Cindy Pawlcyn, Mustards Restaurant

Dining with Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
Mustard’s Restaurant
Napa, California
October 8, 2011
Classic American dishes with a gourmet twist come fresh off the grill and straight from the organic
garden at Chef Cindy Pawlcyn's original Napa Valley restaurant.
Named after the mustard flowers that bloom in Napa's vineyards every spring, this bustling,
window-lined roadside restaurant is where hoardes of hungry vacationers come for all-American
grilled goodness. International inspirations for Chef Cindy Pawlcyn, previous winner of the James
Beard Award for Best Americana Cookbook, are instantly recognized on the appetizer menu of
small plates: sweet corn tamales, Vietnamese lettuce wraps and calamari with curried slaw.
Likewise, main courses run the gamut--from the ''famous'' Mongolian pork chop (over 4 million
sold, thank you very much) to the Sonoma rabbit with Mexican chocolate-chili sauce--yet still taste
like down-home cooking. For something sweet, look no further than the ever-popular lemon-lime
tart, a towering slice of pie with the biggest meringue (made with brown sugar, not white) you've
ever seen. Really. It's that big
Chef Cindy Pawlcyn Mustard’s Restaurant
Whole Roasted Garlic with Croutons and Goat Cheese
California Walnut Pear Bistro Salad
Mongolian Pork Chops
Braised Red Cabbage
Mustards’ Mashed Potatoes
Chocolate Pecan Jack Daniel’s Cake with Jack Daniel’s Chocolate Sauce
Wines suggested by Lin Sellman, Goody Goody, 14851 Inwood Road, Addison
Reds
Vina Robles Red #4
Cline Cashmere
$13.59
$13.99
White
Fess Parker Riesling $12.69 (This is not a real sweet wine but will go well with all courses.)
Dessert Wine with Chocolate Pecan Cake (Optional)
Paringa Sparkling Shiraz
$13.59
Division of Labor
4 Couples
Couple 1
Couple 2
Couple 3
Couple 2
Couple 1
Couple 4
Whole Roasted Garlic with Croutons and Goat Cheese
California Walnut Pear Bistro Salad
Mongolian Pork Chops
Braised Red Cabbage
Mustards’ Mashed Potatoes
Chocolate Pecan Jack Daniel’s Cake with Jack Daniel’s Chocolate Sauce
5 Couples
Couple 1
Couple 2
Couple 3
Couple 2
Couple 4
Couple 5
Whole Roasted Garlic with Croutons and Goat Cheese
California Walnut Pear Bistro Salad
Mongolian Pork Chops
Braised Red Cabbage
Mustards’ Mashed Potatoes
Chocolate Pecan Jack Daniel’s Cake with Jack Daniel’s Chocolate Sauce
Whole Roasted Garlic with Croutons and Goat Cheese
Garlic
6
very large heads elephant garlic (found in Central Market, but probably Whole Foods too)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 or 3 bay leaves (fresh, if you can find them)
3 or 4 thyme sprigs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette (note this is only for 6 people)
Goat Cheese (as an accompaniment)
To make the roasted garlic, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut a thin slice off the very top of each
head of garlic to expose the tops of all the cloves. Set the garlic heads in a 9-to 10-inch-wide shallow
baking dish. (For best results, use a terra-cotta dish that will hold the heads together snugly.) Pour
the oil slowly over and into each head, distributing it as equally as possible. Scatter the bay leaves
and thyme over the garlic, and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan with
aluminum foil and bake for 1 1/4 hours, until the garlic is very soft and tender. Don t rush it; older
garlic may take longer. Drain and reserve the oil, and set the garlic aside. Discard the bay leaves and
thyme.
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the baguette at a severe angle. You need 12 slices
each about 1/4 inch thick. Brush one side of the slices with the reserved oil from the garlic, and bake
oil-side down for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp and golden. You can also grill the bread slices over coals.
If you’ve roasted your garlic ahead, reheat it either in a 375° oven or on the grill. Put 2 crisp croutons
and a head of garlic on each serving plate. People can use the tip of a knife to fish the roasted garlic
out of the individual cloves and smear it on their bread, or they can, as we do it in the restaurant,
grab the whole head with a napkin and squeeze all the garlic out into one luscious pile, then smear it
liberally onto their croutons.
The addition of goat cheese along with the garlic makes a wonderful combination
Serves 6
This dish has been on our menu since the day we opened. You can bake the garlic earlier in the day,
set it aside at room temperature, and reheat it on the grill just before serving. That last step adds a
great smoky flavor to the garlic. Save the oil from the garlic to use on the croutons.
What Is Elephant Garlic?
Elephant garlic is probably more closely related to the leek than to the normal stinking rose. The bulbs are very large and a single bulb
can sometimes weigh over a pound each. A single clove of elephant garlic can often be as large as a whole bulb of ordinary garlic. In
terms of strength, I describe elephant garlic as being to garlic what leeks are to onions. The flavor is much less intense and rather
sweeter. It has been described - somewhat unkindly - as "garlic for people who don't like garlic".
California Walnut Pear Bistro Salad
Ingredients
8
2
1/2
1/4
1/2
1/3
cups assorted torn salad greens
fresh Bartlett pears, cored and sliced
cup California Walnut pieces
cup dried cranberries
cup crumbled blue cheese
cup balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette
Directions
Line large salad platter with greens; top with pear, walnuts and dried cranberries.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Drizzle dressing over salad.
Serve with crusty bread, if desired.
Mongolian Pork Chops
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Serves: 6
You'll have extra marinade, but it keeps well, refrigerated, and can
be used for baby back ribs or chicken. Look for hoisin sauce and
black bean paste with chilies at Asian grocery stores if you can't find
them in a supermarket.
* Note: The prep time does not include the three-hour to overnight
marinate time.
6 (10-ounce) center-cut double pork chops
Ingredients:
1
1
1-1/2
1-1/2
1-1/2
1
1
1-1/2
1-1/2
1 1/2
3/4
1/4
1
cup hoisin sauce
Tablespoons sugar
Tablespoons tamari soy sauce
Tablespoons sherry vinegar
Tablespoons rice vinegar
scallion, white and 2/3 of the green parts, minced
teaspoons Tabasco sauce
teaspoons Lee Kum Kee black bean chili sauce
teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
Tablespoons minced garlic
teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, minced
Tablespoons sesame oil
There is an Asian Market on Greenville between Belt Line and Arapaho Road.
Preparation:
Trim the excess meat and fat away from the ends of the chop bones, leaving them exposed. Put the
pork chops in a clean plastic bag and lightly sprinkle with water to prevent the meat from tearing
when pounded. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet, pound the meat down to an even one-inch
thickness, being careful not to hit the bones. Alternatively, have your butcher cut thinner chops and
serve two per serving.
To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Coat the pork chops
liberally with the marinade and marinate for three hours and up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Prepare mustard sauce (recipe below).
Place the chops on the grill and grill for five minutes on each side, rotating them a quarter turn after
two to three minutes on each side to produce nice crosshatch marks. It's good to baste with some of
the marinade as the meat cooks. As with all marinated meats, you want to go longer and slower on
the grill vs. shorter and hotter, because if the marinated meat is charred, it may turn bitter. The pork
is ready when it registers 139 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
Offer the mustard sauce on the side for dipping.
Chinese-Style Mustard Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Makes about 2 cups
In addition to grilled meats, this sauce is good for dipping with chicken wings. It's also popular on
hamburgers and hot dogs.
Ingredients:
1/2
1/4
2
1/2
3/4
cup sugar
cup Colman's mustard powder
egg yolks
cup red-wine vinegar
cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Preparation:
Put the sugar and mustard in the top of a double boiler and mix with a whisk. When well combined,
whisk in the egg yolks and vinegar. Cook over simmering water, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15
minutes, until it is thick enough to form ribbons when drizzled from the spoon. Remove from the
heat and allow the mixture to cool. When cool, fold in the creme fraiche. Keep refrigerated until
needed.
Braised Red Cabbage
Serves 6
1
large head red cabbage (about 1 pound)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1
tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 large red onion, julienned
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise and cut out the core. Cut each half in half again lengthwise, then
cut each quarter crosswise into 3/4 to 1/2 inch cubes.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring
occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Add the cabbage and sauté, stirring
now and then, for 25 minutes or so, until tender. Add the vinegar, sugar, and cumin. Mix well, lower
the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes more, until the juices are syrupy and the
cabbage appears shiny. The cabbage should be tender but not mushy.
Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. You can make this ahead and reheat it when
needed.
Mustards’ Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6
4 1/2
1 1/2
3/4 to 1
1
1/2
1/2
pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch chunks
teaspoons salt plus more as needed
cup milk
cup butter, cubed
teaspoon minced garlic
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the potatoes in a large pot along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil,
reduce the heat to a strong simmer, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when
poked with a fork but not mushy.
Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or, if you prefer a
Lumpier finish, you can mash them with a potato masher). Add 3/4 cup milk, the butter, garlic, and
pepper. Mix on low speed to combine, then increase the speed to medium to mix thoroughly. Add
more milk if the potatoes seem too thick. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Chocolate Pecan Jack Daniel’s Cake
with Jack Daniel’s Chocolate Sauce
2
6
6
1/4
8
1
cups pecan pieces
tablespoons unsalted butter
ounces semisweet chocolate
cup Jack Daniel’s whiskey
large eggs, separated
cup sugar
Tiny pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform
pan.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 12 minutes, until very fragrant. Let cool, then
grind the nuts in a food processor or chop finely.
Combine the butter, chocolate, and whiskey in a large, heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of
simmering water, and stir occasionally until melted and uniform. Remove from the heat.
Put the egg yolks and 3/4 cup of the sugar in an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat
on high speed until very thick and pale. Stir the ground pecans into the chocolate mixture, then fold
in the whipped yolks.
In a clean bowl, with a clean whip attachment beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Slowly
add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the salt, and whip on high speed until soft peaks form. In three
batches, quickly but gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, maintaining as much
volume as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the
cake springs back when pressed gently in the center. Cool completely on a rack, then remove the
sides of the pan.
To make the sauce, combine the chocolate, butter, whiskey, and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl and
set over barely simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are
melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Now, see if you can keep from eating it all before
it’s time to serve it!
To serve, cut the cake into the desired number of portions. Place each slice on a pool of warm
chocolate sauce and dust liberally with confectioners’ sugar. Place a big scoop of ice cream alongside
and a dollop of whipped cream on top (why diet now?).
JACK DANIEL’S CHOCOLATE SAUCE
8
ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3
tablespoons Jack Daniel’s whiskey
3/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
OPTIONAL GARNISHES
Confectioners’ sugar
Whipped cream, flavored with vanilla extract