“In Your Kitchen: Tartar Steak and Roquefort Cheese Log” |
| In Your Kitchen: Tartar Steak and Roquefort Cheese Log Posted: 07 Dec 2010 11:32 PM PST "James Beard's American Cookery" by James Beard; Little, Brown and Co., $35  TED AXELROD/SPECIAL TO THE RECORD Before there were Alice Waters and the modern locavore movement, there was James Beard. On the off chance that the name doesn't ring a bell, simply stated, the late, great chef is the most respected name in American cooking. The author of some 20 cookbooks and perhaps the first chef to tout the benefits of seasonal, local ingredients, Beard put American food on the culinary map. He died in 1985, but his legacy lives through the James Beard Foundation, its headquarters at his home in Greenwich Village, where chef-hosted lunches and dinners further the foundation's mission to "celebrate, nurture and preserve America's diverse culinary heritage and future." It was at the James Beard House where the media was introduced to the new edition of perhaps Beard's most famous cookbook – "American Cookery." Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, who wrote the new foreword, stopped by for a brief visit before we sat down to a lunch menu of potato and leek soup and sautéed chicken breast – all from the book. The recipes in what Time magazine called "the bible of American cooking" might seem to be quaintly old-fashioned. And yes, you will find lobster Thermidor, baked Alaska and an entire chapter titled "Ham and Bacon." But as home-style cooking and comfort foods come back into fashion, there is no better source than this. Laced with personal anecdotes and interesting snippets of food history, Beard's prose is as fresh now as it was when the book was first published in 1972. In the spirit of everything old is new again, I was especially drawn to the chapter on cocktail food. Tartar steak and Roquefort cheese log deserve to make a comeback and are the ideal accompaniments to retro-style libations. Rich and festive but simple to prepare, they are especially apropos for holiday parties. So mix up a shakerful of martinis, cue up some Sinatra and raise a glass – and a fork — to American food's greatest champion. TARTAR STEAK AND ROQUEFORT CHEESE LOG From "James Beard's American Cookery" – cocktail food chapter: "There are a good many edibles in the realm of cocktail hors d'oeuvre. Experiment until you find items that are easy to prepare and are never left behind on the plate. Do not attempt a great variety. Content yourself with a few things well done and in sufficient quantity." * TARTAR STEAK "This way of serving it has convinced many people that raw meat can be thoroughly delicious." 2 pounds freshly ground lean beef put through the grinder twice – top or bottom round, or chuck with little fat, or top sirloin 12 anchovy fillets 1 medium onion, very finely chopped 2 teaspoons or more Dijon mustard 3 raw egg yolks 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons Cognac Spread the raw meat on a chopping board in a rectangle. Chop the anchovies very fine. Blend them into the meat with two heavy-bladed knives, using a spreading stroke with one hand and a chopping stroke with the other. Fold the meat in from the edges to the center and then spread it out as before. Add the onion, mustard and egg yolks and spread and chop. Fold in again from the edges to the center. Spread and chop until it is a rectangle once more. Add the salt and freshly ground pepper. You may add Tabasco and Worcestershire, if you like, but I feel it is not necessary. Spread and chop, this time very well, and again bring in the edges to form a large patty. Turn over, spread and chop again, and re-form a large patty. Place in a bowl and cover with chopped parsley and chives, or form a nice patty and arrange on a board or platter. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with rye or pumpernickel breads. Tartar steak may also be shaped into small balls and rolled in chopped parsley or chopped nuts. Serve with toothpicks. Susan's Tips: * This will make enough to serve a cocktail party of 20-25 guests. * Make sure you buy your beef from a good butcher who understands that you will be serving it raw. I got mine from Rosario's Market in Montclair; Rosario suggested best-quality tenderloin instead of the cuts specified by Beard. * Be sure to keep the beef very cold. * The spreading and chopping motion took me a few tries to feel comfortable. To make sure your board doesn't slip, put a dish towel underneath. * The recipe does not specify when to add the Cognac, but I added it with the onion, mustard and egg yolk. * If there is any tartar steak left over after your party, wrap and refrigerate and cook within 24 hours. It makes a great burger. * ROQUEFORT CHEESE LOG "Cheese logs or balls are completely American and have become important fixtures at cocktail parties." 2 pounds Roquefort cheese 1 pound cream cheese 1/2 pound butter 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1/4 cup Cognac Chopped parsley or chives Crumble the Roquefort and blend well with the cream cheese, butter and seasonings. Correct the seasoning to taste. I sometimes find it will take more mustard and more Cognac. Mold into a ball or roll and chill for a few minutes. Sprinkle parsley and chives on a piece of waxed paper or foil and roll the cheese in the herbs until completely covered. Serve with breads and crackers Note: For storing, it is better to roll this in chopped nuts. Fresh herbs do not keep as well. Susan's Tips: * The original recipe would make a huge cheese log; I used half the ingredients, which would be generous enough for a party of 20-25. * The mixture will be easier to mold if you first let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15. * I used chopped walnuts instead of herbs because I wanted the texture contrast. * Many people aren't aware that you can freeze cheese; wrap tightly in plastic, then foil – this log is now in my freezer waiting to be served at a holiday party! "James Beard's American Cookery" by James Beard; Little, Brown and Co., $35 Before there were Alice Waters and the modern locavore movement, there was James Beard. On the off chance that the name doesn't ring a bell, simply stated, the late, great chef is the most respected name in American cooking. The author of some 20 cookbooks and perhaps the first chef to tout the benefits of seasonal, local ingredients, Beard put American food on the culinary map. He died in 1985, but his legacy lives through the James Beard Foundation, its headquarters at his home in Greenwich Village, where chef-hosted lunches and dinners further the foundation's mission to "celebrate, nurture and preserve America's diverse culinary heritage and future." It was at the James Beard House where the media was introduced to the new edition of perhaps Beard's most famous cookbook – "American Cookery." Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, who wrote the new foreword, stopped by for a brief visit before we sat down to a lunch menu of potato and leek soup and sautéed chicken breast – all from the book. The recipes in what Time magazine called "the bible of American cooking" might seem to be quaintly old-fashioned. And yes, you will find lobster Thermidor, baked Alaska and an entire chapter titled "Ham and Bacon." But as home-style cooking and comfort foods come back into fashion, there is no better source than this. Laced with personal anecdotes and interesting snippets of food history, Beard's prose is as fresh now as it was when the book was first published in 1972. In the spirit of everything old is new again, I was especially drawn to the chapter on cocktail food. Tartar steak and Roquefort cheese log deserve to make a comeback and are the ideal accompaniments to retro-style libations. Rich and festive but simple to prepare, they are especially apropos for holiday parties. So mix up a shakerful of martinis, cue up some Sinatra and raise a glass – and a fork — to American food's greatest champion. TARTAR STEAK AND ROQUEFORT CHEESE LOG From "James Beard's American Cookery" – cocktail food chapter: "There are a good many edibles in the realm of cocktail hors d'oeuvre. Experiment until you find items that are easy to prepare and are never left behind on the plate. Do not attempt a great variety. Content yourself with a few things well done and in sufficient quantity." * TARTAR STEAK "This way of serving it has convinced many people that raw meat can be thoroughly delicious." 2 pounds freshly ground lean beef put through the grinder twice – top or bottom round, or chuck with little fat, or top sirloin 12 anchovy fillets 1 medium onion, very finely chopped 2 teaspoons or more Dijon mustard 3 raw egg yolks 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons Cognac Spread the raw meat on a chopping board in a rectangle. Chop the anchovies very fine. Blend them into the meat with two heavy-bladed knives, using a spreading stroke with one hand and a chopping stroke with the other. Fold the meat in from the edges to the center and then spread it out as before. Add the onion, mustard and egg yolks and spread and chop. Fold in again from the edges to the center. Spread and chop until it is a rectangle once more. Add the salt and freshly ground pepper. You may add Tabasco and Worcestershire, if you like, but I feel it is not necessary. Spread and chop, this time very well, and again bring in the edges to form a large patty. Turn over, spread and chop again, and re-form a large patty. Place in a bowl and cover with chopped parsley and chives, or form a nice patty and arrange on a board or platter. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with rye or pumpernickel breads. Tartar steak may also be shaped into small balls and rolled in chopped parsley or chopped nuts. Serve with toothpicks. Susan's Tips: * This will make enough to serve a cocktail party of 20-25 guests. * Make sure you buy your beef from a good butcher who understands that you will be serving it raw. I got mine from Rosario's Market in Montclair; Rosario suggested best-quality tenderloin instead of the cuts specified by Beard. * Be sure to keep the beef very cold. * The spreading and chopping motion took me a few tries to feel comfortable. To make sure your board doesn't slip, put a dish towel underneath. * The recipe does not specify when to add the Cognac, but I added it with the onion, mustard and egg yolk. * If there is any tartar steak left over after your party, wrap and refrigerate and cook within 24 hours. It makes a great burger. * ROQUEFORT CHEESE LOG "Cheese logs or balls are completely American and have become important fixtures at cocktail parties." 2 pounds Roquefort cheese 1 pound cream cheese 1/2 pound butter 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1/4 cup Cognac Chopped parsley or chives Crumble the Roquefort and blend well with the cream cheese, butter and seasonings. Correct the seasoning to taste. I sometimes find it will take more mustard and more Cognac. Mold into a ball or roll and chill for a few minutes. Sprinkle parsley and chives on a piece of waxed paper or foil and roll the cheese in the herbs until completely covered. Serve with breads and crackers Note: For storing, it is better to roll this in chopped nuts. Fresh herbs do not keep as well. Susan's Tips: * The original recipe would make a huge cheese log; I used half the ingredients, which would be generous enough for a party of 20-25. * The mixture will be easier to mold if you first let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15. * I used chopped walnuts instead of herbs because I wanted the texture contrast. * Many people aren't aware that you can freeze cheese; wrap tightly in plastic, then foil – this log is now in my freezer waiting to be served at a holiday party! 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