Turkey Day is upon us, and an abundance of families will be cooking fall-centric dishes at home tomorrow. In case you’re looking to scrounge up some last-minute Thanksgiving recipes, here are a few offerings from a handful of talented Texas chefs.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Absinthe Crème Fraîche from Jason Dodge of Péché 

For the soup:
½ medium-sized sugar pie pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 shallots, peeled and quartered
3 cups chicken stock
¼ cup maple syrup
2 sprigs fresh thyme

In a large bowl toss pumpkin with thyme, salt and pepper, and shallots in olive oil until thoroughly coated. Place on a medium sheet tray. Roast at 400 degrees until slightly caramelized. Let cool before handling. Heat stock to a simmer and add pumpkin, shallots, and maple syrup. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

For the crème fraîche:
1 cup crème fraîche
½ cup Pernod Absinthe

Reduce absinthe by ½ cup in a small sauté pan over high heat. Fold into crème fraiche. In a serving bowl, ladle soup and spoon crème fraiche on top. Garnish with pumpernickel or Pecorino Romano croutons.

Maple Bread Pudding from John Bates, chef/owner of Noble Pig Sandwiches

“The reason I love bread pudding is because it reminds of the holidays. It is good in so many ways and reminds me of family,” Bates says.

Maple Bacon Bread Pudding
loaf day-old bread
6 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
1 cup maple syrup
¾ teaspoon breakfast sausage, cured
9 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 ½ cups bacon, crumbled and crispy

Dice your bread. In a pot add half and half, sugar, maple syrup, and breakfast sausage. Bring the milk up to a simmer and allow the sugar to dissolve and infuse the flavors. In a mixing bowl, add whole eggs and egg yolks. Mix together the eggs and temper the hot milk into eggs. Pour hot custard base over the diced bread and bacon. Allow to soak for thirty minutes and then pack into mason jars. Put jars into a water bath and bake until set in a 350-degree oven. Approximately 45 minutes.

Apple Cheddar Pie from Janina O’Leary, executive pastry chef of TRACE

Cheddar-Cheese Tart shell
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons cold water

Crumble topping:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Apple Pie Filling:
6 cups cored, peeled, and thinly sliced crisp apples
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Crust: In a large bowl or food processor  combine flour and salt. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your hands, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add grated cheese and toss. Add cold water, by the tablespoon, until a rough dough forms. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into 3/4-inch-thick disk, and tightly wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Turn overhanging dough under itself to form an edge along the top of the pan, and crimp edges. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is lightly browned — about 15 minutes.

Filling: Add cut apples to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and zest. In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the apples and toss to mix thoroughly. Spoon the apples into the prepared crust.

Crumble topping: In a small bowl using a fork, toss flour, brown sugar, butter, and grated cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the top of the pie with crumble mixture. Place pie in the middle of the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown — 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sullivan’s Thanksgiving Eggs Benedict from Thomas Dritsas, corporate executive chef at Sullivan’s Steakhouse

“The Thanksgiving Eggs Benedict is a fun way to repurpose your leftover turkey into a uniquely delicious dish for the whole family to enjoy the next morning,” Dritsas says.

Thanksgiving Eggs Benedict
1 English muffin, split
2 ounces gravy
2-4 ounces turkey slices
2-4 ounces stuffing
2 cups water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 jumbo eggs (for poaching)
3 ounces cranberry sauce

Start by heating the turkey, stuffing, and gravy in a microwave until warm throughout. Split the English muffin, then toast and place on a warm plate or platter of choice. Divide stuffing with an ice cream scoop or large spoon and place on top of each side of the English muffin. Top stuffing with slices of reheated turkey and press down on stuffing to level out so the egg will sit on top of the turkey properly. Bring the water and vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepot. Crack 2 eggs, then drop into the simmering water and poach for 2-4 minutes depending on how you like your eggs done. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain well on a paper towel to remove liquid. Set one egg on top of the turkey that is on each side of the toasted English muffin. Ladle approximately 1 ounce of gravy over each poached egg. Spoon the cranberry sauce on the plate accompanying the Benedict. Serve immediately.

Braised Short Rib from Olivier Ciesielski, chef of  L’Olivier Restaurant & Bar

“This dish reminds me of my childhood in Burgundy, France. It’s a simple, very rustic dish that my mother used to cook. We ate a nice braised meal almost every week during autumn and the winter,” Ciesielski says.

Braised Short Rib
5 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2 inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 whole tomatoes, crushed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
3 ounces of red wine
5 cups beef stock (demi-glace)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pan oven over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, brown short ribs on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer short ribs to a plate and reserve.

Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onions are caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add flour and tomatoes; cook, stirring constantly, until well combined and deep red, 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine, and then add short ribs with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Add all herbs to pot along with garlic and beef stock.  Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven.

Cook until short ribs are tender,  about 2–2 1/2 hours. Transfer short ribs to a platter. Strain sauce from pot into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from surface of sauce and discard; season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in plate with the potato tart with sauce spooned over.

Green Bean Bundles from Patrick Russell, chef of MAX’s Wine Dive Dallas

Green Bean Bundles
Yields 25-30 bundles
2 pounds fresh green beans
1 pound applewood-smoked bacon—thick cut is best
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 orange
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Clean green beans by clipping the tip and tails, and removing the string.  Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, take the green beans and cook for 3 minutes; strain and shock in ice water to cool, repeat until all green beans are cooked. Strain green beans from ice water. In a new pot, boil butter and brown sugar; add soy sauce, garlic, and the juice of one orange and boil for 3-5 minutes more. Take the bacon and cut the strips in half. Wrap 5-7 green beans per each half, and place into a deep baking pan. Pour sauce over green beans, and let sit overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until bacon is rendered and crispy.

Turkey Gravy from Christina Lee, chef of Central Market Cooking School in Austin 

“I love this recipe because it is easy, tasty, and versatile. I use it to make turkey pot pies, turkey and dumplings, and baked turkey and rice casserole.  It’s also delicious on mashed potatoes,” Lee says.

Easy Turkey Gravy
yields 4 cups
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups hot turkey stock
1 tablespoon each of parsley, thyme, sage, and oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium pot, melt the butter and add the flour.  Whisk continuously until a blond roux has been achieved, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the hot turkey stock 1 cup at a time, whisking to incorporate into the roux. Add the herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Butternut Squash Cheesecake from Michelle Antonishek, executive pastry chef of Bar Mirabeau

Antonishek says this dessert is extra special to her because she made it for husband, Bar Mirabeau’s Executive Chef Bill McGrory, the day Bill asked Michelle to marry him.

Crust
2 cups graham crackers
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted

Mix all ingredients together and line cheesecake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut two butternut squash in half and place on pan lined with water.  Bake until butternut squash is tender and soft. Scoop out the squash and place in a blender and puree until smooth.Hang in cheesecloth to drain the excess water and moisture.

Butternut Squash Cheesecake
1 pound cream cheese
4.5 ounces sugar
12 ounces squash puree
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1.5 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 vanilla bean
1/4 teaspoon cloves
6 eggs

Cream the cream cheese, sugar, and spices until smooth on low speed. Add the squash and mix until smooth on slow speed. Add the eggs one at a time scraping after every other egg. Strain and bake in a water bath at 275 degrees until set. (Depending on size: large 10″ cheesecakes, approximately take 1-1.5 hrs.) Serve with whipped cream and candied pecans.

Roasted Green Chile Pecan Dressing from Joe Synatschk, executive chef of Central Market Fort Worth

“This dressing is spicy and crunchy, and pairs well with turkey or pork at Thanksgiving,” Synatschk says.

1 8×8 pan cornbread, crumbled
1 small loaf crusty bread, cubed
3 poblano or hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup sweet corn kernels
3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
2-3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste.

Allow breads to sit and dry out a bit. Char jalapeños and poblanos. Allow to sit in a bowl covered with plastic for 5 minutes. Peel, seed, and chop peppers, reserving some jalapeño to adjust for spiciness to taste. In a large sauté pan, sweat onions and celery in butter until tender. Add corn and sauté until warmed through.

In a large bowl, combine crumbled corn bread, cubed bread, chile mixture (some reserved), onion mixture, pecans, and half the stock. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add more stock as needed for desired texture. Taste for spiciness, add more chiles as necessary. Stir in beaten eggs and cilantro and place in a large baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until set and at an internal temp of 160.

Aji Ham from Rene Ortiz, executive chef of Sway and La Condesa

Whole roasted spiral cut ham from local butcher
Aji dijon glaze (recipe below)
canned pineapple rings
maraschino cherries
toothpicks

Aji Glaze
1 cup dijon mustard
2 cups local honey
1/2 cup Aji Amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chili found at Mexican food markets)

Glaze method: Place ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil, reserve with a brush to glaze the ham.

Place the ham onto roasting rack. Add the decorative garnish with pineapple first, then the cherry, and stab them with toothpick. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and start the process of basing with the Aji glaze. While the ham is cooking, occasionally add some of the sweet glaze to it. Once the ham is up to temp and the glaze is starting to caramelize, the ham is ready to come out of the oven.

Apple Pie from Laura Sawicki, executive pastry chef of Sway and La Condesa

Pie dough
yields one double crust pie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
8 ounces unsalted butter, diced
about 1/2 cup ice water

In a food processor, mix flour, salt, and sugar together. Pulse to evenly distribute. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse several times until the pieces are small and pea-like. Do not over mix! Pulse in the ice water a little at a time, adding up to 1/2 cup, if needed. Pulse until it just comes together. Turn onto a floured table and very gently knead the dough once or twice to bring all the flour together. Dough should be shaggy and loosely incorporated. Divide the dough into two pieces and form into a flattened round disk. Wrap dough and place in refrigerator overnight.

Filling:
7-8 apples
juice and zest of half a lemon
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Peel and slice the apples 1/4-inch thick. Toss the apples in a large bowl with all ingredients except the butter. Allow to macerate 5 minutes. When ready to assemble the pie, roll one piece of dough 12-14″ and place into the bottom of a pie tin. Trim the edges so there is a slight overhang. Place all the apples into the pie and dot the filling with butter. Roll remaining piece of dough slightly larger than the first. Fold in half and place over the filling. Unfold the dough to cover the pie completely. Gently tuck the edges of the dough into the pan, pulling the top dough over the bottom. Crimp the edges of the pie and place in the freezer about 30 minutes to firm up. The pie can remain frozen at this point.

Egg wash: Whisk together 1 egg, pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon water

Brush the entire top of the pie with egg wash. Sprinkle liberally with sugar. Cut vent holes in the top of the pie in a decorative manner. This is crucial to allow steam to release. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for at least one hour. If the pie is getting too dark, turn the oven down to 325 degrees or wrap the edges in aluminum foil. Allow the pie to cool completely before eating.

Tagged: Aji Ham, Apple Cheddar Pie, Apple Pie, austin, Bar Mirabeau, Central Market, Christina Lee, Eggs Benedict, green beans, Houston, Janina O’Leary, Jason Dodge, Joe Synatschk, L'Olivier, la condesa, Laura Sawicki, MAX's Wine Dive, Michelle Antonishek, Noble Pig, Olivier Ciesielski, peche, recipes, Rene Ortiz, Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Sway, texas, Thanksgiving, Thomas Dritsas, turkey gravy

Yesterday, we featured a few pumpkin dishes from Dallas, Houston, and Austin; today, we bring you part two of the pumpkin feature. Check out these fall-inspired dishes below.

Olivia’s Pumpkin Ravioli
8 oz roasted cubed pumpkin (you can also use a can if you’re lazy)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp goat butter
½ cup cream
½ cup whole milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
¼ cup grated parmesan
3 scratches of nutmeg
1 tsp fresh sage
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 fresh laurel or bay leaf
Homemade pasta or ½ pound store-bought fresh pasta sheets (Olivia makes their own pasta)

Olivia’s Pumpkin Ravioli

Throw butters in pan. Sauté pumpkin for 3 minutes. Add cream and milk. Add bay leaf, thyme, and sage. Cook for 10 minutes on low to medium heat until pumpkin is tender. Puree the mixture until it’s smooth. While the pureed mixture is still warm, fold in the egg, parmesan, and nutmeg. Let it cool down. Fill the ravioli sheets and boil for 7 minutes. Brown 4 tablespoons of goat butter to make your sauce and top with goat cheese and candied walnuts. Plate. Eat. Swoon.

Bar Mirabeau‘s Pumpkin Pie Pancakes (Courtesy Parind Vora)
2 ½ cups cake flour
3 cups roasted, pureed seasonal pumpkin or acorn squash, passed through a tamis
½ tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
4-8 tbsp sugar, depending on the sweetness of the pumpkin
4 egg whites, whipped to medium-stiff peaks
2 yolks
½ cup – 1 cup milk (as needed)
1/6 cup brown butter
pinch salt
pistachios, chopped
mascarpone
fresh berries

Bar Mirabeau’s Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Sift the dry ingredients together. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, egg yolks, most of the milk, and the brown butter together until smooth. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the mixed wet ingredients all at once. Stir until just combined. (Over-mixing will make for a tough pancake.) Beat the egg whites until medium-stifft peaks appear as for meringue. Add the sugar toward the end of the beating. Fold the egg whites gently into the batter with a spatula. Add milk as necessary to get the right consistency. Cook as you would other pancakes. Top with mascarpone, chopped pistachio, and fresh berries.

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop‘s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (yields 18 whoopie pies)
Whoopies
½ cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
1 ½ tsp Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups milk
2 cups pureed pumpkin

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add in eggs and vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Alternate adding dry ingredients into the butter-oil mixture with milk. Stir until just combined. Stir in pumpkin, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl until no more streaks remain and pumpkin is fully incorporated. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop 36 whoopie halves onto greased baking sheet – this will yield 18 complete whoopie pies. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating halfway.

Filling
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup vegetable shortening
8 oz cream cheese
5 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract

Glaze
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp milk
½ tsp pure maple extract

Beat butter and shortening until combined. Add in cream cheese and beat until combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar, then vanilla. Beat for two minutes or until light and fluffy. Fill cooled whoopie pies. Glaze. Enjoy!

Prego‘s Jumbo Texas Gulf shrimp with caramelized pumpkin and housemade pancetta risotto
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup pumpkin, caramelized and cubed
16 jumbo gulf shrimp
1 cup pancetta, diced
2 green onions
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
4 tbsp butter
½ cup grana padano or parmesan cheese
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp garlic, minced

Prego’s Jumbo Texas Gulf shrimp with caramelized pumpkin and housemade pancetta risotto

To prepare rice, brown 2 lb of Arborio rice in ½ cup of olive oil. Once it’s browned, add vegetable stock two cups at a time and stir until all the stock has been absorbed. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice is fully cooked. To prepare the pumpkin, slice pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, and separate the soft interior from the hard exterior. Discard the exterior and cube the soft interior into one-inch cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and liberally salt and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast the cubes in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Sauté diced pancetta until most of the fat has been rendered and the pancetta is turning brown. Add jumbo shrimp, green onion, and minced garlic and continue cooking until the shrimp are pink. Add the butter, cream, and cheese. Stir until integrated. Add the cup of caramelized pumpkin and 2 cups of risotto. Add chopped parsley, cracked black pepper, and coarse sea salt to taste.

ASTI Trattoria‘s Bunch Kale & Pumpkin Salad
small pumpkin
kale
goat cheese
pan gritata (fried torn bread in garlic oil)
rendered bacon
olive oil
salt & pepper
sherry vinegar

ASTI Trattoria’s Kale & Pumpkin Salad

Dress kale with a little olive oil and grill; if you don’t have a grill, heat up an iron skillet or large sauté pan until it’s smoking, carefully add dressed kale, and toss until bright green and crispy. If you’re grilling, make sure to get charred edges. Set aside kale to cool. Tear up old crusty bread – focaccia, ciabatta, french (something chewy) – into slightly larger than bite-size pieces. Heat up garlic oil in a small pot for about 5 minutes, don’t let it smoke or it will burn. Carefully fry torn bread in oil until golden brown and remove from oil to drain on paper towel. Discard remaining oil. Cut bacon into small chunks and render off in a sauté pan until golden brown. Drain fat. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Quarter small pumpkin and drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on sheet tray in oven for about 15-20 minutes. Once removed from oven, let cool for about 5 minutes and scoop out flesh carefully. Rough chop into medium-dice pieces. In a large bowl combine kale, goat cheese, fried bread, roasted pumpkin chunks, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) and dress lightly with olive oil and sherry vinegar.

Sweet Paris Creparie & Café’s Pumpkin Cinnamon Crème Brûlée Crêpe

 

Sweet Paris Creparie & Café‘s Pumpkin Cinnamon Crème Brûlée Crêpe
Made-to-order crepe with caramelized sugar and caramelized slice of pumpkin on top. It’s the creparie’s monthly special served in October.

 

Sonya Coté‘s Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Hash
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups sweet potatoes, julienned
2 cup french pumpkin,  julienned
2 tsp red pepper flake
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
fresh sage, chiffonade
white pepper
4 oz vegetable stock

Sonya Cote with a Pumpkin

In a heated sauté pan add olive oil, sweet potato, pumpkin, peppers, and onions. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften and brown. Add the garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Continue to sauté for one more minute. Do not burn the garlic. Add the vegetable stock and place in a preheated 350-degree oven until all vegetables are completely cooked but still maintain most of their shape and texture. The finished dish has should have some moisture to it. A little stock may be added.

Uchi‘s Pumpkin Dessert

Uchi’s Pumpkin Dessert

Uchi’s desserts aren’t simple enough to make at home, but I figured I’d at least give you the components of this delicious pumpkin dessert: White Pumpkin puree, Goma croquant, lemon vinegar gelee, Kuro Goma Sorbet, five-spice powder, white pumpkin cake, and ginger thread.

Philippe Restaurant + Lounge‘s Pumpkin Gnocchi and Lobster

Gnocchi
7 oz flour
17 oz pumpkin puree
18 oz baked potatoes – peel and pass through a tamis while still hot
4 eggs
salt & pepper

Mix the hot potatoes with the flour, eggs, pumpkin puree, and seasoning. Roll each gnocchi [12.5 gr = 1/2 oz] in the palm of your hand, using a little bit of flour, and blanch them in salted water until they come to the surface, then chock them in ice. Drain in a towel. Pan sear on each side for a few seconds in a Teflon pan with hot butter and then bake for 4 minutes (turning once) at 300 degrees.

Philippe Restaurant + Lounge‘s Pumpkin Gnocchi and Lobster

Lobster (optional for an appetizer or as hors d’oeuvres)
1 whole – 1 lb and a quarter lobster
4 qt vegetable stock

When the vegetable stock simmers, cook the lobster tail [4 min] and the claws [6 min]. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before taking the shell off. Thinly slice. Save lobster body.

Lobster Beurre Blanc
Lobster shells
2 tbsp olive oil
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 cup vegetable mirepoix
1 shot cognac
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 roma tomatoes, each chopped
6 oz butter
½ bulb shallots, thinly sliced
2 tbsp vinegar
4 tbsp cream
2 tbsp lobster reduction

Clean the lobster body and make a stock out of it by sweating the shells and mirepoix vegetable in olive oil until light in color. Add the cognac, white wine, and water or vegetable stock. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook 30 minutes then pass through the strainer and reduce until a syrup-like consistency is achieved. Boil the vinegar with shallots, add the cream and whisk the butter [previously at room temperature] that you will incorporate slowly at a low heat. Salt and pepper and add the lobster reduction. Warm the lobster slices in the beurre blanc, at a low heat, Place the lobster on each puffy, warm gnocchi and use a bamboo fancy skewer to hold it together before serving. Drizzle a little bit of beurre blanc on top of the lobster at the last second.

Tagged: asti trattoria, austin, Bar Mirabeau, James Holmes, Layne Lynch, Olivia, Parind Vora, Philippe Restaurant + Lounge, Prego, Pumpkin, Sonya Cote, Sugar Mama's Bakeshop, Sweet Paris Creparie & Café', uchi, uchiko

In 2010, Restaurant Jezebel – one of Austin’s most popular upscale restaurants – unexpectedly caught fire. The timing couldn’t have been worse for the beloved restaurant. Along with a small handful of other Austin eateries, Jezebel had been gaining tremendous media attention for its elegantly creative cuisine.

The fire forced Jezebel to close, and while other restaurants in Austin continued to grow in popularity through time, Jezebel had to sit on the sidelines waiting for its opportunity to rejoin the game. In the two years since Jezebel’s closing, restaurants like Uchiko, Barley Swine, La Condesa, and Foreign & Domestic have basked in the glory that Restaurant Jezebel most certainly would have been a part of.

In a few months, Parind Vora, chef and owner of Restaurant Jezebel and Braise, will reopen Restaurant Jezebel at a new downtown location with a number of changes and additions. Vora has not only revamped the Jezebel menu, he has also added a new restaurant/bar into the mix. Bar Mirabeau will feature breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a space alongside Jezebel. Vora talked with TEXAS MONTHLY about what we can expect from the new Jezebel, creating a thorough prix fixe menu, and what it was like to have Jezebel out of commission for two years. 

Bar Mirabeau’s Logo.

Tell me a little bit about the new Jezebel space. 

The space is pretty massive. The whole thing, including the bathroom, dining room, kitchen, bar, and patio is 10,000 square feet. Three-fourths of it is the bar and grill, and 2,400 square feet of it is the patio. Bar Mirabeau is 4,000 square feet.

What made you decide to take on so much space?

It worked out that way. I needed to do Jezebel and I knew I wanted a central downtown location. I was on the lookout, but still hadn’t found anything. The CEO of Cirrus Logic, [Jason Rhode], used to come into Jezebel all the time, and one day we chatted formally at Braise. He said, “Look, I don’t want junk food being served to my employees. We want something in the building where our employees can get good made-to-order food. Why don’t we work out a deal where you rent this space from us?” It just went from there.

A rendering of the new Restaurant Jezebel space.

How will the new Jezebel be different from old Jezebel?

At the beginning of 2009, we came up with the prix fixe menu at Jezebel in addition to the à la carte menu. By the time the fire happened, we were having one of the best years we had ever had. We were doing so awesome, so I was like, “Wow, this had to happen now?” The new Jezebel will just feature the prix fixe menu without the à la carte menu. Our prix fixe menu is actually very unique. We have full liquor at Jezebel now, where as before we only had beer and wine. When you order a cocktail, somebody will come out with a cart and make it table side, so it’s going to be a lot of old-school touches with a cheese cart, dessert cart, and bar cart. The prix fixe courses are set in that you can do three courses for $75, four courses for $85, or seven courses for $125. If you want to do a four-course vegetarian or vegan meal, that’ll be $75. The interesting thing about the menu is that the waiter will tell you what’s available on menu and ask if there is anything you don’t like, don’t want on your plate, or if there is something you really want to try. They’re going to go through and fill out this little questionnaire I’ve put together, figuring out if you are allergic to anything, how you like your meat or fish cooked, what kind of spice level you enjoy, etcetera. They’ll fill out the sheet telling me what each diner likes and doesn’t like, and using that questionnaire, i’ll make up dishes on the fly. It’s going to be very avant-garde. What i’m known for is doing really interesting combinations, big-flavored food, and nothing overly subtle.

In the time that Jezebel hasn’t been open the Austin culinary scene has expanded and grown tremendously. What was it like for Jezebel not to be a part of that?

Yeah, I have to admit I was kind of jealous not to have Jezebel in that, but I’m still really happy for Austin. The restaurants that have opened up here have been very stellar and world class.

What will the design of the space be like at Jezebel?

We are picturing something tropical and modern. We’ll have some plants and I’ll bring some paintings from the same artist over at Braise. Jezebel will be very opulent and elegant. We wanted clean lines and hints of opulence in little things all around the space. We planned to create an old-school feeling, but with a lot of modern touches.

When are you projected to open?

We are looking at right after Labor Day Weekend. If everything works out, that’s when it’ll be. So far, we seem to be headed in the right direction.

Tagged: austin, Bar Mirabeau, Layne Lynch, Parind Vora, Restaurant Jezebel