Back in 1999, I was a 24 year old culinary student living in New York City and dreaming of one day running the test kitchen at a major food publication.  During that time I also kept a list of all the restaurants I planned on visiting: Cafe Boulud, Le Bernardin, Les Halles, Jean-Georges, Babbo, Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, and of course Chanterelle.  I'm happy to say that I did have the opportunity to dine at many of the places on my list including Chanterelle.

Now, I can relive all that through the book Chanterelle.  In the cookbook Chanterelle, Chef and Co-Owner David Waltuck tells the story of how Chanterelle came to be one of the country's most well-known, well-respected, and well-loved fine dining establishments.  Not only do we learn about the evolution of a world class restaurant, but also about the food that has made it a class act.  Although many of the details from my own special evening at Chanterelle, many years ago, are a bit blurred (could it have been the wine?) the people, the smells, and the ambiance I won't ever forget and are reflected well in the Chanterelle cookbook.  The recipes Chef Waltuck has chosen for this book represent something that Chanterelle has always done well, "Understated Elegance", whether its Cold Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Crispy Potato Spring Rolls (see recipe below) or the Braised Veal Shanks (see recipe below) that I so lovingly slaved over for my dear husband. While it could easily happen, don't allow yourself to be intimidated by these recipes. Find a recipe in this book that speaks to you and make it your own.  Then when you get the chance, be sure to make that journey to Chanterelle and experience the real thing.  It will make you appreciate food in a way that you never thought possible.

Bon Appetit!

Braised Veal Shank with Glazed Vegetables & Creamy Orzo

From Chanterelle by David Waltuck and Andrew Friedman, Taunton Press 2008

• 3/4 cup canola or other neutral oil
• 3 garlic heads, in their skins, cut into large chunks
• 4 medium carrots, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
• 2 large Spanish onions, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 8 cups Veal Stock
• 3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
• 2 whole veal shanks (4 to 5 pounds each), trimmed of excess fat
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper from a mill
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil cut into chiffonade

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots, and onions and brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to coat the vegetables with it. Pour in the wine and brandy and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Pour in the stock, bring to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and add the bay leaves. Let simmer while you brown the veal shanks.

Arrange the veal shanks on a dry, clean surface and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil in a very large heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat. Add the shanks and brown all sides evenly, about 10 minutes total.
Transfer the shanks and the unstrained braising liquid to a deep roasting pan. The liquid should come halfway up the sides of the shanks. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place in the oven, and braise until the meat begins to pull away from the bone and gather into a ball, about 3 hours.

Remove the shanks from the pan and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Press down on the solids to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible. Carefully wipe out the pot you originally cooked the braising liquid in and pour the liquid back into it. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 4 cups, about 10 minutes.

Pour the braising liquid into a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Skim off the layer of fat that accumulates on the surface. Pour the skimmed liquid into a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat. Add the shanks and heat to warm through, at least 20 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a cutting board and cut the meat from the bones, arranging the slices on a serving platter. Bring the broth to a boil. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to enrich the sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, stir the basil into the broth and pour it over the shanks. Serve immediately.

Creamy Orzo

From Chanterelle by David Waltuck and Andrew Friedman, Taunton Press 2008

• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup orzo, preferably Greek
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces)

Serves 4

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, 10 to 11 minutes for Greek orzo, a bit less for other varieties.

Drain in a colander, then return the orzo to the hot pan and add the cream. Set over medium heat and bring the cream to a simmer, stirring and allowing it to thicken just enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmigiano and serve immediately.

Veal Stock

From Chanterelle by David Waltuck and Andrew Friedman, Taunton Press 2008

• 5 pounds veal bones (preferably with some meat left on them, and preferably a variety of types of bone, including some leg bones), all cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
• 1 calf's foot (about 21/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch chunks (have the butcher do this for you)
• 1 beef shin (about 21/2 pounds), cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces (have the butcher do this for you)
• 1/4 cup canola or other neutral oil
• 2 medium carrots, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large Spanish onion, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 garlic head, in its skin, cut in half horizontally
• 32 cups (2 gallons) cold water

Makes about 6 quarts

Put the veal bones, calf's foot, and beef shin in a large roasting pan and drizzle with the oil. Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, for 30 minutes. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and continue to roast, stirring, until the bones and meat are well  browned and the vegetables are also taking on color but are not as browned, about another hour.

Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Set the roasting pan over two burners on the stovetop. Turn the heat under both to medium. Pour in 4 cups of the water and cook, stirring to scrape up any crusty browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid into the stockpot and add the remaining 28 cups cold water to cover the bones and vegetables well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the liquid is simmering and cook, skimming the surface occasionally with a spoon to remove any scum that rises to the top, for at least 6 hours and up to 10 hours. (If the water drops below the top of the solids during that time, add a few more cups.)

Use tongs or a slotted spoon to discard as many solids (especially the bones) as possible from the pot.

Very carefully strain the stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a stainless steel bowl. If not using immediately, cool the stock. To do this, fill a very large bowl with ice, then set the bowl of stock in it, encouraging the hot liquid to cool quickly. Skim off the fat that rises to the surface. The stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Potato Spring Rolls

From Chanterelle by David Waltuck and Andrew Friedman, Taunton Press 2008

• Kosher salt
• 2 medium Russet baking potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 3 tablespoons rendered duck fat
• 1 cup finely diced Spanish onion
• Black pepper from a mill
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 feuille de brik pastry sheets,
• 12 inches in diameter each
• Canola or other neutral oil, for frying
• 
  

About Chanterelle

Chef David Waltuck calls Chanterelle "a fantasy of a restaurant, dreamed up by a little, food-loving kid, that somehow, magically, came true." For over 28 years and from two different New York City locations, Chanterelle has broken the boundaries of French cooking, winning over such fans as Gael Greene, Richard Avedon, Keith Haring, and Malcolm Forbes along the way. Now, co-owner and co-founder Waltuck invites you into his bustling kitchen with a sumptuously illustrated cookbook chock-full of the recipes that have made Chanterelle a destination restaurant of international stature. From their signature Seafood Sausage and other fish and shellfish creations to salads and first courses, poultry and rabbit, meat and game, side dishes, and desserts, the book simply overflows with nouvelle cuisine classics. A must for anyone who has ever had the pleasure of dining there -- and perfect for professionals and the armchair market -- Chanterelle is a cookbook to savor.

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