Foodie Friend John

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House does Houston Restaurant Weeks Right!

I had the pleasure of dining at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House with several Houston Foodie Friends last night as Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW) kicked off.

While the setting may be considered grand, the staff at Del Frisco’s made our dining experience quite personal because of their close attention to detail. Executive chef Steve Haug did an outstanding job and the kitchen rose to the occasion as the restaurant heaved with people.

VIP Martini

I started with a VIP martini made with house infused pineapple Vodka. This drink is delicious, deceivingly smooth, and easy to drink. It’s also specially priced in honor of HRW.

Del Frisco’s has put together a solid HRW menu with a good range of choices. Fresh veggies and crisp tortilla strips gave the roasted poblano bisque a nice crunch. I’d love to see this soup added to the regular menu.

Tempura Fried Lobster Tail

The lobster tempura was beautifully presented fried with the shell, unfortunately my picture does not do it justice. The lobster was tender and the batter was infused with flavor, thus making both dipping sauces superfluous. If I had to pick a favorite sauce, it would have to be the sweet chili. The accompanying Asian slaw had great taste and packed a spicy punch. I only wished that it could have been served a bit colder. A possible fix might be placing it in a chilled shallow bowl on it’s own then nestling it onto the artistic rectangular serving plate with the lobster.

The lemon Doberge cake is NOT to be missed. This little slice of heaven was baked fresh and was as light as feather. My apologies for not providing a picture, but it went that fast!

To those that dismiss Del Frisco’s out of hand as just another chain steak house located in a mall – I can understand your concern, but you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t try this restaurant. The quality food and personalized service make for a very satisfying and intimate dining experience.

Remember to “dine out and do good” if you’re in Houston during the month of August. HRW gives the public a chance to try Houston’s top restaurants at a great price point, while benefiting The Houston Food Bank. So get out there and eat for charity!

Houston Restaurant Weeks is in full swing!

It’s the time of year in Houston, when everyone from professed foodies to those who have a casual interest in expanding their restaurant repertoire have the opportunity to “eat out and do good”! Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW) 2014 kicked off yesterday and runs through September 1^st.

Visit www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com to choose from over 200 participating restaurants. Make sure to let the restaurant know you would like to order from the HRW menu when you make your reservations and again when you arrive to dine.

HRW is the largest annual fundraiser benefitting the largest food bank in America. Volunteers do all the work so 100% of the funds go directly to the Houston Food Bank. Each dollar raised creates THREE meals that go towards feeding those in need. Learn all the details about how the program works in the “about us" section of the website.

HRW was established in 2003 by Cleverly Stone, host of “the Cleverley Show,” a food talk radio program on CBS Sports Radio 650/KIKK-AM Houston, and a 6 ½ year food segment contributor to Houston’s Fox 26 Morning News. Thank you Cleverley for all that you do to help feed hungry families in Houston!

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Secrets I Learned Cooking with Mamma Agata in Ravello, Italy

The view from Mamma's terrace at The Hidden Treasure

I recently spent a magical day in Ravello, Italy on the Amalfi Coast cooking at The Hidden Treasure with Mamma Agata. It was a day that I’ll never forget because of the amazing Italian cooking techniques I learned in a panoramic setting with truly interesting people.

Mamma Agatta's cookbook! Available @mammaagata.com.

Mamma Agata started cooking when she was only 8 years old, by the time she was 13 she went to work for a wealthy American woman in a nearby summer villa. It was there that she honed her skills as she cooked for visiting luminaries of the day such as Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jackie Kennedy, amongst many others. These days the rich and famous come to Ravello seeking the secrets of Mamma's simple and elegant way of cooking.

Mamma Agata shares her secrets with our class

Mamma Agata's secrets to a quality Marinara

Start with fresh ingredients and use a quality tomato sauce. I have found that tomato sauce in glass containers have the best taste. Organic tomato sauces tend to have more genuine flavor and less additives.
Never add onion.
Add 10 fresh cherry or grape tomatoes for each quart of tomato sauce for a light fresh flavor.
Use 2-3 whole garlic cloves (no more), and remove them from the sauce once the cooking process is completed. The whole cloves impart a much more gentle flavor than sliced or minced garlic.
When you sauté garlic or fresh herbs for your marinara, always start with a cold pot, and gently bring up the heat. This helps infuse the oil with the flavors of your ingredients without burning them.

Mamma's secrets to cooking eggplant

Use Japanese eggplant if possible as this long slender type contains less seeds than traditional eggplant.
Always cut eggplant into ample pieces as it shrinks when it cooks.
Always sprinkle eggplant generously with salt and let it stand in a colander for at least 30 minutes to release it's bitterness prior to proceeding with any recipe. You will see liquid drain out of the colander.
NEVER rinse salt off the eggplant. Squeeze the water out, and pat it dry with paper towels.
For recipe's such as eggplant parmigiana, dust the eggplant in a light coating of "00" flour found in many Italian and gourmet markets in the U.S. Using this "00" flour yields a lighter result.
Fry eggplant in peanut oil at a consistent medium/high temperature to prevent it from soaking up too much oil. The oil is ready for frying when a small pinch of flour sizzles in your deep frying pan.