

For The Monkfish

Allow the fish to reach room temperature before cooking.  Season with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper.

Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a frying pan just large enough for the fish.   When the oil is quite hot, slip monkfish fillet into the oil and brown lightly on both sides.  

Reduce the heat to low and after a minute, add several sprigs of fresh thyme.  Poach the monkfish in the olive oil for another 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs.  The fish is done when a knife inserted to the center feels warm against your bottom lip.  

Remove to a warm serving platter and allow to rest while you cook the spinach.  

For The Spinach

Before you start to cook the fish, dump spinach in a sinkful of cold water.  Trim off the stems and drain in a collander.  

Peel the garlic and slice into thin pieces.

Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 tbsps of butter in a saute pan.  When the butter is hot, add the garlic slices.  

As soon as you smell the garlic, add the spinach.  Salt generously and keep turning over with tongs until the spinach has collapsed but is still a vibrant green.

Surround the Monkfish with the vegetables and spinach.

Serves 4

Cellarwise Wine Pairing

These days it’s not very fashionable to recommend California chardonnay in serious food/wine pairing situations, but it’s a good choice here. The richness of the monkfish calls for more weight not less, and the spinach provides its own challenge, so chardonnays with tropical fruit notes, good cool-climate acidity, and minimal oak are the way to go. Regionally, look for Sonoma County (including Sonoma Coast & Russian River Valley), Monterey (including Santa Lucia Highlands), and Santa Barbara (including Santa Rita Hills) bottlings of non-reserve status (more affordable, less oak). As a value pour try the ’07 Chateau St Jean Sonoma county ($11), or for a few bucks more go for the excellent ’07 Bueller Russian River Valley ($15). The ’06 Logan Monterey county sleepy hollow vineyard ($20) is always solid, if you can find it try the unique ’07 mount Eden Monterey county ($18) as it should excel here. The ’07 Four Vines Santa Barbara county “naked” ($12) offers a more crisp version of the attributes we’re after, or go with the prototypical ’06 Sanford Santa Barbara county ($18). Enjoy.

John Pleshette's Brisket

"The key to good brisket is long-braising at a low temperature a day ahead of time.  This allows you to easily remove most of the fat.  When you slice brisket cold it holds together after which you reheat the slices in the sauce.  The proportion of wine to stock to tomatoes is less important than the technique which guarantees that the end result is tender and full of flavor. Bon Appetit!" -- Chef John

Serves 8-10

5-6 lb Brisket
4 onions
4 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
3 cups of red wine
beef or veal stock
10-oz can of peeled whole tomatoes (san marzano)
bouquet garni (8 parsley stems, 4 sprigs of thyme, 1 bay leaf)
12 medium carrots
Italian parsley
1/2 cup of freshly-grated horse radish
1/2 cup of crème fraiche

Pre-heat oven to 325.  Salt and pepper brisket.

Heat a large steep-sided pan for two minutes over a high flame.  Add a splash of vegetable oil.  Brown brisket on both sides, fat side first.  

Meanwhile, slice onions 1/4-inch thick.  Peel and chop celery stalks.  Peel and roughly dice garlic.

When brisket has browned, remove from the pan.  Reduce heat.  Add 3 Tbsps of butter.  Add onions, celery and garlic.  Stir with a wooden spoon.  Cover and sweat onions.  

Tie together parsley stems, thyme and bay leaf with a cotton string.  Lay on top of the onions.  

Put brisket in the pan, fat side up.  Pour in 3 cups of red wine.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.  

Meanwhile, empty tomatoes into a bowl and crush with your fingers.  Add tomatoes to the pan.  Pour in enough beef stock to barely cover the brisket.  Raise heat to return to a boil. 

Place brisket the center of the oven and cover.  Braise for two hours.  Leaving cover slightly ajar, cook another hour.  

Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool before placing in refrigerator.  Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove as much fat as you can.  Take brisket from pan and set on a platter.  Discard bouquet garni.

Peel and trim carrots.  Scatter in the pan on top of the stove.  Cover.  Cook carrots in braising liquid over low heat till nearly done.

Meanwhile, slice cold brisket across the grain.  Gently slide sliced brisket into the pan with the carrots.  Nap with braising liquid as it heats.  Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve with freshly-grated horseradish mixed with 1/2 cup of crème fraiche.

CellarWise Wine Pairing
Brisket calls for a red to balance the heartiness of the dish with the presence of tomatoes.  Spain is one place to start, my first choice being the exuberant ’07 Masia de Bielsa Garnacha Vinas Viejas Campo de Borja ($11). For a couple bucks more try the detailed and authentic ’07 Adegas Costoya Mencia Ribeira Sacra “Alodio” ($15). A classic choice might be the delicious ’04 Bodegas Valdemar Rioja Tempranillo Crianza Conde de Valdemar ($12). From Chile, try the ’06 GEO Wines Syrah Rapel Valley “Rayun” ($10) for its angular mineral character.  

Treviso With Croutons and Garlic Dressing

We're lucky to have Guest Blogger John Pleshette's recipe for his Meal-of-the-Week.  This time, it's a garlicky salad.

Treviso is a long-leafed radicchio with a more delicate texture but no less of bitter bite.  You can substitute radicchio, romaine, arugula or a combination of both.  The dressing is heavy on the garlic which is mollified by the lemon juice, creme fraiche, olive oil and parmesan cheese.

2 large heads of treviso lettuce
4 cloves of garlic
1 lemon
Crème fraiche
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
One baguette or french sourdough loaf

For the croutons:

Pre-heat the oven to 325.  Slice the crusts off the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Heat 3 tbsps of olive oil in a cast iron pan.  Peel 2 cloves of garlic and sauté in the olive oil till brown.  Discard.

Toss the croutons in the olive oil till coated.  Sprinkle generously with sea salt.  Spread the croutons on a baking sheet and place in the oven.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until the croutons are lightly browned.  

Drain on paper towels.  Turn off oven.  Return croutons to the oven to keep warm.

For the salad:

Sprinkle salt and grind pepper in the bottom of a large metal bowl.  Peel garlic and using a garlic press squeeze into the bowl.  Add the juice of one lemon and mix together with a fork.  Add 3 tbsps of crème fraiche.  Beat in 1/3 cup of olive oil with a whisk.  

Trim the ends off the treviso.  Remove enough of the outer leaves to line the perimeter of your salad bowl.  Cut the treviso crosswise into 1-inch rounds.   Toss in the bowl with the dressing.  When ready to serve, toss the treviso with 1/2 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese.  

Empty treviso salad into your salad bowl.  Scatter warm croutons on top.  

Serves 6

Chicken with Black Trumpet Mushrooms

For this week's recipe, John Pleshette laments that black trumpet mushrooms have a painfully short season.  He writes, "They have a loamy, rich taste and a leathery texture which makes them ideal for braising.  Here, they are paired with chicken legs, but try them with pork loin or make a sauce with shallots and red wine and serves them with steak."

6 chicken legs and thighs, separated
Butter
Vegetable oil
4 shallots
1/2 pound of black trumpet mushrooms
3/4 cup of white wine
Italian parsley and fresh chives for garnish

Dry chicken pieces thoroughly.  Salt and pepper.

Melt 4 tbsps butter and 2 tbsps of oil in a steep-sided saute pan.  When the butter has melted and the foam subsides, add the chicken pieces skin side down.  Do not crowd.  

Brown the chicken on a medium flame on both sides for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill the sink with warm water and soak the mushrooms.  Roll between your fingers to remove any grit.   Remove from the water a handful at a time, squeezing out the water and drain in a collander.  

Mince the shallots.

When chicken is done, remove to a warm plate.  Pour off all but 2 tbsps of fat.  Add the shallots and saute on a low flame until translucent.  Add mushrooms and wine.  Raise the heat to let the alcohol cook off.  

Arrange the chicken pieces skin side up on top of the mushrooms.  Reduce the flame to a simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes or until the thickest part of the thigh runs clear when pierced with a fork.

Chop parsley and chives and scatter over the chicken.  

Serve with rice, potatoes, pasta, or, as pictured above, pureed celery root poached in milk.

Serves 6

CellarWise Wine Pairing
This dish can accommodate a special wine, and by special I don’t necessarily mean an expensive, oaky, “collectible” bottle. Some modernity is fine, but avoid wines that will mute the wild and beautiful flavors of this dish with their overbearing style. You want elegance and restraint, yet with enough weight and depth of flavor to hold up to the food.

South Africa’s Neil Ellis may ring a bell by now as I endorse the wines whenever I can, and the recently tasted ’07 Cabernet/Shiraz/Merlot Stellenbosch “The Left Bank” ($13) is a great place to start. Its cedary Cabernet flavors anchor things while the exotic notes from the Shiraz and Merlot will love the mushrooms. German Pinot Noir is anything but world renowned, however the delicious ’05 Schloss Schonborn Pinot Noir Rheingau ($19) has beautiful red berry fruit and just the right earthy component. If you don’t mind opening or even decanting a good while before serving, a cooler-district Australian red like the ’05 Kangarilla Road Shiraz McLaren Vale ($18 retail, as little as $12 on sale) will be spectacular here. In spite of its size the wine shows great definition to its flavors and is a fine food wine. The earthiness and minerality of the Carignan/Syrah/Grenache blends reds from France’s Languedoc region. A fine example is the tasty ’06 Domaine Croix Belle Coteaux du Languedoc ($13).

Tagliatelle with Endive and Bacon

There wasn't much in the larder except a couple of Belgian endive and some bacon, when I remembered a pasta dish I hadn't made in a long time -- tagliatelle with endive and bacon, compliments of the mistress of simplicity, Marcella Hazan.

Bon Appetit,

Chef John

Tagliatelle with Endive and Bacon

Ingredients:
1 pound of tagliatelle
1/2 pound of slab bacon or pancetta
butter
4 medium Belgian endive
1/2 cup of heavy cream
parmesan cheese
fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt.
2. Melt 2 tbsps of butter in a deep-sided sauté pan with a lid.  Cut bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and brown in the butter. 
3. Meanwhile, trim ends off endive.  Slice lengthwise in quarters, leaving about an inch at the base, so the endives hold together. 
4. Add endive to the bacon, salt lightly and season with ground pepper.  Cover and cook on a low flame for about 15 minutes, until the endives have collapsed and rendered their liquid.
5. Raise heat and cook off most of the liquid.  Add heavy cream and reduce by half.
6. Put the pasta in to boil.  Cook 6-8 minutes or until the tagliatelle is al dente.  
7. Drain and dump into the pan with the endive.   Raise heat and toss tagliatelle with the endive so it absorbs some of the liquid.  Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.  Toss lightly.  Garnish with Italian parsley. 

Serves 4

CellarWise Wine Pairing

A common temptation in matching wine with food is to try too hard.  This regional Italian dish will benefit from a similarly-traditional wine, and Piedmont’s signature grape, Nebbiolo, is the ticket.  While that might mean Barolo or Barbaresco if you’ve got $60 - $300 to throw at tonight’s wine, a more useful choice would be the “common” wines from many of the region’s best producers.  These wines, labeled either Nebbiolo d’Alba or Nebbiolo delle Langhe, are 100% Nebbiolo.  Three recent examples are the ’07 Elio Grasso Nebbiolo d’Alba “Gavarini” ($24), the ’06 Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo delle Langhe ($17), and the ’06 Ruggeri Corsini Nebbiolo delle Langhe ($18), all of which are excellent.  Note:  wines labeled “Langhe Rosso” can contain Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot, and others.  While fine wines, their style and price typically miss the spirit of this match.