Bobo Log

So it’s that time again: with tryptophan comas survived and voices regained after hours of yelling at NFL referees from the couch…..now what? Thanksgiving may be over, but if you hosted thanksgiving this year, as I did, your fridge is stocked with an abundance of foodstuffs for which the term ‘leftover’ really doesn’t do justice. And lets be honest, we all know Thanksgiving is as much about those guys with the funny shoes and their supposed harvest feast or huge balloons careening down narrow streets with howling winds as it is about the leftover turkey sandwich.

So now that the family’s all gone and its just you and Monday Night Football…what to drink with this noblest of sandwiches? I feel now is a good time to say that frankly, a beer of your choosing falls directly into that “if it ain’t broke…” category. But if you’re feeling a little adventurous, and are tired of the standard “beaujolais noveau, it’s a classic” mentality, I say go white. I know, I know, its cold out there, but not all whites need to be served straight from the freezer.

Look to natural wines, a style born of natural harmony between yeast and fruit, and a renegade approach brought to light by a handful of producers throughout the world, but with a decided presence in France. My current favorite, a wine called ‘Le Originel’ from Julien Courtois is a feisty blend of Romorantin and Meneau Pineau (like ya do). Yeasty and nutty with incredible complexity (think cracker jacks meet lemon zest) it’ll provide the supporting role that you’re looking for: the liquid answer to stuffing (although I wont tell anyone if you have stuffing as well).

But if you can’t find something along those lines, and it won’t be easy, I say look north. The Finger Lakes are producing some incredible juice perfect for the occasion at Black Friday prices. Try the Gewurztraminer from Dr. Konstantin Frank; redolent with cookie spices and piercing acidity it’s another perfect complement to everyone’s favorite sandwich.

- Adam

Statistics show that there is a 82% percent chance that the turkey you eat on Thursday will be dry and nearly inedible* (see above photo). So, as a precautionary measure, the sides should be as delicious as possible. Just a simple case of hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. This recipe will either take your Thanksgiving meal from ‘Yummy’ to ‘Oh My Dear Lord’, or it will salvage the meal altogether from the meal-jacking attempt by repeat offenders Dry Wilkes Turkey and sidekick Canned Harvey Cranberry.

Roots and Tubers Gratin (makes 4 shareable servings)
4 oz celery root, peeled and thinly sliced
4oz sunchoke, peeled and thinly sliced
2oz parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced
4oz any potato, peeled and thinly sliced
2 leeks, sliced into thin rings
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup grated white cheddar
salt and pepper
-preheat oven to 425º
-combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste
-portion the mixture evenly into small casserole/gratin dishes and put in oven
-bake until it begins to brown on the sides and top (~45-60 min depending on thickness)
-sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on top of the gratins and bake another 5 min or so (optional)
-let cool for 8 minutes and serve

-Patrick

*There are no actual statistics to support this statement. It just sounds better this way.

Every year around this time I’m asked the same question:’ know any good recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers?’ I usually bang something out some recipe like a soup or pancakes with cranberry syrup or some obnoxious hoagie and no one ever makes it. I mean, after the most grueling day of home cookery, who wants to see yet another recipe? I sure as hell don’t. Generally we all just pick at the tupperware containers in the fridge little by little until it’s all dried out or just picks up and leaves on its own after being neglected through our January ski trip to Vermont.

This year has been no exception, however, I have to say, the little recipe I came up with is worth a shot. So shot-worthy, in fact, that I put it on the menu (Thanksgiving Poutine). I’ll spare you the foie gras gravy, cheese curd, blah, blah, blah (come in for dinner for that)…here’s
Stuffing Fries With Cranberry Ketchup

For the stuffing fries:
one 4 ½ inch square brick of stuffing cut cold right out of the casserole dish
2 eggs
2T heavy cream
2 cups breadcrumbs (preferably finely ground panko)
4 cups canola oil
*in a large saucepot, heat the oil on high heat to 350 degrees
*cut the stuffing brick 5 times ¾ inch apart to create 6 planks, then cut each plank into quarters creating 24 stuffing batons (that stuffing better be tight for this to work, Aunt Ginny!)
*beat the eggs with the cream in a small bowl creating an eggwash
*gently brush each baton with the eggwash, then roll in the breadcrumbs
*gently drop the breaded batons one by one into the hot oil
*fry the batons in smaller batches (depending on the size of the pot) until the breading is golden brown
*gently remove the done fries and place them onto a paper towel, salt immediately

For the cranberry ketchup:
1 cup ketchup
1/8 cup last night’s cranberry sauce (the canned crap actually can serve a purpose in this case) if it’s very chunky, puree it a little first
tiny pinch of ground allspice
1 drop of sherry vinegar
*mix it all in a bowl and then divide into 4 dipping dishes

To finish:
*stack 6 fries 2 by 2 criss-crossed on each plate
*put a dipping cup of ketchup on each plate

-Patrick

So, for the next few days, I’m going to share a few recipes with you. Specifically, traditional (or at least inspired by tradition) Thanksgiving recipes. Today’s comes from the first chef I worked for-mom. As a kid, I was asked a few times by friends ‘What’s wrong with your cranberry sauce? There’s sticks and leaves in it, it’s not circular, and there aren’t the cool ridges on the outside.’ Well, my poorly fed childhood friends, your ‘cranberry sauce’ came from a can and was primarily comprised of a syrup made from corn. You got me beat on the cool ridges, though.

-Patrick

Connolly House Cranberry Sauce
1 bag cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
5 cloves
1 orange, sliced
1 thumb of ginger, peeled and sliced (for some zing)
*Combine all ingredients in a pot and boil until the cranberries pop
*refrigerate until it sets and serve

-Mary Beth

This Sunday we are participating in SMØRREBRØD (pronounced smoe-bruth) Table at New Amsterdam Market to benefit The Rye Bread Project. The project was formed by chef Trina Hahnemann and our friend Claire Hartten to explore Nordic food traditions in terms of health and well-being, and especially as they might support the growth of children and help combat increasing levels of obesity and diabetes.

We’ll be serving our bobo version of a classic Danish SMØRREBRØD consisting of our chicken liver mousse, house cured bacon, mushrooms, autumnberries and cicely. Delikat!

Jimmy Carbone is bringing the beer and rumor has it that the Danish Ambassador is bringing a critical palate and thus I shall be bringing my ‘A-Game’. Hope to see you there!

SMØRREBRØD TABLE 2010 The Rye Bread Project
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2010 12PM TO 3PM
NEW AMSTERDAM MARKET, ON SOUTH STREET & PECK SLIP

-Patrick

This week we’re featuring a soup off the menu (the new fall menu that is) starring a couple of odd but delicious ingredients: Celery Root Soup, crispy sunchokes, rendered pork shoulder, smoked trout, crosnes, sweet cicely.

Crosnes are also known as both Japanese and Chinese artichokes and are the tuber for a plant in the mint family. These are particularly small and tender, so we are leaving them raw gently dressed with salt and lemon juice to provide a crisp crunch in the soup.

Another weird one we have in this dish is sweet cicely. Cicely is a plant resembling a fern with very soft leaves and has a gentle anise flavor to it. Historically, I haven’t been the most enthusiastic chef in regards to root vegetables, but this soup makes me happy. In one bowl it’s creamy, sweet, nutty, crunchy, smoky, and salty.

-Patrick