| The Chairman of A&O Productions and his first lady were invited to stay in on May 14 and dine at home, courtesy of Chef Bageldog.
The meal was thick, deep and rich, like Elizabeth Taylor. It began with the lightest portion, the carrot and mango Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Served raw, they’re fresh, light and mad tasty.
The main course was a defining dish of any great bistro: braised beef short ribs served with creamy mashed potatoes and pan gravy. Short ribs come from the shoulder of the heifer. Though rubbery at first touch, once cooked for 3-4 hours they turn into a most tender, juicy and delicious portion of meat.  | | From left to right: Bageldog, the Chairman and the First Lady. | | For dessert, shit got elegant: brownie cake with a mocha ganache, served with a raspberry coulis and chunks of fresh mango. It was dirty. Dirty, dirty, dirty.
After consuming the three-course meal—four if you include bread, five, six and seven, if you count the wine—I was lucky enough to sit down with the dynamically smashed duo to get the inside scoop on the meal. Chef Bageldog knows his shit is tight, so some questions veered away from the cooking. As they say in Latin, “en vino verte.” First, they spill the beans, then come the recipes.
BAGELDOG: What was your favorite part of the meal?
First Lady: The mashed potatoes. …They were fantastic, no, amazing, no, fantastic. Yeah. …Wait, did I say fantastic twice? (chuckle)
Chairman: The variety of textures and flavors were excellent. First with the crunchy raw spring rolls, then the tender beef short ribs and finally, with the rich but not too rich chocolate cake. I’m ready for the bedroom.
BAGELDOG: How long have you two been together?
First lady: Well— Chairman: Hey…I thought this was supposed to be about the food.
BAGELDOG: Sorry. So, we all know A&O’s performance this year was far from terrific. How is the Chairman performing in the sack?
Chairman: Excuse me? Is this line of questioning really necessary?
BAGELDOG: You’re right…terribly sorry, terribly…(Pause)…(Aside, to the first lady): Hey, let’s get out of here.
Chairman: I heard that. What the hell is going on here? This session is over. Bageldog, you’re a good cook, but stay away from my girlfriend.
Well, that’s about how it went. On to the recipes …
The Appetizer: Mango and Carrot Spring Rolls
Ingredients:
1 oz. cellophane noodles
4 red leaf lettuce leaves
4 round rice paper wrappers
1 carrot, shredded
1 mango, sliced
3 oz. bean sprouts
8 basil leaves
8 mint leaves
Yield: 4 spring rolls
Step 1: These spring rolls are served raw. To prepare the cellophane noodles, simply cover with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Soak rice paper wrappers in warm water to soften. Place on flat surface.
Step 3: Add cellophane noodles, lettuce leaves, carrot, mango, bean sprouts, basil and mint and roll. I recommend serving with a side of Thai peanut sauce.
 | | Dinner is served: braised short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes. - Photo by Bageldog | | The Entrée: Braised Short Ribs
Braising is a technique used for cooking meats that are tough. After cooking for a long time, the meat will be tender and fall off the bone.
Ingredients:
4 beef short ribs
1 leek, chopped
Garlic
1 cup red wine
3 cups chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Italian parsley
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Season short ribs liberally with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Heat a Dutch oven over the stove on high heat. Add olive oil. When the pan smokes add the short ribs and brown until golden on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
Step 4: Remove excess olive oil so only 1 tablespoon remains. Add chopped leek and garlic and sauté until leaks are soft. Add red wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
Step 5: Place the short ribs back in the pan. Make sure there is enough liquid to just cover the meat. If there isn’t, add more chicken stock or water to cover.
Step 6: Place in oven and cook for 3-4 hours until meat falls off the bone with the touch of a fork.
Step 7: Pan Gravy – To make a pan sauce after cooking, remove meat and cover with foil. Skim off all the fat or oil from whatever liquid is left. On high heat, deglaze pan with a little red wine. Add a tablespoon of butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Note on cleaning leeks: Leeks grow underground and are very dirty vegetables. To clean, cut in half lengthwise and rinse under running water. Look to make sure that there isn’t any sand left when you’re done.
The Side Dish: Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
1-2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes because they cream better than Idaho Russet. They taste better too.
Step 1: Peel skin off potatoes and halve or quarter depending on size. What's important is that the potatoes are all generally the same size.
Step 2: Boil peeled, halved potatoes for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from water.
Step 3: Warm cream and melt butter in microwave or over the stove. Mash potatoes and add warm liquid. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
 | | Brownie cake, to perfection. - Photo by Bageldog. | | The Dessert: Brownie Cake with a Mocha Ganache
Brownie Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chopped
2 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2 (6 tablespoons) stick of butter
5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sour cream
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Step 2: Butter and flour a nine-inch spring-form pan, shaking off excess flour.
Step 3: Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Step 4: Heat about an inch of water in a pot and bring to a simmer.
Step 5: Place chocolate and butter in a metal bowl and melt over water. Keep an eye on the chocolate so it doesn’t burn.
Step 6: In a professional mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand blender, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until double in volume and light in color.
Step 7: Fold in the chocolate mixture. Don’t worry if the chocolate is totally combined. Add the flour mixture in parts folding until all the flour is combined. The mixture will be very thick.
Step 8: Give the sour cream a quick whisk and fold into batter. Pour into cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick.
Step 9: Cool cake in pan for 20 minutes and then place in the refrigerator for an hour to cool completely.
Mocha Ganache
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup strong hot coffee
Step 1: Place chocolate in a bowl.
Step 2: Heat cream, butter and sugar over medium heat. Pour hot mixture and coffee over chocolate. Let sit for a minute – the hot cream will melt the chocolate. Begin stirring the mixture from the center of the bowl making small circles with a wooden spoon or wire whisk. Continue stirring for another minute. The chocolate will become glossy and dark in color.
Assembling the cake: Cut the cake in half. Place top half of the cake back into the spring form pan. Pour 1/3 of the ganache on top of first layer. Place the second half back on top and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove outside edge of the spring form pan and pour remaining ganache over. Make sure to smooth out the top and sides of the cake. Place back in the ice box and refrigerate for at least an hour. Cut the cake using a hot knife.
Bageldog says "it's been a pleasure" cooking for you. You can reach him at z-weinstein@northwestern.edu. Back to the top of the article |
