6 minute read
Season of Style
Season ofStyle
Ditch the ugly sweater and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year in an elegant ensemble. These seven looks are fit for all your holiday soirées.
Photography by Daniel Springston Shot on location at The Shops at Riverside
Dress, booties, earrings and bag by Tory Burch, Tory Burch, Hackensack, 201.996.9409.
This page: sweater, skirt and necklace by Peserico, Peserico, Hackensack, 551.302.9023. Opposite page: Dress by Vince, Vince, Hackensack, 551.302.9062; boots by Stuart Weitzman, Stuart Weitzman, Hackensack, 201.525.0436.
This page: checked jacket, blouse, suit pants and shoes by Carolina Herrera, CH Carolina Herrera, Hackensack, 201.994.4306. Opposite page: blouse, leather pants and bag by Rebecca Taylor, Rebecca Taylor, Hackensack, 201.678.0590.
This page: blazer, turtleneck, pants and bag by Max Mara, Max Mara, Hackensack, 201.515.2330; shoes by Peserico, Peserico, Hackensack. Opposite page: overcoat and blouse by Peserico, Peserico, Hackensack; boots by Stuart Weitzman, Stuart Weitzman, Hackensack.
MEMORY MAKERS
Sometimes a single dish can take a meal from merely stellar to unforgettable. The proof: recipes from two great chefs.
Yes, your guests praise the dinner as they say goodnight and walk out the door. That’s pretty much de rigueur. But was it truly memorable?
Renowned chefs know that sometimes one dish can make the difference. Your whole meal, of course, should be well planned, balanced, with fresh, top-quality ingredients expertly combined and prepared, full of rich flavors and varied consistencies and a treat for the eyes as well as the palate. But just possibly, one standout menu item can make history in your friends’ dining lives. A single dish can send your dinner into the culinary stratosphere—and that “memory maker” isn’t always the main meat entrée.
To be sure of pulling off such a foodie feat, you could drop this magazine and hurry off right away to three or four years at a top international cooking school. Or take your stab at greatness the easier way, by cribbing from an expert—say, Laurent Tourondel of LT Bar & Grill in Hackensack, or Mathieu Palombino of Gigi and Mario in Edgewater, which opened in October.
Their cooking cred? French-born, Frenchtrained Tourondel started out as chef to an admiral in the French Navy on his way to stints working under Jacques Maximin at Restaurant Ledoyen in France and Bruno Tison at Manhattan’s Restaurant Beau Geste and a period as executive chef at the Palace Court Restaurant at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He owns 14 restaurants around the world. Belgian native Palombino was trained in the classical French style but developed a passion for Italian cuisine that now expresses itself in his high-end pizza restaurants from New York to Dubai. He opened his first New York eatery, Motorino, in 2008 and has worked under such famous chefs as David Bouley and—well, Laurent Tourondel. (You’ve heard of him.)
Here, a sure-winner recipe from each of these renowned chef/restaurateurs. Give each a try—and see if your guests remember.
SHORT RIB BAO BUNS, PICKLED JALAPEÑO CHIMICHURRI, HOISIN GLAZE
SERVES 4–6
INGREDIENTS:
n sliced black garlic braised short ribs n hoisin glaze n pickled jalapeño chimichurri n red cabbage, sliced n jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
Hoisin glaze:
n 32 oz. hoisin sauce n 32 oz. short rib braising liquid reduction n 8 oz. sriracha In a medium-sized saucepot, combine all ingredients and cook on low heat for about 25–30 minutes or until sauce has a caramel consistency.
Pickled jalapeño chimichurri:
n ½ cup olive oil n ¼ cup white onion, chopped n ½ jalapeño, chopped with the seeds n ½ cup of pickled jalapeños, drained and chopped n ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped n ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped n lime juice, to taste n salt and pepper, to taste Combine ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Season chimichurri with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.
To order:
n 4 pieces sliced short ribs (about 1½ oz. each) n 4 each bao buns n 2 oz. pickled jalapeño chimichurri sauce n 4 each jalapeños, thinly sliced n 2 oz. red cabbage, thinly sliced n ½ oz. micro cilantro n 1 each quarter lemon wedge
DIRECTIONS:
In a quarter sheet tray, place and season each slice of short rib. Using a brush, evenly coat both sides of the short ribs with the hoisin glaze and place in a 350°F oven until edges are crispy. Meanwhile, steam the bao buns for 3–4 minutes until hot and fluffy.
Place the short rib in between bao buns and evenly spoon pickled jalapeño chimichurri across all four buns, top with red cabbage and sliced jalapeño. Garnish with micro cilantro.
FROM MATHIEU PALOMBINO, GIGI AND MARIO, EDGEWATER:
GRILLED ARTICHOKES
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS:
n 6 jumbo artichokes n large bouquet of fresh thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, sage n 20 whole black peppercorns n 1 white onion, quartered n 1 head garlic, halved n 6 Tbs. sea salt n 6 lemons n 1 garlic clove, minced or grated n ½ cup capers n ¾ cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
Trimming the artichokes: With a small paring knife, remove the small leaves around the artichoke’s stem. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top 1/3 of the artichoke. With kitchen scissors, trim ¼ inch off the top of each leaf. Do not discard trimmings.
Poaching the artichokes: Bring 10 quarts of water to boil in a large lidded pot. Add sea salt, halved garlic head, onion, peppercorns and herb bouquet. Squeeze the juice of four lemons into the water, then add the rinds to the pot. Submerge the artichoke in the water stems down, so the water enters the artichoke. Add leaf trimmings to the top of the pot. If the artichokes float to the surface, you can keep them submerged by placing an inverted plate on top. Simmer for 45 minutes. Artichokes are cooked when you can easily pluck a leaf without resistance, or when a paring knife slides smoothly through the middle of the stem. Drain and let cool completely on a sheet pan, stem up.
Grilling the artichokes: Slice ¼ inch off stem. Using a serrated knife, carefully halve the artichokes. Do not apply pressure, as the artichoke is very tender and will fall apart. Heat castiron pan or heavy griddle over high heat and grill artichokes facedown for 2 minutes, then flip and grill for 1 minute more on the other side.
For the vinaigrette: Combine the juice of two lemons, olive oil, capers and grated garlic clove in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and drizzle over grilled artichoke halves.
This is a visually appealing, hands-on appetizer for a holiday meal. The rewards mount as your guests peel the leaves one by one, getting to the heart of things.
