Pork: Roasted Rack with Onions and Cherries by Executive Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, New York.
Photography by Francesco Tonelli
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Serves 8
PORK RACK
INGREDIENTS
1 rack (from one 50-pound) pig, frenched
Salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
5 tablespoons butter
5 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place a roasting rack in the oven to preheat. Season the pork with salt. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat. Sear the rack, fat side down, in the oil until it is evenly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, thyme, and garlic and baste for another 2 minutes. Transfer to the preheated roasting rack and roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, basting with butter every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
CHERRY PORK SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup guanciale, diced (1/8 inch)
1 cup sugar
1 quart Bing cherries, pitted
5 pods star anise
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups Chicken Jus (see below)
Salt
DIRECTIONS
In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the guanciale. Render the fat from the guanciale for 5 minutes. Strain, reserving the rendered fat. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar to a dark caramel. Add the cherries and the star anise and cook until the cherries are soft. Deglaze with the red wine and balsamic vinegar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to a glaze. Chill over ice. Reduce the Chicken Jus over medium heat to 2 cups and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the glaze. Stir in the rendered fat and season with salt to taste.
ROASTED ONION PETALS
INGREDIENTS
1 white onion, skin on
Salt
Olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Toss the onion with salt and olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for 3 hours or until the onion is tender but still holds its shape. Cool to room temperature. Quarter the onion, remove the skin, and separate the onion into individual petals. Cut each petal into 1/2-inch-thick strips.
ONIONS AND CHERRIES
INGREDIENTS
2 scallions, white and light green parts only
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup Chicken Stock (see below)
Roasted Onion Petals
8 baby scallions
16 Bing cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon butter
DIRECTIONS
Shave the scallions with a vegetable peeler, and dress them with the olive oil and salt. Heat the Chicken Stock in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the Onion Petals, baby scallions, and pitted cherries. Toss to combine and add the butter, tossing to glaze.
TO FINISH
INGREDIENTS
Pork Rack
Brown Butter (see below)
Fleur de sel
8 tablespoons Onion Puree (see below)
Onions and Cherries
16 Pickled Rainier Cherries (see below)
8 teaspoons Pickled Yellow Mustard Seeds (see below)
8 slices shaved guanciale
24 leaves mizuna
Cherry Pork Sauce
DIRECTIONS
Slice the Pork Rack in between the bones to yield 8 chops. Brush the cut side of a pork chop with Brown Butter and season with fl eur de sel. Warm the Onion Puree in a small saucepan over low heat and spoon onto a plate. Place the pork chop on the plate and arrange the glazed Onion Petals, 2 glazed cherries, and 1 glazed baby scallion below the pork chop. Place 2 Pickled Cherry pieces between the glazed cherries. Scatter the Pickled Yellow Mustard Seeds and 2 scallion shaves around the plate and lay a piece of guanciale over a glazed cherry. Finish the plate with 3 mizuna leaves and the Cherry Pork Sauce. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, to serve 8.
CHICKEN JUS
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 quart
10 pounds chicken wings
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cups sliced onions
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced leeks
2 cups diced celery root
1/2 cup tomato paste
4 cups red wine
10 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
25 black peppercorns
5 pounds chicken feet
30 pounds ice cubes
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the chicken wings in a single layer on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast in the oven until golden brown, 1 hour and 15 to 1 hour and 30 minutes, turning every 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a 20-quart stockpot over high heat. Sauté the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and celery root until they caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté until caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the red wine and reduce to a syrup consistency. Make a sachet by tying the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in cheesecloth. Add the sachet, the chicken wings, and the chicken feet to the stockpot and cover with the ice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and skim off all of the impurities and fats that rise to the top. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 5 hours, skimming every 30 minutes. Strain through a fi ne-mesh chinois and reduce to 1 quart. Strain again and chill over ice.
CHICKEN STOCK
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 gallon
10 pounds chicken backs and necks
15 pounds ice cubes
1 cup diced leeks, white part only
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced celery root
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1/2 cup diced fennel
5 white peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the bones well under running water for 5 minutes. Place the bones in a 20-quart stockpot, top with the ice, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Skim all of the impurities and fats off the top as it simmers. After the stock is skimmed, add the leeks, celery, celery root, shallots, and fennel. Make a sachet by wrapping the peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme in a piece of cheesecloth. Add the sachet to the stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours, skimming every 30 minutes. Strain and chill over ice.
BROWN BUTTER
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 1/2 cups
1 pound butter
5 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed but kept whole
DIRECTIONS
Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 40 minutes. At this point, the butter should be clear and a light caramel color. Continue to simmer the butter and whisk vigorously until the color is walnut brown. Place the thyme and garlic in a chinois lined with cheesecloth. Strain the Brown Butter over the thyme and garlic.
ONION PUREE
INGREDIENTS
Makes 2 cups
7 cups thinly sliced white onions (about 2 pounds or 3 large onions)
1 tablespoon salt
5 white peppercorns
3 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon cold butter
1/2 cup white wine
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum (0.3 grams)
DIRECTIONS
Season the onions with salt and set aside. Tie the peppercorns in cheesecloth to make a sachet. Heat a sauté pan over high heat. Add the 3 tablespoons butter, onions, and the peppercorn sachet, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, being careful not to achieve any color on the onions. Add the wine and 3 tablespoons water, cover with a cartouche (lid made of parchment paper), and cook until the onions are tender. It may be necessary to add a bit more water to the pan if it begins to dry out. Once the onions are tender, remove the cartouche and reduce any liquid that is left in the pan. Puree in a blender on high speed with the xanthan gum and the 1 tablespoon cold butter. Pass through a fi ne-mesh chinois and cool over ice.
PICKLED RAINIER CHERRIES
INGREDIENTS
10 Rainier cherries
1 cup White Balsamic Pickling Liquid (see below)
Pit and quarter the cherries, place them in a bowl, and cover with the Pickling Liquid. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
WHITE BALSAMIC PICKLING LIQUID
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons salt
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 3/4 cups water and the vinegar. Add the salt, stirring until it dissolves.
PICKLED YELLOW MUSTARD SEEDS
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mustard seeds
1 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 30 seconds. Strain through a mesh strainer and rinse well under cold water. Transfer the seeds to a medium bowl. Bring the vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the liquid over the mustard seeds and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.
