Annual Food & Drink Issue

For the Table

by Brenda Shafer

As palatable as they are elegant, these beautifully plated hors d’oeuvres will have you savoring every bite.

St. John’s Restaurant, Rebecca Barron, Executive Chef

Wild Mushroom Toast

10 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups wild mushrooms, chopped, can use any mixture of chicken of the woods, shiitake, oyster, black trumpet, and chanterelle
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon and parsley, chopped
4-6 slices of thick cut Niedlov’s ciabatta sourdough
1 cup softened chévre
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. grape must (if you can’t find any, you can reduce some balsamic vinegar)
Sea salt and espelette pepper powder to taste

Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until lightly browned. Then add mushrooms, and sauté about 5 more minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and white pepper. Add sherry vinegar and 2 Tbsp. of butter. Stir over low heat to emulsify the butter. Add chopped herbs, and set aside to cool.

In a separate pan, melt about 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Toast bread on each side until nicely browned, adding more butter if necessary. Spread softened cheese on each piece of toast and top with mushroom mixture.

Slice each piece of toast in half and place on platter. Drizzle toast with honey and grape must. Sprinkle a little sea salt and espelette over the toast. Serves 4-6 as an appetizer.

(above) photos by Lanewood Studio

Ruth’s Chris, Roger Burrows, C.E.C, Regional Executive Chef, Learning Center Chef

Barbecued Shrimp

15 extra jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 oz. canola oil
1 Tbsp. green onions, chopped
1 1/2 oz. dry white wine
1 tsp. fresh chopped garlic
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
8 oz. salted butter
Chopped green onion to taste

Wash shrimp under cold water, then peel the shells and discard. Devein the shrimp with a paring knife, then wash under water again. Repeat until all shrimp are done, and place on a sheet tray in the refrigerator.

Place a large cast iron skillet on a burner, and heat over high heat. Add oil and cook shrimp until they are just done. Remove shrimp and set aside. To skillet, add green onions and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and reduce the volume by half (any good dry white wine will work). When the wine is reduced by half, add the chopped garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Shake the pan well. Cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Cut butter into small chunks with a knife, and slowly add to pan, shaking fast to melt butter. Continue to add butter until it is all added, and shake until butter is melted. Add shrimp back to pan and toss well to coat shrimp with butter and to heat through. Garnish with green onion. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Whitebird, Kevin Korman, Executive Chef

Bison Tartar, Pickled Peppers, Burnt Bread, Garlic Chips

For bison tartar:

4 oz. bison tenderloin, finely chopped
1 tsp. ketchup
1 tsp. pickled hot peppers
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced chives
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and mix gently.

For burnt bread purée:

1 slice whole wheat bread, over-toasted (almost black)
1 carrot, charred on grill
1 onion, charred on grill
1 tomato, charred on grill
1 red bell pepper, charred on grill and peeled
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chicken stock
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

For garlic chips:

3 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
1 1/2 cups canola oil
Heat the oil to 300⁰. Add the garlic slices and fry until golden.
Assemble bison tartar and garlic chips on crostini. Plate with burnt bread purée.

(above) photos by Rich Smith

Alleia, Nehemias Hernandez, Chef de Cuisine

Beef Carpaccio, Truffle, Arugula, Radishes

2 oz. thinly sliced raw strip loin
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp. truffle oil
1 handful of arugula
1 tsp. olive oil
8-10 pieces thinly sliced radish
1 oz. grana padano shavings
1/4 lemon, cut into wedges

Assemble paper thin slices of raw strip loin, seasoned with salt and drizzled with truffle oil. Top with arugula (tossed in olive oil), radish, and grana padano. Garnish with lemon wedges.

(above) photos by Rich Smith

Easy Bistro & Bar, Randal Gresham Jr., Chef de Cuisine

Grilled Oysters with Charred Corn Butte

4 ears sweet corn, shucked and free of silk
1 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 limes, zested and juiced
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup grated hard cheese (i.e. Cotija, Parmesan, grana padano, etc.)
2 dozen oysters in shell (oysters should be tightly sealed prior to shucking)
Lime wedges

Over an open flame (such as a hot grill or gas stovetop), char the shucked corn. Chill the corn and then carefully cut the kernels from cob. Reserve the kernels. In a stand mixer or by hand, whip butter until it begins to lighten. Add charred corn, lime juice and zest, chili powder, vinegar, and grated cheese. Mix well to combine. Carefully shuck oysters and leave in bottom shell, adductor muscle separated. Top each oyster with a healthy amount of charred corn butter. Either grill over high heat until the butter is melted and the oysters begin to just curl on the edges, or place on a sheet tray and broil on high until the same results are reached. Serve with lime wedges.

Photos by Rich Smith

Il Primo, Oscar Ixcot, Chef

Burrata

1 1/2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp. cold pressed olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Niedlov’s baguette
Roasted garlic-infused olive oil to taste
4 oz. burrata
3 fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450⁰. Toss cherry tomatoes in olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté on high heat for 5 minutes until tomatoes begin to blister. Bake tomatoes in oven for 4 minutes. To make crostini, cut thin slices of baguette, and brush with roasted garlic-infused olive oil. Toast until crisp. To plate, place burrata on top of blistered tomatoes, serve with crostini, and garnish with basil.

(above) photos by Rich Smith