I owe this stock to Bruce Sherman, the chef of North Pond in Chicago. Not necessarily the recipe, but the technique. He was classically trained by the French, and thus a total stickler for “by-the-book” cooking. He really made me appreciate how the most miniscule of details can affect how a dish tastes in the end. When It comes to making a good stock you really have to pay attention to the details, after all you are working with a limited amount of ingredients. More »

This is a quick cure and meant more or less for marinating meat rather than preparing it for a long curing process or for smoking. This mixture will work well on chicken, pork and duck. The ratio of salt to sugar is pretty much 50/50 because you’re really just trying to drive flavor into the meat rather than completely pull moisture out. This recipe is enough for about 3 or 4 pounds of meat. More »

2 lbs Fresh Pork Belly (3 lbs, if bone in)
A scant amount of vegetable or olive oil
2 Carrots, peeled and medium diced
2 Stalks of Celery, medium diced
1 Large Onion, peeled and medium diced
2 Bay Leaves
4-6 Sprigs of Thyme
2 12oz Bottles of Hard Cider
1 Qt Chicken Stock (Roasted if you can get your hands on it)
2 Cloves of garlic

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My friend Delilah threw a dinner party on a recent snowy Chicago night, and I found myself wondering what the hell I would bring. I nominated myself for dessert, but felt daunted by the task of having to cook for a group of people I had never met before. To top it off, I also needed something that would travel safely in the car.

I had to cross my fallback Crème Brulee off the list. Carrying an armload of ramekins up a few flights of stairs didn’t seem like a very good idea. I’m a clumsy little man and I imagined a hospital trip involving shards of porcelain in uncomfortable places. More »

A few weeks ago, some good friends cashed in on a dinner that I owed them.

Since I love cooking so much, I tend to plan ahead for a good meal. I’m still relatively new in the kitchen, so I try to cut corners wherever I can to save time. Two days before the dinner, I had planned on making a Flourless Chocolate Cake from a trusted recipe. I was thinking of plating it on some Orange Crème Anglaise, striped with Raspberry Sauce. This was a safe and easy standby, considering I had made the cake flawlessly a few times before, along with the accompanying sauces.

On the other hand, I might have been drinking some whiskey when I made the cake. More »

We provided a garnish recipe for four, but the amount of cake and raspberry sauce produced in this recipe will serve 8-12. You can just double or triple the garnish recipe to match. More »

Nothing cures the ailing winter soul like a good braise. Perk up your spirits with this recipe from Chef Shawn McClain and the Custom House restaurant kitchen. Be sure to check out our podcast with Chef McClain here. You can print this recipe out by clicking on the “print article” link below.

Prep Time: 45 minutes prep, 90 minutes cooking, and overnight marinade
Serves: 4 More »