At home with chef Lydia Shire

When Lydia Shire finishes a shift at her West End eatery, Scampo, the apron stays on.

The revered culinary pioneer invited the Track into her home tucked away in a picturesque, brick cranny in Charlestown to give us a taste of what she’s cooking on her own time.

“I think most (chefs) like to cook at home because it’s different cooking,” Shire said while flipping Korean-cut short ribs in a tray of Kalbi marinade.

“It’s way more casual and rustic and easy-going,” she added as she demonstrated the proper way to cook rice — with a little oil added to the water to prevent gluiness, just as her husband, Uriel Pineda, taught her.

Her joy of cooking can be felt throughout her two-floor flat, which is packed with personality, playfulness and decorative nods to her occupation. And when the James Beard Award-winning chef, who started her career in the ’70s at the legendary Maison Robert, cooks in her bold abode, animal proteins are usually on the menu.

“I tend to be a carnivore, so we eat a lot of meats,” she said.

In fact, duck plays a key role in their household. Shire, who emphasized her affinity for football on multiple occasions during our visit, explained that this poultry is part of their NFL experience during the colder months.

“I’m such a football fan, so this is my favorite time of year,” she said. “I’ll roast a duck for the games. The way the whole house smells with a duck roasting in the oven is so amazing.”

As if her game day snacks couldn’t be further than the typical tailgating fare, she also likes to watch the Patriots with a roaring fire in the background.

“I won’t live anywhere if it doesn’t have a wood-burning fireplace,” she said. “It’s just the beauty of having a real fire going to watch football, spend a Sunday having friends over.”

You also won’t find Shire nuking a batch of queso dip to eat while watching the gridiron action — only because she’s microwave-challenged.

“I don’t have a microwave — well, I do but it’s my cookie jar,” Shire said. “I don’t even know how to use a microwave. I swear to God, I have tried to reheat coffee in it and I press different buttons. Nothing happens. I don’t even know if this thing is on or not.”

Microwave aside, she does have a handful of must-haves. Her essentials include great knives, quality salts and sugars, and sesame oil because she considers Chinese food “maybe the greatest cuisine in the world, with probably French food right there with it.”

Shire’s been gradually downsizing since leaving her longtime home in Weston, still holding on to antique display cases showcasing her collections including intricate grappa bottles, candy boxes and Murano glass. We’re told that her fleet of Christmas angels from Germany are tucked away in her basement.

However, it’s back to the basics when it comes to her kitchen because of its surprisingly “tiny” size.

“It’s actually great because there’s nowhere to move in that kitchen,” she said of the galley space. “You just twist.”

But there’s one stipulation: “As long as somebody is there getting rid of the dirty things, putting them in the dishwasher, I don’t mind a little kitchen.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2NAb59T