Hello everyone and welcome to the fall/winter edition of Chop Talk. We have got a fun filled couple of months ahead so let’s get to all the news. First up we’d like to thank all our supporters customers and fans, this has been an awesome year with lots of great adventures for us here at Ergo Chef.
Once again it’s Fabulous Food Show Time out in Cleveland. This is not your ordinary cooking show, it’s a full weekend of food, fun, and entertainment! Spread out over 400,000 square feet of indoor space, this unparalleled cultural experience features the country’s largest presentation of fine food, fine art, craft breweries, wineries, restaurants, and purveyors all under one roof! The Fabulous Food Show (November 11-13, 2016) lets you TASTE, TRY AND BUY your way around the exhibitor MarketPlace, International Beer & Wine Pavilions, Streetfare and more at the International Exposition (I-X) Center. Cleveland’s largest presentation of fabulous food, fine art, breweries, wineries, restaurants and purveyors all under one roof with a wide variety of live demonstrations and hundreds of companies showcasing specialty foods, drinks and culinary gadgets.Ergo Chef’s Booth is 1352/1354 and we will have special available ll weekend…who knows maybe even Chef Symon will stop by….you never know! Get you tickets here: https://www.fabulousfoodshow.com/tickets/ NOTE: #Cleveland, you can now get the complete Michael Symon Cutlery Line at all Bed, Bath & Beyond stores throughout the Cleveland area.
We are official sponsor of a local Connecticut TV show, “Edible Nutmeg on the Road” with Celebrity Chef Plum” from Newtown, CT. Edible Nutmeg is a quarterly magazine dedicated to real food, family farms, the community, and a sustainable future in Connecticut.
From Chef Plum: “One of my favorite things about Connecticut is our abundance of small farms and food producers, and I have always championed local produce, whether it’s at my award winning pop-up dining series, “Dinner Underground,” or at other events. It’s important to support these local farms and artisans, because if we don’t, we may lose them.
Edible Nutmeg on the Road is all about supporting and promoting our local foods! We’ll be visiting some of the coolest places in Connecticut and meeting some of the state’s best farmers and food makers. The passion from the people we meet is inspiring, and we’ll be making a dish at the end of every episode to feature their talents.
If there is a place you think we should take Edible Nutmeg on the Road, email us or leave us a comment on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @EdibleNutmeg.
And don’t forget to check out our previous adventures on the road, in Season 1!
See you all on the road! #ediblenutmegOTR”
Chef Plum
Our gorgeous new SHINZUI 8″ 67 Layer Damascus Chef Knife has arrived and is shipping!!!. Order yours before supplies run out and get a FREE 10″ Oval Diamond Sharpening Rod! #Japenesesteel
The Shinzui Chef knife was designed for precise slicing through all types of food product. Crafted with our Patented design providing ultimate comfort and grip, abbreviated bolster blends into the VG10 Japanese Super Steel Core blade for durability and well known long lasting sharpness.
Order yours now and lock in this Ultimate Kitchen Knife. https://tinyurl.com/h6jn6pbFEATURES:
Blade: VG10 Japanese Super Steel Core with Our Custom Damascus Layer Patterns – Each knife pattern will be slightly different. Edge: Heat Treat: 60 HRC +/- 2 for superior long lasting sharpness and durability. Tempered to perfection. Handle: G10 Fiberglass Resin Composite with Mosaic Center Rivet and 2 Stainless Steel Rivets – Fully Polished for Beauty. The G10 handle is one of the world’s strongest materials for lifetime of worry free use.
Braised Pork Belly w/ Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Haricot Verts & Bourbon Apple Demi Glaze
Pork BellyIngredients:
5lb. pork belly
½ oz. fresh thyme
2 large garlic bulbs
1 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degree F
First score the pork belly by making crisscross cuts along the entire top surface of the meat. Next, cut the whole bulbs of garlic in half across its width and place each quarter (cut side up) at the corner of a pan large enough to house the pork belly. Place the fresh thyme sprigs in the center. Now lay the pork belly to rest on the garlic bulbs – they will act like table legs, raising the meat up from the pan. Pour in the wine and sprinkle the top of the belly with salt and pepper. Cover loosely with foil and braise in the oven for 2 hrs.
Once the pork belly is cooled, transfer it to a casserole dish large enough to house it – although at this point it may be cut to any size. You’ll need to weigh it down by placing another casserole dish directly on top of the pork belly so that it is sandwiched in between. Place a couple of soup cans or some weighted item on top of that so that it may press in your refrigerator overnight, or 24 hours.
Mashed Sweet PotatoesIngredients:
3 large sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
Method:
Start a pot of water to boil. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and add to boiling water. Remove when potatoes are fork tender. Place in a mixer and add all other ingredients and mix until smooth. Place in a piping bag and set aside until ready for use.
Haricot Verts or fresh green beans, have simply been blanched in salted hot water for about thirty seconds, remove immediately to an ice water bath until ready for sauté.
Bourbon Apple Demi – Glaze
Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 shallot (fine dice)
*1 cup demi – glaze
Pinch of salt
1 shot bourbon
Fond from the pork belly pan
Method:
In a small sauce pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the shallots until translucent. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth, and let reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.
*Commercial demi glaze is fine for this recipe. In fact, for the home cook, I recommend it. For the die hard foodie – you can make it, but it’s three days of your life you’ll never get back!
To Plate:
Preheat oven to 400. Remove covering from pork and place in oven until crispy golden on top. It is now ready to serve. Quickly sauté Haricot Verts in a small amount of olive oil, just enough to heat.
Using a pastry bag, pipe the mashed sweet potatoes in the center of the plate. Place a small portion of the haricot verts on the left side of the potatoes. Drizzle the bourbon demi around the potatoes. Place a portion of the pork belly on the right side of the potatoes; be sure to let the ridges stay visible. Garnish with a sprig of the fresh thyme and, voila!
