Winter Cooking Tips From Some Of Wisconsin’s James Beard Award Nominees

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Root vegetables
Le living and co (CC-BY 2.0)

Winter can be dreary, but the food you eat doesn’t have to be! Join us for a conversation with four of the nine Wisconsin chefs up for the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest as we discuss their tips for dishes during the winter and learn about their cooking philosophies.

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  • Winter Cooking Tips From A Few Of Wisconsin's 2018 James Beard Nominees

    Like other things during the winter season, cooking in the cold months can start to become repetitive, drab and tiring. Luckily, Wisconsin chefs are here to help.

    Four chefs, all nominated for the 2018 James Beard Award for the Best Chef in the Midwest category, joined WPR’s “The Morning Show” to share their tips for keeping things interesting in the kitchen when you don’t want to go outside.

    Johnny Hunter, culinary director of the Madison-based Underground Food Collective


    Johnny Hunter. Photo courtesy of Johnny Hunter

    Take advantage of what’s in season

    There’s not as much seasonal local produce during the winter months, but Hunter likes to use what he can find. For him, that means a lot of root vegetables like carrots, celery and parsnips.

    But Hunter doesn’t just roast them. His trick? He likes to eat them raw. That way he, and his guests, can enjoy a salad in the winter.

    “Instead of cooking those into a roasted dish or braising them, my main thing is to shave them,” Hunter said.

    Hunter uses a y-peeler instead of a traditional peeler to shave his root veggies. Then, he likes to toss his freshly peeled root vegetables with leafy greens and vinaigrette for a simple, bright winter salad.

    Make DIY broth easier

    Like most people, Hunter loves eating soups in the winter, particularly chicken soup. But if you’re a fan of homemade broth, it can be a lot of work to make soup. Hunter’s solution is a pressure cooker.

    “You can make a chicken stock in about an hour (in a pressure cooker), which could take six to seven hours on the stove,” he said.

    With a pressure cooker, Hunter says you can make delicious homemade soups anytime you want without having to plan several days ahead.

    Stefano Viglietti, chef and owner of four restaurants, including Trattoria Stefano in Sheboygan


    Stefano Viglietti. Photo courtesy of Bryan Ciotola

    Try braising

    If there’s one word that describes winter cooking for Viglietti, it’s braising.

    “You wouldn’t want to eat a four-hour braised venison shank with a six-herb risotto in the middle of summer,” Viglietti said. “You know that it’s wintertime when you’re eating something like that.”

    Viglietti thinks of braising as the ideal winter activity: it takes patience and creativity, and it gives you something to do when you don’t want to face the bad weather.

    One of his go-to braising recipes involves a venison shank. He marinates them overnight with juniper berries, red wine, garlic and rosemary and drains them the next day, being sure to save the marinade. He then sears the meat, browns some vegetables, adds some tomato paste and tomatoes, tops it all with the red wine marinade and some additional spices and herbs, and puts it all in the oven for three to four hours.

    Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, co-owners and head chefs of DanDan and EsterEv in Milwaukee


    Dan Jacobs (right) and Dan Van Rite (left). Photo courtesy of Jordan Aluise

    Their go-to: potatoes

    Potatoes might sound boring, but they’re actually one of the most versatile vegetables around, and they’re a great option in the winter.

    Recently, Jacobs has been making potato perogies — a Polish dumpling with a savory or sweet filling, cooked in boiling water.

    Try preserved produce

    Van Rite likes incorporating smoked and pickled ingredients, and the different flavors they showcase, into his recipes during the winter. Since preserved produce is usually bypassed in the warmer months when harvests are bountiful, winter is a great time to try them out.

  • [RECIPE] Pierogies

    To make the dough for the pierogies:

    INGREDIENTS

    • 640 grams all-purpose flour
    • 18 grams salt
    • 6 whole eggs
    • 130 grams milk
    • 130 grams water
    • 60 grams sour cream

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DOUGH

    1. Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately.
    2. Make a well in the center of flour salt mixture. Pour the liquid in the center well.
    3. Pull the dry into the wet with your fingers until the dough starts to come together. Work the dough for 2 minutes or until it comes totally together. You may need to add a little more flour to get to the right consistency.
    4. Rest for at least 1 hour

    To make the filling:

    INGREDIENTS

    • 24 grams butter
    • 60 grams onions diced
    • 100 grams ricotta
    • 60 grams cream cheese
    • 50 grams sour cream
    • 8 grams parsley
    • 100 grams confit chicken (thighs salted overnight, cooked in schmaltz, and picked)
    • 225 grams cooked and riced potatoes

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FILLING

    1. Caramelize the onions and the butter. Set aside.

    2. In a stand mixer, put all ingredients and mix well. Check for seasoning

    INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THE PIEROGIES

    1. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
    2. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a 1/8th thickness. You will use a good amount of flour to keep the dough from sticking.
    3. Using a 2in circle cutter, cut circles. You should have about 32 circles.
    4. Make a little egg wash with 1 egg and a couple tablespoons of water
    5. Place a teaspoon or a little more in the center of each circle, brush with egg wash, and fold over. Crimp the edges with your thumb and pointer finger sealing all that yummy filling inside. Place on floured tray.
    6. Bring a pot of water to boil with some salt. The water should taste seasoned.
    7. Put the Pierogis in the pot. Working in batches so there is not too many in the pot at a time.
    8. When they float, skim them out into a pan of butter or if you’re not serving right away, you can lightly oil them and store them in the refrigerator for a day or two or put them on a pan in a single layer and freeze.
    9. To serve simply reheat in a pan of butter. I like these with mushrooms, sauerkraut, and pomegranates.

    Recipe is courtesy of Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite of DanDan and EsterEv.

Episode Credits

  • Kate Archer Kent Host
  • Breann Schossow Producer
  • Michelle Johnson Technical Director
  • Jonny Hunter Guest
  • Stefano Viglietti Guest
  • Dan Jacobs Guest
  • Dan Van Rite Guest