I don’t know what I can say about Thomas Keller that hasn’t already been said. He is a living legend in the restaurant world, a visionary, one of the greatest American chefs of all time.

People have traveled from all over the world just to dine at the incomparable French Laundry in Yountville.  And for those of us who dream of that level of greatness in the kitchen his has given us an inside look at how his mind and his restaurants work with his previous cookbooks The French Laundry, Under Pressure, and Bouchon.  But finally he has given us something we can realistically aspire to and achieve with his latest cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home, that pays homage to classic home cooked meals.  Ad Hoc at Home is not only an off-shoot of Chef Keller’s restaurant of the same name but it is also a cookbook that celebrates the kind of meals we grew up eating. The kind of meals that are now as American as apple pie.  

In the opening paragraph Chef Keller promises to give us approachable food, the kind that’s meant to be served from big bowls passed around the table.  He is a believer in shared meals and God knows I try to make that happen in my own house, but it’s a challenge to say the least.  He tells us that in order to be a good cook you have to be aware of everything around you, offering invaluable advice about technique such as the proper way to utilize salt in your cooking, and tools to have in the kitchen (the top four being a blender, stand mixer, food processor, and kitchen scale). Then he dives right into the recipes with photograph after photograph of lovingly prepared food including the best looking fried chicken, rack of lamb, and confit of pork belly that I’ve ever seen. 

Now just because we are dealing with more simple dishes doesn’t mean that these are 30 minute meals (sorry Rachael); quite the contrary, for many dishes there are several steps involved which could seem a little off putting, but trust me it really does make all the difference.  Sometimes really great food takes time and besides this is Thomas Keller we're talking about.  

The first dish I tried was the Catalan Beef Stew, and needless to say it did not disappoint. The layers of flavor were just incredible with each bite bringing something new - the brightness of the orange zest, the briny flavor of the olives, and the subtle flavor of the baby leeks.  This is your mother's beef stew but 100 times better.  I can’t say that I will use this recipe every time I make beef stew, but when I’m ready to impress, this will definitely be the one. 

And after experiencing in my own kitchen just a little bit of the greatness that is Thomas Keller, I’ve decided I’m making my reservation and booking my flight.  Thank you Thomas Keller for sharing your incredible talent, vision, and skill. And thank you for allowing us to truly bring it into our own homes.  

Catalan Beef Stew

Excerpted from AD HOC AT HOME by Thomas Keller (Artisan Books). Copyright 2009. Deborah Jones photographer.

• 8 baby fennel bulbs, about 1 inch in diameter, or 2 medium fennel bulbs (about 10 ounces each)
• 12 baby leeks, about 1/2 inch in diameter, or 3 small leeks (about 8 ounces each)
• Kosher salt
• 12 fingerling potatoes, about 2 inches long (about 1 pound total)
• 1 Sachet
  
• Braised Beef Short Ribs, chilled
• 1/2 cup Soffritto 
  
• 2/3 cup pitted oil-cured Spanish olives
• 2 large strips orange zest-removed with a vegetable peeler
• Gray salt or coarse sea salt

Short rib braises can be taken in numerous directions. Here we use ingredients common in Catalonian cuisine-black olives, orange, and fennel-along with fingerling potatoes. The soffritto, a combination of slow-cooked onions and tomato puree, reduced to almost a jammy consistency, adds great depth to virtually any stew or braise.
If you cannot find baby fennel and leeks, substitute larger ones, cut into smaller pieces.

If using baby fennel, trim the root ends. Cut off the stalks, and reserve the fronds for garnish. If using larger fennel bulbs, trim off the stalks; reserve the fronds for garnish. Peel off the tough outer layer of each fennel bulb. Trim the root ends, keeping the bulbs intact. Cut the bulbs lengthwise in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Trim the roots and dark green leaves from the leeks. The baby leeks should be about 4 inches long. Cut larger leeks into 4-inch sections, then quarter each piece lengthwise. Rinse well to remove any dirt. Blanch the fennel wedges and leeks separately in a large pot of boiling salted water. The fennel will take about 4 minutes, the leeks 3 to 4 minutes. Chill in an ice bath, drain, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Once they are cooled, peel off the wilted outside layer of the leeks.

Put the potatoes and sachet in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, discard the sachet, and transfer the potatoes to a tray.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and set aside. (If the liquid has gelled, place the container in the oven or microwave and heat until the liquid melts and you can remove the meat without breaking it.) Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a large measuring cup; discard any solids. Allow he fat to rise to the top, then pour off and discard.

Cut the short ribs into pieces about 2 inches by 1 inch; you will need at least 8 pieces. Put the pieces presentation (nicest) side down in an ovenproof sauté pan that will hold them in a single layer with room enough to baste them. Add enough of the braising liquid to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the pieces and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (Reserve the remaining braising liquid.)

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the short ribs are hot, about 10 minutes. Turn the ribs, baste with the pan juices, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Baste with the pan juices again and return to the oven for 5 more minutes. Carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate and set aside. Strain the braising liquid in the pan through a ?ne- mesh conical strainer into a measuring cup. You need 2 cups liquid; if necessary add some of the reserved braising liquid to make up the difference (see Note).

Put a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the soffritto and braising liquid, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the olives and orange zest and simmer for 5 minutes, to allow the flavors to marry and the sauce to reduce.

Add the potatoes and stir to coat. Add the short ribs, tucking them in and around the potatoes, and baste the meat with the sauce (the sauce should be thickening and beginning to glaze the meat). Put the leeks and fennel on the top, and spoon a light coating of sauce over them. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Baste the meat and vegetables again, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Garnish the stew with the reserved fennel fronds, sprinkle with gray salt, and serve directly from the Dutch oven.

SERVES 4

NOTE:  If you have any leftover braising liquid, it can be reduced and used as a flavorful sauce, or it can be frozen and used for another braise. 

Sachet

1 bay leaf

3 thyme springs

10 black peppercorns

1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

Sachets are used to flavor cooking liquids. A cheescloth sachet encloses small herbs and spices such as peppercorns and cloves, and works like a tea bag.  Once the contents have added their flavors to the cooking liquid, the sachet can easily be removed and discarded.

Lay out a 7-inch square of cheesecloth. Put the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and garlic near the bottom of the square and fold the bottom edge up and over them.  Roll once, tuck in the two ends of the cheesecloth, and continue to roll.  Tie the cheesecloth at both ends with kitchen twine.

Makes 1 Sachet

Soffritto

3 cups finely diced spanish onions (about 1 pound)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1 pound plum tomatoes (about 6)

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Soffritto is an onion-tomato mixture that's cooked low and slow and is used to add depth of flavor and intense savory sweetness to numerous dishes, including soups and stews. It can also be used as a condiment or sauce. It's an ingredient in the Catalan Beef Stew and the Peperonato Rustica, but it's also great tossed with pasta or with scrambled eggs.  Soffritto is a common technique in Spanish and Italian traditions, and it is found in various forms throughout the Mediterranean. 

Combine the onions, oil, and a pinch of salt in an 8-to9-inch wide saucepan and set over medium heat.  As soon as the oils starts to simmer, reduce the heat to low ans set the saucepan on a diffuser (such as a Flame-Tamer) to maintain an even low heat.  The onions should stew slowly but eventually caramelize; adjust the heat as neccessary so that the oil continues to bubble gently.  As the onions release their liquid, the oil will become cloudy, but once the moisture has evaporated, the oil will clear.  Cook for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the onions are a rich golden brown (a shade darker than a golden raisin) and the oil is perfectly clear.  Check the pain often; if any of the onions have caramelized against the sides of the pan, scrape them back into the oil.  

Meanwhile, for a quick tomato puree, cut the tomatoes lengthwise in half. Gently squeeze out the seeds and discard. Hold the cut side of each half against the large holes of a box grater and grate the tomato flesh;discard the skin. You will have about 1 cup of tomato puree. 

Add the tomatoes to the caramelized onions and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours longer, or until the onions begin to fry in the oil: the moisture will sizzle and small bubbles will cover the entire surface.  Gently stir the mixture-the tomatoes and onions will separate from the clear oil.  Turn of the heat, add another pinch of salt and the garlic, and let the soffritto cool in the pan.  The soffritto will keep covered in the refridgerator for up to 1 week. Drain it before using. The oil can be used to start another soffritto.

Makes 1 cup

About Ad Hoc At Home

In Ad Hoc at Home—a cookbook inspired by the menu of his casual restaurant Ad Hoc in Yountville—he showcases more than 200 recipes for family-style meals. This is Keller at his most playful, serving up such truck-stop classics as Potato Hash with Bacon and Melted Onions and grilled-cheese sandwiches, and heartier fare including beef Stroganoff and roasted spring leg of lamb. In fun, full-color photographs, the great chef gives step-by-step lessons in kitchen basics— here is Keller teaching how to perfectly shape a basic hamburger, truss a chicken, or dress a salad. Best of all, where Keller’s previous best-selling cookbooks were for the ambitious advanced cook, Ad Hoc at Home is filled with quicker and easier recipes that will be embraced by both kitchen novices and more experienced cooks who want the ultimate recipes for American comfort-food classics.

Available at Amazon.com

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