Great Chefs – Great Passover Recipes

From Chef David Kolotkin – Corporate Chef for the Prime Hospitality Group

Almond Crusted Veal Chop

Non-gebrochs – serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 12oz bone in veal chops, ask your butcher for center cuts, or from the loin end
• 1 egg, beaten (eggwash)
• 1 cup finely ground almonds

Brine

• 2 qts water
• ½ cup kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 pc bay leaf
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 30 pc black peppercorn
• 1 star anise
• 8 pc clove

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients 4-11 and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Cool the brine by placing in an ice bath.
4. When the brine is cool, submerge the veal chops in the brine and refrigerate for 5 hours.
5. Remove the veal chops, pat dry.
6. On only 1 side (presentation side), brush with the egg wash, then dredge in the ground almonds.
7. Over medium heat, brown in a large skillet with enough oil to coat the pan, almond side first. When lightly brown, turn over and brown the other side.
8. Place in a 350 degree oven for approx 15-20 minutes. I prefer to cook this to medium

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From Chef Jeff Nathan, Owner/Chef at Abigael’s

Chicken Milanese with Tomato
and Arugula Salad

Gebrochs – serves 2

Tomato Salad

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ripe tomatoes, preferably 2 red and 2 yellow, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoon fresh basil, cut in thin ribbons
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 12 ounces arugula, washed and dried, torn into bite-sized pieces

Chicken

• 4 8-ounce skinless and boneless chicken cutlets
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup matzo flour (also called matzo cake flour)
• 2 cups Jeff Nathan Passover Panko flakes, or 1/2 cup matzo meal & 1/2 cup matzo farfale
• 3 large eggs, beaten with 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.

1. To make the tomato salad, whisk the lemon juice and oil in a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and rosemary and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, while preparing the chicken.
2. Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Using a heavy mallet or rolling pin, pound the meaty part of each cutlet until about 1/2-inch thick.  Season the cutlets with salt and pepper
3. Place the matzo flour in a shallow dish, the egg mixture in a second shallow dish, and the Passover Panko or matzo meal mixed with the matzo farfale in a third shallow dish. Coat each cutlet with the matzo flour, then the egg wash, and then the Panko or matzo meal.
4. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the cutlets and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Place the browned cutlets on a large baking sheet. Bake until they feel firm when pressed in the centers, 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Just before serving, add the arugula to the tomato salad and mix. For each serving, place a cutlet on a dinner plate, and heap the tomato salad on top. Serve immediately, with a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy, gentle reader,enjoy!

CS

Prime Butcher Baker

Butcher shops have never been the type of store one cares to linger in any longer than necessary to do one’s shopping, but that has suddenly changed!  Having heard so much about Joey Allaham‘s brand new venture, I felt compelled to visit his Prime Butcher Baker (1572 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028 – Tel: 212.616.1502) this past Thursday afternoon. Clean, very upscale looking, competitively priced, it offers everything you need for a take out or do it yourself meal, except for fruits and vegetables.

A partial view of the store...

This 3000 square ft. establishment combines a meat aging room (facing the street), a full butcher shop with fresh and aged meats, salads, prepared Ashkenazi and Sephardic dishes (cooked to perfection!), a bakery and freezer shelves laden with soups, sushi, sauces, salads and more! Above all, the staff is courteous, knowledgeable and very helpful with hints and full explanations on what and how to cook.

One of the shelves laden with meat cuts in the aging room...

Meat is tastefully presented, in fact, just looking at it makes your mouth water as you envision the possibilities…

Crown of lamb...

As for the bakery… let me warn you! If you are a cake lover, or an unrepentant chocoholic like I am, you are for a incredible feast for both your eyes and your palate…

I had to really restrain SYR and myself, else this mini chocolate cakes would never have lasted long enough to be photographed...

Prime Hospitality Group‘s Corporate Chef David Kolotkin repeats his stellar performance at Prime Grill, by preparing Ashkenazic cuisine favorites. Chef Souad Nigri, a Lebanese caterer prepares the Sephardi delicacies (her Lahmadjine is incredible!); Chef Makoto – from Prime Ko – makes the sushi and the Japanese dishes; Solo’s Pastry Chef Felenciana, makes the most decadent, tempting looking, succulent confections adorning the bakery showcase. If you want a butcher shop like you’ve never seen before, Prime Butcher Baker is the place to go to; if you want a bakery like you’ve never seen or tasted before Prime Butcher Baker is the place to go to!

What are you waiting for?!?

CS