Humans,
With the end of the decade approaching, I can't help but be filled with gratitude. None of what Cow by Bear has become would have been possible without you. Only a decade before this one I was in Buenos Aires, down on my luck and out of the cooking game altogether. I found myself down on the mat staring at the ceiling of an underground boxing gym. Barely conscious from the wicked right hook I had just received, my olfactory bulbs picked up a scent. I followed it out the back door of the gym where I found a parrilla grilling the fattest, juiciest steak I'd ever seen in my entire life. This is where I fell head over heels for cow. That same evening I attended a puertas cerradas dinner at a private residence. I was back in the game.
It was this meal that inspired me to start Cow by Bear from my apartment at the start of this decade. The first menus were strictly Argentinian dishes paired with my favorite Malbec and Torrontés wines from Mendoza. I am so excited to reimagine these dinners as we launch into Food by Bear: Argentina! The series will run on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm during January and February. As usual, it is a 5-course meal with fine wine pairings. Price per person is a flat $195.
I'm so grateful to you for being part of the Cow by Bear story this decade. It's in that and the holiday spirit I'd like to offer a 10% discount to newsletter subscribers for both this Argentina experience and for gift certificate purchases. The code is HUMANS and is valid through Christmas.
SMALL BITES
We still have a few dates available for a Cow by Bear holiday party. This experience is for between 10-14 guests and priced at $200 per person. Come celebrate the holidays with your closest friends, family, colleagues and wild animals.
OSO LOCRO
While tasting Argentinian cow was undoubtedly a life-changing moment for me, it was the discovery of another South American dish that I've never been able to forget. As long as you have some variation of corn (or hominy), beans, potato and meat (beef, pork, chicken) you can make locro. I've been having a blast experimenting with all kinds of concoctions and this one here is one of my current favorites. Try it as is or just look in your cupboard to see what vegetables, beans and meats you have available and give it a whirl. It's almost impossible to mess up and so very tasty.
serves 10
2 c dried, broken hominy
2 c dried white beans
3/4 c olive oil
1.5 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb beef short ribs, cut between bones
1 lb flank steak, cut into 1 inch pieces
5 links chorizo
kosher salt, black pepper to taste
1 shallot
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1 butternut squash, small cubed
1 russet potato, small cubed
1 c finely chopped scallions
The day before cooking, rinse hominy under running water until the water runs clear. Place hominy and beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight.
for the sauce:
1. Whisk 1/2 cup of the oil, paprika, chile flakes and 2 cloves of the garlic in a bowl and refrigerate until plating.
for the stew:
1. Heat remaining oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season your meats with salt and pepper and, working in batches, add to pan. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 6 cloves of minced garlic and shallot and cook for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add the cumin, oregano and bay leaf and cook for about two minutes.
3. Return meat to pan and give it a good stir coating the meats with liquid in the pan. Add hominy, beans, potato, squash and 8 cups of water. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let it ride out for about 3 hours.
4. Salt and pepper to taste and divide among bowls. Drizzle the sauce on top and garnish with scallions. Enjoy!
BOBBY BOMBILLA
I've been an afternoon drinker of yerba mate ever since that first trip to Argentina, so you know I had to find a way to mix it into a cocktail. Named after the straw you drink traditional yerba mate from and the baseball player with the most ridiculous contract in sports history, this is a boozy delight that just might be your best friend this holiday season.
1.5 oz bourbon
1/2 oz b&b
3/4 oz yerba mate syrup
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1 sprig mint
ice
for the yerba mate syrup:
1. Add 1/4 cup yerba mate powder, 4 cups sugar and 4 cups hot water into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes. Let cool.
for the cocktail:
1. Add all of the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake.
2. Fine-strain into glass with fresh ice.
3. Garnish with the sprig of mint and enjoy!