Biography
Justin Bazdarich hales from Kansas City, and embarked on to Arizona State University where he majored in industrial design. After his junior year, Justin decided to take a different path and move to NYC. The physical act of making a product, working under a deadline, and using your brain in a creative way were things that appealed to Justin in industrial design so being a chef seemed to be the perfect fit. Justin graduated from the French Culinary Institute with honors and began his career working under Jean-Georges Vongerichten at his flagship restaurant “Jean-Georges.” Justin... READ MORE
Justin Bazdarich hales from Kansas City, and embarked on to Arizona State University where he majored in industrial design. After his junior year, Justin decided to take a different path and move to NYC. The physical act of making a product, working under a deadline, and using your brain in a creative way were things that appealed to Justin in industrial design so being a chef seemed to be the perfect fit. Justin graduated from the French Culinary Institute with honors and began his career working under Jean-Georges Vongerichten at his flagship restaurant “Jean-Georges.” Justin climbed the ranks and was eventually promoted to sous chef, before moving on to be the opening chef de cuisine at “Perry Street.” Under the tutelage of Gregory Brainin, Justin’s culinary vision came to fruition and resulted in a Michelin star. After three productive years at “Perry Street,” Bazdarich had a desire to learn more about all facets of running a restaurant and when the opportunity arose to work at Culinary Concepts for Jean-Georges, he took it. Culinary Concepts brought Justin on a path to help Jean-Georges open 15 restaurants worldwide. He was responsible for overseeing complete culinary training for the kitchen, and implementation and management on all cost control.
Deciding it was time to finally open his own project, Justin joined forces with a friend from college, Todd Feldman, to open the first Speedy Romeo in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood in 2012. At Speedy, the emphasis is on the wood-fired oven and grill, where Justin turns out pizza and Italian-influenced dishes. After four years of success, and building a loyal following, the pair opened a second Speedy, this time in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This past year, Justin decided to take his love of Mexican fare, and many trips to Mexico, and open Oxomoco, in partnership with childhood friend, Chris Walton. Oxomoco, which borrows its name from the Aztec Goddess of the Night, offers guests wood-fired Mexican fare using techniques and flavors from all regions of Mexico, and calls Greenpoint, Brooklyn home.
READ LESS
Pork Cheek Carnitas Tacos, Avocado Tomatillo Salsa, Chicharron, Onion and Cilantro
Ingredients:
Season Lard (Carnitas):
1 tub of Manteca
1 recipe of adobo for carnitas (see recipe)
4 oranges cut in half
4 limes cut in half
1ea Mexican beer
1 # bone in pork or any random pork piece.
1 cup of salt
Adobo de Carnitas
10g cumin
5g oregno
10g black pepper
2ea bay leaf
1 ea. clove
100g cleaned deveined guajillo
Salsa Verde Cruda:
800g tomatillo
170g white onion
150g serrano
420g lime juice
2 bunch cilantro
3 ea avocados
tt salt
Directions:
Season Lard (Carnitas):
In a large stock pot, bring the lard to A boil, once it reaches a very high temperature carefully place your pork in there searing it for about 10 min, turn the heat down immediately, and cook for 20 min, add the citrus and adobo squeezing the oranges and limes and throwing them in there after juicing, cook for 1 hour, add the Mexican beer and cook another hour until meat is falling apart, season with 1 cup of salt and dilute with Hot water , pour over the carnitas(LARD) making sure is evenly distributed, turn off and let it sit for 20-30 min.
Strain making sure the water liquid left over (that is not lard) gets discarded save the lard and and the meat making sure you discard the oranges and limes, cool down and store.
Adobo de Carnitas:
Soak the chilies in 1 qt of hot water for 20 min,set aside.
Place all chiles and all ingredients in the blender and half of the chile soaking water and blend until smooth, add more water if needed, should be smooth consistency.
Cool down and store.
Salsa Verde Cruda:
Wash the tomatillos, onions, serrano’s ,cilantro and avocados, set aside,
Cut the tomatillos in medium slices, the serrano’s, the cilantro and the onion place in a bowl and mix, transfer to a robo cup and blend until a smooth paste with some lime juice, once smooth add the avocado and salt and blend until smooth, taste adjust salt and lime juice, store.
Seasoned Chicharron:
In a dry blender place ½ pint of tajin blend until fine,set aside.
Take the chicharron and cut into ½ inch pieces and season with tajin powder, set aside.
Plating:
Sear 2 cheeks until charred on the plancha over the grill, place on tortillas, and place 1 teaspoon of salsa on top each cheek, garnish with onion and cilantro criollo finish with a sprinkle of chicharron.