Recipe from Randy Evans, Brennan’s of Houston, Houston1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) simple syrup 1/2 lime, quartered1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) pomegranate juice, such as POM brand1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) dark rumsugar (for edge of glass)Make syrup by boiling 1 part water and 2 parts sugar for 5 minutes;
Recipe from Timothy Byres, Standard 2706, DallasLemongrass Dressing2 stalks lemongrass 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup waterIn a saucepan bring all ingredients to a boil with 1/2 cup water. Strain and refrigerate.Melon Salad1 cantaloupe 1 honeydew melon of approximately same size 2 limes, each cut in
Recipe from Thai Spice, Houston and Austin.Tenderloin Salad1 1/4 to 2 pounds whole beef tenderloin (amount depends on whether using as an appetizer or entrée) 1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and sliced 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Recipe from John Maxwell, The Mansion at Judges’ Hill, AustinLemon-Cream Dressing1 cup heavy cream 6 tablespoons crème fraîche or 3 tablespoons sour cream 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice zest of 1 lemon, minced 1/8 teaspoon saltIn a large mixing bowl, stir heavy cream briefly until it froths a bit.
Writer-at-large Suzy Banks on writing about traveling and hanging out at the beach.
Four San Antonio women convicted of sexual assault fifteen years ago maintain their innocence and remain in prison.
The Texas Legislature’s pages and messengers have had a hand in running the state for decades.
The following references were taken from the second edition of Eliot Shapleigh’s “Texas on the Brink.”
Television journalist Jorge Ramos, the author of the book Dying to Cross, on immigration reform and being called the “voice of the voiceless.”
Marshall Arisman, who illustrated our excerpt from Dying to Cross, on depicting violence and working with color.
Illustrator Steve Brodner on the colonias of South Texas and communicating with pictures.
Jeff Lipsky, who photographed Kelly Clarkson for this month’s cover, talks about working with celebrities and what it means to be “a natural.”
Executive editor Skip Hollandsworth, who wrote this month’s cover story, talks about pop sensation Kelly Clarkson and her fondness for bowling.
Writer-at-large Suzy Banks, executive editor S.C. Gwynne, senior editor Michael Hall, and new-media director Charlie Llewellin talk about hitting the road for this month’s cover story.
Senior editor Pamela Colloff on the murder of McAllen beauty queen Irene Garza and confronting the longtime suspect, John Feit.
MANHATTANHill Country Barbecue MarketLast year, word of a new barbecue restaurant spread through New York’s Texas-expat community. Usually, this kind of thing doesn’t cause much of a stir. We see a lot of “Texas barbecue” joints up here where they take a brisket that tastes like pastrami and drench it
1 1/2 ounces Cadenhead’s Old Raj Dry Gin 1/2 ounce Paula’s Texas Lemon 1/4 ounce Pagès Parfait Amour Crème de Violette liberal splash of Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon Luxardo maraschino cherries (garnish) lemon peel, long and twisted (garnish) edible orchid (garnish, optional)Combine gin, Paula’s Texas liqueur, and crème de violette over
Blueberry Sauce1 1/2 cups port 1/2 cup sugar juice of 1 lime 8 ounces fresh or frozen blueberriesPlace port, sugar, and lime juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 8 minutes. Stir in blueberries and, if using frozen ones, reheat the sauce (but do
12 shallots, uniform size 6 tablespoons olive oil kosher salt and cracked black pepper to tastePreheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel shallots, leaving on the top end and barely trimming the root end. Lightly sauté in olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Ginger Crisps1/2 cup butter at room temperature 1 cup sifted powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups sifted flour 1/2 cup milk, warmed to room temperature 1/4 cup very finely chopped candied gingerPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter. Sift sugar again and beat with butter until smooth.
Fruit Compote1/2 cup sugar 1 cup red wine 2 cinnamon sticks 1 teaspoon orange zest 2 pints fresh or frozen berries of your choiceCombine sugar, wine, cinnamon, and orange zest, bring to a boil, and pour over berries. Refrigerate overnight.Royal Icing2 egg whites 1 pound (3 1/2 to 4 cups)
Chile Salt7 teaspoons ground cayenne 7 teaspoons ground red chile powder 3 teaspoons granulated garlic 2 tablespoons saltMix all ingredients together.Roasted Corn on the Cob6 ears of corn in their husks 3 tablespoons melted butter 1 1/2 teaspoons chile salt (recipe above) juice of 3 limes 3 additional limes, cut
Recipe from Ruth Carter, soups-and-specials cook at Austin’s Eastside Cafe.Dewberry-Orange4 cups dewberries or blackberries, rinsed 2 cups water 1/2 cup sugar 4 ounces cream cheese 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 cups fresh orange juice mint leaves for garnish (optional)Combine berries (reserve a few for garnish) with water in a
Recipe from Lisa Biggerstaff, pastry chef, Dacapo’s on the Parkway, Houston.Mousse9 ounces semisweet chocolate 1 ounces butter, melted 1 pint whipping cream 3 medium eggs 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dark rum 1 tablespoon espresso or strong coffeeMelt chocolate in a double boiler. Melt butter in a pan. Set both aside and
Recipe from Pastry chef Doug Wilson, Mesteña’s, San Antonio.Sorbet1 cup water 1 1/2 cups sugar 8 Braeburn apples, peeled and coredBoil water and sugar for 5 minutes to make a simple syrup. Make fresh apple juice by puréeing apples thoroughly in a food processor and pushing through a fine strainer.
Recipe from chef-owner Lynette Hawkins Mandola, La Mora, Houston.Balsamic Vinaigrette2 tablespoons pancetta (2 or 3 ounces), sliced 1/8-inch thick and then cut into 1/4-inch squares (you may substitute prosciutto) 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sugar 4 tablespoons olive oil
Associate editor John Spong on spending eight days listening to author Larry L. King’s outlandish stories—and on writing about his hero.
Where to eat, what to do, where to shop: a great weekend in Houston.
. . . With Wild Mushrooms and Rutabaga Purée.Recipe from Oloroso, San Antonio.6 slices prosciutto, sliced as thin as possible 8 ounces wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, hedgehogs, or trumpets 4 to 5 baby purple kohlrabi, stems and leaves removed 1 medium rutabaga 2 bay leaves 1 sprig marjoram 4
. . . With Spinach-Speck Salad, Brown Butter, and Pine Nut Crema.Recipe from Bolla, Dallas1/4 cup brown butter 12 sea scallops 2 cups spinach salad 1 cup red-wine vinaigrette (warm) 1 cup pine nut cremaSeared Sea Scallops1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon butter 12 scallops, dry packed, U10, muscle removed
BEST CELLAR A lair for urban animals, Houston’s Cava Bistro feels like a wine cellar in a city where basements are as rare as igloos. The place has been open less than three months, but its rustic rock arches look hundreds of years old. By the light of chandeliers with
When I was a child, it puzzled me that other families left cookies and milk for Santa Claus. He could have that any day. In our family, my two brothers and I set out a slice of my mother’s homemade fruitcake and a glass of port for the jolly old
This recipe for old-fashioned fruitcake is chock-full of raisins and other natural dried fruits and contains no evil green and red citron. The pecans are a Texas substitution for the original’s almonds.
With Love, From Cynthia: A Collection of Recipes and Remembrances
This three-milk cake from Cafe Central in El Paso is sweet and moist.
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped garlic 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons seeded, chopped red bell pepper 3 eggs, beaten 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1/4 cup corn oil (for frying)
A Moment Of Epiphany After you’re done with turtledoves, maids-a-milking, and the other ten days of Christmas, you can celebrate el Día de Reyes (Epiphany) on January 6. Commemorating the day the magi arrived bearing gifts for the infant Jesus, the Day of the Kings is observed in Latin
We have adopted this recipe from La Mexicana Bakery for the home baker.
Pistachio and Eggnog Milk Sauce1/2 cup shelled pistachios 4 medium egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar (less if using eggnog, to taste) 1/2 quart whipping cream or eggnog 1 quart milk 1 vanilla bean, splitRoast pistachios at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, chop, and cool. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in
Cake1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 6 eggs, separated 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon extract 3 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup plain yogurt, whole or lowfatPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Cream
Orlene Walton Sayers
Recipe from the Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, Houston.Pan Preparation1 nine-inch heart-shaped cake pan parchment paper 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 tablespoons high-quality cocoa powderCoat sides and bottom of pan with softened butter. Then place a parchment liner on bottom of pan and butter it too. Sprinkle with
After Bruce and Susan Molzan bought the Ruggles Grill four years ago, they revitalized the menu at the sleepy Montrose landmark with his brash cooking style and her luxurious desserts.Both Molzans are graduates of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and their approaches to food
MAD FOR HATTIE’S On my first visit to Hattie’s, a brand-new restaurant in Dallas’ Oak Cliff area, I ordered the prosciutto-wrapped figs stuffed with Maytag blue cheese and walnuts just because the combo sounded different. Wham! Salty, sweet, pungent—this was no appetizer to trifle with. Hmmm. How to mellow out
1/2 cups butter (3/4 pound) 3 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 eggs 1 cup cocoa powder (Ghirardelli or other good quality cocoa powder) 2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso (dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot
1 cup cooking oil 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 1/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 cups peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples 1 cup chopped pecansPreheat over to 350 degrees. Combine oil and
Flourless Chocolate Cake12 ounces European or other good-quality dark chocolate 2 sticks unsalted butter 6 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 tablespoon vanilla extractNote: You will need 4 four-inch heart-shaped pans or 1 nine-inch round or heart-shaped pan, greased and lined with parchment paper.Preheat oven to 350
HOT TOPIC When you hear the name the Burning Pear, I challenge you not to think of British funnymen Peter Cook and Dudley Moore’s classic skit about a restaurant called the Frog and Peach (“There’s only two . . . dishes, really,” Cook says to Moore. “There’s frog à
Ris de Veau à L’Huile de Truffe(Crispy Veal Sweetbreads With Truffle Oil)1 pound veal sweetbreads bouquet garni (composed of some celery leaves, parsley stems, carrot greens, 2 bay leaves, a sprig of thyme, and a couple of whole cloves, in a small cheesecloth bag tied with string) kosher salt freshly
Czech out these traditional pastries.
