Fairway Market's Branzino
2 Branzino
1 bulb of fennel
Sea salt
Have Branzino cleaned. Salt and Pepper the cavity of the fish. Then fill the cavity with the fronds.
Place the fish on top of 4 slices of fennel on a sheet pan, then drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Heat the oven on 450 degrees.
Place the sheet pan in the middle of the oven and roast for no more than 25 minutes. Place the fish on a warm plate, with the fennel remaining under the fish.
Fairway Market's Baguettes
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached bread flour (16 oz)
1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ cup hot water (2 oz)
1 ¼ cup warm water (10 oz)
Vegetable oil for greasing bowls
Cornmeal for dusting the loaves
Tools
Measuring spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Dry measuring cup
2 bowls, 1 small & 1 medium
Spatula or bowl scraper
Permanent magic marker
Plastic wrap
Small sharp knife (or a lame or a straight-edged razor, if you have one)
Baking sheet
Water spritzer
Pan for water to be placed in oven
Cooling wire rack
Yield
2 baguettes, approximately 8-9 ounces in weight, 12-14 inches long.
Mixing
1. Before you start mixing, oil the medium sized bowl and set aside a small bowl of flour for dusting the counter. This way, when your hands get sticky from mixing and kneading, you won’t gum up your supplies and equipment with bits of dough.
2. Measure hot water into a liquid measuring cup and feel it with your finger. It should be the temperature of a cup of coffee when it’s become just cool enough to drink.* Pour a ¼ cup of water (2 ounces) into small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and stir. Set aside and let it dissolve. *110º F is the ideal temperature for yeast rehydration and activation.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt with your fingers until fully incorporated, then form a well in the center of the flour mixture.
4. Weigh out 10 ounces of warm, baby-bath-temperature water and, with one hand, slowly pour it into the center of the flour mixture while the other hand pulls the dry ingredients into the water and mixes clockwise. Keep your fingers together as you mix, making sure to always work from the center and let the flour come to you. Continue until all of the water has been incorporated.
5. Add the water/yeast mixture and mix as before until all of the ingredients are incorporated and the grit of the salt is dissolved. Continue until the dough forms a wet, sticky and shaggy mass.
6. Sprinkle a coating of flour onto the counter of your surface, then take your spatula and scrape the dough onto the counter and let it assume its natural shape. To sprinkle flour evenly, hold the flour in your hand in an upright position with fingers curled, then splay the flour across the counter as if throwing dice.
7. Tap your hands in a little extra flour, then begin to knead the dough (dust it with flour whenever it starts getting too sticky). First, pull the upper edge of the dough towards you, then push it away with the heel of your hand—turn the dough a quarter-turn and repeat. Do this 15-20 times until the dough comes together and tightens just a little (resist the temptation to keep on kneading as overworking the dough will make the bread tough).
8. Fold the dough into a smooth ball and place it in the oiled, medium-sized bowl and cover it with oiled plastic wrap. Mark the time with a magic marker on your plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest and rise in a moderately cool place until it has doubled in volume: 1-2 hours, depending on the heat of your environment.
Shaping
A baguette is the most challenging of all shapes, and though the instructions for forming it may seem complicated, with practice your instincts will kick in!
1. After the dough has doubled in volume, sprinkle a little more flour onto the counter, then take your spatula and scrape the dough out onto it and let it assume its own shape. Dust the top of the dough with a little flour and pat it down gently, then divide it into two equal pieces. To shape a baguette, start with the basic log structure:
2. Take the first piece of dough, flatten it into a rectangle, and position the rectangle so that the short end faces you. Using two hands, pick up the top edge and pull it past the center of the dough, press it so it adheres to itself, then pick up the bottom edge and do the same thing. Finally, repeat this action again with the top piece only and press together firmly so to make this a tight log.
3. After the dough has been shaped into a tight log, let it rest for 15-20 minutes, covered with oiled plastic. When the rest period is finished, sprinkle just a bit more flour on the counter, then take one log and position it length-wise in front of you with the bottom seam up.
4. With the full side of your floured right hand, make a slight indentation down the middle of the length of the baguette. Take the left thumb and forefinger and starting with the top right corner of the log, pull that piece of dough straight down to the bottom edge of the dough. Now take the floured heel of the right hand, and press that piece of the dough into itself, with the right hand straight up as if waving. Continue this process—left-hand, right-hand—all the way down the log, then repeat it a second or even a third time to make the shape a little tighter and a little longer.
5. Place the baguette seam side down under plastic and repeat the shaping process with all of the remaining pieces of dough. Let both rest under plastic for another 15 minutes.
6. After the rest period, elongate the baguettes on a lightly floured counter. Place one baguette back in front of you, take two hands—fingers together—and place them on the center of the baguette. Begin to roll it back and forth while the hands move away from each other and begin tapering the edges.
7. To proof the baguettes, place them on a floured baking sheet 4-6 inches apart, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise for 45-60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in volume.
8. As the shaped dough is proofing, preheat your oven to 475 º.
Baking
1. When the baguettes have approximately doubled in volume, take your small knife (or lame or straight-edged razor) dip it in water or spritz the dough, and make 4-5 cuts down the center. Leave ¼” on either end and cut approximately ½” deep. Scoring a baguette is tricky. Pretend there is an imaginary line running straight down the center. Your first cut should start ever so slightly to the right of center, end just to the left of center, and be approximately 3 inches long. The second cut starts at the end of the first cut, the third cut starts at the end of the second cut, and so on. Before you score a baguette, take a piece of paper and draw four baguette shapes, then practice drawing the cuts of a baguette. To score the dough, hold the lame flexibly between thumb and forefinger halfway down the handle, then angle the blade into the dough while quickly pulling it toward you.
2. Open the oven door, place the tray of baguettes on the second shelf.
3. To set the steam in motion, pour approximately eight ounces of hot tap water into the pan that has been heating up in the bottom of the oven. Be careful and avert your face so it’s not burned by the burst of steam!
4. The baguettes should bake in approximately 35-45 minutes and be an even dark reddish-brown color.
Fairway Market's Hanukkah Blintzes and Latkes
Blintzes
Filling
1 lb Farmers Cheese
1/4 lb cream cheese
3 egg yolks
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
Crepes
5 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 Eggs
2 teaspoons grand marnier
1 orange peel finely chopped
3 cups milk
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Melt the butter.
Add eggs to dry ingredients to make a thick batter. Slowly add the milk in 3 parts (to avoid lumps) then add the melted butter. If you have lumps, which you should not, then strain the batter.
Heat a non-stick pan (10 inch) to medium heat. Pour in a small amount of the batter and turn the pan to spread evenly. Let the top of the crepe dry out and then turn on to the second side. Cook for 30 seconds and then take out of the pan.
Let the crepes cool and add a healthy spoonful of the filling to the inside. Fold over 3/4, pinch the side in and roll to finish. Top with powdered sugar and serve with fresh applesauce.
Potato Pancakes
3 Idaho potatoes (peeled & shredded)
1 spanish onion
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon white ground pepper
Mix ingredients in a bowl. Add 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy pan. Heat until very hot but not smoking. Use a soup spoon to portion out each pancake - two soup spoons per pancake and brown on both sides, pat dry on paper towels. Serve with a side of apple sauce and sour cream.
Fairway Market's Leg of Lamb Provence
1 leg of lamb (5-7 lbs)
2 tbl Herbs de Provence
2 cloves garlic thinly cut
Kosher salt
Make thin cuts into the fatty side of the leg, and place one piece of the sliced garlic clove into the cut. Repeat 8-10 times, all over the leg. Rub the entire leg w/salt and then Herb de Provence.
Place the lamb on a roasting tray. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the leg in the middle rack of your oven. Roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 375 degrees for another 45 minutes.Remove from oven, place on a cutting board and let sit for 15 minutes.
Now get out a sharp knife. There will be a short piece of clean bone, which is where you’re going to hold the leg as you cut it. Hold the lamb on a 45 degree angle, with the more bulbous side of the leg, which should be face up. Cut long thin slices from the meaty side of the lamb. Place on warmed plates and serve.
Fairway Market's Hot Open-Face Turkey Sandwich with Cranberry Relish
Pick apart your turkey, make sure you get the “oyster”on either side
Save all your gravy
2 slices per person of basic white bread
Leftover Stuffing
Cranberry relish (room temperature)
Heat leftover turkey meat in the gravy, adding a little water if necessary, make sure you don’t boil the meat (that will only toughen it)
Heat the stuffing in the oven, just enough to warm thoroughly, place the stuffing on a warm plate, lay your hot turkey over the stuffing, then spoon your gravy over the turkey. Add a spoonful of cranberry to each plate
Some candied sweet potatoes wouldn’t hurt or just plain mashed potatoes, really any “leftover” would go great.
Fairway Market's Thanksgiving Turkey With Gravy
18-20 lb Turkey
4 ribs celery
3 spanish onions
4 carrots
1 stick butter
Kosher salt
pepper
Turkeys come with a “deep chill”, make sure your bird is totally thawed. Rinse with cold water (on the other hand some people use boiling water). Dry in and out very well. Rub inside with salt and pepper. Place 2 sprigs of fresh thyme in cavity along with a whole peeled onion. Tie the legs together. Rub outside with soft butter, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Place in a roasting pan large enough to hold the bird comfortably. Place the turkey on the middle rack of a preheated 425 degree oven. Roast for 45 minutes then lower the oven to 375 roast the turkey 15 minutes per pound. Place the celery, carrots, and onions in pan and roast 1 hour before the bird is done.
Remove from oven, to check doneness, prick the area where the thigh and leg meets, the juices should run totally clear with no blood. If the turkey is not done return to oven for another 20 to 30 minutes.
Once done remove turkey from pan and onto a serving platter, and let rest. Place the roasting pan on your stove top over low heat and scrape whatever is sticking to the pan. (if any of the vegetables are burnt, discard or your gravy will taste burnt) Add 6 tbs of flour to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add your chicken stock or water and keep stirring. The gravy will thicken completely once it comes to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes then lower to a simmer and strain the gravy into a sauce pan and season it. You may not need salt so taste before seasoning. Strain one more time, keep hot and serve. Gravy must be HOT!!!!
Fairway Market's Cornbread Stuffing
2 lb cornbread (cut into small cubes)
4 ribs of celery (small dice)
2 medium Spanish onions (peel, cut into small dice)
1 lb Parisian mushrooms
2 sprig fresh thyme
2 cups pecans
Salt/pepper to taste
3 tbs melted butter
Brush all the cornbread with melted butter and place in the oven until nicely browned, let cool.
Sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes, (DO NOT BROWN) add the celery to the pan and continue to cook for another 10 min (DO NOT BROWN).
In a separate sauté pan heat the 1 tablespoon butter until smoking, add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat keeping the mushrooms jumping. The edges of the mushrooms should become slightly charred.
Place all the vegetables into a large bowl along with the sprig of thyme. Let sit Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven just until you start to smell them starting to roast, remove and add to the vegetable mixture, mix slightly, season with salt and fresh pepper.
Now gently blend the vegetable mixture with the cornbread cubes. Be careful not to break up the cornbread too much, Let the flavors blend and you should be good to go, Reheat in the oven loosely covered with aluminum foil.
You should be able to taste everything in the stuffing... including the butter.
DO NOT try to serve everything hot. There is too much going on with this meal, as long as the potatoes, gravy, candied sweet potatoes, etc are good and hot, we think it’s ok to serve the turkey warm so it doesn’t dry out.
Warm your plates, gravy is easy to keep hot . Don’t dry out your turkey trying to serve everything hot.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
from Fairway Market
Serves 4 people
4 medum size sweet potatoes
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 lb butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Roast the potatoes until halfway done (approximately 25 minutes). Let cool then peel and cut into quarters. While the potatoes are baking bring the corn syrup, brown sugar and butter to a boil.
Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and pour the sauce over the potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven and let the sugar caramelize -- this is very important. Baste the pot 3-4 times. Make sure the edges of the pot are very caramelized. The edges of the pot should actually be "candied." And again, a little more butter never hurts.
Polenta with Bolognese Sauce
from Fairway Market
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup Fairway Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground beef
4 celery ribs finely diced
1 large spanish onion peeled and finely diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups dry red wine
1 pint tomato sauce
1/4 cup cream
Parmigiano Reggiano to finish
1 1/3 cups soft polenta
Brown veal and beef in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. When brown remove from pan and drain excess oil, add 3 tablespoons olive oil to pan add garlic and cook for 1 min -- do not brown
Add onions and celery and cook slowly for 20 min, do not brown. When the vegetables are very tender add browned meat back to the pan, add the red wine and cook down by half. Add tomato sauce to moisten the meat mixture and slowly cook for 50 min. Add dry red peper flakes and salt to taste.
When you make the pasta add a little heavy cream to the final dish.
Tarte Tatin
from Fairway Market
6 granny smith apples (peeled, cored and cut in ½)
¼ lb soft sweet butter
¾ cup sugar
Pie dough to cover pan (appx 1 lb)
1 heavy 9” sauté pan (cast iron is good)
Spread all the butter into the bottom of the pan, Sprinkle the sugar to cover the butter. Slice the apple halves into thin slices, Fan the apples out and place in the pan. Continue until the apples cover the entire pan, make sure to place the apple slices close to each other. Place pan over medium heat and let the butter and sugar caramelize , this will take a good 20 min. The browner the better.
When the caramelizing is done, remove from heat and lay the rolled out dough over the apple . Cut dough one inch wider than the pan , fold this extra just inside the pan to make a thicker edge. Bake at 375 for 30 min.
Remove when the crust is golden, let cool completely at room temperature. When the tart is completely cool, place over low flame just to loosen the sugar, Invert onto plate.
Wild Mushroom Crostino
from Fairway Market, featured on the October 15th show
1 1/2 lbs of assorted mushrooms
7 garlic cloves in their skin and slightly crushed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 loaf Fairway Ciabatta
Salt and pepper to taste
Fairway Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Brush mushrooms clean with either a towel or a vegetable brush. (If you do wash under cold water do it quickly and dry thoroughly.) Trim the mushrooms well. Cut the mushrooms into halves or quarters depending on their size. Heat 4 tlbs of Fairway Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a heavy pan, heat until it is smoking. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the garlic and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the mushrooms hopping (sautee) for 4-5 minutes. The mushrooms should be a little soft.
Grill 4 pieces of ciabatta in olive oil while the mushrooms are cooking. The bread should be brown. When the bread is done rub with fresh garlic, place in the center of a warm plate and cover with the hot mushroom mixture, garlic cloves and thyme. Finish with olive oil and sea salt. For an extra touch finish with a little truffle oil.
Rib Eye for Two with Roasted Garlic and Fresh Thyme
from Fairway Market
1 2 ½ inch Rib Eye ( bone in)
1 Head fresh garlic ( left in skin & crushed)
2 Sprigs fresh thyme
Fairway extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Heat heavy pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, until just smoking, place Rib Eye in pan. Brown very well on the first side before turning . when the Rib Eye is ready turn it over and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sea salt . Continue to brown the second side –while second side is browning add all the garlic to the pan, along with fresh thyme. Toss the garlic so it does not burn.
When the second side is well browned , place in a preheated 450 degree oven, let cook for approximately 20 minutes for rare, another five minutes for medium rare. Remove from oven and place the Rib Eye on a cutting board, and let sit for 15 minutes.
Make sure your plates are warm. Cut the bone off, then cut the steak into slices (the short side) place slices on the warm plates along with the garlic cloves and the fresh thyme. Drizzle plates with the juices from the pan and a little more sea salt.
If you're doing this for more than 2 people, just order a slightly larger steak.
This dish is great for 2 or more people, paired with any potato or green vegetable.
from Ray Venezia, Fairway Market, featured on the September 24th show
Roast Chicken
1-4 LB Chicken
4T Butter
1T Olive Oil
2T Fresh Ground Pepper*
2 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Kosher Salt
1 Head of Garlic (with the top cut off)
Dry the chicken very well, inside and out.
Rub the cavity with salt and pepper.
Place the head of garlic with the thyme inside the cavity.
Truss the chicken.
Heat butter and oil in a heavy pan on the top of your stove.
Roll the chicken in the pan to cover the whole chicken.
Rest the chicken on its side and lace it in the middle of a pre-heated 450 degree oven. Let roast for 15 minutes, then repeat on the other side for another 15 minutes.
Now place the chicken on its back (breast up), roast for 40 more minutes.
Be sure to baste every 5-10 minutes (the more, the better)
You should now have a beautifully browned chicken.
Optional Steps:
1/2 way through the cooking process, you can add:
New potatoes cut in 1/2 any type of wild mushroom
whole asparagus
Note: asparagus and mushroom need only be added with 15 minutes remaining
Roast Chicken Salad
1-4 LB Chicken
1/2 Poached Green Beans
1/2 Cold Poached Asparagus (sliced 1/2 length wise)
2T Toasted Pignoli Nuts
2T Chives (minced)
3T Mayonnaise (optional)
2 Stalks Broccoli Poached (only tiny florettes)
1/4 Snow Peas Poached (julienne)
Remove all the meat from the chicken.
Do not miss the two oysters on either side of the chicken and make sure you get all the meat under the wishbone.
Remove all the skin and tear the chicken into nice size pieces.
Don't make the pieces too small. Place all of your poached vegetables into the bowl, along with the pignoli nuts.
You can use either lemon juice or a vinaigrette of your choice -- both work just fine.
Mayo is also an option, but if you prefer olive oil, no problem.
Be careful not to break up the vegetables too much when mixing.
Add sea salt, fresh pepper.
Brisket
from Chef Mitchel London, Fairway, featured on the September 17th show
6-8 lbs 1st cut brisket with extra fat
8 spanish onions
1 bunch carrots
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs salt
1 tbs black pepper
10 white new potatoes
3 tbs corn oil
3 qts chicken stock
Heat the oil in a large pan to just below smoking and then add the brisket fatty side down. When the side of brisket is well browned turn it over and brown the other side. Return to the first side and sprinkle with all of the spices. Let cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the brisket from the pan and add the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Sautee until the onions are completely brown (the browner the better) over a medium heat. When the onions are ready, put the brisket back in the pan. Add enough chicken stock or water until it comes up 1/2 way up the brisket. Cover the pan and bring to a low boil. Place in an oven at 375 degress for 1 3/4 hours.
Take out of the oven, remove the lid, and test for tenderness. A fork should go in very easily. If you feel it needs more time, put back in the oven for 45 more minutes. Once it is out of the oven, place the brisket on a large cutting board and let sit for 15-20 minutes. While the meat is resting, reduce the sauce in the pan by 1/2. Taste for salt. Remember you can always add more salt but you cannot take it out once it is added. Slice the brisket across the grain into thin slices and place on a plate. Cover with sauce, onions, potatoes, and carrots.
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