About a quarter of the way down its 444-mile southerly course from Cooperstown to Turkey Point, where it becomes the Chesapeake Bay, the Susquehanna River dips briefly from New York into Pennsylvania to go around Tuscarora Mountain then flows back north and west into Binghamton. Conklin Road, NY Route 7, follows the left bank of the river from the state line into the city before taking a right turn along the Chenango River and heading for Albany and Vermont. Every few years the river floods the homes and businesses that line Route 7, so it takes some moxie to locate here. But the irony is that the owners of Moxie Wood Fire Grill, Mark and Victoria Tedeschi, did not have that in mind when they chose the name a year before the 2006 flood put five feet of water into their restaurant just as they were about to have their grand opening. The Binghamton area is fortunate that they did have that moxie, though, because the region would be poorer without this wonderful place. Located a half dozen miles from downtown Binghamton Moxie is well worth the short drive.
The first thing that strikes you as you walk toward the door to Moxie is the tower of flame across from a couple of chairs to accommodate smokers. A nice touch that perhaps keeps such people from driving a few more miles into Pennsylvania where smoking in restaurants is, sadly, still permitted. Open the door and aroma of wood smoke greets you from the wood-fired grill and pizza oven along the far wall as you walk in. On the left is a cozy bar and lounge; on the right the spacious two-story dining room surrounded by a balcony under which are intimate booths. Over each booth is an unobtrusive sound absorbing panel that makes the sound level just right adding to the overall calm, relaxed ambience.
We were a bit early for our reservations—strongly recommended because the restaurant is often crowded—but the friendly hostess seated us promptly, cheerfully acquiescing to our request for a booth. Our waiter, Chris, was right there to introduce us to the Moxie and to take our drink orders. The menu is extensive with a unifying theme of wood fire cooking. Steaks, of course, are prominent but grilled fish and seafood are also featured. And, since Conklin, New York is well north of the surf-and-turf line (more about that in another post) various combinations are available. Besides having an impressive list of reasonably-priced bottles of wine, including a number from the near-by Finger Lakes, the menu offers an unusually broad selections of wines by the glass. There is also a fine selection of beers and bar drinks.
As is our wont, we started with martinis. Chris did not miss a beat when we ordered classic martinis, not the vodka abominations that pass for such these days. Minutes later he poured them at our table and took our dinner orders. Glenda had the mixed grill of beef tenderloin, diver scallops, and jumbo shrimp; I opted for the New York strip, rare—a personal favorite. Both came with a medley of roasted peppers, zucchini, and carrots. For a side Glenda chose fried polenta and I French fries. I could go into great detail but suffice it to say that everything was near perfection. The polenta was so good that I must try to recreate the recipe. My steak was juicy and bit chewy just as NY strip should be; Glenda raved about her mixed grill. The only minor complaint we had was that the salads arrived before we had finished our martinis. But those salads—mixed greens with croutons, grape tomatoes, and an inexplicable pepperoncini—were topped with outstanding house-made dressing. The roasted-onion dressing I had was especially nice. I should note that while we declined an appetizer the special of the night was grilled pork belly that sounded superb. Perhaps next time we will make a meal from the appetizer menu! The dessert list is short but elegant and well-suited to the rest of the menu. We shared a flour-free chocolate cake that was simply decadent.
I have to rate the dinner we had at Moxie among two or three best I have ever had in Binghamton. The bill for the two of us, including tax and tip but not the dessert that was kindly comped because it was our anniversary, came to about $125, pricy for Binghamton, perhaps, but more than reasonable for the quality of the food and service. If you are celebrating a special occasion, trying to impress out-of-town guest, or just in the mood for an excellent meal, you cannot go wrong at Moxie Wood Fire Grill.
Moxie Wood Fire Grill
998 Conklin Road
Conklin, NY 13748
Reservations: 607-237-0779
In Spain and Portugal mussels are often prepared with sausage, either chorizo or chourico respectively. I have expanded the idea somewhat to create a tasty chowder that is a meal in itself. Note that I steam the mussels in a colander over the broth. If you do not have a colander that will fit over the pot you are using for the chowder, steam the mussels separately, reserving the liquid to use in place of the water. The cream is a Québécois fillip not usually found in the Mediterranean. Leave it out if you wish.
Ingredients |
|
|
|
1½ pounds |
680 grams |
|
|
Chourico or fresh chorizo |
½ pound |
250 grams |
|
Saffron threads |
¼ teaspoon |
1 milliliter |
|
Olive oil |
2 tablespoons |
30 milliliters |
|
Onion, diced (1 medium) |
4 ounces |
120 grams |
|
Garlic, minced (4 or 5 cloves) |
½ ounce |
15 grams |
|
Pimentón (smoked paprika) |
1 teaspoon |
15 milliliters |
|
Dry sherry |
2 tablespoons |
30 milliliters |
|
Firm potatoes, diced |
1 pound |
450 grams |
|
Water |
about 2 cups |
About 500 milliliters |
|
Green beans, trimmed |
½ pound |
250 grams |
|
Salt and pepper |
to taste |
to taste |
|
Heavy cream (36%) |
½ cup |
125 milliliters |
Pick through the mussels and discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Rinse, debeard as needed, and set aside in a colander that will fit into the pot you are using for the chowder. Slice the chourico into ¼-inch (6 mm) discs. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the saffron threads and set aside to bloom.
Place the pot over medium heat and add the oil. When warm add the chourio and cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, another 5 minutes or so. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or until fragrant. Sprinkle on the pimentón, add the saffron and its soaking water, then pour in the sherry using a bit of it to rinse the bowl the saffron was in. Cook down for a couple of minutes. Add the potatoes and water to just cover them. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Place the colander of mussels into the pot and cover. Steam for about 15 minutes or until all the mussels have opened. Remove the colander from the pot and set aside over a large bowl to cool. Add the green beans to the pot, return to a boil, and let the chowder continue simmering uncovered.
When the mussels are cool enough to handle, remove the meats from their shells and add to the chowder along with any broth that has collected in the bowl. Stir in the cream and heat through. Check the seasoning again and serve hot.
Although goulash is considered the Hungarian national dish, versions of it are common throughout the Carpathian Mountains. In Hungary it is almost always made with beef and served with small egg noodles while in Poland pork is the meat of choice and the stew is served with buckwheat kasha. In fact, the Polish name of this dish, Gulasz Wieprzowy, literally means pork goulash. I especially like the flavor of the sauerkraut and the smoothness of the sour cream. The nutty flavor of the kasha rounds out a splendid meal.
Note: I use hot Hungarian paprika whereas in Poland a milder version would likely be used.
Season the flour with black pepper and dredge the pork cubes shaking off any excess. Set aside.
Melt about a tablespoon of the lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and render the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pot, leaving as much fat behind as possible, and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and adjust the fat in the pan with lard or oil to a depth of about ⅛ inch, about 3 tablespoons. Sauté the onion in the hot fat until soft and translucent but not browned, 5 or 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for a minute or two. Stir in the paprika and cook for yet another minute.
Off heat, add the pork cubes to the pot and stir to coat evenly with the onions and paprika. Pour in the beer and enough stock to cover the meat by about ½ inch. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat about an hour, less if you are using loin.
Drain and rinse the sauerkraut. Add it and the caraway seeds to the stew. Adjust the liquid with stock or water if needed and simmer over medium-low heat for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the sour cream and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve over prepared buckwheat kasha garnished with the reserved bacon.
Kasha
Most often in the United States kasha is most often synonymous with buckwheat kasha, but that is not the case in Eastern Europe where the word means simply porridge. Nonetheless here is a simple recipe for buckwheat kasha that makes a tasty alternative to rice or other grains. Called kasha gryczana in Polish, it is the authentic accompaniment for pork goulash, gulasz weiprzowy.
Note: you can usually find buckwheat kasha in the bulk foods section of any health food store or in your supermarket’s kosher foods section (although the latter is likely to be much more expensive). Be sure to buy the whole grain version; others will give you a mushy dish. Oh, and do not confuse kasha with the brand name Kashi, which is the plural.
Rinse the kasha and let it drain. Melt the butter in a saucepan with a tightly-fitting lid. Fry the kasha in the butter over medium heat until you can just start to smell its aroma, perhaps 2 minutes. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season to taste before serving.
The head of cabbage that I bought at the Vestal farmers’ market a few days ago has been eyeing me reproachfully from the back of the kitchen counter threatening to go bad if I did not put it to good use soon. A quick Internet search led me to this interesting recipe that I have adapted to what I had on hand and to a quantity suitable for two. Feel free to use more or fewer vegetables or to substitute whatever you have. As long as you have a good stock as a base it is almost impossible to ruin beef stew. By the way, the tomatoes I used really were brownish red.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat and brown the beef cubes well. Remove and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium, add a bit more oil if needed, and sauté the onion until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, a minute or two. Pour in the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, raisins, and bay leaves to the pot. Pour on the beef stock and season with salt and pepper. (Go easy on the salt as you can adjust it later if need be.) The stock will not quite cover the other stew ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for an hour, stirring from time to time.
This is Mediterranean-style stew with a light broth is perfect for a summer evening. If it seems familiar that may be because I have posted similar recipes in the past. The ingredients are simple: sausage, a protein, vegetables, and stock. The protein can be chicken thighs, as in this recipe; or it can be fish, shellfish, pork, or whatever—just do not be tempted to leave out the sausage. The vegetables, too, can be whatever you have on hand: peppers, green beans, or squash. I think the potatoes are essential, though. And the stock can be chicken, pork, vegetable, or, as here, duck. Keep the seasoning simple so that the ingredients shine through.
Four servings
Cut the chourico into ⅜-inch slices and the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the sausage until nicely browned. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
In the same Dutch oven, brown the chicken well. Remove and set aside.
Adjust the fat in the Dutch oven to about 2 tablespoons by either pouring off any excess or by adding a bit more olive oil. Add the onion, pepper, and chili if using. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or until fragrant. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot. Add the tomatoes and potatoes then return the sausage and chicken to the pot. Stir to combine. Sprinkle on the pimentón. Pour in enough stock to just barely cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Cooking longer will just make it better, so if you have the time just uncover and let simmer for a while.
The lowly sausage is, in my opinion, a thing of beauty. Nearly every culture makes them using an amazing variety of ingredients from animal blood to rice. Here in Binghamton we are fortunate to have available very good fresh Italian sausage made by Lupo’s of spiedie fame. This simple stew surrounds the spicy Italian sausage with vegetables making a filling one-dish meal perfect for a cold winter night.
Serve 2 to 4
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots as sweat for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Meanwhile brown the sausage in skillet to render out some of the fat. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the Dutch oven and cook for a couple of minutes than add the sausage, potatoes, stock, and oregano. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the green beans and continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Serve!
This year I promised to emphasize basic techniques rather than specific recipes. Stew, which is really nothing but a very thick soup, is one of the basics that turn up in every cuisine in one form or another. But all stews have a few things in common: a protein, a starch, vegetables, and sauce. Fish and shellfish, potatoes, leeks and tomatoes, and fish stock make bouillabaisse. Lamb, potatoes, peas and carrots, and roux-based gravy make Irish stew. And chourico, potatoes, green beans, and tomato sauce make a Portuguese Chourico Stew. I like to make my stews heavy on the vegetables and light on the protein because that is simply healthier and more economical. The general method for stew is to brown the meat in a pot, remove the meat and sauté any root vegetables, return the meat to the pot along with the rest of the vegetables and the sauce, cover and simmer until done. Fish stews omit the browning of the protein but otherwise follow the same game plan. That’s it. Simple.
This recipe I adapted from one at the Gasper Sausage Company’s web site. If you live in or near to New England you are probably fortunate enough to find their products in your local supermarket. Otherwise you can order them online.
Oh, and yes, I did post a similar recipe in September. This serves two generously.
Heat the oil in a suitable pot (I use a 3-quart Dutch oven) and render the chourico until nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and adjust the oil in the pan as needed. Sauté the onion until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. If there is residue stuck to the bottom of the pan, pour in a small amount of water and deglaze it with a wooden spoon.
Put the rest of the ingredients into the pot and stir to combine. Add water, about 2 cups, to just cover the vegetables. Stir in the pimentón if using. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
This French classic is beef stew at its very best. Of course with a dish this popular there are a seemingly endless number of subtly different recipes. For my starting point I went to the master, Julia Child, from whose Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York 1961) I adapted this version. Despite my having simplified it a bit it is still rather involved but the result is well worth the effort. Serve it with boiled potatoes and green peas.
Film the bottom of an enameled Dutch oven with olive oil and render the bacon over medium heat until just crispy. Remove leaving as much fat in the pan as possible. Set aside.
Toss the beef cubes with flour to coat lightly. Raise the heat to medium high and, working in batches, brown the meat thoroughly. Set aside with the bacon.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Reduce heat under the Dutch oven to medium and cook the onion and carrot until softened and starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with the Cognac and stock scraping up all the stuck bits adding a bit more stock if needed. Return the beef and bacon to the pot; add the wine and enough stock to just cover the meat. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and garlic. Bring to boil, cover, and place in the oven for about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. After 30 minutes or so check to see that the stew is at a gentle simmer and reduce or raise the heat as needed.
While the meat cooks, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set aside.
When the beef is done, empty the contents of the pot into a large strainer set over bowl or sauce pan. Remove the bay leaves and return the meat to the pot. Defat the sauce and thicken to coat the back of a spoon by boiling for a few minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Layer the prepared onions and mushrooms over the meat and pour the sauce over. Heat briefly before serving.
Heat the butter and oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté, tossing often, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. You will not be able to get them completely evenly browned but that is fine. Sprinkle with the thyme and pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently for about 30 to 40 minutes. (If you are making a stew, just pop the covered frying pan into the oven instead.) Uncover and let most of the liquid evaporate.
This Flemish dish of beef and onions braised in beer is just the thing to welcome the first frost of the year. Hearty with subtle sweet, sour, and bitter notes it goes wonderfully with buttered noodles or potatoes and glass of beer. Make plenty because it gets better with each reheating. Be sure to allow at least an hour to prepare the ingredients before the carbonnade goes into the oven because much of its special flavor is developed during the preliminary browning of the meat and onions. Also, since the meat needs to be browned at high temperature, I prefer using an unlined cast iron Dutch oven for carbonnade rather than risk damaging my enameled one.
A note on the beer: a Belgian pale ale would be the best choice for this Flemish dish but any pale to medium ale will work. I used Saranac English Pale Ale which has a more pronounced hop flavor and is thus a bit bitterer. Personally, I like my carbonnade slightly bitter but you may wish to experiment with the amount of sugar you add.
3½ pounds beef rump or round cut into 1-inch cubes
Unsalted butter
Neutral cooking oil such as Canola oil
1½ pounds yellow onions sliced ¼-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. flour (I use rice flour to avoid gluten)
2 cups brown stock or beef broth
1 12-ounce bottle of beer or ale
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp. dried
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1½ Tbsp. arrowroot or cornstarch
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
Salt to taste
Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Heat 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil in the Dutch oven over high heat. When the fat is just smoking put in a layer of beef cubes avoiding crowding. Do not stir the meat but turn it with tongs to brown well on all sides. The meat should be well caramelized. Remove to a bowl. Repeat until all the meat is done, adding oil and butter to the pan as needed.
Preheat the oven to 325° (300° for convection). Reduce the heat under the Dutch oven to medium, add another tablespoon of butter, and cook the onions, stirring regularly, until soft and medium brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until browned. Be careful not to let the flour burn. Pour in 1 cup of stock and scrape up any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Return the beef and any juices that have accumulated in the bowl to the Dutch oven. Pour in the beer and enough additional stock to just barely cover the meat. Add the herbs and generous grind of black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and braise in the oven for 2 hours, stirring from time to time. After one hour remove the cover to let the broth concentrate.
Place the Dutch oven on the top of the stove and allow to sit for few minutes, then defat by skimming the surface of the stew with a ladle or large spoon putting that liquid in a bowl or defatting pitcher. When the fat has risen to the surface, skim it off and discard it, returning the remaining broth to the pot. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the brown sugar. Mix the arrowroot or cornstarch with the vinegar, add to the pot, and bring to a boil to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with buttered noodles or parsley potatoes, a green salad, and a glass of the same beer you used in the stew.
Makes about 6 servings.
When I don’t want to go a lot of trouble for dinner I make stew. This recipe, that I adapted from one on the sausage manufacturer’s website, www.gasparssausage.com, features spicy pork chourico and fresh ingredients from the farmers’ market. Incidentally, while Gasper’s sausages (that’s all they make) are widely available in the Northeast you may not be able to find them in your local supermarket. You could substitute any spicy smoked sausage, but Gasper’s are so good I recommend ordering some online.
1 Gasper’s chourico sausage, ½ pound
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small hot chile, seeded and minced
2 cups tomato sauce, I use homemade but canned would work (see my post of September 13)
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 tsp. pimentón or paprika
8 ounces green beans, halved
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Film the bottom with olive oil and sauté the chourico for a few minutes until the fat is rendered out. Add the onion, pepper, garlic, and chile. Continue to cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, water, and potatoes. Season with pimentón. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in green beans, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve alone or with a green salad.
