The Madison Club Kitchen

The First of Its Kind: A Pig Cooking Class

2011-04-04T14:45:00.007-05:00

When Club members Peg and Scott Meskan approached me to ask if I would teach a special pig cooking class for them and a group of their foodie friends, naturally I was thrilled. Pigs – the source of inspiration for many of the Club’s amazing meat dishes are such amazing animals, and I was delighted to get to share my knowledge with such an eager and interested group.

The evening of the class, Chef Veal and I invited the group into our kitchen for pre-class drinks and nibbles and spent some fun moments getting to know everybody. Moving over to a table in the center of the kitchen, we ceremoniously lifted a large blue cloth to reveal an entire Swabian Hall pig. In front of our curious and expectant onlookers, Chef Veal and I wasted no time and started taking the pig apart.

As we went, Chef Veal and I explained what we were doing and why. There are lots of techniques involved in breaking down a pig, and we enjoyed sharing the little-know facts about how to prepare the animal to make bacon, ham, sausage and other meat specialties. The group was a ton of fun – bravely watching us as we used up nearly every part of the pig, snapping pictures and asking lots of questions. After we finished the demonstration, Chef Veal and I prepared a 3 course meal out of the pig, that we think (based on all the smiles) everyone enjoyed.

I hope this kind of special cooking class will be the first of many. The interest and excitement that Peg and Scott and their friends demonstrated for pig class really opened my eyes to the possibility of other member-driven cooking experiences, and I welcome the opportunity to design a class for you and your friends based on your own culinary curiosities. Running around $125 per person (due to the private, personalized nature of class and the cost of ingredients involved), these classes have few limits and can be created to help you more specifically explore what you’ve always wanted to learn more about. Hope to see you in the kitchen soon!

Chef's Table - An Evening of Friendship, Fun & Fine Dining

2011-03-11T10:53:00.003-06:00

A few nights ago I had the pleasure of cooking a special meal for Annette Grosz-Ringdahl and friends at the Madison Club’s Chef’s Table. Together we shared a menu of 5 courses of food and wines that had been specially selected for the group:

FIRST COURSE
Butter poached Maine Lobster, sautéed spinach,

sake lime beurre blanc

06' Ramey "Sonoma Coast" Chardonnay- Sonoma, California

SECOND COURSE

Cream of celery root and black truffle soup, Pancetta, spinach,

and wilted celery root toast point, fried artichoke

08' Fita Preta Branca- Alentejano, Portugal

THIRD COURSE

Braised Bison Hump, sweet soy-pickled ginger marmalade, seared jumbo

sea scallop, arugula, fried shiitake mushroom

07' Jean Luc Dubois "Clos Margot" Chorey les Beaune- Burgundy, France

FOURTH COURSE
Roasted garlic and citrus crusted lamb loin,braised lamb scallion cake,

sautéed market vegetable, parsnip puree, lamb demi-glace

07' Alvaro Palacios "Camins del Priorat"- Priorat, Spain

FIFTH COURSE

Chocolate Goat Cheese Torte: Goat cheese mousse, ginger-spice cake,

fig puree, apricot Vin Santo reduction sauce

08' Bonny Doon "Vinferno"- Arroyo Seco, California

The Chef’s Table is a fantastic way to celebrate a special occasion - or to simply enjoy a one-of-a-kind meal! I have never replicated the same menu twice, so you and your group are guaranteed a unique experience. I always enjoy cooking for Chef's Tables as it is a great chance to get to know each of our members better and to be creative designing dishes and menus around their personal tastes and preferences.

At this last gathering, the dessert was actually my favorite course! Below is a picture of the delicious chocolate goat cheese torte that we had. Our new pastry chef, Judy James, is really pushing the boundaries with her creations and goes above and beyond to make new and exciting desserts for the Club.

Madison Magazine

2010-07-29T16:42:00.002-05:00

Check out a recent article in Madison Magazine reporting on the project.

WKOW Chef's Corner: Grilled Pizza

2010-07-07T08:54:00.001-05:00

Chef's Corner: Grilled Pizza - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

WKOW Chef's Corner: Stuffing Lobster

2010-07-06T13:13:00.005-05:00

WKOW Chef's Corner: Stuffing Lobster

Chef Stockner on Use of Whole Mangalitsa Pig

2010-06-21T22:13:00.004-05:00

This video might take a while to watch, but I learned quite a bit. I really enjoyed listening to how you break down and cook a whole Mangalitsa pig, the same breed that we raise at Fountain Prairie Farms.

WKOW Chef's Corner: Citrus and Fennel Seed Encrusted Wild Salmon

2010-05-27T11:15:00.003-05:00

How To Make Peking Duck

2010-05-24T18:18:00.005-05:00

We serve Peking duck at The Madison Club on a one week pre-order basis. We buy ducks from two different local farms in the Madison area. Peking duck is rather straight forward, but the procedure is a time commitment.

The first step for making Peking duck is to separate the skin from the meat. This creates a pocket for the fat to render out of the bird frying the skin while basting the meat. We have found that an air compressor works very well for this. The second step is to baste the bird with a boiling pot of soy sauce, citrus, scallion, garlic, ginger, honey, and sherry wine. The bird should be basted for about 10 minutes. This marinates the duck inside and out. After the duck is nicely basted, it is time for the bird to hang overnight to dry out the skin. A very dry duck results in beautifully crispy skin. The crispy skin is what most people look for and expect out of Peking duck. Finally, roast the duck at 375 to 400 f. on a rack. It is best to roast the duck in a convection oven on high fan. A 4 pound duck will take about 40 minutes. The duck should rest for a brief moment and served immediately.

We serve roast Peking duck traditionally with homemade crepes, orange supreme, sliced scallion, and hoisin sauce.

2010-05-13T09:35:00.004-05:00

Farms to Food Video - Click Here

Madison Club Executive Chef Dan Fox prepares a spring vegetable salad with seasonal ingredients from the Dane County Farmers' Market.

WKOW Chef's Corner: Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Walnut Crema

2010-05-13T09:32:00.001-05:00

Cocktail & Cooking Class

2010-05-09T14:05:00.011-05:00

Good friends and fantastic bartenders Nate Brown and Gabe McNeil joined us for a joint cocktail and cooking class. Guests were treated to a night of explanation and great tips for making several classic cocktails which were paired with tasty bites of food designed to complement each drink.

Chef Dan explains why we chose to serve country pate toast with jackfruit dijon verus the Sazerac cocktail. The balance of fat, floral fruit, and acid from the mustard all contribute to accenting the cocktail experience.

Pimms cups are a perfect summertime cocktail. The Pimms story is quite interesting. The cocktail is even better. A refreshing earthy lemonade laden with the season's fruit, crisp citrus, fragrant mint and cool cucumber flavors, it quenches thirst in style.

Nate explains and gets guests involved with slapping the mint to revive the oils and release the fragrance.

Gabe McNeil and Nate Brown share their excitement for cocktail work.

Scallop and shrimp ceviche worked wonderfully versus the Tom Collins.

Ramos Gin Fizz - worth the work

Hog Harvest @ Jordandal

2010-05-02T12:52:00.019-05:00

Sunday April 25 was a cool and damp morning, but that did not stop a group of about 15 from participating in the harvest of a 220 lb Berkshire barrow at Jordandal Farms. Eric and Carrie Johnson were incredibly gracious hosts, assisting us in every way requested. Along with partner Matt Walters, the Johnson's operate in the Argyle area and will be featured this summer at REAP's "Day on the Farm."

We are fortunate to be involved in the event and encourage all to attend on July 18. The farm has a wonderful diversity of stock, some quite friendly.

A dedicated group of Madison Club staff, our good friend Stephanie Izard and new friend Lee Anne Wong, a group from Chicago currently involved with Charlie Trotter's, Eric and family friend, Terry gathered around for the brief explanation of how the process would occur. We were very fortunate to have Paulius Musteikis behind the lens capturing the day with his tremendous talent.

Photos or being involved tell a far better story than words ever will, but here is a quick breakdown of the process: The animal was taken off feed and water the night before to lessen the digestive capacity. Following the dispatch by .22 the animal was stuck in the throat to bleed out and the blood was harvested for later use in charcuterie. The complete carcass was then submerged in hot water to loosen the outer layer of skin and hair.

Knives drawn at a perpendicular angle to the skin then removed the hair and skin. Once the animal was cleanly scraped, the innards were carefully removed and several organs were harvested (heart, liver, kidneys, stomach and secum). The animal was split down the spine into two halves and the process then moved indoors for the fabrication phase.

The cool weather did not stop the interested onlookers. Knowing where your meat comes from and fully understanding the way in which an animal breaks down is invaluable to cooks, whether new or old. Jason is very fortunate to have been involved in animal harvests from an early age and was able to explain the process as we went.

Lee Anne, Eric and Stephanie.

Many thanks to Eric and Carrie for the opportunity.

WKOW Chef's Corner: Flat Iron Steak with Spring Vegetable Salad

2010-04-30T11:42:00.001-05:00

WKOW Chef's Corner: Lavender Glazed Popovers

2010-04-30T11:40:00.004-05:00

WKOW Chef's Corner: Trout Meuniere with Bacon Fingerling Potato Salad

2010-04-30T11:24:00.002-05:00

Madison Club Cigar Dinner, April 14.2010

2010-04-17T09:43:00.020-05:00

It is very difficult to pair dessert with pungent cigar smoke. In the past we tried cherry tobacco smoked cheese cake; the idea fell short during r&d and led us to finishing cigar dinners with a cheese course. This past dinner we finished with a trio of cheeses and cookies that included:

Carr Valley 5 year aged cheddar served with pain d'epices,

Future Fruit Farms apple butter, and toasted pistachio

Goat cheese panna cotta served with a walnut brownie and

thyme honey

Roth Kase buttermilk blue cheese and blue cheese hazelnut

shortbread

It is always a lot of fun to have your entire team working on a table full of plates.
This plate-up took 7 people 20 minutes.
Goat cheese panna cotta prepped for service.
Coco-nib and espresso encrusted lamb chop, smoked white bean puree, rustic greens, Brussels sprout leaves, braised lamb leg, lamb bacon pickled plum reduction sauce

Red wine and beet pasta filled with cabbage and duck confit, vanilla pickled and smoked duck breast, julienne beet salad, potato mousseline, port pickled walnut duck reduction
The walnuts are pickled and braised for 6 hours in port, red wine, salt, and 12yr. aged red wine vinegar

Passed Hors d' oeuvres:
Chili and ginger braised Berkshire pork, radish fennel salad, pineapple vinaigrette

Pate de Campagne, country toast point, jackfruit mustard, pickled chayote
We use this pate quite a bit at The Madison Club. It is a pork based pate that includes duck, Fountain Prairie Farms beef, liver, herbs, spices, and cognac.
We have recently started to play around with jackfruit due to a trip to the ethnic markets in Chicago. Jackfruit carries a very unique tropical, fruity, acidic flavor. We peel and cook the fruit very slowly in simple syrup for a couple of hours. This jackfruit "jam" has been finding it's way into many creative preparations in the kitchen.

Roth Kase Cheese Photo Op

2010-04-11T07:10:00.003-05:00

Goat cheese spring roll, late summer green salad, fresh berries, pickled rhubarb

Buttermilk blue cheese wonton, black mission fig, currant dipping sauce

Chef Jason Veal's Bread

2010-04-06T23:10:00.006-05:00

Tortone:

Potato enriched roasted garlic Italian loaf

A sampling of sourdough, tortone and enriched rolls

Caramelized onion, stout, walnut sour dough

Asiago and grains of paradise sourdough

Basic Sourdough - just four ingredients,

24 hour development proof, 3 year-old starter

UW Slow Food Dinner

2010-04-06T11:46:00.017-05:00

Jason and I volunteered to take part in a UW Slow food dinner at a local church where we helped to feed just over 100 people. We put together a menu that included one of my favorite dishes, coq au vin along with scotch eggs, and a vegetable gratin. It was fun to work with all of the volunteers that continually take a tremendous amount of pride in helping out with the UW Slow Food dinners. I have to quickly thank them again for their help. We had a great time and look forward to helping out again soon. Please visit this site to get more details.

Roasted root vegetable, Roth Kase aged gruyere gratin. Vegetarian option at a UW Slow food dinner this past winter. This dish is also featured from time to time in the fine dining room as a vegetarian option.

American Liver Foundation Charity Event, Minneapolis March 21.2010

2010-03-28T13:38:00.013-05:00

Sarsaparilla smoked squab breast, red wine beet pasta, duck confit foie gras filling, roasted garlic spinach puree, squab jus, sugar cured orange pancetta marmalade

The sarsaparilla smoke was concieved during the planning of an Ancien wine dinner. The Pinot Noir that was being paired had notes of licorice and root beer. Jason and I have ambitions of making a from scratch root beer syrup. We had the sarsaparilla root in the office which inspired the idea of cold smoking fowl.

To make the red wine beet pasta, we reduce down beet juice and red wine into a concentrated syrup, which was then folded into our traditional pasta recipe. The end result is a brilliant red home-made pasta that also pairs well with an earthy red wine.

The orange pancetta marmalade is one of the most complex yet simple recipes that we have recently created. The pancetta is home-made from a whey fed Berkshire pig. The procedure for the oranges is explained in the following video. I had never tasted these oranges before, only heard of them through colleagues. It has literally taken me 3 years to finally figure out how to make these delicious candied oranges.

Pan seared Bluenose grouper, star anise beef tendon broth, poached baby bok choy, seared mushrooms, mixed radish shaved beef tendon salad

When I was in Manhattan, I had the privilege of eating at Chef David Chang's Momofuku; I highly recommend it. One of the most memorable dishes was a shaved beef tendon salad with a white soy vinaigrette. I had very little experience with beef tendon up until that point. Naturally, I was determined to figure out how they made this salad. Through beef tendon r&d we became very intrigued with the gelatinous property of the braising liquid, which then turned into the star anise broth for the grouper.

Bittersweet chocolate beet cake, raspberry creme anglaise, beet reduction, chocolate hazelnut sauce, candied beet chips

This chocolate beet cake was one of my favorite dishes that came out of The Madison Club's pastry kitchen this past winter. At first I was a touch skeptical of the idea when I tried the beet cake on it's own. The cake carries a lot of the typical earthy notes that you would expect out of a beet. The beet cake becomes a very dynamic dessert when paired with an acidic berry sauce, chocolate sauce, and a creamy anglaise or ice cream.

Originally this dish was devised to pair with an old vine zinfandel. We have been playing around quite a bit with wines outside of the traditional dessert designation to pair with desserts.

Favorite dishes from the winter season

2010-03-25T09:10:00.005-05:00

Small Plate: Star anise and pink peppercorn encrusted Kajiki, crispy Berkshire pork belly, mango pineapple compote, espelette pepper, verjus reduction

This dish was originally created in the early summer of '08 with a strawberry rhubarb compote. The combination of sweet and sour pairs well with the pork belly and Kajiki.