10/08/2007

Free Spirited Fare (from Five for Frying feature)

Michael Nagrant
Centerstage Chicago (www.centerstagechicago.com)

Chef John Hogan of Tavern at the Park started his career in the French major leagues, apprenticing at L'Escargot, Le Perroquet and Everest, vaunted kitchens where the chef was always right, even over the customers. He'd seen Rod Stewart kicked out of Everest for bad behavior, and watched one of his mentors berate no-show customers on the phone after close. "This was before cell phones," Hogan said. "You get a call at two in the morning, it's usually because a family member died. This guy was telling people they were no longer welcome in his restaurant."

When he set out on his own, Hogan rebelled against this classic stubbornness. Though he opened what appeared to be a classic downtown steakhouse in Keefer's, he served up inspired specials like a gratin of fresh sea urchin roe and crab meat. At Tavern, he takes cues from Vietnamese markets, constructing dishes like sticky shrimp in mango sauce. Even his dream for far-off semi-retirement is footloose. "I love doing barbecue," said Hogan. "I'd like to get a semi-truck with smokers and follow the Nascar tour."

What do you wish you could change or pickle and preserve about the Chicago restaurant/food scene?
I think this is best restaurant city in the country. It's impressive how much ethnic diversity there is. I don't go out to the four-star places to eat. I go to Chinatown, little Vietnam and Lawrence Avenue.

What would your last meal be?
Mr. Beef combo, sweet and hot. Also, a perfectly roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. Because I'm a chef, nobody ever invites me for dinner. A friend of mine finally did, and that's what she made, and I'll never forget the look on her face when I cleaned the plate and asked for more.

Where do you eat/drink before/after a shift?
Frontera Grill for lunch once a month for the appetizers or its cazuelas. Phoenix in Chinatown for dim sum. When I'm in the mood for a steak, I go to my friend David Burke's spot for a nice dry-aged steak. Ichiro in Orland Park for sushi.

What's the can't-miss dish at Tavern at the Park?
Our Chicken pot pie and braised short ribs. They're great comfort food, and our pot pie is a little different because we use a brown sauce with wild mushrooms.

What should we know about Tavern at the Park that we probably don't?
A lot of people think because it's located near the park that the restaurant is tourist driven, but it's a very Chicago restaurant. We're serious about catering to locals.

Recipe: Braised Boneless Short Ribs

Ingredients:

5 pounds boneless beef short ribs
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups red wine
1 quart demi-glaze (sold in upscale markets or substitute canned beef stock)
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season the short ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper; sear in a skillet over high heat until the outside is just brown.

2. Place meat and vegetables in a covered roasting pan, and roast in the oven until meat and vegetables have good color (about 30 minutes).

3. Place the meat and vegetables in a separate dish while you deglaze the roasting pan with red wine, making sure to scrape the pan with a spatula. Pour the pan juices mixture into a large saucepan, and place on the stove over medium heat. Cook until the quantity is reduced by three-fourths, and then add the demi glaze or beef stock. 4. Place the meat and vegetables back into the roasting pan, and pour in the sauce. Re-cover the roasting pan and braise in the oven at 350 degrees for about 2 hours, or until tender.

5. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pan, and pour the sauce through a fine strainer, back into the saucepan. Over medium heat, reduce the quantity of sauce again, this time by half. Add the butter at the end to finish.

6. Plate short ribs and vegetables in a shallow bowl; pour sauce over and around.

Five for Frying is a weekly Food Feature that asks one chef five fun questions.

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