OyChicago articles

Jonah is the last of my three boys/men to go off to college. I started worrying and grieving about two years ago. The thought of an empty nest terrified me. But, two years is a long time, I told myself, and I put off thinking about it. Sure, the reality crept in every now and then as I watched him tower over me and mature, but denial is a powerful thing to a mother.

This summer was a reality check. I had three, in the blink of an eye, months to drink in all I could and to impart whatever last minute wisdom I had on my youngest son.

Since Jonah is my third son, I learned a long time ago that the way to get a message across is as part of a larger conversation. Anything that seems and sounds like a lesson is going to get tossed in the discard pile if even heard at all.

Some of my messages would come as a sneak attack, like: ‘so how was school and, oh and by the way did you know that drinking your weight in alcohol will kill you?’ Others would be more of a plea, for instance: ‘you are so handsome and I love you and hope you don’t drink your weight in alcohol.’

Most of my messages were never verbal though. As a chef, I communicate through food. I pour my heart and soul into my creations. I show my love through small touches that have big flavor and carry messages of love and affection.

As my husband, who is also a chef recently said, EVEN YOUR GARNISHES HAVE GARNISHES! I have always cooked over the top, at work and at home. I don’t know how to stop potchke-ing and as the three months before Jonah left for school seemed to dissolve away, my cooking became more elaborate, all in an effort to say what I felt.

I was like this as each of my kids went away to school. I cooked favorite meals and poured my love into soufflés, soups, stews and roasts. I was determined that each kid miss my cooking and me.

I knew I had run out of time when I a trip to the farmer’s market yielded, end of the summer, tomatoes. I love tomatoes and normally celebrate their arrival. This year, I dreaded seeing them. The mom/chef in me took over and I grabbed tomatoes and concentrated my feelings into tomato soups, sauces and other tomatoey dishes.

All this culinary communication poured into meals and then Jonah left for college. Bittersweet times and flavors.

A mere 10 days after his departure, I received a text. I MISS HOMEMADE FOOD. Success was mine. I know the text indicated missing homemade food and not necessarily me, but I will grab the moment and run with it. My love went into every bite and that message was heard loud and clear,

This week, after the holiday, I am going to make some of Jonah’s favorites and when I go to visit him next week, I will arrive loaded with my love carefully packaged into small freezable containers.

Here is some of what I am taking with me.

MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

My oldest son Zachary is also a champion for this recipe. I used to make this dish weekly. It is as comforting as a pair of fuzzy slippers, or a big hug from MOM.

Serves 6 generously

1 pound macaroni or favorite pasta shape (I use whole wheat pasta)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups milk (I use whole milk for this)
½ teaspoons fresh grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons hot sauce
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese or a mix of favorite cheeses (I use white sharp cheddar, Swiss and blue)
1 cup sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the crunchy topping

We have had family conversations regarding the pros and cons of a bread crumb topping for the casserole. After much discussion, the bread crumbs are in due to their texture and salty crunch.

½ cup bread crumbs (Panko* is perfect for this)
2 tablespoons melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Bring a large saucepan with water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (about 10 minutes depending upon size of pasta). Drain and set aside.

2. Place a large sauté over medium heat. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add chopped shallot and garlic. Cook until light golden brown (about 3 minutes) Add flour and stir together. Cook the mixture for several minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor.

3. In a separate pan heat the milk until simmering. Add all at once to flour mixture. Whisk to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened (about 3-5 minutes). Add the nutmeg and hot sauce and whisk until combined.

4. Remove from heat. Add grated cheese and stir until melted.

5. Stir sour cream with cooked pasta. Add cheese mixture and stir to combine. Place in a lightly greased casserole.

6. Combine bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 until bubbly and golden (about 30 minutes).

7. Serve with salad. The macaroni and cheese casserole can be made 1 day ahead of serving and can be assembled but not baked and held in the refrigerator.

BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

I start craving this dish in the autumn when the nights are cool. The dish is easily doubled or tripled for a crowd. It is perfect for your Sukkah or anytime.

Serves 5

2 ½ pounds beef chuck-cut into 2 inch pieces
1 bottle red wine (I like a hearty Pinot Noir for this)
1 spring rosemary
Several sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup flour
2 leeks-light green parts only-sliced thinly
2 carrots-peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 stalk celery-cut into large pieces
4 cloves garlic-peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups mushrooms-cut into ½ (use cremini, button or shiitake)
1 cup pearl onions-blanched, shocked and peeled

1. Place the meat and the wine in a zip-loc bag or container with a tight fitting lid. Be sure each piece of meat is covered by the wine. Let the meat marinate over night or at least 4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 300.

3. Heat a large Dutch oven or sauté pan, lightly coated with olive oil, over medium heat.

4. Remove the meat from the wine and pat dry, reserve the wine. Salt and pepper each piece of meat. Dredge the meat in the flour and brown on all sides (about 5 minutes per side). Do this in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.

5. Brown the vegetables in the same pan and cook until they are browned (about 10 minutes).

6. Add the wine to the pan with the tomato paste and lightly stir to gather the browned bits left in the pan by meat. Add the chicken stock and stir together.

7. Place the meat and vegetables in a large Dutch oven or casserole with a lid. Pour the wine over the meat and add the fresh herbs.

8. Braise the beef until it is tender and releases easily when pierced with a fork (about 2½-3 hours).

9. Sauté the mushrooms and onions until lightly browned and caramelized (about 5-7 minutes).

10. Add the mushrooms and onions to the beef.

11. Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes or roasted garlic-potato galette

ROASTED GARLIC-POTATO GALETTE

This is really a pretty potato dish and is my son Ari’s favorite. It has all the crispiness of potato chips with a creaminess of mashed potatoes. It is a snap to make and can make any cook look like a pro! I recommend using a Teflon or non-stick pan to make this dish as it makes flipping the galette easier. I have pans that are dedicated for specific uses and this is one of those dishes that has its own pan!

1 head garlic
¼ cup white wine
4 Russet potatoes-peeled
1 t. fresh thyme-chopped
1 t. fresh chives-chopped
1 t. fresh flat leaf parsley-chopped
Salt and pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut the head of garlic 7/8 of the way off the flowering end. Salt and pepper the large piece of garlic as needed. Sprinkle a tablespoon of olive oil on the garlic. Place the garlic in a small baking dish or small sauté pan. Pour the white wine in the pan and cover tightly with foil. Roast the garlic until the cloves are very soft and can be squeezed out of the head (about 1 hour).

2. Cool the garlic before handling. Squeeze the garlic cloves from the head and mash with a fork. Using a mandolin or Asian slicer, slice the potatoes into paper thin rounds. Place the cut potatoes into a large bowl and liberally toss them with Extra Virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper as needed. Add the herbs, the roasted garlic and toss the mixture. Place an 8-10 inch sauté pan over medium-low heat. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Layer the potatoes in the pan so that they overlap and cover the bottom of the pan. The bottom layer is the layer that will be seen, so make it fairly even. Add the rest of the potatoes and spread them evenly. Slowly brown the potatoes until the bottom layer is browned and can be shaken loose (about 30 minutes).

3. Invert the potatoes onto a plate and slide the uncooked side into the pan, or, flip the potatoes over and place the pan into the oven.

4. Continue cooking the potatoes until the under side is browned and can be shaken loose (about 30 minutes).

5. Remove the potatoes and cut into wedges. Place a wedge on a plate or shallow bowl and top with beef Bourguignonne and some of the braising liquid.

Alison Levine has made it to the top, both literally and figuratively.

Born with a life-threatening heart condition, Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome, that prevented her from driving a car or walking up a flight of stairs, today Levine climbs mountains and the corporate ladder.

Thirteen years after her initial diagnosis, Levine had surgery that changed her life. As one of the most experienced female mountaineers in the country, she has climbed peaks on every continent. In 2010, with her successful expedition to the top of Mount Everest, she became one of the few climbers to complete the Adventure Grand Slam—claiming the Seven Summits and skiing to both Poles.

Levine's personal career has encompassed healthcare, technology, and finance. After earning her MBA from Duke University, she worked for Goldman Sachs, and left in 2003 to serve as deputy finance director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become Governor of California.

She currently serves as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, has her own consulting firm, Daredevil Strategies, and in 2005 founded the Climb High Foundation.

Levine will visit Chicago Thursday, Oct. 11, for JUF's Women's Division Lion Luncheon at the Standard Club.

In advance of her visit to Chicago, Oy!Chicago chatted with Levine about climbing mountains, Judaism, and what's next for her:

 Oy!Chicago: How does your Judaism influence your life, both personally and professionally? 
Allison Levine: In all areas of my life I work hard for the things that I want and I stand up against the things I believe are wrong. Not speaking out against things you know are wrong is the same as advocating those things. I also know that each of us has the responsibility to leave this world a better place than it was when we got here. Those are things ways Judaism has influenced my life.

Is there one thing you can pinpoint as your greatest accomplishment? Your coolest experience? 
YES! Coolest experience would be training the first group of Ugandan women to work as trekking guides in the Rwenzori Mountains. There had been a longstanding cultural belief that it was taboo for local women to go to the mountains so prior to this climb the local women had never been permitted to climb. Working in the mountains as trekking guides or porters is the main source of income for the men in this region, and because women were not allowed in the mountains they had no way to earn money. After much negotiating with the head of the local village, the head of the park service and the head of the trekking service I convinced them to allow the local women to climb for the first time. Breaking down this barrier was a huge step forward for women's rights in this area.

After our climb I returned six months later and founded an organization called the Climb High Foundation which trains jobless women to work as trekking guides and porters in the Rwenzori Mountains. This work allows them to earn a sustainable living wage and to improve their quality of life. They have made great strides in gaining equality as a result. This is by far my greatest accomplishment and is a legacy I am really proud of.

What is next for you? 
I am currently working on my first book which will be published in late 2013. It feels like the toughest mountain I have ever climbed as this is the first time I have tried to tackle writing anything beyond a humorous blog for an expedition. The book will be about the leadership lessons I learned while climbing the world's highest peaks and how these lessons apply to the business world and beyond.

What skills from the business world also apply to your expeditions, and vice versa? 
The ability to act quickly and make critical decisions is important in both arenas. Sometimes you have to toss well laid-out plans out the window and take action based on the situation at the time rather than on the plan. Plans are outdated as soon as they are finished in environments that change very rapidly. Another key to success that applies to both business and the mountains would be empowering everyone to think and act like leaders regardless of title or tenure or experience level, because everyone needs to realize that they have a responsibility to the people on either side off them. And I think that the number one lesson I have learned in the mountains and in business (which I think also applies to life in general) is that it is okay to feel scared or intimidated as long as you take action, because complacency will kill you. You have to be able to act/react as things around are shifting and changing.

What advice do you have for others who dream of climbing mountains?
Don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams. Surround yourself with people who are more skilled/stronger than you are—you'll learn faster and they will push yourself harder.

Do you have any Chicago connections? 
Matter of fact, yes! I am currently working with an outdoor apparel company called HUM which is based in Chicago and the founders are Danny and Aaron Feuerstein. Aaron Feuerstein was the CEO of Malden Mills (which made Polartec fleece). His factory burned down in 1995 and he used much of the insurance money to pay all of his factory workers wages and benefits for six months while the facility was being re-built. He spent millions taking care of his people. If that isn't a fabulous example of the generosity and selflessness of Judaism I don't know what is.

For more information about the Lion Luncheon, visit www.juf.org/women.