Chef Jacques Gautier of Palo Santo

2012 Valentine’s Menu

Jacques — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:58:49 +0000

Available Saturday, February 11th – Valentine’s Day Tuesday, February 14th

$150 per couple

*Please Call For Reservations

(718) 636-6311

Oyster Ceviche or Citrus, Radish & Olive Salad

Cauliflower Soup with Popcorn Oil

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Choice of

Grilled Gulf Shrimp, Sea Urchin, Avocado & Cucumber

Artichokes a la Plancha, Mushrooms & Almond Romesco

Steak Tartare, Guajillo Aioli & Manchego Toasts

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Choice of

Guiso de Verduras, Eggplant, Okra & Chickpeas

Grilled Venison, Mole Poblano & Black Bean Sope

Swordfish, Quinoa, Endive & Grapefruit

Ropa Vieja, Arroz Verde & Sunny Side Up Egg

***

Chef’s Tasting of Desserts

Christmas Eve at Palo Santo

Jacques — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:39:27 +0000

Saturday, December 24th 2011

*******

CHRISTMAS EVE

AT PALO SANTO

Bring your friends and visiting relatives to have Christmas Eve dinner with us! Our daily changing menu will feature some very special holiday favorites and seasonally inspired dishes, including Free-Range Goose from Heritage Foods U.S.A. Take advantage of our thrifty $27 three course prix fixe or splurge on the five course ($55 per person) chef’s holiday tasting menu.

Here is a sampling of what we have planned:

Stewed Garbanzos

pumpkin / coconut / jasmine rice

Picante de Mariscos

mussels / shrimp / squid / chile paste

Seared Yellowfin Tuna

sweet potato / avocado / red onion

Pozole Verde

slow cooked pork / spicy tomatillo broth / chicarron

Goose 2 ways

christmas stuffing, quince paste, brussels sprouts

Dessert Tasting

paired with a glass of Alcyone Reserva

Palo Santo New Year’s Eve

Jacques — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:02:09 +0000

December 31st 2011

5:00 – 7:00 pm Three Course Prix Fixe

$45 per person

9:30pm Seven Course Tasting Menu with wine Pairings

$145 per person

Call for reservations 718.636.6311

Oyster Ceviche

-’08 Bodegas Carrau Sust Brut, Cerro Chapeu, Uruguay

Lobster Tostada

avocado / crème fraiche / homemade tortillas

-’09 Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli, Fingerlakes, NY

Grilled Swordfish

pomegranate / endive / heirloom radish

’10 Channing Daughters Sylvanus, Long Island, NY

Soupe Giraumon

slow cooked pork / stewed pumpkin / cornmeal dumplings

-’08 Heron Hill Blaufrankisch, Fingerlakes, NY

Braised Lamb

chayote gratin / red wine / root vegetables

-’06 Neyen Syrah, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin

black lentils / mushrooms / greens

-’06 Viñedo de los Vientos Ripasso de Tannat, Atlantida, Uruguay

Dessert Tasting

-’06 Viñedo de los Vientos Alcyone Reserva, Atlantida, Uruguay

TURKEY DAY FOUR: POT PIE!

Jacques — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:50:48 +0000

Time to Finish up that Turkey!

Sick of turkey sandwiches, the gravy is long gone, but the rest of that turkey day bird is still staring at you every time you open the fridge.

What to do?

…Dump it all into a Turkey Pot Pie bitch!

Here’s a recipe for the one that I just made:

Flaky Crust:

1/4 lb. all purpose flour

1/4 lb. whole wheat flour

1/4 lb. butter

1/4 lb. rendered bacon fat

1/2 tsp salt

1) In a mixing bowl, blend the flours, salt and bacon fat with your finger tips.

2) Add just enough water to keep the dough together and work it into a ball.

3) Let the dough rest in the fridge and the butter soften on the counter top for 30 minutes. (this is a good time to start making the gravy)

4) Pull the rested dough out of the fridge and put it out on a floured board.

5) Roll the dough out until it is about 1/2 inch thick.

6) Spread the softened butter on the rolled out dough.

7) Fold the dough over and roll it out again. Repeat this step three times.

8) Rest the dough in the fridge again before rolling it out for the pie.

Milk Gravy:

2 lbs roasted turkey bones broken into pieces

1 carrot peeled and chopped

1 onion peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

2 bay leaves

2 oz. butter

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1) Boil the turkey bones, carrot, onion, celery and bay leaves in just enough water to cover them. Turn down the heat and let the pot simmer for at least an hour, but more cooking time is better.

2) Melt the butter in a large sauce pan.

3) Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until it turns golden brown.

4) Deglaze with the wine and whisk while adding the cream.

5) Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk until it thickens. Remove from heat.

6) Strain the turkey stock.

7) Reduce the turkey stock to 1 cup.

8) Combine the turkey stock and the thickened cream.

Assemble the Pot Pie:

Crust

Gravy

1 lb cooked turkey meat chopped (I included the gizzards)

1 lb raw vegetables chopped (I used leeks and green beans, but you use just about any vegetable. Potatoes, squash, peas, brussels, parsnips and artichokes are all good)

salt and pepper to taste

*Preheat your oven to 375f

1) Combine the gravy, turkey and veggies.

2) Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3) Fill a 9″ pie pan with the mixture.

4) Roll the crust out in a circle just big enough to cover the pie pan with 1 inch overlapping on all sides.

5) Cover the pie with the rolled out crust and gently press down on all sides.

6) Punch a few small holes in the middle of the pie crust.

7) Bake the pie until the crust is golden brown.

Serve the Pot Pie!

Thanksgiving Menu 2011

Jacques — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:54:59 +0000

Palo Santo Thanksgiving Menu

Reservations available from 2pm to 8pm

718 636-6311

Adults $60 ~ Kids $30

First Course:

Rutabaga & Apple Soup

Second Course Choice of:

Sweet Potato Ceviche

avocado / cilantro / lime

Chicory Salad

bacon / sherry vinegar / rajas / queso cotija

Roasted Cauliflower

chimichurri / anchovy / bread crumbs

Anticuchos de Pavo

Third Course Choice of:

Chestnut Dumplings

roasted mushrooms / creamed swiss chard

Line Caught Swordfish

butternut squash / pomegranate / endive

Pavo en Mole Poblano

braised turkey / plantain stuffing / peanuts / raisins

Roasted Heritage Turkey

quince / brussels / celery root gratin

Wild Boar Shank

romanesco / parsnip puree / plum butter

Dessert:

Tasting of Three Seasonal Postres

A Letter from Araby Re: A Recent Theft at Palo Santo…

Jacques — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:49:12 +0000

MISSING:

Dear Friends of Palo Santo,

This week the Haitian license plate was removed from the Palo Santo restroom. The license plate was from Chef Jacques Gautier’s grandfather’s car in Port-au-Prince.

Palo Santo is so homey because it is filled with personal stories: Trinidad’s tile mosaics, Brett and Alonso’s tables, Lindsay’s buoy, Trudy’s juice pitchers, and my wood carving of the Haitian coat of arms. I feel lucky to be surrounded by things people cherish at a job that is important to me serving people I care about.

I have read the inscription on the license plate “la pearl des Antilles” everyday at work for three years and I find comfort in telling myself in the midst of a stressful day, “yes Haiti is a pearl.”

Please return the license plate. Drop it off, send it in the mail, slip it back in the restroom. The nails are still in the wall.

Love,

Araby

First Snow on the Rooftop

Jacques — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:47:43 +0000

Snow falling in Brooklyn in October?

I guess that’s it for this year’s growing season…

Last chance to pick the rest of the tomatillos and hot peppers!

Time to make the last batch of 2011 Rooftop Salsa…

The Lime Pie Recipe

Jacques — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:31:15 +0000

Over the past 5+ years this has by far been the favorite of all of the postres that we serve. Below is the original recipe that I wrote, and it calls for Lemons, but the fruit can be changed. I know it sounds wacky, but what about… limes! or sour oranges or even substituted with a simple syrup made with flor de jamaica!

Lemon Pie

makes ½ sheet pan

1 lb. Ginger Snaps

¼ lb. Butter

¾ cup Corn Starch

¾ cup Lemon Juice

8 Egg Yolks

2 Whole Eggs

4 lb. Sour Cream

2 lb. Cream Cheese

2 cup Sugar

4 Tbs Lemon Zest

combine ginger snaps and butter in food processor, pulse until combined. press into pie pan. bake for 10 min at 375f to set.

combine lemon juice and corn starch to make slurry. Combine yolks, eggs, sour cream, sugar, and zest. Combine slurry with lemon mixture. Whisk over low flame on a double boiler until it thickens. About 25 min. pour into shell. cool. Serve with whipped cream and some zest as garnish.

Photos from the Greenmarket

Jacques — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:25:40 +0000

Catch my cooking demos on at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket around noon on the first Saturday of every month. This month I took advantage of all of the great end of summer local produce… Corn, okra, heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs! Here are some photos and the recipe is below:

Fresh Veggies from Maxwell's and Evolutionary Organics

The Samples are ready!

Fresh Okra with Sweet Corn Succotash and Habanero Peppers

Makes 8 portions as a side dish

2 Shallots chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic chopped

1 Habanero Pepper seeded and chopped

1 Tbs Butter

1 Medium Heirloom Tomato chopped

2 Ears of Corn cut off the cob

1 Sprig Savory

1 lb. Okra whole with stems trimed

1 Tbs Pickle Juice

Salt to taste

Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium high heat and sweat the shallots, garlic, hot pepper, and tomato until it all starts to fall apart. About 10 min.

Add the corn and continue to sweat until the corn is cooked through. About 5 min.

Deglaze with the pickle juice. Add the savory and bring it all up to a simmer

Add the okra and stir while it cooks for a few more minutes. Add some salt to taste. Be careful not to over cook the okra or else it will get slimy.

Serve with rice as a vegetarian main course or as a side with meat or fish.

Rooftop Garden Photos Before the Storm

Jacques — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 23:16:16 +0000

This is what our garden looked like before the storm…

Planter Boxes

Melon

Squash Vines

Chiles

Okra

Pumpkin

Papalo