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Sometimes the kitchen and butcher counter can be united with the bar and share ingredients to produce marvelous concoctions! Today we feature a Matt Botkin original creation inspired by the ingredients already being used to make the famous glazed ham served at Clinton Street Baking Co., one of the premiere brunch spots in New York. Matt uses bourbon, maple syrup, and cinnamon sticks to produce this Sour. Then Matt adds Amaro to turn the Sour into a Daisy giving the drink another layer of complexity!
Rich Ho is one of the most respected and well liked chefs in NYC. His menu derives from his native Taiwan where he learned the art of the cuisine from family, friends and other chefs. His Ho Foods in the East Village is a tiny jewel of a restaurant serving up some of the best beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes, and lu rou fan which is featured here.
The word julep is derived from the word gulab, a Persian term for rosewater. As Juleps traveled around the world, mint came to replace the rosewater. Our in-house bartender, Matt, put the rosewater back! In the U.S., Juleps call for Bourbon, a booze local to Kentucky, where the drink traces its lineage.
We have all had a nostalgic meal that felt special. For me it was lamb. It was my go-to order at a Chicago Iranian restaurant that was our special meal spot — the meat, either a hefty shank or nice chunk of leg, cooked slowly in a heavy dose of garlic and served over a bed of dill rice with charred vegetables and lemon wedges. It’s likely why the leg of a sheep — lamb, hogget, mutton — has become a go-to show piece as long as I can remember: Easter, Eid, Christmas and New Years and birthdays here and there.
Practically medieval, shanks are best served whole as a majestic centerpiece, braised until the caramelized meat falls off the bone. One of the most underrated cuts in the butcher’s case, these enormous shanks feed a crowd. Simply season with salt, pepper, and herbs, and roast until fork-tender. They work well served as tacos and sandwiches.
Saltimbocca means “jump in the mouth,” and these small pieces of pork topped with prosciutto and sage are meant to be eaten in a single bite. Scaloppine for saltimbocca, which originated in Lazio are traditionally cut from the leg of the calf but they may be made with whatever is available and inexpensive. In this version, the pork is sautéed in garlic-flavored oil and finished with lemon and white wine.
With any great showpiece, if the meat is good, what you add should complement or enhance the flavor, not overpower it. I find garlic is classic, and I always have fennel and coriander seeds lying around because they are so versatile, while black pepper adds just enough heat. The time it takes the lamb to roast is perfect for roasted and melty potatoes, but those potatoes are even better when married with onions and fennel. And, yes, mint may seem cliched, but its freshness complements lamb so well. Transformed with acid, more herbs and some olive oil, to me, the only limit is the limitations you set on yourself.
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