Classic Roasted Bone Marrow

I was there for another reason.  I really can't remember it now.  But, I stood at the counter of a local butcher shop ready to purchase something.  Perhaps it was a pork butt.  Maybe it was a brisket point.  Whatever it was, it did not matter. As I waited for the meat, I wandered over to the freezer.  I saw it.  Two long bones, split to reveal the bone marrow.  I knew that I had to buy it.

One of my most favorite things to eat is roasted bone marrow.  If anyone searched through this blog post, he or she would probably find at least five or six recipes in which bone marrow was used as an ingredient.  At one point in time, I had a good source for bone marrow.  The cut were usually small vertical cuts, little disks with just enough marrow to fill a teaspoon or a tablespoon (if one was lucky). That source disappeared long ago, as did the bone marrow recipes. 

Things were different at the butcher shop. These were long marrow bones, cut horizontally. The bone holding in a nice long strip of marrow.  The type of bones that one could order at a fancy restaurant. The types of bones that I would order at a fancy restaurant. 

As wonderful as this ingredient can be, the best part about bone marrow is how simple it is to make. This is perhaps one of the easiest recipes out there. Set the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, a little salt and pepper, and roast for about twenty minutes.  Pull the bones out and garnish them with whatever you want (I like a little roasted garlic and fresh flat leaf parsley). That's it.  Spoon out that wonderful marrow onto some toasted bread and enjoy! 

CLASSIC ROASTED BONE MARROW

Recipe adapted from Honest Cooking

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 marrow bone, cut vertically
2-3 cloves of garlic, roasted, diced
1 clove garlic for the bread
2 teaspoons of flat leaf parsley, minced finely
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Toasted bread slices

Directions:
1.  Roast the bones.  Preheart the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil.  Place the bones on the pan, cut side up.  Season wtih salt and pepper.  Roast the bones in the oven for 20 minutes.

2.  Toast the bread.  Grill the bread on a hot grill or toast the bread using your toaster.  Peel the garlic clove and rub one side of the bread.  Do not push too hard on the bread, the point is to get the taste and aroma of the garlic on the bread.

3.  Finish the dish.  Once the bones are roasted, remove the pan from the oven. Carefully and safely transfer the hot bones to a serving plate, garnish with roasted garlic and  parsley.

ENJOY!

Bone Marrow Mashed Potatoes

One of my favorite ingredients to cook with is bone marrow.  It is the soft, flexible material inside of bones that, when raw, is relatively firm, but when cooked, is soft, oily, fatty, and buttery in texture.  When I make bone marrow, it often does not last long enough to be used in a recipe.  I just pull out a small spoon, scoop out the marrow and eat it right on the spot.  In my moments of greater discipline, I am able to use that incredible delicious ingredient in dishes such as those that I made as part of my incredibly rare Iron Chef Event.

Sometimes, it is not necessary to come up with a bunch of  different recipes for bone marrow.  Instead, it is better to go with something simple.  And there is nothing simpler than making bone marrow mashed potatoes.  It is just mashed potatoes with some bone marrow added just after you add the milk and butter.  That one ingredient does more to add flavor to the mashed potatoes than either the milk or the butter.  (Let's face it, those two ingredients are more about getting the right texture for the potatoes.  They have little or nothing to do with the flavor of the potatoes.)  Bone marrow adds a beefy undertone to the potatoes, which is especially good when those potatoes are served alongside ... a ribeye or strip steak.

While some may think that using bone marrow just adds another step to the already simple process of making mashed potatoes, I think it is definitely worth it.  In fact, bone marrow makes every dish definitely worth the effort. 

BONE MARROW MASHED POTATOES

Recipe from John Whalen, 

Prime: The Complete Prime Rib Cookbook, pg. 172
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

8 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

4-6 large beef marrow bones, halved lengthwise

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

Coarsely ground black pepper

Fresh sea salt

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, placing the rack in the center of the oven.  Place the marrow bones on a baking sheet, transfer to the oven, and then cook for about 15 minutes, until the marrow is nicely browned.  Remove from the oven and let stand.

2.  Prepare the potatoes.  While the marrow bones are roasting, place the potatoes in a large stockpot and fill with water so that it covers the potatoes by 1 inch.  Place the stockpot on the stove and bring to a boil.  Cook the potatoes by boiling for about 20 minutes until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork.  Remove the pot from the heat and drain the water, leaving the potatoes in it.

3.  Mash the potatoes.  Using a potato masher or fork, start mashing the potatoes so they begin to break apart.  Gradually mash in the half-and-half and butter, tasting the potatoes as you go along, until you arrive at the perfect blend of creamy butter, mashed potatoes. 

4.  Add the marrow.  Scoop the marrow from the bones and add to the potatoes, along with the rosemary.  Mix thoroughly, and then the season with the coarsely ground black pepper and fresh sea salt.

ENJOY!

Steak Frites with Bone Marrow Butter

When it comes to cooking, I am a deeply conflicted individual.  The conflict comes from a very simple question: what is your favorite ingredient?  Reflexively, I would answer "saffron."  The world's most expensive spice.  And, why not?  It lends its unique aroma, color and taste to any dish.  However, deep down, I know there is another answer to that question.  And that answer is "bone marrow."  

I have made a few dishes incorporating bone marrow. Heck, I even had my own Iron Chef challenge with the ingredient.  These dishes have provided me with some experience when it comes to roasting bones, removing the marrow and pairing it with complementary ingredients, such as garlic and flat leaf parsley.  The marrow imparts a very beefy flavor to the dishes and it is a very healthy ingredient to use in cooking.  Bone marrow is full of polyunsaturated fatty acids like Omega 3, which is the good type of fatty acids, along with iron, phosphorus and Vitamin A.

Recently, I had the urge to cook steak frites.  As I searched through steak frites recipes, I found there were two types of recipes.  First, there was the recipe that served a sauce, usually made with brandy and cream.  I have to admit that I am not one to work with brandy in my house for fear of setting the cabinets surrounding my oven on fire.  So I turned to the second type of steak frites recipes, which use a herbed butter.  I decided to incorporate the bone marrow into both the butter and the fries.  I first found a recipe for bone marrow butter.  I roasted the bone marrow in the traditional way, which provides both the bone marrow and some oil.  I decided to use that oil in place of olive oil when I baked the fries.  This would add a beefy flavor to the fries as well.   

STEAK FRITES WITH BONE MARROW BUTTER

Bone Marrow Butter Recipe adapted from Food with Legs

Serves 1-2

Ingredients (for the Steak Frites):

1 New York strip steak (about 3/4 of a pound)

1 Russet potato

Sea salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

Oil from the roasted bone marrows

1 tablespoon of diced garlic cloves

1 tablespoon of diced flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Ingredients (for the Bone Marrow Butter):

1/2 cup of unsalted butter

3 bones with marrow

1 tablespoon of diced garlic cloves

1 tablespoon of diced shallots

1 tablespoon of diced flat leaf parsley

Directions:

1.  Roast the bones.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover one end of the marrow bones with foil and stand them up foil side down.  Roast the marrow bones for forty-five minutes.  Remove the marrow and the oils into a small bowl.

2.  Bake the fries.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Toss the fries with the oil from the marrow bones, salt and pepper.  Lay the fries on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, until tender and starting to get crispy.   Shake the fries a few times during baking to keep them from sticking 

3.  Cook the steak.  Preheat the olive oil in a cast iron pan on high heat.  Add the steak and sear the meat for about two to three minutes.  Flip the steak and sear that side for another two to three minutes.   Remove the pan from the heat and place in the oven to cook, for about an additional four to six minutes per side, depending upon the thickness of the steak and your desired doneness.  I usually like my steaks between medium rare and medium.

In the end, this recipe worked fairly well.  It was something different and it still needs some work, especially with respect to the fries.  It was a little difficult getting the fries to be as crisp as if they were fried.  In addition, the recipe will produce more butter than you need.  You could easily cut the recipe in half (use 1 to 2 bones, instead of 3) or you could store the butter in the refrigerator, wrapped in wax paper, for a day or two.  As with many recipes, this one continues to be a work in progress and any progress will be noted in the future. 

ENJOY! 

The Inferno Steak

This recipe is a story about how a Chef Bolek Original recipe is created.  In advance of an upcoming steak night, I decided to see if I could find an interesting steak recipe to make.  I start by looking at those chefs and cooks who I admire and trust, like Michael Symon, Bobby Flay and Steven Raichlen.  On this particular occasion, I was looking at Steve Raichlen's recipes when I came across two recipes, one for Hellfire Steaks and another for Steak from Hell.  I am someone who loves spicy food, so these recipes caught my attention.  Both recipes looked great, but, for me, they did not conjure the "fire" that I wanted.

I decided to create my own hellish steak recipe.  I immediately drew inspiration from outside of the culinary world: the first part of the 14th century poem, Divine Comedy.  Also known as Inferno, this part was written by Dante Alighieri to document the descent into hell.  That descent began at the gates of hell, which bore an inscription that ended with the words: "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate", or "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."  That sounded like a fitting beginning for a hellish steak recipe.  After passing through the gates, Dante made his way through nine circles of suffering -- Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery -- with each circle representing a gradual increase in wickedness.

The nine circles got me to thinking.  Many people think of eating chiles as a kind of suffering ... with the heat and piquancy causing sweating and discomfort.  I decided to use nine different chiles to represent the nine circles of suffering, with each subsequent chile being more "wicked" (or spicier) than the last.   After a lot of thought, I selected the following chiles or peppers:

1.  Limbo: Paprika.  In Dante's Inferno, the first circle was "Limbo," which had been populated by people who, although not sinful, had not accepted God. This got me to thinking, although paprika is made from ground bell peppers or chiles, it is not "hot" or "spicy."  Indeed, paprika -- a ground spice used in many cuisines around the world -- seems to be the best spice to represent limbo.  There are two versions of paprika: hot and sweet.  I decided to use the sweet version of paprika, because this would serve as one of the bases for the rub.

2.  Lust: Hatch Chile.  The second circle was "Lust," populated by those who had been overcome by lust.  Followers of this blog know that I have often been overcome by my love of the Hatch chile. For that reason, it seemed appropriate to select that chile to for the "Lust" circle.  Hatch chiles are grown in New Mexico and are a key component to Southwestern cuisine.  They are also relatively modest when it comes to heat or spice, with only 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  (Scoville Heat Units measure the capsaicin, which is the chemical compound in chiles and peppers that provides the heat or spiciness.)   In addition to the heat, the Hatch chile also provides a little earthiness to the spice mix.

3.  Gluttony: Chipotle Chile. The third circle was "Gluttony," populated by individuals who overindulged in food and drink.  For me, the one chile that I would often overindulge in is the chipotle pepper.  Derived from the Nahuatl word, chilpoctli, which means smoked chili pepper, the chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeno chile principally grown in the northern Mexican State of Chihuahua.  The chipotle chile is similar to the Hatch Chile in that it has anywhere from 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  Also, like the Hatch Chile, the chipotle pepper serves two purposes in the rub:  to provide some heat and some smoke flavor. 

4.  Greed: Aleppo Pepper.  The fourth circle was "Greed," which is where people would find themselves if their greed for material things that deviated from the norm.  When it came to selecting the fourth pepper, I chose the Aleppo pepper.  The reason is simple: whenever I use Aleppo Pepper, in cooking, I always want more. Also known as the Halaby pepper, the Aleppo pepper is primarily cultivated in Turkey.  The pepper adds a little more smokiness, like an ancho or chipotle pepper, to the rub.  The Aleppo pepper also contributes a certain tartness, which adds a little complexity to the rub.  Finally, this pepper represents a slight increase in heat from the prior chiles, with about 10,000 Scoville Heat Units. 

5.  Anger: Sanaam Chile.  The fifth circle is "Anger."  This is where the rationale for choices become a little more pragmatic.  I chose the Sanaam chile, which is cultivated in India and used in Indian cuisine, for "Anger."  The reason is simple: its piquancy represents a four-fold increase in Scoville Heat Units over the Aleppo pepper.  The Sanaam chiles pack a weighty 40,000 Scoville Heat Units, as compared to the 10,000 units of the Aleppo Pepper.  This increase is also felt in the heat of the rub.

6.  Heresy: Aji Limo Rojo. The sixth circle is "Heresy."  This is one of the most difficult choices for chiles.  I selected the Aji Limo Rojo for this circle, although there is nothing heretical about the chile at all.  The Aji Limo is a chile grown throughout Central and South America, and it figures into cuisines from Panama to Peru.  These chiles come from the same family as the habanero, although they lack the intense heat of a habanero (or a scotch bonnet pepper).  The Aji Limo pepper can have anywhere from 50,000 to 60,000 Scoville Heat Units.

7.  Violence: Dundicut Pepper.  The seventh circle is "Violence."  Once again, I had some difficulty in selecting the pepper.  Many peppers do "violence" to the stomachs of some people.  I ultimately chose the Dundicut chile, which is grown in Pakistan and widely used in Pakistani dishes.  This chile is very similar to a scotch bonnet pepper, but with a little less heat.  Nevertheless, the Dundicut represents a slight increase in Scoville Heat Units over the Aji Limo Rojo chile.  A Dundicut can have anywhere between 55,000 to 65,000 Scoville Heat Units. However, at least for me, both the look and taste of the Dundicut seem hotter and spicier than the Aji Limo Rojo.

8.   Fraud: Chile Pequin.  The eighth circle is "Fraud," where people who engage in conscious treachery or deception are punished.  The selection of the pepper was a little easier this time.  I chose the Chile Pequin.  This chile is very small, which deceptively suggests that it is not very hot or spicy.  However, the Chile Pequin can be anywhere from thirteen to forty times hotter than a jalapeno, with 70,000 Scoville Heat Units.   At this level, the primary purpose of the Chile Pequin is to provide heat to the spice rub. 

9.  Treachery: Piri-Piri.  The ninth and final circle is "Treachery."  As with the sixth and seventh circles, it was hard to rationalize a choice for this chile.  I ultimately decided to use the chile that was the most potent of all the chiles and peppers in our kitchen ... the Piri-Piri pepper.  Also known as the African bird's eye pepper, the Piri Piri pepper is grown and cultivated in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The Piri-Piri pepper can have as much as 100,000 Scoville Heat Units, providing the highest amount of heat and spice of any of the peppers in the mix. 

While I am using nine different peppers and chiles, I still wanted to make a rub that is edible for many people.  For that reason, I steered clear of the extremely hot chiles, like Trinity Moruga Scorpion, Naga Viper and Bhut Jolokia peppers.  I also added some other spices to complement the heat of the peppers.  These spices include allspice, clove, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and kosher salt.  Finally, I added a teaspoon of sugar.  The sweetness of the sugar helps to tamper the spice of the chiles.

THE INFERNO STEAK

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

The Inferno Rub

Ingredients:

2 marrow bones

2 bone-in ribeyes, cowboy style

1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon of onion powder

1/2 tablespoon of paprika powder

1/2 teaspoon of Hatch chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo powder

1 dried Sanaam chile, ground

1 dried Dundicut chile, ground

1 dried Aji Limo Rojo, ground

1 dried Chile Pequin, ground

1/4 teaspoon of Piri Piri powder

1/4 teaspoon of allspice

1/4 teaspoon of cloves

1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of sugar

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover one end of the marrow bones with foil and stand them up foil side down.  Roast the marrow bones for forty-five minutes.  Remove the marrow and the oils into a small bowl.

2.  Prepare the steaks.  Combine all of the chile and peppers in a bowl, along with the allspice, cloves, coriander, turmeric, salt and sugar.  Mix well. Using a brush, baste the steaks with the oil and marrow from the bones.  Season the steaks with the rub, applying the rub to all sides of the steaks.  Set aside for a few minutes.

3.  Grill the steaks.  Heat a grill on medium high heat.  Place the steaks on the grill.  Grill for five minutes and rotate ninety degrees.  Grill for five more minutes.  Flip the steaks and grill for five minutes.  Rotate the steak ninety degrees.  Grill for five minutes more and remove the steak.  Let the steak rest for a few minutes.  Slice the steak and serve immediately. 

ENJOY!

Carne con Rosmarino e Risotto del Midollo Osseo (Rosemary Beef with Bone Marrow Risotto)

I have not been cooking a lot lately, primarily because I have not had the time or energy.  But, recently, I motivated myself to make a dish that I have never made before.  I drew upon my creativity to create a Chef Bolek dish that draws upon foods that I love to cook with or to eat ... beef, bone marrow, risotto, rosemary and mushrooms.  

I decided that I would use the bone marrow as a substitute for extra virgin olive oil.  When you heat bone marrow, it reduces to an oil, which is good for sauteing.  Bone marrow also adds a lot of flavor to the dish.  The flavor is further underscored by the use of veal stock.  If you cannot find veal stock, then you can substitute beef stock.  Also, any kind of mushrooms can be used.

As with any Chef Bolek original, this is a first run at this recipe.  Overall, it worked out well, although I probably used a little too much bone marrow when I sauteed the onions and mushrooms.  I have modified the recipe to call for less than I used.  However, if you love bone marrow as much as I do, then feel free to use as much as you want (within reason, of course).

CARNE CON ROSAMARINO E RISOTTO DEL MIDOLLO OSSEO
(Rosemary Beef with Bone Marrow Risotto)

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

3 meat bones with marrow

1 pound ribeye

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons of sage

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup of olive oil

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

1 cup of risotto

1/2 sweet onion, diced finely

4 cups of veal stock
1 cup of water

8 small portabello mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Preheat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roast the marrow bones for about thirty minutes.  Remove the marrow from the bones into a bowl.  Once the marrow is ready, heat the veal stock and water in a pot.

2.  Marinate the steak.  Add the fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon of sage, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper in a food processor.  Process the ingredients, adding the oil in a slow drizzle.  Use the liquid as a marinade for the meat.  Make sure all sides of the meat are covered by the marinade.

3.  Broil the steak.  Turn on the broiler.  Place the steak under the broiler and cook until the steak reaches the desired doneness.  For medium rare, I would do about six to eight minutes on each side.  Add a couple of minutes if necessary. 

3.  Saute the onions.  Spoon about two or three tablespoons of the bone marrow into a deep pot or risotto pot.  Heat over medium heat.  Once the marrow is hot and melted, add the onions and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, for about eight minutes.  Add the mushrooms, continue to stir occasionally until the mushrooms are coated with the marrow and cooked, about five minutes.  Add another teaspoon or tablespoon of bone marrow if needed to coat the onions and mushrooms.

4.  Add the rice and broth.  Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with the marrow, about one to two minutes.  Add 1 cup of stock.  Stir continuously until the rice absorbs the stock.  When most of the broth is absorbed, add another cup of stock.  Stir continuously until the rice absorbs the stock.  Add another cup and repeat until the risotto is al dente.  Toward the end, add 1 tablespoon of fresh sage.   

5.  Plate the dish.  Once the risotto is al dente, remove from the heat.  Spoon the risotto into the center of the bowl.  Slice the steak and place the slices over the risotto.  The heat of the risotto will cook the steak, so it is better to have the steak at medium rare rather than medium.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

This recipe is inspired by Italian cuisine, with the use of risotto and a marinade that draws from the ingredients used to make Bistecca Fiorentina.  Any substantial Italian red wine will work, from a Barolo to a Chianti.  A couple of wines that I have reviewed, which I think will pair well with this dish, include the following: 

Marchesi Antinori -- Villa Antinori (2007)

55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Syrah

Tuscany, Italy

Flavors of dark cherry and a little blueberry

Marchesi di Frescobaldi -- Nipozzano Riserva (2006)

100% Sangiovese

Tuscany, Italy

Flavors of cherries, raspberries and plums

ENJOY!

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Andorra

After a break from eating Chivitos al Pan, which was necessary to clear the added cholesterol from my arteries, my culinary adventures take me across the Atlantic Ocean to the little country of Andorra.  I did not select this challenge at random; instead, this is a planned challenge.  I chose Andorra for two reasons. The first reason lies with the cuisine of the country.   Andorra or Principat d' Andorra is a small country nestled in the Pyrennes Mountains between Spain and France.  Despite its location, Andorra is neither Spanish nor French.  Instead, Andorra is Catalan.   The Catalan people have a long history, artistic tradition and cuisine; however, today, the people are split between Catalunya in Spain and Rousillon in France, with the independent country of Andorra in the middle.

Catalan cuisine draws from ingredients found along the Mediterranean coast.  These ingredients include tomatoes, garlic, eggplant, chiles, chickpeas and artichokes, along with poultry, pork, lamb and seafood.  The dishes created by Catalan cooks vary from the seafood-based dishes along the Mediterranean to the heavier, pork dishes found inland.  The inland Catalan cuisine includes, and is sometimes referred to as, "Catalan mountain cuisine."  The cooking in Andorra is a good reflection of the Catalan mountain cuisine.

The second reason for selecting Andorra as my next challenge is the date.  The day, January 17, is St. Anthony's day is Andorra.  Back in the 1970s, some friends got together to prepare the national dish, Escudella, for their neighbors and shopkeepers.  This celebration is a revival of the much older tradition of distributing food amongst the poorest residents.  With every year, more and more Andorrans gathered together to cook and share their national dish.  The celebration was eventually moved to the Village Square in the capital, Andorra La Vella.  And, over time, the Brotherhood of the Escullaires were formed to prepare the stew for each celebration. 

THE MAIN COURSE

This challenge presents me with the opportunity to "join" the Germandat de Escullaires for a day.  I decided to prepare the national dish for Andorra as part of the Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge.  The first reference to escudella was made by a Franciscan writer, Francesc Eiximenis, who was Catalan, in the fourteenth century.  Brother Eiximenis wrote that the Catalan people eat escudella every day.  After having made this dish, I can see why.  Generally speaking, escudella is a Catalan soup with two primary components: (1) the broth and (2) the meats and vegetables used in making the broth.  The broth is basically a stock, flavored by bones, meats and vegetables.

In making this dish, I had to make a couple of substitutions.  The first substitution involves the bones used for the broth.  The recipe calls for both marrow bones and ham bones.  I could easily find the marrow bones, but not the ham bones.  So, I substituted an additional marrow bone or two for the ham bone.  The second substitution relates to the sausage.  The recipe does not specify the particular type of sausage to be used.  After a little research, I decided to use butifarra (or botifarra), which is a traditional Catalan mild pork sausage.  Butifarra can be difficult to find; however, I did find a recipe for making butifarra sausage.  I got all of the ingredients, except for the cure.  I did not need the cure because I was not curing the sausage.  The raw sausage would be browned and go straight into the escudella.  If you plan to make butifarra sausage, check out Len Poli's website, which has general instructions for making the sausage.  

ESCUDELLA

Adapted from My Hungry Tum

Serves 8

Ingredients (for the Escudella):
2 cups of dry cannellini beans
1 marrow bone
1 ham bone
2 chicken breasts or 3 chicken thighs
8-12 cups of cold water
1/2 head green cabbage
1 large potato, cut into eighths
1/4 cup of rice
1 cup chick peas
1 cup of pasta (such as shells)
6 sausages, removed from casings and rolled into balls
2 slices of prosciutto
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
Ground pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the Butifarra Sausage):
1 pound of ground pork
1 teaspoon of salt
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 very small pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of nutmeg
1/4 tablespoon of wine vinegar

Directions:

1.  Make and brown the sausage.  Mix the ground pork with all of the ingredients (salt, garlic, cumin, ground black pepper, nutmeg and wine vinegar.  Form small balls or links. Gently brown sausage in cast iron Dutch Oven or pot/casserole w/vegetable oil over medium heat.

2.  Begin the stew.  Rinse the beans in cold water and tie the bones in cheesecloth.  Put both with the chicken, cooked sausage and ham in the pot or casserole with at least 8 cups of cold water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and cook gently, covered, about 2 hours or until beans are cooked and chicken very tender.

3.  Remove the meats.  Remove ham and marrow bones and discard them. (I have seen recipes that call to extract and use the marrow, which I did.)  Put chicken aside.

4.  Return the soup to a boil.  If there is only a little liquid left, add a bit of water for the cooking of the remaining ingredients and bring soup to a rapid boil.

5.  Add the remaining ingredients.  When it is boiling, put in cabbage, potatoes, rice, pasta, chick-peas, and pepper to taste.  Continue cooking over medium flame for 30 minutes (or until newly added ingredients are cooked through).

6.  Return the meat to the stew.  A few minutes before serving, put chicken meat, removed from bones and shredded, in the pot to heat.  Season to taste.

7.  Plate the dish.  There are two ways to serve escudella.  One way is to serve the components separately: a bowl of the broth and a plate of the meats and vegetables.  This is known as Escudella i carn d'olla.  The other way is to serve the components together, like a soup or stew.  I chose this second presentation, which is sometimes referred to as Escudella Barrejada.  For this challenge, I plated the escudella using this second presentation. 

*     *     *

Although I was not standing side by side with the actual Brotherhood of Escullaires, this challenge nevertheless offered me the opportunity to cook this amazing Catalan and Andorran stew.  The escudella was great ... the broth was very flavorful, with the beef bones, chicken, ham and sausages making their contributions to the earthy and hearty soup.  The cabbage, potatoes, rice and pasta all added textures that underscored the earthiness of this dish.  Once again, I finish a challenge stuffed, not only with great food, but also with the desire to move on to the next challenge.  Until then, I would like to wish all of the Andorrans out there a very happy St. Anthony's Day, and ...

ENJOY!

For more information about Escudella, check out Slavic Nerd's Travel Blog. 

Grass Fed N.Y. Strip Steak with Bone Marrow-Sage "Chimichurri"

If someone were to ask me to identify my favorite ingredient, I could quickly focus on a handful of ingredients. One of those ingredients is bone marrow.  The health benefits of bone marrow are still under study, but there are some preliminary findings that are very favorable.  Bone marrow is full of polyunsaturated fatty acids.  Those are the good type of fatty acids, as best demonstrated by one of the most well known polyunsaturated fatty acids ... Omega 3.  Bone marrow also contains iron, phosphorus and vitamin A.   However, the most interesting nutritional fact about bone marrow is that it contains alkylglycerols or AKG.  Alkylglycerols are a form of lipid that stimulate the generation of white blood cells known as neutrophils, which are cells of the immune system that defend against bacteria and fungi. AKGs are also believed to stimulate the production of microphages, which are immune cells that actually digest pathogens and foreign invaders.  

The common wisdom is that if something is that good for you, as bone marrow seems to be, it could not possibly taste good.  I am happy to say that this is where the common wisdom fails. In this recipe, bone marrow is used as a substitute for olive oil and sage is used for a substitute for cilantro and parsley.  The substitutions created a great flavor pairing ... bone marrow and sage ... that led to a great sauce to top a New York Strip Steak. 

GRASS FED N.Y. STRIP STEAK WITH

BONE MARROW-SAGE "CHIMICHURRI"

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves  2-3

Ingredients:
1 N.Y. Strip Steak, about 3/4 to 4/5 of a pound
3 marrow bones
1 teaspoon of pink peppercorns (substitute black peppercorns)
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons of fresh sage, chiffonade
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Set the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place the marrow bones in the oven and cook them for about thirty minutes.  Remove the bones from the heat and scoop out the marrow into a bowl.  

2.  Cook the strip steak.  Start the broiler.  Season the steak with salt and black pepper on all sides.  Cook the steak to the desired doneness.  

3.  Prepare the "chimichurri."  While the steak is cooking, add the bone marrow and the other ingredients (sage, black pepper, peppercorns, sea salt, crushed red pepper) to a food processor.  Use the food processor setting and pour in any liquid fat from the bone marrow.  (If there is no liquid fat, use about one to two tablespoons of olive oil.)  

4.  Plate the dish.  Slice the strip steak and spoon the "chimichurri' over the meat.

ENJOY!

For more about the health benefits of bone marrow, check out Thatsfit.ca.

Grass-Fed Ribeye with Bone Marrow Mushrooms and Parmigiano Reggiano

Red meat gets a bad rap.  There are a lot of studies out there that say eating red meat is not good for your health.  Yet, if you make certain choices, you can actually enjoy a steak that can also be healthy.  For example, as I have mentioned in a previous post, I always try to buy grass fed beef, because it has more Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for a healthy diet.  One can add to the health benefits of eating red meat with the ingredients used in the dish.  For example, from what I have read, beef bone marrow is high in protein and monounsaturated fats, which are supposed to lower your LDL cholesterol levels. 

Previously, I tried my hand at cooking beef bone marrow as part of my Iron Chef challenge.  It was my first effort at roasting the bones, extracting the marrow and then using it as an ingredient in three different dishes.  Although I think I did okay for a beginner, I have always wanted to use this ingredient in different ways, seeing what I could do to impart the flavor of the marrow to other ingredients. 

For this dish, I decided to use bone marrow in making a topping for a grass-fed ribeye.  I first roasted the marrow in the traditional way.  After removing the marrow from the bone, I used it in place of oil or butter to saute oyster and shiitake mushrooms with various herbs and spices.  Generally, if you overcook marrow, it reduces to a liquid; however, that is exactly what I wanted for this recipe.  The bone marrow would become the liquid in which I would cook the mushrooms, which would soak up the liquified bone marrow as they cook.  When the mushrooms were done, and the ribeye was almost done, I topped the ribeye with the mushrooms and a good amount of Parmigiano Reggiano.   I finish the ribeye off under the broiler, allowing the cheese to melt into the mushrooms and begin to brown.  The end result is a very decadent, but somewhat "healthy," topping for the ribeye. 

GRASS-FED RIBEYE WITH BONE MARROW MUSHROOMS

AND PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

6 marrow bones

1 pound of grass-fed ribeye

3.5 ounces of oyster mushrooms

8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms

4 cloves of garlic, diced

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped finely

2 tablespoons of fresh sage, chopped finely

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon of mixed peppercorns, cracked

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cook the marrow bones for 30 minutes.  Remove the bones from the oven and remove the marrow from the bones into a bowl.

2.  Begin to cook the ribeye.  Start the broiler.  Salt and pepper the ribeye to taste.  Place the ribeye into the broiler and cook for about eight each side.

3.  Saute the mushrooms.  Add the bone marrow to a pan on high heat.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about two minutes.  Add the mushrooms, rosemary, sage, thyme, cracked peppercorns and crushed red pepper.  Cook for about ten minutes.

4.  Add the mushrooms of the ribeye steak.  After flipping the ribeye and about five minutes into the cooking of the second side of the ribeye, add the mushrooms and top with the Parmigiano Reggiano.  Return to the broiler to cook for three minutes and perhaps more until the cheese begins to melt and brown.  When that starts to happen, remove the steak.  Let rest for a few minutes and then serve.

My mouth is continuing to drool as I finish this blog post and I wished that I had more of both the mushrooms and cheese (as well as the ribeye).  Although I am still learning how to use this ingredient, I really love cooking with bone marrow.  Not only will I make this dish again, but I will also think of new ways to use bone marrow in other recipes.

ENJOY!

Iron Chef: BEEF BONE MARROW

I decided to do an Iron Chef night and, this time, use an ingredient that I do not believe ever appeared on either the Japanese or American versions of the Iron Chef show.  The secret ingredient was ... BEEF BONE MARROW.  There are many recipes on the Internet for roasting bone marrow, which is the primary way of preparing it.  Given it was my first time using bone marrow, I stuck to the traditional approach, roasting the marrow at 475 degrees for about 30 minutes (some recipes say 450 degrees for 15 minutes, but I wanted to be safe, but I watched to make sure that the marrow did not become liquid). I then tried to think of different ways to incorporate the roasted marrow into dishes.  This is truly an experiment and I have included these recipes only to show some of the more "oddball" things I try to make every once in a while.  These are original recipes and I would only recommend them to the truly adventurous.

BEEF BONE MARROW CROSTINI WITH CILANTRO SALAD

Serves many

Ingredients:
Crostini
2-3 beef bones
Bunch of cilantro, chopped well.
1 shallot sliced thin
1 lemon, juiced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1.  Roast the bones for 30 minutes at 450 or 475 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2.  Heat the croutons.  Mix the cilantro and scallions, adding the lemon juice from half of the lemon.  Place the cilantro/scallion mix on the crostini.  Once the bones are done (you can tell when the marrow begins to separate from the bones), scoop out the marrow and divide amongst the crostini.  Drizzle the lemon juice from the second half of the lemon over the crostini.

MASHED POTATOES WITH ROASTED BONE MARROW AND TALEGGIO CHEESE
Serves 2 people


Ingredients:
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into even shaped pieces
1/2 pound Taleggio cheese, cut into small cubes and pads (like butter)
Milk
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, diced
1 teaspoon fresh sage, diced
2-3 beef bones

Directions:
1.  Roast the bones for 30 minutes at 450 or 475 degrees Fahrenheit. 


2.  Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.  Add potatoes and boil for fifteen minutes.  When the potatoes are soft to the fork, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add milk gradually while you mash the potatoes.  Continue to mash until you get your desired smoothness, adding milk if the potatoes seem dry.  In addition, add some of the taleggio cubes and mix them into the potatoes.


3.  Add the bone marrow and mix well.  Plate and sprinkle the rosemary and sage over the potatoes.

GRASS FED NEW YORK STRIP STEAK WITH ROASTED BONE MARROW AND REUNION PINK PEPPERCORNS
Serves four


Ingredients:
1 pound of grass-fed N.Y. Strip Steak
3-4 beef bones
2 teaspoons Reunion pink peppercorns
1 teaspoon of whole thyme leaves
3 tablespoons rosemary, diced finely
3 tablespoons sage, diced finely
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1.  Roast the bones for 30 minutes at 450 or 475 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2.  Spread the olive oil over the strip steak.  Sprinkle the rosemary and sage over the steak.  Salt and pepper the steak. Cook the steak in the broiler.  Flip the steak after about 6 minutes and cook for 6 minutes more.  You want the temperature to be medium rare.  After the steak is done, wrap it in foil and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

3.  Slice the steak.  Spoon the roasted bone over the steak and drizzle the peppercorns and thyme leaves over the marrow.

ENJOY!