Chef On A Shoestring

Brad Steelman
Pershing Square

3 large golden beets
1 bunch arugula
4 ounces goat cheese
8 ounces apple cider
1 ounce cider vinegar
3 ounces salad oil
1 shallot, minced
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Wash beets and toss with 1 ounce of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a covered pot in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for one hour or until fork tender. Allow beets to cool. Peel, trim and slice.
2. To make the dressing, in a small non corrosive sauce pot over medium heat, reduce the apple cider until syrupy. Place half of the syrup in a mixing bowl and reserve the rest at room temperature. Add the shallots and vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, arrange the sliced beets on four salad plates in a circular fashion, (this can be done ahead of time)season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining reduced vinegar. Toss the arugula greens in the dressing and place in the center of the beets. Warm goat cheese in the broiler for a few minutes and place on top of the greens.

1 3-4 pound chicken
2 large carrots, peeled and cut in large dice
1 parsnip, peeled and cut in large dice
8 small boiler onions, peeled
1 small celery root, peeled and cut in large dice
2 Red Bliss potatoes, washed and cut into large dice
10 green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths and blanched
4 cremini mushrooms, washed and quartered
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 quarts cold water

Pie Dough:
½ pound all purpose flour
4 ounces cold butter, diced
2 ounces cold water
1 teaspoon salt

For the pie dough:
In a mixing bowl place flour and salt, incorporate butter until mix is granular, add water and mix to dry consistency. Allow to chill for one hour, then roll out to 1/8 inch thick and large enough to cover top of crocks and seal sides.

Make a roux by placing 2 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons of flour and cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes over medium heat, hold at room temperature.

1. In a large sauce pot over medium heat place seasoned chicken, cover with water and simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except for the green beans and simmer 15 minutes more. Remove chicken from the liquid and allow to cool enough to handle and remove the meat from the bone. Reserve the drumsticks for garnish. Continue to simmer the liquid and vegetables until reduced by half. Add the roux and stir to thicken. Mix in the green beans, remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Large dice the chicken meat and divide it among four oven proof crocks, spoon over the vegetables mixture evenly disbursing the ingredients. Top the crock with pie dough disc, brush with egg yolk, season and place i pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.

1. In a large sauce pot over medium heat place all the ingredients except the egg yolks and 11/ ounce os the sugar. As soon as it reaches a boil, remove it from the heat.
2. In a large mixing bowl place the egg yolks and the remaining sugar. Temper the mixture into the hot liquid and pour through a sieve into four small ramekins. Fill the ramekins no more than 2/3 of the way up.
3. Place the filled ramekins in a roasting pan and place in the oven. Carefully add warm water to the roasting pan until water comes half way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 350 degree for 50 minutes or until the creme brulee shake like jell-o. The tops will not brown.
4. Allow to cool at least one hour, cover the surface of each brulee with a thin layer of superfine sugar and burn the top with a propane kitchen torch or under the broiler for 5 minutes. Serve at once.