Wolfgang Puck's Recipes
Oct. 25, 2004 -- -- All of us would like to be able to whip up a delicious meal in the kitchen without breaking a sweat, but we all know how hard it is to pull that off. Well, Wolfgang Puck has come to the rescue once again. His new book says it all -- "Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy."
Wolfgang shared some of the fabulous recipes from his new book on "Good Morning America."
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Wine-Braised Brisket of Beef with Caramelized Pearl Onion and Dried Apricots
• 5 pounds beef brisket
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bottle red wine
• All-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 6 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 medium leek, white part only, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 6 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 quarts plus 1/4 cup homemade beef stock or good-quality canned beef broth
• 1 cup pearl onions
• Minced parsley for garnish
1. Season the brisket evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and continue boiling until it reduces to half its original volume, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Evenly sprinkle the brisket all over with flour, shaking off excess. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and when it is almost smoking, turnthe heat to medium-high, carefully add the brisket, and sear until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Pour off the fat from the Dutch oven and add another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, shallots, carrots, celery, and leek, and sauté until glossy and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the apricots and all the parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste, and continue to cook 1 minute more.
3. Return the browned brisket to the Dutch oven and add the reduced wine and 2 quarts stock or broth. If the brisket is not completely covered with liquid, add enough extra stock, broth, or water to cover. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot and carefully place it in the oven. Cook until the brisket is fork tender,2 to 2½ hours. Meanwhile, blanch and peel the onions as instructed in the tips, leaving them whole. Cut the remaining apricots into 1/4-inch strips.
4. In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pearl onions until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apricot strips and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup stock or broth, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
5. When the meat is done, carefully transfer it to a heated platter, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Boil the liquid in the Dutch oven until it thickens and reduces to about 1 quart, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary with more salt and pepper.
6. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices on heated serving plates or on a heated platter, spoon half the sauce over it, and garnish with the pearl onions and apricots. Sprinkle with minced parsley and pass the remaining sauce on the side. Serves 8.
Wild Rice and Arborio Risotto with Sautéed Apple
For the wild rice:
• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth, heated
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (less if the stock is salted)
• Freshly ground black pepper
For the sautéed cinnamon apple:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
For the risotto:
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2/3 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• 1/3 cup white wine
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Prepare the wild rice. Put the rice in a fine-mesh sieve, rinse under cold running water, and drain. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and sauté until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the wild rice and stir to coat it evenly with the butter. Pour in 2½ cups of the hot stock or broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the wild rice is tender but still chewy, 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as necessary if the liquid in the pan is absorbed before the rice is done. Drain off any stock remaining in the pot and add it to the stock you will use for the risotto. Fluff the rice with a fork, cover the pan, and set aside. Keep warm.
2. Make the sautéed cinnamon apple. Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced apple, the sugar, and the cinnamon stick and sauté until the apple is glossy and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the cinnamon stick. Cover and set aside.
3. Make the risotto. In a saucepan, bring the stock or broth to a boil and reduce the heat to keep it barely simmering. Heat the butter and olive oil together over medium heat in a large heavy skillet or saucepan, add the shallot, and sauté until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat it evenly with the butter. Stir in the wine and simmer until the pan is almost dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a ladle, add 1 ladleful of simmering stock or broth to the rice. Cook the rice, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has been almost completely absorbed. Add another ladleful and repeat the process until youhave used up most or all of the liquid and the rice is tender but still chewy and surrounded by a creamy and slightly runny sauce, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Stir in the reserved cooked wild rice.
4. If necessary, reheat the apples gently. Stir half of them into the risotto mixture. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Spoon the risotto mixture onto warm plates, sprinkle on the Parmesan, top with the remaining apples, and serve immediately. Makes 4 - 6 Servings.
Crabmeat and Chicken Potpie
• 1/2 pound lump crabmeat
• 1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons, plus one tablespoon, all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 pound red-skin potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock or good quality canned chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup shelled or frozen peas
• 1/2 pound (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, defrosted following package instructions
• 1 egg
1. Carefully pick through the crabmeat and discard any pieces of shell or cartilage. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and toss in a mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons of the flour until evenly coated. In a large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken pieces, reduce the heat slightly, and sauté, turning them occasionally until light golden and cooked through, 5 to 10minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan, then add the potatoes, carrots, and onion and sauté until they begin to look glossy and bright, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, and bay leaf, and sauté just until the vegetables begin to color slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more.
3. Add the wine, turn up the heat, stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Simmer until the liquid reduces by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and 1 cup of cream. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer briskly until the liquid reduces by about half againand is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Remove the sprig of thyme and the bay leaf.
4. Stir in the reserved chicken pieces and the sherry. Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining 1 tablespoon flour and stir this paste into the mixture. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the reserved crabmeat and the peas. Transfer to four large individual ovenproof 2-cup soup bowls, four ramekins of the same size, or a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is cold, at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make sure the puff pastry is no thicker than 1/4 inch. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the pastry into four circles that will overhang the rims of the serving bowls or ramekins by about 1/2 inch; for a single large baking dish, cut four circles that will overlap the top by 1 inch, or use one large sheet.
6. In a small bowl beat together the egg and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream to make an egg wash. Brush the outsides of the rims of the ramekins. Place the bowls, ramekins, or baking dish on a baking tray and place the puff pastry circles on top, draping them over the sides of the dishes. Pierce the tops with thetip of a paring knife. Brush with the egg wash and press the pastry gently against the sides of the dishes. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling hot and the pastry is a deep golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4
White and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 4 ounces white chocolate
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Cut the chocolate into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces using a serrated knife. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater. Add the sugars and continue to beat until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat on low speed to incorporate.
3. Gradually add the flour at low speed and beat just until incorporated. Add the chocolate chunks and beat or stir to incorporate them into the dough.
4. Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on your work surface. Using clean hands or a spatula, scoop up bits of the dough and form two logs about 2 inches in diameter on the parchment. Roll them up in the parchment, wrap the parchment in foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and for as long as a week.
5. To bake, preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack on the lower setting. Line baking sheets with parchment. Cut the logs, using a serrated knife, into slices 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch thick. Place the cookies on the parchment-covered baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, reversing the pans front to back halfway through. The cookies are done when they are brown around the edges and brown on the bottom. Remove from the oven and cool on racks, or just slide the parchment off onto a surface for the cookies to cool. Store airtight. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Recipes are excerpted from "Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy," by Wolfgang Puck © 2004