Andreas Viestads Porcini Consomme Recipes

ANDREAS VIESTAD'S PORCINI CONSOMME

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add mushrooms (all fresh or a combo of dried and fresh), peppercorns, bay leaves and the cinnamon stick. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface.
• Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth (I use a coffee filter sometimes) and strain the consomme into another pot, pressing gently on the mushrooms with a spoon to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Discard mushrooms and spices.
• Reheat the consomme and season to taste with salt. Pour into bowls and garnish with a couple of tablespoons of cream per portion, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.

DRIED PORCINI CONSOMMé

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the fresh mushrooms, trim away the bottoms if they are sandy, break off the stems and set them aside. Set aside half of the caps in a separate bowl and slice the rest.
• Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Drain the porcinis through the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Squeeze over the strainer to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible and set aside the broth. Rinse the reconstituted mushrooms in several changes of water. Measure the mushroom soaking water and add enough water to make 4 cups.
• In a soup pot or a large saucepan, combine the mushroom soaking liquid, the chicken or vegetable stock, the soaked porcinis, fresh mushroom stems and sliced caps, garlic, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the soup and return to the saucepan. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and the soy sauce.
• Slice the fresh mushroom caps you set aside paper-thin and toss with a couple of drops of lemon juice. Ladle the soup into bowls or espresso cups, garnish with a couple of slices of mushroom and a sprinkling of chives, and serve.

ANDREAS VIESTAD'S PORK RIB ROAST WITH CLOVES

Steps:

• Place the meat skin side up on a cutting board. With a sharp heavy knife, cut through the rind and fat to make a crosshatch pattern with 1-inch squares.
• With a thin sharp knife, make a small slit in each square. (This is where you will insert the cloves; you could insert them now, but I have found that all the handling is likely to break off most of the nice-looking tops of the cloves).
• Rub the meat with the salt and pepper.
• Place the meat in a baking dish.
• Cut 1 orange in half and squeeze the juice over the meat.
• Slice another orange and place the slices under and over the meat.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, turning three or four times.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Discard the orange and place the meat fat side down in a roasting pan.
• Insert the sage between the cut ribs.
• Turn the meat skin side up. Cut the remaining orange in half and squeeze the juice over the meat.
• Cut the orange halves into smaller pieces and place them under the meat.
• Insert a clove in each of the slits in the fat.
• Cover the roast with foil.
• Place the roasting pan in the middle of the oven and roast for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°F.
• Remove the foil and Remove the meat from the pan and add potatoes and onions to the pan, making a foundation for the meat.
• Return the meat to the pan and place in the oven, this time setting it in the lower third of the oven; roast for about 1 hour.
• Move the pan to the middle of the oven. Increase the heat to 400° to 425°F and roast for about 20 minutes longer under frequent surveillance to produce a good crackling. If you have a top oven broiler, you could use it, but be very careful that you don't burn the roast.
• It is difficult to give the exact time for the crackling process, since that depends on the intensity of heat in your oven. If there is no sign of crackling after 10 minutes, gradually turn the heat up to 450°F.
• The crackling will be superb if it looks as if the rind is boiling and the fatty squares have started to separate.
• Remove and allow to cool slightly.
• Cut the meat into 2-rib sections and place on serving plates. The meat looks nice served with the cloves, but be advised that they should be removed before eating, as they are still quite strong-tasting.
• Enjoy!