From meats to cheeses, these fruit concoctions add a little kick to your menu.
By JOAN BRUNSKILL
Published March 22, 2006
NEW YORK - Fruit condiments or compotes have a place on the menu in any season, says executive chef Dante Boccuzzi of Aureole, Charlie Palmer's New York City restaurant.
He makes the fruit relishes at home, too. With a new baby in the family, he says disarmingly in a recent interview, there are plenty of little baby-food jars to recycle when he makes a big batch of mostarda and puts it up like a preserve.
Boccuzzi likes to serve these fruit condiments with pork tenderloin, as in the recipes he shares here, but that's just the beginning. "Compotes like these are very versatile. They go with all kinds of meats, and with cheese, too.
"At the moment, I've developed a dried-fruit mostarda that we're pairing with a cheese plate at the restaurant. I vary the fruits I use when I'm making mostarda. Sometimes I'll use a combination of two kinds - both dried and fresh apricots, for their acidity and their sweetness."
He says he doesn't call these condiments sauces because that suggests something too smooth, and he likes to keep a chunky texture. He suggests just halving the dates in the date and cherry compote "to give it a nice color and consistency."
These fruity concoctions are related to relishes or chutneys, Boccuzzi says, although his use of mostarda, the Italian word for such condiments, hints at his heritage and love of Italian food, which influence his work. His wife is Italian and they both have family there, although he was born in the United States.
"The mostarda idea came when I was living and working in Italy," he recalls. "It was New Year's Day or Christmas, and we had a family gathering where we had various meat dishes, including a big bollito misto with a lot of different boiled meats. A mostarda was perfect with those rather bland meats."
Although Boccuzzi worked in Italy for a while, he says, "my first job was here at Aureole with Charlie Palmer," straight after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America some 15 years ago,
Since then he has worked at other places in Europe before returning to Aureole, but for all his experience, he says, "Italy is definitely still the strongest influence on the way I cook.
"I like the cleanness and simplicity of Italian food," he says. "All year round, I make pastas and other traditional things I pull from family background and other sources there."
Here are some rich, tangy variations of Boccuzzi's dried-fruit condiments matched with pork. Two of the recipes, the apricot mostarda and the date and dried cherry compote, are suggested as complements for quickly pan-roasted pork tenderloin.
Quick Pork Tenderloin Medallions
One 12-ounce pork tenderloin, cut into six 2-ounce medallions
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat; sear the meat golden-brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes each side, and let rest.
Makes 2 servings.
Source: Dante Boccuzzi, executive chef, Aureole, New York
Apricot Mostarda
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup whole yellow mustard seeds
2 cups dried chopped apricots
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish
Combine sugar and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add mustard seeds and dried apricots; bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until mixture is reduced to a syrup consistency, about 45 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard and horseradish; cool.
Makes at least 4 cups.
To serve: Prepare the pork tenderloins as described in the Quick Pork Tenderloin Medallions recipe.
Divide between two plates. Top with 2 tablespoons of the apricot mostarda.
Makes 2 servings as main dish.
Note: Remaining mostarda is great as an accompaniment to a cheese plate, or with any grilled or roasted poultry. If you wish, you can mix in some chopped fresh fruit, such as peaches, to lighten its intensity.
Source: Dante Boccuzzi, executive chef, Aureole, New York
Date and Dried Cherry Compote
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small shallot, chopped
1 cup dried halved dates
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried golden raisins
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 cups medium-sweet Riesling wine
1/2 cup ruby port wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add shallots and sweat (cook gently) until soft, about 10 minutes. Add dried fruit, vinegar, Riesling and port; cook until all the liquid evaporates, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a food processor; puree until smooth. Return to pan and reheat, to serve warm.
Makes 2 cups.
To serve: While compote is reducing, prepare pork tenderloin as described in the Quick Pork Tenderloin Medallions recipe. Set aside. Right before serving, reheat pork quickly over medium-high heat (about 2 minutes). Divide pork between two plates. Top with ? cup compote per serving.
*: Remaining compote will keep in an airtight container in refrigerator for 1 week. The compote goes well with any grilled or roasted pork or poultry.
Source: Dante Boccuzzi, executive chef, Aureole, New York
[Last modified March 22, 2006, 08:52:20]
