Chef Mateo Blog

The holidays are upon us, and seeking out the right wines to serve with holiday meals become my primary focus, as well as some well deserved proper cocktails at some of my favorite city haunts.  Recently at Apotheke, located in Chinatown, whose cocktail list is designed by a Venezuelan consultant known for aggressive flavor profiles, I imbibed on a tomato basil libation, which sounds like a salad, but was understated.  Clean tomato, then a hint of fresh basil, surprising and effective.  I am no mixologist, save for a proper sidecar, so I need to make a holiday drink for me that is not too taxing and for the masses.

Enter eggnog, a milk and egg drink spiked with brandy or Madeira, one of the true gifts from our neighbors across the Atlantic.  Eggs and milk were very expensive during the 18th century, brandy too, so rum from the Caribbean became a natural, cost-effective substitute.  But New Americans soon switched to whiskey and bourbon, anchoring the eggnog of present day.

Good recipes travel fast, as our Mexican neighbors have a version called rompope. Originally made by the nuns of Puebla, vanilla flavoring is added and extra egg yolks, imparting a more yellowish color.  In East Harlem, at a cakery called Pasteles Capy, the Dorado family have a rompope flavored version that would sweeten any holiday table.

Heading to El Caribe, the center of rum production, variations of these eggnogs became traditional national beverages.  In Puerto Rico, the Borinquen version resides in the coquito, made with coconut and condensed milk, spiced by cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

In Haiti, the drink is called kremas, comprised of creamed coconut and often evaporated milk, which is less expensive than condensed or regular milk.  Aside from cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, anise is also added.  The following is my family recipe:

Kremas Recipe

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks
2 cans evaporated milk
4 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 can cream of coconut
1 Vanilla Bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 star anise
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated nutmeg
2 cups Haitian rum like Barbancourt

Instructions:
In a large sauce pot, add all ingredients. Whisk until well incorporated. Bring to a simmer and stir until mixture thickens. Cool down mixture for 15 minutes.  Add mixture to blender for thirty seconds.  Pour into large glass container with a lid and refrigerate for 24 hours.  Serve cold.

As the holidays are upon us, I often feel like having a large glass of egg nog.  In the Caribbean, islands have different variations and recipes for this traditional drink.  In Haiti, we drink what is called cremace.  I have many relatives in Puerto Rico, and this is the recipe we use for coquito.

Coquito Marcelin

Ingredients

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 can evaporated milk

1 can cream of coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup good rum

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp nutmeg

Directions

Quick Recipe

Blend all ingredients in a blender on high for 5 minutes.  Refrigerate.

Original Recipe

Using a double boiler, combine egg yolks and evaporated milk. Stirring constantly, cook over lightly simmering water until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Transfer mixture to a blender, and add cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, rum, water, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. Blend on high for about 30 seconds. Store in refrigerator overnight.  Serve cold.

Happy Holidays!

While looking for a respite from my beloved favorite late nite cocktail, the sidecar, I have been experimenting with other mixed drinks.  I like to make mojitos at home because I get to muddle and shake my drink.  Muddling takes some frustration out of the day, and shaking makes you feel invigorated, if not somewhat scientific. Recently I ran out of light rum and substituted tequila.  Finally I settled on some leftover vodka I had in the freezer and it worked like a charm.  My latest crave is an adaptation of a recipe by Fidel Vasquez, head bartender of Barrio Chino.  This drink will transport you to a cigar plantation in Cuba even if you’ve never been there.

Vodka Ginger Mojito

2 slices fresh ginger
¼ lime, halved
8 leaves fresh mint
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup
2 ½ ounces smooth vodka
1 tbsp light brown sugar
Seltzer or club soda

In a heavy bottomed glass, muddle ginger and mint until aromas release.

Add limes and sugar. Muddle some more.

In a shaker, add three broken ice cubes, vodka,
seltzer, lemon juice, & simple syrup.

Add muddled mixture to shaker.

Shake vigorously for ten seconds.

Serve and enjoy!

The word leftover doesn’t inspire any great enthusiasm to me. It sounds like a castaway meal. The concept of leftovers has always been foreign to me and my family, as we usually begin the Thanksgiving meal at noon, invite as many guests as possible, and continue to eat throughout the day and night. Naturally, there are no leftovers. I imagine the rationale behind leftovers is that the food may possibly improve in flavor overnight like a duck ragu, choucoutre, or cassoulet. This theory doesn’t hold well for turkey, which tends to dry out over time.

If you subscribe to leftovers, then here’s a tip to ensure that the turkey stays as moist as it should. Set aside a portion for the next day right after you carve the turkey for serving. If you leave it on the bone for several hours during the repast, the meat will dry out more quickly. Then, place the meat in a plastic container and cover with gravy. If you don’t have enough gravy, mix some with fresh stock and drippings. The turkey slices will stay moist overnight, and reheating the next day will be short and sweet. Then you can make turkey sandwiches, turkey tacos, or even recreate a shorter version of the main event.

Use the carcass for a great turkey stock.  Just simmer for a long time (at least 12 hours).  Add your mirepoix and water and behold a cure for the winter blues.

For a quick fire marinade, I whisk three cups of chicken stock with a teaspoon of achiote, a tablespoon of olive oil, four ounces of tomato paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add a cup of white or red wine. That should do the trick. The rest is up to the bird.

If you are like me, this time of year means serious cooking. But this responsibility, however fun, can be stressful if not planned correctly. Time management is the key to a successful repast. It’s not too early to start your Thanksgiving shopping. Making a comprehensive list is important, and scheduling your cooking can prove most helpful if you want to enjoy the actual meal with your family and friends.

The centerpiece of the meal is the turkey, and this should be given the most thought. In Haiti, my grandparents used to raise turkeys in their backyard, waiting until they were plump enough for roasting. Refrigeration was a luxury and frozen birds were hard to find. If you wanted a turkey, you either had to go to the marketplace or raise it at home. My grandfather would feed lemon juice to the live turkey as a disinfectant, destroying any germs and cleansing the body. Then the turkey would bathe in a four hour brine to loosen the proteins.

Haitians are used to cooking wild turkeys, but here in America, wild turkeys can prove too tough and gamy. My grandmother gave up on going to the vivero (live poultry shop) to get a fresh turkey the day before. Despite brining, she said they were too tough, and didn’t trust what they were fed while growing up. Heirloom turkeys are great but too costly.

What type of turkey should you purchase? Over the years I have experimented with many brands. With the recipe that my grandmother has passed down to me, the quality of the turkey holds less importance, but a turkey that is brined cuts out a time consuming step.

This brings us to the kosher option, which offers a brined turkey at the right price. Empire turkey fills the number one spot, and you should make every effort to seek it out. At a distant number two, Murray’s turkeys, which are sold at Fairway markets, are quite good. After these two choices, the rest of the turkeys on the market have to do with what you are used to cooking or are most comfortable with. For example, Butterball sells a brined turkey, but the brine solution and butter injection tastes somewhat artificial and unhealthy. Again, if you feel the need for a heritage turkey, beware of the quality of the meat and the possibility of toughness or gamey flavors. In the case of the turkey, more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Whichever turkey you choose, buy a large one, put it in a bowl, and let it occupy the top rack of your refrigerator for up to one week. This way you’ll pick the turkey you want, beat the long lines, and save yourself a mad scramble in the last minute. This will also allow you enough time to plan properly for my Haitian turkey recipe, in case you missed it last year.