The Wood-Fired Blog
Sweet Anise Bread
Mar 09, 2015While my Forno Bravo oven hibernated in its snowy winter jacket this week, my business travel took me to Peru. I had the pleasure of working with a group of chefs from around the Caribbean, Central and South American markets. One of our days was spent exploring local ingredients, artisan producers and the cultural influences that have made Peruvian food a global force. We stopped at chef Eduardo Navarro’s Chaxras... Read More
Caramelized Apple Pizza
Oct 16, 2014Just when I had wrapped up a wonderful evening of fresh pizza making, my family turned to me and with lost looks on their faces collectively said, “what no dessert?” Fortunately I had a couple apples handy and gelato in the freezer. I went to work on a quick dessert pizza. The family was thrilled and spared me to cook for them yet another day. Hope you enjoy. Chef Bart... Read More
Roasted Stone Fruit With Oat Streusel
Aug 15, 2013I can’t speak for the rest of the country, but this summer of 2013 is an amazing season for fruit. It started with the strawberries and cherries in the early part of the season, and it has continued on with the myriad varieties of stone fruit now available from local farmers. White and yellow peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums – they’re all unbelievably sweet and juicy. Use this recipe to take... Read More
Seared Rainbow Trout With Crispy Rice Cake, Pickled Peppers and Roasted Lettuce
May 13, 2013I love the delicate flavor and crispy skin of rainbow trout. Here in Chicago we are lucky enough to have an amazing sustainable trout farm, Rushing Waters, just a couple hours away, across the border in Wisconsin. If you’re not so lucky, substitute any freshwater fish you can get your hands on – or order from Rushing Waters online; they will ship to you overnight. Read More
Slow-Roasted Duck Breast With Rhubarb-Savory Compote
Jan 09, 2013The bright acidity of rhubarb is a great counterpoint to the meaty richness of duck breast. This is a wonderful dish for the wood oven, because that faint lick of smokiness infused in both the meat and the compote really ties everything together. It’s also very simple, but the depth of flavor will make it seem as if you worked on the dish for hours. Savory is delicious, underused herb... Read More
Wood-Oven S’mores
Jun 08, 2012Summer’s here, school’s out, and the weather’s fine. What better way to celebrate than with a little outdoor dessert-making session? Pretty much everybody knows how to make a s’more, but my one personal complaint about them is that the chocolate never melts. Here I’ve come up with a work-around, replacing the traditional chocolate bar with a rich fudge sauce that I think moves the s’more to an even higher plateau... Read More
Cherry Clafoutis
Feb 17, 2012This is a recipe I adapted from the inimitable Julia Child. I honestly don’t know why people don’t make or serve clafoutis more often – it’s one of the easiest desserts imaginable, you can make one with pretty much any fruit you’d care to, and it’s absolutely delicious. Maybe it’s the scary-looking French name. Call it a deep-dish crepe for all I care, just make one for your next dinner... Read More
Smoked Pear Butter
Nov 08, 2011This is one for making use of your oven as the fire dies and gentle residual heat does the cooking, while the smoking embers do the flavoring. Read More
