Father’s Day Food Memories

Every Sunday afternoon, from the time I was about 9 years old, my father and I would spend the afternoon in our kitchen. Sometimes we would get out our tattered copy of Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and try to replicate something my father had enjoyed while traveling with my mother in the South of France. He had an amazing taste memory. He spoke poetically of the Dover sole he ate at Maxim’s and the warm chocolate soufflé he shared with my mother.

Other times we would try to recreate a special dish his mother used to make for his Hungarian family. We spent years trying to perfect my Grandmother’s Fluden, a savory cornmeal dish filled with farmer cheese and scallions. While we cooked, we sometimes shared delicious toasted rye bread from our favorite Brooklyn bakery with a schmear of schmaltz on it. These fond memories are what made me want to cook for a living.

This Father’s Day, I’m celebrating the memory of my father with a reconstructed Fluden recipe. To incorporate a modern component, I’d also like to share one of Neuman’s Kitchen’s favorite BBQ recipes. Both are perfect additions for a day in the kitchen with your dad!

With love,
Chef Stacy Pearl

SABA BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup onions, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup Maker’s Mark

4 tbsp. tomato paste

1 oz. chili powder

3 cups tomato ketchup

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup orange juice

1 tbsp. ground chipotle

2 tbsp. salt

1tsp ground black pepper,

½ cup molasses

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Procedure

Sweat the first 3 ingredients in a sauce pot for 15 minutes over medium-low heat. Turn up the heat to high and add the Bourbon. Once the alcohol is cooked off, add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat, or if you like it thicker up to 3 hours. Pair with your favorite red meat, chicken or seafood and enjoy!

Fluden

Hungarian Cornbread recipe from the family of Ben Pearl

This is an unusual recipe because the cornbread is not sweet, it’s the perfect savory addition to a hearty beef dinner. It also has a surprise filling of Farmer cheese, black pepper and scallions.

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs beaten lightly

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

16 oz. farmer cheese

2 bunches scallions, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

In large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix buttermilk, eggs, and oil. Combine wet and dry mixtures. Pour 1/2 the mixture into a heavily oiled square glass baking dish and top with cheese filling which is made by combining the farmer cheese, scallions and black pepper. Cover with remaining mixture. Bake for 40 minutes at 375 till a knife inserted comes out clean and it is golden on top. Serve warm.