Professional Documents
Culture Documents
i
Ludo Lefebvre
with JJ Goode and Krissy Lefebvre
Also by
Ludo Le f e bvre
L u do B i t e s .
Copyright © 2012 by Ludo Lefebvre. All rights reserved. Printed in
the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in
any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address
HarperCollins Publishers, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022.
f i r s t ed i t i o n
ISBN 978-0-06-211483-9
12 13 14 15 16 i nd/RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Acknowledgments viii
Introduction 1
LudoBites 1.0 11
LudoBites 2.0 63
LudoBites 3.0 103
LudoBites 4.0 143
LudoBites 5.0 193
LudoBites 6.0 249
LudoBites 7.0 305
ackn o w le d gm en ts
and simply for being all about positively delicious.
Jill Bernheimer, your wine lists, even when they were illegal, completed the Ludo-
Bites experience; thank you and, of course, thank you for the wine glass sponsorship.
Norbert Wabnig, who would have thought a bread, cheese, and food party would
have turned into such an event; thank you and The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills for being
there for the original and for all of your continued support over the years.
Will Chi, your FoodDigger dinners really were the spark that started the engine.
Thank you so much for all of your unconditional support over the years, because yes, it
First and foremost we have to thank Daniel Halpern for being the coolest publisher out was a fucking bakery!!!!
there. LudoBites may be a temporary restaurant with no permanent home, but you have
memorialized this special moment in time in such a permanent way. You saw the vision,
so . . . thank you. Thank you, Libby Edelson, for your patience with Krissy as a first-time
writer, and thank you, Suet Chong, for weeding through 3,000+ blogger photos. Like
LudoBites, this book has turned into a community effort.
LudoBites could not exist without our host restaurant partners, we are forever
indebted to Ali Chabli (Breadbar); Susan Hancock (Royal/T); Mike Ilic (Gram & Papas);
Andre Guerrero and Jan Purdy (Max); Josiah Citrin and Raphael Lunetta (Lemon Moon);
and finally The Four Seasons at Hualālai Resort. Thank you!!!
JJ Goode, thank you for diving right in, picking up the pieces, and helping to shape
the story. Rochelle Palermo, almost 100 recipes, your commitment and hard work is so
appreciated.
Sydney Hunter, Joon Sung, Dan Moody, and Greg Bernhardt, thank you for all of
your time and effort spent writing down the recipes that were in my head.
Lucy Lean, your extra set of eyes were such a tremendous help during the edit
process.
Lionel and Shayla Deluy, thanks for always having your camera ready to capture
any moment so beautifully.
Wesley Wong, your passion for food truly comes through in your photos; we love
“doing business” with you.
Thank you, Anne Fishbein and Colin Young-Wolff, for taking such beautiful photos
for LA Weekly, and for sharing them with us for this book.
Burton Morris, you are so creative; thank you for being such a great friend and
capturing me perfectly in the LudoBites “Coq.” Everyone knows the LudoBites rooster.
Peter Stougaard, each time you found the perfect creative expression for our an-
nouncements, even if we gave you twelve hours notice, merci beaucoup.
viii acknowledgments ix
It’s 3 p.m. on a hot September afternoon and the Closed sign has just gone up at Gram &
Papa’s, a breakfast-and-lunch spot owned by my friend Mike Ilic in the heart of downtown
Los Angeles’s fashion district. There are still a few customers—a business guy powering
through a turkey burger and, over by the window, two women with poached tuna salads
who have been talking about their boyfriends since I came in an hour ago. All of a sud-
den, the griddle hisses and froths as one of the Gram & Papa’s cooks pours on water and
scrubs away the burger grease in full view of the last diners. The cleanup can’t wait: a
transformation is about to happen. Before the lunching women can gather their purses, a
new restaurant—my restaurant—will inhabit this space, as if by magic.
Already my cooks, squeezed into a back prep area, are hard at work, cutting Cantal
cheese into batons, frying chicken skin, roasting a pig’s head. Wearing black T‑shirts with
a chef’s-knife-wielding rooster on the front and the words “Just Make It Happen” on the
back, my crew is eager to take over the kitchen and do some serious cooking, as soon as
the guys in army-green Gram & Papa’s T‑shirts clear out the plastic forks and wipe the
mayonnaise smears from the glass partitions. Soon my fresh waitstaff, also in black, will
arrive to fold white cloth napkins, light votive candles, and set out the silverware. My wife,
Krissy, has that don’t-bother-me look as she answers an e‑mail plea on her laptop from
a big-shot begging for a last-minute table—three months ago, most of the restaurant’s
seats were snapped up in a thirty-second burst of Internet insanity on OpenTable.
In less than three hours, I’ve got 110 people coming for dinner, and I still haven’t
decided what to do with the oxtail broth bubbling away on the stove. Plus the brioche still
needs something. Maybe four-spice powder?
“Grace! Where’s the four-spice?”
“Upstairs, chef!”
“I need it, Grace . . . now!”
“Oui, chef. Right away, chef!”
x Ludobites 1
2 Ludobites introduction 3
brocamole Serves 4
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, trim the stalks from 4 corn tortillas Sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
the broccoli florets (reserve the stalks for another use, if desired). Add the broccoli
to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain the
broccoli and transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Transfer the broccoli to a colander and set aside to drain well. Squeeze the broccoli Brush the tortillas with the oil and cut each tortilla into 4 pieces. Arrange the tortilla
to remove any excess water. pieces on a heavy baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp and golden,
about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Combine the broccoli and oil in a food processor and process to a thick puree. Trans-
fer to a medium bowl and stir in the cilantro, red onion, tomato, chile, and lime juice.
Season to taste with fleur de sel and serve with the tortilla chips.
relies entirely on the quality of your ingredients and careful Using an immersion blender, blend the egg, garlic, and yuzu juice in a medium bowl
execution. until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil, mixing until the aioli
thickens and becomes creamy. Whisk in the yuzu zest and season to taste with salt;
then refrigerate.
garden vegetables
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add
Serves 4 the shallot and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the radishes and sauté
for 1 minute, then add the sugar and stir for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, chicken
stock, and 4 tablespoons of the butter, cover the vegetables with a round of parch-
ment paper, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment and stir in the cauli-
Yuzu Aioli 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh
flower, Brussels sprouts, and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Simmer until the
1 large egg chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint liquid thickens slightly and the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in
1 garlic clove
¼ cup fresh yuzu juice Kosher salt and freshly ground white the chives and mint and season to taste with salt and white pepper.
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil pepper
Grated zest of 1 yuzu
M e a n w h i le , t o pr e pa r e t h e f i s h
Kosher salt Striped Bass
Fill a deep skillet halfway with water, add the lemon wedges and mint, and bring the
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 large fresh mint sprigs water to a boil over medium heat. Set a steamer basket in the skillet. Season the fish
V e g e ta b l e s
7 tablespoons unsalted butter Four 6- to 7-ounce skinless striped with fleur de sel and white pepper, lay the fillets in the steamer, cover, and steam
1 tablespoon minced shallot bass fillets until just cooked through and opaque in the center, about 6 minutes.
2 bunches Easter Egg or other red Fleur de sel and freshly ground white
radishes, stems trimmed pepper
To serve
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ cup champagne vinegar Garnish
Lay a fish fillet in the center of each of four plates. Arrange the vegetables around
½ cup Chicken Stock (page 39) 3 tablespoons fresh chervil leaves the fish and spoon a generous amount of the yuzu aioli on the rim of the plate. Scat-
2 cups thinly sliced cauliflower florets, 3 tablespoons small fresh tarragon ter the herbs and fennel sprigs nicely over the plates and serve immediately.
preferably a mix of white, green, and leaves
purple, blanched in boiling water until 3 tablespoons small fresh mint leaves
al dente 3 tablespoons small fresh lemon
8 ounces baby Brussels sprouts, verbena leaves
blanched until al dente, drained, 3 tablespoons small fennel sprigs
and halved
Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
and beat on medium speed until cool. With the mixer running, add the whole eggs
raspberry religieuse Serves 18 one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.
Transfer the dough to a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip. Pipe 18 larger
mounds of dough, 2 inches wide by 1 inch high, onto one of the parchment-lined
baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Pipe 18 smaller mounds, 1 inch
Pât e à C h o u x 4 large egg yolks
wide by 1 inch high, onto the second sheet, spacing them 1½ inches apart. Very
½ cup water ½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch gently brush the egg wash over the puffs.
½ cup whole milk
Scant 8 tablespoons (scant 1 stick) 102⁄3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
Bake one sheet at a time until the puffs are lightly golden, about 10 minutes for the
unsalted butter, cut into chunks cut into chunks
smaller puffs and 12 minutes for the larger. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue
1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ cup Raspberry Puree
(recipe follows) to bake until the puffs have dried out and the insides are set, 10 to 15 minutes.
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose Heat the oven to 425°F again before baking the second sheet. Set aside to cool on
flour Ac c o m pa n i m e n t s a rack.
5 large eggs About 1 cup purchased fondant
1 large egg white, beaten with 1 Fresh raspberries for garnish
T o m a k e t h e pa s t r y c r e a m
tablespoon water, for egg wash
Put the milk in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add
R a s p b e r r y Pa s t r y C r e a m the seeds and pod to the milk. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
2 cups whole milk
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Whisk in a small amount of the hot milk to temper the eggs, then pour the egg mix-
ture into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Return the pan to medium heat and
cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture has
thickened to a thick custard. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl.
Immediately stir in the butter and raspberry puree, then set the bowl over a larger
bowl of ice water and stir until the pastry cream is chilled. Cover the surface of the
custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day, until needed.
macarons, strawberries,
To coat the tops of the puffs, dip each one in the warm fondant, shake off the excess,
hold the puff upside down for a minute to give the fondant a chance to set, and then
chantilly
gently invert and allow the fondant to dry slightly.
Serves 6
While the fondant is still a little tacky, assemble the religieuses by placing the smaller
puffs on top of the larger ones. Allow the fondant to dry completely, about 1 hour.
Transfer the puffs to plates or a platter, garnish with fresh raspberries, and serve Macarons ¾ cup heavy cream
immediately. ¾ cup granulated sugar 1⁄3 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons water
½ cup egg whites (about 4 large M a c e r at e d S t r a w b e r r i e s
Combine the raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat
just until the berries begin to release their juices. Mash the berries; do not strain. To make the macarons
Bring the granulated sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat,
stirring until the sugar is dissolved and brushing down the sides of the pan with a
pastry brush dipped in water as necessary to remove any sugar crystals. When the
syrup begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-high, place a candy thermometer in
the saucepan, and cook until the thermometer reads 230°F. Letting the syrup con-
tinue to cook, pour half of the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with
the whip attachment and begin whipping on high speed.
T o p r e p a r e t h e C h a n t i l ly
Lightly whisk the egg whites, cream, and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl just
until combined; do not overwhip. Pour the mixture into a whipped cream canister and
insert 2 nitrous oxide chargers. Turn the canister upside down and shake vigorously
4 or 5 times.
Test the thickness of the Chantilly by piping some onto a plate; it should be a light
whipped foam. If necessary, shake the canister again to thicken the foam. Refriger-
ate until ready to serve.
T o pr e pa r e t h e s t r aw b e r r i e s
Cut smaller strawberries in half and cut larger berries into quarters, so that you end
When the syrup reaches 240°F, remove from the heat and slowly drizzle down the up with pieces that will fit nicely in a small spoon. Toss the strawberries with the
side of the bowl into the egg whites, being careful to avoid pouring the syrup onto the sugar in a medium bowl. Cover the strawberries and refrigerate for at least 1 hour,
whip, which would cause lumps to form. Once all the syrup has been incorporated, and up to 8 hours (no longer, or the berries will not have the proper texture).
continue to whip on high speed until the meringue cools to room temperature.
Line four baking sheets with parchment paper (do not use baking mats). Combine To serve
the almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, and the remaining egg whites in a large bowl; Divide the strawberries and their accumulated juice among six shallow bowls. Ar-
then add the food coloring until you reach the desired color and mix until very thick. range 6 macarons over the strawberries in each bowl. If using Pop Rocks, sprinkle
Fold in the meringue. them over the strawberries and macarons. Cover the macarons in each bowl with a
large rosette of Chantilly and serve immediately.
Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip, and pipe 1-inch-
by-¼-inch-thick disks onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch
apart. Allow the macarons to sit uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes to
1 hour so the surface dries and forms a skin.
Slide another baking sheet under each sheet of macarons and bake for about 12
minutes, until puffed but not colored. Transfer the baking sheets to cooling racks