White Oak Pastures Chicken & Dumplings
Courtesy of Ryan Smith, Executive Chef at Empire State South

For the legs:

4 chicken legs	1 onion
2 carrots	1 head celery
2 each fennel bulbs	1 head garlic
2 each bay leaves	1 cup white wine
2 quarts chicken stock	4 sprigs fresh thyme

Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. Sear them in 2 tbsp. canola oil until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and discard the oil. Add fresh oil and sauté the veggies. Lightly caramelize the veg and deglaze with white wine. Reduce the wine by half and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and add the chicken legs back to the pot. Cover with foil and braise in the oven for 1.5 hours until tender. Let the pan come to room temperature and remove the legs. Pick the cooked meat from the legs with no bone or connective tissue. Strain the braising liquid. Pour the braising liquid over the picked leg meat and chill and reserve.

For the dumplings:

1 pound fresh ricotta	1 each egg
4 cups flour (sifted)	1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Mix all ingredients and knead till smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic and rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Use flour as needed so that the dough doesn’t stick. Cut the dough into ½ inch strips with a chef’s knife and then into little rectangles creating rustic dumplings. Poach the dumplings in boiling water until they float and drop them in ice water until chilled. Once chilled, dry them on a kitchen towel and dress them with olive oil until ready to serve.

For the veggies:

1 onion	2 each celery stalks
1 each carrot	1 each bulb fennel

Small dice all veggies and mix together. Reserve till ready to serve.

Final Dish Directions: Sauté the veggies in a small amount of canola oil, not getting color on them. Season them with salt and black pepper, add picked braised leg meat and the braising liquid. Then add the dumplings and warm through.

In a separate sauté pan, heat a small amount of canola oil until it slightly smokes. Then add the seasoned chicken breast skin side down. Over med heat, sear the chicken breast until its golden brown. Put the pan in the oven to roast at 350 F for 7-8 min.

Take the pan out and turn the breast. Next, let the breast rest in the pan with no heat for 2 min. Finally, remove from the pan and rest at room temp. for 4 min.

In a serving bowl, place the chicken meat and dumpling mixture in the base and the roasted breast on top. Garnish with fennel fronds and enjoy.

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Grandmother's Chicken (Poulet au Grand-Mère)
Courtesy of Virginia Willis
(Serves 4 to 6)

1 tablespoon canola oil a 1 tablespoon unsalted butter a 1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces or 6 bone-in, skin on breasts or thighs a Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper a 4 slices bacon, cut into lardons a 6 shallots, peeled and trimmed a 2 heads garlic (about 20 cloves), separated, peeled, and tough ends removed	3 sprigs thyme a 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh a 18 bite-size fingerling potatoes, or 6 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" chunks a 12 white button or cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed a 1/2 cup dry white wine a 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

Directions: Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook without moving the pieces or crowding the pan, in batches if necessary, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. (Take your time; you want a nice, rich brown.) Transfer the chicken to a platter and keep warm while you cook the vegetables.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Decrease the heat to medium. Add the bacon, shallots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon starts to render and the vegetables start to take on a little color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and return the chicken to the pan. Pour over the white wine and stock. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the juices of the chicken run clear when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Variation: You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless breasts instead of bone-in pieces. Simmer the breasts as directed on top of the stove along with the other ingredients, but just until the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the breasts to a warmed plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the sauce continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the breasts to the sauce and finish as directed.

Brilliant: Technique - Monter au Beurre
Monter au beurre is a term used to mean whisking cold butter into a sauce to add richness and gloss. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and chicken to a warmed serving platter. Tent it with aluminum foil to keep warm. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the sauce is reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat. Using a whisk, swirl in 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, and serve immediately with a crusty baguette to sop up the sauce.

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Ground Beef Barbecue Hamburgers
(Makes 4 Hamburgers)

1 pound White Oak grass-fed ground beef	1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup	1 small onion, grated
1 tablespoon prepared mustard	1/2 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions: Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, grated onion and bell pepper. Mix well and shape into patties. Place burgers on grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until done.

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Vegetable Beef Soup
(Makes 8 Servings)

1 1/2 pounds White Oak grass-fed ground beef	2 carrots, chopped
1 cup chopped onion	2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes	1 russet potato, chopped
5 cups water	1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon salt	1 bay leaf
2 cubes beef bouillon	1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Directions: In a large stock pot, brown sirloin and onion. Drain grease and add tomatoes, water, salt, beef bouillon, carrots, celery, potatoes, thyme, bay leaf and basil. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, approximately 45 minutes.

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Shepherd's Pie
(Makes 6 Servings: 2 Quart Casserole)

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed	5 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon butter	1 tablespoon vegetable oil
i tablespoon finely chopped onion	1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese	1 pound White Oak grass-fed ground beef
salt and pepper to taste	2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup	3/4 cup beef broth

Directions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, adding carrots and cooking until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash (or dice) and set aside. Preheat oven to 375º.

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed/diced carrots. Top with mashed potatoes and spring with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

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White Oak Fajitas

1 pound of White Oak skirt or flank steak	3 bell peppers
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil	1 vidalia onion, sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar	2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt	1 can black beans, heated
1/4 cup fresh lime juice	1 bottle Hot Squeeze Chipotle Sauce

Directions: Marinate steak in first four ingredients for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Heat the grill until you can't hold your hand over it for more than five seconds. Pat the steak dry and place on the grill. Cook between 6-10 minutes for mid-rare. Try to turn only once. Let the steak stand for five minutes before cutting. In a sauté pan, heat additional oil and sauté onions and peppers. Top meat with Hot Squeeze Chipotle Sauce. Serve in warm tortillas with black beans.

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White Oak Braised Short Ribs

5 pounds White Oak beef short ribs	6 small onions (1 pound), unpeeled and chopped
all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt & pepper	6 carrots, sliced
1/4 cup rendered bacon fat	1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
4 garlic cloves, chopped	1 cup red wine
3 cups beef broth

Directions: Preheat oven to 350º. Dredge ribs in flour mixture, knocking off excess. Heat bacon fat in a 6-quart heavy ovenproof kettle over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown the short ribs in batches in a single layer without crowding. Transfer short ribs as browned with tongs to a large plate. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons bacon fat remaining in kettle, adding the garlic, onions, carrots and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned. Deglaze the kettle with red wine. Add the beef broth to the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, stirring. Return ribs to the kettle, squeezing them to fit in a single layer, if possible, and cover with a lid. Braise ribs in oven until tender, about 2 hours. Transfer ribs with tongs to a platter and keep warm. Pour cooking liquid through a fine sieve over a saucepan, idscarding solids, and skim fat. If necessary, boil liquid to thicken it slightly, and spoon sauce over ribs. Serve with boiled new potatoes.

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Chef Carrie Balkcom's Meatloaf
(Makes 1 Loaf Pan)

1 cup white or yellow onion, finely diced	1 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil	2 cups soft breadcrumbs (crumbled day old bread)
1 1/2 cup tomato juice	2.5 pounds of White Oak grass-fed beef
2 large eggs, slightly beaten	1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper	1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Directions: Preheat oven to 350º. Sauté onions and celery in oil until soft, but not browned. Remove from heat and cool completely. Combine tomato juice and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add onion,celery mix, and ground bison, eggs, salt and pepper. Blend until just combined. Form the mixture into loaves a greased loaf pan. Baste each loaf lightly with barbecue sauce. Cover lightly with foil. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 155º. Remove from oven and let stand covered until slightly cooled.

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White Oak Meatloaf

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced	1 onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced	1 pound of White Oak grass-fed beef
1/2 - 2/3 cup rolled oats	1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs	1 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Mix well and add milk or yogurt as needed to moisten. Shape into a nice loaf, place in a greased bread pan, and spread homemade catsup over the top (avoid high-fructose catsup). Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour at 350º. Serve with more catsup and mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes.

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