Last month I was asked to help judge at a Signature Chefs fund-raiser for the March of Dimes.
It was fun to see what "signature" items each chef created for the evening. My favorite was the Lobster Macaroni 'n' Cheese, by John Watkins of The Plum Restaurant (at Embassy Suites).
In this comfort-food twist, the macaroni 'n' cheese was more rich and flavorful than Kraft's blue-box version, and it was studded with luscious chunks of lobster meat. I asked for the recipe, and I'm hoping to get one that I can share in a future column.
Getting a recipe from a restaurant isn't as easy as swapping one across the back fence with a neighbor. Some restaurants prefer to keep their recipes a company secret.
But even when a chef has the time and willingness to share, it can be a challenge to convert it for home use. Restaurants don't prepare dishes the same way you'd make a casserole at home. Chefs cook in mass quantities, often making components of a dish (roasting several chickens and making a variety of sauces) that are combined individually when the dish is ordered.
Home cooks don't have access to vats of simmering stock, commercial ovens or specialized food-service ingredients. And in giving directions, chefs tend to use terms that many home cooks aren't familiar with, such as "sweat the onions" or "render the bacon."
Even when you get a restaurant recipe that's been adapted, you might be disappointed that it doesn't seem as good as you remembered. It might have nothing to do with your cooking skills. Food seems to taste better with a dose of ambience — a window table with a stunning view, candlelight, an attentive waiter, the artful plate presentation, or even the boisterous laughter when you're eating with a group of friends.
And, someone else is clearing the table and doing the dishes.
Another Signature Chefs dish was a Pumpkin Apple Soup, served by chef Zane Holmquist of Stein Eriksen Lodge. Most folks stock up on cans of pumpkin puree for Thanksgiving — and chances are you still have some sitting on a pantry shelf. The apples lend texture and sweetness. This recipe makes 1 1/2 gallons — plenty for a large gathering.
PUMPKIN APPLE SOUP
2 ounces olive oil
1 pound bacon, diced
2 medium onions, diced
5 pounds apples, peeled, cored and rough chopped
2 29-ounce cans pumpkin puree
2 cups apple juice
1 cup dry sherry (or chicken stock)
1 quart chicken stock
4 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 cups cream
Cinnamon-flavored croutons (optional)
Heat olive oil in 10-quart soup pot with a thick bottom. Add bacon, render fat (let the fat melt from the bacon); then add onions and apples. Saute until tender. Add pumpkin, apple juice and sherry, saute 3-5 minutes.
Add chicken stock and all seasonings. Simmer 2 hours on low heat. Remove from heat, puree or blend soup and strain. Add the cream, adjust the seasonings and consistency, garnish with cinnamon-flavored croutons. Makes 1 1/2 gallons. — Zane Holmquist, Stein Eriksen Lodge
E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com