Is it possible to make a perfect recipe better?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Anthony Bourdain’s Original “Mortadella and Cheese Sandwich”
From “Appetites Cookbook” by Anthony Bourdain
Serving Size 2 sandwiches
Active Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5-7 minutes
1 lb (450g) thinly sliced mortadella
Canola oil or cooking spray
2 sourdough rolls or Kaiser rolls, sliced as for a sandwich
4 tablespoons (60g) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (30g) dijon mustard
4 slices provolone cheese
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
Heat a Medium sized pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the pan using canola oil or cooking spray, about a teaspoon or so of oil. Once hot add ¼ of your mortadella to the pan in a mound. Sear for 2 minutes or until golden brown on the underside. Flip the meat and add 2 slices of provolone cheese and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and melt, 30 seconds. Remove the meat from the pan.
Add butter to the pan and once melted, toast the inside of your roll, 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Use a butter knife to spread mustard on the inside of the bottom bun and mayonnaise on the inside of the top bun.
Place your mound of meat between the rolls, season with salt and pepper and serve.
Joshua’s Recipe for Anthony Bourdain’s “Mortadella and Cheese Sandwich”
Serving Size 4 sandwiches
Active Prep Time 6-8 minutes
Cook Time 7-9 minutes
“Russian Dressing’ Sauce
1 cup (230g) mayonnaise
⅓ cup (80g) ketchup
2 teaspoons (8g) Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon (2g) sweet paprika
1 tablespoon (15g) Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons (30g) yellow mustard
1 tablespoon (4g) chives, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon (15g) grated horseradish, jarred or fresh, preferably fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
Sandwich Ingredients
8 slices sourdough bread
8 slices of provolone cheese
1 ½ pounds (680g) mortadella, thinly sliced
Canola oil or cooking spray
1 yellow onion, sliced as thin as possible
8 tablespoons (120g) unsalted butter
8 tablespoons (120g) “Russian dressing” sauce
Individual Sandwich Assembly
2 slices sourdough bread
2 slices of provolone cheese
5 slices mortadella (170g), thinly sliced
2 teaspoons (8g) vegetable oil
¼ yellow onion, sliced as thin as possible
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (30g) “Russian dressing” sauce
Make The Russian Dressing: In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, hot sauce, mustard, chives, horseradish, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine.
Heat a 10-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, lightly grease the pan using canola oil or cooking spray, about a teaspoon or so of oil, and add your folded pieces of mortadella into the pan. Add thinly sliced onion to the mortadella and press into the pan with a weight for 2-3 minutes, or until crispy and brown. Flip the mortadella, keeping the onions below the meat. Reduce the heat to medium low, add provolone cheese to the mortadella and cover with a lid or overturned bowl until the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes. Remove the cheesy mortadella from the pan and set to the side on a warmed plate or small baking sheet.
Add half your butter to the pan and increase heat to medium. Once melted, place one piece of bread in the pan to toast, 1-2 minutes. Once toasted, spread sauce on the untoasted side facing up and place cheesy mortadella on the bread and immediately transfer back to your warmed plate or baking sheet. Add remaining butter to the pan and once melted toast your other slice of bread. Remove bread from the pan and spread sauce on the untoasted side followed by additional sauce on your melted cheese. Top the sandwich and slice on an extreme bias. Serve and enjoy.
Julia Child’s Original “Coq au Vin” Recipe
From “The French Chef Cookbook” by Julia Child
Serving Size 4-6
Active Prep Time 10-15 Minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 Minutes
3-4 ounces (85g) bacon, cut into lardons
2 ½- 3 pounds (1.1kg-1.3kg) chicken legs, thigh and leg split
¼ cup (60g) cognac
3 cups (620ml) Burgundy wine
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon (15g) tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
½ bunch thyme
20 white pearl onions
½ pound (225g) cremini mushrooms
3 tablespoons (45g) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (60g) vegetable oil
Remove rind and cut bacon into sticks 1 inch long and ¼ inch across. Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water, drain, rinse in cold water, and dry. Sauté slowly in the casserole (260 degrees for the electric skillet) with the oil. When bacon is very lightly browned, remove to a side dish, leaving fat in the pan.
Dry chicken thoroughly in a towel. Brown on all sides in the hot fat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, return bacon to pan, cover pan, and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning chicken once. Then uncover, pour in cognac, and ignite with a lighted match. Shake pan back and forth for several seconds until flames subside.
Pour wine into the pan, and add just enough bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to the simmer, then cover and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes, or until chicken meat is tender when pierced with a fork.
While chicken is cooking, drop onions into boiling water, bring water back to the boil, and let boil for 1 minute. Drain, shave off two ends of onions, peel carefully, and pierce a deep cross in the root end with a small knife (to keep onions whole during cooking). Heat oil in a frying pan, add onions, and toss for several minutes until lightly browned (this will be a patchy brown). Add water to halfway up onions and ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt, cover pan, and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until onions are tender when pierced with a knife.
Trim base of mushroom stems, remove base from stems, wash stems and caps rapidly in cold water and dry in a towel. Cut caps into quarters, stems into bias chunks (to resemble, roughly, the cut caps). Heat butter and oil in a frying pan; when bubbling hot, toss in mushrooms and sauté over high heat for 4 or 5 minutes until lightly browned.
When chicken is done, drain out cooking liquid into a saucepan. Skim off fat and boil down liquid, if necessary, to concentrate flavor. You should have about 2¼ cups. Remove from heat. Blend butter and flour together in a saucer; beat into the cooking liquid with a wire whip. Bring to the simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two until the sauce has thickened. Scrape onions and mushrooms into sauce and simmer for a minute to blend flavors. Carefully taste sauce, adding more salt and pepper if you feel it necessary. Then pour sauce over chicken. (Chicken is now ready for final reheating, but can be set aside until cool, then covered and refrigerated for a day or two.)
Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, basting chicken with sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is hot. (Do not overcook at this point!)
Serve from a casserole, or arrange on a hot platter and decorate with sprigs of parsley. Accompany with parsley potatoes, rice, or noodles; buttered green peas or a green salad; hot French bread; and the same red wine you used for cooking the chicken.
Joshua’s Recipe for “Coq Au Vin Poutine”
Serving Size 4
Prep Time 10-15 minutes
Cook Time 40-50 minutes
Ballottine Chicken:
4 chicken leg quarters
3 tablespoons (12g) fresh sage, finely chopped
3 tablespoons (12g) fresh parsley, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (15g) dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15g) olive oil
To make the ballotine, debone 4 chicken legs with the thigh and drumsticks attached, and remove tendons.
To a small bowl add finely chopped sage and parsley, lemon zest, garlic, mustard, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.
On a sheet pan lay out your deboned chicken legs, meat side up, and evenly spread your herb paste among all the chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roll each leg as tightly as possible, and using butcher's twine, tie each leg at three intervals. Season all your chicken legs with salt to taste.
Assembly:
2 tablespoons (30g) vegetable oil
4 chicken leg quarter ballotine
2 ounces (56g) guanciale or bacon, diced
20 pearl onions, depending on size
3 shallots, quartered
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste
¼ cup (60g) Bourbon
3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (30g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (480ml) red wine
2 cups (480ml) chicken stock
1 tablespoon (15g) molasses
2 tablespoons (30g) red wine vinegar
3 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
4 ounces (113g) maitake mushrooms, broken into bite-sized clusters
4 ounces (113g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, halved or quartered depending on size
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 quarts (2.8L) vegetable oil
1 pound (450g) frozen french fries *see notes*
4 ounces (113g) fresh cheese curds *see notes*
Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil and sear chicken ballotines on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Add the guanciale to the pot and cook, stirring often until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Add pearl onions, shallots, and garlic to the pot and season lightly with salt. Add tomato paste and cook until paste deepens in color, 30-45 seconds. Deglaze with Bourbon and reduce until most of the liquid is gone.
Add your butter to the pot and once fully melted add flour and cook for one minute, stirring occasionally. Add wine, and chicken stock and season lightly with salt. Add molasses, red wine vinegar and carrots. Increase heat to medium-high, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil reduce the heat to low, add your chicken back to the pot, followed by your maitake and shiitake mushrooms, and thyme. Cover and braise for 20-30 minutes.
For the french fries: While the coq au vin is cooking, fill a 6 quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with vegetable oil and heat to 350°F (175°C). Once the oil is hot, add your French fries, working in batches, and fry, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Using a spider, remove the fries and allow a moment to drain off excess oil before adding to a large mixing bowl and immediately seasoning to taste with salt. Toss while seasoning to get an even coating.
To a serving bowl, add a large handful of French fries, top with cheese curds, sauce and vegetables from your coq au vin, and one sliced ballotine followed by additional sauce. Serve and enjoy.
* Notes: I want to mention that you can totally make this recipe without the French fries. I know poutine seems a bit overboard but I’ll be honest with you, it’s not only fun but an incredibly unique and delicious way to enjoy this dish. That said, if you make it without the fries and instead serve it traditionally with mashed potatoes or vegetables. Really enjoy it however you like.
Ina Garten’s Original “Beatty’s Chocolate Cake” Recipe
From “Barefoot Contessa at Home” by Ina Garten
Serves 8
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cake
1¾ cups (245g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (300g) sugar
¾ cups (75g) good cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
2 teaspoons (8g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, shaken
½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (4g) pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) freshly brewed hot coffee
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. (Not to worry; the top will sink a little in the center.)
Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top only. Place the second layer on top, flat side up, and spread the frosting evenly first on the sides and then on the top of the cake. Cut in wedges and serve at room temperature.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (frosts one cake)
6 ounces (170g) good semi sweet chocolate, such as Valrhona *see note*
½ pound (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (4g) pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups (150g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon (5g) instant coffee granules, such as Nescafe
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl over a pan over simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.
* Note: I use Valrhona Le Noir 56% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate. You can also use a good bittersweet chocolate but don’t use chocolate chips because they have stabilizers in them.
Joshua’s Recipe for Ina Garten’s “Beatty’s Chocolate Cake”
Serving Size 8
Prep Time 25-30 Minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 Minutes
Cake
1 ¾ cup (245g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (300g) sugar
¾ cup (75g) cocoa powder
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons (6g) fine sea salt
2 large eggs
½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
1 cup (240ml) freshly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
12 ounces (340g) semisweet chocolate
1 pound (450g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (120g) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon (4g) fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (15g) vanilla extract
3 cup (330g) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons (8g) very hot water (for dissolving coffee granules)
1 tablespoon (15g) instant coffee granules
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Butter two 8” X 2” inch cake pans and lightly dust with flour. Place a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of each tray.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, sift all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt, and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, add eggs and whisk to combine. Add vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, and whisk to combine.
With the paddle attachment on medium speed, add liquids to your dry mixture, and once homogenous, add coffee and continue to mix until combined. Pour the batter equally into the 2 buttered pans, then bake for 30-35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes.
While the cakes are baking, begin to prepare the frosting by melting semi sweet chocolate in a double boiler. Once just melted, remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, use electric beaters to whip butter until it turns pale in color. Continue whipping in cream cheese, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Add chocolate and continue whipping gently. Add instant coffee, and using a rubber spatula, mix by hand until fully combined.
Remove cakes from their pans. Spread a thin even layer of frosting over the top of the first cake. Then top with the 2nd cake and spread all of the frosting around the entirety of the cake as evenly as possible.
Jean-Georges’ Original Caviar Egg Recipe
Serves 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10-15 minutes
Ingredients:
½ cup (119g) whipping cream
¼ teaspoon (2g) kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon (1g) cayenne, or to taste
1 teaspoon (5g) vodka
1 teaspoon (5g) lemon juice
3 tablespoons (45g) butter
4 eggs
Salt to taste
2 tsp Osetra caviar
In a bowl, add the whipping cream, salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Whip until gentle, stiff peaks form. Whisk in vodka and lemon juice. Put into a piping bag and reserve.
You can remove or cut top off your eggs using either a very sharp paring knife or an egg shell cutter, then gently pour into a small bowl. Boil eggshells in water and gently remove skin from inside of the shells.
Add two tablespoons of butter to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the butter begins to melt, add the eggs and begin constantly stirring using silicone whisk or a rubber spatula until curds begin to form, remove from the heat while continuing to mix to slow the cooking process down for a few seconds. Return to the heat, continuing to stir and allow to cook until a fine curd is formed and the egg is cooked through, and the consistency is almost risotto like, about one to two minutes. Cut the heat, stir in the remaining butter and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt.
Spoon the eggs evenly into your eggshells and pipe whipped cream around the top of each eggshell. Top with a spoon of caviar.
Joshua’s Caviar Egg, Duck Confit Hash Brown Recipe
Serves 6-8
Prep Time 3-24 hours for hash browns, 15-20 minutes all other steps
Cook Time 15-20 minutes
Duck Confit Hash Browns
2 pounds (900g) russet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 quart (1.9L) water
3 ½ quart (3.3 liters) duck fat *see notes*
2 tablespoon (20g) corn starch
Salt to taste
Peel and grate the potatoes onto your work surface on the largest setting of a box grater. Add grated potatoes to a large mixing bowl filled with water and rinse potatoes of excess starch. Place potato shreds in a clean cloth and tighten around potatoes to ring out as much excess water as possible.
To a 7-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan add duck fat and potatoes and heat from cold, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 205ºF (96ºC). Strain oil out of potatoes and reserve duck fat. Transfer potatoes to a half sheet tray, toss with cornstarch and salt until combined. Fill a 3-inch ring mold with potatoes halfway. Repeat until all potatoes are used, around 6-8 discs. Place discs into the freezer for at least 2-3 hours, or ideally overnight.
Heat the reserved duck fat to 350°F (175°C). Once the oil is hot, working 2-3 at a time, fry potato discs until golden brown and crispy, 2-3 minutes. Using a spider, transfer to a paper towel lined baking tray and season with salt immediately.
*Notes: I know it’s a lot of duck fat but you can use this duck fat to fry with up to 2 more times after you have used in in this recipe. Here’s how: After you have completed using this recipe, strain your duck fat through a fine mesh strainer to remove any impurities, or food solids. And keep it in your fridge to fry again in the future up to 2 more times. Optionally you could also just cook with it little by little over time after you’ve strained and chilled it.
Lardons
½ pound (225g) bacon, cut into ½ inch thick lardons
To a 2-quart sauce pan, add your lardons and a splash of vegetable oil, and cook over medium low heat until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain and set aside.
Citrus crème fraiche:
½ cup (120g) creme fraiche
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon (4g) fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (4g) fresh dill, finely chopped
To a small bowl add creme fraiche, lemon, salt and pepper, parsley, and dill. Stir to combine and keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
Eggs:
4-8 eggs
4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
Salt to taste
You can remove or cut the top off your eggs using either a very sharp paring knife or an egg shell cutter, then gently pour into a small bowl. Boil eggshells in water and gently remove skin from inside of the shells.
Add two tablespoons of butter to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the butter begins to melt, add the eggs and begin constantly stirring using silicone whisk or a rubber spatula until curds begin to form, remove from the heat while continuing to mix to slow the cooking process down for a few seconds. Return to the heat, continuing to stir and allow to cook until a fine curd is formed and the egg is cooked through, and the consistency is almost risotto like, about one to two minutes. Cut the heat, stir in the remaining butter and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt.
Assembly for One Hash Brown:
Hash brown
1x spoonful soft scrambled eggs
2-3 lardons
1 tablespoon (15g) citrus crème fraiche
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon (1g) chives, thinly sliced
½ oz-¾ oz (16-24g) caviar
Place a cooked hash brown onto a plate followed by a spoonful of soft scrambled eggs. Place lardons on the eggs, followed by citrus creme fraiche, black pepper, chives, and caviar.
Gordon Ramsay’s Original Beef Wellington Recipe
Serves 2
Prep Time 24 hours for filet shaping, 1 hour and 15 minutes minutes day of cook
Cook Time 25-35 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound (450g) beef filet
3 tablespoons (45g) olive oil, for frying
2 cups (250g) mixture of wild mushrooms, cleaned
1 thyme sprig, leaves only
8.8 oz (250g) puff pastry
4 slices of Parma ham
2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wrap each beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape, then chill overnight.
Remove the cling film, then quickly sear the beef filets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the thyme leaves and some seasoning. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over a high heat for about 10 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (known as a duxelle). Remove the duxelle from the pan and leave to cool.
Roll pastry into a rectangle large enough to envelop the beef filet. Chill in the refrigerator.
Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 4 slices of Parma ham in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread the duxelle evenly over the ham.
Season the beef filet, then place them on top of the mushroom-covered ham. Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a nice, evenly thick log. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Remove the cling film from the beef, then wrap the pastry around the ham-wrapped filet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
When you are ready to cook the Wellington, score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash again, then bake at 390ºF (200°C) for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Joshua’s Recipe for 48-Hour Short Rib Beef Wellington
Serving Size 1 Wellington, Serves 4
Prep Time 40-50 minutes
Cook Time 48 hours for short rib, 30-40 minutes for crepes, duxelle and Wellington
48 Hour Short Rib:
2 pounds (900g) bone-in short rib *see notes*
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons (30g) spicy mustard
Season your short rib with salt and pepper generously, then place into a vacuum bag and seal using a Foodsaver, ensuring there is no way for air to escape.
Preheat a sous vide water bath to 156ºF (69ºC). Once the water bath is hot, lower the short rib into the bath, cover the top of the bath with plastic wrap to keep the water from evaporating, and cook for 48 hours. After 48 hours remove the short rib from the water bath and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Once the ribs have fully chilled to firm, remove them from the bag and trim the meat from the bone into an evenly shaped rectangle.
Set a 10-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat and once hot, sear the short rib on all sides for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove short rib from pan, brush on all sides with mustard and refrigerate 20-30 minutes.
*Notes: In the video I used a large chuck short rib plate that was cut into individual ribs (sometimes called dino ribs). Obviously this is much preferred because then your short ribs are gonna be nice and long to accommodate being a typically shaped Wellington. That said you could totally use regular-cut short ribs, and instead just make mini wellingtons. It would all be the same process just a square shape instead of a rectangular shape.
Spinach Crepes:
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup (350ml) whole milk
4 eggs
2 cups (90g) spinach
Cooking spray
In a blender, combine all-purpose flour, whole milk, and eggs. Blend on high until homogeneous. Add spinach to the blender and blend on high speed until the spinach is pureed into the batter as much as possible, about 30 seconds. Pass batter through a chinois or fine mesh strainer into a medium sized bowl.
Heat a 10-inch non-stick pan over medium heat lightly greased with cooking spray, and once hot, add a 2-ounce ladle full of batter to the pan and swirl to coat in one even ⅛ inch thin layer. Cook for 30-45 seconds or just until set, flip, and cook for an additional 30-45 seconds.
Remove the crepe from the pan and repeat. 2 crepes is enough for one Wellington. You can absolutely freeze this batter and use it again in the future.
Miso Bourbon Duxelle:
4 ounces (113g) black trumpet mushrooms
4 ounces (113g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, quartered or halved depending on size
4 ounces (113g) maitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely diced
Salt to taste
1 sprig rosemary
¼ cup (60g) Bourbon
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ounce (28g) black truffle, finely grated (optional)
2 tablespoons (30g) miso
To a food processor add all of the mushrooms and pulse until very finely chopped.
Add butter to a 5-quart pot and heat over medium-high heat. Once melted, add your shallot, season lightly with salt, and cook until translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and one sprig of rosemary, and cook, while stirring occasionally, until there is no water remaining, 3-4 minutes. Deglaze with Bourbon and cook until no liquid remains, being careful to watch that the Bourbon does not ignite if your heat is too high as it would be potentially more theatrical than you intend… but if it does ignite stay calm and let it continue until it burns out over medium heat. Cut the heat off and add garlic and, optionally, black truffle and stir together until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, discard the rosemary sprig, stir in miso and set aside to cool.
Assembly:
1 piece short rib
2 spinach crepes
4-6 slices prosciutto
Miso Bourbon duxelle
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon (4g) water
2 boxes Dufour puff pastry
1 cup (140g) flour, for dusting
Flakey sea salt, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
Cover your work surface with two large pieces of slightly overlapping plastic wrap. Place 2 crepes on top, slightly overlapping in the middle. Top with 4-6 slices of prosciutto, as evenly as possible, with minimal overlap, but ensuring they will stay together during the wrapping process. Evenly spread your duxelle into a square that completely covers the prosciutto. Place your short rib at the base of your layers and tightly roll the crepe around the meat, using the plastic wrap to help guide the rolling. Tuck in the sides of the crepe and tightly seal it together with the plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolks and water until homogenous. Set egg wash aside.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll one sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle, about 10 x 14-inches and ¼-inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap from the short rib log and place it at the base of the puff pastry. Roll the puff pastry over your short rib until just meeting the other end of the pastry, seal with egg wash and trim excess dough. Trim the sides of the dough so there is just about 1-inch of excess dough on either side, and pinch it together to seal tight. Ensure there are no holes in your wrap job. Wrap in plastic to close the edges completely and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap, place your Wellington on a parchment lined sheet pan and brush with egg wash until completely covered. Optionally add a lattice crust to your Wellington by rolling out an additional sheet of puff pastry, cutting it with a lattice cutter, draping it over your Wellington, and brushing it with additional egg wash.
Season the top of your Wellington generously with flakey salt and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Ensure the inside of your Wellington registers 140ºF (60ºC) internally before removing from the oven. We don’t need to worry about medium rare here because its slow cooked short rib.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
