Gourmet Gauntlet

With Market Manager Bekah Johnson, of the Tosa Farmers Market

We recruited chefs from Juniper 61, Cafe Grace and Story Hill BKC to see if they were up for our challenge to turn a strange combination of edible treasures into a cohesive meal.

The Essential Ingredients:

One jar of tangy-sweet raspberry rhubarb jam from Kewaskum-based vendor The Fideler Farm

One stewing hen, responsibly pastured and generously donated by Morning Star Family Farms in Hartford

One head of one of the most unappreciated vegetables at the market: kohlrabi from certified organic local food leader JenEhr

Our chefs crafted these ingredients into three delightfully different dishes!

Juniper 61 – Chef Darin Yenter has been at Juniper 61 since 2012. His creative vision and passion for locally sourced foods has helped shape the restaurant into the community-oriented hub that it has become, offering daring dishes and imaginative comfort foods, often on the same small plate. Darin turned our ingredients into a tropical treat and ran it as a Weekly Special.

Break down chicken into leg, breast, thigh, and wings. Coat pieces evenly with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat oil and sprinkle in sugar evenly. Heat on low until the sugar becomes a light golden-brown. Increase heat and sear the chicken pieces till the skin has a dark and shiny appearance. Remove chicken from the pan. Be careful not to burn the sugar by decreasing the heat slightly. Add chopped veg and spices to the seasoned pan and stir until coated in the sugar and beginning to brown. Add the chicken stock and return chicken pieces to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Let simmer for 3 hours checking periodically to make sure chicken is submerged in liquid.

Meanwhile, peel the kohlrabi and turnip. Then, cut into thick slices, coat with oil, salt and pepper and grill till well-marked and soft to the touch. After grilling, cut into a medium dice.

Once chicken is tender, make the sauce: Strain braising liquid and transfer 2 cups to a shallow saute pan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let reduce by half. At this point, you can dip the wild ramps into the boiling liquid. They will cook instantly. Remove them and hold for plating. Whisk in the raspberry jam until it is incorporated evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To plate: Pile up your grilled and diced kohlrabi and turnips and arrange the chicken pieces on top. If you prefer, you can pull the tender meat from the bones and shred it for a more fork-friendly meal. Pour the sauce over the top of your chicken. Twirl your wilted ramps around the fresh berries and place them around your dish. Enjoy!

Caribbean Raspberry Chicken

1 whole Stewing Hen
¼ cup Olive oil
¼ cup Sugar
1 Yellow Sweet Onion
medium diced
2 Large Carrots medium diced
4 stalks Celery
medium diced
1 tbsp. Cayenne
2 tbsp. Paprika
2 sprig Fresh thyme
1 Bayleaf
5 whole Peppercorn
5 whole Allspice

8 cups Chicken Stock
2 bulbs Kohlrabi
2 Turnips
¼ cup Raspberry Rhubarb Jam
¼ lb. Fresh ramps
to taste Salt (kosher or sea) & Pepper
small handful Fresh Raspberries for garnish

Cafe Grace – Formerly sous-chef at Bacchus, Klayton Mutchler is now chef de cuisine at Cafe Grace, a delightful new west-side gem tucked into the bursting and booming Mayfair Collection. This casually sophisticated French bistro is another Bartolotta innovation but distinct from its lakeside counterpart. Mutchler’s take on our ingredient trio was as refreshing as the sprinkled mint that finished it off.

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces (two thighs, two 2 wings, 2 legs, and 2 breasts). In a heavy-bottom pan, sear the chicken skin-side down in a little bit of oil until golden-brown. Add mirepoix and squeeze the citrus into the pan. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with a heavy lid or aluminum foil and braise in the oven until tender (at least two hours). Meanwhile, with an immersion blender, blend the blanched English peas with the evoo and mint until desired consistency (mushy is great).

To make raw vegetable salad, slice the celery root, carrot, and kohlrabi very thinly and then place in neat piles and slice very thinly into julienne. Make the vinaigrette by placing the jam and champagne vinegar in a bowl and very slowly emulsifying the evoo into the mixture. Season with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Citrus-Braised Hen & Julienned Root Salad

1 whole Stewing Hen
2 cups Mirepoix – carrots, onion, celery chopped

1 Juice from 1 Orange
1 Juice from 1 Lemon
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup English Peas shucked and quick blanched

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Mint
1 Medium Celery Root
1 Small Carrot
1 Small Kohlrabi
3 oz. Raspberry Rhubarb Jam
½cup Champagne Vinegar

Story Hill BKC – Story Hill BKC executive chef Erik Malmstadt is a veteran of top restaurants in the Milwaukee dining scene — including Black Shoe Hospitality’s first restaurant, Maxie’s, and cornerstone fine-dining destination Eddie Martini’s. Prior to joining Story Hill BKC in April 2016, Erik had focused on seasonality as the executive chef of Parkside 23 in Brookfield for three years. His perspective and experience contribute invaluably to a restaurant that consistently plans a menu according to whatever is coming out of the ground. Malmstadt took our ingredients straight to the grill for his version of our market haul.

Char tomatillos on a charcoal grill. Place charred tomatillos in blender with lime juice, cilantro, and salt and blend into a sauce. Julienne kohlrabi and red peppers. Stir tomatillo sauce into peppers and kohlrabi. Taste for seasoning.

Place all ingredients in pot and cook on low heat, stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn, for 20 min, until onions and jalapeño are soft. Puree in blender. For charcoal grilled chicken:Season and grill one whole local chicken, basting with rhubarb bbq. Serve with a heaping side of slaw.

Charcoal Grilled Chicken with Kohlrabi Tomatillo Slaw & Raspberry Rhubarb BBQ Sauce