Monthly Archives: October 2011

Our 21st Year of Eating, Drinking and Telling You About It!

HOUSTON Saturdays and Sunday 4-5 p.m., NewsRadio 740 KTRH

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

SATURDAY: When food lovers are discussing their favorite destinations for dining, the words “Midland, Texas” probably don’t turn up very often. Still, in recent years – considering the importance of Midland and the rest of the Permian Basin to the Lone Star State’s economy, dining there is definitely looking up. We’ll taste and talk about it in some impressive restaurants. For our Grape & Grain segment, we head even farther away than Midland, tasting the wines of Chateau Tanunda from South Australia’s Barossa Valley.

SUNDAY: Any time of year, one of our favorite dining experiences in Houston is served up (and up and up…) by the gauchos at Fogo de Chao. This is the place that introduced a lot of us to the now-popular all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse concept known as the churrascaria, along with things like the legendary bean dish called feijoada and the cocktail called the caipirinha. We’ll also settle in for our popular Grape & Grain segment, tasting vintages from around the world.

 

AUSTIN Saturdays 10-11 a.m., Talk 1370

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

When food lovers are discussing their favorite destinations for dining, the words “Midland, Texas” probably don’t turn up very often. Still, in recent years – considering the importance of Midland and the rest of the Permian Basin to the Lone Star State’s economy, dining there is definitely looking up. We’ll taste and talk about it in some impressive restaurants. For our Grape & Grain segment, we head even farther away than Midland, tasting the wines of Chateau Tanunda from South Australia’s Barossa Valley.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe

BRAZILIAN PORK AND BLACK BEAN FEIJOADA

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed

1 pound smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces

One 8-ounce smoked ham hock

1 large onion, chopped

2 dried bay leaves

2 cloves garlic

2 cups long-grain white rice

Salt and pepper

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Pickled jalapeño slices for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add 8 cups water, the beans, sausage, ham hock, 1/2 cup onion, the bay leaves and garlic and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours; add water as needed to keep the beans and meat submerged.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, in a large pot, bring 4 cups water and the rice to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer, undisturbed, until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

During the last 20 minutes of cooking, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook, stirring, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the cooked beans to the onions and mash; stir into the stew and cook for 30 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaves and garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over the rice and top with the pickled jalapeños and orange slices. Serves 10-12.

 

Our 21st Year of Eating, Drinking and Telling You About It!

HOUSTON Saturdays and Sunday 4-5 p.m., NewsRadio 740 KTRH

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

SATURDAY: We’ve always loved a good burger – and will probably still enjoy a not-so-good one too – so we’ve been intrigued in recent years by the so-called “better burger” movement. A milestone in this trend is Counter Burger on Houston’s hip Washington Avenue, and we get comfy with the ownership to taste and hear all about why. In our Grape & Grain segment, we sample the many-splendored tequilas of Casa Noble.

SUNDAY: One of the biggest hits in local restaurant history was Catalan, so a lot of Houstonians were curious what would happen when owners Charles Clark and Grant Cooper shut that place down to open a contemporary Italian eatery called Coppa. We do a tasting with chef Brandi Key and manager Brad Busenius to see what all the fresh excitement is about. We also taste and talk about some remarkable wines in our Grape & Grain segment.

AUSTIN Saturdays 10-11 a.m., Talk 1370

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Anything that shows up in a casing – that’s what the Austin downtown eatery called Frank is all about. And frankly, based on a couple of recent visits, we are impressed. We sit down with the guy in charge of the vision and hear exactly why Austin needed a restaurant concept devoted to all forms of hot dogs and sausage. Not that we required much convincing, mind you. In our Grape & Grain segment, we sample the many-splendored tequilas of Casa Noble.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe

JOHN’S HOT AND SOUR SOUP

I hate to break this news to you, but Paul Prudhomme is not Chinese. Still, the other night I prepared Chinese hot and sour soup using as many lessons as I could remember learning from Chef Paul many years ago in New Orleans. Why use one kind of pepper, he’d ask, when it’s better to use several? Why use one form of garlic, he’d ask, when it’s better to use several? The result is more and better flavors that stroke different taste buds on a different schedule. In fact, that’s always the result when we let the Cajun master power how we think about and make our food.

¼ pound pork tenderloin or chop, sliced into thin 1-inch boneless strips

1 teaspoon dry sherry

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dried black cloud/wood’s ear mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon shiracha chile garlic paste (more if desired)

1 cup Asian mushrooms, such as straw or shiitake, or mixed

½ cup sliced bamboo shoots

1 quart chicken broth

1 square firm tofu, cut into strips

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in water

1 egg, beaten

Chopped green onions

Marinate the pork in sherry and 1 tablespoon soy sauce for about 30 minutes. Combine dried mushrooms in a bowl with water to rehydrate, then drain and slice. Heat the oil in a large pan or pot and stirfry the strips till lightly browned. Stir in onion, garlic, ginger, onion and garlic powders, crushed red pepper and shiracha. Add the two kinds of mushrooms to heat through, along with the bamboo shoots. Pour in the broth, followed by the tofu, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the vinegars. Add more vinegar if desired. Bring to a low boil and add the cornstarch, bubbling until soup thickens. Add beaten egg, stirring gently once. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve. Serves 6.

 

Our 21st Year of Eating, Drinking and Telling You About It!

HOUSTON Saturdays and Sunday 4-5 p.m., NewsRadio 740 KTRH

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

SATURDAY: This week we’re in San Antonio to interview one of our favorite Lone Star Chefs, Andrew Weissman of the contemporary Italian restaurant Il Sogno at the renocated Pearl Brewery complex. And in our Grape & Grain segment, we taste and talk about the wines of Hourglass.

SUNDAY: For a long time, the story was way our in Fulshear, where an unlikely combination of visionary owner of super-talented chef from Scandinavia were making some amazing food happen. No they’ve brought the show to Houston itself, and it’s called Sorrel. We also check in with some of the folks getting ready for the 27^th annual Caesar Salad Competition, coming up at the Four Seasons Hotel on Oct. 21.

AUSTIN Saturdays 10-11 a.m., Talk 1370

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

This week we’re in San Antonio to interview one of our favorite Lone Star Chefs, Andrew Weissman of the contemporary Italian restaurant Il Sogno at the renovated Pearl Brewery complex. And in our Grape & Grain segment, we taste and talk about the wines of Hourglass.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe

PEACH RELISH

8 cups chopped fresh peaches (about 12 large peaches)

8 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (about 12 medium tomatoes)

2 cups diced sweet green peppers (2 large peppers)

2 cups ground onions (about 6 onions)

1 jalepeño or serrano pepper

4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 cups cider vinegar

½ tablespoon salt

¼ cup pickling spices

Peel and pit peaches. Chop into small pieces. Peel and chop tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Remove stem and seed from green peppers, and dice into ¼-inch pieces. Peel onions and grind in food processor, adding the hot pep­per. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag. Combine with all other ingredients in 10-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 1½ to 2 hours, until mixture reaches desired thickness. Pack into hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 6 one-pint jars.

 

Our 21^st Year of Eating, Drinking and Telling You About It!

HOUSTON Saturdays and Sunday 4-5 p.m., NewsRadio 740 KTRH

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

SATURDAY: One of our favorite prime steakhouses, in Houston or anywhere else, is Morton’s – yes, the one that used to be known as Morton’s of Chicago. Houston is blessed with two Morton’s that aren’t in Chicago, one downtown and the other in the Galleria area. This week we check out the one in the Galleria. And in our Grape and Grain segment, we travel to Kansas City to tour the iconic Boulevard Brewery.

SUNDAY: We’ve been fans of Indian cuisine since the patriotic Bicentennial summer of 1976, which we patriotically spend in London. Now Indian food has become a part of our lives in this country too, a fact we discuss with Anita Jaisinghani of Indika and her new place in WEST AVE called Pondicherri. In today’s Grape & Grain segment, we taste and talk about the wines of Australia’s fabled Barossa Valley.

AUSTIN Saturdays 10-11 a.m., Talk 1370

A Presentation of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Max’s Wine Dive may have been born in Houston, but it’s taken to the funky side of downtown Austin in a really major way. We sit down for a tasting with the executive chef and the general manager to learn how some restaurants just “get here as quick as they could.” And in our Grape and Grain segment, we travel to Kansas City to tour the iconic Boulevard Brewery.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief

STEAKHOUSE FILET MIGNON

2 (10-ounce) filet mignon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fleur de sel

1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with oil. Combine the fleur de sel and cracked pepper on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides. When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.

Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you’re actually testing the middle of the steak.) Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Serve hot with Roquefort Chive Sauce on the side.

Roquefort chive sauce:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 ounces French Roquefort cheese, crumbled (4 ounces with rind)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has become thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese, salt, pepper and chives and whisk rapidly until the cheese melts. Yield: 4 servings