Dennis Leary
CANTEEN | San Francisco

Dennis Leary’s Canteen in the Commodore Hotel is the antithesis of the ever-increasing trend of mega-restaurants led by celebrity chefs who march from one outpost of their empire to the next, while their army of unknown soldiers execute the menu on a daily basis. Leary’s vision for Canteen is simple. He is the sole cook of this intimate, 20-seat restaurant, “stripped of all pretension.” The setup allows him to interact with a small group of diners each night and cater to their individual tastes. A first-time restaurant owner, Leary financed almost all of the construction and operating costs for Canteen personally. Prior to this venture he rose up the ranks of Rubicon, where he was the executive chef for the last 5 years. A native of Massachusetts, he apprenticed at the Parker House in Boston and then headed west to work in kitchens in Phoenix, Telluride, and Carmel, before making his mark on San Francisco.

Rolled of Lamb with Romesco and Bitter Greens
Chef Dennis Leary of Canteen – San Francisco, CA
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

Lamb:
• 1 lamb leg, boned and fat trimmed
• 2 heads garlic, minced
• ½ cup parsley leaves, washed

Romesco:
• ½ cup stale bread, crusts removed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 head garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup almonds, toasted
• 1 anchovy
• 1 bell pepper, roasted, peeled and deseeded
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Spanish paprika

For Serving:
• 4 heads endive
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 1 bunch chives, minced

Method:

For Lamb:
Separate lamb leg into 7 parts, following natural seams between leg muscles. Slice each muscle lengthwise, season with salt, and pound lightly with a mallet. Coarsely chop garlic and parsley, sprinkle on top of lamb, and roll each piece up into a tight cylinder. Chill for 20 minutes. Seal lamb cylinders in plastic using a cryovac machine (or roll in plastic). Place lamb in cold water, and gradually raise temperature to 150° F (use thermometer to monitor temperature). Maintain temperature for 13 minutes. Remove lamb pieces and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

For Romesco:
Cut bread into small pieces and fry in olive oil until it browns slightly. Add garlic and continue cooking, but don’t let oil get too hot. Add almonds, anchovy, and bell pepper, and stir briefly. Remove and place in food processor. Blend to a smooth puree. Add vinegar, paprika, and salt, and adjusting consistency with more olive oil and a little warm water, if necessary.

To Assemble and Serve:
Finely chop the endive, and mix with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, a pinch of sugar, and chives. Place equal amounts of endive mixture on 6 plates. Slice the lamb (discarding the plastic) and arrange 3 pieces on top of endive. Drizzle romesco sauce around lamb and serve immediately.

Wine Pairing:
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Vinyard 7, Napa Valley, California, 2001

Interview Cont'd
AB: What are your favorite cookbooks? 
DL: Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery by Jane Grigson, The Futurist Cookbook by Filippo Marinetti (though it's not a cookbook per se) and The Foods of France by Waverly Root.

AB: What cities do you like for culinary travel?
DL: New York and Paris.

AB: What are your favorite restaurants –off the beaten path – in  San Francisco?
DL: Hons Wun Tun House (reminds me of Shanghai), La Bergerie, Francesci's Restaurant (It reminds me of old east coast beach places in Ipswich and the Jersey shore.)

AB: What trends do you see emerging in the restaurant industry now?
DL: I don't follow them, but probably more fast food, stupid diet restaurants (low carb).