bestofneworleans.com Winter 2001 Hearty Winter Repast The hottest culinary artist to return to the area in 2000 was Donald Link, a former sous chef at Susan Spicer’s Bayona restaurant and her most successful protege. After spending four years at three restaurants in San Francisco – most recently as chef-owner of the wildly successful Mojo in Palo Alto – Link returned to the Big Easy to become chef of Spicer’s new Herbsaint bistro. Named for the absinthe anise liqueur once made in New Orleans, Herbsaint serves French-American bistro dishes with Louisiana influences. One of the most popular menu items is beef ribs brisket braised in a mixture of cane vinegar and Steen’s cane syrup. "You need to take your time cooking this dish," he says. "Braise it slowly so it’ll be more tender." The following brisket recipe recommends baking the meat in a 300-degree oven for about 2 1/2 hours, but Link suggests going the extra mile and baking it at 250 degrees for about four hours, making sure it doesn’t dry out and adding extra chicken stock when needed. "I really like having people over to my house for dinner," Link says. "It’s a chance for me to play. I like the whole process of going to the store, picking out the products and the wine. That’s the exciting part of it." For a casual winter feast, Link suggests starting with a tomato shrimp bisque, followed by crudites of vegetables. "I like to serve raw, dressed salads, like carrots with walnut vinaigrette, cucumbers with sour cream and dill, and marinated roasted beets." The main course of beef brisket with special mashed potatoes should end with a creme brulee laced with Herbsaint and brandy. Spicer, who is passionate about wine, suggests "serving an un-oaked Chardonnay with the soup, such as the ’98 Plantagenet Omrah from Australia. And with Link’s brisket, you should serve a light zinfandel, such as Franus Zinfandel, Contra Costa County." |
Chefs Susan Spicer and Donald Link suggest a winter feast anchored by tomato shrimp bisque, braised beef brisket and creme brulee.
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