Chef Interview - William Bradley of Addison
Do you have the post - Thanksgiving kitchen blues? Have 4 consecutive days of roast turkey, turkey sandwiches, turkey-egg scramble, turkey pasta, turkey enchiladas, and turkey ice cream parfaits left you in a culinary rut? Fear not as Bruliam Wine's dynamic interview with Chef William Bradley of Addison Restaurant at the Grand Del Mar will inspire your inner foodie and coax the foie gras right back into your busy weeknight meals, where it belongs! Chef's personal recipes for roasted beets and cabernet butter follow, so read on fellow Brigade for the best calorie-free indulgence of the decade.
Bruliam Wines: Chef, you create such beautiful, flavorful, fresh delicacies at Addison, and it is truly a treat to have you here to answer some questions for our palate-curious, Bruliam Brigade readership. Thanks for putting prep on the back burner (pretty clever, eh??) to answer some of our toughest foodie questions.
First things first: we all know we won't get drunk from coq au vin, so what's the point anyway? Why is wine an important cooking "ingredient?"
Chef Bradley: It creates balance on the palate.
Bruliam Wines: Of course we're here to promote pinot, but many recipes call for "a light red wine" or a "full bodied red wine." What does that mean?
Chef Bradley: The light red wines I incorporate in my cuisine are really used to emphasize the acid with the soft tones of fruit. When my recipes call for full bodied red wine, I look for wines that have robust fruit flavors that I would like to include in the dish.
Bruliam wines: Is that the same as the cheap, generic "cooking wine" we see next to the vinegars at Vons?
Chef Bradley: Not at all.
Bruliam Wines: Help our readers decipher what constitutes a passable cooking wine.
Chef Bradley: A good food for thought: "Never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink." A passable cooking wine is an every day wine. A good food for thought: "Never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink."
Bruliam Wines: Tell us a little bit about your cooking philosophy and what most inspires your menu?
Chef Bradley: Simplicity and harmony are strong philosophies that inspire my ever changing menu.
Bruliam Wines: Who taught you to cook?
Chef Bradley: My mentor is James Boyce. I worked with him for over seven years.
Bruliam Wines: Who most influenced your cooking style?
Chef Bradley: Alain Passard from the Restaurant L'Arpege in Paris.
Bruliam Wines: When I pick your brain for cooking advice at home, you always tell me "low and slow." Tell our readers about this cooking style.
Chef Bradley: This style of cooking is the artisan approach to which I have adapted to over the years. This low and slow method allows you to control the temperature and texture of each ingredient you are cooking.
Bruliam Wines: I have already copy-catted your low and slow roasted beets; they were easy to prepare and delicious. Can you recap that technique for me here?
Chef Bradley: See attached beet recipe. (recipe follows the interview)
Bruliam Wines: What other foods can home cooks prepare using a similar method?
Chef Bradley: Roasted shallots, fennel, or any other type of root vegetable that you particularly enjoy.
Bruliam Wines: Go ahead and spill your favorite food-pinot noir pairing! (We just want to copy that too).
Chef Bradley: Baked red cherry clafoutis with brown butter ice cream. I have a huge sweet tooth.
Bruliam Wines: I bet you knew this one was coming: you're trapped in purgatory for eternity with an inexhaustible supply of only 5 ingredients. What are they and why?
Chef Bradley: Peanut butter, jelly, bread, Ruffles, and cold milk.
Bruliam Wines: Why?
Chef Bradley: Because I don't go more than two days without these.
Bruliam Wines: What's your favorite cooking gadget that you just can't live without?
Chef Bradley: Vitamix Blender
Bruliam Wines: What's your best tip for home cooks who yearn to cook like a pro?
Chef Bradley: Clean as you go so you can relax after eating.
Bruliam Wines: Chef, would you mind sharing your favorite wine-based recipe with our readers?
Chef Bradley: Please see attached recipe for cabernet butter.
Bruliam Wines: Chef Bradley, thank you again for your time. But I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I'd rather be eating your food than reading your words! I hope to see you at Addison very soon and encourage our readers to seek out your spectacular food for their next special occasion meal.
Chef Bradley: Thank you!
Verbena Roasted Red Beets
Chef William Bradley - Addison Restaurant
(Serves 4 people)
Ingredients:
4 Aluminum foil 12" squares
4 large red beets
8 Tbsp. of sea salt
8 Tbsp. of brown sugar
24 verbena leaves
2 Tbsp. lime zest
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of arugula
Method:
Verbena Roasted Red Beets
Using aluminum foil, make four 12" squares.
In the middle of each square, place one large red beet.
Season each beet with 2 Tbsp. of salt and 2 Tbsp. of brown sugar.
Place 6 verbena leaves on top of each beet.
Tightly seal beets by folding up each corner of foil.
Place in 200 degree oven and cook for 1 hour.
After cooking, remove beets from oven and cool to room temperature for an additional hour.
Remove beets from foil and discard verbena leaves.
Gently peel skin from beets using a towel and cut beets into quarters.
Arrangement:
Lay quartered beets on four individual plates.
Sprinkle with sea salt and grated lime zest.
Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few leaves of arugula.
CABERNET BUTTER (SERVE OVER STEAK FRITES)
Chef William Bradley, Addison Restaurant
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 whole shallots, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon organic pure cane sugar *
1 bottle of delicious Cabernet (your choice)
6 ounces of softened, unsalted French butter *
4 tablespoons finely chopped chives
2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh thyme leaves (do not use dry thyme)
Sea Salt to Taste *
*Can be bought in specialty food stores
Method for Cabernet Reduction:
Place diced shallots in a heavy duty sauce pot. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and the whole bottle of Cabernet wine. Cook over low heat and reduce down to ¾. After reducing, allow wine reduction to cool to room temperature.
Method for Cabernet Butter:
In a mixing bowl, add butter, chopped chives, chopped thyme leaves, and wine reduction. Using a rubber spatula, slowly mix all ingredients together until fully incorporated. Season with sea salt to taste.
Chef Notes:
This is a great and easy wine recipe that goes great over steak frites or any grilled protein. Butter will keep up to a month in the refrigerator.