Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Restaurant Review: Glitretind

Just when I thought I couldn't have a better meal in my life, along came this one.  We made a late reservation at Glitretind-Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah only after being turned away from Log Haven.

This was the first time I had been to the Stein Eriksen Lodge, what a beautiful place.  Roaring fireplace, logs, low lighting, it was perfect.  I was accompanied this time by my beautiful wife, yes the Vegetarian.

We were sat fairly quickly, and had a nice quiet table away from the kitchen.  Being in Utah sometimes you forget that there is actually classy places to dine and be served.  Working in a kitchen for a living, sometimes there is nothing better that being served food by someone else, not having to do any of the work yourself.

Our server was a nice woman named Sarah, she was hands down the best server I have ever met.  She had a genuine knowledge of food, and announced everything that was brought to our table with excitement and a smooth tongue.  She wasn't reading it off a card, she really knew what she was talking about.  We were presented with a small dinner menu, just the kind I like.  I don't like the 87 page menus of most chains and wanna-be restaurants.  I want a place that does a few things perfectly, not a place that does 126 things poorly.

My wife, the Vegetarian, selected an Heirloom Tomato Salad w/ local feta cheese, pistachios, basil and salt.  The presentation of the salad was very simple, wedges of room temperature tomatoes on a long rectangular plate with the cheese and pistachio dust.  It was good, even to me.  I had the Dungeness Crab Vichyissoise, and ohhh was it good.  It was presented in a large bowl with  a pile of lump crab meat in the middle.  After the server set the bowl down she poured the Leeky Potatoe goodness around the crab.  Also in the broth were chunks of Boniato Yam and Micro Parsley.  Very good, top notch.  Almost better than the starters was the bread that came with them.  There was an assortment of house-made breads from Roasted Garlic to a House Cracker Bread that were all warm and delicious.  With the bread came a small dish of the best tasting butter I have ever had.  It was just creamed butter, but had a sprinkling of Black Hawaiian Sea Salt across the top.  Butter and salt, a beautiful coupling.  There was also a tasty dish of French Sea Salt on the table for seasoning.  The Chef forgot nothing when it comes to the details of this place.

The service throughout the meal was perfect, there was ample time in between dishes to digest each course and salivate over the goodness.  After the starter course the staff brought out an Amuse Bouche, a simple steamed purple potato round with a piped goat cheese mousse on top.  This was again garnished very simply with micro greens.  One piece each, just enough to keep the taste buds working.  My wife had a Pea and Carrot Risotto for the entree.  For not having meat, it was very good.  Obviously made to order, with perfect cheese flavor and appropriate salt.  The highlight of her dish was the tasty little olive oil poached mini globe carrots served on the side.  These things are crazy expensive, but it made the meal for her.  Such quality ingredients in a simple risotto really was good.  A nice quenelle of mint pesto on the side was also a nice touch to liven her plate up.

My entree deserves a separate blog, a medal, an accommodation, and a blue ribbon.  It wasn't on the menu, it was the dinner special of the night.  Our server Sarah's description of the entree was as good as can be.  It was medallions of Elk Tenderloin.  It was kind of like in Jerry Maguire, "She had me at Elk, she had me at Elk."  When the Elk came out from the kitchen, I swear there was a shining white light following it.  It looked so good, very rare and seared perfect.  Every bite of that meat was better than the last.  There was a kind little puddle of Sweet Purple Carrot Jus beneath it, really good.  Equally delicious was the hand-made Sweet Potato Gnocchi it was astride.  Perfect portion, perfectly executed, I was extremely satisfied.  Far different from the gamey bits of Elk I have had before.

Dessert for my wife was three scoops of Pistachio Gelato made by the Pastry Chef that morning.  Very creamy, a nice ending for her.  I had a Sesame Mousse that was different than what I imagined.  The plate was composed of three small bittersweet chocolate cake rounds, two small pipings of sesame mousse, sesame brittle, golden tapioca pearls and a quenelle of orange vanilla ice cream.  Strange flavors that all worked perfect together.  The plate wasn't sauced or drizzled with 12 neon colored sauces, there was no sparklers, no candles, no pre-made insignificant garnishes.  The brain of the Pastry Chef is genius, this was one of the best desserts I have ever had.

As if the above wasn't enough, a small profiterole (cream puff) was brought out alongside our check.  I assume to help ease the pain of such a large bill.  For me it was a Thank You from their staff to me and my wife for enjoying their hard work.  I paid the bill without even looking at the amount, double the amount of money we paid would still have been a deal for me.  An excellent meal, one of the best of my life.  Vegetables for my wife, bloody game meat for me.  Executive Chef Zane Holmquist, the Pastry Chef, Sarah, and whoever else had a hand in this meal deserves my highest marks.  You really can get good food in Utah.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Recipe: Tuscan Grilled Lamb Chops

-Next to pigs, these wooly critters are my favorite meat.  This is an easy recipe that is real good.  Please try it out and let me know your results.  I did mine with a Roasted Pepper Risotto, Glazed Carrot, and Peppercorn Demi Glace.   I am sure it would go well with Green Jello and Funeral Potatoes too! 




Recipe:  Tuscan Grilled Lamb Chops

                1  -    Lamb Rack,  Bones Trimmed
                2  -    Tablespoons,  Chopped Garlic
                2  -    Tablespoons, Rosemary, Fresh Chopped
                2  -    Tablespoons, Italian Parsley, Fresh Chopped
                1  -    Tablespoon, Kosher Salt
                1  -    Teaspoon, Black Pepper
                2  -    Ounces, Extra Virgin Olive Oil


  1.    Slice rack into individual chops, slicing between each bone
  2.    Place chops in container or Ziploc bag.  Put all herbs, salt, pepper, garlic and oil
          in bag and mix thoroughly until chops are coated. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
  3.    Pre-heat BBQ grill to high heat.
  4.    Place chops on grill for 2 minutes each side, or until nicely seared.
          DO NOT OVERCOOK!!!!!! Chops should be medium rare to medium, no more!


                Pull them off the grill, and enjoy.....       CG 




Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Recipe: Sweet & Spicy Pulled Pork

Here is an excellent pulled pork recipe.  Simple ingredients, easy to do.  Delicious eaten with your hands, not so bad on a bun either....  Try this one out, let me know what you think.





Sweet & Spicy Pulled Pork:


3-4   -      Pounds      Pork Roast, (Shoulder or Picnic Roast is best)

2      -       Cups         Brown Sugar

1      -       Cup           Hot Sauce, (Frank's Red Hot, or any other Buffalo Style sauce)

1      -        Cup           Water

1      -         T.             Granulated garlic

                                   Salt & Pepper (To Taste)

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Season pork roast with garlic, salt and pepper.  Allow to sit on baking pan for 5  minutes at room temperature to absorb seasoning.
  3. Bake pork roast until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  (Approximately 40-50 minutes)
  4. Remove from oven and place into baking dish, or casserole pan.
  5. Mix brown sugar and hot sauce together until brown sugar is mostly dissolved.  Pour over pork roast.
  6. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees, pour water into bottom of baking dish.  Cover pork roast tightly with foil and place back into oven for 90 minutes.
  7. Remove pork from oven and carefully open foil.  With a fork, test roast and see if meat will easily pull apart.  If not, cover with foil and continue roasting at 300 degrees until meat easily pulls apart into large chunks.
  8. Pull cooked roast apart into large chunks, toss with remaining liquids from baking dish. 
  9. Serve on a bun, or eat as quick as you can with your paws....


-This would also work very well in a crock-pot.  High heat for 3-4 hours.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Recipe: Santa Maria Style Meat Rub

This is an excellent rub that can be used for all meats.  It is especially tasty on grilled pork or beef.






Santa Maria Style Meat Rub:

5  -    Tablespoons  -    Kosher or Sea Salt
2  -    Tablespoons  -    Coarse Grind Black Pepper
3  -    Tablespoons  -    Granulated Garlic
1  -    Tablespoon   -     Paprika
1  -    Tablespoon   -     Onion Powder
1  -    Tablespoon   -     Parsley Flakes


  -Mix together and store in an air-tight container for up to 60 days.
  -For best flavor, rub meat with olive oil before applying spice mix.
  -Meat can be rubbed up to 36 hours before grilling for more intense flavor.




CG

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Restaurant Review: Argyll-Gastro Pub Denver, CO

I couldn't think of a better establishment to start off my first review with.  3 Hours and $172.10 later, I was in heaven after visiting Argyll.


It is a comfortable little joint in the Cherry Creek area of Denver.  I took my Chef friend from work there to see what they had to offer.  I found the place after doing an Internet search for Scotch Eggs, we'll get to those later...


We were seated pretty quick, and offered beverages right away.  It being December in Colorado, we both decided on a bourbon to warm up.  We had the Black Maple Hill, and a Scottish Ale to wash it down.  The waiter made some great beverage recommendations, a fairly knowledgeable young lad.  With the glasses of joy, he brought a small basket of fresh potato chips with a malt vinegar reduction drizzled across them.  The Chef's take on Salt and Vinegar Chips.  They were simple, and delicious. 


The trouble began when the menu arrived, everything sounded good.  I mean real good.  They have a house charcuterie program that the waiter promoted with obvious excitement.  Of the 17 choices on the small menu, we chose 9.  Rabbit Rillete, Duck Prosciutto, Pickled Beef Tongue, Salt Pork, English Cheddar, Sheep's Milk Ricotta, Gruyere, Spicy Tomato Jam, & Colorado Onion Purple Jam.  Everything was good, perfect portions and garnished correctly.  The cheeses were all good & fresh.  The highlight for us was of course the meat.  The Rabbit Rillette was a small dish of pure pleasure.  Coated with a layer of fat that warmed quickly when spread on the baguette it was served with.  The Purple Onion Jam was a nice side to smooth the salty meats.  The best for last, the Salt Pork.  The portion was small, but just right.  It was the first time in my life I actually got the chills from eating something.  That small niblet of salted pig was the reason I am a Chef.  Excellent food, that makes people feel good.  No better way to honor that animal, taking it's meat and turning it into something beyond delicious.


The poor waiter was probably scared of us, two Chefs eating salted pork and quivering.  Neither saying a word, just chewing and moaning.  After me telling him how good everything was so far, he suggested the Indian Style Mussels as an appetizer.  We went for it.  They came out after just a few minutes in a large bowl swimming in a coconut milk broth.  You could immediately smell the lemongrass, curry, and cilantro.  The smell was almost as good as the taste.  We made short work of a dozen or so mussels.  Me being the first to make the grab, I slurped the entire bowl of broth with no shame.


By this time the piece de resistance was making it's way to our table, the Scotch Eggs.  For those of you who have no clue what a Scotch Egg is, let me explain.  Generally you take a cooked egg, wrap it in ground sausage, dip it in breadcrumbs, and deep-fry.  After everything so far, I knew the Chef would not disappoint.  How can you make it even better than the norm?  Serve the eggs soft-boiled with a runny yolk!  Brilliant, and extremely hard to do.  The eggs were $6.00 a piece, and worth $12.00.  We ordered 2, devoured them.  Then we ordered 2 more.  Again, the chills.


We were both on a roll, both in the middle of the best meal of our lives.  Entree time.  My Chef friend chose the Lamb Special; lamb served three ways, including lamb bacon.  Cooked perfectly, served hot.  I ordered the Steak au Poivre, prepared fairly traditional with peppercorns, double cream, cognac and veal jus.  Delicious, cooked perfectly.  The steak was served with celery root & potato mash.  Both excellent selections, both executed as good as can be.


By now we had been there over 2 hours.  The staff was starting to stare.  Who were these two gents eating everything on the menu?   Our waiter was starting to get the hang of things, he brought us out another beverage.  A Murphy Stout for Jake, a Whiskey Grapefruit Sour for me.   As we sipped and talked about everything so far, we both thought it would be nice to see the Chef behind this meal.  We asked the waiter if we could have a quick visit with the Chef.  With perfect timing the Chef came out just as our glasses were emptied.  Chef Sergio Romero is a top notch guy.  He pulled up a chair and humbly talked with us about life & the food.  He came up out of New Mexico, learning alot along the way.  He was the opposite of all the cocky no-talent Chefs you see on TV.  His jacket showed the marks of actually working in the kitchen, a rare thing now days.  We spent 10 minutes talking, he thanked us, and went on his way.  The server even brought us out a copy of the menu signed by the Chef.  Eating perfect food, drinking good drinks, meeting the Chef, what a great night...  The waiter returned and asked what dessert we wanted to end the evening, we could both think of only one thing.  We had the Salt Pork again for dessert.  






My highest recommendations go to Argyll if you are ever in Denver.  Our server (Bryan) was very good without being the least bit annoying.  The Chef was in perfect form.  An excellent (and very meaty) experience.


http://www.argyllpub.com/

Monday, February 28, 2011

Weekly Animal Spotlight: Iberian Pig

This delightful creature is one of the finest tasting animals I have ever had the pleasure of eating.   The care and skill it takes to mature them properly is fantastic.  Sliced paper thin and eaten with a hard cheese, ohhh wow!  Buttery and salty, doesn't get any better.   If you haven't tried this meat yet, please do, you'll be a better person for it!



Jamón ibérico, Iberico ham, also called pata negra, is a type of cured ham produced mostly in Spain, but also in some Portuguese regions where it is called presunto ibérico. It is at least 75% black Iberian pig, also called pata negra (literally, black leg). According to Spain's Denominación de Origen rules on food products, the jamón ibérico may be made from cross-bred pigs as long as they are at least 75% ibérico.

The black Iberian pig lives primarily in the south and southwest parts of Spain, including the provinces of Salamanca, Ciudad Real, Cáceres, Badajoz, Seville, Córdoba and Huelva. It also lives in the southeast parts of Portugal (Barrancos), where it is referred to as porco de raça alentejana.
Immediately after weaning, the piglets are fattened on barley and maize for several weeks. The pigs are then allowed to roam in pasture and oak groves to feed naturally on grass, herbs, acorns, and roots, until the slaughtering time approaches. At that point the diet may be strictly limited to acorns for the best quality jamón ibérico, or may be a mix of acorns and commercial feed for lesser qualities.

The hams from the slaughtered pigs are salted and left to begin drying for two weeks, after which they are rinsed and left to dry for another four to six weeks. The curing process then takes at least twelve months, although some producers cure their jamones ibéricos for up to 48 months.

The finest jamón ibérico is called jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn). This ham is from free-range pigs that roam oak forests (called la dehesa) along the border between Spain and Portugal, and eat only acorns during this last period. It is also known as Jamón Iberico de Montanera. The exercise and the diet has a significant impact on the flavor of the meat; the ham is cured for 36 months.

Until recently, jamón ibérico was not available in the United States (a fact referenced in the movie Perdita Durango, where the ham of Jabugo is praised as "illegal, but delicious").
Prior to 2005, only pigs raised and slaughtered outside of Spain were allowed to be processed in Spain for export to the United States. In 2005 the first slaughterhouse in Spain, Embutidos y Jamones Fermín, S.L., was approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to produce ibérico ham products for export to the United States.

The first "jamones ibéricos" were released for sale in the United States in December 2007, with the bellota hams due to follow in July 2008. The basic jamón ibérico is priced upwards of $52 a pound, and the bellota is priced upwards of $96 a pound, making these hams some of the most expensive in the world.

Welcome!

Welcome fellow carnivores.  Throw away the Ketchup, Fry Sauce, Ranch, and A-1.  This little spot is for meat; pure and un-adulterated.   I see it as a tool to educate you all on some of the lesser known meats out there.  I'll post recipes, articles, discussions, and some seriously meaty pictures.  I guess this paragraph is going to have to act as the disclaimer as well:  If you don't like meat-blood-flesh-fat-fins-scales-bones, then please stop reading now and go back to eating your tofu salad!   Whew, glad we got that over with....



Being married to the most gorgeous Vegetarian walking the earth, I have always been close to the dark side.  We have made it through 10 great years of marriage with neither of us giving in to the other's grazing habits.  Over this time I have learned to live and even slightly understand the desire to eat nothing but plants-weeds-and the like.

Just a year or so ago I lost a close family member to Vegetarianism.  My own brother has been led astray.  I am still in a bit of denial about this one.  How could a man who grew up eating the same Hamburger Helper and Porcupine Balls as me turn his back on all things fleshy?

Even through all of this, I have not had to voice my opinions on the recent world movements.  It wasn't until last week when I walked by the newstand and saw the front cover of a local weekly paper.  The entire cover was dedicated to Vegans, and their kind.  It was this show of blatant distaste and poor dietary morals that brought this blog about.

So please; roll up your sleeves, get out the steak knife, and enjoy the content of Meaty....