Three weeks ago we hosted an opening night for friends and family at our new wine bar attached to our -soon to be open- restaurant. That same morning the city of Paris denied our restaurant license based on our VISA status. No license meant no serving food, no serving booze, no fun.

In the weeks that followed there were lots of tears, lots of lawyers, lots of paperwork as well as sympathy bottles of wine from Tim at Juveniles, sympathy bottles of champagne from Mark at Willie’s and sympathy sandwiches cooked up by Juan from La Derniere Goutte.

So with license in hand, ovens fired up, plates stacked and glasses polished, let’s see what other kind of drama we can get into. Verjus, our upcoming restaurant, will be opening in a month. Verjus Bar à vin opens this Tuesday October 4th and will continue to be open Tuesdays – Saturdays from 6pm to 11pm.

[update] We said September 12th, then we said October 4th, now we are saying Wednesday October 19th and we expect that you will believe us? We’ll, we are prepping some yummy bar snacks, opening some tasty bottles of wine and flipping the switch on the outside lights. So unless some killer squirrels from Palais Royal attack us or epic floods engulf the entire city of Paris, we will be open. We we hope that you will take our word this time and drop by Wednesday to say hello.

Hope to see you all soon,

Braden and Laura
www.verjusparis.com

Pork belly is a Hidden Kitchen favorite. It’s a great choice for dinner parties because most of the work can be done in advance and the slabs of belly can be cut to any size. We normally serve our belly with pickled or acidic things to cut through some of the fat. Our favorite paired ingredients are the pickled garden chilies pictured above (with raw baby leeks), capers, artichoke hearts, olives or tart cherries. Like bacon though, pork belly goes well with pretty much anything.

The most difficult part of the whole recipe is butchering the belly. Once you go through it a couple times though, the process becomes a lot faster and you will waste less meat. Of course you can always ask your butcher to prep the belly for you. If you have a hard time tracking down belly at your normal butcher, check your local Asian markets. Western butchers cure large amounts of their bellies into bacon, while most Asian recipes call for the belly to remain whole.

Step 1: Lay the belly flat on a cutting surface and carefully work the knife horizontally through the middle separating the rib bones from the rest of the belly. There is still plenty of meat on the belly that can be roasted as well or ground up for sausage.

Step 2: With the skin side up, work a sharp knife around one edge of the skin until you can grab it with your fingers. While pulling up on the skin continue to slowly work the knife between the meat and the skin until all of the skin is removed.

Step 3: Using the recipe below, grind up the dry ingredients in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Sprinkle and rub the dry ingredients into all sides of the prepared belly.

2 tablespoons of black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon whole cardamon
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 bottle of crisp white wine
4 cups chicken stock or water

Step 4: Dump a bottle of crisp white wine and enough chicken stock or water to come half way up the sides of the meat. You can also add some aromatics to the broth such as onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf for added flavor.

Step 5: Cut a square of parchment paper just wider than the roasting pan. Fold the paper in half, then fold each of the side into the middle. Place the parchment lid loosely over the belly. Place the belly in a 320 f or 160 c oven. Set a timer for 3 hours. Check on the belly periodically to make sure there is still liquid in the pan. Add more a cup at a time as needed. After 3 hours, turn off the oven and allow the belly to rest in the liquid until it reaches room temperature.

Step 6: Place the belly on a cooking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Place another cooking sheet on top. Place 5 – 10 lbs of weight on the second cooking sheet pressing the belly below. Place in a refrigerator and allow to press and cool for 1 hour and up to overnight.

Step 7: Remove belly from cooking sheets and place on a cutting surface. Trip the edges of the belly to form a rectangle. Cut the belly into whatever sized pieces you want. You can refrigerate these pieces until you are ready to serve.

Step 8: Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the cut pork belly portions exposed side down and cook 2 – 3 minutes or until desired level of color and crispiness. Serve with garnishes.

Usually around the first or second week of December, the lettuce farmers in Eastern Washington would stop bringing the greens we needed for the Dahlia’s mixed green salad. This change signaled the change of seasons, but also for us, the return of the white salad. Regulars at the Dahlia would come back just to order this tasty mix of readily available sturdy winter vegetables with a dressing of heavy truffle oil,salty parmesan and tangy lemon juice.

I personally love this salad because the vegetables are hardy enough to sit in a salad bowl at the table without going limp and droopy like a salad of leafy greens tends to do. The greatness of the salad rests largely on the white truffle oil and finding a great white truffle can sometimes be difficult.

Truffle oil generally doesn’t have any actual white truffles in it. Instead it is made using a synthetic compound which is then mixed with oil. The difference between brands can be as different as Chanel #5 and Aqua di Gio. While I have tried truffle oils at all price points, my personal favorites are the “Pietro Coricelli” which retails for around 7€ at Galleries Lafayette gourmet. My other favorite, which has a bit less pronounced aroma is the “La Tourangelle” which is readily available in France and the US for between 6 and 7 euros.

White Salad

1 medium fennel bulb, peeled and thinly sliced
4 small celery stalks, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium bulb of belgium endive, cut in half and julienned
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
juice of 1 large lemon
2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt  & white pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss with white truffle oil and lemon juice. Grate parmesan cheese over the top and season with salt and white pepper. Allow the salad to rest for 5 minutes and absorb some of the dressing. Toss salad again before serving. Be sure to serve with crusty bread for sopping up the leftover dressing that will drain into the bottom of the salad bowl.

At a recent dinner a Frenchman leaned over to me and said, “you have made America proud with this dish!” The extolled dish was our rehashing of an American classic, the baked potato.

As we saw it, the perfect baked potato had six essential elements; potato, bacon, broccoli, chives, sour cream and cheese. Each of these six components served a specific function in the overall success of a dish; potato for neutral volume, bacon for salt, broccoli for refreshing bite, chives for cleansing, sour cream for tang and cheese another form of salt and a somewhat unctuous mouthfeel.

In our version of the dish we started with the bacon, or in our case, a braised pork belly that was slowly cooked over four hours. We then pan seared the belly in cast iron until the outside was crunchy but the center remained fork tender. Beneath the belly, and on the base of the plate we spooned a whip of 1/2 cauliflower with 1/2 potato with sour cream that had been processed in the VitaMix until it was super smooth. We shaved broccoli on the mandolin, tossed with garlic and olive oil and charred under the broiler until the flowers of the broccoli were black and crispy and the stalks were just cooked through. The broccoli was tossed in lemon juice and spooned as a nest over the whipped cauliflower. The cube of crispy pork belly placed on the nest of charred broccoli. What we needed now was some salty, cheesy component to spoon over the pork belly.

We chose a grassy English cheddar. The flavor of the cheddar was both saltier and heavier than most French cheeses without adding any traces of bitterness. In order to get a cheese (other than Velveeta) to stabilize while hot, it was necessary to start with a béchamel. We grated in the cheddar, added some salt and white pepper and tasted. While the flavor was good, it was missing something. We also thought the dish was missing a color, white cheese sauce served over a white cauliflower whip looked rather drab.

This dish needed some melty, neon, Wendy’s-esque sauce to spoon atop. Using turmeric added a glowing yellow color to our cheese sauce. While the color was certainly Velveeta like, the turmeric added only a slight earthiness in the way of flavor. I added some of the incredible “La Dalia” smoked paprika from Epicerie de Bruno and the dish came alive. The smoked paprika added a heat, a tinge of red that turned the whole sauce more orange than yellow and gave the sauce a a scent that could be defined as nothing but “fast-food”.

We spooned our new sauce on our crispy belly, watching as drips of neon orange streaked down the crispy bacon color of the pork belly. We topped the dish with a garnish of shaved chives and shaved scallions and tasted bite by bite. As you fork a piece of cheese drenched pork belly, it combines with cauliflower and little bits of burnt broccoli. Each bite hit successfully each element of the original.

This cheese sauce great drizzled over broccoli, steamed or charred, over baked potatoes with or without the fixings, or simply in a skillet with a few sliced jalapenos and a bag of tortilla chips.

Neon Fast Food Cheese Sauce

1 teaspoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 oz of sharp English or Wisconsin cheddar
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Melt butter over medium heat.

2. Once butter is completely melted, whisk in flour. Continue to whisk until flour is completely incorporated and a paste is formed.

3. Add milk, turn heat up to high and whisk constantly until milk is bubbling and has thickened.

4. Reduce heat to low and add grated cheddar cheese, smoked paprika, turmeric and salt. Whisk to incorporate.

5. Reserve sauce over low heat. Add more milk if it starts to become too thick.

In the interest of the goose we roasted for Thanksgiving and as a little tip-of-the-cap to our founding father, and fellow syrah lover, Thomas Jefferson (no we aren’t tea-baggers!) we decided to have a tasting of 2008 syrah. The Rhône is (supposedly) the birth place of syrah, though there are now many incarnations of it including it’s dark-skinned Australian sibling, shiraz. Shiraz and syrah are typically quite concentrated and full-bodied wines, often being used in blends to provide some body. Tasting three syrahs from the Rhône was a nice lesson in the versatility of the fruit which can seem so standard.

Our first taste was from Domaine Jamet which is in the epicenter of Côte-Rôtie country. While they are best known for their Côte-Rôtie, we went for their entry-level Côtes du Rhône and were not disappointed. Well, I take that back- I was very disappointed in the label. Have you ever seen an uglier label? I was almost embarrassed to serve it. But beyond the offensive facade is a lively syrah. We were all surprised by it’s initial sharpness but warmed up with a few swirls. Perhaps it was because of the holiday, but my initial thought was cranberry! What an appropriate pairing.

Then we moved on to La Rosine from Domaine Michel Ogier. What a nice transition. This was definitely a step in the heavier direction and my favorite of the three. This syrah picks up on leathery notes and rich berries that I typically associate with he grape. Ripe and fruity and perfect with all of the earthy and savory flavors we had at the table- especially the wild rice and mushroom stuffing.

The last syrah was a rich and delicious Saint-Joseph from Domaine Pierre Gonon. The heartiest of the bunch and a perfect way to finish our feast. Smooth, heavy and full of deep, dark fruit, this syrah left us all warm and full of gratitude for such lovely friends, food and wine! Happy belated Thanksgiving all!

Roasted Parsnip and
Garlic Soup w Brown Butter
Pears and Wild Rice

Cardoon Agnolotti w
Preserved Lemon,
Clams, Scallops and Radish

Braised Mushrooms w
Chestnut Cream and
Poached Quail Egg

Palate Cleanser

Rabbit Pot Pie w
Root Vegetables
and Mustard Cream

Crispy Pork Belly
w Charred Broccoli
and White Cheddar

Shaved Fennel Salad
w Grapefruit, Olive, Tarragon
and Roquefort

Goat Cheese Mouse w
Oatmeal Graham Crust
and Persimmon Ice Cream

Mignardises

Mâcon produces a plethora of white wines, mainly chardonnay and most famously Pouilly-fuissé. Juan recently introduced me to this Mâcon-fuissé and we became friends immediately. This charming chardonnay is produced in the Mâconnais district, in the village of Fuissé. Domaine La Soufrandise’s “Le Ronte” cuvée is floral fruity and round, with zero oak, the perfect accompaniment to our fig and anchovy tart. I find this to be a lovely example of what French chardonnay can be with out any adornments. Braden and I literally fought over the half glass we had left in the bottle a couple nights ago. The good news is we can get more, and for only 12,9€ a bottle we’ll be seeing a lot of each other this fall.

Even though I’m making new friends, I’m also keeping up with old pals. I requested Juan’s favorite reasonably priced Pinot Noir and he immediately pointed to this 22.50€ Bourgonge from Domaine Ghislaine Barthod. Juan explained that this is his food friendly, go-to wine when he doesn’t know what an evening’s menu might present. I can definitely see why, as it’s a perfect showcase of the region with it’s delicate, yet complex flavor. A nice welcome back after several weeks in the States drinking big Zins and Cabernets.

Another favorite this month is the subtle 2009 Chinon from Chateau de Coulaine in the Loire. Cabernet francs are great for dishes like pork or chicken, when you could go with either a glass of red or white. And now that Fall is creeping in, we are leaning more often to glasses of red. I especially like this Chinon because it’s simple, clean with just the right amount of red fruit and spice. I think the Chinon pairs perfectly with Braden’s braised pork belly with walnut puree and pickled chilies. The 11.20€ Chinon will also round out my trio of new friends for the month.

Roasted Squash Soup w
Smoked Pear, Pumpernickel &
Shaved Fennel

Fig and Anchovy Tart w
Cornmeal Crust, Arugula &
Pickled Roman Cauliflower

Saffron Linguini w
Roasted Mussels, Clams &
Brussels Sprouts

Palate Cleanser

Crispy Pork Belly w Walnut
& Turnip Puree, Caramelized Spinach &
Pickled Chilies

Duck Sausage w
Red Wine Risotto, Braised Chard &
Baked Muscat Grapes

Roasted Pumpkin Salad w
Pomegranates, Parsley &
Goat Cheese

Chestnut Cake w
Poached Plums, Cheddar Crumble &
Chai Tea Ice Cream

Coffee and Cookies

I have tried to shy away from frying things. It isn’t the health concerns that I fear. It isn’t the danger of oil fires either. It’s simply that when you fry even the smallest thing in your home it makes your place smell like McDonalds for days afterwards.

That being said, as an American I can only go so long before the siren song of ultra crispy crust and moist and juicy meat gets me dusting off our fryer or heavy bottomed pan and filling it with liters of oil.

To me there are really only two steps here that are essential. The first is to brine your meat before hand. The brining process locks in the moisture and will result in a poultry that is still super juicy even if you take it many degrees past what it’s internal temperature should be. The other step is to make your flour taste delicious. Start with plain old AP flour, then add tons of paprika, some salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and whatever other dried spices you have in the pantry that would taste good on chicken. Taste your seasoned flour with a finger and adjust accordingly.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

12 pieces of chicken drumsticks

8 cups of water
4 tablespoons salt
zest of one lemon
2 garlic clove cut in half
1 bay leaf
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons mild paprika
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups buttermilk

2 liters of canola oil or sunflower oil

Mix water, salt, lemon zest, garlic, bay leaf thyme and peppercorns in a large deep pan. Add the chicken pieces which should be completely submerged in the brine. Place pan in the refrigerator for 4 – 8 hours.

Prepare two bowls for dredging the chicken pieces. In one bowl mix the flour, salt, paprika, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne. In the other bowl shake and pour 2 cups of buttermilk.

Dip the chicken drumsticks in the flour, tap off the excess flour and dip into the buttermilk, then back into the flour. Place the dredged drumsticks on a piece of parchment paper or silpat. Meanwhile heat 2 liters of oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy pan or wok until it reaches 380ºf or 190ºc on a candy thermometer.

Carefully lower the drumsticks one at a time into the hot oil. Work in batches cooking 4 – 6 pieces at a time as not to overflow the oil. Cook drumsticks for 10 – 12 minutes. Remove cooked drumsticks with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels in a 250º f – 120ºc oven to keep warm. Serve immediately after all the drumsticks have finished cooking.