recipephile

Philip Made Coq au Vin

Hello Everyone

My friend Phillip Simmons came over a few nights ago with a hankering for Coq au Vin (1) or as we 'mericans would say -- Chicken with Wine. For me, this was one of those dishes that I had always heard about but never tasted. The name sounds so fancy and French to me that my impression was that it would be difficult to make. Although somewhat time consuming and process oriented, this dish is relatively easy to make, as long as you keep yourself organized in the kitchen.

Phillip is an artist, a sculptor actually, but you would think he was a chef after tasting his Coq au Vin. I wish I could send you to his Web site to see some of his amazing work, but it is currently under construction. Once he has the site up and running or his work is showing at one of the galleries in Chelsea, I will send along the information.

Special thanks to Phillip for being the inspiration and the test chef for this week's RecipePhile.

Have a great week.

Michael
"Always remember that food is about more than eating...it is about thinking, buying, preparing, enjoying and most importantly... sharing."

Dad's Beef Broth

Hello Everyone

My father and I are very close and together we share and exploit our love for food and everything epicurean. And not only does my father love food, he also loves wine and has made it a hobby, to say the least. It is always fun to visit Pittsburgh and spend Saturdays with my dad and mom talking about food, shopping for food, eating food, etc. So when I decided to come home for a visit, I also decided that it was time to learn how to make a traditional Volpatt weekend food staple.

My father is good at many things -- at least that is what he will tell you -- but he is a master at making beef broth. Usually a weekend event, the making of the broth, commonly referred to as "brodo" by many Italians, started on Saturday afternoon and continued through Sunday morning and into lunch when we would sit and taste his weekly creation. This recipe is great because it makes quite a bit and can be frozen and used for all kinds of beef based soups and sauces or just eating it as is, which is actually my favorite way to enjoy this flavorful stock.

Thanks dad, for teaching me the secret to making a wonderfully delicious and versatile beef broth. I hope that you enjoy this week‚s edition of RecipePhile. And remember, if you have any ideas, recipes or opinions, please send them my way.

Have a great week.

Michael
"Always remember that food is about more than eating...it is about thinking, buying, preparing, enjoying and most importantly... sharing."

Crispin's Cheese Discovery

Hello Everyone

A good friend of mine, Crispin, invited me over to his house last week for dinner. He made an amazing salad for us with sauteed zucchini, toasted walnuts, avocado (sprinkled with balsamic to keep them from browning), butter lettuce, olive oil and the most amazing cheese I have tasted in quite a long time -- Stracchino (1), a deliciously creamy Italian cheese. As we both tasted it for the first time, we just stood there staring at one another, speechless. Yes we are crazy, but just taste it and you will understand.

The next day, all I did was think about the different ways we could use this new found friend of ours. In salads, with bruschetta, on sandwiches, the possibilities seemed endless. Then it came to me. This is a very creamy cheese, which means it likely melts very well. It was time to experiment. So I headed to the local Italian grocery in the Chelsea Market and picked up some Stracchino to see just how easily it would melt. Once in my kitchen, I soon learned that this creamy cheese was just as delicious when melted down. Now the possibilities went from endless to infinity, but I was dying for an alfredo sauce. So after phoning Crispin, who immediately chimed in "wonderful, but don't forget the bazzil (2)", the dye was cast and the sauce was well on its way to becoming a reality.

This week's RecipePhile is dedicated to my good friend Crispin, whose adventurous nature led us to a new found cheese and a recipe that turned out just as we both imagined. Keep in mind, this one is fattening, very fattening.

Have a great week,

Michael
"Always remember that food is about more than eating...it is about thinking, buying, preparing, enjoying and most importantly... sharing."