Chef's special from Four Points Sheraton
ROSEMARY AND GARLIC LAMB CHOPS WITH ROASTED POTATO AND ARTICHOKE SALAD
Ingredients
For the salad:
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
7 tbsp, plus 1 tsp, olive oil
1 cup drained, canned artichoke hearts, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup very thinly sliced raw artichoke hearts
1 cup cooked fava beans
1 large tomato, cored, seeded and cut into small dice
1 ½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp, red-wine vinegar
For the lamb:
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 springs fresh rosemary, stemmed and minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 rack of lamb, bones scraped of all fat
Method
For the salad, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast until tender, tossing from time to time, for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, for the lamb, combine the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the lamb and let stand for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 teaspoon of the salad's olive oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. Add the canned artichoke hearts and sauté until browned on all sides, for about 5 minutes. Place the roasted potatoes, sautéed and raw artichoke hearts, fava beans and tomato in a large bowl and toss to combine. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salad's salt and pepper to taste.
For the lamb, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast until medium-rare, for about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile for the salad, whisk together the vinegar, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Add to the salad and toss to coat.
APPLE SMOKED AUSTRALIAN EYE FILLET
Ingredients
220g Australian beef tenderloin
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Dijon mustard
1 tsp mixed fresh herbs
Olive oil
Method
Marinate the beef with salt, pepper, L.P sauce, Dijon mustard, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Cover tenderloin, and let stand at
room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes. Prepare the smoker according to manufacturer's directions, bringing the internal temperature up to 300°; maintain temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
Pat tenderloin dry; brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with Hill Country Rub. Drain wood chips, and place on coals. Place tenderloin on cooking grate; cover with smoker lid. Smoke the tenderloin, maintaining temperature inside smoker at 300° for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 130°. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes; cover and chill for 12 to 24 hours.
Coat the cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 400° to 450° (on a high). Place chilled tenderloin on cooking grate, and grill 2 minutes on each side. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with Chimichurri Sauce, seared foie gras, grilled potatoes, asparagus, broccoli and zucchini.
WAGYU BEEF BURGER
Served with fig and caramelised onion jam, white cheddar and French fries Wagyu beef is the Japanese breed of steer used to produce the prized Kobe steaks. There are many amazing ranchers in the US that produce excellent Wagyu beef with comparable quality. All natural grass-fed beef makes an excellent substitute.
Ingredients
For fig and caramelised onion jam:
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 pint fresh figs, halved
2 cups white grape juice
For French fries:
2 tsp truffle oil
6 potatoes cut into 6 to 8 wedges
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
For Wagyu beef burgers:
2 tsp truffle oil
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 pounds ground Wagyu beef
2 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 slices white cheddar cheese, optional
6 burger buns, split
Method
For the jam:
Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions, stirring vigorously. As soon as the onions begin to brown, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the onions are caramelised, about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Add the figs and the grape juice and simmer over medium heat until all of the wine is absorbed and the figs and onions have cooked into a thick jam.
French fries:
In a soup pot, heat the oil to 300˚F. In batches, add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and strain on a rack; let drain for 10 seconds, and immediately season with salt and pepper. (Return the oil to 300°F before adding the next batch.)
Burgers: Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. Shape the burgers into 6 equal portions, making an indentation in the centre of each patty with your thumb to prevent the patties from puffing on the grill. Grill the patties, turning once, until cooked to desired doneness. When almost done, place a slice of cheese on each patty and toast the rolls, cut-side down. Place the burgers on the buns and top with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the jam. Serve immediately with the fries.
FILET MIGNON WITH BACON CREAM SAUCE
Ingredients
4 (4 ounce) filet mignon (beef tenderloin)
1 tsp olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbsp butter, 4 shallots, diced
¼ cup half-and-half cream
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Method
Preheat an outdoor grill on medium-high, and lightly oil the grate. Brush the filets with olive oil, and cook on the preheated grill to desired doneness (about 4 minutes per side for medium rare). An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre should read 130 degrees F (54 degrees C). Set the steaks aside on a platter tented with aluminium foil to rest.
While the steaks are resting, prepare the sauce. Cook and stir the chopped bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat until the bacon pieces are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and shallots, and cook and stir until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the half-and-half, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, for about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve over the steaks.
SURF AND TURF
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp finely minced onion
1 tbsp white wine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp seafood seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 medium shrimps, peeled and deveined
2 (4 ounce) filet mignon steaks
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp steak seasoning
Method
Whisk 1 tablespoon of olive oil, butter, onion, wine, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, parsley, seafood seasoning, garlic, and black pepper together in a bowl; add shrimp. Toss to coat evenly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for flavours to blend, for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Coat steaks with 2 teaspoons of olive oil; sprinkle with steak seasoning.
Cook steaks until they are beginning to firm and have reached your desired doneness, 5 to 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Transfer steaks to a platter and loosely tent with a piece of aluminium foil. Remove shrimp from marinade and grill until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the centre, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
GRILLED RIB EYE STEAK
Ingredients
2 ribeye steaks, 1.25 inches thick
¼ cup high heat oil such as peanut or canola oil
For the rub:
½ tbsp black peppercorns
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp dried minced onion
½ tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp kosher salt
Method
Take your steaks out of the refrigerator about an hour before you want to serve. To make the rub, put the peppercorns, minced garlic, minced onion and oregano in a pepper mill and grind coarsely. Add the salt in batches, tasting for balance, but 1 tablespoon is usually about right for my taste. Set up your grill for a two-zone fire and preheat to high (500 degrees Fahrenheit).
Lightly brush the steaks with oil and season both sides with the rub. Grill directly over high heat for 4-5 minutes a side. Rotate the steaks a quarter turn halfway through each side to create a cross-hatched pattern.
You want to pull the steaks off at 127-130 degree Fahrenheit internal temperature for medium rare. If they are not quite ready, move the steaks to the part of the grill that is not over direct heat, shut the grill lid and let the steaks roast for another minute or two until done.
Plate the steak and serve. You can find arguments for and against resting a steak before serving. Honestly, by the time you plate the steak, the sides and get it to your guests, it has probably rested all that it needs.
Photo: Collected
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