Quail

Fennel & Pork Sausage Stuffed Quail / Navy Beans / Maderia Jus

Siberian Sweet Watermelon

We are participating in the RAFT grow out through Chef's Collaborative and Slow Food USA. Through this grow out we have been seeing some beautiful produce that hasn't been grown in New England for years. It would only make sense to pair up with Jim Ward from Ward's Berry Farm since we already get most of our produce from him. He just harvested these beautiful Siberian Sweet Watermelons. I paired the melon with salt cured yellow fin tuna / feta / tomato pulp / lemon basil / arugula / jalapeno / white balsamic vinaigrette.

Beef Tongue Pastrami Recipe

Beef tongue / Corn puree / Pickled fennel / Horse radish / Mustard seeds / Parmigiano

Brine-

1 gallon water

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup kosher salt

4 fresh bay leaf

6 sprig thyme

2 cloves garlic

6 crushed juniper berries

2 cloves

Rub-

1 tbsp coriander seed

1 tsp Maine sea salt

.5 tbsp ground black pepper

.5 tbsp mustard seeds

In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and add herbs and spices and steep for 1 hour. Place the tongue in a glass. Pour the seasoned brine to cover the tongue completely. Cover and refrigerate for 1 week.

Remove tongues from water and place them in a large pot. Add 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, and cold water enough to cover the tongue by a few inches. Simmer tongues for 3 hours or until very tender. When done remove the outer layer of skin and allow the tongue to rest.

Fire up your smoker and rub the tongue with the rub and slow smoke for about 2 hours. When finished allow the tongue to rest before serving.

Kousa Dogwood Fruit

I was in Rochester, N.Y. last week for a wedding. On my way home, waiting for a bus to come back to Boston, I went for a walk and stumbled upon these almost Southeast Asian looking fruits. They kind of resemble a lychee until you open it up; inside it's almost like an over ripened peach. The radar is on. Now I am finding Dogwoods all over the place, even in a McDonalds parking lot. Now what do I do with this beautiful fall fruit?

Maine Lobster Ceviche

Ahhh, apple season is upon us. This dish is an old stand by for me. Besides lobster and apples, there is jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, and popcorn. This is one of my favorite ceviche flavor combinations.

Rose Hip Syrup

I love gifts! Last week a friend of mine, Forest, made this amazing rose hip syrup from some beach roses she harvested in Cape Cod. Thanks Forest, it's really tasty. To use it I kept the dish simple. The foie gras works really well with the syrup. The rest of the dish consists of hazlenut biscotti, jamon serrano, oxalis, and a spritz of sherry.

Braised Rabbit Risotto

Braised rabbit leg risotto / Green beans / Fresh horseradish / Parmigiano / Thyme & summer savory flowers from our roof top garden. I will post some pictures of our rooftop garden in the near future.

Wild Blueberries

I found this delightful shrub on my ride to work one day. Ever since then these berries have become my breakfast every so often. This plant has sparked an interest in foraging for more local varieties of plants that I can eat or use at the restaurant.