SIGNATURE DISHES

By Sidney Carlisle

Make these favorite recipes of Associate Club chefs the specialties of your own house.

Special recipes all have a history — they begin with an idea, an ingredient, or perhaps a fusion of ingredients and ideas. Every chef has at least one of these special recipes, a dish he or she becomes known for, a specialty of the house. Chefs do not just whip together these signature dishes; they perfect them over time, as they search for just the right taste, look, or texture. Alterations in the recipe continue until the chef is completely satisfied with a creation. The presentation, the savory flavors, even the colors are all important to making a dish truly special. Particular attention to details and the quality of the ingredients contribute to the impact of the dish and help create a memorable dining experience. Try the following favorite recipes from three of our Associate Club chefs. You may even want to do a little experimenting of your own. And soon you may create the specialty of your own house.

 

CANDIED GARLIC STUFFED LAMB LOIN WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH AND DRAMBUIE ESSENCE
Chef Doug George of La Cima Club in Irving, Texas, created this entrée in the spring of 1998 after being introduced to candied garlic in California. “The unique flavor produced by candying gives the garlic a certain character. It’s mild and sweet and just delightful,” Chef George says. “I was very pleased with the flavor and wanted a unique way to use the candied garlic. Everyone was serving rack of lamb. I wanted something else. We tried it with a lamb loin and loved it.”

The dish was on the dinner menu for spring, served with spaghetti squash and English peas. Its success prompted Chef George to use the recipe on his winter menu, but he changed the Drambuie Essence to a cassis (black currant) sauce and served it with elk loin.

This is an elaborate recipe that takes some planning. Chef George simplified his Drambuie Essence for Private Clubs and for easier preparation at home.

LAMB LOIN

  • 1 lamb loin

  • salt and pepper

Ask the butcher to bone the lamb loin and retain the bones to use in the Drambuie Essence. Trim any remaining silver skin and excess fat from the loin. Cut the loin in half to make two equal portions. Using a boning knife, carefully cut a hole through each loin. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to widen the hole slightly in order to accommodate the garlic cloves. Salt and pepper the lamb loin and refrigerate until ready to cook.

CANDIED GARLIC

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 12 garlic cloves, peeled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the garlic cloves and simmer 5 minutes. Remove the cloves and place them on a baking sheet, discarding the water. Bake about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove cloves from the hot baking sheet and cool completely.

DRAMBUIE ESSENCE LAMB SAUCE

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • lamb bones and trimmings

  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup beef broth

Place the olive oil in a saucepan large enough to accommodate the lamb bones and heat over medium heat. Add the bones and trimmings and stir until browned. Remove the bones and trimmings. Add the flour to the pan and stir well. Add the broth, stirring to loosen any browned bits and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and reduce the sauce by half. Allow the sauce to cool slightly. Remove any fat by using a degreasing pitcher or by placing the sauce in the refrigerator until the fat congeals. Discard the fat.

BROWN SAUCE

  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 can (14 ounces) beef broth

  • 1⁄4 cup water

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the flour browns, about 20 minutes. Stir in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.

TO COMPLETE THE DRAMBUIE ESSENCE:

  • 1⁄2 cup lamb sauce

  • 1 cup brown sauce

  • 1⁄2 garlic clove, peeled

  • 1 small sprig rosemary

  • 1 ounce Drambuie

Combine the lamb sauce, brown sauce, garlic, and rosemary in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Strain into a serving bowl and stir in the Drambuie. Keep warm for serving.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH

  • 1 spaghetti squash

  • 1 tomato, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • fresh basil leaves

Scrub the squash well and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Place cut side down in a glass baking dish and add a 1⁄2 inch of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes, or until the squash may be easily pierced with a fork. Cool squash slightly. Use a fork to scrape out the strands. Set the strands and remaining ingredients aside.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside. Stuff the garlic cloves in the center of the lamb loin. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Sear the lamb very well on all sides and place on the rack over the baking sheet. Place in the oven to finish cooking. For medium rare, baking time is about 10 minutes.

Sauté the squash, shallots, and tomatoes in the same pan used to sear lamb loin. Add basil to taste.

To serve, place a mound of squash in the center of two serving plates. Cut both pieces of lamb into three pieces. Drizzle the plates with Drambuie Essence. Arrange the lamb slices around or on the squash. Garnish with fresh steamed peas or fava beans, if desired.

 

MACADAMIA NUT CRUSTED MAHIMAHI with LEMON GINGER BUTTER
Chef Brad Evers of Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas, was taught to prepare mahimahi by Chef Russell Siu, who was executive chef of the Tower Club in Dallas from 1982 to 1986. Of course it was snapper then, and the Lemon Ginger Butter had julienne of ginger, but the recipe began with Chef Siu.

Chef Evers has altered the recipe since his days at the Tower Club, and his mahimahi (pictured on page 49) has become the most requested menu item at Stonebriar. The breading ingredients and top-quality fish are the keys to its continued popularity.

The chef has some tips for working with mahimahi. Keep the fish very cold, on ice if possible, from the point of purchase until cooking time. Mahimahi can be difficult to find and if it is unavailable, substitute snapper or small grouper fillets.

Fresh macadamia nuts and Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) are essential to the dish. Panko (pronounced “pahn-koh”) is sold in Asian markets and the crumbs are used for coating fried foods. The resulting crust is light, crunchy, and delicious.

The Lemon Ginger Butter complements the mahimahi perfectly. Chef Evers also likes to serve the butter with grilled shrimp and other grilled fish. He recommends serving the mahimahi with basmati rice and stir-fried vegetables.

MAHIMAHI

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tablespoons milk

  • salt and pepper

  • 1 cup Panko

  • 1 cup finely chopped macada-mia nuts

  • 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 8 3-ounce medallions or fillets of mahimahi, cut less than 1 inch thick

  • 3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside. Place the eggs and milk in a small bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper and beat with a fork until well-blended. Combine Panko and macadamia nuts and set aside. Place the flour in a separate shallow dish. Season the fillets with salt and pepper.

Working with one fillet at a time, dredge the fish in the flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Place in the macadamia nut breading, pressing down gently so the coating adheres. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Heat the butter in a large sauté pan. When the butter is very hot but not smoking, add the fish. Sauté until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Place on the rack over the baking sheet and finish in the oven, baking about 8 minutes. Serve with warm Lemon Ginger Butter.

Yield: 4 servings.

LEMON GINGER BUTTER

  • 1⁄2 cup dry white wine

  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon chopped shallots

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

  • 8 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger juice (see note)

Combine wine, lemon juice, and shallots in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat and reduce until a syrupy consistency. Add the heavy cream and reduce by half. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until all is incorporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger juice. Serve warm.

Note: To obtain ginger juice, grate fresh peeled ginger. Squeeze the pulp over a small bowl to get the juice and discard the pulp.

 BAILEYS CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE
There are truly no words to describe Chef Tim Drown’s chocolate pecan pie. He says the recipe changed slowly through the years until it seemed perfect. It’s chocolate, it’s pecans, it’s Baileys Irish Cream, and it’s just awesome.

A favorite dessert of Centre Club members in Tampa, Florida, the pie has been served at the club for years. It’s available for lunch or dinner, and the kitchen prepares at least five more pies per week when requested for special functions.

The pie usually is served with Baileys Crème Anglaise and occasionally with a chocolate glaze. Some members, obviously throwing calories to the wind, request the pie served warm with ice cream. No nutritional information accompanies this recipe!

Take Chef Drown’s instructions to heart — only a 10-inch pie plate will accommodate the filling.

PIE CRUST

  • 1 1⁄4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

  • 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted chilled butter

  • 1⁄3 cup chilled vegetable shortening

  • 3 tablespoons ice water

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Divide the butter into six pieces and dust with flour. Divide the shortening into six pieces and dust with flour. Work the butter and shortening into the flour and salt mixture, using a pastry blender or fork.

Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with a fork to moisten the flour particles. Use just enough water to hold the dough together. Shape in a rough ball and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten the dough slightly, wrap securely, and chill for 30 minutes.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to fit a 10-inch pie pan. Flute the edges attractively and refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.

PIE FILLING

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1⁄2 cups light Karo syrup

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1⁄4 cup Baileys Irish Cream

  • 3 cups pecan halves

  • 1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the syrup, eggs, and vanilla, blending well. Whisk in the melted butter and the Baileys.

Line the pie crust with the pecan halves. Fill in around the pecans with chocolate chips. Pour the filling over the pecans and chips. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, until the filling is firm and the crust is golden. Cool completely before cutting.

BAILEYS IRISH CREME ANGLAISE

  • 8 ounces heavy cream

  • 1⁄4 vanilla bean (or 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract)

  • 4 large egg yolks

  • 3⁄4 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar

  • 1⁄4 cup Baileys Irish Cream

Heat the cream and vanilla bean (or extract) over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Whisk the yolks and sugar together. Add hot cream one tablespoon at a time to the yolk mixture, whisking until about one-fourth of the cream has been blended. Add the yolk/cream mixture to the saucepan holding the remaining hot cream. Cook and stir for 3 minutes; do not overcook. Strain the sauce into a clean bowl placed over an ice bath. Stir in the Baileys.

To serve, swirl the Anglaise over  a serving plate and center a small piece of pie on the plate.

Food writer Sidney Carlisle recommends serving guests a light dinner and a large piece of Baileys Chocolate Pecan Pie.

 

Hail, caesar!
What’s special about a Caesar salad? It’s prepared tableside, it’s beautifully presented, and it tastes marvelous, yes, but what places it in the “Specialty” category? Fifty years, that’s what. That’s how long Lynnwood Craig, maître d’ at the Town Point Club in Norfolk, Virginia, has been tossing Caesars.

Craig prepared his first Caesar salad in l949 while working for the summer at a Rhode Island resort. He remained in food service and has served the salad since that summer. Even a hitch in the Navy didn’t stop him, although he does admit to one 18-month dry spell while stationed in Alaska — no demand for the salad and no romaine.

Diners at the Town Point Club are treated to Craig and his salad five nights a week. Considered the consummate gentleman by both club members and staff, he’s easily recognized by anyone who’s ever dined in the Elizabeth River Room.

Just ask the members how popular Craig and his salad are. When Craig had two knee replacements and was on leave six weeks each time, stacks of letters poured into the club from members who missed him and his salad. He returned to the dining room and worked table to table on crutches.

Craig estimates he’s prepared close to 300,000 salads. That’s a lot of romaine. Thankfully, he graciously shares his recipe — which has evolved from the traditional Caesar created by Chef Caesar Cardini in 1924 to today’s Craig’s Caesar.