Beef Pastrami                                     Makes 2 pounds

Brine
2 ½ pounds bavette or boneless short ribs
1 gallon cold water
1 ½ cups kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ ounce (by weight or 4 teaspoons) pink salt (sodium nitrite)
1 tablespoon pickling spices
½ cup, packed, dark brown sugar
¼ cup honey
5 garlic cloves
To Finish
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, lightly toasted

1. Place the meat in a deep casserole dish that is just big enough to hold it.  Reserve the meat in the refrigerator while preparing the brine.
2. To make the brine combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepot and bring the mixture to a boil.  Remove the brine from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.  Place in the refrigerator and allow it to cool to 50° F. 
3. Poor the brine over the meat and use a heavy plate to keep it submerged.  Brine the meat in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 
4. Remove the meat from the brine, rinse it and then pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel.  Leave the meat uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to form a pellicle.
5. Hot smoke the meat to an internal temperature of 150° F, about three hours.  At this point the pastrami can finished immediately or refrigerated for up to three days and finished later. 
6. Combine the coriander seeds and black peppercorns in a spice grinder and coarsely grind.  Rub the mixture over the entire outside of the meat. 
7. To finish the pastrami preheat the oven to 275° F.  Place a wire roasting rack in a roasting pan with deep sides.  Fill the roasting pan with one inch of boiling water.  Place the pastrami on the rack and slowly roast the pastrami for two to three hours or until it is fork tender. 

Equipment:  Cutting board and knife, measuring cups, measuring spoons, large casserole dish, large stockpot, clean kitchen towel, spice grinder, smoker, meat thermometer and a large roasting pan with a wire rack.

Pickling Spice                               Makes 1 cup
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons mustard seeds, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons allspice berries
1 tablespoon ground mace
2 cinnamon sticks. Broken into small pieces
24 bay leaves, lightly crumbled
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground ginger

1. Lightly crush the black peppercorns, mustard and coriander seeds with the side of a chef’s knife.  In a small mixing bowl combine the toasted and crushed spices with the remaining ingredients.  Mix well and store in a plastic zip lock bag.

Equipment:  Cutting board and knife, measuring spoons, small sauté pan, small mixing bowl and a plastic zip lock bag.

The Art of Bacon Lardons

Adam and I just wrapped up our third Culinary Boot Camp here at In Good Taste. And while all of the food was amazing it was the bacon that stood out. As a class we cured, dried and smoked our own bacon. On the first day we cured a Tails & Trotters pork belly. After 3 days of curing we rinsed the pork belly and dried it overnight to form the pellicle. The pellicle is formed by air drying cured meats for 24 hours under refrigeration. This is an important step, because the pellicle creates a skin on the belly that allows for the smoke to stick during the smoking process. After all of our hard work we put our bacon to good use; layering it on cheeseburgers, pan frying lardons for quiches and omelets, and snacking. Of course each student took a good chunk home for their future bacon endeavors.

Bacon is great on its own, but when added to dishes it imparts smoky flavors, richness and a bit of saltiness. And the best wayto incorporate bacon into dishes is the lardon. Probably one of my favorite bacon preparations, the lardon is a strip of bacon, usually 3/8 inch by 3/8 inch and 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. But, there is much more to the lardon than just its shape and size.

Bacon lardons are quickly cooked in a hot pan, allowing the outside to get crispy and golden brown, while the inside stays moist, soft and a little fatty. And these little treasures of bacon love are great in salads, quiches, sprinkled on potatoes, or even better, cooked on a tart. The great thing about a perfectly cooked bacon lardon is that it gives off a little fat when it is cooked into a dish, adding an extra layer of richness. The French Tarte Flambé Alsatian is a classic example of the lardon's legacy. Crispy lardons are sprinkled over this classic onion tart just before it goes into a wood fired oven. As the tart cooks, fat from the bacon renders and drips over the side of the tart, where it creates little flames that lick up around the side of the tart and add flavor.

Next time you cook with bacon try the lardon! Also, here's my recipe for maple cured bacon.

[Photo courtesy of Daryl Ann Yeany]

Inspiration: From chefs, the market and the season

Have I mentioned that I love my job? I work in a creative, exciting, food-oriented atmosphere; I get to cook, and then write about cooking. What's not to like? The other benefit to working here is that I get the chance to meet people that I admire,that inspire me to be a better chef, and that have interests similar to mine.

This week, I had the great fortune to interview Benjamin Bettinger, the chef de cuisine at Paley's Place. It was a wonderful interview; Chef Ben was so personable and kind! He was very generous with his time, and more than happy to answer my questions. I was so entertained by our conversation that I didn't want to leave. I was immediately impressed with his passion for cooking and his amazing knowledge of food. It was hard not to see the passion; his descriptions of ingredients, shopping and cooking were incredibly vivid. I could sense his excitement when he talked about the upcoming peach harvest, and the soon- to- arrive whole pig at Paley's next week. It's so much fun for me to talk to people that find as much joy in shopping for food as I do. His energy inspired me to go to the market right away and create some fabulous seasonal dish. (Or make dinner reservations at Paley's!)

The good news is that Benjamin will be back to teach another class at In Good Taste in the fall. I can't wait!

To read the full interview with Chef Bettinger, click here.

-Josie