LAMB CHOPS SCOTTADITO
IN ITALIAN “SCOTTADITO” MEANS “FINGER-BURNING”, AN APT DESCRIPTION FOR THESE LITTLE RIB CHOPS WHICH ARE PAN-GRILLED ON HIGH HEAT — SCORCHED REALLY — AND SERVED WITH NOTHING MORE THAN LEMON WEDGES. THE PREP FOR THIS RECIPE TAKES ABOUT TEN MINUTES; COOKING THEM, FIVE. AND EVEN IF THEY BURN YOUR FINGERS, THEY’RE KIND OF IRRESISTIBLE.
https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/lamb-chops-scottadito/
LUSTIG
THE FOUR BEST MEALS I’VE EATEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS HAVE ALL BEEN AT LUSTIG, BERNARD MAIRINGER’S AUSTRIAN-INSPIRED BISTROT IN HELMS BAKERY. I RARELY REVIEW RESTAURANTS BECAUSE WITHOUT VISITING THEM MULTIPLE TIMES AND GOING THROUGH THE MENU, I DON’T FEEL QUALIFIED TO DO SO. LUSTIG IS THE EXCEPTION. BY RECRUITING OTHER COUPLES TO JOIN US, WE’VE EATEN OUR WAY THROUGH THE MENU, WHICH NOT ONLY INCLUDES VIENNESE CLASSICS LIKE WIENER SCHNITZEL, PLUMP SAUSAGES, SPÄTZLE, WINE BRAISED SAUERKRAUT, AND KAISERSCHMARRN, BUT WALNUT-SIZED PROFITEROLES FILLED WITH CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE AND TOPPED WITH A DISC OF DARK CHOCOLATE; BEET SALAD WITH CHÉVRE, HAZELNUTS AND JAPANESE PEACHES.; A BUBBLING OPEN-FACED POTATO AND CHEESE TART; MELTINGLY RICH 12-HOUR BEEF CHEEKS; VENISON MEDALLIONS WITH A CHOCOLATE-BROWN VENISON REDUCTION; A PUNCHY HAMACHI CRUDO; A CRUNCHY, SOUR CREAMED CUCUMBER SALAD; AN AIRY BLACK FOREST CAKE AND A FLUFFY APPLE PANCAKE WITH A SOUR CHERRY COMPOTE. I’VE WASHED ALL THAT DOWN WITH ERICH LUSTIG’S GRÜNER VELTLINER AND A MORIC BLAUFRÄNKISCH AT $45/BOTTLE. THE COFFEE IS GOOD; THE SERVICE; FRIENDLY AND SEAMLESS; AND LUSTIG ITSELF, CHEERFUL, LIVELY BUT SERENE ENOUGH TO CARRY ON A CONVERSATION.
BERNARD MAIRINGER, WHOSE L.A. CAREER INCLUDES CHEF DE CUISINE FOR THE PATINA GROUP, TWO JAMES BEARD NOMINATIONS AND A MICHELIN LISTING FOR LUSTIG SINCE 2024, IS, LIKE JOSEF CENTENO AND WALTER MANZKE, A TRUE MASTER CHEF, IN THE SENSE THAT HIS DISHES INCORPORATE IDEAS FROM A RANGE OF INTERNATIONAL CUISINES– ASIAN, MIDDLE EASTERN, FRENCH, AUSTRIAN, AND SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN, E.G. HIS RAW TUNA “CIGARS” OR STYRIAN AFFOGATO. AND, AS ONE OF FRIENDS REMARKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT’S DINNER, “EVERY DISH ROCKED.” THERE IS A PRECISION TO BERNARD’S COOKING AS WELL AS INVENTION. IT’S NOT JUST HIS PALATE THAT HAS BROUGHT US BACK MULTIPLE TIMES; IT’S HIS FLAWLESS EXECUTION.
AND GUESS WHAT? LUSTIG IS CLOSING. UNLESS BERNARD GETS AN INFLUX OF NEW INVESTORS; UNLESS THE PLACE IS PACKED FROM NOW TILL THE END OF JANUARY, ON THE 28TH, LUSTIG WILL SERVE IT’S LAST SCHNITZEL. DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN. DON’T DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF THESE WONDERFUL DISHES. EAT AT LUSTIG BEFORE LUSTIG BECOMES A MEMORY.
MEAL OF THE WEEK: BRISKET WITH FRESH HORSERADISH SAUCE
“MY ________ MAKES THE BEST BRISKET I’VE EVER EATEN.” FILL THE BLANK WITH MOTHER, MOTHER-IN-LAW, AUNT IDA, OR GRANDMA SADIE AND YOU’LL HAVE A ROUGH IDEA ABOUT HOW MANY BRISKET RECIPES ARE AVAILABLE JUST FROM YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY. DON’T EVEN BOTHER GOOGLING “BRISKET RECIPES” BECAUSE YOU’LL BE READING FOR DAYS. THAT OPENING CLAIM IS USUALLY FOLLOWED BY “AND ALL SHE DOES IS…” IN THIS CASE, HOWEVER, THAT HAPPENS TO BE TRUE. FOR YEARS I’VE MADE BRISKET WITH RED WINE AND/OR HOME-MADE BEEF STOCK. BUT I’VE RECENTLY DISCOVERED A MIRACLE INGREDIENT CALLED WATER. I SUBSTITUTED IT FOR STOCK IN AN UPDATED VERSION OF OXTAIL STEW. BOTH OXTAILS AND BRISKET SHARE COMMON ATTRIBUTES: THEY ARE TOUGH CUTS WHICH REQUIRE LOW AND SLOW COOKING, BRAISING. THEY DRAW FLAVOR FROM THEIR FAT AND, WITH OXTAILS, BONES. SO, ALL I DID WAS BROWN THE BRISKET AND BRAISE IT WITH LOTS OF SLICED ONIONS, GARLIC, A BOUQUET GARNIE, IMMERSED IN, YOU GUESSED IT, WATER. LIKE ALL BRAISES, I COOKED IT AHEAD OF TIME, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO CHILL THE COOKING LIQUID SEPARATELY, REMOVE THE FAT, AND REDUCE THE LIQUID TO AN INTENSELY FLAVORFUL SAUCE. SLICING COLD BRISKET IS A BREEZE. THEN GENTLY REHEAT IT WITH THE SAUCE AND SOME ROOT VEGETABLES, WHICH I PREFER TO COOK SEPARATELY. ANYTHING ELSE? OH, YEAH, PARSLEY. I GUARANTEE YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES AND NEPHEWS WILL BE CITING YOUR RECIPE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SOUP
YOU COULD PROPERLY CALL THIS JUST ANOTHER CHICKEN SOUP, BUT THE RECIPE EVOLVED DURING ITS CREATION. I INTENDED ON MAKING A SOUP WITH THANKSGIVING TURKEY STOCK, LEEKS, CELERY, MUSHROOMS, RICE, AND LEFTOVER CHICKEN. THEN I DECIDED IT NEEDED SOMETHING GREEN AND I’D JUST PICKED UP SOME BEAUTIFUL BABY TATSOI IN THE FARMERS’ MARKET. TO DEEPEN THE FLAVOR A BIT, I ADDED SOME RED MISO FOR UMAMI AND FINALLY, A DASH OF SOY SAUCE. SO, CALL IT WHAT YOU LIKE, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST DISHES I’VE EVER CREATED. TRY IT. YOU’LL LIKE IT! https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/chicken-and-mushroom-soup/
THANKSGIVING. WHAT ELSE?
ONE GREAT THING TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVER TURKEY
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN AND YOU’RE PROBABLY SATED, NOT YET WITH TURKEY AND ALL THE FIXINGS, BUT THANKSGIVING RECIPES; BOMBARDED IN YOUR NEWSPAPER OF CHOICE, FOOD MAGAZINES, AND WHEREVER YOU SHOP. HAVE YOU ORDERED YOUR PASTURE-RAISED BIRD OR JUST OPTED FOR A BUTTERBALL WITH ITS BUILT-IN POP UP THERMOMETER? SO, JUST TO ADD TO YOUR CONFUSION, I’VE SELECTED A FEW RECIPES FROM THE ARCHIVES, WHICH I OFFER HERE FOR YOUR OWN DELECTATION.
TURKEY
TURKEY GRAVY
CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
CREAMED ONIONS
MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC
JOSHUA McFADDEN’S BROCCOLINI
ROESTI POTATOES WITH CREAMED LEEKS
CRISPIEST POTATOES
CREAMED SPINACH
CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SOUP
POST-THANKSGIVING MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE TURKEY TETRAZZINI, A NOODLE CASSEROLE CREATED AROUND 1909 BY ERNEST ARBOGAST, CHEF AT THE PALACE HOTEL IN SAN FRANCISCO, IN HONOR OF LUISA TETRAZZINI, THE BELOVED OPERA STAR WHO WAS MAKING HER AMERICAN DEBUT AS GILDA IN RIGOLETTO. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO USE UP ALL THAT LEFT OVER TURKEY, WHICH GROWS DRIER AND LESS APPETIZING BY THE DAY. YOU MAKE A CREAMY SAUCE, FOLD IT IN WITH PRE-COOKED PASTA AND, TOPPED WITH CHEESE AND BREADCRUMBS, FINISH IT IN THE OVEN. I COULDN’T FIND A RECIPE I LIKED SO I MADE ONE UP AS I WENT ALONG. IT WAS A PALPABLE HIT. AND IF NOT AN ORIGINAL, REVISED ENOUGH TO DUB IT TURKEY PLESHETTINI. MANGIARE!
