Thank you to the Scott Conant's Culinary Suite, a beautiful, spacious loft space located in the heart of SoHo, in New York City, that is equal parts private events space, production studio, test kitchen and corporate headquarters, for supporting our Il Palazzone wines and creating this beautiful Pork recipe to be paired with our new release of the Lorenzo & Isabelle 13’ Super-Tuscan. Scott Conant has both consulted with and owned some of the most respected and critically acclaimed Italian/American fine dining restaurants in New York as well as across the United States. Scarpetta, L’Impero, and Alto to name a few.

Ben Lee, the Test Kitchen Director, has been tailoring his career in the world of Hospitality for almost 20 years. First receiving a degree in Hospitality Management at Penn State University, then working as part of the front of the house management team at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia. Next began his career as a chef in some of the most challenging kitchens in Philadelphia, Italy, and ultimately New York City.  His pedigree includes restaurants such as LaCroix at the Rittenhouse, Osteria Philadelphia, Marea, and then highlighted by taking over the helms at the Michelin-rated A Voce Madison as the executive chef. Ben joined Scott Conant’s recipe development kitchen in February of 2016 as Director, where he has the opportunity to develop dishes that represent Scott’s approach to food and cook for private event clients at the intimate SC Culinary Suites.

The Lorenzo & Isabelle is a very special and unique wine for Il Palazzone as this is our 2nd production, our first was a 2005 vintage. It’s a blend comprised primarily of two grape varietals Sangiovese Grosso (native to Montalcino) and Cabernet Franc which originates from Bordeaux but has found an optimal environment to thrive in, in Montecucco, a neighboring wine region where we source the additional grapes. This wine was created in celebration of the long lasting love and marriage of Lorenzo & Isabelle, the parents of the Proprietor of Il Palazzone, Richard Parsons. These two varietals have their own distinct personalities but marry beautifully. It is “finished” with a touch of the third varietal Petite Verdot, which adds some additional structure and backbone. From here you have a wine destined to compliment the below recipe created for Il Palazzone by Chef Ben Lee.

Sweet Onion Ash Crusted Pork Rib Chop, Rosemary Potatoes and Porcini, Black Truffle Sugo

Recipe by Ben Lee, Scott Conant’s Culinary Suite in NYC

Serves 4

Sweet Onion Ash

Yield: ½ cup

• Vidalia Onions

• Peel, cut off stem, core of Vidalia onion. Cut into quarters and separate into petals.

• Separate petals on a half sheet tray, keeping to one layer.

• Place into 180F oven, low fan, for two days, periodically stirring the petals.

• On the beginning of day 2, raise oven to 200F. Watch the petals as they turn dark brown to even black. Stir occasionally. Onions will need to be fully dried out.

• Once onions are a deeper dark brown-black and dry, remove from oven and cool to room temp.

• Place onions in the vita prep and make into an ash.

Remaining spice rub

Yield: ¼ cup

Ingredients: ½ tbsp szechuan peppercorns, 3 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp chili flake,1 tbsp all spice,1 tbsp mustard seeds, 3 sprigs rosemary

• Toast in individual pans: szechuan, cumin, red chili flake, and mustard seeds. Cool to room temp.

• In spice grinder, add untoasted all spice with toasted spices and grind to about 75%. Add paprika and rosemary then grind to powder form. Remove.

• Mix a 2:1 ratio of Vidalia Onion ash to the Remaining Spice Rub.

Pork Rib Chops

Ingredients: 4 ea/12oz portions of pork rib chops (bone-in), 3 cups extra virgin olive oil (Il Palazzone?), 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, 2 sprig rosemary, 2 sprig thyme, 1 pinch chili flake

• Reserve 1 cup of oil, 1 sprig of rosemary and thyme. Combine remaining ingredients in a Ziploc bag and let pork marinate overnight.

• When ready to cook, remove chops from oil and let temper

• Preheat oven to 250F

• Season pork with salt and cover generously with sweet onion ash

• Once ready to cook, add ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat

• Sear pork on all sides

• Transfer onto a sheet pan. Add remaining oil, 1 sprig of rosemary and thyme and place into oven. Slowly cook pork chops to your desired temperature. Remove pork from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Potatoes

Ingredients: 2 ea/Marble potatoes, Garlic clove (thinly sliced), 1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig rosemary,1 ea bay leaf, Pinch chili flake, ¼ cup + more to taste salt, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 rosemary sprigs, needles removed and minced

• Reserve minced rosemary, oil and extra salt for final cooking.

• Place rest of ingredients in a pot tall enough to cover with cold water, 4 inches above surface level

• Bring water to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender. About 35 minutes

• Drain potatoes from water and cool to room temp

• Cut potatoes in half

• In a large skillet, add oil and place potatoes cut side down

• Turn on heat to medium high and brown cut side of potatoes

• Line a plate with paper towels and transfer browned potatoes. Season with salt and minced rosemary

Porcini

Ingredients: Porcini, cleaned and quartered, 1 ea Garlic clove (thinly sliced), ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 sprig Rosemary, Salt to taste

• In a large sauté pan, add oil and bring to smoking point over high heat.

• Add porcini and cook fully. At last minute, add rosemary and garlic slices for about 15 seconds, just to perfume the mushrooms

• Transfer onto a paper towel lined plate. Season to taste with salt

Black Truffle Sugo

Ingredients: 1 qt Roasted chicken stock, 1 ea Garlic clove (thinly sliced), 1 sprig thyme,1 sprig rosemary, Splash red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon preserved black truffle

• In a sauce pot, add stock, garlic, rosemary and thyme and reduce by a gentle simmer until the body of the stock becomes thick to sauce consistency

• Strain sauce and season with red wine vinegar and preserved black truffle

To Serve

• Mix porcini cooked potatoes.

• Set rested pork onto plate

• Finish with sauce

If you like this dish and want to enjoy more delicious food like this and  will be in the New York City area in  the near future, please consider planning a special event at Scott Conant Culinary Suites or visit his new restaurant Fusco.

www.scculinarysuite.comfusconewyork.comscottconant.com