Caramelized Sea Scallops - Thomas Keller

***If you haven't heard about a wonderful chef named, Thomas Keller, then you are missing out.  He is quite the chef and is classically trained in French cuisine.  Chef Keller has several famous and very successful restaurants, three of which include The French Laundry, Bouchon and Ad Hoc.


Now, if I am ever out in Yountville, CA, I definitely want to visit Ad Hoc.  It has such a unique concept, that I think is awesome.  The concept is best described on the official website:
"The idea for Ad Hoc was simple - 5 days a week we'd offer a 4 course family style menu that changed each day, accompanied by a small, accessible wine list in a casual setting reminiscent of home."

Sounds neat, doesn't it?  Last Christmas, Brad gave me a copy of Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook.  This book quickly became one of my favorites....a staple in my kitchen!  You can see my collection of other recipes from the Ad Hoc cookbook right HERE on my blog.


A friend of ours that is currently in culinary school gave us some fresh sea scallops.  They were large and beautiful...and I had just the recipe!  I've had my eye on Chef Keller's recipe for Caramelized Sea Scallops since I got the cookbook.  It's a simple recipe, with an outstanding result.  These scallops came out beautifully...Perfectly cooked, moist, and very flavorful!


His suggestion of using a stainless steel pan instead of a non-stick pan is essential!!  You'll get a much pretty caramelization that way.


Bon Appetit!!***

Caramelized Sea Scallops

Source:  Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home Cookbook

www.adhocrestaurant.com

Ingredients:
2 cups kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups hot water
8 cups cold water
12 large sea scallops (about 1 3/4 pounds), preferably dry-packed, tough side muscle removed from each one
About 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) Clarified Butter
1/2 lemon (optional)

Directions:

Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Combine the 2 cups salt with the hot water in a large bowl, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the cold water.

Add the scallops to the brine and let stand for 10 minutes (no longer, or the scallops may become too salty). Drain the scallops, rinse under cold water, and arrange in a single layer on the paper towels.

Heat the clarified butter in a large stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat until it ripples and begins to smoke. (Although you may be tempted to use a nonstick pan, a stainless steel pan will produce a more beautiful caramelized exterior.) Sprinkle the scallops lightly with salt and add them to the pan, without crowding. (If necessary, cook the scallops in two pans or in 2 batches; if they touch, they will steam rather than caramelize.) Cook, without moving the scallops, until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Turn the scallops and caramelize the second side.

Transfer the scallops to a serving platter and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice on top, if desired.

Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto, Torn Croutons, Poached Egg, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar - Ad Hoc at Home

***Well, my obsession with the new Ad Hoc at Home cookbook continues with Thomas Keller's recipe for Grilled Asparagus. This dish is so delightfully fresh and just....different! The flavors of all the elements marry together so beautifully....fresh asparagus, poached eggs, croutons, and best of all...prosciutto...Yummy.

This was my first venture into poaching eggs. After watching Julie Powell's character struggle with poaching eggs in the movie Julie & Julia, I was a little nervous. Chef Keller includes thorough directions for this process, which helped tremendously. His trick of swirling the water in the pan twice worked really well. I will mention that I do not like eggs that are too runny, so I cooked mine for a bit longer than he suggests.

Brad especially liked this dish. I imagine it will taste even better in the spring, when asparagus is in season...and when we can actually grill the asparagus. I baked the asparagus in the oven, after drizzling with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. It worked just fine!

I highly recommend this dish from Ad Hoc...It truly is delicious!

Bon Appetit!***

Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto, Fried Bread, Poached Egg, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller; Page 156-157

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

6 large eggs

2 bunches pencil-thin asparagus

Canola Oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

2 cups Torn Croutons (recipe below)

Extra virgin olive oil

Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Fleur de sel

Directions:

To poach the eggs, bring 6 to 8 inches of water to a boil in a large deep saucepan. Prepare an ice bath. Add the vinegar to the boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Crack 1 egg into a small cup or ramekin. Using a wooden spoon, stir the water at the edges of the pan twice in a circular motion to get the water moving, then add the egg to the center of the pan and simmer gently for 1-1/2 minutes, or until the white is set but the yolk is still runny (I cooked mine longer, because I'm not a fan of runny eggs). With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the egg to the ice bath. Skim and discard any foam that has risen to the top of the water, and cook the remaining eggs one at a time. (The eggs can be poached several hours ahead and stored in ice water in the refrigerator.)

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for cooking over medium heat, or heat a grill pan over medium high heat when you are ready to cook the asparagus. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Hold an asparagus spear and bend it to break off the less tender bottom end. Trim all of the asparagus to the same length. If using medium or large asparagus, peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler. Spread the asparagus out on the parchment-lined pan, generously coat with canola oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the asparagus on the grill, or cook in batches in the grill pan. Cook for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side, flipping with a palette knife or narrow spatula, until tender. Arrange the asparagus on a platter.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a simmer. With a small pair of scissors, trim any uneven edges from the poached eggs. Lower the eggs into the simmering water for about 30 seconds, just to reheat. Remove the eggs with a skimmer or slotted spoon and blot the bottoms with paper towels. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and arrange around the asparagus.

Arrange the prosciutto and croutons on the platter. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and balsamic, and sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper.

Torn Croutons

Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller; Page 274

Ingredients:

1 loaf country bread

Garlic Oil

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions:

Cut the crusts off the loaf of bread. Tear the bread into irregular pieces no larger than 2 inches. You need about 3 cups of croutons; reserve any remaining bread for another use.

Pour 1/8 inch of the garlic oil into a large saute pan and heat over medium heat until hot. Spread the bread in a single layer in the pan (if your pan is not large enough, these can be cooked in two smaller pans). Add the butter. The oil and butter should be bubbling, but if you hear sizzling, the heat is too high. Adjust the heat as necessary, and stir the croutons often as they cook. Cook until the croutons are crisp and a beatuiful rich golden brown on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Move the croutons to one side of the pan and keep warm until ready to serve. (Do not drain on paper towels; you want the flavors of the oil intermingled with the other ingredients as you eat the croutons in a salad.) Torn croutons should be used the day they are made; you can reheat them in a low oven before serving if necessary.

NOTE: If you don't have any garlic oil on hand, pour 1/8 inch of canola oil into a saute pan, add 5 crushed, peeled garlic cloves, and heat over low heat until the garlic cloves are golden brown, flipping the cloves from time to time. Remove the garlic cloves and use the oil for the croutons.

Chicken Potpie - Ad Hoc at Home

***There are certain dishes that conjure up memories from childhood. I can remember eating the Swanson's chicken potpies as a child, just as Mr. Keller mentions in his cookbook. We'd pop those into the oven, and dinner would soon be ready. Those are really the only chicken potpies that I've ever really eaten...until now.

I couldn't pass up the recipe for Chicken Potpie in Ad Hoc at Home. It sounded like the perfect, comforting dish for a cold winter night. This potpie certainly takes more effort than popping a frozen pie in the oven, but I can promise you that it's worth the effort!

There are several things that I did to simplify Mr. Keller's recipe. The directions say to cook the potatoes, carrots, and onions in separate saucepans. I cooked them all together in one pot, and I even added the celery during the last few minutes of cooking. I also did not strain the bechamel sauce. This saved many dirty pots at the end of the night!

I did cook an entire roasting chicken for this recipe. I boiled it in water, along with celery, carrots, onions, and herbs. This made the chicken taste perfect and guess what...I had an entire pot of delicious chicken stock that I separated into different containers and stored in the freezer! However, you could further simplify things by simply purchasing a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.

I did not use Thomas Keller's recipe for Pie Crust. I used Melissa d'Arabian's recipe from the Potato-Bacon Torte that I posted recently. That crust is so amazing...and easy! It worked PERFECTLY here! I've included a link to the crust recipe below.

I hope you enjoy this recipe...Bon Appetit!***

Chicken Potpie

Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller; Pages 24 - 25

Ingredients:

Basic Pie Crust (Recipe can be found HERE)

Filling:

1 cup 1/2-inch pieces red-skinned potatoes

1 1/4 cups 1/2-inch pieces carrots (cut on the diagonal)

12 white pearl onions

3 bay leaves

3 thyme sprigs

24 black peppercorns

1 1/4 cups 1/2-inch pieces of celery (cut on the diagonal)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Bechamel:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

Pinch of cayenne

1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Roll out the dough, place one piece in a 9 or 10 inch pie plate and the second on a baking sheet, and refrigerate.

Put the potatoes, carrots, and onions in separate small saucepans with water to cover and add 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig, and 8 peppercorns to each pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Drain the vegetables, discard the bay, thyme, and peppercorns, and spread on a baking sheet. Cut the onions in half.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Blanch the celery until just crisp-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain, transfer to the ice bath, and chill just until cold. Drain and add to the baking sheet with the other vegetables.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes; adjust the heat as needed so that the mixture does not brown. Whisk in the milk, lower the heat to keep the bechamel at a gentle simmer, and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, 30 to 40 minutes; move the whisk over the bottom and into the corners of the pan to be sure the bechamel doesn't burn.

Position the oven racks in the lower third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Strain the bechamel through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a spouted measuring cup. Season with salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, and cayenne.

Remove both doughs from the refrigerator.

Scatter the vegetables and chicken into the pie shell. Pour the bechamel over them. At this point, if the top crust is too hard to shape, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes. Moisten the rim of pie shell with some of the beaten egg. Cover the filling with the top crust and press the edges of the dough together to seal. Trim away the excess dough that overhangs the rim. Brush the top crust with the egg. Cut a small vent in the center of the dough with a small cutter or the tip of a paring knife to allow steam to escape.

Bake on the lower oven rack until the crust is a rich golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. If necessary, move the pie to the center rack during the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the crust. On the other hand, if crust is browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the potpie into 6 wedges and serve warm.

Thomas Keller's Brownies - Ad Hoc at Home

***Okay, folks...There is a special place in my heart for all things chocolate. And now, these brownies have taken up a large part of that special place. Close your eyes and imagine chocolately goodness...warm out of the oven. The first bite is heaven, and the second bite is even better. Halfway through your first bite, you hit a pocket of gooey goodness (a.k.a.: a warm chocolate chip).

You can open your eyes now...

Thomas Keller has done it again with his simple recipe for brownies. The best part about these insanely fantastic brownies are the bits of chocolate that are stirred into the batter before baking. They explode in your mouth as you take that first bite.

But...please prepare yourself...This recipe calls for THREE sticks of butter....Yes, I said THREE. I had to pick my chin up off the floor too after reading that. I think that I even heard my arteries let out a faint yell "NO! Don't do it!" It seemed like such a large amount for only 12 brownies.

When it came time to add the butter, I could not do it...I mean, seriously? THREE? I decided to add only TWO sticks of butter. This resulted in a lot of breath-holding and wondering if I had completely ruined the brownies that were supposed to be so amazing.

The verdict? They were still insanely fantastic!!! These have certainly earned a spot in the "Top-Rated Recipes" category.

I found that these brownies keep well and reheat wonderfully. I can imagine that they'd be almost sinful with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Okay...that's enough...I must go eat a brownie now...

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
6 oz 61 to 64% chocolate, chopped into chip-sized pieces ( about 1 1/2 cups)
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. We use a 9-inch square silicone mold, because it keeps the edges from overcooking; if you use a metal or glass baking pan, butter and flour it. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

Melt half the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Put the remaining butter in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over the bowl of butter and stir to melt the butter. The butter should look creamy, with small bits of unmelted butter, and be at room temperature.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick and very pale. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the butter, and continue alternating the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer poked into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If the pick comes out wet, test a second time, because you may have hit a piece of chocolate chip; then bake for a few more minutes longer if necessary. Cool in the pan until the brownie is just a bit warmer than room temperature.

Run a knife around the edges if not using a silicone mold, and invert the brownie onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 rectangles. Dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving.

Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad - Ad Hoc at Home

***So, if you haven't noticed lately, I am seriously in love with Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook. I hope you're not getting tired of the Ad Hoc postings...there are certainly a few more recipes that I can't wait to share with you!

This Tomato & Mozzarella Salad caught my eye because it looked so fresh and delicious...Plus, I love, love, love caprese salad. We ate a caprese salad in Rome, Italy that was especially wonderful. The flavors were vibrant...the tomatoes were fresh...and the mozzarella was perfectly soft.

This particular recipe makes a gorgeous presentation, and it just gets better after the first day...once the flavors really have time to meld together. Mr. Keller recommends serving the mozzarella on the side of this salad, but I mixed mine right in. Thomas also includes instructions for making your own mozzarella. While this is something that I definitely plan to tackle one day, I did go ahead and use store-bought mozzarella this time around.

Shh...don't tell anyone...

Bon Appetit!***

Adapted from Thomas Keller's "Tomato and Handmade Mozzarella Salad"

Source: Ad Hoc at Hoc; Pages 148 - 149

Ingredients:

16 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced

3-3/4 pounds assorted medium to large tomatoes

1/2 pound assorted cherry and/or grape tomatoes, such as Sweet 100s or Sun Gold

1/2 medium Armenian cucumber or 1/4 Engalish cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

2 tablespoons Basil Oil (optional)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

12 to 15 small basil leaves, such as Italian, opal, and/or lemon lime

Fleur de sel

I made a dressing by mixing 1 part balsamic vinegar with 2 parts olive oil (or about 1/3 cup vinegar + 2/3 cup olive oil.) I drizzled this dressing over the entire salad before serving.

Directions:

Core the large tomatoes and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Halve or quarter the small tomatoes, depending on their size; leave some of the small stems attached. Peel the cucumber and cut into desired shapes.

To make the basil cream, if desired, whip the cream in a medium bowl until it just holds soft peaks. Fold in the basil oil. (The cream should not be refrigerated, or the texture will change.)

Spread the tomato slices on a baking sheet or work surface, with the wider side of the tomatoes facing up, and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Turn the slices over, brush lightly with the basil cream, and season with salt and pepper. (The basil cream will add just a small amount of hidden flavor to the dish.) Drizzle olive oil over the small tomatoes and the cucumber.

Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a large platter, basil cream side down. Layer the cucumber slices and small tomatoes on top, and drizzle with olive oil. Scatter the onion and basil over the salad and sprinkle fleur de sel around the platter.

Serve with the mozzarella and remaining basil cream on the side.

Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Biscuits

As a Southern girl born and raised in Alabama, I naturally gravitated straight to the Buttermilk Biscuit recipe in Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. Actually, it was the first recipe I tried out of this awesome cookbook. Everyone...I repeat, Everyone...needs a great Buttermilk Biscuit recipe in their arsenal...whether you are Southern, or not!

These particular biscuits are perfectly buttery, comforting, and scrumptious! They go wonderfully with jam, of course. Thomas Keller also recommends serving them with a sprinkling of fleur de sel or as a strawberry shortcake biscuit for dessert.

I have to warn you, though...These are NOT in any form or fashion diet biscuits...Hah. After all, what great biscuits are, right? These do have a lot of butter in them, but they wouldn't be the same without it.

Be careful not to overwork your dough. That will make your biscuits tough. Also, be sure to press the dough cutter straight down, without turning the cutter. If you turn it while cutting, your biscuits may not rise as high.

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 cubes and chilled
1-1/2 cups buttermilk + 1 to 2 tbsp for brushing
2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In bowl of food processor, combine two flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Pulse several times to blend. Add the chilled butter and pulse several times, until the pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Don't overprocess or let dough come together.

Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Pour in 1-1/2 cups buttermilk. Stir and lift mixture with wooden spoon, gently working flour into buttermilk. Dough should begin to come together but not form solid mass or biscuits may be tough.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Pat into 3/4-inch rectangle, about 9 inches by 13 inches.

Using 2-1/2-inch round cutter (or bottom of glass), cut out biscuits. If the cutter sticks to the dough, dip the cutter in flour before cutting. The dough trimmings can be gently pushed together, patted out and cut one more time; do not overwork the dough.

Place biscuits, 1-inch apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until a rich golden brown. As soon as you remove the biscuits from the oven, brush with melted butter. Serve warm.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Ad Hoc's Fig and Balsamic Jam

***Alright, here's the recipe for the Fig and Balsamic Jam that I promised in my last post. This jam is used in the delicious Fig-Stuffed Roast Pork Loin from Ad Hoc at Home. I'm so happy that it makes 2 1/2 cups of jam. I used 1 cup in the pork loin, and had plenty left over for later use. It's sitting pretty in the fridge right now.

This jam is wonderful...seriously.

I had to make a few modifications, since fresh figs are not available right now. I had to use dried figs, but they worked fine. I simmered them in the saucepan in a little water for about 5 - 10 minutes to help soften them. I used a potato masher to help mash and smooth out the figs. I also don't have a candy thermometer, so I had to guess at the correct temperature. I simply stopped when the jam seemed to be the correct consistency.

The results were fantastic...I'll definitely be making this again. If you're like me, you love fig jam! In my opinion, it's always good to have a stash in the fridge for when a craving strikes.

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:
2 lbs. figs, preferably Black Mission or Kadota, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, tied into a sachet
Fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Combine the figs, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and a sachet in a large saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring to break up the large pieces of fig, keeping a chunky consistency, until the jam reaches 215 to 220 degrees F. Remove from the heat.

Remove the sachet and stir in the lemon juice to taste. Spoon the jam into a canning jar or other storage container, cover, and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

Ad Hoc's Fig-Stuffed Roast Pork Loin & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The above photo is by my wonderful hubby, Brad.

***I hope you've got your champagne and confetti ready to go! The new year is only hours away!! I can't believe another year is almost over. It seems like time just flies by lately. This past year turned out to be a great one...However, I'm excited to see what 2010 has in store for us!


Brad and I are excited to be shooting a wedding tomorrow. It seems like the perfect way to start out the new year. Because of this, we decided to have a nice night at home, since we'll be getting up early tomorrow morning for the wedding. We'll be getting home late tomorrow night, so I went ahead and cooked our traditional New Year's Dinner tonight...complete with the following menu:

This photo is also by Brad...

New Year's Dinner:
Fig-Stuffed Roast Pork Loin
Sauteed Spinach with Pecans & Feta
Black Eyed Peas with Lardons
Buttermilk Biscuits (made from scratch!)

The champagne is chilling and our tummies are full from this delicious meal!

I've cooked several dishes already from my new Ad Hoc at Home cookbook that Brad gave me for Christmas. I absolutely LOVE this cookbook!!! When I first get a new cookbook, I always go through and bookmark all the recipes that I want to make first. After reading through this book, I had almost 30 recipes marked...I couldn't help it! I can't remember finding that many recipes in one cookbook that I couldn't wait to try. This cookbook is awesome! As proof of its awesome-ness, Brad actually had a little trouble finding this book before Christmas. It was sold out here in Birmingham and on most of the online retailers (Amazon included!). He finally found one copy left at a local store. I'm so glad that they had it!

Thomas Keller is the man!

Well, I guess this will be my last post of 2009. I hope you have a FANTASTIC New Year's celebration tonight. Have fun and be safe! I'll see you next year!***

Ingredients:
One 2 1/2-pound pork loin roast
1 large fennel bulb (I left this out)
Canola Oil
1/2 cup 1/2-inch cubes ciabatta or other artisan bread
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 cup Fig and Balsamic Jam (stay tuned for this recipe in my next post!)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gray salt or coarse sea salt

Directions:
Rinse pork loin with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Let air-dry.

Using a long thin knife, make a horizontal lengthwise cut all the way through the center of the loin. (Instead of making one long slit, you may find it easier to cut halfway into the meat, working from either end.) Turn the knife and make a vertical cut through the meat (the two cuts should intersect like a plus sign.) Let the meat rest at room temperature while you prepare the stuffing. (I cut the pork loin differently).

Cut the stalks from the fennel and trim the root end. Remove the thicker outer layers. Separate the bulb into individual layers and cut into batons about 1 1/4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide; you need 1/2 cup fennel. Reserve the remaining fennel for another use.

Set a cooling rack over a small baking sheet and line it with paper towels.

Heat some canola oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and cook, tossing to brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread cubes to the lined rack.

Pour off any excess oil, leaving just a light film in the pan, return the pan to the heat, and add the fennel. Cook until tender with just a little bite left, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the jam and warm through, then add the bread cubes, chicken stock, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a roasting rack in a small roasting pan and put it in the oven.

Meanwhile, use your fingers to widen the cavity in the meat enough to hold the stuffing, working from either end of the loin. Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe it into the opening on one side of the pork, pushing the filling into the center of the roast. Turn the loin around and finish stuffing it from the other end. Tie the roast with kitchen twine, being careful not to pull the string so tight that it pushes out the filling.

Season the loin on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the loin to the pan and brown on all sides, moving it to a different area of the pan with each turn, for 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the pork to the roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 135 to 140 degrees F. (I cooked my pork loin longer...for about 1 hour...until well done. I prefer pork to be less pink.) Remove from the oven and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes for medium-rare to medium.



Remove the string and cut the loin into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with gray salt.

***Note: Thomas Keller includes separate recipes for a pork brine and chicken stock. I did not soak my pork loin in a brine...I completely skipped that step. He also includes his own recipe for chicken stock. I used store-bought stock.