Tips on how to create some of the best Texan dishes out there
Ceviche Veracruzana With Salmon, Capers, and Green Olives1 pound salmon filet, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes 1 cup fresh lemon juice salt to taste 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 7 Roma tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cored 15 green
Recipe from Chef George W. Brown, Jr., Seventeen Seventeen, Dallas.Roasted-Jalapeño Remoulade1/2 shallot, peeled and finely chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 20 leaves cilantro, finely chopped 1 medium fresh jalapeño, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped 1 small red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped juice of 1 Mexican lime
Smoked-Salmon Omelet Servings 4 people Print Share Ingredients 1x2x3x12 large eggssalt and pepper to taste4
October in Texas doesn’t always mean cool weather, but it does mean the beginning of quail season. At Anthony’s in Houston, chef Bruce McMillian stuffs the small succulent birds with seasoned wild rice and couscous, roasts them to a turn, and finishes them with a garnet-hued blackberry sauce. Hunters may
Austin’s Mezzaluna and its San Antonio sibling, Luna Notte, are high-profile, high-tech Italian eateries where the hungry and the hungry-to-be-seen congregate. Chef Harvey Harris is a former art major who applies his creative temperament to the restaurants’ rustic southern Italian fare. How is it that Italian country food brings out
The bird on your Thanksgiving table this year should be pheasant—specifically, the savory roast pheasant with garlicky sausage jambalaya dressing from Cheryl and Bill Jamison’s new cookbook, Texas Home Cooking (Harvard Common Press). Rubbed with a pungent Tabasco seasoning, this handsome variation on the holiday menu takes an excursion through
Evan Daily wants to improve the environment; so when he opened Evan’s at 3939 Montrose in Houston the week of Earth Day 1990, he took steps beyond using recycled-paper menus and business cards. At Evan’s, organic produce and chemical-free meats are the basis of the meal, not just food for
“We thought about closing Hilltop after we bought it, but we just about had a mutiny on our hands,” says James D. Smith, Jr. He was speaking of the legendary country eating place that Madalene Hill opened 38 years ago in Cleveland, just a few miles from its present incarnation
Dean Fearing, the guitar-strumming executive chef at Dallas’ swanky Mansion on Turtle Creek, hits all the right notes when he’s in the kitchen.The Eastern Kentucky native and graduate of New York’s Culinary Institute came to Texas in 1979 to explore new frontiers in cooking and ended up pioneering Southwestern cuisine.
When Bruce Pike was 16, he was doing chateaubriand and baked Alaska at the University Club in San Antonio. Now at 31—having migrated through some of that city’s fancier restaurants (including La Buca and Biga)—he is doing his own thing at Luna Notte (6402 N. New Braunfels).“I’m going for a
Recipe from Chef Lance Young, The Roaring Fork, Dallas.Spring Chicken1/2 cup lemon juice 1/8 cup honey 2 tablespoons fresh thyme 2 tablespoons fresh chives 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 11/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 2 whole chickens (21/2 to 3 pounds each) salt
Fans of Greater Tuna and A Tuna Christmas no longer need to wonder how Aunt Pearl, Bertha Bumiller, waitress Inita Goodwin, Petey Fisk, and the other residents of Tuna, Texas, keep their figures. Aunt Pearl’s Cookbook: A Man’s Cooking (Pearl Productions, $14.95), a new book by Tuna co-creator Joe Sears,
Autumn along San Antonio’s Paseo del Rio is truly a season of change—especially at the Zuni Grill (511 River Walk), where chef David James’s revamped menu creates a casual and innovative bill of fare with an intentional nod to the Southwest. But don’t expect a run-of-the-mill chile relleno at Zuni.James
The cooking of Northern Mexico got its spark from ranching culture, in which food was prepared with indigenous ingredients and cooked over a wood fire; it has long been overshadowed by the more glamorous and complex cuisine of the South. But former restaurateur James W. Peyton of San Antonio redresses
Recipe from chef and restaurateur Robert Del Grande at Houston’s Taco Milagro.
Avner Samuel has been around. Born in Jerusalem, he earned his chef’s toque at the celebrated La Varenne cooking school in Paris and has successfully navigated the tricky culinary waters of London and Dallas. He did stints at the Mansion on Turtle Creek and at the Pyramid in the Fairmont
1/2 pound ground chicken 2 green onions, minced 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger root 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon cornstarch 40 wonton wrappers 1 tablespoon minced shallot 2 tablespoon clarified butter 3 tablespoon flour 1 1/2 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy
Chopped pecans, toasted with a coating of ancho chile, impart a nutty accent to the already wonderful combination of pork and guacamole. This recipe is even better with “twice-cooked pork,” so remember it when you have leftover pork chops or roast.1/4 cup olive oil 11/2 pounds boneless pork loin, thinly
“When people ask what we served in my family’s cafe, I say ‘tacos, enchiladas, and tamales.’ When they ask what I serve today, I say ‘tacos, enchiladas, and tamales.’ ”
Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound unpeeled small new potatoes, cut into eighths 3 large cloves garlic, mashed 1 cup water 1/2 lemon 6 to 8 ounces fresh spinach (or chopped Swiss chard), washed and steamed Kosher salt and freshly ground black
Grains, greens, and wild game form a partnership in this power lunch from Dakota’s (600 N. Akard), an urban enclave deep in the heart of downtown Dallas. Dakota’s bills itself as a new American grill, its menu running the gamut from homey to nouvelle.Executive chef Jim Severson is particularly fond
3/4 cup dried cranberries 2 cups white wine (such as Chardonnay) 2 shallots, roughly chopped 1/2 teaspoon roughly chopped garlic 1 1/8-inch slices ginger root 2 to 4 mesquite-smoked jalapeños, seeded, available from Stonewall Chili Pepper Company (800-232-2995) or in specialty stores; or canned chipotle chiles, rinsed and seeded 2
Sweetbreads are a rarity at most restaurants, but executive chef Raymond Tatum has made the rich organ meat his signature dish at Austin’s talked-about 612 West (612 W. Sixth). “People tell me that I make the best sweetbreads,” Tatum says. “And personally I really like them. It’s only human instinct
From Ann Clark, director of La Bonne Cuisine School in Austin.
From Ann Clark, director of La Bonne Cuisine School in Austin.
From Ann Clark, director of La Bonne Cuisine School in Austin.
Don’t judge Cuisine Actuelle by its pictures. The glamorous cookbook, written by Victor Gielisse, the chef at Dallas restaurant Actuelle (the Crescent, 500 Crescent Court), might well daunt the quotidian cook. But, in fact, most of its 150 recipes are as easy as pie. Rich, heavy sauces are conspicuous by
Recipe from Chef Clark McDaniel, Angeluna’s, Fort Worth.Black Vinegar–Soy Dipping Sauce1⁄2 cup black vinegar (available at Asian markets) 1⁄2 cup soy sauce or tamari 1⁄4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon sesame oilPlace first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat
Gird your loins for the tender smoked pork at the Guadalupe River Ranch near Boerne.
Recipe from chef Michael McClure, Guadalupe River Ranch.Stone Wall Potatoes1 tablespoon minced garlic 1⁄4 cup butter 1 pound each of the following potatoes: Peruvian purple, Yukon Gold, red new, and sweet potatoes 1 quart heavy cream or half-and-half 9 large eggs plus 2 yolks 3 teaspoons dill 2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 cup soy sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 to 11/2 pounds pork tenderloin 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, firmly packed 1/4 cup sesame seeds/p>Combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a large plastic bag. Add
Austin is buzzing about Brio, the latest showcase for the considerable talents of chefs Raymond Tatum and Robert Mayberry. Building on Texans’ love of barbecue, Mexican food, and home cooking, the two have blazed a culinary trail that not only respects the basics but gives them a cosmopolitan twist. This
2 teaspoons instant tamarind Salt and sugar, to taste 2 serrano peppers 2 small new potatoes, cut into chunks 1/2 pound catfish, deboned and cut into chunks 2 tablespoons each of chopped pineapple, bean sprouts, and celery 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Nuoc mamIn large saucepan, bring
Tomato and Roquefort Salad1/4 cup red wine 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar 1/8 cup dry sherry 1 cup peanut oil 1/8 cup olive oil kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1 pound Roquefort cheese, less if preferred, crumbled and chopped into
March is the month for lamb—especially the delectable variety served at Monte Carlo in the Grand Kempinski Hotel Dallas. With a solarium, pale peach walls, and trees and potted palms scattered throughout, this light and airy place captures the ambience of restaurants in Italy and the South of France. The
Opposites attract in this fetching dish from Houston’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. A dusting of cajun seasoning and split-second blackening forthrightly support the lamb’s delicate flavor, and an opulent creamy sauce emboldened with jalapeños positions this creation by executive sous-chef Kevin Dimond squarely in the Southwest.Dimond’s mix-and-match technique has found a champion
2 cups uncooked couscous (13 to 14 ounces) 4 fresh apricots (or 8 dried) 1 small red onion 1 small red bell pepper 2 tablespoons fresh mint 1/4 cup golden raisins 1 lime (juice and zest) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper to tastePlace couscous in a bowl
Recipe from The Bitter End, Austin.Lamb Loin3 lamb loins, cleaned (lamb chops may be substituted; allow 2 to 3 per person, depending on size) salt and pepper to tasteSeason loin and cook on grill at high heat approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side. Note: Lamb loin is very lean,
Food fads have their ups and downs. Today’s trend is tall, as chefs vie to see who can construct the most architectonic appetizers and elevated entrées. Houston’s Backstreet Cafe (1103 S. Shepherd) has its own entry in the culinary sweepstakes: the aptly named Meatloaf Tower. In designing the dish, chefs
Recipe from Michaels, Fort Worth.Ranch Potato Wedges6 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup minced garlic 1/4 cup minced shallots 1 1/2 sticks butter 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper to tastePreheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy saucepan, sauté garlic
Ten years ago Brenda and John Nicholas bought a run-down gas station and beer joint outside Fredericksburg and started cooking on a hot plate. Today fans drive scores of miles to enjoy the Hill Top Cafe’s sophisticated fare and quirky decor. Greek and cajun flavors predominate, with eclectic touches added
Tomato Pesto Pesto1 cup chopped pecans 4 medium garlic cloves 3/4 cup olive oil 25 large fresh basil leaves 10 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves only 10 leaves fresh mint salt and pepper to taste 1/2 to 1 tablespoon red-pepper flakes 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, blanched and seeded 3 tablespoons good-quality
Paella—Spain’s saffron-hued rice and seafood dish—comes in infinite, subtle variations. The savory version served at San Antonio’s Babylon Grill (910 S. Alamo) is not only quite handsome, with red bell peppers and green peas set against the golden rice, but also delicious. Restaurant co-owner Veronica Prida keeps the recipe light
Treebeards does lunch. Not the hasty post-modern “Let’s do lunch” but the leisurely traditional “Will you join me for lunch?” Inside the flagship Market Square location (315 Travis) in Houston, ceiling fans waft a breeze across baskets of fresh produce while customers queue up to peruse the possibilities: shrimp étouffée,
Bread Pudding Soufflé With Whiskey Sauce1 cup sugar1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened5 eggs, beaten1 pint heavy creamDash of cinnamon1 tablespoon vanilla1/4 cup raisins12 slices fresh of stale French bread, each 1 inch thickSoufflé6 eggs, separated1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup confectioners’ sugarWhiskey Sauce1 cup sugar1 cup heavy cream1 cinnamon stick
Turkey1 fresh turkey, approximately 12 pounds1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamonGlaze2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons molasses2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or strong red wine vinegar1 teaspoon TabascoCut wings off turkey at middle joint. Cut legs off and separate each at joint between drumstick and thigh. Reserve
2 tablespoons olive oil2 each turkey thighs, drumsticks, and wings8 cups water6 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped4 garlic cloves, peeled2 large tomatoes (or 6 plum tomatoes), quartered1 1/2 cups walnuts (8 ounces)16-ounce can whole-cranberry sauce or 1 pound cranberries cooked according to package directions2
4 pounds sweet potatoes 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 3 cups milk 1½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger 4 jalapeños, stemmed and cut into 1/8-inch-thick rings 1 cup chopped pecans 2 to 4 tablespoons brown sugarRoast sweet potatoes on rack in 325-degree
20 ounces fresh or frozen leaf spinach 1 tablespoon butter 1 white onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped (1 teaspoon) 1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed and chopped (remove seeds if milder flavor is desired) 2 1/2 tablespoons flour 1 cup chicken or turkey stock 1 cup whipping
1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup water ½ cup white wine 1 orange, quartered and seeded 1 stick cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 cups fresh whole cranberries (1 pound) 2 tablespoons lime juice 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion 1 finely chopped jalapeño 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegarIn
