Chef at boho

Congratulations chef, https://www.zagat.com/30under30/2015/chicago#20

great food

We had a great service, all the cook's were on it tonight. These are some of our regular dish's but just about perfectly done. Very proud and happy to be a part of this team. Everyone cares so much. Down to the prep cooks and dish washers everyone put in 110 percent.

more pork... from our whole pig

From the pig we got earlier. Up coming we still have the bellies that have been braised, the shoulders that have been brined and will be roasted. We have 2 hams and the head has been braised and picked. Made a broth from the bones, infused with some of our ham hock stock. We also have the hocks that have been smoked. This was what was ran in the cellar last night. We smoked the porter houses and then grilled them. Heirloom cabbage, creme fraiche, elder flower vinaigrette, pecans and a mix of plums from the local market. It's hard to describe the feeling of getting an entire whole animal that has been butchered that day and using every bit. The skins even. This time we gently poached and will eventually fry or de hydrate them. It is always best to plan ahead before the animal arrives so you are ready to get into it in a quick and efficient way. This way you can utilize the most delicate pieces first, heart, kidneys and liver. Then work into your loins, then roasts, finally the pieces that will be brined or confit or braised. Then the pieces such as cured meats, pancetta, belly etc.

All staff yearly meeting

So as our one year anniversary came on Tuesday the boss's bought us lunch (pizza and Shake Shack ice cream). The owner's each had a small speech and just some basic information on what has been accomplished. A small part was dedicated to fore casting for the year to come. Everyone I work with is amazing in their own way. I am so happy to be a part of this and this is a fantastic opportunity.

herb garden at home...

Thai basil which is now flowering, baby basil, micro cilantro, chocolate mint, sage, European style thyme and oregano.

These are what we have grown in the apartment so far this year. Outside we also have some cilantro and more basil. The Thai basil flowers are so beautiful. We used them in the pasta dish tonight. In a large city where there is no garden space and the smaller spots of grass are un usable as we have no idea what's in the soil or been exposed too. In this way we do. Plus they smell fantastic in our kitchen and apartment.

last moment before closing....

After a busy day and everyone who puts so much effort into our space leaves it is very peaceful but almost earily quiet. So after the server's have cashed out, the bar tenders and backs broken down, the line cooks and chefs have cleaned and written their lists and the dish crew has finished the floors and re stocked the line; here it is. As I leave I think how fast a day goes by in our life, and at the end of it all....

Pork Chop from our pig...

pork brine

This is brine recipe for one of the hams we are doing withbou4 whole pig. The other I think chef is considering a roulade possibly. 2 cups brown sugar (packed); 2 cups salt; 4 bay leaves torn; 2 TB Corriander; 2 tsp peppercorns; 1 quart water; 1 quart ice; Bring all except ice up to a boil to dissolve all. Take off heat and let cool. Add ice. Pour over pork ham and brine for 8 to 12 hours.

whole pig, berkshire from our farmer. 280 pounds

We had our farmer go ahead and break the pig into 2 pieces right down the middle. Should start working with it tonight or tomorrow at the latest. We also got the head, heart, liver ans kidneys (pictured). Fees so good to again be working with connections to our product...

Salmon Summer Fish Dish (Corn Puree recipe)

Corn puree, summer squash, bacon jam, lamb quarter's, garlic scapes and whole fresh corn kernels. We are making the corn puree with a method as follows; 12 to 15 cobs of corn. Water to cover, salted. 2 to 4 TB butter and same with salt to taste. Peel the corn cobs and using a knife remove kernels and save. Over a medium sized pot using the back of your knife, remove all the leftover corn and milk. Leave all in pot and place water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out through a chinoise. With the corn stock strained and in a new pot bring to a boil. Add almost all kernels, saving what you will want to use on sautee station. Simmer 5 minutes and strain. Place cooked corn in vita mix and using the reserved cooking liquid add for consistency. Push through a chinoise and season with butter and salt. Keep warm in a water bath but keep covered to avoid a skin.

Per rogue

These are by far our most popular item for a first course or starter or share plate. Braised beef cheeks which almost come out as a short rib. A bit or braising liquid left, sour cream, farmers market carrots and tops. Pickled chipollini and lambs quarter's (greens).

late summer onions and fresh gooose berries from market

We are using the onions in our spatzle dish as well as our tounge plate on the "chefs" cellar. The goose berries we have added to our duck dish if cherries are short. Beautiful. But we have been getting some awesome cherries so, so far, so good.

Summer baby squash

We are using these on the new salmon dish. Also includes a sweet corn puree, bacon jam and lamb quarters.

Goose berries from Nichols farms!

Salads for summer and fresh summer market produce

We get a lot of our vegetables from the Lincoln park farmers market that is every Wednesday and Saturday. Fresh goose berries, late spring onions for the spatzle and also on our smoked tounge dish we are running on the "chefs" menu as a special. Currants, red and black. Blueberries but not pictured for ice cream. Beets salad and also a fresh summer vegetable salad. Raw vegetables, haricot vert and cauliflower. Also fresh herbs, dill and parsley all tossed with a fresh summer garlic dressing.

Duck sauce, sweet port

1/2 pint garlic and 1/2 pint shallots; sweat till clear. Add 1 bottle porto and reduce to sec. Add duck stock and reduce to consistency. To finish, lemon juice, salt and butter.

Chicken Liver Pate

Blue berry Scones Recipe

Doing early morning family meals I always liked to have some nice pastry and or some fruits. This is a scone recipe that works so well and goes far beyond being used only for comida... 2 cups A.P. Flour. 3 TB Sugar, plus topping. 1 TB Baking Powder. 3/4 tsp Salt. 6 TB Cold Butter(cubes). 1 1/2 cups fresh Blueberries. 1 tsp Lemon Zest. 1/3 cup cream, plus topping. 2 Large Eggs beaten. Mix dry(sift together). Cut in butter. Should be little small pellets. Make a well then add cream and egg mixture. Fold in blueberries and lemon zest. Have oven pre heated to 400 degrees. Once you have the mix together bring into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for least 1 hour. When ready to bake, bring batter out of refrigerator and let come up to room temperature. Roll batter out on floured surface 1 1/4" thick. Cut into 6 inch squares and then 3" triangles. Place on a parchment paper lined sheet tray and brush with cream. Sugar the tops and bake 20 to 22 minute's. Usually I will bake at 400 for 15 minutes then bring down to 350 degrees for the remainder. Just for appearance sake. Gives a nice golden brown. Make sure to check for doneness then place on a rack to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

king crab bisque

gelatin conversion

I have always had a hard time working with converting recipes of gelatin powder to sheets, live etc. The following is the answer to the issue: 1 package = 1 TB = 3 Sheets or 1 sheet gelatin = 1 tsp (Because 3 tsp equals 1 TB this works out perfectly.

bread, multi grain C style

Bread flour: 2933 grams Whole Wheat: 400 grams Sesame: 130 grams Flax seed: 130 grams Sunflower seed: 130 grams Fennel (dried): 65 grams Salt: 80 grams Yeast: 33 grams Honey: 260 gram Milk(warm): 783 grams Water (102 degrees): 1567 grams Sift together flours. Mix all dry except yeast. The yeast you will dissolve in the warm water and milk. Add honey slowly. Then in larger mixer with paddle attached add flour mix to spice mix. Then gradually add liquid mixture. The remainder of this recipe is yet to be finished as for letting dough rise etc. I do know that once the bread has made it to the point of being baked and on trays the individual pieces will be brushed with egg wash and dried seeds again. Sunflower, fennel, etc.

Raspberry coulis

1000 grams raspberry puree. 100 grams sugar. 20 grams ultra tex 3. 10 grams lemon juice. Blend all together with stick blender.

Chocolate Ice cream (64% dark)

2072 grams whole milk. 84 grams non fat milk powder. 272 grams sugar. 142 grams trimoline. 500 grams cream. 476 grams chocolate 64 percent. 10 grams ice cream stabilizer. 10 grams monostearate. Mix the stablizer and sugar. Combine the milk and nonfat milk powder and heat to 25 degrees celcius. Add sugar, trimoline and continue to heat at 35 degrees celcius add cream. Heat to 85 degrees celcius and add chocolate constantly stirring and hild for 2 minute's. Emulsify with hand blender and chill overnight. You can spin the next day making sure to mix very well prior.

Pea puree for spatzle

1 to 1.5 quarts blanched and shocked peas. Drain very well and place in vita mix. Place on medium high and add just enough ice water to loosen and spin. I use more ice than water personally. Pass through chinoise. For every pint of puree: 1/4 pint creme fraiche 1/4 pint whole milk Salt, sugar to taste. Mix with a wisk by hand over an ice bath. Season well and the sauce should have the consistency of Mornay sauce. This is the sauce we are using on the spatzle right now, cold to room temp.