Chef Jacques Gautier of Palo Santo

Plantains Stewed in Coconut Milk

Jacques — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:41:33 +0000

Catch my cooking demo this Thursday, May 2nd at 7:30pm at the Park Slope Food Coop. Here is a sneak peak at a recipe for one of the dishes that you’ll learn how make!

This is by far our most popular vegetarian dish at Palo Santo and it’s also a staff favorite. We usually serve it with fresh mustard greens, or okra mixed in and side of jasmine rice, but I personally like to eat it with a piece of fish on top.

Yellow Plantains Stewed in Coconut Milk

feeds four as a main course or more as a side dish

4 yellow plantains (peeled and cut into 1” pieces)

2 oz Olive Oil

1 small onion (peeled and chopped)

4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)

hot pepper to taste (seeded and chopped)

1 oz ginger (minced)

1 large tomato (chopped)

½ cup dry white wine

1 can coconut milk

a few sprigs cilantro

cooked rice

salt to taste

1) Heat the olive oil in a pot.

2) Add the onion, garlic, hot pepper, and ginger.

3) Sautee until the onion begins to brown and then add the tomato.

4) Deglaze with the wine and then add the coconut milk.

5) Add the plantain and simmer in the coconut milk until reduced by half.

6) Serve the stew over rice and garnish with cilantro.

*Add greens or put a piece of roasted fish on top if you like.

Picante de Mariscos

Jacques — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:51:32 +0000

This is one of my all time favorite dishes to make and I recently had a request for the recipe. A good Peruvian style chile paste is the secret to the rich and spicy sauce that coats the clams, mussels, shrimp or whatever shellfish you use. At Palo Santo we make our own chile paste. If you are ambitious you can make a batch at home, or you can visit a South American grocery store and buy a jar. There are a few different types. Pasta de Aji Panca has a nice deep earthy flavor, dark red color and a warm medium hot spice. Pasta de Aji Amarillo is yellow and usually a bit more mild. Pasta de Aji Rocoto is the most intense and spiciest of them.

Picante de Mariscos is a rich and creamy dish that you can make with either coconut milk or heavy cream. It’s somewhat reminiscent of chowder and easy to adopt as comfort food. Serve it as a main course over a big bowl of rice, or as a first course with good bread. And don’t forget the beer! You’ll need something cold and frothy for all of that spice. The other day I included this dish in a tasting at Palo Santo and paired it with Ithaca White Gold.

Picante de Mariscos

feeds 8 people as a main course or more as an appetizer

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic (peeled and sliced)

½ small onion (peeled and chopped)

1 small hot pepper (seeded and chopped)

¼ cup chile paste

½ tsp ground chile powder

½ tsp ground cumin

½ cup dry white wine

1 can coconut milk or heavy cream

¼ cup cracker crumbs

salt to taste

2 dozen little neck clams

1 lb. mussels (cleaned)

½ lb. calamari (cleaned and cut into rings)

1 lb. shrimp (peeled and devaned)

4 ears of corn (shucked, rinsed, broken in half)

1 medium yuca (peeled, cut into eight pieces and boiled until soft)

2 yellow plantains (peeled, quartered and boiled for 15min)

4 small potatoes (boiled until soft and cut in half)

Lime wedges

Cilantro

Cooked rice

In a large sauce pot, sweat garlic, onion and hot pepper in olive oil over medium heat.

Add chile paste, chile powder and cumin.

Add the clams because they will take longer to cook than the rest of the shelfish.

Deglaze with white wine and add Coconut milk or heavy cream.

Add the cracker crumbs and stir to thicken.

Season with salt to taste.

Bring up to a slow boil and add the remaining shellfish, corn, yuca, plantains and potatoes.

Allow to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until all of the mussels’ shells have opened and the corn is cooked.

Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Serve with rice.

Dine In Brooklyn Menu for tonight!

Jacques — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:23:16 +0000

Brooklyn Restaurant week is in full swing! $28 gets you a three course meal! Tonight you can choose from any of the appetizers and main courses posted below.

And don’t forget brunch tomorrow: 2 brunches for $20.13

Call us for reservations: 718 636 6311

First Course Choice of:

Tortillas & Avocado

Chile Poblano Soup

Chayote Salad

Ceviche

Cactus Quesadilla

Tacos de Pollo

Anticuchos

Main Course Choice of:

Coconut Plantain Stew

Pan Roasted Pollock

Picante de Mariscos

Hot Fried Chicken

Pato en Mole Poblano

Grass-fed Skirt Steak

Dessert Tasting

The Garden Comes Back to Life… Slowly.

Jacques — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:12:59 +0000

Wild Chickweed sticks out from between the rows of Parsley and Celery

Now is the time of year that I begin to make more regular visits up to our roof top garden. After winter break, digging in the dirt returns to the Palo Santo daily routine! It’s time to turn over the freshly thawed compost and get the planters ready for seeding mustards, collards, kales and other hearty greens that will be on our menu in a month or so.

Sorrel turns red after the winter frost.

Weeding is a painstaking task that requires a careful eye. You gotta know what’s edible and what’s not. Pull out the grass but save dandelions for salads!

Last Summer’s Strawberry plants survived!

Thanksgiving Dinner Menus

Jacques — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 03:55:47 +0000

Thanksgiving dinner at your home or ours?

This year Fort Reno will celebrate it’s first Thanksgiving by smoking Heritage Turkeys that you can take home with all the fixings. Come pick up your order or stay at home and let us deliver it to you.

At Palo Santo we will be continuing the tradition of braising turkey in mole poblano. Get the family together and reserve a table for a decadent four course Thanksgiving meal. Main course options will include turkey, fish, vegetables or lamb. Details are below…

FORT RENO

Smoked Heritage Turkey to-go with all the fixings

Open 12 noon – 6pm

Pick it up or we’ll deliver it free

$35 per person *8 person minimum

Email us to order your turkey: fortrenobbq@gmail.com

Menu:

BBQ Smoked Heritage Turkey

Giblet Gravy

Apple Cranberry Chutney

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Sausage Stuffing

Bourbon Carrots

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

PALO SANTO

Thanksgiving dinner 2pm – 8pm

Parties of any size

Adults $60 – Kids $30

Call us for reservations (718) 636-6311

MENU:

First Course

Pepian Verde / pumpkin seeds / tomatillo broth / tortillas

Second Course

Bitter Greens / sherry vinegar / anchovy / parmesan / lemon confit

Seared Yellofin Tuna / mushroom ceviche / scallions / chile aioli

Aguacate Relleno / sweet potato / pomegranate / rajas / bread crumbs

Anticuchos de Pavo

Third Course

Vegetable Pot Pie / roots & greens / cream / stout gravy

Fish Curry / hand rolled dumplings / coconut milk / jasmine rice

Heritage Turkey / braised dark meat in mole poblano or roasted white meat with traditional fixings

Roasted Lamb Chops / cauliflower / raisins / jerk rub

Dessert Tasting

Chilean Wine Dinner with Casa Marin

Jacques — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:32:17 +0000

DETAILS:

Dinner at Palo Santo with Winemaker Felipe Marin

Thursday, October 11th – 8:00pm

Five Course Menu with Wine Pairings

$75 per person

R.S.V.P. 718.636.6311

KITCHEN COLLABORATION:

Chef Jacques Gautier

Jean Francois Bonnet of Tumbador Chocolate

MENU:

2011 Sauvignon Blanc Cartagena

Oyster Ceviche / Maiz Tostado / Watermelon Pickle

2009 Riesling Cartagena

Encocado de Camarón / Head-On Shrimp / Peanut / Coconut / Sofrito

2010 Pinot Noir Cartagena

Grilled Swordfish / Caramelized Cipollini Onions / Chicory / Mushrooms

2004 Pinot Noir Casa Marin

Smoked Duck Breast / Bourbon / Cocoa / Pastel de Choclo

2005 Syrah Casa Marin

Desert by Jean Francois Bonnet of Tumbador Chocolate

5 Brooklyn Chef’s at the James Beard House!

Jacques — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:11:52 +0000

Late Tomato and Bread with Olive Oil–Cured Cheese and Za’atar
Ajo Blanco> Andalusian Almond Gazpacho with Maine Sweet Shrimp
Croqueta de Puerro y Apio > Crispy Celery and Leek Croquettes
Pericana de Aloy > House-Cured Salt Cod with Cod Emulsion, Nora Peppers, and Jamon de Bellota XO Sauce
Pincho Moruno > Moorish Lamb Skewers
Papa Rugá > Canary Island-Style Salt-Baked Potatoes with Mojo Rojo and Mojo Verde

Dinner

Joseph Aponte, Littleneck

Steamed Littleneck Clams with Morcilla, Apple, and Shallot
Burgans Albarino 2011

Jacques Gautier, Palo Santo and Fort Reno

Barbecued Bunny with Hot Pickled Vegetables and Fried Green Tomatoes
Gassier Cercius Blanc Costieres de Nimes 2011

Dale Talde, Talde

Lamb Kare-Kare
Steltzner Vineyards Claret 2009

Fany Gerson, Dough

Assorted Doughnuts
Cossart Gordon 5-Year-Old Bual

What’s Growing up on the Palo Santo Rooftop Garden?

Jacques — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:47:07 +0000

It’s only mid-May, but it already feels like Summer in Brooklyn. Lots of sunshine and plenty of rain have us off to big growing season this year. Plus, the winter was mild so a lot of plants wintered over well.

Getting up there.

Bunnies eating clover on the green roof.

Squash vines grow out of our compost bins and they are already heavy with blossoms.

Tomato Plants are showing little yellow flowers, a sign of fruit to come.

Onions, Borage and Salad Greens

Mustard Greens of all Colors

A radish grows in Brooklyn.

The Smoker-Bike… Part uno.

Jacques — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:39:02 +0000

So, the store goes a little like this…

We build and open a BBQ joint across the street from Palo Santo and start doing delivery. A cool looking cargo bike is for sale on craigslist. We buy it, but then it never gets used. It’s big and clunky, and our bbq deliveries are never more than a few pounds at a time. The delivery dude prefers his own bike over the cargo bike.

The cargo bike seemed like an unnecessary purchase… Until, a stroke of genius and we come up with the idea to build a mobile barrel smoker and mount it onto the bike! I sat around with the idea in my head for a few weeks, and then last Monday I decided that the time had come.

After a little research I found a shop out in Bushwick that sells used steel barrels. I paid them a visit and brought a couple barrels home. We come up with a design and the next day start cutting, welding and grinding.

I cant wait to get this thing fired up! We already have a Palo Santo / Fort Reno staff picnic in Prospect Park planned as soon as the bike-smoker construction is complete! Check back with me here for updates…

Palo Santo Beer Dinner with Peak Organic – April 25th

Jacques — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:08:19 +0000

And here’s the menu:

Crab & Sea Urchin Tostada, Crema & Pickled Habanero

Amber

Seared Striped Bass, Mashed Fava Beans & Radish Salad

Simcoe Spring

Dandelion & Mushroom Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

IPA

Green Curry Lamb, Jasmine Rice & Seared Ramps

Nut Brown

Stout & Chocolate Pudding, Hazelnut Praline & Whipped Cream

Oak Aged Stout

menu subject to change