Welcome to Noel Barnhurst's blog. Noel is a food photographer based in the South Park neighborhood of San Francisco, California. He has photographed for a wide range of clients including Williams-Sonoma, Kashi, Haagen Dazs, Driscoll's berries, Sunset Magazine, and Burger King. Here you will find a plethora of recipes, tips, and news from a professional food photographer. Enjoy!

All photography is exclusively done by Noel Barnhurst.

© Noel Barnhurst Vadouvan Chicken Wings Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey  3/4  oz. grated fresh ginger  Zest of 6 limes  1/3 cup fresh lime juice  3 lb. chicken wings, tips removed  2 Tbs. vegetable oil  2 Tbs. kosher salt  6 Tbs. vadouvan curry powder  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro  Directions: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add the lime zest and lime juice and let stand for 5 minutes. Strain the glaze into a bowl. Rinse the chicken wings with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl, add the oil and stir to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the salt and vadouvan curry powder. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken wings and stir to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. When the chicken has 20 minutes left to marinate, prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Place a steel grill wide chef’s pan on the grill to preheat. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Cover the grill and cook, turning the wings over and rearranging them in the pan every 5 minutes to ensure they cook evenly, until they are well browned and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. When the wings are done, drizzle on the glaze in 3 additions, tossing the wings after each addition. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, toss with the cilantro and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.  Recipe courtesy of Chef Michael Voltaggio

© Noel Barnhurst

Vadouvan Chicken Wings Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup honey 
  • 3/4  oz. grated fresh ginger 
  • Zest of 6 limes 
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice 
  • 3 lb. chicken wings, tips removed 
  • 2 Tbs. vegetable oil 
  • 2 Tbs. kosher salt 
  • 6 Tbs. vadouvan curry powder 
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add the lime zest and lime juice and let stand for 5 minutes. Strain the glaze into a bowl. 

Rinse the chicken wings with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl, add the oil and stir to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the salt and vadouvan curry powder. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken wings and stir to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

When the chicken has 20 minutes left to marinate, prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Place a steel grill wide chef’s pan on the grill to preheat. 

Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Cover the grill and cook, turning the wings over and rearranging them in the pan every 5 minutes to ensure they cook evenly, until they are well browned and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. When the wings are done, drizzle on the glaze in 3 additions, tossing the wings after each addition. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, toss with the cilantro and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6. 

Recipe courtesy of Chef Michael Voltaggio

Happy National Lobster Day! © Noel Barnhurst Lobster Americaine with Lemon-Parsley Pesto Ingredients:For the lobsters and sauce Americaine:7 1/3 cups water3 Tbs. fine sea salt, plus more, to taste2 live lobsters, each about 2 lb.2 tsp. olive oil1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced1/4 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced3 garlic cloves, thinly slicedTrimmings from diced celery root (see below)3/4 cup brandy or cognac2 Tbs. tomato pasteLeaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigsLeaves from 3 fresh tarragon sprigs1/4 cup heavy cream1/2 bay leafFor the lemon-parsley pesto:2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leavesZest of 2 lemons1/2 cup olive oil1/2 tsp. water1/4 tsp. fine sea saltFor the vegetables:12 small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved12 pearl onions, peeled1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 6 to 8 wedges1 large celery root, peeled and cut into large dice, trimmings reserved for sauce3 cups water1/2 tsp. fine sea salt2 Tbs. unsalted butterTo finish:2 Tbs. olive oil1/2 tsp. fine sea salt1 Tbs. chicken stock or water3 Tbs. unsalted butterFresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish Directions:To prepare the lobsters and sauce Americaine, in a large bowl, combine 4 1/3 cups of the water and the 3 Tbs. sea salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the lobsters to the brine and soak for 15 minutes, pouring the brine over the top of the lobsters occasionally. Remove the lobsters and discard the brine. In the base of a large 2-tiered lobster pot or a large 2-tiered steamer over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, fennel, garlic and celery root trimmings and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the brandy, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the brandy has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 3 cups water, the thyme and tarragon and bring to a simmer. Place the top tier of the lobster pot over the base, place the lobsters inside and cover the pot. Steam the lobsters until just cooked through, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to a cutting board and let stand until cool enough to handle; reserve the broth in the pot. Recipe courtesy of Bryan Voltaggio

Happy National Lobster Day!

© Noel Barnhurst

Lobster Americaine with Lemon-Parsley Pesto

Ingredients:
For the lobsters and sauce Americaine:
7 1/3 cups water
3 Tbs. fine sea salt, plus more, to taste
2 live lobsters, each about 2 lb.
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Trimmings from diced celery root (see below)
3/4 cup brandy or cognac
2 Tbs. tomato paste
Leaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigs
Leaves from 3 fresh tarragon sprigs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 bay leaf

For the lemon-parsley pesto:
2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

For the vegetables:
12 small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
12 pearl onions, peeled
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 6 to 8 wedges
1 large celery root, peeled and cut into large dice, trimmings reserved for sauce
3 cups water
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
2 Tbs. unsalted butter

To finish:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 Tbs. chicken stock or water
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish


Directions:
To prepare the lobsters and sauce Americaine, in a large bowl, combine 4 1/3 cups of the water and the 3 Tbs. sea salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the lobsters to the brine and soak for 15 minutes, pouring the brine over the top of the lobsters occasionally. Remove the lobsters and discard the brine.

In the base of a large 2-tiered lobster pot or a large 2-tiered steamer over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, fennel, garlic and celery root trimmings and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the brandy, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the brandy has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 3 cups water, the thyme and tarragon and bring to a simmer.

Place the top tier of the lobster pot over the base, place the lobsters inside and cover the pot. Steam the lobsters until just cooked through, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to a cutting board and let stand until cool enough to handle; reserve the broth in the pot.

Recipe courtesy of Bryan Voltaggio
Bryan Voltaggio’s Pulled Pork Recipe Ingredients:1/4 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar2 Tbs. kosher salt2 Tbs. paprika1 Tbs. freshly ground pepper1 tsp. dried thyme2 tsp. ground coriander1 Tbs. dried English mustard2 tsp. ground fennel seed2 tsp. garlic powder or onion powder1 pork shoulder, 3 to 4 lb.6 garlic cloves, peeled1 1/2 cups apple juice1/2 cup waterSoft white dinner rolls for servingCowtown barbecue sauce for serving Directions: In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, salt, paprika, pepper, thyme, coriander, dried mustard, fennel and garlic powder. Score a diamond pattern on the fatty side of the pork. Insert the knife tip into the pork to create 6 small pockets, spacing them evenly. Insert 1 garlic clove into each pocket. Generously rub the pork on all sides with 6 to 8 Tbs. of the spice mixture; reserve the remaining mixture. Wrap the pork with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap from the pork. Place the pork, fat side up, in the oven-safe insert of a slow cooker. Transfer to the oven and roast until the top of the pork starts to crisp, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer the insert to the slow-cooker base and add the apple juice and water. Cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer’s instructions, turning the pork occasionally, until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, 6 to 7 hours. Transfer the pork to a deep bowl. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart into large shreds or, using a cleaver, chop it into large chunks. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Using a handheld smoking gun, smoke with 2 to 3 chambers of applewood chips. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the cooking sauce into a bowl. Ladle 1/2 to 3/4 cup sauce over the pork. Stir in 1 to 2 tsp. of the reserved spice mixture. Serve immediately with rolls and barbecue sauce. Serves 6 to 8. Recipe by Chef Bryan Voltaggio, inspired by Danny Edwards Blvd. BBQ, Kansas City, MO.

Bryan Voltaggio’s Pulled Pork Recipe


Ingredients:
1/4 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbs. kosher salt
2 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 Tbs. dried English mustard
2 tsp. ground fennel seed
2 tsp. garlic powder or onion powder
1 pork shoulder, 3 to 4 lb.
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup water
Soft white dinner rolls for serving
Cowtown barbecue sauce for serving


Directions:

In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, salt, paprika, pepper, thyme, coriander, dried mustard, fennel and garlic powder. Score a diamond pattern on the fatty side of the pork. Insert the knife tip into the pork to create 6 small pockets, spacing them evenly. Insert 1 garlic clove into each pocket. Generously rub the pork on all sides with 6 to 8 Tbs. of the spice mixture; reserve the remaining mixture. Wrap the pork with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap from the pork. Place the pork, fat side up, in the oven-safe insert of a slow cooker. Transfer to the oven and roast until the top of the pork starts to crisp, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer the insert to the slow-cooker base and add the apple juice and water. Cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer’s instructions, turning the pork occasionally, until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, 6 to 7 hours.

Transfer the pork to a deep bowl. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart into large shreds or, using a cleaver, chop it into large chunks. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Using a handheld smoking gun, smoke with 2 to 3 chambers of applewood chips. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Strain the cooking sauce into a bowl. Ladle 1/2 to 3/4 cup sauce over the pork. Stir in 1 to 2 tsp. of the reserved spice mixture. Serve immediately with rolls and barbecue sauce. Serves 6 to 8.

Recipe by Chef Bryan Voltaggio, inspired by Danny Edwards Blvd. BBQ, Kansas City, MO.