Thirty years ago, Texans who equated fine dining with chicken cordon bleu and trout meunière suddenly found themselves eating barbecued Gulf shrimp and goat cheese quesadillas. An oral history of the Southwestern cuisine revolution.
And shares his recipe for Barbecued Bacon-Wrapped Quail with Jalapeño Ranch Dressing.
The chef shows us his boot collection.
“Here’s the thing: I was born and raised in eastern Kentucky. I wasn’t born in downtown Paris. What do I love? I love Southern food. I love soul food. I love barbecue. I learned about food in dives. ”
“People are fascinated with intricate, exotic preparations, but they love comfort food. What we’re doing is giving homey, Texas food a kick and serving it in our Mansion style.”
Yes, the setting is ritzy and the food remarkable. But what really makes the state’s best new restaurant sizzle is something less tangible: the (Dean) Fearing factor.
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.
4 squabs of Cornish hens, wings removed (may also remove wishbone to make slicing easier) Salt to taste Ground black pepper to taste Dash of cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small head Bibb lettuce 3 bunches other delicate salad greens 1/2 small head baby chicory, yellow and white
If traditional holiday meals leave you hungry for something new, you’ll devour the dishes that Dallas chef Dean Fearing has prepared.
2 cups buttermilk 1 tablespoon melted butter 1 egg 1/3 cup flour 1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oilIn medium bowl, combine all ingredients except oil. Mixture should be thickness of pancake batter or heavy cream.Heat small amount of oil in
Devilled Oysters Dallas chef Dean Fearing cooks up a tasty dinner with a Texas twist. Print Recipe Ingredients 12 well-cleaned
1 cup molasses 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons ground black pepper 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 2 pounds center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
3/4 cup flour1/4 teaspoon salt2 large eggs1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup corn syrup1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract1 cup finely chopped dates1 cup chopped pecans1/3 cup sifted confectioners’ sugarPreheat over to 375 degrees. Grease bottom of two 8-inch-square baking pans. Sift flour with salt and set aside. In mixing bowl, beat eggs
Crust1 3/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese 1 1/2 sticks chilled butter 2 tablespoons chilled shortening 1/4 cup ice waterIn medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix in cheese. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender until texture resembles coarse
Squab wings and carcasses reserved from previous recipe, chopped (may also add chicken bones)2 cups veal demiglace (available canned or frozen; reduce by half to concentrate)1/2 cup dried cherries1/2 cup brandy1/2 cup sorghum syrup2 tablespoons hazelnut oil or other nut oil2 shallots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch cubes2 tablespoons white
3 cups fresh or frozen corn1 cup finely shredded green cabbage1 cup chopped yellow onion1/2 cup seeded and diced sweet red pepper1 teaspoon whole celery seed1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seed1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric1/2 teaspoon dry mustard1/3 cup sugar1/2 cup cider vinegarPlace all ingredients in heavy saucepan over medium heat and
1/2 cup marinade reserved from previous recipe 1 cup veal demiglace 1 cup smoked slab bacon cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups wild mushrooms, such as brown Italian or shiitake, cut to about size of pearl onions 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup sweet-potato balls (prepare
1/2 cup water1/2 cup sugar2 dried red chiles1 cup pecan halves1/4 cup molassesPreheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine water, sugar, and chiles in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add pecans and return to a boil. Lower hear and simmer 10 minutes.Drain pecans, place on cookie sheet,
Jalapeño Jack Spoon Bread2 cups whole milk1 cup stone-ground cornmeal4 tablespoons unsalted butter2 teaspoons baking powder4 whole eggs1 large onion, diced2 garlic cloves, diced2 shallots, diced2 fresh medium-sized jalapeños, diced4 ounces jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese, shredded1/4 teaspoon saltPreheat oven to 350 degrees. In heavy saucepan, bring milk to boil over
Most recipes for game birds amount to long, slow overkill. Only quick, hot cooking ensures that red-meat birds retain their rich flavor.
How to cook up a culinary craze: Mix talented chefs, native ingredients, classical techniques, and good publicity. Name result “Southwestern.” Let spread across globe.
24 large Gulf shrimp 3 fresh jalapeños, finely chopped 1⁄4 cup finely chopped pickled jalapeños 1⁄4 cup juice from pickled jalapeños 3 shallots, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh epazote 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons unrefined
Recipe from Dean Fearing of Dallas’ Mansion on Turtle Creek.
The Mansion chef’s most redolent recipe came from Sunday suppers at his grandmother’s house.
