Brooklyn Chefs Advise Us On Post-Frankenstorm Eats
Brad McDonald, chef/owner of Governor, Colonie and Gran Electrica:
“I’m huge into fermented foods at the moment, so rather than tossing out my sourdough levain this morning, I made pretty much the best pancakes you’ve ever had. Seriously, they will bring a tear to your eye. Start with two cups of sourdough starter, add an egg, a couple tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a couple tablespoons of melted butter. Dilute a 1/2t of baking soda in 2 tablespoons of water. Mix the first set of ingredients by whisk, then just before you’re ready to griddle the cakes, whisk in the baking soda mix. It will releaven the dough, keeping it light. Cook in a nonstick pan for extra crispy edges. I garnish these almost always with seasonal fruit sauteed in brown butter. But the absolute best pairing is with pineapple, honey and brown butter. In the same pan as the pancakes once you’re done cooking them, add a spoon of butter and let it brown. Toss in pineapple that’s been large diced – the moisture in the fruit will keep the butter from burning. Saute over medium heat until the pineapple caramelizes. When color desired is reached, add a few tablespoons of honey and swirl the pan around. Serve directly over the sourdough pancakes. I could eat this every morning of my life.”
John Avelluto, owner of the Owl’s Head wine bar:
“What’s really great about these foods is that the wines don’t have to be over-the-top (price-wise) to pair with them. I can’t think of a better thing to pair with a Hershey’s Skor bar (or just about any chocolate/toffee bar combo) than a Neipoort Tawny Port. The bar’s milk chocolate and toffee line right up against the dense, sweet chocolate/coffee notes of the port along with the toffee and caramel notes imparted by its oak aging. If you’re happy to have survived or are just plain ballin’, pick up the 10 yr old Tawny to pack on more of that toasty, caramely goodness!
Also, any decent human being will have packed a few cans of red beans and tomatoes into their ‘perish-purse’, along with some soppressata or chorizo. Mince the meat and toss the can contents in a pot (along with some savory herbs and a few cloves of garlic) and simmer slow. Badaboom-badabing — you have a hearty soup that will compliment the spicy finish of the 2011 iteration of Bodegas Bernabeleva’s Camino de Navaherreros multi-vineyard Garnacha. Fats from the meats help tame the youthful tannins and bring out all the underlying cherry and raspberry fruits of the vino. Now get back to work, slackers!”