*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

       Braised Lamb Shanks w/Portabellos, Slivered Celery Root &..

Recipe By     : Octavio Becerra --Pinot Bistro, LA, California
Serving Size  : 10   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : 
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   5      1 1/4 pound   lamb shanks
     3/4  cup           peanut oil
   1                    onion -- diced
   1                    carrot -- sliced
     1/2  head          celery (reserve leaves for garnish) -- sliced
   2      heads         peeled garlic -- separate into cloves
   2                    leeks -- sliced
   1      cup           white wine
   3      cups          lamb or chicken stock
     1/2  bunch         parsley -- stems only
     1/2  bunch         thyme
     1/2  pound         unsalted butter
   3                    bay leaves
  10                    baby arugula leaves -- for garnish
  10                    garlic blossoms -- for optional garnish
                        ---Portabello mushrooms ---
  10                    Portabello mushrooms -- stemmed
  10      cloves        garlic -- minced
   2 1/2  cups          chicken stock
   1 1/2  tablespoons   olive oil -- plus some to saute'
                        ---Slivered Celery Root ---
   4                    peeled celery roots -- thinly sliced
   2                    onions -- peeled and sliced
   1 1/4  cups          chicken stock
   1      pinch         salt
     1/2  bunch         parsley sprigs -- for garnish
                        ---Roasted Garlic ---
  40      cloves        garlic -- peeled
                        kosher salt
                        pepper -- freshly ground
                        olive oil

     For preparing first part of ingredients, sear lamb shanks in peanut 
oil. Obtain an even, rich brown color, then remove lamb shanks from pan 
and set aside.
     Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and leek to pan, and saute' until 
caramelized to a uniform brown. Deglaze this mirepoix with white wine 
and reduce until dry. Add stock and bring to a boil, then simmer. Return 
lamb shanks to pan and add parsley stems, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer
lamb shanks until tender and beginning to fall off the bone. Lift shanks 
from braising liquid and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove meat from 
bones. Strain braising liquid and reduce until jus resembles a sauce 
that has consistency but is not too thick. Finish with unsalted butter.
     To prepare portabello mushrooms, place mushrooms into a casserole 
or braising dish. Add garlic, stock and olive oil. Bake uncovered in a
325F oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from braising 
liquid. Strain liquid and reduce to a syrup consistency. Reserve.
     In a hot saute' pan, saute' Portabellos in a touch of olive oil.
     To prepare slivered celery root, put celery root and onion into a 
roasting pan and add chicken stock and salt. Braise until tender, then
strain.
     To prepare roasted garlic, in a saute' pan toss whole garlic cloves 
with salt and pepper to taste and enough olive oil to barely cover. 
Cover with aluminum foil and slowly bake in a 300F oven until tender, 
about 25 minutes. Once tender, strain cloves and reserve the oil.
     TO SERVE: Heat lamb shanks and roasted garlic together in a fair 
amount of the lamb sauce. Toss celery root with parsley sprigs. Place 
some celery root mixture onto the center of each dinner plate. Place a
portabello mushroom directly onto the celery root. Carefully spoon 
braised lamb onto mushroom. Drizzle the plate with a touch of Portabello 
syrup and olive oil reserved from the roasted garlic. Garnish with 
fresh celery leaves, arugula and garlic blossoms.


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                     *  Exported from  MasterCook  *

       Quartet of Beef w/Savory Pearl Barley & Reisling Mustard Sa

Recipe By     : Octavio Becerra -- Pinot Bistro, LA, California
Serving Size  : 4    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : 
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        ---Sweetbreads---
   1      quart         water
   5      ounces        white wine vinegar
   6      ounces        veal sweetbreads
                        butter -- as needed
                        ---Oxtail and Veal---
     1/2  tablespoon    carrot -- diced
     1/2  tablespoon    celery -- diced
     1/2  tablespoon    onion -- diced
   2      tablespoons   garlic -- minced
   2      pieces        veal feet
  10      ounces        oxtail -- cut into small piece
   1      quart         chicken stock -- cold
   2                    bay leaves
     1/4  bunch         thyme
                        ---Riesling Mustard Sauce---
   8                    shallots -- sliced
     1/2  tablespoon    butter
     1/2  cup           Riesling white wine
   2      cups          veal braising broth
   4                    shallots -- roasted and sliced
   3      sprigs        savory -- finely chopped
   1      tablespoon    Dijon mustard
                        ---Pearl Barley---
     1/4  cup           olive oil
     3/4  cup           pearl barley
     1/4  cup           celery -- diced
     1/4  cup           leek -- diced
     1/4  cup           shallot -- diced
   2      quarts        water
   1                    smoked ham hocks
  12                    garlic cloves -- roasted
   1      bunch         collard greens
   1      teaspoon      Italian parsley -- chopped
                        ---Tenderloin of Beef---
   2      tablespoons   peanut oil
   4      4 ounce       beef tenderloins
                        salt and pepper -- to taste

     To prepare sweetbreads, prior to cooking, rinse sweetbreads in 
cold water for at least 24 hours. Bring the specified water and vinegar 
to a boil. Briefly blanch the sweetbreads in the boiling liquid for 
approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Strain, and allow to cool. Once cool, 
peel the thin membrane from sweetbreads. Cut sweetbreads into pieces 
approximately the size of a marble. Saute' in butter until crispy and 
golden brown.
     To prepare oxtail and veal, in a large roasting pan, saute' carrot, 
celery, onion and garlic. Place oxtail and veal feet in pan, and cover
with chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add bay leaves and thyme. Simmer 
4 to 5 hours. When oxtail is falling off bone, remove from broth and 
allow to cool. When cooled, separate meat from bones and reserve. Once 
gelatinous part of veal feet is tender, remove veal from braising broth 
and allow to cool. Strain broth and reserve. Pick meat from bones and 
dice into small 1/4x1/4" pieces. Reserve.
     To prepare Riesling Mustard Sauce, saute' sliced raw shallots in 
butter until caramelized. Deglaze with Riesling wine. Reduce by two-
thirds. Then add veal braising broth reserved from above. Simmer for 15 
minutes. Strain through a fine strainer into a saucepan. Finish sauce 
with sliced roasted shallots, braised veal feet from above, chopped 
savory and Dijon mustard.
     To prepare pearl barley, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add
pearl barley and roast slowly for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. 
Add celery, leek and shallots. Roast for another 5 minutes, stirring 
continuously. Add 1 quart of water, and cook slowly until barley is 
tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
     Bring 1 quart of water containing smoked ham hock and roasted 
garlic cloves to a boil. Braise collard greens in this broth until 
tender. Strain. Chop collard greens into medium pieces.
     To prepare tenderloin of beef, in a saute' pan, heat peanut oil 
over a medium-high flame. Season tenderloins with salt and pepper and 
saute' for 5 to 6 minutes, or until medium rare. Remove from pan and 
allow to rest.
     TO SERVE: Heat pearl barley with shredded braised oxtail, chopped
braised collard greens and chopped parsley. Place in the center of each 
dish. Slice beef tenderloin and layer over barley. Delicately place 
sauce around barley and spoon a little over beef. Garnish with crispy
sweetbreads.
 

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                     *  Exported from  MasterCook  *

               Warm Chocolate Tart w/Coffee Nougatine Sauce

Recipe By     : Octavio Becerra -- Pinot Bistro, LA, California
Serving Size  : 15   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : 
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        ---Chocolate Tart---
   6      ounces        chocolate -- chopped
     1/2  cup           brewed espresso
   1 1/4  cups          butter
     1/2  cup           sugar
   6                    egg yolks
   6                    egg whites
     1/2  cup           pastry flour
                        ---Cre`me Anglaise---
   1      quart         milk
   1                    vanilla beans -- seeds only
   1 1/4  cups          sugar
  16                    egg yolks
                        ---Nougatine Sauce---
   2      cups          powdered sugar -- plus 5 ounces
   3      ounces        almonds -- coarsely ground
   3 1/2  ounces        coffee beans -- ground
                        cre`me anglaise -- from above recipe
                        ---Kumquat Compote---
     1/2  cup           granulated sugar
     1/4  cup           water
  45                    kumquats -- cut and seeded
  15      sprigs        mint -- julienned
                        ---Garnish---
     1/2  pint          heavy cream -- whipped
                        coarse coffee nougatine pieces

     To prepare chocolate tart, preheat oven to 350F. Heat coffee and 
butter and pour over chocolate. In a bowl, whip 1/4 cup of the sugar 
with egg yolks until firm ribbon forms. In another bowl, whip the other 
1/4 cup sugar with egg whites to form a light meringue. Combine these
three mixtures with pastry flour. Transfer batter to a 9" cake pan 2 
inches deep. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tart rises. Remove 
from oven and allow to cool. Return to oven and bake again until 
exterior becomes firm but tart is still moist inside.
     To prepare cre`me anglaise, in a heavy-bottomed pot, scald milk 
and vanilla bean seeds. Set aside. In a bowl, combine egg yolks and 
sugar. Slowly add some milk-vanilla mixture to temper eggs. Pour eggs 
back into pan with milk. Stir continuously over medium heat until 
mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
     To prepare nougatine sauce, caramelize sugar in a little water 
until medium brown. Add almonds and coffee, and stir until smooth. Cook 
2 minutes over low heat. Pour onto a stainless-steel or marble counter
(coated with nonstick cooking spray) and spread as smooth and thin as
possible. Allow to cool, then break into small pieces. Grind in a food
processor until fine. Pass result through a tammy or very fine strainer. 
Reserve pieces too coarse to go through for use as garnish.
     Mix coffee nougatine powder with all of the cre`me anglaise in a 
proportion of 3 tablespoons of powder for each cup of cre`me anglaise. 
Allow to infuse for at least 1 hour.
     To prepare kumquat compote, in a heavy saucepan, stir sugar over 
heat until it dissolves and turns pale brown. Slowly add water. Bring 
to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Place kumquats into this simple 
sugar syrup. Cool, then add mint.
     TO SERVE: Heat chocolate tart and place on plates. Pour about 2 
tablespoons of sauce on each. Garnish with whipped cream and coarse 
pieces of coffee nougatine left from the grinding. Spoon sauce around. 
Garnish with a spoonful of kumquat compote.


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