It’s clear that Chef Hubert Seifert is passionate about cooking. Starting as an apprentice at age 14 in Germany, he created an impressive and worldly resume before settling in to his Grandview location in 1981. He first opened a gourmet market, and later expanded his operations to become Spagio Restaurant and the adjoining Spagio Cellars wine shop.

When asked his inspiration for the meal at hand, Chef Seifert simply looked over at the produce and mentioned its seasonality. He said nothing of the slow food movement or any other local food trends. His interest in seasonal cooking was replete with an old-world style, with wisdom that every accomplished chef knows: if the ingredients are good, the food is good. In essence, no ingredients are better than the ones you get fresh and in season. One look around Chef Seifert’s amply lit kitchen and you can tell that he has nothing but respect for his ingredients.

Just as illuminated when watching Chef Seifert cook his meal is the joy he associates with cooking. Chatting over a beautiful pan of Brussels sprouts with thick slices of Hungarian double smoked bacon, his passion for teaching shines, pulling our photographer in close to see the water added to the bottom of the pan steaming the sprouts.

“People think that they can’t afford to eat well ... they have the best cell phones and then they eat TV dinners!” he said.

Also readily apparent in the chef’s approach to food is his belief in dining as a communal event.

“Buy some meat and potatoes, some other vegetables for a stew, open up a bottle of wine and you have a meal for four people,” he said. Now that all of the obligations of December are over, follow Chef’s lead and prepare this dinner and gather some close friends to share in the feast.

Meet the Chef

Cooking a nice cut of meat like a veal rack can be intimidating, but as Chef Seifert says, “Take your time . . . and never be afraid to cook.” If you want to learn more from Chef Hubert Seifert, visit the Spagio website (www.spagio.com) to check out his cooking classes, the Art of Cooking. Ultimate Comfort Foods (January 28th), Complete the Meal (February 18th), Asian Pho on the Go (March 24th) and Sumptuous Seafood (April 14th) are just a few of the courses offered to upgrade your at-home expertise before summer hits. Classes are $75 plus tax and gratuity. Chef recommends bringing pen and paper, a hearty appetite and a desire to learn and have fun. To make a reservation, call (614) 486-1114.

Roasted Rack of Veal

Two veal racks (6 bone, 6-7 lbs.)
8 garlic cloves, quartered
12 sage leaves
2 tbs. of chopped thyme
2 tbs. of chopped rosemary
1 tsp. of fennel seeds
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbs. kosher salt

When you pick up your veal, ask the butcher to remove the chine bones and french the ribs. Trim the fat to about a quarter of an inch.

Combine garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds in a food processor and grind coarsely. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and process to a paste. Rub the paste all over the racks. Set the racks in a roasting pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the meat from the refrigerator two hours before roasting.

Place the oven rack on the second position from the bottom. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Arrange the racks back to back, with the frenched bones crisscrossed and pointing upwards. After 15 minutes at 450°, reduce the heat to 350° and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes longer, at which point the meat thermometer should read 130° degrees. Transfer the veal racks to the carving board, cover loosely with foil and let the meat rest for 15-20 minutes. The final temperature will be 140° to 145°, resulting in a medium chop.

Classic Potato Gratin

3 lbs. russet (Idaho) potatoes of uniform size
2 tbs. of unsalted butter, softened
1 medium garlic clove, crushed and chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups of half and half (you may substitute milk)
Freshly ground nutmeg to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tbs. crème fraîche (optional)
1/3 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Peel and wash the potatoes and slice them into rounds an eighth of an inch thick. A mandoline or slicing disk from a food processor will help achieve even slices.

Generously butter a 9-by-12-inch heavy shallow baking dish, preferably earthenware or cast-enamel, or an oval gratin dish (a 12-inch cast-iron skillet will also work). Rub your chosen dish with half of the garlic.

In a small saucepan, bring the half and half to a simmer with the remaining garlic and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Arrange the potatoes in one overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish. Season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Continue this step for two more layers (you may have some potatoes left over). Press down the three layers to compact them and pour in enough of the half and half to come up just below the top layer. Place the dish on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for about an hour. The potatoes will feel tender when pierced with a knife.

Raise the oven temperature to 425°, remove the foil, and bake until the top begins to brown (about 10 minutes). Pour just enough cream in to cover the top, dab with crème fraîche and sprinkle evenly with parmesan. Bake until the top is brown and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.