SHOW & RECIPE FOR APRIL 7

Note: On Saturday March 31, Delicious Mischief had the unexpected pleasure of broadcasting live from the Spec’s Warehouse store on Smith St., talking about food and wine for an hour from the center of all things food and wine in Houston. The show described originally for March 31 will now be broadcast on Saturday April. 7.

THE GREAT GADSBY
Chef Robert Gadsby, who came to Houston from his native Cockney London by way of Los Angeles, has learned a thing or two about local tastes since opening Noe at the Omni Riverway. He still loves to create personalized tasting menus of 5, 7, 12 or maybe, if you like, 1,413 courses. But he recently started offering an a la carte menu as well, for diners who might want just a salad and a nice steak. It’s all part of the journey for Gadsby, one of the smartest chefs we know – even if he does sometimes sound like Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins.”

WORK DU SOLEIL
It’s back! The magnificent entertainment juggernaut known as Cirque du Soleil has taken time off from its Vegas extravaganzas to create a big new traveling show called “Corteo” – and, as always, Houston is lucky enough to get it here for about a month. This time, the troupe is setting up its signature Grand Chapiteau in northwest Houston, at Sam Houston Race Park, and counting on us to beat a freeway to its door. We chat with Corteo artistic coordinator Richard (that’s Ree-SHARD!) Dagenais about what it takes to coax magic from 55 artists from 16 countries up to 10 shows a week.

BUBBLES FROM CHAMPAGNE
We don’t buy into every “trademark” claim food and wine people aim in our general direction, including complaints we’ve heard about Parmesan cheese or prosciutto that isn’t from Parma or even about “Alfredo sauce” not made by people who bought the rights from Alfredo himself in Rome. Still, we have always accepted that the only actual champagne comes from the Champagne region of France. In today’s Grape & Grain segment, we sit down for a tasting of some of the best and brightest “real French champagnes” with the “real French people” who make them.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
BRAISED PORK BELLY AND BREADFRUIT ESCABECHE

1 pork belly (5 pounds, preferably karabuta)
4 cups Chicken Stock (recipe on page 00)
3 pounds breadfruit, peeled and cubed
4 cups boiling water
8 small additional breadfruit
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1/2 cup white vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Smothered Callaloo
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
2 bunches fresh callaloo or kale
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 225°. Place whole pork belly in a roasting pan; add stock. Braise in the oven until tender, about 1½ hours. In a large saucepan, partially cook breadfruit cubes in boiling water for 6 minutes; drain and set aside. Hollow out additional breadfruit to serve as “bowls;” set aside. Remove pork belly from braising liquid; set liquid aside. Cut pork into 1-inch squares. In a sauté pan, sear the squares on all sides to render the fat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder and allspice, stirring for about 1 minute. Then add the vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer pork in this “escabeche” for 15 minutes Add the breadfruit cubes; simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat; keep warm.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan; sauté the onion, celery, garlic and Scotch bonnet until lightly caramelized. Add callaloo; sauté until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Add salt, pepper and reserved braising liquid. Simmer until callaloo is tender and liquid is almost gone, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Spoon pork and breadfruit mixture into breadfruit bowls. Serve smothered callaloo on the side. Serves 8.