BLT Living F07

Fall

An Indian Summer Feast Friends, food and fun

Born to be a Chef

It Came Naturally to Marc Forgione

Fall into the hamptons

Local Farmstands, Wines and Purveyors

Plus: Chef ’ s Bl ack Bo o k : Fav orit e Finds and Top Kit che n Tips

2007

Š 2006 NestlÊ Waters North America Inc.

At finer restaurants in Paris, London, New York and of course, Milan.

A Letter From The Chef

Dear Friends, Autumn is an exciting time to be a chef; so many incredible fall fruits and vegetables are at their peak, and meals return to being longer and more varied. As you’ll read, this issue reveals a lot of reasons why autumn is perhaps my favorite season, not least because I spend as much time as possible at my home in the Hamptons.

The Hamptons “off ” season is my “in” season. After a busy, crowded summer, one of my favorite things to do is invite a few friends up for a long weekend. We make a big day of it, starting with a tour of Long Island’s wonderful farmstands, purveyors and lesser-known but outstanding vineyards. With the freshest ingredients in hand for our meals, we head back to the house where I enlist everyone’s help to assemble the day’s menu. A few of my favorite dishes are highlighted in the following pages.

I’ve always felt that fall is a great time for relaxed, informal gatherings. There is so much build-up to the holidays; elaborate celebrations seem to start earlier and earlier every year, so I relish the freedom of preparing meals with friends before the holiday buzz begins. I see it as a time to experiment, to try new combinations and tinker with all the traditional foods that dominate the holiday menus to come.

The arrival of fall is also a busy season for everyone at BLT. We recently opened BLT Market at the RitzCarlton, Central Park South, and we are preparing to open new BLT Steak restaurants in White Plains, Los Angeles and Dallas. We’re really excited about bringing our modern steakhouse to other cities across the country and presenting the many tried and true dishes that New Yorkers have enjoyed for many years now.

So, relax, experiment and enjoy the bounty of this wonderful season, wherever you may be.

Bon appetit!

Laurent Tourondel Executive Chef

fall 2007

•

B LT

3<#>

<#> 6

fall 2007

â&#x20AC;˘

B LT

Chef Tourondel, like many Hamptons homeowners, enjoys his summer house most in the fall.

Stop and go traffic, long waits for dining, and packed markets finally give way to a slow and steady pace, and leisurely meals.

Fall Flavors This is Tourondel’s second autumn in East Hampton and an extended Indian summer has lured several out-of-town guests for a weekend visit and a taste of Tourondel’s fall favorites. His home, which he described as a “dark shack” before renovations, is now flooded with light and covered in pristine white paint. Its style is quintessentially beachcasual, all but the sky-blue La Cornue oven he special-

ordered from France, which now warms the room.

After a few days of winding down before the guests arrive, Chef Tourondel is relaxed, yet clearly focused on the steps ahead. The evening’s menu features fresh, local ingredients gathered from farmstands and specialty shops scattered throughout the Hamptons’ East End.

fall 2007

•

B LT

5<#>

By ten in the morning, Tourondel is headed out to make his rounds. First stop: Round Swamp Farm, a 20-acre, family-run farm, not far from his home. The stand is bustling with patrons foraging for the freshest picks of the day. Tourondel stops to catch up with a few friendly faces and is approached by owner Carolyn Snyder, for an unexpected tour of the farm.

Round Swamp Farm is run by Snyder and her sisters, daughters, sons-inlaw, and nieces and nephews–the entire clan is invested in carrying on the nearly 300-year-old farm they inherited. The stand is brimming with jams, relishes, chutneys, soups and pies, all made from scratch on-site. The farm behind the stand is tended to by only three family members, and the range of produce they cultivate is staggering.

Steven, Snyder’s grandson, and Charles Niggles, her son-in-law, stand beside rows of squash and tomatoes, sweaty from hard work. They give all the credit to the land–its rich, sandy soil–for creating this bounty. Another secret to the soil is fish emulsion, a by-product of the Snyder family’s other farm: the sea. The East End has many family farms, but not many can claim to be “Farmers of Land and Sea” the way the Snyder family does. Carolyn’s late husband, Harold Snyder, had carried on a long and arduous tradition of working the land and fishing daily to offer fresh catches at the stand. Charles now continues that tradition, and the line at their fish counter demonstrates how much East Enders appreciate it.

Steven, Snyder’s grandson, and Charles Niggles, her son-in-law.

Fresh off the Round Swamp tour, Tourondel can’t resist stopping when he spots a cheese purveyor parking her shiny red truck marked “Lucy’s Whey” out front. Catherine Bodziner, the engaging proprietor, is more than ready to stop and talk cheese. She buys artisanal American cheeses directly from farmers and is committed to connecting her customers to the small farms that produce them. Each cheese has a story and her pleasure in telling them is infectious.

Catherine Bodziner While Bodziner currently delivers direct to a r etalks a cheese. restaurants and even sets up shop from her van at select locations, she is hoping to open a storefront in Amagansett in the near future, which Tourondel promises to visit.

Tourondel proceeds to the next purveyor, La Villa, for lamb sausage.

La Villa Italian Specialties has served the Hamptons for over twentyfive years. The original owner, now seventy-five, is currently in the process of handing over the shop, along with “straight off the boat” family recipes to two friends, Francesco Gardino and Jerry Gioe.

Gardino and Gioe offer “the freshest mozzarella around,” which is so popular they prepare it, using an “old school” recipe, five times a day. But Tourondel has come for the sausage. They offer him a selection of over 10 types of sausage to choose from but Tourondel has his mind set on lamb, and getting back home to start cooking.

The first order of business is preparing the gnocchi. Marc Forgione, Sausages at La Villa, East Hampton a friend and BLT Corporate Executive Chef, had already begun the potato mixture, noting that the gnocchi must be made while the potato is warm to prevent glueyness. With quick hands, Tourondel finishes the job by rolling the gnocchi dough into long ropes and then slicing them into

<#>6

fall 2007

•

B LT

Gnocchi with Lamb Sausage and Swiss Chard one-inch pieces. Meanwhile, Marc starts the outside grill for the lamb sausage, which he watches closely to bring up to just the right medium temperature. Inside, Tourondel pours the squash soup that has been cooking over the stove into a blender for a final purée, and then begins to prepare braised collard greens. Dinner for friends clearly puts him in a

Gnocchi

2 c coarse sea salt, plus more to taste 2-1/4 pounds baking potatoes, scrubbed 1/2 c plus 3 tbs all-purpose flour 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 large egg 2 pinches ground nutmeg fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Lamb sausage mixture

2lbs lamb sausage (not Merguez) 20 leaves Swiss chard (leaves removed and chopped, stems cut into 1 inch batons) Sauce: 3 tbs olive oil 6 tbs chopped garlic

1 bay leaf 3 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary

2 c white wine

4 c heavy cream

23 sage leaves (3 whole, 2 chopped, 18 fried) 1/2 c chopped parsley

3 oz pecorino salt & pepper

Make Gnocchi Preheat the oven to 375°F.

1

2

3

1. Bake the Potatoes Mound the 2 cups coarse salt in the center of a baking sheet. Put the potatoes on the salt and bake until a knife easily pierces to the center of the potato, about 1 hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool.

2. Make the Dough When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and pass them through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl, or mash them thoroughly with a potato masher.

3. Add 1/2 cup of the flour, the oil, egg, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

4. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more of the flour.

4

5

6

5. Shape the Gnocchi Divide the dough into 6 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 3/4-inch thick rope.

6. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.

Cook the Gnocchi Oil a large baking sheet. Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add about one-third of the gnocchi and cook 2 minutes or until they float to the surface. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, draining them well. Spread the gnocchi on the prepared baking sheet. Cook the remaining gnocchi in the same way. (Can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.) ake Sauce In a 2 qt sauce pot, sauté garlic in olive oil. When M it begins to brown, add thyme and rosemary, cook until fragrant.

Add 3 sage leaves, bay leaf and white wine. Reduce wine by 1/2, add cream, bring to boil and simmer for 5 min, remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap tightly and let infuse with herbs for 30 min.

Strain sauce through a chinoise and put aside.

Cook sausage and chard While sauce is infusing, blanch chard in salted water and then shock in cold water. Grill sausage until medium and let rest. Slice into quarter inch in slices on the bias.

Assemble the dish Bring the cream sauce to a simmer and add the gnocchi, sausage, Swiss chard, 2 sage leaves (chopped), and parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more white wine if needed. Garnish with fried sage leaves, pecorino curls, and a drizzle of olive oil. fall 2007

•

B LT

7<#>

light mood as he stops frequently to replenish cocktails, adjust the music, and even break into quick dance poses (yes, it’s true).

SQUASH SOUP/GRILLED COUNTRY BREAD ROASTED GARLIC-HAZELNUT BUTTER Serves 6

1 4 lb butternut squash 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 medium yellow onion

1 Golden Delicious apple

6 sage leaves 1 tbs unsalted butter

1 tbs acacia honey 1 tbs ground cinnamon 4 c chicken stock 1 c fresh whipped cream 6 tabs shaved roasted chestnuts, chives

1 loaf thick crusted country bread Roasted Garlic-Hazelnut Butter

1 lb unsalted butter 1 tbs olive oil (room temperature) 2 heads of garlic 1 c hazelnuts Roast Squash Preheat the oven to 400° F. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, score and season with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Place one tablespoon butter into cavity of each half. Pour enough water to cover bottom of roasting pan, place squash flesh side up on rack and bake until soft (1 hr). Once cool enough to handle scoop out with large spoon and reserve.

Make the soup Peel, trim, and coarsely chop the onion, along with the apple. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to brown, add the onion and apple, and sauté until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the honey to the onions and apples and cook until caramelized. Add the squash and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and enough water to cover the squash by an inch. Bring the soup to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the soup until the onions, apples and squash are very tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add more liquid if necessary to keep the squash submerged. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.

Finish the soup Purée the soup in a blender on a low speed and then pass through fine-mesh strainer. Ladle into 6 bowls, garnish with whipped cream, chestnuts, and chives. Serve with toasted country bread and roasted garlic-hazelnut butter.

Roasted Garlic-Hazelnut Butter Preheat oven to 375° F. Roast garlic heads whole for 20-25 min until soft. Remove from oven and let cool.

Once cool, cut in half and squeeze out garlic. Put oil and hazelnuts into pan and cook on medium heat until hazelnuts begin to brown.

Remove from pan and crush in food processor while still warm. Add butter and garlic to hazelnuts and pulse until combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. <#>8

fall 2007

•

B LT

Tourondel perfects a refreshing Pomegranate Mint Sour cocktail on the spot, repeatedly tasting and adjusting the mixture of orange vodka and juice until he’s satisfied. The fresh pomegranate, blended with the sugared crust on each glass rim, captures the familiar sweetness of autumn precisely.

A mint leaf on top is the Chef’s nod to the Indian summer.

Now things are really heating up.

The scent from Honey Crisp apples softening on the stovetop give the guests a taste of what’s to come: a Five Spice Long Island Duck.

Long Island Duck, also known as Pekin Duck, are descendants of the Chinese Mallard. They are now the most popular domesticated duck because of their mild flavor and meatiness– a trait sublimely evident in the duck breasts Tourondel has ready for the grill.

Tourondel and Forgione work at a faster clip now, as others begin to gather round the dining table. The long nickel table is dressed with a simple burlap runner. A few plump squash from the farmstand lie atop loose bouquets of wheat and thistle. A friend pours Wölffer Estate’s Late Harvest Chardonnay, Tourondel’s pick to match the setting as well as the first course.

Chef Tourondel has choice wines to accompany each course from this local “old world” vineyard set in the heart of the Hamptons. Although only about 10-years old, Wölffer Estate is considered one of the senior vineyards in the region, and its La Ferme Martin Chardonnay and Merlot, as well as its Cuvée Sparkling Wine have helped to put Long Island’s vineyards on the wine map. The warm waters continued on page 10

Marc Forgione Corpora te Exec utive Chef, BLT Marc Forgione is Laurent Tourondel’s Corporate Executive Chef, a heady title he does not throw around. His job, to oversee the operations of now eight new BLT restaurants from New York to Puerto Rico, mandates a heavyweight, but Forgione, only 29 years old, manages it with an unassuming manner and a deft hand.

“I really love my job,” Marc explains. “Every day is completely different in the kitchen, and now that I’m traveling a lot, I’m exposed to all kinds of new things, which is exciting. Traveling really opens you up.”

Exposure to new things is a necessity for a job that, at times, demands Forgione to come up with three or four new recipes a day. As Corporate Executive Chef, he helps Tourondel design menus and specials for all of the restaurants, and then repeatedly visits each one for chef training and quality control.

At present Forgione and Tourondel are rarely in the same place at once. But Forgione fondly recalls the early days of BLT Steak, when Tourondel first took him on. They worked for weeks in an empty restaurant testing food. “It was a big shift for Laurent, to go from refined French cuisine to a steakhouse. Laurent is very meticulous. I think we spent four days searching the city for the right french-fry cutter; we ate a lot of french-fries!”

Tourondel was surely just as meticulous in choosing a right hand man for his new venture in the all-American steakhouse; Marc is the son of Larry Forgione, or as many in the culinary world know him: the “Godfather” of American cuisine.

In 1983, when Marc was only five years old, his father opened An American Place, a now legendary restaurant that featured fine cuisine made from only American ingredients. This idea was revolutionary for its time, Marc explains: “Back then you couldn’t go into a supermarket and find fresh mixed greens or smoked salmon like you can today. It was basically iceberg lettuce or iceberg lettuce, and my father couldn’t stand that. He grew up on a farm in New York, eating free range chicken and fresh fruit and vegetables from the backyard. After he graduated from cooking school, he went to

Europe where he witnessed Europeans handpicking each item for their dinner, and came back determined to let Americans eat the same way. He started talking to farmers and within weeks there were trucks pulling up from local farms, full of fresh produce for his restaurant.”

As the first-born son of this master chef, Marc was in the kitchen from an early age. His father’s excitement and passion truly shaped him. “Everything we did as a family was about food. Every vacation we took was about food. Even if we set off on a trip to visit old friends, out in nowhere we’d somehow manage to end up foraging for morels in the woods.”

But it was only after college, and many different majors, that Marc realized cooking was his own true love as well. “I found myself cooking more and more for friends, and just wanting to be in the kitchen all the time. It’s where I feel the most comfortable.” Once reconciled with his own passion, Forgione naturally returned to the kitchen he was raised in, An American Place, to begin what has been a star-studded apprenticeship in fine cuisine.

After An American Place, he moved from under his father’s wing to the Restaurant Above in the Theatre District working with Chef Kazuto Matsusaka and his Asian-influenced menu. He then tried his hand at Mediterranean cuisine under the guidance of Patricia Yeo and Pino Maffeo at Pazo, the trend-setting restaurant that was located where BLT Steak now operates. And for finishing touches he spent a year in France working under master chef Michel Guérard, at the long-standing three-star Michelen restaurant, Les Prés d’Eugénie. It is no wonder Laurent Tourondel has awarded such a prestigious role to such a young, and modest chef.

s p fr ai nl gl 2 0 0 7

•

B LT

<#> 9

5 spice caramelized long island duck Serves 6 Duck

Apple Purée

1-1/2 c honey 1 tbs Asian five spice powder 3 tbs light soy sauce 2 tbs fresh lemon juice 1 tbs vegetable oil

6 skin-on boneless Pekin Duck breasts

2 sticks (8 ounces) plus 2 tbs unsalted butter 2 tbs olive oil

6 Honey Crisp or Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and cut into 6 pieces 4 sprigs rosemary 4 tbs sliced ginger 1/3 c apple juice Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Long Island Duck “Long Island” duck is a descendant of the Chinese Pekin duck, brought to Long Island in the late 19th century. The region’s superb growing climate, with few hard freezes in winter and mild summers, allowed duck farming to flourish and “Long Island Duck” became a household name. In recent decades, the rising cost of land in Long Island has driven the number of duck farmers down, but their product is still the most popular in the U.S. market. It is preferred over other types (Muscovy or Mallard) because it tends to be more mild, less gamey, and meatier, and has a

Make the Marinade In a medium saucepan, combine the honey and five spice powder. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the honey is dark brown, about 10 minutes.

lower-fat content. Contrary to popular belief, duck is relatively low in fat, on par with

Add the soy sauce and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Carefully add the lemon juice. The honey will bubble up. Pour the marinade into a shallow glass or earthenware pan and let cool to room temperature.

thought of as a gourmet food, it adapts easily to many flavors and has a low risk of

Marinate the Duck Add the duck breasts to the marinade and turn them over to coat completely with marinade. Cover and refrigerate, turning the pieces occasionally, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Make the Apple Purée Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the apples and cook until soft and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the remaining butter, the rosemary and ginger. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let stand 20 to 25 minutes to allow the rosemary and ginger flavors to infuse the butter.

Strain the butter. In a blender or food processor, purée the butter, apple juice and apples until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.

Cook the Duck Heat grill up to low heat and place duck breasts skin side down. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden brown, lowering heat if necessary. After 6 to 7 minutes, turn the duck breasts over.

Cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until an instant reading thermometer reads 130°F. when inserted in the thickest part (medium rare).

Serve immediately with the warm apple purée. <#> 10

fall 2007

•

B LT

chicken or turkey. Duck is also quite easy to cook and work with. Although often

contamination because of finely-tuned raising techniques. and sunshine make the Hamptons well suited for winemaking. The sandy and gravelly soil, very similar to that found in Bordeaux, makes red grape varieties a particular success. Similarly, ice wines or late harvest wines have wine critics taking note and reporting that the area vineyards are “finally hitting their stride.” Ice wines are made from grapes picked just after the first frost, which create a sweeter flavor, well suited for this meal.

Toasts among the friends are jovial and heartfelt, a welcome informality in the pre-holiday season. With the first course, a squash soup, the guests know they’re in for a treat. An endive salad with blue cheese croutons follows. The fresh endive has retained its bite, though lightly sweetened by julienned apples, and the croutons add just enough weight.

The heft of the meal comes with the third course: the lamb sausage gnocchi. Its rich cream sauce and slight spice

“For me, duck is the perfect fall dish. The richness of the meat lends itself so well to other fall flavors like apples and spice” -Laurent Tourondel

Braised collard greens Serves 6

1 clove garlic, chopped fine sea salt

2 large bunches collard greens, leaves only

2 oz bacon, diced (1/2 cup diced) 10 tbs (1 stick plus 2 tbs) unsalted butter

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the collard greens and blanch for 6 to 8 minutes.

Drain and transfer the greens to the ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their color. Remove from the water and squeeze out any excess liquid. Roughly chop the greens and set them aside.

In a medium pot, sauté the bacon over medium heat until golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, then pour off the fat. Add the collard greens and cook, stirring. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring so the greens absorb the butter as it softens, and taking care to not let the butter separate.

Honey and soy sauce give the duck skin a rich brown color and crisp texture while the meat inside is juicy and medium rare.

Grown in a loose rosette, collard greens are one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. ‘Collards’ are

from the sausage have Tourondel’s dinner guests, many of whom enjoy his cooking regularly, in obvious pleasure, slowing to savor every bite. Finally, the Five Spice Caramelized Long Island Duck is served; the perfectly tender pieces fanned out on each plate allow the sauce’s complex spice fragrance to waft over the table.

A four-course feast usually prompts guests to reserve dessert for a later date, but Tourondel’s friends know that passing on his desserts is a grave mistake. Before Tourondel won attention in the United States for his cuisine, he was a pastry chef, and in many ways that is where his heart remains. His fig tart finale is an ode to simplicity.

The carefully arranged slices of fig reveal the natural beauty of this often forgotten fruit. The buttery crust is so delicate the figs’ tartness springs forth. Discussion quickly turns to figs, and why they have no role in traditional Thanksgiving meals. Tourondel simply asks, “why save all the best for just one day?” n

a time-honored tradition in southern kitchens, where they have held an important place on the table for well over a century. Folklore has it that collards are a cure for all: a fresh leaf hung over the door will ward off evil spirits; a fresh leaf placed on the forehead will help diminish any headache; and served with black-eyed peas and hog jowl on New Year’s Day will promise a lucky and prosperous year.

Friends discuss holiday plans while the fourth course, Five Spice Caramelized Long Island Duck, is served.

Corner Market

Verde Flowers fall 2007

•

B LT

<#> 11

endive salad/blue cheese croutons mustard vinaigrette Salad

3 white endives

3 red endives

1 head frisée lettuce 1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored 3 tbs chopped chives

Dressing 4 tbs Dijon mustard 4 tbs whole grain mustard 3 tbs sherry vinegar 2 tbs honey 1/2 c grape seed oil 2 tbs walnut oil fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blue Cheese Croutons

1 ficelle 1/2 c olive oil 8 oz Maytag blue cheese

3 sprigs thyme Make the Dressing In a small bowl, whisk together the mustards with the honey. Slowly whisk in the oils. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the Salad Cut the endives in half lengthwise. Remove the cores from the endives and slice the leaves crosswise on a bias into 1 inch pieces.

Remove the tough outer green parts of the frisée and roughly chop the tender inner leaves. Cut the apple into julienne pieces.

Make the Croutons Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the ficelle into 1/4 inch croutons, brush with oil and bake for 3-4 minutes until toasted on one side remove. Once cool, turn over and sprinkle with thyme leaves and crumble blue cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. While the croutons are toasting, prepare to serve the salad Serve In a large bowl, toss the greens with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 6 plates. Garnish with the apple, chives and blue cheese croutons. Serve immediately.

<#> 12

fall 2007

•

B LT

Porcini Mushrooms Porcini is Italian for “little pigs,” aptly named, as they can be as heavy as 2 lbs, with caps as large as 8 inches wide. From June to November they are picked from beneath conifer and hardwood trees in the North American woods. Their broad, fleshy caps make them well suited for grilling but they can be broiled, sautéed, stewed or baked. Their distinctive meaty flavor makes them the preferred mushroom for soups, sauces and stuffing.

Fig Tart There are literally hundreds of varieties of figs, distinguishable by their shape,

Serves 6 Almond Crust

Topping

1 1/2 c almond flour 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour 2 tbs sugar 10 tbs butter

1 whole egg 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbs butter 2/3 c dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 6 tbs Kirsch 3 tbs Grand Marnier 3 tbs Cassis purée 1 tbs orange zest 1 tbs lemon zest

Amaretti Whipped Cream

2 c cold heavy or

size and color, but all share the same sticky sweet interior loaded with crunchy seeds. Most Americans have eaten dried figs and lost their taste for this fruit on

whipping cream 3 tbs confectioners’ sugar 1 tbs Amaretto liqueur

6 Amaretti cookies, crushed

the gelatinous blob at the center of a Fig Newton. But fresh figs are a different

15 figs cut in quarters 1/4 c toasted pistachios

When cooking, fresh figs pair surprisingly well with meat, are a wonderful

Make the Crust Combine the flours and sugar. Add the butter, egg and vanilla and blend until the dough begins to come together. Gather the dough into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least one hour or overnight.

experience entirely; some can be picked from a tree and eaten whole, while others have a thicker skin that needs to be peeled. All fresh figs perish easily, lasting only one week after harvest, and thus are pricey and found mostly at farmers’ markets or gourmet food shops during their season (June to October). addition to salads, and of course bake beautifully into pies and tarts.

Make the Topping Combine the first 6 ingredients in large sauce pot and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the zests and allow to fully cool.

Butter a 9- or 10-inch tart pan. Roll the dough out into a 1/8-inch thick circle fit into the prepared pan.

Whip the Cream In a large chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and Amaretto until soft peaks form. Fold in the cookie pieces.

Cover with plastic wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator to chill for one hour.

Assemble Spread the whipped cream on the bottom of the prepared tart shell. Fan the fig slices on top and drizzle with the topping.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prick the bottom of the pastry several times with a fork. Place a piece of parchment paper inside the crust and fill with weights such as dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the parchment and the weights. Continue to bake another 7-10 minutes, or until the bottom is thoroughly cooked and light golden. Let cool.

Sprinkle with pistachios.

Serve immediately.

fall 2007

•

B LT

<#> 13

Black Book

Laurent Tourondel’s Tips for Dining, Shopping and Cooking

Latest kitchen favorite:

I wish I had more time to:

My favorite thing is my La Cornue oven. It cooks everything to perfection and it’s also a really great looking stove which is hard to come by. www.lacornue.com

I love to go fishing and will do so at every opportunity. Most recently I went shark fishing with a bunch of other chefs off Montauk. We actually caught a few– it was quite a rush.

Since I am opening several more restaurants this fall (BLT Steak at the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains, BLT Steak in Los Angeles and Dallas) I doubt I will find the time.

Restaurants I’ve dined at lately and what I liked most on the menu: Anthos 36 W. 52nd St. The octopus salad!

Brasserie Ruhlmann 45 Rockefeller Plaza The out side terrace is a great place to enjoy an Indian Summer day. I could live on the steak tartare and a cold pint of beer alone.

Hill Country BBQ 30 W. 26th St. The moist brisket.

Luzzo’s 211 First Ave. Amazing coal oven pizza. The best I have ever had, which is saying a lot!

Favorite fall travel destination:

Pomegranate mint sour 2 oz orange vodka 2 oz pomegranate juice 1 oz simple syrup 1 oz lime juice 5 mint leaves Muddle mint, add ingredients, shake and pour over fresh ice into tall glass Garnish mint sprig

<#> 14

fall 2007

•

B LT

The Hamptons, of course, or the town of Hudson, NY. Hudson has some incredible antique stores. I have found quite a few things there for my house in the Hamptons.

Most versatile fall vegetable: Mushrooms, particularly porcini. They add subtle flavor and texture. I would eat them every day if I could. They are perfect in salads, risottos, omelets—you name it.

Latest beverage discovery: I love Local 1 by Brooklyn Brewery. It reminds me of Jenlain which is a very popular beer in France.

It has a very light, effervescent quality–much like champagne.

Why I Love This Place

Zang Toi

Your designs have been inspired by flora, such as Malaysian orchids. Are you ever inspired by the colors, shapes or textures of produce or spices?

Not yet, but you just gave me the most inspiring idea: Laurent should take me on a cooking trip... I think that would inspire a very delicious collection!

Designing requires great attention to detail and creativity, as does cooking. What other parallels would you draw between the two?

Malaysian-born designer Zang Toi opened his own atelier in NYC in 1989 and instantly made a name for himself among the fashion elite. Be it the House of Toi signature line or his moderately priced ‘Z’ collection, Toi’s creations are original, feminine and simply exquisite. Ardent fans include Sharon Stone, Ivana Trump, Eva Longoria, Kelly Preston, Meg Ryan and singer Fergie.

Which is your favorite BLT restaurant and why?

The original BLT Steak; the food is consistently great! Service is absolutely the best! The deco is elegance and classy!

What keeps you coming back?

Because it’s one of the very best dining spots in the city.

Do you have a favorite dish/dessert at BLT? Rib-eye steak when I’m not dieting, and lobster salad when I am.

Chestnut sundae in the fall, and strawberry sundae in the summer.

If you could treat anyone to dinner at BLT, who would it be?

In 1997, you were knighted by the Sultan of Malaysia.

That must have been a career highlight to have your talents recognized by the country you grew up in.

What did you wear to the ceremony?

A custom chocolate-brown silk shantung suit with a Frenchblue, sea-island cotton shirt with a matching ascot, and custom black alligator dress shoes from J.M. Weston.

Your spring resort ‘08 collection is a luxurious study of ebony and ivory. Where did you pull your inspiration from?

The “high-rollers”...the ladies or their husbands/boyfriends that do not look at the price tag!

Which current designers have caught your eye lately?

Whose collections do you always look forward to seeing?

I’m a huge fan of both Christian Lacroix and Jean-Paul Gautier, and I always look forward to the Proenza Schouler collection.

Where did you last vacation?

Hillary Clinton, our future Madame President.

London & Paris.

What is your beverage of choice?

What do you do to relax when you are in the middle of creating a new collection?

I’m not much of a drinker, but a glass of Champagne when I’m celebrating a new collection.

What are your favorite food memories from your childhood in Malaysia?

The most delicious Kelantanese Malay street food... it’s absolutely the best!

Do you cook? If so, what is your signature dish?

Very much so...Kelantanese Malay cuisine, home-cooked Chinese cuisine from my grandmother’s recipes, and home-styled Italian cuisine that I learned from my former boss’s mother, Anna Marcasiano.

<#> 16

A great chef and a great designer always follow their hearts and are not afraid to lead!

fall 2007

•

B LT

Drink coffee and sketch late into the night at the lobby lounge of the Carlyle Hotel.

Who would you most like to dress that you haven’t worked with to date?

Our future Madame President, Hillary Clinton. And Michelle Pfeiffer, the most gorgeous and glamorous Hollywood star!

What’s your motto?

To always be true to myself and be happy!

haute notes

The Appelation Of An Oyster These days, the methods for growing and harvesting oysters come close to that of making a great wine, so to speak. The recipe for producing great shellfish has become part art, part science, with a good salt-water splash of Mother Nature. The comparisons to wine only begin with cultivation. To the pleasure and delight of our palates, oysters have become a more refined and defined commodity.

There’s even use of a new word: “merroir” (of the sea) a derivative from the French term “terroir,” which denotes the geographical (of the earth) location of a vine. Each oyster’s unique flavor profile is a combination of genetics (species and size) and location. Even more, the same species of oyster can vary dramatically in flavor from bay to bay, much like wine that comes from the same grape in two different vineyards. They all look slightly different with respect to fluting, shape, shell and color, and each picks up specific essences from the estuaries it was grown in. Variables include temperature and salinity of the water, and the abundance and type of flora and minerals they ingest.

So if there is a Château Pétrus of the shellfish industry, some would say it is Taylor Shellfish Farms, based in Washington. Harvesting heritage counts and that puts Taylor Shellfish Farms a good century ahead of most, with over 100 years’ worth of experience cultivating and collecting oysters. At the turn of the 20th century, founder J. Y. Waldrip traded searching for gold in the great Northwest for farming jewels of the sea: shellfish. In the 1920s, over-harvesting and

pollution forced Northwest farmers to start raising their own oysters. The Taylors experimented with species from other parts of the country, the world even, cultivating them until they started to propagate. By replenishing the once-depleted oyster beds, Taylor Shellfish Farms created not only a precursor to sustainable farming but expandable farming too.

Today, Taylor Shellfish Farms grows more species of oysters commercially from hatchery-produced seed than any other company in the country. They own close to 10,000 acres of tidelands dotted up and down the Washington state coast line, concentrated heavily in the Puget Sound–where they cultivate half the production for that area.

Like any great cellar master, a shellfish farmer leaves little to chance. That’s the case with Taylor Shellfish Farms’ president, Jeff Pearson, who has it down to a science, from “seed” (oyster larvae) to full fledged triploid (sexless oyster). In their hi-tech hatcheries, they simulate the optimal growing environment for the larvae, graduating them to floating nurseries

where they feast on organic micro-algae until they are 1/2 inch to an inch in size. Then they are seeded high in tidelands where they can fatten up without fear of predators. One summer later, when the shells have hardened, the muscles are strong, and the oysters have some size, they are finally transferred to the beds that they will grow out on. The result is an oyster that has weathered 2-3 growing seasons in peak conditions–and you can really taste sublime nuances of its watery residence. “Having our own hatcheries and tidelands give us better control of the product we choose to grow as well as the quality and volume we can maintain.”

What’s most important to Jeff Pearson is that the consumer gets a consistent, fresh and delectable product. So the next time you feast on oysters, take a moment to digest the unique watery path that brought it to you.

For more information please contact: Nellie@wtseafoodusa.com or visit www.taylorshellfish.com

Oyster varieties: Olympias: The only oyster native to the U. S. West Coast. They take at least three years to grow to the size of a “four-bit” piece.

Despite their small size they have a full-bodied flavor.

Pacifics: Brought over from Japan in the 1920s, it is the most widely cultured oyster in the world. Extremely hearty, simple to propagate, and mild in flavor.

Kumamotos: Small, deep-cupped and fluted, it is considered a giant among oysters because it holds a lot of meat. This smooth, fruity morsel is a favorite of half-shell connoisseurs.

Virginicas: They take three to five years to mature to a minimum market size of 3 1/4 inches, a size that assures a sweetness and complexity of flavor not present in smaller oysters. Taylor Shellfish Farms’ Totten Inlet Virginica is the first Eastern oyster grown commercially in Washington since the early 1900s.

It combines a clean, briny, smooth sweetness with a pronounced mineral finish.

European Flats: A round, flat oyster with a distinctive salty metallic flavor. Once the most widely cultured oyster in Europe, the Flat oyster has since been displaced by the heartier Pacific. fall 2007

•

B LT

<#> 17

haute notes YouAreOnTheList.com

Smeg

La Tourangelle Roasted Walnut Oil

City Harvest

It’s not hard to fall for these sleekly designed, 50s-style ‘retro’ refrigerators with dreamy curved corners and a palate of colors that add just the right splash to any kitchen (pastel blue or lime green, anyone!) Finally this Italian company (name formed from the initials of their metal enameling factory in Reggio Emilia, Italy) is state-side. We’ve been waiting on these after spotting them in European magazines over the past few years… www.smegusa.com

La Tourangelle brings its products—and a new mill, stateside. The 150-year old French artisan oil-mill that continues to produce uniquely flavored nut oils in time-honored tradition, now has a sister-mill based in California, complete with custom fabricating century-old equipment and a French oil roasting master to train the staff.

The result: new offerings from nuts picked on neighboring orchards, sun-dried and hand-roasted before cold-pressed and light-filtered. For fall, we love the roasted walnut oil. This highly versatile oil pairs with just about everything—from salads to grilled meats—or just on it’s own with bread! www.latourangelle.com

For 25 years, this non-profit “food rescue” organization has been collecting millions of pounds of excess food from all segments of the New York food industry - including restaurants, manufacturers, wholesalers, greenmarkets, hotels, corporate cafeterias, grocery stores and farms. It is then delivered to more than 600 community food programs located throughout the five boroughs using a fleet of trucks and volunteers on foot. Each week, City Harvest helps over 260,000 hungry New Yorkers find their next meal. www.cityharvest.org

Youareonthelist.com provides insider access to a modern fashionable lifestyle: exciting events in music, film, beauty, fashion, food, literature and more. Recently at NY Fashion Week, Youareonthelist created the Lifestyle Lounge at Style 360 in conjunction with Hachette Publications.

Members were invited to sip champagne, mingle with the fashion elite and view the Spring 2008 Collections.

Also this fall, “Invitation Only” members will be invited to Henri Bendel’s birthday celebration at The Highline Ballroom. Founded by Robin Ross (ex-Senior Director of Marketing for W Hotels) Youareonthelist has become the go-to connection for consumers and concierge professionals (including Playboy Passport) to stay inthe-know for New York’s best events. www.youareonthelist.com

BLT Locations

Publisher Michael Goldman

Editor-in-Chief Pamela Jouan Design Director Jana Potashnik BAIRDesign, Inc. Managing Editor Christian Kappner Assistant Editor Stephane Henrion Senior Articles Editor Jennifer Murphy Copy Editor Miriam Davis Contributing Writers Gabriel Asher Jean-Philippe Dosetto Photo Director Charles Harris Advertising advertising@hautelifepress.com Marketing Director Katherine Payne Photography: HauteLifePress Haute Life Press a division of C-BON MEDIA, LLC. 321 Dean Street Suite 1 Brooklyn, NY 11217 www.hautelifepress.com info@hautelifepress.com

BLT Steak 106 East 57th St. New York, NY 10022 Tel: 212.752.7470 www.bltsteak.com Open for Lunch and Dinner BLT Steak DC 1625 Eye Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Tel: 202.698.8999 Open for Lunch and Dinner BLT Steak San Juan Ritz Carlton Hotel 6961 Avenue of the Governors Isla Verde Carolina, Puerto Rico 00979 Open for Dinner

<#> 18

fall 2007

•

B LT

BLT Prime 111 East 22nd St. New York, NY 10010 Tel: 212.995.8500 www.bltprime.com Open for Dinner

BLT Burger 470 Sixth Avenue New York, NY 10010 Tel: 212.243.8226 Open 7 days a week 11:30am - 11pm

BLT Fish 21 West 17th St. New York, NY 10011 Tel: 212.691.8888 www.bltfish.com Open for Dinner

BLT Market The Ritz-Carlton 1430 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10019 Open 7 days a week Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Sunday Brunch

BLT Fish Shack 21 West 17th St. New York, NY 10011 Tel: 212.691.8888 www.bltfish.com Open for Lunch and Dinner

Subscription Inquiries 718.858.1187 subscriptions@hautelifepress.com or visit www.hautelifepress.com Printed and bound in the U.S.A HauteLifePress makes every effort to insure that the information it publishes is correct but cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. © 2007 All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

B e a u t y & Ta s t e

Toll Free 866 STAUB US www.staubusa.com infostaub@staubusa.com