Local mushroom soup
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 pound local shitake, oyster mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoon local garlic, chopped
1 cup leeks, sliced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup carrot, sliced
1 3/4 cup local yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup sherry wine
1 cup mushroom stock
1/4 cup milk
1 cup day-old bread, crust removed
kosher salt and black pepper
Soak crustless bread in milk, pushing it down
into the milk until it absorbs all of the milk. Heat the butter, and
sautee the mushrooms until lightly caramelized. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Cook until all liquid is absorbed. Add the vegetables,
and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let all the liquid cook out
(about 25 minutes). Deglaze the pan with sherry. Reduce by half. Add the
mushroom stock and simmer for 10 more minutes. Puree the bread and soup
in a food processor or blender for smoother texture. Adjust consistency
with water, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lightly whipped
cream, sauteed mushrooms, and chopped herbs or local ramps.
Beer-braised, pulled-pork tacos with apple salsa and goat cheese creme
Pork
1 small pork shoulder, boneless
2 bottles beer
Dry Rub
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ancho powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle
Rub the shoulder down with the dry-rub mixture,
and let it set over night. Salt the shoulder right before you put it in
the oven. Put shoulder and two bottles of beer in a roasting pan. Cover
tightly with foil, and put into a 350-degree oven for 3-4 hours or until
tender. You should be able to pull the meat away easily. Once it's
cooled slightly, just hold it with one fork and with another fork start
pulling the meat away.
Apple salsa
3-4 apples diced
1 jalapeño diced
1 small yellow onion diced
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons Ohio maple syrup
salt
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. This is great fresh but even better the next day.
Goat Cheese Creme
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
salt
pepper
Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. If it seems a bit too thick, thin it out with a bit of water.
To assemble, warm white corn tortillas in the
oven or quickly in a pan or griddle. Load them with pork, and finish
with the salsa and goat cheese creme. If you like, top with fresh
cilantro.
Duck and squash pasta
1 small kabocha squash (sub Hubbard if unavailable)
1 pound butter
2 sprigs of sage
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 stick cinnamon
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons duck skin (sub chicken skin if unavailable)
1 tablespoon diced bacon
1 cup brodo or duck stock
1 package garganelle pasta
Peel and cube squash, be sure to remove seeds and pulp. Place pot of salted water on stove, bring to boil. In large saute pan, place 3/4 pound butter, and add cubed squash. Once squash begins to soften, add sage, nutmeg and cinnamon. Let butter and squash brown, once squash begins to fall apart, add heavy cream. Puree in blender and set aside. In a medium saute pan, place a tablespoon of butter, and add duck skin and bacon. Let render out until crispy and golden brown. Add sage to pan, let crisp. In the meantime, drop garganelle in boiling pot of water, let cook until al dente. Take squash puree and fold in 2 tablespoons to duck skin. Add brodo or duck stock to squash and duck skin, taste and season. Once garganelle is cooked, combine with sauce. Let sauce and noodle "get to know each other" over medium heat for a minute. Toss thoroughly and eat.
The Greenhouse Tavern, 2028 E. Fourth St., Cleveland, 216-443-0511, thegreenhousetavern.com
Pan-roasted chicken breast with spaetzel
Chicken
6, 7-ounce airline chicken breasts, skin on
1 ounce cooking oil
salt and pepper
Root Vegetables
1 cup medium-diced rutabaga, roasted
1 cup medium-diced carrot, roasted
1 cup medium-diced turnip, roasted
1 cup rough cut sunchokes, roasted
1/2 pound spinach cut rough
1/4 pound cubed, rendered bacon
salt and pepper
Sauce
4 ounces sherry vinegar
4 ounces hickory syrup
4 ounces glace, chicken or pork
2-3 ounces chestnuts, roasted, shelled and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped herbs
salt and pepper
Season the chicken breasts liberally on both sides. Heat a large saute pan with oil until shimmering. Sear chicken breasts three at a time, starting skin side down. Leave alone and allow to brown about 3-5 minutes per side. After searing, place all on a baking sheet and finish in the oven for about 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat. Place a nodge of butter in the pan, and get brown and foamy. Place bacon in pan, and render with butter for one minute. Add spaetzle (see recipe below), and allow to brown on one side (about 3 minutes). Add roasted root vegetables to the spaetzle pan, and allow to get hot (about 3 minutes). Add spinach to pan, and allow to wilt. In a separate pan, heat to medium high, toss chopped chestnuts into pan and allow to toast. Add sherry vinegar. Allow to reduce by half. Add hickory syrup and glace. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and allow to come together. Add chopped herbs at last minute. Place a pile of the root vegetables and spaetzle in the center of the plate. Place chicken breast on top of the mound, and garnish with sauce around the plate.
Spaetzle
6 eggs
3 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound all-purpose flour
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon Lemon Argumatto
Beat eggs. Add milk, lemon oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Add flour. Fold together and work by hand until you get a good batter consistency. Let rest for 30-60 minutes. Pass through a pasta strainer with a spatula into boiling salted water. Poach in salted water until they float. Do a taste test first. Shock in cold water after they float.
Spice Kitchen & Bar, 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-961-9637, thespiceblog.com