by Suvir Saran
Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the wine and onion look somewhat jammy, about 3 minutes, stir in the tomatoes and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thick and chunky, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
While the sauce is still warm, transfer it to a food mill and process it until smooth. Use immediately, or let cool and refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze in a 1-qt/950-ml resealable plastic bag for up to 6 months.
Summerfield Farm’s Lamb Pastrami
The lamb that comes from Michael Katz’s Summerfield Farm is supremely tender and beyond sweet—you won’t find any trace of gaminess in this beyond-humanely raised lamb. It also happens to be the lamb that Clifton Booth, chef de cuisine at Max London’s in Saratoga Springs, uses in his lamb pastrami. I would rather eat Clifton’s pastrami, delicately cured and clean in flavor, over New York City beef pastrami any day. It is a bit of a process to make, requiring you to inject a brine into the lamb using a syringe (this greatly reduces the overall brining time—brining syringes can be found online) and brine the lamb, then cold-cure it with spices, then cold-smoke it, and finally hot-smoke it. The end result is so incredible, though, that it makes every minute of preparation worth it—once you try this, you’ll never want for any other kind of pastrami. Clifton serves it with grilled bread and grain mustard, but Charlie and I love it served thinly sliced like salumi, with good, crusty bread on the side. A gas grill can be used in place of a charcoal grill.
Serves 6
FOR THE BRINE
¼ lb/115 g kosher salt
8 cups/2 L ice water
1½ tbsp corn syrup
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1½ tsp pickling spice
½ oz/15 g pink salt (TCM) (see recipe note)
One 4-lb/1.8-kg boneless lamb shoulder
FOR THE RUB
2 tbsp roughly cracked black peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp juniper berries
FOR SMOKING
Hardwood charcoal briquettes
½ lb/225 g apple wood or alder wood, soaked in water for 1 hour
FOR SERVING
Crusty bread
Grain mustard
To make the brine: Whisk the salt with the ice water in a large pan (a roasting pan or deep oven roaster works well) until it is dissolved. Add the corn syrup, garlic, pickling spice, and pink salt and whisk to combine. Fill a meat syringe with some of the brine solution and inject the lamb with the brine in 2-in/5-cm intervals. Submerge the lamb in the remaining brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 days.
To make the rub: Pulse together the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and juniper berries in a coffee or spice grinder until roughly ground. Remove the lamb from the brine and place it on a worksurface. Dry the lamb with paper towels and then pat on the spice rub. Set a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet and place the lamb on top of the rack. Refrigerate it, uncovered, for 24 hours.
To smoke: Bank the briquettes to one side of the grill and build a mediumhot fire following the manufacturer’s instructions. Place one-fourth of the soaked wood to one side of a 6-in-/15-cm-deep disposable aluminum pan. Poke about a dozen holes in the bottom of a 2-in-/5-cm-deep disposable aluminum pan and place it inside of the deeper one (the 2-in-/5-cm-deep pan should be 3 or 4 in/7.5 or 10 cm shorter than the 6-in-/15-cm-deep pan so that the wood is completely exposed and not covered by the perforated pan).
Set the pan on the lower grill grate (the grate that the charcoal is on). Once the wood starts to smoke, place the lamb in the perforated pan and cover the top of the perforated pan tightly with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or a doubled sheet of regular aluminum foil). Turn up one corner to allow some of the heat to escape. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the open corner to ensure that the interior temperature of the covered pan remains between 80°F and 100°F/28°C and 38°C (to increase or decrease the temperature, add or remove briquettes as necessary to make the fire hotter or cooler). Cold-smoke the lamb for 3 hours, replenishing the wood and briquettes as necessary.
After 3 hours, close the aluminum flap and hot-smoke the lamb, keeping the interior temperature of the “smoker” between 160°F to 200°F/70°C and 95°C, replenishing the briquettes and wood as necessary, until the internal temperature of the lamb reads 150°F/65°C, about 1½ hours.
To serve: Take the lamb off the grill and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before thinly slicing it against the grain. The lamb can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold, thinly sliced with crusty bread and grain mustard.
RECIPE NOTE: TCM
Tinted curing mixture (TCM) is a combination of mostly table salt and about 6 percent sodium nitrate; it is used to cure meat and fish, giving pastrami and corned beef that trademark pink color (without it the meat would be a homely greenish gray—though it would still taste great). There are many online sources for it, or if you’re on good terms with your local butcher (or know a restaurant that makes its own sausages or cures its own meats), you can ask to purchase a small quantity from him.
Farm Yarn:
The Courthouse Community Garden
Part of what we love about living in the country is the relationship we have to the land. With all the open space there is out here, we recognize the great potential for utilizing farm land and pastures in a sustainable and positive way.
One of the projects that Charlie set his sights on was to bring a community garden to Salem, New York. He reached out to our friend—a local food writer, locavore, community activist, cooking teacher, and member of the school board (people do tend to wear many hats up in these parts!)—Annette Nielsen. They recruited five others, including Nancy Hand Higby, a local gardener and landscape designer, to help set a mission and goals for the garden. All the members agreed that the garden should benefit the local food pantry (a place that offers fresh and frozen locally grown vegetables to families in need), involve students from the community, and be managed by the kids who would, in turn, gain incredible life experiences, like learning how to run a business, engage others, develop work ethics, and hone their interpersonal skills.
Sheldon Brown, a partner of Woody Hill Farm, generously donated an eightthousand-square-foot parcel of land conveniently located adjacent to both the school and the community center. Annette got the America the Beautiful Fund to donate seeds for flowers, herbs, and vegetables, and then other organizations followed suit, including A & J Agway, the National Peanut Board, and CaroVail, all of which committed resources like fertilizer, gardening tools, and preserving supplies, not to mention funding for the garden. It was amazing how everyone came together to make this little community garden (eight times the size of the White House kitchen garden) happen. Even our indispensable farm construction manager, Justin Rushinski, donated $500 to the cause!
Once they got the space, the funding, and the raw materials, it was time to start growing. The schoolchildren started seeds in recycled newspaper containers. Now nearly three hundred children are reaping the rewards from about eighty beds, harvesting gorgeous tomatoes, greens, lettuces, flowers, and even peanuts. With the garden in full swing, the children (some of whom get paid for their work) are learning firsthand about the science of gardening year-round. They sell produce at the farmers’ market in the summer and winterize the beds in the fall. The little garden has become a source of great pride for the community. Most of the produce gets donated to the local food pantry; however, Charlie is also working to coordinate the Courthouse Community Garden’s efforts with the Lunch, Learn & Play program, the Battenkill Kitchen, and the Al Fresco Weekend at the Salem Courthouse, a yearly celebration feeding four hundred diners foods from local farms—the community garden being one of them. None of this would be possible without community involvement, fundraising, and the generosity of volunteers.
Ginger-Soy Fresh Ham with Roasted Garlic
When I’m not on the farm, I’m often traveling around the world, learning about other foodways, cultures, and ingredients, and speaking about Indian food. This particular recipe was influenced by a trip to Japan, during which Charlie and I became spellbound by the dedication and pride that chefs there devote to the dishes they prepare. They execute restraint and subtlety, allowing the quality of the ingredients to shine through the preparations. Returning inspired, I came up with this wonderfully delicious and comforting roast pork with the addition of Japanese ingredients such as shoyu (Japanese soy sauce), the Japanese seven-spice powder shichimi, and toasted sesame oil. Sometimes, when we really want to be decadent (and very un-Japanese!), instead of using butter and flour to thicken the gravy, I add crème fraîche and heavy cream instead. It is glorious!
Be sure to use only freshly ground black pepper in the sauce—it makes all the difference. I’ve included my American-country version of shichimi that I whip up when I run out of the real thing. You can find true Japanese shichimi powder (made with seaweed, Sichuan peppercorns, and other exotic spices) online at Korin.com. I rarely use stock in my cooking, but when I do, it’s almost always made from a high-quality concentrate like the brands Aromont or More Than Gourmet, both available in some supermarkets and most specialty-food stores.
Serves 10
FOR THE SHICHIMI POWDER
6 dried red chiles
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp whole pink peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
FOR THE BRINE
3 qt/3 L water
¾ cup/150 g kosher salt
¾ cup/150 g sugar
1 tbsp shichimi powder (recipe above)
¼ cup/60 ml mirin (rice wine)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
One 8-lb/3.6-kg fresh ham scored in ¾- to 1-in/2- to 2.5-cm intervals in each direction to create a diamond pattern
½cup/80 ml canola or grapeseed oil
3-in/7.5-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 tbsp soy sauce (preferably Japanese shoyu)
2 tsp mirin (rice wine)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1½ tsp shichimi powder, plus 1 tbsp (recipe at left)
3 heads garlic, top one third sliced off (so the tops of the cloves are exposed) and cloves separated
6 large sprigs fresh mixed herbs (such as lemon verbena, rosemary, summer savory, tarragon, or thyme)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ cup/60 ml dry sherry
3 cups/720 ml cups beef broth
Kosher salt
3 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
To make the shichimi: Place the chiles, ginger, black peppercorns, pink peppercorns, coriander seeds, black sesame seeds, and white sesame seeds in a small frying pan and toast over medium heat, shaking the pan often, until the spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a large plate to cool, and then pour them into a spice grinder and process until powdery. Shichimi can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark spot for up to 1 month.
To make the brine: Pour 1 qt/1 L of the water into a large bowl. Add the salt and sugar, whisking until dissolved. Pour the mixture into a large pot. Add the remaining 2 qt/2 L water, and then whisk in the shichimi powder, mirin, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
Add the ham to the brine, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3. Whisk together the canola oil, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and the 1½ tsp shichimi. Remove the ham from the brine and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Blot it dry, and then smear the rub all over it. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Place the garlic and the mixed herbs in a deep, heavy-bottomed roasting pan. Set the ham on top, and place the pan in the oven until the ham reads 160°F/70°C on an instant-read thermometer, about 2½ hours.
Place the ham on a cutting board. Remove the roasted garlic from the pan and set aside (discard the herbs in the pan). Pour off and discard all but 2 tbsp of the fat in the roasting pan. In a small bowl, mash together the butter and flour and set aside. Heat the fat in the roasting pan over medium-high heat (you may have to place the pan over two burners), add the sherry, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the broth and bring it to a simmer, then whisk in the butter paste until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt, and add the pepper and remaining 1 tbsp shichimi. Once a few bubbles burst at the top of the gravy, turn off the heat, and pour it into a gravy boat.
Carve the ham, and arrange it on a platter (make sure to include the cracklings). Scatter the garlic around the ham, and serve with gravy on the side.
Banana-Caramel Pudding
I don’t know how it happened, but I’ve developed quite a fondness (and following) for my versions of Southern classics like fried chicken, biscuits, and even banana cream pie. Indian food is all about layers of flavor, so I approach these foods with the same agenda. In my version of banana pudding, I layer bananas with an incredibly rich vanilla crème pâtissier, a slightly salty caramel sauce, generous spoonfuls of whipped cream, and the requisite vanilla wafers to create a trifle-like dessert that promises to get even the most Southern of Southerners drooling. I keep the caramel on the soft side so that, even after being refrigerated, it retains a somewhat saucy quality. It goes without saying to use the freshest eggs you can find for the pudding.
Serves 8 to 10
FOR THE PUDDING
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1½ cups/360 ml milk
1½ cups/360 ml heavy cream
¾ cup/150 g sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE
½ cup/115 g unsalted butter
¾ cup/175 ml heavy cream
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 cup/200 g sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
2½ cups/600 ml heavy cream
½ cup/100 g sugar
1¼ tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, or vanilla bean
FOR ASSEMBLY
5 bananas
4 cups/360 g vanilla wafers
To make the pudding: Whisk the eggs with the vanilla in a large bowl and set aside. Bring the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and whisk a little of the hot liquid into the egg mixture. Continue adding more hot milk until the eggs are tempered and the bottom of the bowl is warm to the touch and then return the egg mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk, until the pudding thickens and you can draw a clear line through the custard on the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes (don’t let the custard boil—this will cause the eggs to curdle). Pour the custard through a medium sieve and into a medium bowl. Whisk to cool slightly, cover flush with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until it is completely cool, about 2 hours.
To make the caramel sauce: Microwave together the butter, heavy cream, and salt until the butter is melted (or melt the butter with the cream and salt in a small saucepan). Whisk to combine and set aside. Place the sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Melt the sugar over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to evenly distribute the heat, until the sugar is a deep nutty brown and smells bittersweet, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour in the butter mixture (be careful—the sauce will hiss and bubble up) and then place the mixture back over medium-high heat to return it to a boil. Turn off the heat and set the saucepan aside to let the caramel cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
To make the whipped cream: Place the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla (if using a vanilla bean, split the pod and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the
cream; save the pod and place it in a jar of sugar to infuse it with vanilla flavor) in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using a hand mixer) and whip it on medium speed until it is frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until you get stiff peaks. Refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the pudding.
To assemble: Peel and thinly slice the bananas and set aside (wait to slice the bananas until you’re ready to assemble the dish, otherwise, they’ll brown). Evenly spread 1 cup whipped cream over the bottom of a large trifle dish or punch bowl. Top with a layer of bananas and 1 cup/240 ml pudding. Place about 20 vanilla wafers in a flat layer on top of the pudding and evenly drizzle ½ cup/120 ml caramel over the wafers. Repeat the layering process three times, beginning with the whipped cream, followed by some sliced bananas, pudding, wafers, and caramel. Finish the pudding with a final layer of whipped cream (you should have about 1 cup remaining after repeating four layers), cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve in dessert bowls.
Spiced Rhubarb Jam
Rhubarb grows like weeds around here, and come late May, all the neighbors are desperate to give away what they have. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the best way to use up our rhubarb was to turn it into a jam, officially kicking off the preserving season of the spring, summer, and fall. My rhubarb jam is savory like a chutney, thick like a relish, and sweet like a jam. I add spices such as peppercorns and saffron for an unusually deep and haunting flavor. Currants give it some texture, and dried rose petals and fresh lemon juice and rind make it perfumed and alluring.
