The Barbuto Cookbook: California-Italian Cooking from the Beloved West Village Restaurant by Jonathan Waxman

Author:Jonathan Waxman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abrams
Published: 2020-09-29T00:00:00+00:00

It has been noted by some that I cook a good bird. I suppose there are a number of factors that support this statement. Perhaps the most important is the simple truth of hours. I have devoted so much time to bird cookery that it has become a part of me.

There are, of course, many ways to cook poultry; I love poaching, which is delicious and perhaps slightly out of favor in today’s kitchens. Grilling is my absolute favorite method, and, yes, sautéing is great, albeit a bit tricky. Lastly, stewing, which is a really perfect technique for birds. Whatever method makes sense at the moment. I suggest you try them all! There are other types of poultry cookery: salt crusted, baked in clay, baked in banana leaves, etc., but for the most part these seem outside the realm of Barbuto.

I wooed my wife on a poached chicken, I made my reputation on a grilled one, and I like to roast them at home. And if I am blue, a stew it is!

Stewing is an art. The chicken, duck, or squab needs some careful butchery to achieve perfect results. Also, one should not underseason a stew. Too often stews are started too early or too late, and the result can be strange or boring. To prepare a proper stew, you should be careful with your choice of ingredients. It truly matters whether to use garlic or ginger or wine or herbs. The flavoring agents will make all the difference in the end result.

It is important to remember to finish a stew with a jolt of fresh flavor, a bit of pesto, a dash of cream, perhaps a bit of chile; all of these will help bring out the flavor.

Grilling is our national pastime. I grew up (as did many of you) with a standard backyard grill and the ubiquitous charcoal briquettes. Over the years I have cooked over campfires at 10,000 feet in altitude, on gas grills in luxurious homes where the grill had never been used, on a tiny hibachi on a porch in Topanga Canyon, and of course in an indoor fireplace or two. No matter what the grill is made of, the same technique and advice ring true. When cooking poultry on the grill, your flame cannot be too high (or too low for that matter).

Poultry likes a subtle fire that has cooled a bit from the full blast. Some patience is necessary. You need to babysit while cooking at the grill. You can’t wander off to play music or to make a cocktail. The grill could be your favorite device; however, you need to embrace its limitations. Also, ladies and gents, your grill needs to be cleaned!

Roasting birds might be the most bulletproof method. I have used tabletop miniature ovens, massive, electric deck ovens, commercial convection ovens, newfangled combi ovens, and good old-fashioned gas ovens. Regardless of the source, here are a couple of tips: preheat the oven for a minimum of an hour; this is really a prerequisite.

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