This Brewmaster’s Guide to Eating Well
Garrett Oliver shares his favorite things.
The Deligram shines a spotlight on the many incredible food artisans in New York–and beyond. So we look to our friends to help us discover the best of the best every day. This week, we spoke to Garrett Oliver, who is a man of many talents. He’s the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery, author of The Brewmaster's Table, editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, and founder of the Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling. “Mostly,” he says, “I make beer.” He’s also an avid home cook, with an eye for antique flatware, go-to spices, and more. Here Oliver reveals his favorite things–and, for our paid subscribers only, his favorite original recipe of the moment.
My Favorite Things
Antique hotel flatware from Paris flea markets
“Why, why, why would you ever ever use cheap depressing schoolroom flatware when you can buy beautiful silver-plated old stuff so much cheaper? They're a few dollars apiece, they're weighty in the hand, and I put them through the dishwasher, no problem.”
Fer À Cheval soap
“I travel widely and I always take this with me. It has four all-natural ingredients (mostly olive oil) and it's been made this way for more than 160 years. There is no way you will ever get me using some random ‘lemon ginger splash’ crap that's in the hotel room....you must be joking.”
Very serious knives
“This nakiri was made for me by the good folks at Seral Wood & Steel. I cook a lot, and good knives make happy work.”
My wok
“It is the most used piece of equipment in my kitchen (yes, I have a wok ring and flame concentrator). Most of the dishes I cook in it are not Asian-derived; it really is a multi-talented instrument.”
Spices by Burlap & Barrel
“They really are the very best you can get.”
GARRETT’S FAVORITE RECIPE OF THE MOMENT: Polenta with Lamb in Ghanaian Shito Sauce
“This is one of the best dishes I’ve ever cooked.”
Recipe available below to paid subscribers only!
Polenta with Lamb in Ghanaian Shito Sauce (serves 4-6, with leftovers)
The Ingredients:
Lamb Shoulder (6 lbs)
8 Oz Ghanaian Shito Sauce (from any African dry goods purveyor - mine is homemade by Kossivi Alokpovi)
Five cups chicken or beef stock
Savoie Old Fashioned Dark Roux (you can make this yourself, but don’t be silly - this stuff is the bomb)
One cup good yellow polenta
One ounce butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh-grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Parsley to garnish
The Recipe:
Set oven to 425°F
Season lamb shoulder well with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Set on a rack in a sheet pan
Cook at 425° for 20 minutes.
Reduce oven to 300° F, cover lamb with foil, and cook undisturbed for four hours.
Remove lamb from oven, allow to cool.
Hand-pull all meat away from bone and fat, place into a broiler pan. Broil under high heat, turning over meat as it browns, until all meat has achieved a rich brown color.
Combine 1.5 lbs pulled lamb and 1/2 cup of stock in a pot, heat slowly. Add one round tablespoon of dark roux; simmer until sauce is smooth. Add shito paste, combine well. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
For the polenta:
Bring 4.5 cups of stock to a simmer in a pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Whisking constantly, slowly add the polenta. Continue whisking lightly under low heat until the polenta starts to set up. Add the milk, a little at a time; if it seems too loose, stop adding, continue whisking, 10 mins. Add butter and parmigiano. Whisk and adjust seasoning, consistency.
Spoon polenta into warm bowls. Spoon lamb into the center, garnish with parsley, serve immediately.
Edited by Sarah Leon
Photo of Garrett Oliver by Daniel Dorsa
😍😍😍 at Garrett’s well-seasoned wok.