There’s more to a book about bones than you might suspect. Other than the wonderful stocks to be made from simmering them until they’re, oh dear, bone dry, there is lore galore, as Aussie chef and author Jennifer McLagan tells us in her delightful new book, “Bones.”
Those who have dined at The Fort in Morrison and experienced the decadent joy of scraping marrow bones need no introduction. They are probably also the people who insist upon bones being left in their chicken breasts, thighs and roasts. They understand the flavor that leaches out of minuscule crevices to marinate the meat surrounding them. They make their own stock with fish bones. They appreciate the depth and complexity that emanates from the presence of bones.
The best part of the Thanksgiving turkey will always be the soup made with a turkey carcass simmered to a fare-the-well, enhanced by leftover giblet gravy and seasonal vegetables. A ham bone flavors the best bean soup. Scotch broth rises to its best with lamb bones; roasted veal and beef bones endow minestrone’s flavor.
McLagan’s book is also rich with lore: bones once used as ice skates; the proportions of bone ash in bone china; how the modern game of jacks evolved from an ancient game of knucklebones.
– Ellen Sweets
Four Bones in One Pot
Sometimes we forget how good food can be. This recipe has vegetables and three different cuts of meat all in one pot, plus there is the added bonus of creamy rich marrow bones. Delicious. Perfect. All you need is a bottle of good wine and some bread to sop up the sauce. Plan ahead because the meat is marinated overnight before it is cooked, then the dish is refrigerated overnight so all the fat can be removed and the flavors can blend. From “Bones: Recipes, History and Lore.”
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. Pour the wine into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat so the wine bubbles gently. Tip the saucepan slightly away from you, and using a long match, carefully light the wine. Let the wine bubble and burn, then, once the flames die out, light the wine again. Continue lighting the wine until it no longer burns. (This method burns off the alcohol in the wine). Pour the wine into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl, and leave it to cool; there will be about 2 1/2 cups (625 ml).
2. Using kitchen scissors, make a cut through the membrane that surrounds the shank to prevent the meat from curling as it cooks. Tie a piece of string around the shank to keep the meat in place. Cut the slab of short ribs in half. Place the shank, short ribs, and oxtails in a large shallow dish. Add one of the sliced onions, one of the sliced carrots, the celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves.When the wine has cooled to room temperature, add 1/4 teaspoon of the nutmeg to it and pour over the meat and vegetables. Turn the meat and vegetables to coat, then cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once or twice.
3. One hour before cooking, remove meat from the refridgerator. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150C). Remove the meat from the marinade and drain on paper towels. Strain the marinade through a sieve into a measuring cup; reserve the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and discard the vegetables.
4. Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the meat in batches, transferring it to a plate as it browns.
5. Add the remaining onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Pour in the strained marinade, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pot by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the stock, tomato paste, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg to the pan along with the reserved garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, and stir well.
6. Add the shank, the oxtail pieces, and then the rib pieces on top, bone side up. Cover with a damp piece of parchment paper and then the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
7. Meanwhile place the marrow bones in a bowl of ice water to cover and add 2 tablespoons salt. Refrigerate them for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water 4 to 6 times and adding 2 tablespoons salt to the water each time.
8. Add the remaining carrots and the whole mushrooms to the pot and continue to cook, covered, for 2 hours or until all the meat is tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a dish. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a bowl, and add the carrots, onions, and mushrooms to the meat; set the cooking liquid aside. Allow to cool, cover, then refrigerate the meat and the liquid separately overnight.
9. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150C). Remove the meat and the cooking liquid from the refrigerator. Discard the layer of fat from the sauce. Slice each rib piece in two. Remove the string from the shank and cut the meat into 4 pieces, reserving the bone.
10. Place all the meats and bone from the shank in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and add about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour over the meat and vegetables, cover, and place in the oven for 1 hour, or until heated through.
11. Meanwhile, drain the marrow bones. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the marrow bones and poach gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the marrow is hot in the center when tested with a metal skewer and there is no resistance. Drain them on paper towels, then add them to the Dutch oven.
12. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, divide the meat and vegetables among four shallow soup bowls, giving each diner a piece of oxtail, shank, rib and a marrow bone. Ladle over the cooking liquid, and serve with fleur de sel.
Split Pea Soup with Chestnuts
Serves 10 to 12
I grew up with the comfort and warmth of my mother’s pea soup on cold days, so on one bone-chilling day, I ordered it for lunch in a Paris restaurant. It was delicious and restorative, and I felt better with each mouthful – but it wasn’t anything like my mother’s soup. What were those brown bits floating in it, mushrooms? No, they were sweet, floury chestnuts, an inspired addition. This soup is delicious with or without chestnuts.
You can roast your own chestnuts for this soup, but cooked chestnuts are readily available vacuum-packed or canned in gourmet shops and grocery stores. If you buy the canned ones, be sure they are unsweetened. From “Bones, Recipes, History and Lore”
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. Put the peas in a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Place the peas, ham bone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme in a large stockpot. Add 10 cups water and bring slowly to a boil. Skim off the foam that has risen to the top, reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone and the split peas are very soft. Remove from heat.
2. Carefully remove the ham bone, bay leaves, and thyme from the soup, making sure you don’t leave the knuckle or any bone splinters behind. Let the bone cool, then remove any remaining meat and dice or shred it.
3. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender or food processor. Pour into a clean saucepan, stir in the meat, and season with salt and pepper. Add the chestnuts, if using. Reheat gently and check the seasoning.
Tip: No ham bone? Use a small smoked ham hock. Add an extra 2 cups water, because the collagen in hock will make the soup thicker. Use only 1/2 cup of the meat from the hock for the soup, and keep the rest of it for a dish of lentils or beans.
Grilled Quail with Sage Butter
Quail qualifies as fast food. Farm-raised quail are tender, requiring only a short time in the marinade. If they are spatchcocked, they cook in about fifteen minutes. Ask your butcher to do this, or do it yourself. Sage is a good match for any poultry, and especially quail. Fresh sage can be soft and furry, but when your fry the leaves in butter, they crisp right up, improving their texture and flavoring the butter at the same time. From “Bones, Recipes, History and Lore.”
INGREDIENTS
4 quail, about 6 ounces each, spatchcocked (see above)
DIRECTIONS
1. Remove the wishbones from the quail, then pat dry. Place on a cutting board, skin side up, and using your palm, press down on each bird to break the breastbone: you will hear it crack. Fold the neck flap under each bird and secure ina position with the wing tips by bending the wings under the bird. Place the birds in a single layer in a shallow dish.
2. Mix the olive oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Finely shred 4 of the sage leaves and add them to the oil. Pour the oil mixture over the quail, turning the birds to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
3. While the birds marinate, prepare the sage garnish and butter. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, when hot, add the remaining 12 sage leaves and the cold butter. Cook the leaves, turning until crisp and dark green, about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the leaves to paper towels to drain, and quickly pour the sage butter into a glass measuring cup to cool. If your butter becomes too cold (it should be liquid), reheat it gently while the quail cook.
5. Prheat the grill to medium. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the quail, place them skin side down on the grill, and cook for 8 minutes, giving the quail a quarter-turn at 4 minutes. Then turn the quail over and cook for another 8 minutes, or until just cooked; they should still have a touch of pink when pierced at the breast.
6. Transfer the quil to a platter, pour 2 tablespoons of the sage butter over them and let them rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil.
7. While the quail are resting, turn the grill to high. Brush the bread with the remaining flavored butter and grill lightly on both sides.
8. Place a piece of grilled bread on each plate, put the quail on top, and pour over any remaining butter and grill lightly on both sides.
