new scenic café - the second cookbook by Eric Sturtz

New Scenic Café, Inc. 5461 North Shore Drive Duluth, MN 55804 USA www.newsceniccafe.com Copyright © 2021 by Scott Graden All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except brief excerpts for the purpose of review, without written permission of New Scenic Café, Inc. Author: Scott Graden Editor and Designer: Eric Sturtz Writer: Susan Amis Photography: Scott Graden, Eric Sturtz, and Christian Dalbec Photography

contents

6 introduction 10 winter into spring 26 spring into summer 42 summer into autumn 56 autumn into winter 70 and still...

introduction

new scenic café - the second cookbook

To be of use by Marge Piercy The people I love the best jump into work head first without dallying in the shallows and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. They seem to become natives of that element, the black sleek heads of seals bouncing like half-submerged balls. I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart, who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience, who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward, who do what has to be done, again and again. I want to be with people who submerge in the task, who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along, who are not parlor generals and field deserters but move in a common rhythm when the food must come in or the fire be put out. The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. But the thing worth doing well done has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident. Greek amphoras for wine or oil, Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums but you know they were made to be used. The pitcher cries for water to carry and a person for work that is real.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

There are no answers here, no rules. There are recipes, yes, but please don’t follow them. We are here for the questions. Because cooking, because eating, because nourishment is an inquiry, it is a striving. This book is a gathering of what inspires us: the ingredients, the place, the people and techniques that have shaped who we are. Food is, in part, a record of how people live in a particular place. To trace a culinary heritage is to tell the story of people in context, of how we relate—to the weather, to one another, to the clay in our soil—and the miracle of this story is that it tastes delicious. Often, though not always, certainly, we do more than just scrape together enough calories to make it into the next day. We pull turnips from the ground and poach them in milk, we roast mustard seeds, we toss tender, green fennel fronds with celery leaves in just a little lemon juice and salt and it tastes good. It is this meeting of necessity and delight that nourishes us. So that is what we’ve gathered here: the food—which is to say, the people and the place—in which we find nourishment.

We don’t get everything we want—and what a terror it would be if we did—so we do what we can with what we have. Without lingonberries, we use currants. Without golden syrup for our swedish rye, we use molasses. We hope that you will approach this book as a living document, as a friend, really, someone to chat with and share ideas. Feel free to adapt and to play, or to follow each recipe exactly if you prefer, and delve into the precision and nuance of every step. Either way, what we are asking for is you, your attention and care. Maybe you’ll find in this book an idea, an image or spark; maybe it’s just a flavor to crave, a technique to question, or a new way to place food on the plate. What we dare to hope is that you’ll find nourishment here. What we hope is that you will be inspired to explore your own garden, your own pantry, and that by wandering through this book, this testament to our heritage and our food, you’ll be inspired to explore your own.

What we hope is that you’re hungry. We hope you’ll find something here to need and to delight.

sample

winter into spring

new scenic café - the second cookbook

We show up in the morning, as Lake Superior steams quietly in the early sun’s buttery light. We unlock the door, knock the frost from our boots and turn on our ovens, for warmth as much as anything. We fire up our stoves, set the table and open our doors. We have been cooking here on the north shore for over twenty years. We have witnessed the spark and ebb of curiosity when a new dish or ingredient catches an eater’s attention, watched as restaurant culture became entertainment, reveling in the rarefied and the new. We have watched as people turned their hunger to the backyard, celebrating farmers, fisherman, and craftsmen at neighborhood markets where everything’s local, everything’s fresh, wrapped in butcher’s paper and twine. But the real work is rarely to stay where you are and stand tall. Our stance—knees slightly bent, our weight rocked forward to the balls of our feet—is ready for movement. We are most alive when in motion, not the frenzied distraction that passes so often for busyness, but traveling gracefully and well. What defines us is how we behave in transition. Do we ready ourselves or slouch? Are we whip-lashed, clinging to the end of a rope or agile, seeking? That doesn’t mean always searching out what’s next and what’s new, but being open, being tender in response to our hunger, our environment, our neighbors and our food. Nothing is fixed. Nothing finished.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

red belgian endive

rouille, herb oil, greens, rye, sherry vinegar

Ingredients:

Method:

rouille:

5 oz roasted red bell pepper (roughly 1 pepper) 3 T pomodoraccio (semi-dried tomatoes in oil) 1 t garlic, minced 1 pinch cayenne

The roasted red peppers can be canned or they can be roasted following the technique on page ##. The peppers should be strained, if necessary, or peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped.

1 each 1 t ⅓ C

egg yolk Dijon mustard oil

Place the roasted red peppers and tomatoes in a blender and purée until smooth.

salt pepper

Drain the pomodoraccio tomatoes from the oil, but don't discard the oil. It is very flavorful and can be reserved for later use, including in this Red Belgian Endive recipe.

Combine the pepper/tomato purée, garlic, and cayenne in a small saucepan on medium heat. Gently warm the purée and allow the purée to reduce on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce until a thick, paste-like consistency is reached. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once the paste has cooled to room temperature, combine with the egg yolk and Dijon mustard in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, while whisking continuously, to create an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

rye crumb: 4 slices 1 clove 2 T

rye bread, sliced thin garlic, cut in half duck fat, rendered (or olive oil) salt pepper

rye crumb:

other: 4-8 heads 1/4 C 2 T 2 C

Rouille can be used immediately or stored, covered, in the refrigerator till you're ready.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

red belgian endive herb oil2 oil from marinated tomatoes young greens maldon salt sherry vinegar (we prefer the Andalusian style of Cepa Vieja)

Arrange slices of rye on a sheet pan in a single layer and rub each slice with the halved garlic clove. Brush the bread with duck fat (or olive oil if you prefer), and season with salt and pepper. Bake the rye crisps for 15-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, or until the rye begins to brown and is crisp all the way through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Chop the slices of crisp rye bread into a rough breadcrumb. The rye crumb can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container at room temperature till you're ready.

1 see 'Swedish rye bread' (p. ##) 2 see 'herb oil' (p. ##)

sample

assembly: Warm the rouille to room temperature. It should have a loose, mayonnaise-like texture, and can be thinned with water if necessary. Cut the stem end off the heads of red Belgian endive so that the leaves fall away. Repeat until all leaves are separated. Drizzle a generous circle of herb oil on the base of each plate about 2-3 inches in from the outside edge. Dip the stem end of each leaf of endive into the rouille. Arrange the leaves in a circular pattern, radiating out from the center of the plate. Imagine the endive leaves as petals of a flower blooming on the plate. Place a small handful, about ½ cup, of young greens in the center of the flower and dress the plate with a drizzle of oil from marinated tomatoes and the rye crumbs. Finish with a pinch of flaky maldon salt and a spritz of sherry vinegar to dress the young greens.

new scenic café - the second cookbook

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

fried black grouper

mascarpone polenta, green chile, asparagus, cilantro beurre monté, crab

Ingredients:

Method:

green chile sauce:

3 C tomatillos 1 bunch cilantro

2 1 2

T each T

canola oil white onion, chopped garlic, minced

1 9 2

each oz T

poblano pepper, chopped canned diced green chiles salt

Blanch and shock the tomatillos and cilantro following the technique on page ##. The tomatillos should be blanched for roughly 3 minutes and the papery "capes" discarded after shocking. Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat until translucent, stirring frequently. Add the poblanos, diced green chiles, tomatillos, and salt and cook until the tomatillos begin to soften and dim in color. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the blanched cilantro, squeezed of any excess liquid and roughly chopped, and purée until the sauce becomes smooth and a vibrant shade of green. Green chile sauce can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator until you're ready.

cilantro beurre monté: 4 oz 2 T

butter water

cilantro beurre monté: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the water, transfer the mixture to a blender, and allow it to cool to room temperature.

1 bunch cilantro 1 pinch salt 1 pinch cumin, ground

Meanwhile, blanch and shock the cilantro. Squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop the cilantro. In the blender, purée the room temperature butter and water together for a few seconds to begin emulsification. Add the cilantro, salt, and ground cumin and pulse the blender until everything is fully incorporated. Purée until smooth, being careful not to over-blend and heat the butter. The cilantro beurre monté is ready when the mixture turns from pale to bright green.

grouper breading:

2 1 2 2 2

C C T T T

all-purpose flour corn masa harina thyme leaves, dry salt pepper

Cilantro beurre monté can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator till you’re ready. When ready to use, the cilantro beurre monté should be warmed to a thick, pouring consistency. grouper breading: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. The breading can be made ahead of time and stored in a dry, airtight container till you’re ready.

sample

other: 4-8 4

assembly: qt pieces

canola oil, for frying mascarpone polenta1

~20 each 8 oz

asparagus spears lump crab meat butter

black grouper filets

each

young cilantro

1 see 'mascarpone polenta' (p. ##)

Prepare a deep fryer following technique on page ## and bring the oil to 350ºF. Prepare the asparagus by trimming off the root end and peeling the skin off of the bottom half of any larger, tough asparagus stalks. Place the asparagus spears in a pan with a tight fitting lid and add a bit of butter and a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the lump crab meat with a few large spoonfuls of butter and just enough water to cover and set aside. Warm the green chile sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Carefully drop the polenta portions, one or two at a time, into the hot frying oil. When done, the polenta should float to the surface and become a deep golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and let drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the portions of polenta are fried. Dredge the grouper filets in breading mixture, shaking off any excess before gently dropping grouper into the hot oil, one piece at a time. Remove the grouper when the breading is golden brown and the fish is cooked through, about 4-8 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. When the last grouper filet is in the oil, begin heating the prepared asparagus over high heat. Allow the asparagus to steam, tossing occasionally, until bright green and just tender. Meanwhile, gently warm the prepared lump crab meat; when the crab is warmed through, remove it with a slotted spoon and toss with the cilantro beurre monté in a small mixing bowl until well coated. To serve, place the fried polenta at an angle just slightly off center of the northsouth axis in the middle of the plate. Arrange the asparagus on the polenta at the opposite angle off the center so that the polenta and asparagus create a narrow “X” on the plate. Spoon the green chile sauce over the center so that it spills over onto the plate, about 2-3 generous spoonfuls. Tear the fried grouper filets in half crosswise so that one half of the filet can be stacked on top of the other building up the food in the center of the plate. Arrange the grouper so that the natural curve of the fried filet creates a shallow "bowl" and spoon the cilantro beurre monté-coated crab on top. Garnish with young cilantro and serve immediately.

new scenic café - the second cookbook

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

gjetost crème brûlée lingonberries, pepparkakor

Ingredients:

Method:

lingonberry jam

5 ½ 2 ¼ 1 1

oz C C t pinch

gjetost cheese heavy cream brown sugar vanilla bean paste salt

each

egg yolks

granulated sugar

pepparkakor1

each

Preheat the oven to 175ºF. Prepare baking dishes by placing six small, roughly 8-ounce, oven-safe bowls on a sheet pan with 2 tablespoons of lingonberry jam in the bottom of each bowl. Cut the gjetost into small pieces. Combine the gjetost, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt in a small pot. Cook over low heat, stirring until the gjetost has melted. Remove it from the heat. In a mixing bowl, break and gently mix the egg yolks until evenly combined. Temper the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, following the technique on page ##. Pour the tempered mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Gently spoon about 4 ounces over the lingonberry jam in each of the prepared baking bowls.

1 see 'pepparkakor' (p. ##)

Place the sheet pan into the oven and use a second, inverted sheet pan to act as a lid over the bowls. Bake, lidded, for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the crèmes brûlées to rest in the warm oven. Crèmes brûlées are done when they appear set around the edge with a soft wobble in the center. Allow the crèmes brûlées to cool to room temperature. They can be used immediately or stored, covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated, till you’re ready. Coat the surface of each crème brûlée in a thin layer of sugar. Use a torch—or the broiler setting on your oven—to caramelize the sugar. Work with the torch around the outside edge, moving towards the center; keep the flame in motion until the sugar is fully melted and caramelized to a deep, golden brown. Serve each crème brûlée with a pair of pepparkakor on the side.

sample

spring into summer

new scenic café - the second cookbook

Still, we show up in the morning, the white throated sparrows trilling oh-sam-peabody-peabody in the aspens. We unlock the door, knock the mud from our boots, turn on our ovens and throw open every window. Still, we fire up our stoves, set the table and open our doors. It is not about dogma, it is a practice. The practice of living, dynamic thinking. To simply replace one set of assumptions for another— global cuisine for local, tradition for haute cuisine—still locks us in a stasis, a static world of rules and taboos. It is not enough to follow a set of dos and don’ts with no attention to the whys and hows. Without questions, all that we inherit is limitations. Limitations can be creative—a flurry of life in the margins—but only if those limitations are explored, if they are examined, questioned and celebrated. We want to live in that explorative space, where to question is to celebrate. This is how we make food that is alive, that is engaged and engaging. Food is an opportunity to learn, which means to think, to be critical, to delight, to be confused and to discover.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

cucumber consommé

crème fraîche, beet-pickled onions, nasturtium leaves

Ingredients:

Method:

cucumber consommé:

2 lb ½ C 1 T ¼ C ½ C

cucumbers lemon balm leaves ginger, minced pear vinegar cold water salt

Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise and remove the seeds. Roughly chop the cucumber, and combine with the lemon balm, ginger, pear vinegar, and cold water in a blender. Purée until smooth and season with salt to taste. Set a fine mesh strainer over a mixing bowl and pour the purée into the sieve so that the juice collects as the purée drains; let it drain fully and then discard the solids.

beet-pickled onions:

1 1

C C

reserved liquid from pickled beets1 pearl onions

other: 1 C 20 each 1 each

Check the consommé for seasoning and adjust to taste with small amounts of additional pear vinegar and salt.

crème fraîche,2 whipped to medium peaks young nasturtium leaves bachelor button flower

1 see 'pickled beets' (p. ##) 2 see 'crème fraîche' (p. ##)

Chill the cucumber consommé in the refrigerator till you’re ready. beet-pickled onions: Peel and halve the pearl onions, cutting off the stem end so that the onion layers separate easily. Blanch and shock the pearl onions, taking care not to overcook the delicate pearl onion petals while blanching (see page ##). Submerge the onion petals in the strained liquid left over from pickled beets. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until ready to use. assembly: Spoon a mound of about ¼ cup of whipped crème fraîche in the middle of a shallow soup bowl or rounded dish. Float the cucumber consommé around the island of crème fraîche. Top the island of crème fraîche with the bright pink beet-pickled onions and 5 deep green young nasturtium leaves. Pluck a few petals from the bachelor button flower and scatter them around the surface of the consommé. You can also use other types of edible flowers.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

hot-smoked salmon

thai chile, cilantro, summer succotash, soft-center egg, chanterelles

Ingredients:

Method:

hot-smoked salmon:

1 3 ¼ 1 2+

bunch each t t T

4 each ½ C

cilantro thai chiles salt garlic, minced olive oil

Blanch and shock the cilantro (page ##). Squeeze out any excess liquid and roughly chop it.

scottish salmon filets, skin on, 6 oz each mesquite wood chips

Coat each portion of salmon in 2-3 tablespoons of the cilantro chile rub and refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Combine the cilantro, thai chiles, salt, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and purée on high speed, adding additional oil as needed to keep the mixture moving until it reaches the consistency of a thick pesto.

The next day, soak the wood chips in water at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

summer succotash: 2 1 ¼ 1

t T C C

olive oil garlic, minced shallot, sliced mirepoix, brunoise cut

white wine

½ ½

C C

fava beans corn kernels

½ 1

C C

heirloom tomato, diced heirloom tomato purée1

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Drain excess water from the wood chips and place them in the bottom of a small pan over which a bamboo steamer will fit. Lightly spray the bamboo steamer with water, place one portion of salmon skin side down in the steamer, and cover. Place the pan with the bamboo steamer over a burner on medium-high heat until the wood chips begin to smoke. Move the pan back-and-forth from the heat as necessary to avoid overly scorching the wood chips while the salmon smokes. Smoke the salmon until the outer layer of the flesh turns opaque and tiny amounts of white albumin begin to seep out. Repeat with the other three portions of salmon, and transfer the smoked salmon to the prepared sheet pan. Finish cooking the salmon in the oven to your desired level of doneness, about 4-6 minutes for medium rare.

chanterelles: 2 C 2 T

chanterelle mushrooms butter

summer succotash:

other: 4 ea

Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Add the garlic, shallot, mirepoix, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onions begin to soften and become translucent.

soft-center eggs, warmed2 young greens to garnish

Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the fava beans and corn kernels and cook 1-2 minutes more.

1 see 'heirloom tomato purée' (p. ##) 2 see 'soft-center eggs' (p. ##)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the diced heirloom tomato and heirloom tomato purée. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

sample

chanterelles: Lightly clean the chanterelles. If they are large, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chanterelles and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chanterelles are fragrant and fully softened. assembly: Warm the soft centered eggs by submerging them in hot water for 5 minutes. Create a bed of the summer succotash down the center of the plate. Remove the skin from the salmon by sliding a thin metal spatula between the flesh and skin. Break each portion of the hot-smoked salmon in half and arrange the salmon on one side of the succotash; shingle the salmon by leaning one half over the other so that the bright pink center of the salmon is exposed. Place the soft-centered egg on the other side of the succotash bed and season the egg with salt and pepper. Spoon the warm chanterelles over the top and garnish with young greens. Serve warm.

new scenic café - the second cookbook

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

goat cheese mousse

white peach, peach consommé, elderflower

Ingredients:

Method:

goat cheese mousse:

3 each

silver gelatin sheets cold water

1 ¼ 1

lb lb oz

goat cheese, softened cream cheese, softened butter, softened

½ ¼ 2

C t drops

powdered sugar vanilla extract orange blossom water

¼ C 2 ¼ C

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spray it very lightly with pan spray. Set 4 entremet rings, or similar metal ring forms, about 2 ½ inches in diameter and 2 ½ inches high, on the sheet pan. In a small bowl, bloom the sheets of silver gelatin by covering them with cold water and allowing them to sit for several minutes. Once softened, drain any excess water. Warm the gelatin gently over a bain marie, stirring until the gelatin has melted completely; set aside. Place the softened goat cheese, cream cheese, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on a low speed until fully incorporated. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange blossom water and beat the mixture on a high speed for 2 minutes.

milk heavy cream

Change the mixer attachment to a whisk, add the milk and heavy cream, and whip for 3 minutes on medium speed.

poached white peaches: 6 ½ ¾ ¾ 1 1

oz C C each C

granulated sugar white wine rose wine vanilla bean, split & seeded water

each

white peaches

white peach consommé: 10 6 6 1 ½ 1 4 ¼ 1 1 2

oz white peach purée T rose wine T riesling wine C water each vanilla bean, split & seeded inch lemongrass stalk each raspberries C granulated sugar T ginger, minced pinch salt T peach schnapps

Remove about 1 cup of the mixture and stir it into the melted gelatin. Add this gelatin mixture back into the batter and continue to whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag and use the pastry bag to fill each prepared ring form. Set the sheet pan of goat cheese mousse in the refrigerator to fully set. poached white peaches: Combine the sugar, wines, vanilla bean, and water in a saucepan over medium heat; bring the mixture just to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the syrup for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut a small cross on the bottom of each peach. Place the peaches in the syrup and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally so that they cook evenly. Remove the peaches from the pot and allow the peaches to cool, as well as they syrup. Once cooled, peel the skin away from the peaches. Store the poached peaches in the syrup in the refrigerator until ready to use.

other:

fresh elderflower blossoms

sample

white peach consommé: Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring the mixture to a simmer on medium heat; reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, strain out the solids by pouring the consommé through a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Discard the solids. assembly: Remove the poached peaches from their syrup and cut them into thin slices. Using the metal entremet rings to help lift and transfer them, set one goat cheese mousse in the center of each dish. Use a torch to gently warm the outside of the metal ring, melting just enough goat cheese mousse to allow the ring to slide up and off when lifted. Top each mousse with slices of poached peach. Pour the white peach consommé around the base of the mousse, allowing it to pool. Garnish with fresh elderflowers.

new scenic café - the second cookbook

sample

summer into autumn

new scenic café - the second cookbook

And still, we show up in the morning, the air crackling with a crisp, toasted smell. We unlock the door, knock the leaves from our boots, turn on our ovens and crack open the windows to catch one last, warm breeze. Still, we fire up our stoves, set the table and open our doors. Our food’s history is a particular story of resilience: how we make what we can with what we’ve got. We gather up smelt, find roe in our herring. We make ourselves at home here, in a land that has never belonged to us, in a land we could never claim to own. Here, we belong to both scarcity and abundance: we sit out back shucking corn and shelling peas all august and in the winter we smoke, roast and preserve. What we do is return. That is how we keep on. We come back to what we know and ground our practice here. Grandmother’s pickled, crinkle-cut beets are still the best we’ve ever tasted. A truly ripe tomato, sliced, with a pinch of salt cannot be improved on, only celebrated, only played with, only questioned and explored. It is simple, our claim: attention is a form of love. Pay attention to what you eat, how it’s made, to where you’re from.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

baby beets & floral greens

spanish chorizo, red onion, mustard seed, cream sherry vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Method:

cream sherry vinaigrette:

6 1 ½ 2 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 2

oz walnut oil oz brown rice vinegar oz cream sherry t sugar t garlic, minced t shallot, minced t salt pinch pepper drops vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth and well combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Shake well before using. assembly: Cook, peel, and cool the beets. Cut them into small wedges. Working carefully with a very sharp knife, cut the Spanish chorizo into slices as thin as possible; ideally, the slices will be no thicker than a contact lens. Continue until you have enough slices for 7-10 pieces per person. In a small mixing bowl, toss the beets with enough sherry vinaigrette to coat and the mustard seed mix; taste the beets and season with salt and pepper as necessary. Gently mound the dressed beets in the center of the plate and top with thin slices of chorizo and red pearl onion.

other: 1 lb

baby red beets, cooked1

spanish chorizo

2 T

mustard seed mix2

4 ea

red pearl onions, sliced into thin rings young floral greens maldon salt olio verde

Finish with young floral greens, and garnish with a pinch of maldon salt and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.

1 see 'roasted beets' (p. ##) 2 see 'mustard seed mix' (p. ##)

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

miso sea bass

wakame, pickled vegetables, peas & carrots, cilantro

Ingredients:

Method:

pickled daikon & carrots:

1 ½ ¾ 1 ½

C C C t

water rice vinegar sugar salt

½ ½

lb lb

carrot, julienned daikon radish, julienned

¼ ¼ 8 4 8 2 1 ¼ 1

C C t t t T t t T

sake mirin white miso paste red miso paste brown sugar soy sauce cilantro, roughly chopped sesame oil white rum

Combine the sake, mirin, miso pastes, brown sugar, soy sauce, cilantro, sesame oil, and rum in a blender and purée to make a smooth marinade.

sea bass

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sea bass is cooked through and the marinade has caramelized. Serve immediately.

sea bass:

Seperate the julienned daikon and carrots into two containers and set aside. Combine the water, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot brine over the prepared carrots and daikons so that the vegetables in each container are completely submerged. Cover the containers and store the pickled vegetables in the refrigerator overnight or until you’re ready. sea bass:

Cut the sea bass into 4 equal portions and remove the skin. Toss the sea bass with the miso marinade and allow the fish to marinate for 6-8 hours, rotating the fish occasionally to be sure that the sea bass is evenly coated. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400ºF and prepare a sheet pan by lining the pan with parchment paper lightly coated with pan spray. Drain the sea bass of excess marinade and arrange on the prepared sheet pan.

peas & carrots: ½ C ¼ C 1 T

carrots, cooked & oblique cut green peas butter water

peas & carrots: The carrots can be cooked following the technique on page ## and oblique cut ahead of time and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Combine the carrots, peas, butter, and enough water to cover in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

other: 1 C

wakame seaweed salad young cilantro

assembly: Create a nest of wakame in the center of each plate. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the warm peas & carrots into the wakame nest. Perch the baked sea bass over the top. Finish with a large pinch of both the pickled carrot and daikon, drained from the pickling liquid, and garnish with fresh, young cilantro.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

passion fruit panna cotta oat crumble, raspberry & lemon meringues, berries

Ingredients:

Method:

raspberry & lemon meringues:

4 ¼

oz t

egg whites cream of tartar

Turn on a dehydrator or preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting.

½ 1

each T

lemon, zest and juice dried raspberry powder

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on high speed until the egg whites begin to foam.

8 oz

sugar

food coloring, optional

Slowly add in the sugar as the egg whites continue to whip. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whip on a high speed until the meringue reaches stiff peaks.

If using the oven, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Divide the meringue evenly between two bowls and fold in the lemon zest and juice to one batch of meringue and the raspberry powder to the other. If desired, add small amounts of yellow and red food coloring, respectively, and stir gently to combine. Transfer the meringue mixtures to pastry bags.

oat crumble: ¾ ¼ ¼ ¼ 4

C C t t oz

all-purpose flour brown sugar salt baking soda unsalted butter, chilled

thick cut oats

Pipe the meringues into small, dime-sized kisses onto the prepared sheet pan or dehydrator tray. Dehydrate or very gently bake the kisses until they become crisp and dry all the way through. In a dehydrator, this may take up to 24 hours. When the meringues have dried fully, allow them to cool by leaving them in the turned off dehydrator or oven with the door propped open.

passion fruit panna cotta:

3 3

each T

gelatin sheets cold water

16 ¾

oz C

heavy cream sugar

passion fruit purée

Store in a dry airtight container at room temperature with a silica gel packet, if available, to keep them dry. oat crumble: Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Prepare the forms by setting entremet rings, or similar ring forms, on a sheet pan that will fit flat in the refrigerator.

other: ½ C

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Using a food processor, or a pastry cutter, cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture until pea sized pieces are formed.

fresh berries bachelor button flowers, or similar

The mixture can be frozen at this stage and stored for future use or spread on a sheet pan and baked at 300ºF until golden brown. Once the oat crumble has been baked and begins to cool, press the oat crumble into the base of the prepared entremet rings. Allow the rings to cool fully until a crisp, golden-brown oat crumble crust has formed.

sample

passion fruit panna cotta: Cut the gelatin sheets into small pieces, bloom them with the cold water, and set aside. Warm the heavy cream and sugar in a sauce pot set over medium-heat, stirring occasionally until it comes to a low boil. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to between 95-105ºF. Add the bloomed gelatin and water to the warm cream and sugar mixture, stirring until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Add the passion fruit purée and stir the mixture thoroughly. Work quickly before the gelatin begins to set and pour the mixture onto the oat crumb crust in the prepared forms and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until fully set. assembly: When ready to serve, carefully remove the panna cotta from the ring forms. Using a torch to lightly heat the metal entremet ring can help the form to simply slide away. You can also run the tip of a thin knife around the inside of the ring to release the panna cotta. Once the panna cotta is out of its form, use a spatula to carefully transfer the panna cotta, with its oat crumble crust, to the center of the plate. Cover the surface of the panna cotta with the meringue kisses and fresh berries. Garnish with a scattering of bachelor button flower petals, or any other edible flowers you have available.

new scenic café - the second cookbook

sample

autumn into winter

new scenic café - the second cookbook

And still, we show up in the morning, in the muffled, glinting quiet of a late dawn. We unlock the door, knock the snow from our boots and turn on our ovens, for warmth as much as anything. Still, we fire up our stoves, set the table and open our doors. If attention is a way in which we love, then to question is to worship, to learn-of is to adore. We love the food that raised us, the food of our past. We love what grows in this place. So, we pay attention. We ask, what if we smoke a red beet, pair its earthen heat with the tart bite of currants? And we try it. We risk failure. We scald the milk, wash the pot and heat the milk again. We fail better.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

æbleflæsk

roasted apple, onion soubise, thyme, smoked pork loin, rugbrød

Ingredients:

Method:

roasted apples:

2 T 2 T 2 each

olive oil butter yellow onions, thinly sliced

1 T 2 ½ lb

thyme leaves sweet baking apples, medium sized, cored and cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the olive oil and butter to a large pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until the onions soften and caramelize, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the thyme, and stir to combine. Transfer the caramelized onions to a 9x13-inch baking dish and add the sliced apples, stirring to combine evenly and coat the apples in the oil from the caramelized onions. Bake, stirring once halfway through, until the apples are lightly caramelized and just tender, roughly 30 minutes.

other: 1 2-16 4 ½ 4

oz slices C each

smoked pork loin, sliced rugbrød1 onion soubise2 fresh thyme sprigs

Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the apples to cool, slightly, if using immediately, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate. assembly: Warm the smoked pork loin, roughly 4-6 slices per serving, in a pan set over medium heat. Warm the pork until it is heated through and lightly caramelized.

1 see 'rugbrød' (p. ##) 2 see 'onion soubise' (p. ##)

Meanwhile, warm the onion soubise and baked apples each in a small pot, if necessary. Toast the rugbrød by warming the slices in a dry pan over medium heat. Set the toasted rugbrød in the center of each plate and spread the warm onion soubise over the bread. Top with the baked apples and a loose pile of warm smoked pork loin. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. This dish pairs wonderfully with a side of roasted brussel sprouts.

sample

tournedos rossini

filet mignon, seared foie gras, egg yolk, perigord, red sorrel

Ingredients:

Method:

filet mignon:

2 lb ¼ C

beef tenderloin, trimmed & cleaned red meat marinade1 salt pepper

Generously coat the beef tenderloin in the filet marinade and allow to marinate for 4 hours.

foie gras, grade A, cut into 2-ounce slices salt pepper

Season generously with salt and pepper before finishing the tenderloin to serve.

seared foie gras: 8 oz other:

each

eggs, room temperature

perigord sauce2

red-veined sorrel maldon salt

1 see 'red meat marinade' (p. ##) 2 see 'perigord sauce' (p. ##)

Par-grill the marinated beef tenderloin on a charcoal grill over high heat, 1-2 minutes per side, following the technique on page ##. The grilled tenderloin can be used immediately or allowed to cool and stored, covered, in the refrigerator till you’re ready.

seared foie gras: Wait to sear the foie gras until just before you are ready to serve. Use the tip of a knife to lightly score both sides of each slice of foie gras in a crosshatch pattern. Season the foie gras with salt and pepper. Heat a dry skillet or sauté pan over high heat until smoking hot. If the pan is not hot enough, the foie gras will simply begin to melt and will not properly sear. Place the slices of seasoned foie gras in the hot pan with space in between them. Allow them to cook on high heat for about 30-60 seconds, until they are evenly seared to a deep brown color. Flip them over with a thin metal spatula, and sear the other side for another 30-60 seconds. Turn off the heat, and immediately transfer the seared foie gras to a plate. Allow the foie gras to rest for about 1 minute before serving. assembly: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Season the marinated and grilled beef tenderloin generously with salt and pepper; place on a sheet pan and bake the tenderloin to the desired doneness. We prefer medium rare, which will take approximately 30-35 minutes, but will vary depending on your oven. Allow the tenderloin to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting it into four thick medallions for serving. While the filet mignon is finishing in the oven, gently warm the perigord sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Sear the slices of foie gras (see above).

new scenic café - the second cookbook

Prepare four shallow, bowl-shaped dishes, and set a portion of filet mignon directly in the center of each dish. Rest a slice of foie gras on top of the filet mignon, then spoon about ¼-cup of perigord sauce over the foie gras, so that the perigord collects on top of the foie and some trickles down and pools in the bottom of the bowl. Crack an egg and isolate the yolk from the white. The white can be reserved and refrigerated for another purpose. Set the raw egg yolk directly alongside the filet mignon, resting it in the pool of perigord sauce. Finish the plate with a cluster of red-veined sorrel leaves, a pinch of maldon salt, and a grind of fresh cracked black pepper.

sample

new scenic café - the second cookbook

dark berry tartlet

buckwheat pâte sucrée, birch syrup, apricot, mascarpone mousse

Ingredients:

Method:

buckwheat pâte sucrée:

½ C 6 T ¼ C

butter, room temperature sugar powdered sugar, sifted

Combine the butter, sugar, and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix on a medium speed until combined.

egg yolk

Add the buckwheat flour and salt and mix on low speed until just incorporated, being careful not to overwork the dough.

whole-grain buckwheat flour salt

Divide the dough into two, equal balls and shape each into a disc; wrap the discs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one disc of the dough overnight, or for at least 2 hours. The other disc can be frozen for future use.

each

3 3/4 oz ¼ t mascarpone mousse: 2 1 1/2 3

ea T t oz

Preheat the oven to 300ºF.

eggs yolks granulated sugar vanilla extract mascarpone

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ⅛-inch thick. Cut the dough into circles about 5 inches in diameter, large enough to fill the bottom and sides of 3-inch tart pans, or 3-inch ring molds set on a parchmentlined sheet pan. Carefully lift each circle of dough into the pans, pressing the dough into the form with your fingertips.

macerated berries: 4 C 1/3 C

berries honey

Line each unbaked tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to hold the dough down while baking. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pie weights and bake for 10 minutes more, until lightly browned and firm.

apricot halves in syrup birch syrup

Allow the shells to cool before removing them from the forms.

other: 4 each

The shells can be used immediately or stored in a dry, airtight container at room temperature till you’re ready. mascarpone mousse: Combine the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on high until the mixture turns a pale yellow and forms ribbons, about 5-7 minutes. Add the mascarpone and whip on a medium-high speed until the mixture begins to form stiff peaks. Take care not to over whip. Place the mascarpone mousse in a pastry bag or airtight container and refrigerate till you’re ready.

sample

macerated berries: Toss fresh or frozen berries—a mix of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries or whatever is seasonally available—in a mixing bowl with honey, taking care not to bruise the berries. The honey may need to be warmed, slightly, before use so that it is thin enough to evenly coat the berries. Refrigerate the macerated berries, covered, for at least 2 hours. assembly: Place the tartlet shell in the middle of the plate and place one apricot half in the bottom of each shell. Top the apricot with about two tablespoons of mascarpone mousse, then cover the mousse with macerated berries, filling the tartlet shells. Finish the plate with a drizzle of birch syrup.

new scenic café - the second cookbook

sample

and still...

new scenic café - the second cookbook

And still, when the day is done, the tables wiped clean and the glassware polished, we pour ourselves a cold drink. We sit around the bonfire out front or, on a summer day, walk across the road to find a trail down to the water and rest our aching feet in lake superior. We let the sound of the waves, the crackle of fire, sweep away the clatter of a busy kitchen. And before turning home, we wash our glass clean, set the duck stock on the stove, just barely simmering, to reduce through the night. We turn down the lights and, before locking the doors, we soak the whetstone in water to sharpen our knives in the morning and head out into the dark with the fireflies and mist.

sample