Mad Men Inspired Ramped Up Beef Wellington with an Iceberg Wedge Salad

Our take on our favorite Christmas Dinner Dish -- Beef Wellington! Originally posted on the ol' Sunday Nite Supper Blog, 12. 04. 2015, Second publish was for The Minnie Kinney December 23, 2016

Mad Men Inspired Ramped Up Beef Wellington with an Iceberg Wedge Salad

All photos by Michelle Kinney

HELLO EVERYONE!

For anyone who didn’t read our post from a few days ago, we’re back and cookin’! So let’s not waste anymore time!

Lots of things are happening right now that we’re in love with.

But most importantly:

1. Mad Men

2. Ramps

So why not celebrate both? Starting this week we are going to cook some our favorite dishes of the 1960s to honor the final half season of Mad Men.

When I say that Joe and I are Mad Men fans, that would be an understatement.

On Friday evening we attended a Mad Men Antique Cocktail Party at The Players Club in New York City. Prohibition Productions purchased 50 year old liquor from the set of Mad Men. Yes you read that correctly. Joe and I had Old Fashioneds made with 50 year old liquor from the Mad Men set. It was a big enough event that the New York Times featured the party in “5 Ways to Time-Travel (and Party) in New York”

On Saturday we woke up pretty tired. We knew we had to start planning for the blog right away. 1960s inspired dishes featured on Mad Men! But there are so many! We decided to go with Beef Wellington because I’ve made it a dozen times for friends and family. And the Iceberg Wedge Salad adorned with homemade blue cheese dressing, crispy bacon, and diced heirloom tomatoes seemed too good to pass up! Beef Wellington and Iceberg Wedges are ordered pretty often on Mad Men. But when I rewatched “Signal 30” recently, I knew we had to honor the adorable Trudy Campbell (actress Alison Brie) who cooks Beef Wellington for the delightful Sterling Cooper dinner Party in Cos Cob. (Photo from Tom and Lorenzo). (P.S. Joe loves Trudy!)

Old-school butchers are a rarity in New York, but our favorite butcher moved from West 87th Street to their new location on West 102nd Street and we are THRILLED! Quality meats with quality service.  They’ve been doing business since 1911! Thank about it, that’s PT (Pre-Titanic) . . . and obviously pre-Mad Men too.

Needless to say, we bought the fillet of beef we needed for the Wellington at Schatzie, and we will continue to do so!

Located on the same block as Sal & Carmine’s Pizza and Xi’an Famous Foods. Some of the best food in New York is found in the Upper West Side! Hands down!

After I picked up our fillet of beef from Schatzie, I popped over to Westside Market for the rest of my ingredients. And then I saw them. The golden nuggets for springtime foodies!

 RAMPS!!!

Ramps are delicious wild onions that grow in the springtime and only appear in our markets for a month or so. They’re kind of like an onion, kind of like a leek, and kind of like garlic. Yet not really like any of them because they’re ramps and they’re DELISH. They smell amazing too. At $1.89 a bunch, I bought FIVE! (Joe reading this said “Five!?!?” and shook his head) Sorry Upper West Side shoppers! You snooze, you lose!

I quickly decided that I would puree the ramp bulbs into the Wellington duxelle. (That’s the mushroom mixture layered in the Wellington…we’ll get there.) YUM. And then I figure I’ll just sautee another bunch in salt, pepper, and olive oil for a vegetable side. Because, when in Rome – make some ramps.

Make sure to wash your produce! I used Honest Company’s Fruit and Veggie Wash. It works wonders.

Here’s what you’ll need for Ramped Up Beef Wellington :

Buy Organic when you can!

(serves 2-3 hungry people)

• Approx 1.5 lbs center cut fillet of beef (I just tell the butcher I’m cooking for 3!)

• Olive oil

• Colemans’s Mustard

• Fresh thyme

• Fresh chives

• 12 button mushrooms

• Proscuitto

• 3 fresh garlic cloves

• One bunch ramps (bulbs only)

• Frozen puff pastry (I legititmately do not have the time or patience to make my PP. I find Pepperidge Farm works fine! One of the few non-homemade items)

• Egg yolk (For the egg wash)

• Kosher Salt, Fresh cracked pepper

• Plastic Wrap

• Parchment Paper

Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F

1. The Duxelle. (aka, mushroom mixture, mushroom paté)

Pureé mushrooms (caps only, remove the stems), garlic, ramp bulbs, dashes salt and pepper into food processor.

Remove the duxelle from the pan and place onto a small plate. Place in the refridgerator to cool.

2. The Beef

Before you do anything, dry your beef with some paper towels. This will help when browning the beef.

Season the beef with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a hot skillet. Using tongs, sear the fillet on all sides. Be careful of the hot oil!

Remove the seared fillet from the skillet and immediately apply a thin layer of Coleman’s English mustard.

So hot, spicy, and yummy. If you can’t find English mustard at your local market, horseradish works as well! Horseradish provides the same type of heat.

Allow the beef to cool down for about 10 minutes.

3. Assemble the Wellington

First, spread out a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. If you can find the extra wide/restaurant sized wrap-awesome. For the rest of us, double up. It’s a big of a pain, but crucial that you have enough plastic to roll the Wellington.

Create a square layer of prosciutto on the plastic wrap.  I used WAY too much proscuitto in this photo. Entirely too wide. I’m used to making Beef Wellington for more than 2-3 people so my brain went crazy. Alas, we are using a smaller piece of meat. So just layer enough proscuitto to cover your piece of beef.

Snag the cooled duxelle from your fridge and begin to spoon it onto the proscuitto. I use the back of the spoon to make sure I don’t tear the proscuitto. Seriously, proscuitto! Why you gotta be so delicate?! Again, we’re creating another layer. So just enough to cover your fillet.

P.S. MY KITCHEN IS SO SMALL. Honestly, the amount of counter space is stressful to even look at in this photo! Directly behind me is a wall. Ah.. Manhattan living.

Next, place your mustarded up beef on top of the layered duxelle and prosciutto. Be sure to snip off any butcher’s twine!

Using the plastic wrap, carefully roll the prosciutto over the beef. We’re creating a cylinder so-to-speak.

Once the meat and duxelle are rolled up in the plastic wrap, twist the ends to create the shape. The extra prosciutto was trimmed off and definitely, totally, not eaten immediately.

Pop this baby in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up its shape! Don’t leave it in there any longer than 15 minutes!

Repeat the same plastic wrap/proscuitto step with the puff pastry. I usually buy the frozen puff pastry and leave it in the fridge for a few hours. You want it firm and cold, but not frozen. You also don’t want it too warm and pliable as it will likely stick to the plastic wrap. That’s happened to me before and it’s no fun!!

Create another cylinder with the plastic wrap and refridgerate for 15 minutes to once again firm up its shape. (We totally forgot to take a photo of this step! Our bad.)

Unwrap the chilled Wellington awesomeness. Line a baking tray with parchement paper and place the assembled Wellington right in the middle.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg yolk with a dash of water. Voila, egg wash. So easy, Joe could do it . . . and he did.

Brush the Wellington with the egg wash and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt. This step will make sure the outer layer is crispy when it comes out of the oven.

For fun, I run the back of the knife over the top of the pastry to make a fun cheffy design. Not a requirement, but I think it looks fancy.

Place the Beef Wellington in a 425 Degree oven for about 30 minutes.

While the Beef Wellington is cooking, I assembled the Iceberg Wedge! 

• 1 head Organic Iceberg Lettuce (I didn’t know there was such a thing!)

• 1 package uncured Organic Bacon (I cook mine by baking on a tray in the oven. Less mess.)

• Diced heirloom tomatoes

• Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

(I will share my Blue Cheese Dressing recipe with you later on. It’s to die for! 100% from scratch and made with my own homemade mayo as well.)

Cut the washed iceberg lettuce into wedges. Top with blue cheese dressing, crumbled bacon, chives, and diced tomatoes.

Easy and DELISH.

Back to the Beef Wellington. At the 30 minute mark, place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. A medium-rare Beef Wellington should read 135 Degrees F. We measured the temperature of the beef at 30 minutes and it needed a bit more time to cook. No big deal! Around 40-45 minutes she was ready. Take the Beef Wellington out of the oven. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. Keep in mind the internal temperature of the beef will rise about 5 degrees during this time as well!

It will look like an adorable little loaf of bread.

Using a sharp knife, slice up the Beef Wellington.

Big or small, it’s up to you. Mmmm…. yum!

Joe’s parents got us an AMAZING Engagement gift. Rhineland Knives. They are as glorious as they look.

I served the Beef Wellington slices with sauteed ramps (quickly sauteed in salt, pepper, and olive oil) and the Iceberg Wedge on a separate plate.

And there you have it! Ramped up Beef Wellington with Iceberg Wedge Salad!

We are so excited to sit down and watch tonight’s episode of Mad Men!! Will we see Brian Krakow again?! God, I hope so.

Until next time!

xo

Michelle

All photos by Michelle Kinney

Small Bites By Joe

Before I get to the fantastic meal, I just want you all to know how much work goes into Beef Wellington. You see how many steps Michelle completed? It came out amazing as usual. Reading how many steps it takes (and helping with some of them), I realize how hard it is to cook a meal that well and then take great photos of it. I appreciate it so much. So, thank you Michelle.

Now, the meal. First, the blue cheese dressing was delicious. As we were making it, we gave it a taste. The first taste was good, but it felt like it needed just a little more…something. We threw in more blue cheese and viola, delectable. I said to Michelle, well it is blue cheese dressing, might as well add more blue cheese. The bacon on top added some extra crunch. As we all know, put bacon on it and it tastes better. (Except for dessert, I do not like bacon in my dessert. I never fell for that fad. Thoughts?)

The Wellington. The delicious. The indulgence. Michelle’s Beef Wellington is my favorite meal. The fillet was a perfect medium rare. Is there any other way to eat a fillet? No. It melts in your mouth. Not in your hands. The mushroom duxelle provides an earthiness that matches perfectly with the saltiness of the proscuitto. Combine that with the heat and spice from the Coleman’s mustard, along with the puff pastry and it’s a masterpiece dinner. I know some Beef Wellington recipes call for a crepe to surround the beef fillet as well, but I just do not see it adding the right balance that’s captured in what Michelle cooks.

One other note about the beef fillet. As Michelle mentioned our favorite butcher, Schatzie, has just moved to our neighborhood. Previously located on 87th and Amsterdam, the Upper West Side family institution has relocated to West 102 and Broadway. Michelle and I could not be more excited. And Schatzie is opening a burger joint too! The burgers will be made to order!  Great meat and great cooking! Did I mention that Michelle and I are excited?

I’ll part with some wisdom from Mad Men’s Roger Sterling who said in Season 1, Episode 6 (“Babylon”) “Look, we’ve got Oysters Rockefeller! Beef Wellington! Napoleons! We leave this lunch alone, it’ll take over Europe.” Too good.

All photos by Michelle Kinney

Mad Men Inspired Linguini and Meat Sauce

*Originally posted on our old food blog on April 26, 2015, a little throwback to a Joe and Michelle Sunday Nite Supper recipe!* Second publish was or The Minnie Kinney Blog December 19, 2016

When I think of the food we see on Mad Men I think of Beef Wellington, Don’s midnight eggs with corned beef hash, Oysters Rockefeller…. and Megan Draper’s terrible spaghetti.

Seriously, I am still trying to figure out what the heck was up with that. She made it for the kids, she threw it against the wall, and it was always dry and sauce-less.

“Sit down and eat your spaghetti.” Why on earth would she put anyone through some dry, sticky, flavorless noodles out of a box? And why didn’t anyone say anything to her about it? (Maybe Megan Draper was one of my least favorite characters…but alas.)  These are all things I think about.

We decided that no Mad Men inspired menu would be complete without Megan’s Spaghetti — or at least a version of it that we could live with!

So here here a pasta dish we wish that Megan Draper would have made, or could have made — if she knew how to cook.

Mad Men Inspired Linguini and Meat Sauce

(As always… buy Organic when you can!)

1. Olive Oil

2. 1/2 lb Grass Fed Organic Beef

3. 1 medium onion

4. 5 cloves garlic

5. 1 stalk celery

6. 1 medium carrot

7. 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

8. 2 T tomato paste

9. 1-2 cups red wine (always make sure it’s a wine you would drink!)

10. Spices (Garlic powder, Onion Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, Oregano, Basil, Thyme)

11. Kosher Salt, Fresh Cracked Pepper

12. Fresh Basil

13. Pasta (preferably homemade/freshly made with minimal ingredients)

Before I begin to cook, I remind myself that I live in Manhattan and my kitchen is the size of a small jewelry box with crappy lighting. Prepping all ingredients ahead of time will always save time and a lot of headaches!

1.  Place large pot or dutch oven over a medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then onions. Stir until fragrant. Proceed to add celery, carrot, and garlic. Season with a couple pinches of salt.

2. Add the beef and cook thoroughly.

3. Say hello to Oliver.

4. Deglaze the pot with the red wine of your choice. We chose a nice inexpensive but quality Chianti. I start with about 1 cup and then add accordingly. Red sauce is always to taste so keep a spoon handy!

5. Add tomato paste and stir thoroughly.

6. Add crushed tomatoes. I add a bit at a time and stop when I see that the sauce is at the consistency I like. Keep tasting as you go, adding more or less wine and tomatoes.

7. Add the spices a little at a time. I start with about a teaspoon of each. Keep tasting the sauce until you a nice balance. Feel free to add pinches of salt to enhance the flavor. But be careful as many crushed tomatoes come with added salt!

8. On the lowest heat possible, allow the meaty sauce to simmer. Stir and check on it often! I usually make a meatless red sauce and wasn’t used to the extra protein — a bit of it started to burn on the bottom of my dutch oven! So just check on it and you should be okay. Again, feel free to add some dashes of extra spices!

9. About 15 minutes before you’re ready to eat, heat a pot of water. For goodness sake salt your water! Flavorless pasta is no bueno. We used Morgia’s homemade pasta from Watertown, New York. I prefer to use freshly made pastas in the refrigerated section of the market, but when making dried pasta I like to go for the ones with minimal ingredients. If the pasta box lists more than 5 ingredients that you cannot easily pronounce – yucky. Morgia’s Pasta has Durum Wheat Flour, Water, and Eggs. That’s it. Simple and awesome!

10. Plate and garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese! Serve with the leftover wine? Twist my arm…. 

Small Bites by Joe

Well, well, well, Michelle’s red sauce. One of the early dishes (not the first, that was cornish hens –our first weekend together in New York, and yes I remember) Michelle made for us was her red sauce, and it’s as glorious as it’s ever been.

With this edition of her sauce, I was catching the chianti and the red pepper flakes. The wine brought a little bite and the red pepper flakes a bit of spice. The key though to Michelle’s sauce is the mirepoix. This is the base of carrots, onions, and celery that provides great flavor. Michelle has explained to me that it is the base to many great sauces, and now whenever we watch the Food Network, or other cooking shows, I always recognize chefs starting with a mirepoix. And for you non-cooks out there like me, I used the term mirepoix at a work-sanctioned cooking event and received many a raised-eyebrow. It definitely impressed the teachers. I was proud. Thank you, Michelle.

A note as well about the pasta we used. If you can, always use fresh pasta. The fresh pasta is tender, delicate, and just plain tastes better than the dried pasta. Whenver Michelle and I can, we always pick up fresh pasta. Next up on our list – making our pasta at home. Ah, another post to salivate over! 

The Tom and Jerry : A Time Honored-Tradition in Watertown, New York

(Originally published on The Minnie Kinney Blog November 30, 2016)

There's no place like home for the holidays. So with my husband, two cats, and in-laws in tow we headed to my hometown of Watertown, New York for Thanksgiving 2016. To say that the 2016 Presidential Election was stressful for all 9 of us at my parent's house (cats included) is the understatement of the century. So we were looking for as many ways as possible to relax and enjoy ourselves for the duration of our trip. The first thing I could think of?

A Tom and Jerry at Watertown's oldest established restaurant, The Crystal.

They say you haven't lived in Watertown, New York until you've had a Tom and Jerry at The Crystal.

I lived there until I was 18 and went off to college, but by the time I could legally drink I had already packed my suitcases for New York City. So my first Christmas back I made sure to partake in this time honored tradition. Twelve years later it's my first and last stop when I come home to visit for the holidays.

What's in a Tom and Jerry? According to Wikipedia, the Tom and Jerry is a warm beverage made of whipped eggs, hot water, booze, and nutmeg. But if you ask me it's like egg nog's sexy cousin that will wink at you and give you a little kick in the tuchus when you're not looking.

These drinks are sweet, hot, delicious, and strong. In my experience, more than two will have you on the floor in no time. Patrons have the option of spiking their cocktails with Captain Morgan, amaretto, or the classic mixture of rum and brandy. I opt for the classic every time.

To walk into The Crystal is to be transported back in time. It's a charming little restaurant that first opened its doors on Watertown's Public Square in 1925.  Small and cozy, it boasts old wooden booths, some old timey sconces, and an amazing pressed tin ceiling.

Their menu has many comfort food items and seriously reasonable prices. I'm not kidding. Two eggs, toast, and bacon costs $3.75. And then of course around Christmas, their famous Tom and Jerry for just $5.

My Grandparents frequented The Crystal for years and years. During a quick Google search, I even came across an old photo of them sitting at their booth enjoying a lunch together. Bittersweet.

I chatted with owner of the Crystal, Libby Dephtereos, for a bit before the drinks began to kick in and learned a lot about how she makes them! Hot water to warm the mugs first, then the batter (a secret family recipe), followed by hot water, a shot of alcohol, and topped with cinnamon and nutmeg.

I'm not sure how much the order of assembly matters, but I promise to try it out when I make them on Christmas Eve! You see, I haul my kitchen aid mixer and vintage set of Tom and Jerry bowls and mugs out to Long Island every year for my husband's family gathering! Most of them had never heard of a Tom and Jerry before they met me, but now it's become a cherished tradition of my own that everyone has grown to expect, love, and look forward to.

I've searched high and low for a bar here in New York City that serves a Tom and Jerry and I've yet to find anything comparable. Taking any suggestions!

A lot of businesses in Watertown, New York have concocted their own recipes but in my opinion  none can hold a candle to what The Crystal is whipping up.  I read that Tom and Jerrys have been served in Watertown since the 1940s at the Crystal, 87 Public Square, where the Dephtereos family has kept the tradition alive for three generations.

"Our place, which was built in 1919, lives off tradition. In fact, we use the same bowl to serve our Tom and Jerry's in that we always have. We got it from the old Woodruff Hotel decades ago and we still use it. In fact we keep it locked up for safe keeping in the restaurant's basement. We sure don't want to lose that thing." (via NewYorkUpstate)

My father's family, The Schuylers, owned a successful piano and music store at the Paddock Arcade,  just down the street from The Crystal and the Old Woodruff Hotel.

I imagine that my Great Great Grandparents enjoyed many a Tom and Jerry on Public Square -- maybe from the same Tom and Jerry bowl?

I'll never know but I can imagine it!

Whatever your plans this holiday season, if you're near Watertown, New York -- be sure to drop in to The Crystal and order yourself some Tom and Jerry cocktails. You won't regret it!

Now through New Years!

Chicken Lillian

Chicken Lillian

(Originally published to The Minnie Kinney Blog August 9, 2016)

I was home visiting my parents a few weeks ago, and my Mom whipped up one of the most delicious chicken recipes I have ever had! My Momma is a GREAT cook -- but this was out of bounds nomtastic. Juicy, not dry at all, lots of flavor, so easy to make, and totally awesome!

I usually cook the same chicken recipes over and over for Joe and me, mostly out of convenience. They are frequently paleo as I've been on a Whole 30 kick lately, trying to lose a few pounds.

However, I'd say this recipe is still in the low-guilt category and SO EASY.

100% from my Mom to me . . . to you! I obviously decided to name it after her, because any take on Chicken Little is hilarious.

Thanks, Mom, you get full credit for this one! NOM.

Chicken Lillian

(Serves 2)

Chicken Lillian-1

• Organic Chicken (2 large breasts, filleted -- or 4 boneless thighs)

• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt

• 2-3 Tablespoons yellow deli mustard

• 2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• pinch kosher salt

• pinch fresh cracked pepper

• 1-2 cups unseasoned, organic panko bread crumbs

• Coconut Oil Spray

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind all ovens are a little different, so you be the best judge!

2. Trim fat from the chicken. If you choose to use breasts, filet lengthwise as evenly as possible. Boneless thighs do not need to be filleted. 

3. Line each side of the chicken with saran wrap and pound with meat mallet. If you don't have a meat mallet, just use a rolling pin! Pound meat evenly until reaching a thickness somewhere between 1/4" and 1/8". 

4. In a large bowl combine chicken, yogurt, mustard, smoked paprika , garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I use my hands to make sure all of the chicken is coated evenly. The measurements I've provided are an estimate. Depending on the size of the cuts of chicken, you may need more or less. At this point you can refrigerate the chicken and save for later, or move to the next step. Both options will still give you super awesome chicken! 

5. Pour panko breadcrumbs into a bowl or on to a plate. Without removing any of the yogurt mixture from the chicken, roll into the breadcrumbs and place onto a baking sheet. I spray my baking sheets with coconut oil spray as it can handle higher heats much better than other oils. Less chance of sticking! 

6. Lightly spray the breaded chicken with the coconut oil -- this will help the chicken get extra crispy!

7. Bake in oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes.

8. Safely remove baking tray from oven and allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with favorite vegetable side dish! Tonight we had a green salad with homemade vinaigrette! The chicken goes great with a lovely homemade marinara sauce or my personal favorite, Sir Kensington's Sriracha Mayonnaise.

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Small Bites by Joe

Hell yeah, chicken!

Its been too long, but we're back. So nice to see you. And, of course, we pick up where we left off, with another Gold Medal winner from my wife, Michelle. In between Olympics viewing, Michelle snuck in some time to make this Chicken Lillian and I'm glad she did.

When we had this chicken at Lillian's I deadpanned to Michelle, "this is something I'd eat again." The chicken is moist and has a great crunch. Almost like fried chicken, but actually better and healthier.

We did not have a side sauce with it this time, but the chicken goes well with a chipotle or Sriracha mayo.

Happy to be back and looking forward to more meals and blogging.

USA, USA!

***Sunday Night Supper (aka Sunday Nite Supper) was originally a food blog created by Michelle and her husband Joe after spending their first year together long distance. They've now incorporated it into Michelle's lifestyle blog to carry on the Sunday Night tradition. Happy eating!***