Great Taste Magazine

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHILE CREME DE POTS

Chef Doris Kwan for Z’Tejas Dessert Contest

Serves 8
An Unbelievably rich and decadent dessert!

2 1/2 C heavy cream

11 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona), chopped

6 large egg yolks

1 t pure vanilla extract or paste

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground cinnamon

2 t powdered red chile pepper

Freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream with the chocolate. Stir constantly until mixture is melted and smooth. Add the salt, vanilla and chile pepper and simmer for an additional minute. Set aside and cool slightly.

2. In a mixer, beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 2 min.

Slowly place the beaten egg yolks into the chocolate mixture stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Heat the entire mixture over a low heat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens up and coats the back of the spoon.

3. Pour into dessert ramekins or a wine glass. Serve immediately or dessert may be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Before serving, top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
This dessert may be served warm or cold.

Spicy Fish Stew With Vegetable Salad
Chef Ryan Adams
Culinary Adventures

Ingredients:
1 ea Lobster Claw and Knuckle in Shell
2 ea U-15 Shrimp-peeled and de-veined
5 ea Mussels-cleaned
5 ea Manila Clams
6 oz Fresh Fish (Ahi and Seabass)-cut in 2 oz pieces
2 ea U-10/20 Scallops
12 oz Spicy Lobster Broth
1 T Garlic-minced
1 T Lemon Grass-Sliced 1/4”
1 T Ginger–Sliced 1/8”
2 ea Fresno Chiles-Slice 1/8” thick
2 T Cilantro Leaves
1/2 C Vegetable Salad prepared (see below)
1 oz Lime Vinaigrette prepared (see below)
1 T Oil Olive/Canola Blend

Heat a medium sauté pan over high heat, when hot add the oil, mussels, clams, shrimp, lobster, and garlic. Sauté 1 minute and then add the broth, lemongrass, ginger, chilies and cook 2 minutes. Add fish scrap and scallops, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer. Cook 4 minutes more. Then add the cilantro and toss. Pour contents of pan into a large deep bowl. Arrange mussels and clams around evenly spaced, with other garnish in center of bowl. Next combine the lime vinaigrette and Vegetable Salad in a small metal bowl and toss to coat evenly, when complete pile the salad atop the stew and serve.

Spicy Lobster Broth

Yield: 1.5 Gallons

Ingredients:
1 1/2 gals Lobster Stock-prepared (cold) (see below)
1 C Orange Juice-fresh squeezed
3 T Thai Red Curry Paste
3 oz Ginger-Sliced 1/4”
1 t Corriander Seeds
6 ea Fresno Chiles-Sliced 1/4”
2 ea Serrano Chiles-Sliced 1/4”
1/4 C Kaffir Lime Leaves
1/4 C Lemon Grass-Sliced 1/4”
1/2 t Kosher Salt
1 T Fish Sauce

In a large stainless steel stock pot combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiled, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a medium strainer into a large plastic bucket and chill rapidly. When cooled cover, label and refrigerate.

Note: Can be frozen up to 1 month.

Lime Vinaigrette

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 C Shallot-minced
2 C Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 C Rice Wine Vinegar
2 C Olive Oil, 10/90 Blend
1/2 t Fresh Cracked Black pepper
1 t Salt
1/2 T Light Brown Sugar

Place the lime juice into a small stainless pot and simmer over low heat until reduced by half. In a medium metal mixing bowl combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, shallots, oil, pepper, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine evenly. Once complete transfer to a plastic container, cover, label and store until needed.

Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:
1 ea Red Onions-peeled & julienne 1/8”
1 C Carrots-Peeled and julienne 1/8”X3”
1 C Leeks-julienne 1/8”X3”
1 C Celery Hearts-shaved with a peeler
1 C Green Onions-Sliced
2 ea Red Bell Pepper-julienne 1/8”X3”
3 ea Heart of Palm-julienne 1/8”X3”

In a medium metal mixing bowl combine all of the above ingredients and toss to combine evenly. Once complete, transfer contents into a plastic container, cover, label and store until use.

Recipe By Chef Yvon Goetz, The Winery Restaurant and Wine Bar

Serves 4

4      6-7 oz Halibut fillet
6 oz Fingerling potatoes - boiled
2 T   Shallots - chopped
20    Fresh Manilla Clams
1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Fava Beans - peeled
1/2 C Green asparagus - boiled and cut into 4 pieces
1 oz   Micro greens
1 C    Chardonnay
20     Kalamata Olives - pitted and cut in half
20     Cherry Tomatoes - halved
3 T    Olive Oil

In a high heat sauté pan, sear both sides of the halibut in olive oil, transfer to a sizzle platter & finish cooking in a 350F oven for 4-5 minutes.

In the same sauté pan add butter & Manilla clams, & deglaze pan with chardonnay.

Reduce liquid by half & add remaining ingredients.

Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for another 2 minutes or until clams are open and cooked.

Transfer everything into a large bowl.

Arrange clams on the outside with veggies in the middle and place halibut on top.

Season the micro greens with a little olive oil & salt & place on top of the halibut.

BON APPETIT

Recipe by Chef Jack Daniel Robertson, Tantalum
4 8 oz Sterling Silver filet mignon
4 4×4 in. cedar plank
Garlic mashed potato
Roasted rapini
Yakitori demi-glace
Wasabi crust

For filets:
Season steaks with oil, salt and pepper. Grill until just before desired temperature is reached. Place on cedar plank and add 2 oz of wasabi crust to top. Cook in 400 degree until desired temperature is reached.

For wasabi crust:
8 oz kewpie mayo (regular is fine)
2 oz prepared wasabi
1/2 oz garlic - minced
as needed panko bread crumbs

In a mixing bowl whisk all ingredients thoroughly. For a loose crust use less panko, or for a firmer crust use more panko.

For garlic mashed potatoes:
4 Yukon Gold potatoes
6 garlic cloves - roasted
1 C manufacturing cream
3 oz unsalted butter
salt and white pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water until cooked. While potatoes are cooking heat cream, garlic and butter in sauce pot. Puree. Strain potatoes and place in mixer bowl with paddle attachment. On low speed mix, slowly adding the cream mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

For Yakitori demi-glace:
2 lb beef scraps
1 lb mirepoix
1/2 C tomato paste
1/2 gal red wine
2 oz demi glace paste
1/2 C yakitori sauce
10 oz water

In a large sauce pot, caramelize the beef scraps until dark brown. Add mirepoix and cook until caramelized. Add tomato paste and coat meat and veggies. Deglaze with red wine and reduce. Add water and demi paste; whisk until paste is fully incorporated. Turn heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain through chinois into smaller sauce pot and return to low heat. Add yakitori sauce. Season; hold for service

For roasted rapini:
1 bunch of rapini
3 oz garlic oil
salt and pepper to taste

Blanch rapini in salted boiling water for about 30 seconds. Chill in ice bath. Toss rapini in garlic oil, salt and pepper. Place on sheet pan and roast in 400 degree oven for about 3 minutes. Plate immediately.

Recipe by Chef Darren Denny, Cedar Creek Inn
Serves 10-12

Pork rib rack for roasting
4 Mangoes - medium dice
1 Onion - medium dice
2 Jalapenos - medium dice
1 T Chili powder
1 T Cumin
1/2 C Rice vinegar - seasoned
1/4 C Cooking oil
1 box Brown sugar
Salt to taste

For the Pork: Season roast with salt, pepper and marjoram. Smoke in electric or charcoal smoker for 2 to 3 hours (apple wood works well for the smoker).

For the Chutney: Combine all ingredients except sugar and vinegar. Sauté in oil about 8 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar. Let simmer until mixture starts to thicken a bit. Can be served hot or cold. Substitutions can be made using pork loin in place of the pork rib rack.

Recipe by Chef Lupe Camarena, The Ritz
8 oz Portbello mushrooms
8 oz Cremini mushrooms
8 oz Shitake mushrooms
8 oz Oyster mushrooms
8 oz Chanterelle mushrooms
1 oz Morels - dried/ground to powder
1 C Port wine
2 C Red wine
5 oz Shallots - finely chopped
2 t Thyme - fresh
1 t Rosemary - fresh
1 t Black Pepper
4 oz Sweet Butter
3 Qt Stock - chicken or vegetable
1 C Heavy Cream
2 oz Olive oil
Sea Salt
Steamed Milk

Clean mushrooms by removing stems, rinsing caps in cold water and toweling dry. Dice mushroom caps and stems 1/2 inch in size and separate in two equal portions.

In a 6 quart sauce pot, melt 2 oz of butter, add 4 oz of shallots and brown over medium. Add half of the diced mushrooms. Pour the port and red wine immediately, add the thyme,rosemary and black pepper. Let reduce over medium heat until dry.

Add stock and reduce by 1 quart. Puree the stock finely and strain though a medium size mesh, making sure that the mushrooms paste is pushed through the sieve. Return stock to the sauce pot, simmer for 15 minutes and skim the surface of broth. Season to taste with salt.In a large sauté pan, combine 2 oz of butter with 1 oz finely diced shallots and 2 oz olive oil. Sauté second half of the mushrooms for 2 minutes on high heat. Season to taste by adding the mushroom broth.

Serve in a coffee or cappuccino cup (8-9 oz. capacity). Fill each cup 1/2 inch from the rim and top with steamed milk. Sprinkle the morel powder and a touch of paprika and serve with a Parmesan twist.

Recipe by Chef Theo Ioannou, Waterfalls at the Atrium Hotel

Salad
1 Mango- peeled & evenly small diced
1 Papaya- peeled & evenly small diced
1 Avocado- peeled & evenly small diced
1/2 Red chile- pipped & finely diced
2 T Cilantro- finely chopped
1 T Chives- chopped
1/2 t Garlic- chopped
2 T Virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lime
Salt & cracked pepper

2 oz Fresh baby water cress in a petite bundle for garnish

Mix the mango, papaya and avocado in a bowl then add the garlic, chives, cilantro and chile. Season with salt and pepper, add the lime juice and olive oil. Mix the salad gently as not to bruise the mixture.

Dressing

1/2 C Olive oil
1/2 t Garlic- crushed
1 t Italian parsley- chopped
1 t Cilantro- chopped
1 t Chives- chopped
Juice from one lemon
Salt & cracked black pepper

Whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice. Season well and then add the fresh herbs.

7 oz Mahi Mahi filet

Sear the Mahi Mahi for about 3 minutes on each side

Place on top of lightly tossed salad and top with Watercress bundle.

Recipe by Chef Evan Lite, friends sports tavern

Serves 4

Ingredients for the Chicken
4 Farpoint Livestock free range Chicken breast, boneless
“airline” breast (recommended)
1/4 C Flour
1/2 C Pancetta, diced
1 C Crimini mushroom caps, cleaned
1 C Pearl onions, whole-peeled
1/4 C Fresh garden herbs, chopped
1 t Smoked paprika

Preparation
In a sauté pan, brown pancetta (reserving fat). When browned remove pancetta and set aside. Without cleaning pan, sauté pearl onions and mushroom caps in reserved pancetta fat. Generously coat chicken breasts with herbs, flour, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Sauté in same pan skin side down until golden brown. Remove chicken Breast and strain out excess fat.

Ingredients for Pinot Noir Reduction
6 C Pinot Noir
4 C Strong Chicken stock
1 Garlic head, roasted-peeled
1/4 C Butter, room temperature
1/4 C Fresh garden herbs, chopped
Salt & Pepper

Preparation
In large walled sauté pan heat the Pinot Noir, the pearl onions and the mushroom caps. Reduce by half. Add the chicken stock, herbs and roasted garlic. Reduce by a third. Add chicken breasts to liquid and braise in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven; pull the chicken out to let them rest. Add the butter and pancetta to the sauce and reduce to desired thickness. Season to taste.
Serving suggestions
Oven roasted fingerling potatoes, Garlic mash potatoes, Celery root or Parsnip puree.

Recipe by Chef Nick Phelps, Commonwealth Lounge
1 lb Prince Edward Island mussels
1 ea large shallot (sliced)
3 ea large crimini mushrooms (sliced)
1 ea medium clove garlic (minced)
1 T chopped chives
4 oz chardonnay
1 oz lemon juice
2 oz cold butter
2 oz olive oil
salt and pepper taste

In medium saute pan, heat olive oil. Add shallots, mushrooms, and garlic-cook for 30 seconds. Add mussels lemon juice and chardonnay. Cover with another saute pan and steam for three min or until mussels have just opened. Uncover and add cold butter and chopped chives. Let butter melt and serve immediately.

For a dining bonus serve with warm brioche or french loaf!