The Family Man Builds a Menu on Homemade Stock

By  Imtyiaz Shariff

Chef Cacase’s kitchen.
Photo: Imtyiaz Shariff

The aroma of chicken stock simmering on a gas stove fills the apartment of Anthony Cacase, 42, or as he’s known professionally, Chef Tony. Cacase, who lives across the street from the Dover Street Market on Lexington Ave, is getting his week organized, as he does on a typical Monday. This includes making a stock from scratch that he can use for meals throughout the week for himself and the occasional guest.

“It’s all about the stock, if anyone says otherwise they’re a fool,” says Anthony.

Anthony was born and raised in Brooklyn, the youngest of seven children, the only one who doesn’t live in New Jersey. He has four kids of his own: Jessica, 19 who is about to study abroad in Paris, Giovanna, 11, Regan, 9, and Nicholas, 7. He says that his ex-wife Martha, 44, is his best friend. He sees his kids every Sunday for church and has them over every other weekend.

“I will do everything for my family,” says Anthony, who likes to gesture energetically when he talks. “I was raised to be a family man, and in the Italian community it’s a big thing. My kids favorite dish is my gluten free quinoa pasta, mac and cheese with ham and asparagus tips.”

His cooking philosophy is designed to bring people together. “Food belongs to everyone and we shouldn’t be afraid to try. Cooking should be fun and if it’s not then we need to ask what we’re doing wrong. Food is life and waste is sin,” he says.

Anthony gets most of his groceries and meats in Brooklyn, at any supermarket; he’s not picky about the venue. He also abhors wasting food. He Ziplocs his onion peels because he can use them in his stock.

“The prices in Manhattan are crazy. I could get the same thing for much cheaper in Brooklyn,” says Anthony.

Anthony studied and taught at the French Culinary Institute, but confesses that he learned most of his cooking skills from his grandma. He’s worked in a variety of kitchens, including Bloomingdale’s, Hu Kitchen, Scudaria, and Strand, and in 2008 went out on his own, founding Professional Chef Services, where he’s the head chef. He teaches private, in-home cooking classes, and was private chef to actor Robert De Niro for a year. He’s also worked for other celebrities, and currently caters and teaches.

His favorite dish to cook at home is herb-roasted chicken. Professionally, he loves to make a seared duck breast with a citrus reduction.

He knows that most people do not prepare fresh stock every week, or know how to, but there isn’t much preparation – the slow simmer takes up most of the two-hour cooking time.

“I’m 80 percent Paleo and 20 percent indulgent. I need to have foods in place so that I can easily prepare them for my lifestyle,” says Anthony as he makes a pot of coffee and squirts caramel sauce into his cup.

Anthony has put two pounds of chicken he bought for two dollars into the stock, which has been brewing for about 45 minutes. He carefully plucks out the pieces and lets the stock continue to cook. He hand shreds the chicken,  removes the cartilage, and places the bones back in the pot.

Straning the stock.
Photo; Imtyiaz Shariff

“I can use this meat for at least two to three meals,” says Anthony. “People don’t like to buy the unwanted parts of a chicken, but they’re the best parts, they have the most flavor.”

As the stock continues to cook, Anthony looks into his refrigerator to see what he can concoct in 30 minutes. The shelves are stocked with an array of produce, sauces, and oils. He decides to make a stir-fry, so he pulls out a bag of small bell peppers, preserved garlic, and adds other ingredients as he goes. He’s like a scientist in the kitchen, testing flavors, adding an ingredient here and there. He strains the stock and adds some of it to the stir-fry.

“Your food should look like a Jackson Pollock painting, with so much color,” says Anthony. “Those vitamins and nutrients are so important. Also, never get too hung up on the recipe.”

See Anthony Cacase’s recipe here.

Mohammed Shariff