Catch Up 12-17-10

Christmas or New Year's Eve Menu

Grilled Romaine Lettuce Salad with Poached Eggs

Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup

Salmon with Black Eye Pea Succatosh

Sweet Potato Crème Brulee

Grilled Romaine with Bacon Lardons and Poached Egg

 If you have never had grilled lettuce you are missing a truly unique salad experience.  It’s certainly not a style of salad you see every day.  It is shocking how much of a smokey flavor romaine lettuce will pick up in a very quick time on a grill.  The addition of a lightly poached egg with this easy mustard vinaigrette is almost a deconstructed Caesar Salad.  This salad is very elegant, but at the same time very elegant.  Don’t let all the steps put you off they are all very simple and most can be done well before service. So when an order comes in all you need to do is grill the lettuce and plate.

Mustard Vinaigrette

·         ½ cup champagne Vinegar

·         3 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

·         ½ teaspoon dry Coleman Mustard

·         1 teaspoon anchovy paste

·         11/2 cup Blended Olive Oil

·         2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley

Combine all ingredients, except the oil in the bowl of a food processor.  Turn on processor and slowly add in the oil.  When finished place in a squeeze bottle and hold until service at room temperature.

Poached Eggs

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• Water

Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring it to the barest simmer over medium heat; add the vinegar. Crack the eggs, slipping them gently into the water, and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, gently scoop the eggs from the water, blot dry with a paper towel.

Balsamic reduction

• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped

In a small pot, combine vinegar, sugar, and rosemary. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Grilled Romaine

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 head romaine lettuce, halved
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the endive, radicchio and romaine, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the lettuces until they are crisp-tender and browned in spots, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes.  Season the salad, to taste, with more salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Plating Final Dish:

Garnish

Fresh Croutons

Parmesan Shards

Bacon lardons

Put warm romaine hearts on plate, reheat poached eggs, by placing them back into warm poaching liquid, dry on a towel and place on plate.  Artistically place the lardons, parmesan shards, and croutons on the plate, and drizzle the salad with mustard vinaigrette.  Add a couple of drops of balsamic reduction, and serve. 

Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

This soup plays on the natural sugars from the vegetables available in the fall.  By roasting the vegetables you are concentrating the flavors and bringing out the natural sugars, meaning you are not having to add a lot of extra seasonings.  Add salt and Pepper, maybe some heat or sweetness if you desire, but a very easy and straight forward soup.  This soup can be modified for any time of year, just use what vegetables are in season. 

Roasted Winter Vegetables

• 2 pounds (about 1 medium) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 pounds red new potatoes (12 to 14), well scrubbed and quartered
• 1 pound medium red onions (about 2 to 3), peeled and quartered
• 1 pound carrots, halved lengthwise, if thick, and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 1 pound parsnip,  halved lengthwise, if thick, and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

1.     Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide vegetables and garlic between two rimmed baking sheets (or line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup); dividing evenly, toss with oil, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

2.     Roast until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, tossing them and rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

 

To finish the soup:

½ gallon Vegetable Stock

Roasted Vegetables from above recipe (or use leftover vegetables and adjust recipe accordingly)

2 cups Heavy Cream

1. Working in batches, puree vegetables in blender with a total of 8 cups water. Pour each batch through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan, pressing puree through with a spoon or rubber spatula.
2. Thin puree with additional stock, if necessary; heat soup over medium. Add heavy cream, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve with bread or crackers, if desired.

Salmon with Black Eye Pea Succotash

This is an adaptation of a recipe I used to do with fried chicken or quail, but salmon should make it a little nicer for holidays.  If you feel you need a starch to go with it, try a side of cheesy grits for a more southern fill, or some saffron risotto to make it a little more upscale.

For the Succotash:

·         ½ red onion cut into 1 inch thick rings

·         1 cup cooked Black Eyed Peas

·         ½ cup Crispy Bacon Lardons

·         2 large Tomatoes, cut into 2

·         1 cup corn, sautéed in a skillet until just starting to char

·         1 each avocado diced into ¼ inch pieces

·         6 leaves basil, chiffonaded

·         2 cloves minced garlic

·         2 Green Onion, greens only

·         1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

·         Dijon Mustard

·         Salt and Pepper to taste

·         3 Tablespoons Blended Olive Oil

Rub a little oil on the red onion rings and the whole tomatoes, and place on a hot grill.  Grill until the tomato skin starts to char and separate, and the onions take on a nice dark color.  Take care not to burn.  Let cool then cut into a small dice.  Combine all the remaining vegetables and herbs with bacon in a large bowl.  In a separate small bowl add the vinegar, mustard, and stir to mix.  Slowly add the oil to mixture while whisking to create a vinaigrette.  Toss all the vegetables with the vinaigrette and hold until service.  If you would like you can hold the succotash and the vinaigrette separate and heat the succotash for service then toss the vinaigrette with it right at service.

For the Salmon

·         11/2 pounds Salmon Side cut into 6-8 Ounce

·         1 cup Buttermilk

·         2 Eggs

·         1 cup Rice Flour

·         3 Tablespoons corn starch

·         2 Tablespoons Blackened Seasoning

·         2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seed

Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together in a small bowl, and place to the side.  Mix remaining ingredients, except the salmon, in a separate bowl and mix well.  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the flesh side only of the salmon with the milk and egg mixture, then place flesh side down in the flour mixture, knock of excess flour and set to the side until all filets have been prepared.  To cook the fish Add some blended oil to a hot cast iron pan large enough to cook the fish without overcrowding.  Carefully place the fish flour side down in hot oil.  Reduce the heat to medium and allow to brown through.  At this point I like to flip the filets over, top each filet with a little bit of butter and place the entire pan in a 350 degree oven.  The fish should be done in about 5 minutes check doneness and plate over the warmed succotash. 

Sweet Potato Crème Brulee

There are few desserts that are easier and more cost effective than crème brulee.  Baking eggs and cream together and getting $5/ portion sounds great for the bottom line to me.  A well done brulee is a thing of beauty and something every cook should know how to cook at the drop of a hat.  I know that there are plenty of great pre-made desserts out today, but having at least one signature homemade dessert is a simple way to stand out from the crowd.  It doesn’t have to be fancy; it just has to be good.  If you are afraid of crème brulee, try a pie, people will travel from far for well made pies.

• 2 ea sweet potatoes 
• 8 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons turbinado sugar such as Sugar in the Raw

• Special equipment: small oven-proof ramekins 3-4oz; hot water, a small blowtorch

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in a foil-lined shallow baking pan until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

When sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them. Cut warm potatoes into 2-inch pieces and purée in a food processor until smooth.

Whisk together yolks, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, maple syrup, and salt in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in sweet-potato purée until combined, and then gently stir in milk and heavy cream until combined. Pour mixture into ramekins and place into a larger pan with a tall side.  Fill the larger pan with hot water, about half way up the side of the ramekins.  Cover pan with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, with several holes cut to allow steam to release, make sure these holes are not over the ramekin or sweat will fall back into the brulee and ruin it.  Bake until custard almost set, about 45 minutes, then remove top and finish for 15-25 minutes until set. Remove custard from pan and immediately begin to cool, custard should continue to thicken.

Just before serving, gently sprinkle enough turbinado sugar over custard to cover evenly (top of custard may be very soft), then move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth just above sugar until sugar is caramelized, about 3 minutes, serve immediately.

Catch Up 12-7-10

New Menus

New menus rolling out early next year, as our customers try getting back to business and getting business back after recession.  In the next year we are going to see most restaurants revamp their menus.  As a sales person this is the perfect opportunity to up your sales in an account by becoming a partner in the menu writing process.  Be supportive and helpful through the menu writing process, be suggestive, offer help, offer pricing, whatever it takes so that when that new menu comes out you have the market cornered on the items on it.

Children Menu Returns

We have seen more and more restaurants move away from children menus, look for those to come back this year.  Even in higher end restaurants.  As family time has become more important through the recession, and customers still trying to be thrifty by saving on the baby-sitter children will return to restaurants.  Offer new ideas for children’s menus:  real chicken tenders, breaded in house made with fresh sauces, petit steaks with mashed potatoes and veggies, fancy versions of grilled cheese, vegetable filled lasagna, fried fish sticks from quality pieces of fish. 

Smaller restaurants

We have seen mobile restaurants and pop up restaurants gain in momentum in the past few years, and perhaps that trend will continue.  But look for smaller restaurants to become a growing trend in the next couple of years.  A smaller restaurant means less staff, usually cheaper rent and other uncontrollable costs.  You can help these owners by offering them smaller cases, but check prices often there is not much different in the full case and a break down case. 

Side dishes

Side dishes have become almost an afterthought in many restaurants today, that trend may be changing.  Many restaurants will move to the more classic a la carte or even family style offerings for sides.  This allows the dinner more options, while at the same time lowering the plate cost for entrees.  Family style dining, where the dishes are placed in large containers in the center of the table and dished out onto the plates by the diners, may also be a growing trend in the next couple of years.  Coming up with cheap but elegant side dishes for our customers to feature will be key in helping them be successful in this type of service.  Items such as macaroni and cheese, roasted carrots, wilted greens, mashed potatoes, all would be good items for these restaurants to offer.

Gastropubs

A gastro pub is a bar where there is as much emphasis placed on the food as there is the drink.  We have started seeing this type of establishment in places such as Dugan’s or The House.  We have the opportunity to show these type of establishments how much better we are on items like produce than our competitors.  These types of places will likely be willing to pay for better quality items.

Meal deals

You have probably already noticed that many of the 3 for $20, two can dine for $19.99, ads have started to disappear, the customer has begun to see these as cheap, and while we are not out of a horrible economic time yet we are moving out of it, and people do not want to be seen as being cheap.  Not to say that these deals will be totally gone, they will simply move onto menus as permanent items at the cheaper prices. 

More diverse menu options

Just as these cheaper items will help diversify the menu, we will start to see more diverse menus offering a little taste for everyone in the family.  Many restaurants will broaden their range of prices, incorporating both cheaper and more expensive options.  Help your customers make wise decisions, just because a menu item is going to cost less doesn’t mean it should be a cheap product.  For example offering a cheaper cut of steak, like a flat iron or even a tough cut of roast gently braised may be good options.  On the other hand you don’t want your customer bringing in more expensive products to simply throw them in the dumpster after they go bad. 

Organic and Local

Organic will start decline, as a farmer being labeled is very expensive and as customers get wiser to what constitutes organic and what items are truly better when raised organically look for less organic goods to enter the market.  Local will remain a very hot subject and continue to grow in popularity over the next year.  The next phrase from this movement will be hyper-local, or grown on site, or extremely close to the restaurant.  Help these types of places out by being supportive; help them work with their local suppliers.  Honey, lettuce greens, seasonal vegetables will likely be the local items that will continue to be preferred in the market. 

Catch Up 12-2-10

This week I thought we would look at a sandwich done a couple of different ways.  What would happen if you took a chicken sandwich and did it super easy and then a few things you could do to upscale it.  There are plenty of ways to do a little tweak on current items to make them look totally different, but at the same time not bring in new items into your establishment, but bring more money into it.  Thinking outside the box is what will set you apart from others in the industry.

Below is an ingredient list for a chicken sandwich, it’s still a very nice sandwich, and would make for a very nice lunch special.  Very easy, but the Sourdough bun makes it a little bit more upscale, this is a really great product and alone it makes a regular sandwich outstanding.  Served with a little guacamole on top and some melted Swiss cheese, this is a great lunch special.

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Breaded Chicken Breast 487831

5x6 Tomato 210004

Romaine Lettuce Washed & Trimmed 126085

Guacamole 311156

Pre-sliced Red onion 151121

Bacon 530544

Plain Sourdough Bun 394591(There is actually a Jalapeno and Cheese Bun by this same company that is very sweet and has a great flavor.)

Swiss cheese 760014

Now if we take that same chicken sandwich and just do any of the following things to it we can get a little more money for it.  I have included several different recipes here that could help you increase the asking price.  Adding some avocado aioli, charred sliced or oven dried tomatoes, fried jalapenos, green chili sauce, sautéed onions and peppers, balsamic glazed caramelized onions, smothering the whole thing in some chicken gravy.  Below are just some ideas to get the wheels turning.  If you need any recipes for any other items mentioned, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.

  

Confit Chicken Thigh:

Confit is a classic cooking style, originally used as a preservation technique before refrigeration.  In the past 10 years it has seen a large resurgence.  While just reading through the recipe sounds like it will be greasy and fattening.  It is actually not greasy at all and, well it is fattening, but worth it.  Top this with some sun or oven dried tomatoes and some guacamole or basil aioli certainly a fantastic dish, that works either as this sandwich, or can easily be transformed into a dinner special.

• 4 chicken leg portions with thighs attached, excess fat trimmed and reserved (about 2 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 garlic cloves
• 2 oz fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, I usually use a mixture of several)
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 ½ teaspoon coriander seed, lightly toasted 
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 4 cups olive oil

Directions

·         Lay the leg portions on a platter, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and black pepper. Place the garlic cloves, and fresh herbs on each of 2 leg portions. Lay the remaining 2 leg portions, flesh to flesh, on top. Put the reserved fat from the chicken in the bottom of a glass or plastic container. Top with the sandwiched leg portions. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.

·         Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

·         Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Remove the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and chicken fat and reserve. Rinse the chicken with cool water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat dry with paper towels.

·         Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and chicken fat in the bottom of an enameled cast iron pot. Sprinkle evenly with the peppercorns and salt. Lay the chicken on top, skin side down. Add the olive oil. Cover and bake for 12 to 14 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone.

·         Remove the chicken from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve. Pick the meat from the bones and place it in a stoneware container. Cover the meat with some of the strained fat so that there is a 1/4-inch layer of fat on top. The chicken confit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Pork Rind Chicken Breast

In my experience it has been pretty rare that someone complains when you find a new way to fit pig into a meal.   This recipe gives you the added bonus of having the pork also is part of keeping the chicken moist.  Top this with the pork belly confit or some good quality bacon and easily add a couple of dollars to your asking price.

2 cups Panko Bread crumbs

1 cup Pork Rinds

3 oz Chicken Breast

Salt and Pepper to taste-Feel free to use some flavored salt, make some bacon salt for a little added zip, or smoked salt

2 eggs Eggs

.25 cup Milk

1 cup Flour

In a food processor combine bread crumbs and pork rinds until mixed through.  Season chicken with the salt and pepper, then using the three step breading process bread the chicken, first in the flour, then the eggs whisked with milk, and finally the pork rind mixture.  Reserve under refrigeration until ready to fry, in either a fryer at 350 degrees, or shallow pan fry, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  

Pork Belly Confit

This recipe is adopted from Michael Ruhlman’s charcuterie, one of the best cook books ever in my opinion.  I have changed his original recipe slightly to get a little more punch out of it.  During the holiday season I often added more cinnamon and allspice to my cure to get a holiday taste from a course besides dessert.  This is definitely one of lives little pleasures, not something you could eat every day, but definitely worth it the few times a year you allow yourself the guilty pleasure.

2 T freshly ground black pepper

2 T Kosher Salt

1 ½ T granulated garlic

1 ½ T whole coriander

1 T crushed red pepper
½ t ground cinnamon
½t ground clove
¼ t ground allspice

¼ t ground nutmeg
4 bay leaves crushed
10 springs fresh thyme (if you do not have fresh do not substitute dried, simply add another fresh herb)
2 ounces kosher salt


6 lbs pork belly, skin removed and cut into 1x3 inch chunks
Rendered pork or duck fat as needed
Dry white wine

1.)     Combine all the cure ingredients in a bowl and stir to distribute the seasonings evenly.

2.)     Toss the pork with the cure to coat evenly. Pack into a nonreactive container and cover with white wine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

3.)     Preheat oven to 250 °F

4.)     Remove the pork from the cure and pat the pieces dry with paper towels. Place pork in an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven and cover with the rendered fat. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then place in the oven, uncovered, and cook until the pork is fork-tender, about 2 to 3 hours.

5.)     Remove the pork from the oven and cool to room temperature in the fat. Refrigerate the pork in the pan it was cooked in or transfer to another container and add the fat; the pork should be completely submerged in the fat, I usually top it with a couple of #10 cans or aluminum foil wrapped bricks I always kept around just for this type of use. Refrigerate until completely chilled, or for up to 2 months, basically when mold starts to grow on the pork it might be time to toss it, but I can pretty much guarantee it will not last that long.

6.)     To serve, remove the pork from the refrigerator, preferably a few hours ahead. Remove the pork from the fat, and wipe off the excess. Heat a sauté pan with a small amount of canola or blended oil.  Place a small piece of confit into the pan and brown on all sides, allow to rest on paper towel before serving.

Tomato and Onion Jam

• 1 tbsp good olive oil
• 1 large sliced yellow onion
• 4  large garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 2 t Corainder Seed
• 2 t Cumin Seed
• 11/2 t kosher or sea salt
• 11/2 t fresh ground black pepper
• 1 t Mustard seed
• 2 T good quality balsamic vinegar
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2/3 c brown sugar
• 8 large ripe tomatoes, chopped roughly (about 4 cups)

Add olive oil and onions to a non-stick pan over low to medium heat, cook and stir until softened and well browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir 5 minutes more. Add tomatoes, fresh ginger, coriander, cumin, mustard, (I usual toast and puree the dried seeds first), salt and pepper.  You may think at first it need more liquid added to it, but the salt is going to get the tomatoes to give up their natural liquid, if you simply can’t resist or it starts to burn add a touch of water.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add brown sugar, and vinegars, stir almost constantly making sure it does not begin to burn, if it burns there is no saving it, throw it away and start over.  Allow to continue simmering until it is reduced by about half, and begins to reach a jammy consistence.  Allow to cool, this will get a better depth in flavor if you can allow it to set overnight before serving.  It goes well with grilled cheese, as a side to omelets, pairs well with boursin or goat cheeses, and last for at least two weeks.

Trying to Catch Up - Nov 19, 2010

A few years ago my wife and I decided we would start cooking Thanksgiving dinner for our families.  Every year we decide what we are going to cook at least a month in advance, and every year (much to my wives chagrin) I change the menu hours before we are planning to put the food on the table.  Every year I promise I will not add anything to the menu, there will be no surprises, but every year I find some last minute inspiration that gets me in trouble.  While I currently do not have cranberry sauce on the menu to go with the truffle laced and butter stuffed turkey, typing this recipe reminded me of how much fun it is to listen to the popping of cranberries as they tell me they are almost ready to be pulled off the heat, (or that I haven’t stirred them in a while and they are currently scorching the pan), and just how much fun it can be to dodge molten cranberry sauce as it jumps out of the pot onto my not so used to the heat anymore arms. Yes it will most likely be the fresh cranberry sauce that causes my wife to get upset with me this year.

Grilled Potato Wedges

Another great way to use up some left over baked potatoes.  Everyone loves French fries, this gets that great crunch of a fry and the smokiness of the grill.  This is very easy to put together and can be a really great side dish for a grilled steak.

2 Large Idaho Potatoes (pre-cooked)

½ cup Dijon Mustard

2 teaspoons Crushed Garlic

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

1.      Preheat a grill to medium heat and lightly grill the surface.

2.      Cut potatoes into four to six wedges. 

3.      In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.  Toss the wedges in the vinaigrette mixture.

4.      Place the potatoes on the grill and turn to create even browning.  Cooking 10-15 minutes or until browned and crispy.

 Cranberry Sauce

I never cared for cranberry sauce until I started to make it from scratch.  This is an adapted recipe from Better Homes and Gardens several years back.  There is something about the fun sound of cranberries popping as they cook, letting you know you are on the right track.

1 Medium onion, diced

1 Tablespoons garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon oil, for sautéing

½ cup Grande Marnier-Orange Juice will work, but it’s just not the same.

¼  cup granulated sugar

¼  cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground ginger (if you would prefer to use fresh up amount to 2 teaspoons and saute with garlic)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (preferable fresh ground)

1 Large apple Cut into cubes

In a large saucepan heat oil, and add onion.  Sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to saute.  When garlic begins to become translucent add cranberries, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon.

Bring to a boil and add in the Grande Marnier.  (There will very likely be some flames from the alcochol being cooked off.) Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes.  The mixture should just be thickened, it will continue to thicken as it chills, so do not worry if it is not as thick as you would like to serve.  Stir in apple chunks and stir to mix.  Transfer to a storage container and chill uncovered, stirring occasionally until thoroughly chilled, then cover.  Sauce can be kept for at least 3 days before serving.

Feel free to add in some pecans, rosemary, or orange zest to the sauce.