TOTAL TROUT APPEAL

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From family to fine dining, char-grilled to sautéed, dusted to crusted, preparing rainbow trout is easier than ever, and it’s showing up on more and more menus today. With its delicate, mild taste, rainbow trout accents the flavors of marinades and seasonings from citrus to bold and spicy profiles – making it an extremely versatile protein.

Clear Spring Foods brings delicious versatility to your menu with Clear Springs® Clear∙Cuts® rainbow trout fillets – available in natural fillet and butterfly style. As the only 100% guaranteed boneless rainbow trout available, Clear∙Cuts® are a truly exceptional menu item for patrons and provide ultimate convenience for you.


Menu Watch
At Apache Trout Grill in Traverse City, MI their focus is on fresh and fine ingredients. They pan fry rainbow trout fillets with peppers, onions and feta with a white wine sauce.  Enjoy it next to fresh-baked bread, salad, soup or a variety of flatbreads. At Trout Town Tavern & Eatery in downtown Kalkaska, MI, “where every meal is a great catch,” they serve up a Smoked Trout & Cheese Plank appetizer that includes smoked trout pâté, rainbow trout sausage and aged cheeses served with sweet cherry compote, candied pecans and homemade crostini. As an entrée, they lightly season and sauté rainbow trout fillets, then top with lemon chive butter and serve with a wild mushroom risotto and vegetable of choice. Finally, you’ll love the fine dining at The Hungry Trout, set in the Flume Falls section of Wilmington, NY. With fresh trout as their specialty, The Hungry Trout elegantly serves its rainbow trout several ways, from grilled with a spinach and artichoke Parmesan sauce, to herb encrusted and pan fried, to pan seared with Grand Marnier butter sauce. It’s also featured as an accompaniment in a sampler entrée application.


Covering The Menu
Clear Springs Rainbow Trout is the perfect foundation for creating signature appetizers and entrées.
Smoked Appetizers: Brine fillets in a water and salt mixture overnight; dry and smoke for a few hours. Then, create a colorful Bruschetta on a baguette and add a flavorful garnish. Or, try a creamy smoked trout dip or mousse and serve with toasted ciabatta bread.
Savory Sandwiches: Most breads will suffice, such as Focaccia, Sourdough or an Artisan French Bread. Or, partner with a local supplier to keep local business booming and have fresh bread delivered daily to your doorstep. Grill or sauté fillets and pick your toppings and sauces such as cilantro slaw, chipotle mayo or horseradish tartar. The possibilities are deliciously endless.
Impressive Entrees: Try a Spanish spice rub on grilled Clear Springs Rainbow Trout, accompanied with grilled Swiss chard and herbed whole grain rice. Or stuff Clear Springs butterfly-style rainbow trout with spinach and tarragon and serve alongside roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus. Rainbow trout is perfect for crusting applications, too. Innovate your menu with spicy panko-and-horseradish crusted fillets. Or use popular items such as almonds, sunflower seeds or pretzels for added texture and appetite appeal. Be sure to visit clearsprings.com for additional menu ideas!
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Flavorful Recipes to Take on for National Lobster Day

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Lobster is a dish enjoyed among many, and what better day to spoil yourself with it other than National Lobster Day.  Here in the U.S., June 15 is dedicated to celebrating and appreciating the delicacy.  In respects to that, here are some facts about lobster, as well as a few recipes to take a shot at today. 

According to History.com, lobsters were first used by Native Americans for fertilizing crops and as bait for fish.  They would wash ashore in piles of up to two feet high and were known as the poor man’s protein.  Considering the large amounts that would come in and the cheap pricing, they were normally fed to prisoners, slaves and children. 

During the 1880s, it started to lose its negative reputation and was dined on in places such as Boston and New York City, with prices rising.  In 1876, the first lobster pound was recognized in Vinalhaven, Maine, and until this day is still home to the thriving industry. 

There are many different ways to create a delicious lobster meal.  Executive Chef Chuck Abair from CAFÉ del REY has shared the recipe for his dish Lobster Risotto with Spring Vegetables:

4-6 oz. Servings
2 C. Arborio (Risotto) rice
1/2 C. dry White Wine
8 C. Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2 T. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 lb. fresh English Peas
 8 oz. Brown Beech Mushrooms or any white mushroom
1 t. chopped Garlic
1 t. chopped Shallots
3 t. finely chopped chives
4 oz. butter
Sea salt to taste

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.  Then, warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir in the mushrooms and peas, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.  Remove mixture and its liquid, and set aside.  Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook for 1 minute.  Add rice, stirring to coat with oil for about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms and peas with their liquid, butter, chives and parmesan.  Lightly fold in the lobster, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Executive Chef Sven Mede from Terrazza also shared his Lobster Panini recipe:


2 slices brioche
3 oz. cooked and diced lobster meat
2 leaves little gem lettuce
4 slices tomatoes
1 T. lemon aioli, see below
¼ each avocado, sliced
1 t. fresh chopped herb mix (tarragon, chervil, parsley)


Toast the brioche in a Panini press.  Mix the lobster meat with aioli and season with salt and pepper.  Place the lobster mix on one slice of brioche.  Top it with lettuce, tomato, avocado and the second slice of brioche.  Lastly, gently press it all together and slice it in half.

-Christina Danno
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Bartender's Corner: A look into the beer and spirit industry

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[The Cocktail Chronicles]

A history of cocktail favorites


By Sam Ujvary

Love Your Enemy


“Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.”
-Frank Sinatra

The martini. It's a status symbol. Edible art. Great men drink it and great debates have been made about it. From its origin and the ratio of ingredients, to the proper way to make it and what garnish it's paired with, there's a martini recipe out there to fit us each individually like a well-tailored suit.

Somewhere near San Francisco in the nineteenth century, Jerry Thomas of the Occidental Hotel had a bartender manual which contained a martini recipe. It's believed travelers heading to the nearby city of Martinez were mainly those consuming the drink. Some sort of 'when in Rome' mentality, I suppose. Meanwhile, the city from which the martini gets its name, disputes its origin, claiming the drink was known as the “Martinez special.” It's one of the world's mysteries for which we may never have an answer.

One of the best-known cocktails in the world, a martini is typically made of gin and vermouth. While the ratio has continued to vary, it's really a personal preference. 4 parts gin to 1 part vermouth was popular in the '30s. As the twentieth century rolled on, ratios rose to 8:1, 20:1, 50:1 and even some still prefer to forgo vermouth altogether. Oddly enough, the less dry vermouth in the recipe, the drier the martini is considered.

How to build a proper martini. There isn't enough paper in the world to make a book that can fully encompass what goes into this. How much alcohol? Vermouth! Shaken. No, stirred....but for only 30 seconds. Using whatever ratio you prefer, pour the ingredients over ice. That, we can agree on. Gin drinkers generally prefer a stirred martini in order to taste the botanicals. For a while, vodka martini drinkers didn't really specify anything other than which spirit they prefer. Then, James Bond threw a wrench in things. “Ordering a martini shaken. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? I'm so going to be James Bond next time I go to Happy Hour.” Seemingly, the only difference in a shaken martini versus one that is stirred, is the clarity of the drink. If you're making it correctly, the dilution in a shaken martini is minuscule. For what it's worth, I only notice a slightly sharper taste in a stirred martini, while one that's shaken seems to be more well-rounded.

The comically-brilliant Johnny Carson once said, “Happiness is…finding two olives in your martini when you’re hungry.” With my personal preference being a dirty vodka martini with blue cheese-stuffed olives, I concur with Mr. Carson. What if you worked through lunch and it'll be another 20 minutes before your table is ready? Well, I can tell you (admittedly, from experience) that biting into an onion or a lemon peel will not tide you over until you order appetizers. If you're not so hungry, a lemon zest around the rim of your martini will give it a little something extra in one way, while a cocktail onion—which is typically sweet—gives it something extra in quite a different way. The three traditional garnishes for a martini each provide a hint of something, whether it be salty, zesty, or sweet.

Any way you take your martini, with gin or vodka, shaken or stirred, and with one onion or three olives—take it with elegance, grace and class, just like the men and women who gave it its classic reputation.

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Neighborhood Favorite: Husk Nashville

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By Megan O'Neill 

 On a side road in Rutledge Hill, just southeast of historic downtown Nashville, situates a late 19th century home with a stately exterior and Southern charm a little contrary to the honkeytonks just blocks away.

Photo: Husk Nashville
This is Husk Nashville—the latest outpost of lowcountry chef Sean Brock’s acclaimed South Carolina hot spot of the same name—and this is my Sunday brunch, a renaissance of antebellum cuisine and rustic ingredients. 

The home’s original floors, windows and walls play partner to the more minimalistic aesthetic of the modern-art chandeliers and color schemes, and with plenty of sunlight coming in, the bright walls and farm-centric interior just made sense.  The space retains its charm, but the ingredients bring you back home. The emphasis at Husk is on local, Southern ingredients (you’ll hear this again), and the life-size chalkboard, which lists every artisanal product and where it was sourced, reaffirms this. The menu, which changes twice a day, consists of carefully curated and meticulously sourced products, preserving sometimes otherwise forgotten Southern heirlooms.

Now, for Chef Brock—that’s James Beard Award winning Chef Brock—if it isn't from the South, it’s not going on your plate. The end. An advocate for the ingredients indigenous to pre-Civil War era South, Chef Brock began experimenting with resurrecting crops that were at risk of extinction, and he continues to grow these heirlooms—think James Island Red Corn (Jimmy Red) for his grits, Benne Seed, Rice Peas, etc. He’s passionate about the region’s rich history, studying and collecting 19th century Southern cookbooks, and he’s comprehensively researched the provenances and the flavors of this cuisine, which might be a reason he’s one of Charleston’s most decorated culinarians. Here in Nashville, he’s joined by Chef de Cuisine and fellow Johnson & Wales graduate, Tim Moody.


At Husk Nashville, their kitchen is taking advantage of the seasonal and local bounty, and what can’t be used that day is preserved, pickled, smoked and saved. Which leads us to the first middle-of-the-table plate ordered that Sunday, Husk Pickles and pickled okra seasoning a plate of delicately sliced Bob Woods’ 24-month country ham, with mustard and sweet, soft rolls. The White Lily Biscuits were next. These aren't out of a pressurized foil sleeve as you can imagine.  Pastry Chef Lisa Donovan’s tall, flaky biscuits are served with a black pepper and Husk sausage gravy, and the plate was empty in less than 8 minutes.

The rest of brunch, a serious endeavor as far as what to choose, brought to the table the Pork Belly Monte Cristo with Tennessee Cheddar, a fried farm egg and Confit Potato Hash. Next, the Pork Chop Biscuit Sandwich was served with slightly grilled onions, cheddar, a fried egg, and loaded with a spicy N’duja gravy. And of course, the Husk Shrimp and Grits. This is it. This was what I talked about for four non-stop days. This is making grits the Sean Brock way. The grits, made with spring water, not tap, were soft and tender and loaded with ground country ham, shrimp, shrimp broth, mushrooms, chervil, chives, lemon juice and an egg. This—also I’d presume one of the many reasons he’s garnered a trophy case full of accolades.

It’s a showcase here every day. A showcase of the South—their vegetables, their meats, fish, their farmers, their restraint, their excess. It’s delicious, and though an “emphasis on ingredients” is not something new, it’s celebrated differently here with an energy and style I’ll be back to see. 

Husk Nashville 
37 Rutledge St. Nashville, TN, 37210
HOURS
LUNCH:    11 am to 2 pm Monday – Friday
BRUNCH: 10 am to 2 pm Saturday and Sunday
DINNER:   5 to 10 pm Sunday – Thursday;
                   5 to11 pm Friday and Saturday
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Chef on the Rocks

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Chef's Stirrings provides readers with what's happening. Every Friday we want to kick off your weekend with a new beverage segment, Bartender's Corner: A look into the beer and spirit industry. Check in weekly for topics including:


The Cocktail Chronicles: A history of cocktail favorites
Trademasters: Profiling leaders of the pack
Tequila (book)Worm: Adult Beverage Education
Chasers: Traveling with alcohol enthusiasts 
Mixers: Events and noteworthy news

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National Doughnut Day Recipe: Chocolate Chili Beignets

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Chocolate Chili Beignets are Kachina Southwestern Grill’s Executive Chef Jeff Bolton’s fiery take on doughnuts. The southwestern spicy balls of goodness are deep fried until golden brown and tossed in cinnamon and sugar. The dough contains serrano chile powder and is filled with semi-sweet chocolate. The cajeta is made with goat’s milk and caramel. The sweet and savory treats serve as a perfect dessert for patrons at the Westminster, Colo. eatery.


Chocolate Chili Beignets

Executive Chef Jeff Bolton, Kachina Southwestern Grill

1 lbs                 Water
1 ½  oz.           Yeast
2 lbs. 9oz.        High-Gluten Flour
3 oz.                Shortening
4 oz.                Sugar
½   oz.             Salt
1 t.                   Serrano Chili Powder
1 ½  oz.           Non Fat Milk Solids
4 oz.                Liquid Eggs
32 pieces         Bittersweet chocolate (broken into small pieces)

Yield: 32 beignets

 
Directions:

In mixing bowl, mix water and yeast (with whisk)
Next add high-gluten flour
Then add shortening, sugar, salt, chili powder, milk solids and eggs
Place mixing bowl onto the mixer with dough hook attachment
Mix at low speed for 5 minutes (Place in cooler, let rest 1 hour)
On floured wooden bench, roll out beignet 1/8 inch thick
Cut beignets using ruler technique (1 ¾ inches x 3 ½ inches).
Place a chocolate baton pieces in each beignet. 
Spray with water and fold over (using your hands as little as possible)
Press down on 3 sides to form a strong seam that will hold.  Place on sheet tray with paper
Put plastic bag over tray and allow to proof at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Fry in 350 degree oil, 45 seconds on each side.


--Claire
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National Doughnut Day Recipe: Baked Cake Donut Sundae

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Chef Anne Croy of Clayton, Missouri’s Pastaria knows how to indulge a sweet tooth. Her Baked Cake Donut Sundae uses a Sicilian pistachio butter doughnut and adds a scoop of cool mascarpone gelato in the center topped with a local strawberry coulis with notes of orange and star anise throughout. Chef Croy finishes the gelato doughnut hybrid with a honey salted pistachio wafer pierced at the top. The dish is the perfect end to an Italian meal.

Sicilian Pistachio Cake Donut
Pastry Chef Anne Croy

142 g. unbleached flour
4 g. baking powder
1.25 g. baking soda
2.5 g. salt
78 g. light brown sugar
50 g. unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
5 g. vanilla extract
107 g. buttermilk

Cream butter, pistachio butter and brown sugar together until light.  Add egg and vanilla extract.  Combine all dry ingredients and alternate with buttermilk, ending with dry mixture.

Place batter in pasty bag and pipe into donut pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Turn out onto wire racks until cool.  Dip into vanilla glaze and return to racks.
 

Vanilla Glaze

60 grams whole milk
10 grams vanilla
453 grams powdered sugar
Whip together until smooth consistency.  Cover until using.


Mascarpone Gelato

1440 g. whole milk, reserving 240 grams
1008 g. heavy cream
102 g. milk powder
500 g. sugar, reserving 100 grams
100 g. glucose
58 g. cornstarch
338 g. mascarpone
10 g. vanilla extract
2.5 g. salt

Combine first five ingredients in medium stock pot.  Whisk to combine.  Heat until boiling.  Make a slurry out of reserved milk, reserved sugar and cornstarch.  Whisk to remove all lumps.  Add to hot mixture and continue cooking until bubbling again.  Remove from heat.  Add mascarpone, vanilla extract and salt.  Chill overnight.  Spin in gelato spinner and serve.
Makes 2 1/2 gallons, so there will be reserve.


Strawberry Compote

 500 g. fresh organic strawberries, rough chopped
zest of one orange
1 whole star anise
25 g. glucose syrup
100 g. sugar
15 g. cornstarch dissolved in 2 T. fresh orange juice
250 g. fresh organic strawberries, rough chopped (reserved)

 Combine first five ingredients in medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat until berries release juices and begin to simmer.  Add slurry of cornstarch and orange juice and continue to cook until just bubbling.  Remove from heat and cool.  Fold in fresh berries.


Honey Salted Pistachio Wafer

 40 g. unsalted butter, melted
27 g. raw honey
1 large egg white
35 g. unbleached flour
38 g. confectioner's sugar
30 g. chopped, toasted and salted pistachios

Whip butter and honey until light.  Add egg white and mix until combined.  Add flour and powdered sugar and continue mixing until smooth.  Add chopped nuts.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  


To assemble doughnut sundae, place cake donut on plate, top with one scoop of mascarpone gelato, drizzle strawberry compote over the top and pierce top of scoop with pistachio wafer.
Serve immediately.


--Claire

 
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Potato Prep Problems? You're One Click Away From the Solution

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Questions About Au Gratin, Baked, Mashed, Potato Salad and French Fries Are Answered On the Idaho Potato Commission’s All Things Potatoes Page 

It’s the middle of the dinner rush, and the French fries are coming out of the fryer darker than usual. What’s an operator to do when a potato preparation crisis arises? Head to the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) All Things Potatoes page. As the potato industry’s best resource for product information (varieties, handling, storage) and usage (preparation tips and recipes), the IPC collected targeted solutions and recommended recipes for five potato menu standards: "All Things Au Gratin Potatoes," "All Things, Baked Potatoes," "All Things Mashed Potatoes," "All Things Potato Salads" and "All Things French Fried Potatoes."
Under each heading, operators can browse Dr. Potato’s posts on best practices, optimal outcomes, and profitability tips. Scrolling down, the IPC provides technique videos and a wide-ranging selection of recipes in each category.  Because all good things should not come to an end, the IPC plans on expanding the available topics to Hash Browns, Potato Skins and beyond.
Put the All Things Potato page to use by visiting foodservice.idahopotato.com, While on the site, check out the IPC’s comprehensive recipe database, refer to a helpful size guide and Idaho potato preparation tips, find answers and solutions to operational and culinary FAQs, or ask Dr. Potato a question. For more information, visit foodservice.idahopotato.com.
 
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National Doughnut Day Recipe: Chinese Green Tea Dount

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National Doughnut Day is Friday, June 6, and with the doughnut craze continually evolving and expanding, we thought we would offer some doughnut recipes with unique twists courtesy of chefs across the country. Check back tomorrow for a Missouri-based pastry chef's Italian-inspired doughnut sundae!

The Chinese Green Tea Donut by Pastry Chef Michael Moorhouse at Nest at WP24 in Los Angeles, is his own variation of the yóutiáo, a Chinese donut-like desert, dusted in matcha powder and served alongside yuzu cream dipping sauce.


Chinese Green Tea Donut, Nest at WP24
Pastry Chef Michael Moorhouse

450 g. bread flour
200 ml. boiling water
10 eggs
½ t. powdered baking ammonium (available in Chinese pharmacy)
200 g. sugar
10 g. matcha powder


Sift together flour and ammonium and stir into boiling water. Beat in eggs one by one and mix to obtain a smooth batter. Scoop small balls of dough and fry in peanut oil at 350F until golden brown. Dredge warm fritters in sugar that has been sifted with matcha. Serve immediately.



-Claire
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