Rose Morkovsky Hauger and Ann Morkovsky Adams are Czech sisters who grew up in a large family in San Antonio. Their family farm near Floresville is the focal point of family gatherings and celebrations. They’ve demonstrated their lifetime of kolache expertise in presentations for Texas Folklife Resources around Texas, and
The restaurant’s sign—a giant white “7” set against a marine-blue background—is —an enigma. But here’s a hint: Think “seven seas.” Located in a small, unfussy space —on South Congress, 7 brings Austin diners a daily-changing menu of pristine sea creatures from around the world. The storefront, formerly occupied by
Recipe from Chef Will Packwood, 7, Austin1/3 cup (3 ounces) almond paste 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) butter 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) sugar 2 egg yolks 1/8 cup (1 ounce) amaretto 1 teaspoon orange zest 2 cups (8 ounces) cake flour 2 cups (8 ounces) all-purpose flour pinch of
3 cups Softasilk cake flour 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup shortening (Crisco is fine) 3 lightly beaten eggs 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons vanilla 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup sugar powdered sugarFor Strawberry Shortcake: 2 1/2 pints strawberries 2
1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups pecan pieces 4 cups flourUsing an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, baking
There are innumerable recipes for these baked pancakes, varying the ratio of eggs to flour and the cooking temperature and time, so feel free to experiment. The finished product is actually quite similar to Yorkshire pudding (minus the beef drippings) or to popovers. Besides the traditional topping of lemon juice
When you tire of oatmeal and toast, head to Fort Worth for a special breakfast treat.
This recipe comes from Dorothy Bohac, Ph.D., President of the Travis-Williamson Counties Czech Heritage Society. She says that “the quality of a kolache is in the texture of the dough. The texture is controlled by the ingredients, particularly the amount of flour used. A baked kolache should be soft to
2 pounds unpeeled Idaho potatoes, cut in 3/4-inch cubes 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup chopped bell peppers, green, red, or yellow 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s) 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper Tabasco sauce to taste (optional) 3/4 cup grated
2 eggs, separated 21/2 cups milk 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 4 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup European or other high-quality dark chocolate, cut or broken into chunks a little larger than a chocolate chip.Beat egg whites until
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed 1 serrano chile (about 1/2 ounce), stem removed 3 small garlic cloves (about 1/4 ounce) 2 large stems fresh epazote (leaves only), available in ethnic markets and well-stocked supermarkets 1/4 cup safflower or other light vegetable oil 10 stale corn tortillas (about 6
This recipe does not actually contain mole sauce but does have ingredients that are typical of mole, namely chocolate, chiles, sesame seeds, and nuts. Don’t worry: These chewy, almost caramel-like brownies are not hot, just cinnamony and interesting.1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted 4 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate 4 ounces
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in small pieces 2 cups buttermilkPreheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut butter into dry ingredients until consistency of coarse
2 cups flour 1 cup blue (or yellow) cornmeal 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (low-fat is fine, but do not use nonfat) 1/3 cup corn oil 3 tablespoons pure maple
Recipe from The Grape’s chef Jason Gorman.Cranberry-Mango Chutney1/8 cup minced garlic 1 cup cranberry juice 1/2 cup honey 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 small mango, diced 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced 1 stick cinnamon 1 tablespoon diced fresh gingerSauté garlic in a saucepan until golden brown. Add remaining ingredients and
Fishing Expedition Blowfish is blowing my mind. I’m sitting in this jazzy, five-month-old sushi bar in an Arlington strip center looking at a menu that’s as up-to-date as anything in Dallas or Houston. You want pure raw fish? A wide array is offered—tuna, yellowtail, eel, conch, plus specials like Hawaiian
Núóc Mam Dipping Sauce3/4 cup Squid brand fish sauce (núóc mam, available at oriental markets) 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped scallions (green onions)Whisk ingredients together and set aside.Vegetable Platter1 head leaf lettuce 1 bunch fresh mint 8 ounces bean sprouts 8 thin spears fresh pineapple, cut lengthwise
With just a nip of nuoc mam you’ll be on your way to the cooking frontier of Vietnamese food.
Ginger Slaw2 tablespoons chopped prepared pickled ginger 2 tablespoons juice from pickled ginger 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 medium head red cabbage, thinly sliced 1/4 head napa or savoy cabbage, thinly sliced 1 carrot, peeled and thinly julienned 1 red bell pepper,
Oriental Dressing1/4 cup light vegetable oil 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlicMix ingredients together and set aside.Noodles8 ounces udon noodles or linguine 1 tablespoon light vegetable oilCook noodles according to the directions on the package and rinse with cold water.
From Cooking: “I, Piscivore” by Gary Cartwright, in the September 1987 issue of Texas Monthly.1 large egg2 tablespoons mayonnaise, crème fraîche, or sour cream2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or the hotter Louisiana Creole mustardPinch of cayenne pepper1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepperPinch of salt1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1 pound
Where are we, Miami? The Bahamas? The shimmering blues and aquatic greens say “seaside.” So do the shell light fixtures and the wavy-textured back wall, which reminds me of a David Hockney swimming pool. All that’s needed are a few coconut palms to complete the Caribbean vibe. What’s driving
Snapper Carpaccio With Grapefruit Agra Dolce and Garlic BruschettaGrapefruit Marinade2 Ruby Red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons salt 1 Thai chili, minced (you may also use red Serrano chili or chili pequín)Carefully combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Do not allow
Cheesecake1/2 pound cooked Maine lobster 1/2 pound lump crabmeat 1/2 pound cooked jumbo shrimp 1 pound mascarpone cheese 2 pounds cream cheese 5 eggs 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 bunch scallions, diced Kosher salt and white pepper to tastePreheat oven to 250 degrees.Cut cream cheese into smallish chunks. Allow both
Recipe from restaurant owner Benjy Levit, Benjy’s, Houston.Coffee Maple Syrup1 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup whole coffee beans, any typePlace syrup and coffee beans in a small nonreactive saucepan and simmer over low heat for a few minutes, then let steep for a couple of hours. Remove beans. (May be
The nontraditional step of cooking the onion and chiles gives them a full, roasted flavor that goes beautifully with the mellow avocado. Just don’t stand too close to the pan while cooking the chiles, or the fumes will burn your nose.2 teaspoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 3 serrano
Here’s a game to play while snacking on edamame and perusing the menu at Kenichi: How many shades of black—not counting the patrons’ clothing—can you spot at this sleek new sushi bar in downtown Austin? Although the look, by architect Dick Clark and designer Tonya Noble, is the essence of
This recipe from Kenichi in Austin is an irresistible East-West hybrid.
Juicy, very juicy. as my happily dazed friend remarked, perusing the tabletop, “There’s so much to dip your bread in that you hardly know where to reach next.” Consider yourself warned: The one thing you do not want to do at Catalan is run out of bread, lest you miss
Catalan, Houston1 large head of cauliflower, cut into pieces with stems removed 1 clove of garlic 2 cups milk 4 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper juice from 2 preserved lemons, or use fresh lemons if you cannot find preserved 1 shallot, sliced 2 cups white wine 1 cup heavy
On the day that Roy’s opened its first Texas outpost, Austin’s muggy winter weather ended abruptly with the arrival of a bracing cold front, so the hula dancers brought in for the occasion, clad in nothing but grass skirts and coconut-shell bras, were shimmying like mad on the sidewalk. I
Passion Fruit Shrimp Salsa1 ripe passion fruit (mango or other tropical fruit may be substituted) 4 or 5 extra-large shrimp (about 4 ounces total), peeled, deveined, and diced 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/4 cup finely minced onion (a Maui onion if available) 1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced tomatoes
Spinach Bread Pudding1/2 cup diced yellow onion 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 4 tablespoons butter 2 cups fresh spinach, torn in pieces 1 ounce (1/4 cup) crumbled or grated cotija or Parmesan cheese 1 cup milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 large egg, beaten 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon
Radicchio Walnut Salad9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (preferably from Modena) 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup walnut halves 2 heads radicchio, coarsely chopped or torn 3 ounces Gorgonzola, finely crumbled salt and pepper to tasteWhisk oil and vinegar until thick and season with salt and pepper. Set
Recipe from chef and owner Louise Lamensdorf, Bistro Louise, Fort Worth.Grilled Salmon4 teaspoons coarse sea salt 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons black pepper 1 cup fresh mint, chopped 4 six-ounce salmon filetsMix first 4 ingredients, rub on salmon, and marinate 2 to 24 hours. Grill (or sauté) filets for 3
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SAID, “Darn! Why doesn’t Texas have more steakhouses with deejays?” How often have I groused, “Where the hell are the steakhouses with mirrored columns and silver-leafed domes?” And most important, “Where are the steakhouses with $69 margaritas?” I mean, really—if you want to go out
Created by N9NE Steakhouse Dallas Executive Chef Chris Conlon
CAPITAL HILL I could feel the effects of a brutal day vanishing the minute I walked into the elegant dining room of the Mansion at Judges’ Hill—the designers who create impeccable sets for Merchant-Ivory films have nothing on the architects and decorators who brought Austin’s historic Goodall Wooten house back
Has it come to this?Is it no longer enough for a restaurant to have a talented chef, an enticing menu, and a mod space in the theater district? Must there also be some gimmick with the name? Please, no. Surely the in crowd hasn’t taken to sniffing, “Well, we
Coriander Crusted Ahi, Arugula, Hard Boiled Egg, and Fresh Tomato VinaigretteAhi Crust Recipe 1 sixteen-ounce piece of fresh ahi tuna 1/2 cup coriander seed, toasted and ground 1/2 cup fennel seed, toasted and ground 3 tablespoons cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons sea saltFresh Tomato Vinaigrette 2 pounds fresh vine-ripe tomatoes
Houston's Prego celebrates the great pumpkin.
Fresh halibut dusted in Parmesan and pumpkin seeds and served with a creamy roasted-corn and shrimp sauce in this recipe from Prego, Houston.
Folks in the wine biz are always fretting about how to make the fruit of the vine more approachable. It’s easy: Just open a wine shop and start serving yummy little snacks (and big snacks) on the side, as Monsterville Horton IV, the owner of Cova, has done in
Cova, Houston
Oversized French art posters on the wall? Check. Burgundy-and-faded-saffron color scheme? Check. Servers in long aprons? Check. Austin’s Capitol Brasserie has been around only two months, but it already has that unmistakable French brasserie look and feel. And the food I’ve tried at restaurateur Reed Clemons’s new place has
Recipe from Capitol Brasserie, Austin.
Recipe from Z’Tejas Grill, Austin.Black Bean—Mango Relish1/2 cup cooked black beans, rinsed (may use canned) 1 ripe mango, diced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger 2 tablespoons chopped red onion 1 teaspoon chopped fresh jalapeño Juice of 1 limeCombine ingredients and chill.Saffron
I love a restaurant that’s a personal statement, and Hector’s on Henderson is just that. Hector Garcia, a longtime fixture on the Dallas dining scene (general manager at the Riviera, co-owner of Iris), has his own place now, and you can see his stamp on the food (eclectic
Pan-seared Diver Scallops With Edamame-Corn Succotash and Basil-Sweet Pea SauceScallops 20 diver scallops kosher salt to taste pepper to taste 4 tablespoons canola oilDry all scallops well and season with salt and pepper immediately before searing them. Heat a large sauté pan and add canola oil. In smoking pan, add
Dallas
