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THE Dish: Chef Edward Lee's braised brisket with bourbon-peach glaze

(CBS News) Chef Edward Lee is the chef and owner of 610 Magnolia and the recently opened Milkwood in Louisville, Ky. However, he began his life on the East Coast.

Special section: Food and wine

Lee is actually a Brooklyn native and did not discover his love of Louisville until 2003, when he attended the Kentucky Derby.

The chef was a fan favorite on Bravo's "Top Chef" during season nine, and he just released his debut cookbook, "Smoke and Pickles."

He joined "CBS This Morning: Saturday" with his own ultimate dish: braised brisket with bourbon-peach glaze as well as several other dishes.

Braised brisket with bourbon-peach glaze

Rub

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Brisket

1 flat brisket (7 to 8 pounds)

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, smashed

2 large carrots, coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Two 12-ounce bottles stout

1 1/2 cups bourbon

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

8 cups beef stock

A handful of fresh thyme leaves with small stems

Glaze

One 10-ounce jar peach jam or preserves

1 tablespoon bourbon

1/2 cup reserved braising liquid

Pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. To make the rub: mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

2. Cut the brisket in half, against the grain. Put it on a baking sheet and rub the brisket all over with the spice rub. Don't be gentle with it - use all the rub in the bowl. Let stand in the refrigerator for 2 hours to give the brisket a quick cure.

3. Position a rack in the upper-third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. In a rondeau or a large, shallow pot big enough to hold both brisket pieces in one layer, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions pick up a little color. Transfer the onions and garlic to a plate.

5. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot and heat until it's nearly smoking. Add the brisket, fat side down, and allow it to brown, untouched, for 5 to 6 minutes. Lift one corner of the brisket and check it; it should be nicely browned. Using tongs, flip both brisket pieces.

6. Add the onions and garlic to the pot, along with the carrots, celery, tomatoes, stout, bourbon, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, beef stock and thyme leaves and bring to a simmer over high heat.

7. Cover the rondeau with a double layer of aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 4 1/2 hours. Resist the temptation to peek under the foil. Remove the pot from the oven and slowly pull back the foil. The brisket should be very tender to the touch but still hold its shape. Transfer the brisket to a platter and tent it with foil to keep it moist.

8. Strain the braising liquid. Reserve some of the cooked vegetables and 1/2 cup of the braising liquid for the glaze and return the rest to the rondeau. Turn the heat up to high and reduce the braising liquid for about 15 minutes.

9. Meanwhile, to make the glaze: combine the peach jam, the bourbon and the strained braising liquid in a blender and blend until a smooth puree forms. Season with the salt and pepper.

10.When the brisket has cooled a bit, using a sharp paring knife, score the fat side of the brisket by making slits about 1/4-inch deep in a crosshatch pattern.

11.Preheat the broiler. When the braising liquid has reduced, return the brisket to the rondeau, fat side up. The liquid should only come about three-quarters of the way up the brisket so that the meat is submerged but the fat is exposed; this is very important, so if it is not the case, take the brisket out and reduce the liquid as necessary. Glaze the top of the brisket with the peach glaze, using 3 to 4 tablespoons. Transfer the rondeau to the broiler and check frequently; you want to brown the glaze without burning it; it should take only about 4 to 5 minutes.

12. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Slice against the grain into thick slices and place on a large platter. Ladle some of the braising liquid around the brisket. Drizzle a little bit more of the peach glaze over the brisket and serve with the reserved cooked vegetables.

Collards and kimchi

1 tablespoon lard or bacon fat

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onions

1 1/2 cups diced country ham (about 10 ounces)

1 1/2 pounds collard greens, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) red cabbage-bacon kimchi or store-bought, chopped

1. Heat the lard and butter in a medium pot over high heat. Once the butter starts to foam, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, or until they get a little color.

2. Add the ham and cook for 3 minutes until it is crispy but not too brown.

3. Add the collards, chicken stock and soy sauce, cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Taste the collards: they should be tender but still have a little chew to them.

5. Add the vinegar to the greens and cook for 1 minute.

6. Toss the kimchi into the pot with the greens. Mix together and serve immediately, juices and all.

Braised bacon rice

8 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice (see note)

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery, plus 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup tomato juice

1 cup carolina or other long-grain rice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over low heat until it has rendered most of its fat, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, chopped celery and the garlic and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning the bottom of the pan.

2. Add the mustard, cayenne and paprika and stir, then add the chicken stock and tomato juice and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir and lower the heat to a slow simmer. Let the rice cook, uncovered, for about 16 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

3. Add the chopped celery leaves, butter and salt and pepper to taste to the rice. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Bourbon sweet tea

3 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

2 or 3 black tea bags

1 lemon, sliced into wedges

1 lime, sliced into wedges

1 orange, sliced into wedges

1 cup bourbon

Lemon wheels for garnish

1. To make the tea: combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the sugar water into a jar, add the tea bags, and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you want your tea. (if you like your tea very strong, leave the bags in the tea for longer.)

2. Remove the tea bags and add the lemon, lime and orange wedges. Pour in the bourbon. Cover the jar and chill.

3. Serve in small glasses and garnish with thin lemon wheels.

Whiskey ginger cake with pear salad

Cake

1/2 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola

10 tablespoons

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (use a microplane)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

4 cups cake flour, sifted

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

Frosting

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup good-quality whiskey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Two 1-pound boxes powdered sugar

Garnish

1 anjou pear

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

Unsprayed borage blossoms (optional)

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.

2. To make the cake: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the oil, butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the grated ginger and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.

3. Combine the buttermilk and coconut milk in a small bowl. Whisk together the cake flour, baking soda and ground ginger in a large bowl.

4. Alternating between them, slowly add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, mixing on medium-low speed until well-blended.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

6. To make the frosting: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the whiskey and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth. Turn the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing until smooth. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

7. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake stand or a serving plate. Using a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the layer. Place the second layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. Smooth out the sides, but don't worry about making it too perfect.

8. Just before serving, core the pear, slice into thin rounds and matchsticks and toss with the lime zest and juice. Decorate the top of the cake with the pear and finish with a few borage blossoms, if desired. Slice and serve. The leftover cake will stay moist, well wrapped, in your refrigerator for at least 3 days.

Bacon candy and curried cashews

6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, diced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup cashews

2 teaspoons madras curry powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until most of the fat has rendered and the bacon has started to get crispy. Drain off all but about a tablespoon of the bacon fat into a small bowl; reserve.

3. Add the sugar to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until it has coated the bacon and the bacon starts to look shiny. Add the cashews, curry powder, cayenne, salt and black pepper and toss together to coat the nuts. If they seem a little dry, add another teaspoon of bacon fat and toss to coat.

4. Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

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