Spices

A great recipe for loose Italian sausage, used in my Chicago style deep dish pizza. This Italian sausage also makes a great pizza topping for other styles of pizza as well including New York, Sicilian, and Neapolitan. If using for pizzas other than Chicago, crumble and cook in a pan first, draining any liquid and fat before using.

A rillette is made from meat, (usually pork or game), that is slowly cooked in fat or a flavored liquid, and then pounded into a paste using some or all of the cooking liquid. The resulting paste is then placed in a jar or ramekin and capped with fat, which allows the meat to cure and the flavors to meld.

This "reconstructed" berry pie is a simple play on a traditional favorite. I love macerated berries in the summer time, and who doesn't like a good berry pie? This dessert takes half the work and a third of the time as a normal berry pie, and by rethinking its structure, it allows you to keep your berries moist and macerated in a delicious simple syrup while keeping your crust crisp and flaky.

There are two kinds of veal stock; brown and white. The only differentiating factor is whether or not the bones are roasted. The decision to roast the bones is dependent on the final application of the veal stock. If you are making a traditional Veal Veloute, a white veal stock is needed.

This recipe is from my days as Executive Chef at an Asian-Fusion restaurant that also served sushi. It was a crab mix that went inside of a sushi roll that was topped with sliced hamachi and orange aioli. After leaving this restaurant, I was so burnt out on sushi that I swore I'd never make it again.

A spicy aioli that goes great with fish or tempura.

A sweet summer emulsion that we used for a grilled quail and peach salad dish.