Category: Food

In the kitchen with Justin Bernatchez

Nashua native Justin Bernatchez is the executive chef at LaBelle Winery. Growing up with his father in the industry, he was exposed at a young age to the kitchen environment, one that he found thrilling, and he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. He started cooking in local restaurants when he was 15 and later attended Atlantic Culinary Academy’s Le Cordon Bleu program, where he graduated at the top of his class.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A must-have in the kitchen for me would be passionate cooks who are willing to work really hard, listen and learn. … Becoming a chef takes time … It takes years, and having cooks that are passionate and devoted to the craft really helps build a strong team and makes things really fun.

What would you have for your last meal?

I’m a sucker for comfort food and … greasy fatty, cheesy and gooey … I would start with fried mozzarella sticks and some buffalo wings with tons of blue cheese dressing, then probably a really nice burger and finish it off with something chocolatey for dessert.

What is your favorite local eatery?

I live in Manchester and love exploring the ever-changing food scene. From Mexican to Thai to the dives and sandwich shops — they all have such great and interesting things to try, so to pick one would be impossible, but my favorite thing is that you can pretty much [try] food from any culture you are craving…

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?

The late, great Anthony Bourdain. He was just so influential in my career, and his books and shows really inspired me to branch out and explore what the world had to offer through food…

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

My favorite thing on the menu right now at The Bistro in Amherst would be the salted caramel chicken wings …. [It’s] crispy chicken coated in a white wine caramel with fresh Granny Smith apples and smoked sea salt. … I would say that the classic steak frites would be my favorite at Americus.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I would say that the biggest food trend … would be the fusion of ingredients from other countries and other parts of the world into American-style foods to make them more approachable.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

[P]robably be anything that I can grill. I love to use my flat-top grill to make meals for my wife and kids that they are going to love.

LaBelle Winery Guinness Braised Short Ribs

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
4 pounds beef short ribs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion rough-chopped
1 large carrot rough-chopped
2 stalks celery rough-chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
15 ounces (or more) Guinness
15 ounces (or more) beef stock

In a shallow plate whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the short ribs in the flour mixture, making sure all sides are covered in flour. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated up, add the ribs, only half of them at a time (do not overcrowd), and sear them on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Repeat with remaining ribs. Once they are all seared, set them aside. Preheat your oven at 350 degrees in the meantime. In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion has softened and the garlic is aromatic. Next, stir in the tomato paste and pour in the Guinness and beef broth (amount needed is dependent on your pan size — the short ribs need to be covered with the liquid). Then, add the rosemary and thyme and bring the pot to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add the short ribs back to the pan and cover with a lid. Transfer the pan to the oven and braise for 2½ to 3 hours, or until they are tender enough to fall apart with a fork. Remove the rosemary and thyme from the pot, then garnish with parsley and serve.

Featured photo: Justin Bernatchez. Courtesy photo.

Classics with a twist

Owners of Industry East open new restaurant on Elm Street

After opening their restaurant Industry East on Hanover Street in Manchester, Jeremy Hart and Dan Haggerty eventually decided to embark on their second business venture. On Monday, Oct. 2, the pair opened the doors to Stash Box, a restaurant and bar that puts a twist on homestyle comfort classics.

“Our No. 1 complaint at Industry East was that we didn’t have enough space,” Hart said. “Here, we have more space.”

Hart and Haggerty have both been in the food industry for more than 20 years, having worked as servers, bartenders and managers for other establishments before opening their own. Over the course of those two decades, both of them had contemplated leaving the industry but always found themselves being drawn back.

“Basically, you have to for some reason really love it, and I think it’s just providing hospitality to people and seeing them enjoy food and drinks that you created,” Haggerty said. “It was either leave or go for broke, so we decided to open a restaurant and then it worked out pretty well.”

The pair opened Industry East on Feb. 2, 2021, serving craft cocktails such as Smoke on the Water(melon) made with mezcal and Montenegro liqueur and Naval Academy made with aperol, bourbon and fresh orange juice as well as one-of-a-kind takes on staples like tacos, hot dogs and flatbreads.

“Industry East is essentially a cocktail bar that serves really good food, and Stash Box is a restaurant that has really good food with a cocktail bar inside of it,” Haggerty said. “It’s kind of like an elevated taste on regional classics from New England and around the country. … Our kitchen is a lot bigger here than it is at Industry East [so] we’re able to do a lot more … which is cool. Basically just a bigger expansive menu of homestyle cooking.”

An example of such a twist is their chicken cordon bleu. Added to the bernaise sauce is rosemary and basil and on the side is prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and shallot mashed potatoes. Appetizers include scallop crudo — sliced scallops with pineapple jalapeno salsa, mango gastrique, toasted coconut and sea salt — and scallion pancakes with kimchi, fried egg, pickled red onion, soy glaze sauce and sesame. For dessert, enjoy a peaches-and-cream tart with a homemade brown sugar shell, sugared peaches and blueberries topped with cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, powdered sugar and fresh mint, or bananas Foster, consisting of a cinnamon crunch waffles topped with sauteed bananas, brown sugar, dark rum, whipped cream, bruleed bananas and cinnamon sugar.

“We love being downtown in Manchester on Elm Street because we love all our neighbors. They’ve all been helpful and supportive the entire time we were building the project,” Haggerty said. “Downtown Manchester is an amazing restaurant and overall small-business community, and it’s a great thing to be a part of if you are willing to put in the work. … It’s been really good. Definitely a warm welcome on Elm Street.

Stash Box
Where: 866 Elm St., Manchester
When: Monday through Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m.
606-8109

Featured photo: Stash Box. Photo by Mya Blanchard.

The Weekly Dish 23/11/02

News from the local food scene

• Spirited evening: Tickets are still available to the 10th annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits on Thursday, Nov. 2, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown with general admission from 6 to 8:30 p.m. (for $75) and early access at 5 p.m. (for $90). In addition to spirit tastings, the evening features 25 food and beverage vendors. See distillersshowcase.com.

• Wine and whiskers: Tailgate Transport & Rescue, an organization that rescues dogs from kill shelters down south, holds its second annual Wine & Whiskers Fundraiser at the Derryfield Country Club (625 Mammoth Road) in Manchester on Friday, Nov. 3, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, chocolate and live and silent auctions with items like two tickets to the Patriots-Chiefs game and a hot air balloon ride, all while raising money to help the animals. Tickets are $35. Visit tailgaterescue.org.

• Dinner and a show: Enjoy dinner and a show when Overserved makes their Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua) debut on Friday, Nov. 3, at 9:30 p.m. Admission is free.

• 10-year bourbon: Travel back to the Prohibition era and discover new flavors at Flag Hill Distillery & Winery’s (297 N. River Road, Lee) celebration for the release of their 10-year-aged bourbon. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails, refreshments and live music, line dancing and an afterparty. Tickets for the event are $85. To purchase tickets, visit https://rb.gy/t3qof.

Gin Punch

We’ve all done it. We’ve all planned our ideal dinner party — what we’d serve, how we’d dress, and most importantly, who we’d invite.

The guest list is the most intriguing part of this mental exercise.

We’d have to limit the guest list to eight people — four men and four women. Fewer than that, and you can’t fit in all your “must-invites”; more than that, and there won’t be one conversation, there will be four or five. All must be alive, as of this week, and no family members are allowed. It’s like a wedding — by the time you invite all the people you should invite, there isn’t room for the people you really want to invite.

So here’s my provisional list.

The Men

Me – I know I said no relatives, but I think I can make an exception for myself.

Robert Krulwich – Science reporter and former host of RadioLab. A charming guy.

Cheech Marin – Comedian and well-respected art collector. Brilliant and allegedly very nice.

Carlos Santana – Genius guitarist. He makes a point of collaborating with radically different artists.

The Women

Naziyah Mahmood – Martial artist model and astrophysicist. I imagine everything she says, down to her morning coffee order, is fascinating.

Lucy Worsley – British historian and famously nice lady.

Esperanza Spalding – Jazz genius, and probably the best bassist alive today.

Salima Ikram – Archaeologist and Egyptologist. Again, staggeringly fascinating.

So far, so good. All but one of these people are brilliant. They are all personable and fascinating.

But is that enough?

A good dinner party guest should have interesting things to say, but the very best ones are also excellent, dynamic listeners. How well do they play with others?

I have the feeling that Robert Krulwich would be fascinated by Naziyah Mahmood, who would charm Esperanza Spalding. She, in turn, would have Cheech Marin hypnotized by her beauty and, well, hipness. I would love to hear the conversation that he would have with Salima Ikram. I would just try very hard not to embarrass myself.

The point being, it’s not about who is brilliant on their own as much as it is what kind of chemistry they have together.

Which brings us to gin punch.

A good punch is supposed to be made of fantastic ingredients — also eight, in this case — that each add something to the whole but don’t dominate it. A fantasy dinner party of a cocktail, if you will.

Gin Punch

  • Peel of half a lemon – just the outside yellow part, not the bitter white part underneath.
  • Large teaspoonful of your favorite jam. Raspberry is a popular choice, but I like rose.
  • 2½ ounces dry gin
  • ¼ ounce triple sec
  • ¼ ounce ginger brandy
  • ½ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ ounce grenadine or simple syrup, depending on how pink you want this punch to be.
  • Dash of celery bitters

Muddle the lemon peel thoroughly in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.

Add the jam and muddle it again.

Add the rest of the ingredients, then use the muddler to stir everything, thereby rinsing the last of the jam off the muddler.

Add ice, and shake until very cold.

Strain over fresh ice in a coupe glass. Sip while listening to Esperanza Spalding; you won’t be sorry.

As with our imaginary dinner party, this punch is greater than its parts. The gin and lemon juice give it authority and keep it from becoming too sweet. The ginger is just barely detectable, as are the celery bitters. The jam doesn’t dominate the conversation but has something nice to say about your shoes.

This might actually be a good drink to serve at your next dinner party.

John Fladd is a veteran Hippo writer, a father, writer and cocktail enthusiast, living in New Hampshire.

Featured photo: Parmentier. Photo by John Fladd.

In the kitchen with Chris Ballou

Chris Ballou, a sous chef at Americus Restaurant at LaBelle Winery in Derry, discovered his culinary bent in a high school class. He went on to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he earned an associate’s degree, and gained experience in Arizona as well. Once back in New Hampshire, he started working at LaBelle Winery in Amherst before working at Americus Restaurant, where he has been for almost four years and enjoys the creative freedom to experiment with a diverse cuisine.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The kitchen knife is definitely a must-have … but I would say a good stock pot because in culinary school you start everything from scratch and all food starts with good ingredients and my main go-to good ingredient is a good stock, so I think that is essential for me.

What would you have for your last meal?

It would have to be my mom’s pot roast. I played soccer when I was growing up and [on] rainy fall nights after a long soccer game you come home and the house just smells incredible, it’s a nice hearty meal [that] will fill you right up. Perfect for winter nights.

What is your favorite local eatery?

Green Leaf over in Milford. … He does a lot of creative things over there and it [is] amazing.

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant.

My chef out [in] Arizona grew up in France and he was living in the same neighborhood I think down the street of Dominique Crenn and ever since she did that episode on Chef’s Table on Netflix I’ve just been totally wowed, so that would be incredible to see her eating there.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I have to say it’s the Mediterranean pizza that we have on the menu. … it’s just spectacular. It’s a 24-hour fermented pizza dough [made] in house … It’s amazing, such a good balance of spicy and sweet and there’s fresh oregano on top to bring it all together. It’s delicious.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I see a lot of oriental places popping up. … New Hampshire seems to be diversifying its food a lot more than it was, getting away from the New England cuisine of chowders and such like that.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Chicken piccata. It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s delicious. I’m a big fan of bold, sour flavors too but I like to add sun-dried tomatoes into it to kind of balance it out and give it some sweetness. It’s so easy to do after a long day at work.

Chicken piccata
From the kitchen of Chris Ballou

2 chicken cutlets
1 shallot sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 cup chicken stock
¼ pound butter
2 Tablespoons capers
2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato
1/2 lemon squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

On medium high heat, sear chicken for about one minute on both sides and remove from pan.
Add shallots and garlic and stir, picking up all the fond (leftover chicken bits on the bottom of pan). Cook until translucent.
Deglaze with wine.
Add in chicken stock, capers and tomatoes.
Add chicken back into the pan. Reduce by ¼.
Add butter and lemon juice, stirring constantly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve over rice with your favorite seasonal vegetables.

Featured photo: Chris Ballou. Courtesy photo.

Jals Cuisine Bantu

Bringing the flavors of Africa to Nashua

On Friday, Sept. 22, a VIP launch party was held for the opening of Jals Cuisine Bantu, Nashua’s first African restaurant. Jals Cuisine Bantu is an extension of Mola Foods, a food production company offering the flavors of Africa through spices, sauces, seasonings, teas, marinades and more.

“Mola Foods is a food production manufacturing company, and Jals Cuisine plays the role of showcasing our product with traditional cuisine of Africa,” said LaFortune Djabea, the founder of Mola Foods and Jals Cuisine Bantu. “Mola Foods creates products, and people want to know how to use these products in their cooking. That’s where Jals Cuisine comes into play [by] showcasing how you can utilize Mola Food products in your own cuisine.”

Born and raised in Cameroon, Djabea describes her native country as a melting pot of culture and cuisine from other African countries, such as Zambia, Congo, Nigeria and Ghana. Her grandmother was able to cook in a variety of styles. When a friend of Djabea’s asked her to create a hot sauce using her grandmother’s recipe, she was at first reluctant but eventually decided to accept the challenge, which led to the creation of Mola Foods and, in turn, Jals Cuisine Bantu.

“The flavor is completely traditional of African cuisine, so basically we are introducing a fusion cuisine with the bold flavors of Africa,” Djabea said. “People think African cuisine is spicy but it’s actually not. … If you want to make your food spicy then you add the sauce, but the food itself isn’t spicy, it just has a bunch of spices that people don’t use traditionally on their food here in America. In Africa we use a bunch of spices to bring out those flavors, bring out the boldness [and] the smell. … Whether you want it spicy or not is really based on what you’re looking for. At Jals Cuisine we don’t make food spicy, we give it a kick, and if you want it a little spicier then you’re welcome to utilize one of our hot sauces.”

Menu items include jollof, or thieboudienne, a traditional Senegalese dish consisting of rice, okra, yucca, assorted vegetables and your choice of meat; West African key lime pie; yassa, made with cauliflower or chicken, rice, onions, olives and lime; and fried plantains. Each meal can be made into a vegan option as well. You can dine in at the restaurant or order to take out, with pickup and delivery options available. Meal plan services are also offered.

“African cuisine, and Africa in general, is extremely not represented in Nashua whatsoever,” Djabea said. “It’s a wonderful cuisine [and] the world does not do it justice, and the reason the world doesn’t do African cuisine justice is because of the stigma surrounding Africa itself [and] African people … and that’s unfortunate. … I have made it my mission at Mola Foods and through Jals Cuisine to … repel the stigma … and make people understand that African cuisine is very approachable, delicious and is something that should be acclaimed with the rest of the cuisine.”

Jals Cuisine Bantu
9 Simon St., Nashua
When: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 4 to 8 p.m.; closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday
More info: 820-2543; jalscuisinebantu.molafoods.com

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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