CHEF JOE YOUKHAN’S BRAISED VEAL CHEEKS, MELANGE OF WINTER SQUASH, PUMPKIN SEED GREMOLATA Served in a baby Pumpkin

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients for Squash:

1 Delicata squash, peeled & small diced
1 Kobacha squash, peeled & small diced
1 Butternut squash, peeled & small diced
1 tablespoon Rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon Sage, minced
1 tablespoon Thyme, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Keep each squash separate & toss with 1/3 of olive oil & an individual herb. Butternut with sage, Delicata with Thyme, Kobacha with Rosemary, Salt & Pepper. Put squashes into 3 separate roasted pans in a single layer & roast in a preheated 400 deg oven till caramelized & tender, aprox 30 minutes. Check seasoning & cool.

Braised Beef Cheeks:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 (12 oz) beef cheeks, trimmed of excess sinew & fat
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
2 cups red wine
3 cups beef stock
1 star anise
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp fennel seed
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch of thyme
6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oil in an ovenproof 6-quart wide heavy pot over med high heat until almost smoking. When oil is heating, pat cheeks dry & season. Brown beef on all sides, remove from pan & add the vegetables, stir & season, cook about 10 minutes till soft & lightly caramelized.  Add wine & scraped up any bits. Reduce wine by half & than add stock. Return cheeks to pot with tomatoes & re-season. Bring to a simmer & cover with lid (or foil), then braise in the middle of oven for about 3 hours, till meltingly tender.
Remove beef from braising liquid & shred. Strain liquid, return to a sauce pan, skim fat from top & reduce over low heat until you have ½ cup of braising liquid (reserve).

Gremolata:

With a mortar & pestle or small food processor, mince together:
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup minced parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt & pepper

Mini Pumpkins:

Roast 6 mini pumpkins until tender in a 350°oven, aprox. 45 minutes.
Carefully cut a lid from top of pumpkins & scoop out insides, reserve for stuffing.

Assembly of Dish:

In a large skillet over medium heat with a ¼ cup of olive oil. Sautee squash with shredded beef deglaze pan with ½ cup of braising liquid & 2 tblspns of butter. Cook for a few minutes more until liquid & butter has glazed the squash.  Divide evenly amongst the 6 pumpkins & top each with equal amounts of the gremolata.  Put the pumpkin lid slightly off to one side so that you can see the filling peeking out & serve.

Everything can be prepped a day ahead & stuffed, just warm through in a 350° oven for 20 minutes or until hot, than top with gremolata. Enjoy.

Joe Youkhan believes food is a family affair. He discovered his passion for food very early as a child in his grandmother’s kitchen. He grew up in New York; which gave him exposure to a variety of cuisines. “I feel very fortunate growing up in both a Middle Eastern as well as a Puerto Rican household. It allowed me to develop an appreciation and an understanding for different flavors that could be obtained in cooking.” Joe learned his way around the restaurant by following in the footsteps of his Father in Italian kitchens in addition to working with his Aunt in the front of the house.

As a young adult Joe moved to California, continuing his experience as a Sous Chef at a Mediterranean restaurant, Saratoga Grill. A couple of years later he began working at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel.  At the Hotel Joe worked in both the fine dining (The Dining Room) and Banquet/Catering Kitchens. Working his way through the Banquet Kitchen to becoming the Chef, he honed his ability to develop and execute menus for large high profile events. Currently, Joe is the Executive Chef at Chat Noir. He enjoys working with French Cuisine, all the rich flavors, intense reductions and paying attention to the seasonality of food.