Spring Radish Crudite with Fine Herb Aioli and Beurre de Citron

By Greg Lloyd, Executive Chef, Le Diplomate
Serves 4

The Crudite
3 Icicle radishes, cleaned and halved, tops trimmed to 1 inch
5 or 6 Easter Egg radishes, cleaned and halved, tops trimmed to 1 inch
4 French Breakfast radishes, cleaned, tops trimmed to 1 inch

The Pickle
1 cup water
½ cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted

The Butter
½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon Tabasco

The Aioli Fines Herbs
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup parsley
½ cup chervil
½ cup chives
¼ cup tarragon, picked and blanched
1 clove roasted garlic (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons kosher salt (2 teaspoons for blanching, 2 teaspoons for aioli)

Clean and prep the radishes, hold them in cold water until pickled. Next, make the pickling liquid by combining all ingredients and bringing to boil. Drain the radishes and pour pickling liquid over radishes. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Place the cubed butter in a food processor; mix until smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

To make the aioli: In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to boil, and also prepare an ice water bath. Blanch all of the herbs together for 30 seconds (the salt will preserve the bright green color), drain the herbs and then transfer the herbs to the ice water bath to shock the blanched herbs, setting the color and stopping the cooking process.

In a food processor or blender, add the herbs and blend until fine. (You may need to add a few small ice cubes to get the mixture going. This will also keep the mixture cool while processing.) Add mayonnaise and lemon juice until smooth and green. Adjust the seasoning and plate.

White Bean Soup with Chorizo

The Last Bite
By Susan Able

Six years ago I bought a row house in DC and within a week became a regular at Rustik Tavern, a welcoming place just a couple of blocks away. The young chef, Seth Brady, had food goals beyond the brick-oven pizza program to include lots of great vegetable-focused menu items. During my first winter there, my girlfriend Terri and I, both newly single, forged deep bonds over Chef Seth’s bean soup. It had addictive properties that drew us in night after night for a meal of soup, kale salad and the prosciutto pear pizza. We mourned the change of menu dictated by early summer when the soup disappeared, then Chef Seth’s departure and then a final adieu to Rustik when it closed at the end of last year.

Seth Brady generously shared his recipe for my beloved soup. As I suspected, the steamy aroma rising off the warm bowl has strong Proustian powers that take me immediately back to those sweet times kibitzing with a dear friend over life’s possibilities.

White Bean Soup with Chorizo
Recipe from Seth Brady

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ cups diced yellow onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans (don’t drain)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 medium potatoes, diced (about 1½ cups)
• ½ pound Spanish-style chorizo, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons butter

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, and sweat the diced onion with the bay leaf on medium heat. Cook the onions to translucent, but don’t caramelize. After the onions have cooked, add the chopped garlic and turn the heat down just a tiny bit and let the garlic cook slowly. If the garlic cooks too quickly it can become bitter—let these guys mingle.

After a few minutes and occasional stirring, add ⅔ of the oregano (about 1½ tablespoons) and the fennel seed. If you don’t have ground fennel seed, go ahead and just add whole. It will be great either way. Once the herbs are added, give it 1 more good stir, wait about 30 seconds, then add the cannellini beans with their liquid and the stock.

Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a low bubbling boil and add the diced potatoes. After a minute, turn the soup to simmer for about 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and cook the diced chorizo over medium heat, being careful not to brown it. The idea is to extract the flavor from the chorizo. Once the chorizo has cooked, remove it from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the remaining oregano, sherry vinegar and paprika. Mix it gently and reserve.

Once the potatoes have become fork tender, purée the soup with the butter using a processor, blender or immersion blender. The result will be a velvety bean soup. Adjust the seasonings. When you are ready to serve, just ladle the soup into a bowl and top with your chorizo mixture and a bit of chopped oregano if you have any left. Enjoy!

Italian Sausage with Kale and Polenta

By Jennifer Farley 

I’ve written many times over the years about the importance of balancing flavor in a dish. The best recipes incorporate elements of salty, sweet, bitter, acidity and umami. Another important aspect of a dish to consider is texture. For better or worse, the texture of what we eat can greatly affect our enjoyment of food. This Italian sausage with kale and polenta has a wonderful balance of both flavor and texture. The polenta is both creamy and granular, the kale is tender yet toothsome and the sausage is crisp and caramelized on the outside for a truly satisfying meal. The recipe works with Italian, andouille or chorizo sausage; I tend to switch things up depending on my mood. I recommend blanching the kale in boiling water for 60 seconds. I know some people might prefer to simply sauté it, but I find that this step really improves the texture. It’s much more tender in the final dish. I’ve used a small amount of crushed red pepper, not enough to add a substantial level of heat to the dish. You can add more or omit it completely depending on personal preference.  

Prep Time: 10 minutes   

Cook Time: 45 minutes  

Total Time: 55 minutes  

Yield: 4 servings 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken stock, either homemade or low sodium 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste 
• ½  teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste 
• 1 cup polenta corn grits 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (heavy cream may be substituted) 
• 6 cups torn kale leaves 
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
• 4 pre-cooked Italian sausage links (andouille or chorizo may be substituted) 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste

Directions:

In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottom saucepan, bring the stock, water, salt and pepper to a boil over high heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta and reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Stir in the butter; taste, and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Cover and set aside. (Note: The polenta can be made 24 hours in advance. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the last step of the recipe.) 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. When the water reaches a boil, add the kale leaves and cook for 60 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath to halt the cooking process. Drain the kale, pat dry and set aside. 

Cut the sausage into ½-inch slices. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Brown the sausage on each side for several minutes (the more caramelized the sausage, the better the flavor). If at any point the bottom of the pan looks like it might burn, add 1–2 tablespoons of water, scrape up the glaze and incorporate it into the sausage. When the sausage is browned, remove from the pan and set aside. 

Turn the heat down to low and add the remaining tablespoon olive oil, the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Allow the garlic to cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute, and then add the kale to the pan. Stir to coat the kale with the seasoned oil in the pan. Add the sausage back to the pan and allow it to reheat for a few minutes. Reheat the polenta over low heat, stirring if necessary. Serve the sausage and kale over the polenta. 

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The Gourmet Kitchen will be released by Simon & Schuster on October 25, 2016. The book is a compilation of over 100 recipes covering breakfast through dessert, showcasing Jennifer Farley’s favorites. Some have been in her family for generations, like her grandmother’s crab cakes. Farley finds inspiration everywhere, from culinary school to her travels around the world. Most of the recipes evolved through experimenting with the techniques she learned while training at L’Academie de Cuisine. The recipes are geared toward casual dinner parties, a leisurely weekend meal or a romantic dinner for two. They are everyday gourmet recipes for the home cook.