Scallops can sometimes be a bit intimidating to the home cook. But the bottom line is they’re really easy to make and require very little effort, but a little bit of know-how. 

Our adventure begins in Montauk fishing with the guys at Montauk Shellfish, a fishery dedicated to sustainability and making sure that generations to come will be able to enjoy the fruits of the sea.  It was a life-changing experience to spend a day on the water dredging for Peconic Bay Scallops, perhaps the sweetest scallops I’ve ever tasted. 

But bay scallops are different than diver scallops, a larger variety loved by chefs.  So we stop by Dressler for a lesson with Polo Dobkin on how to pan roast the perfect scallop. Last but not least we whip up our catch of the day back home. 

Pan Seared Peconic Bay Scallops:

1/2 pound Peconic Bay Scallops 

olive or canola oil 

1 tbsp chives 

1-2 tbsp butter

1/2 a lemon 

Heat a cast iron skillet until very hot.  Add the oil, and then the scallops, being careful not to crowd the pan.  Allow them to sear on one side for a minute and then turn off the heat, flip them and add the butter and chives.  Baste until they’re done, about a minute more.  Give them a spritz of fresh lemon juice for a bright, crisp flavor. Enjoy! 

Ice cream is by-far my favorite dessert, and it’s actually really easy to make at home provided you have an Ice Cream Machine. The beauty in making your own ice cream is that you control everything about it.  Buy the freshest cream from the farmers market, the best milk from grass-fed cows, organic and fair trade vanilla beans, farm-fresh eggs…you get the picture. When you have taken care to source perfect ingredients, then put those ingredients to use in a decadent dessert, it tastes that much sweeter. Gives new meaning to “guilt free.”  

Here’s a quick demonstration on how to make the perfect vanilla ice cream, straight up. If you care to add anything to it-fruit, chocolate, marshmallow, cookie dough-do so in the last couple minutes of churning.  I served mine Paulie Gee style with Ovenly’s Spicy Bacon Caramel Corn, which I’ve been obsessed with ever since meeting them at Thrillist’s Bacon and Blues party last October.  It really is the perfect complex accompaniment to this super simple, classic ice cream. 

HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM: 

1 cup milk

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 vanilla bean, scraped 

6 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat the milk, sugar, scraped vanilla beans and pod, and salt over medium heat until warm. Whisk the six egg yolks and slowly temper the warm milk into the egg yolks, bit by bit until it’s all incorporated.  Be sure to take your time so that the warm milk does not cook the yolks.  Return the milk and egg mixture back to the pot and stir constantly over low heat until the custard reaches 170 degrees.  

Set up an ice bath in a large bowl, and place a smaller nesting bowl inside it with a strainer over the top.  Pour the cream and vanilla through the strainer, and then the heated custard.  Stir to incorporate and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, though overnight is best. 

Remove the vanilla bean pod, and freeze the ice cream in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer instructions.  Put it back in the freezer to harden before serving.  Dig in and enjoy!

Some of the first liquids that come to mind when you think braising are wine, stock and broth.  But we forget about beer - and some may argue that because beer is made from grain (barley/rye) and herbs (hops), it pairs with certain foods even better than wine, which is obviously made from grapes.  I’m not so sure I agree completely with that statement, but I will admit it’s fun to mix things up a bit and swap out my usual red wine for a bottle of beer instead.  But just like cooking with wine, please use something you would drink. Which brings me to our featured brewer:

I was also really inspired by the guys at Sixpoint.  Shane started his company from scratch on credit cards and a vision, and has seen huge growth and great success over the past 6-7 years.  His beer is voted consistently the best in New York City.  Check out the video below and follow along with the recipe, posted after the video. 

BEER BRAISED BRISKET 

SERVES 4

This is an excellent make-ahead dish.  In fact, it gets better and better the longer it sits.  Braise the day before and pop it back in the oven when you want to serve it for maximum flavor. I served mine over Pureed Parsnips, the perfect sweet accompaniment to this salty and zesty beef.

• 1 3-lb beef brisket (some fat trimmed)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika 
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bottle beer (Rye Beer such as Sixpoint Righteous Ale)
• beef stock (to bring the liquid to the halfway point on the meat, about 1 1/2 cups)

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.  Mix the salt, pepper, cumin and paprika together.  Rub the brisket with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle the spice mixture all over, rubbing in to evenly coat. In a dutch oven, sear the meat about 4 minutes on each side.  Remove from the pan.  Add a little extra olive oil, then sautee the onions with a pinch of salt until soft, about eight minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic and bay leave, sautee a minute more.  Deglaze the pan with the bottle of beer, bring to a simmer,and place the meat back in the pan. Add beef stock until the braising liquid comes halfway up the meat.  

Cover and put in the oven for four hours.  Remove the lid partially and cook an hour more.  

Allow the meat to rest for about a 15 minutes before slicing.  Cut against the grain, or shred like a stew, whatever you prefer. (I love shredding mine).  Serve over parsnips or mashed potatoes and enjoy! 

Throughout college I was a hostess at a fancy Manhattan restaurant, and nothing gave me more anxiety than Valentine’s Day. Even now I refuse to eat out on the 14th, because I know what goes into it:  prix fixe menu, shuffling guests in and out, and tables so close together you end up sharing food with strangers.  Enjoy your favorite restaurant on an off night, and do something more romantic:  cook with one another.  

And a perfect romantic first course requires no cooking at all:  a raw oyster platter! The hardest part about putting together this platter is the shucking.  But once you get the hang of it, it’s as easy as pie.  A dozen roses is a nice gesture. But a dozen oysters? Now you’re talking!  

Last month we had our December Hungry in Brooklyn Dinner Party and it was a great success!  I had every intention of getting this post up right away, but then all of a sudden it was Christmas and I found myself in Sonoma County. I drank wine. A lot of it. Every single day. I got very little work done, and thus I understand France a lot better now, even after having studied abroad there in my college days.

So without further adieu, the courses! 

FIRST:

Frisee Aux Lardons - chicory & frisee, meat-hook bacon, poached egg, shallot vinaigrette

SECOND: 

Cranberry Bean and Winter Kale Crostini - lacinato kale, heirloom beans, salvatore brooklyn ricotta, house-pickled red onion 

SAVORY:

Filet of Sole - baked wild-caught atlantic sole, roasted pink radishes & brussels sprouts with beurre noisette, microgreens in lemon vinaigrette; pureed parsnips family style 

SWEET

Organic Pumpkin Whoopie Pies - locally milled flour, organic pumpkin, organic cream cheese buttercream filling 

I’ll be updating the blog all week with recipes and links!  Make sure to check out the next post for photos of the food, the guests, and the fun courtesy of Wyatt Tuzo.  

Photos of the december HiB Supper Club Dinner!  If you want to be added to the notification list, let me know! Thanks to Wyatt Tuzo for the awesome pics.  

Trout is delicious and easy to prepare, but the whole-troutedness of it might make you decide to pick up a different fish that is skinless, boneless, and filleted into a perfect package.  Well, my friends, you are missing out! Trout is not only delicious and easy to prepare, it’s extremely inexpensive.  The recipe below is for one trout, which is a great dinner for two when paired with other hearty side dishes.  These are 1-lb. fish, but a lot of that weight is accounted for in the head, so make one for each person with a light salad or vegetable.  

Our good friend Davis Herron over at The Lobster Place answers all your questions about trout before we head to Lodge for Cooking Trout 101.  Then it’s back to our own kitchen for a roasted trout recipe that’s simple yet impressive. 

ROASTED BROOK TROUT 

• 1  1-lb Red or White Meat Brook Trout: cleaned, gutted and butterflied. 
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp olive oil, plus extra for the skin of the fish 
• 3 lemon slices 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a mortar and pestal, grind the garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary until it’s in a paste.  Thin out the paste with the lemon juice and olive oil.  Place your fish on a baking sheet and rub the skin with olive oil.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper for extra flavor - especially if you like to eat the skin. Spread the marinade on each filet, place the lemon slices inside, close it up and roast it in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and flaky.  

Dig in and enjoy!

It’s almost New Year’s Eve which means it’s time to start thinking about some fun cocktails.  HiB’s good friend Tim Monaghan is quite the bartender, and he’s compiled a list of his three favorite festive drinks, which he demonstrates in this holiday special. One very cool thing is that so many of these liquors are being produced locally these days. Tim uses Breuckelen Gin, made right here in this fine borough.  Ask your local liquor store if they have anything made locally. From Absinthe to Vodka, you’re bound to find something artisanal. 

On a more somber note, shortly after filming this episode, Tim suffered a serioush head injury, and he is still in intensive care.  His family and friends have set up a fund to help contribute to his growing medical expenses.  Please visit Tim’s Fund Page and donate whatever you can.  Every little bit helps for Tim’s faster and complete recovery.  

Here’s the episode, with the recipes to follow.  Have a happy and safe New Year!

COCKTAIL RECIPES COURTESY OF TIM MONAGHAN:

French 75 

• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 oz lemon juice 
• 1 1/2 oz gin
• Champagne for topping 

In your shaker, combine sugar, lemon juice, and gin.  Top with ice, shake until your shaker is frosty, and pour into a champagne glass.  Top with champagne. 

*Party Tip: You can batch this for a large party by combining the same ratios of sugar, lemon juice and gin stirred vigorously in a pitcher.  Just make sure to top each glass with champagne separately as they’re served. 

Philadelphia Fish House Punch 

• 2 lemon peels
• 1 heaping tsp sugar
• 3/4 oz lemon juice 
• 1 oz Jamaica Rum 
• 1 oz Apple Jack 

Muddle the lemon peels and sugar in the bottom of your shaker to release the oils in the lemon.  Add lemon juice, rum, and apple jack.  Give it a good shake, pour and serve. 

*Party Tip: Batch this for a large party in a punch bowl!  Festive and easy. 

Tim’s Gin Toddy 

• 1/2 sprig rosemary
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce honey syrup 
• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 4-5 oz hot water

*Perfect for a cozy New Years at home with your sweetie. Especially with this weather!