Food

Did you know today is National Escargot Day? Here at Morton’s The Steakhouse, we not only recognize the day, but have even put a new escargot appetizer on the menu.

Baked Escargot, anyone? We’re planning to order at least two.

The Baked Escargot is made of Wild Burgundy Snails, baked in cast iron until bubbly with herbed garlic butter and topped with puff pastry. The escargot is bathed in the most delightful butter sauce. The taste and texture of the earthy snails complement that of rich garlic butter (kissed with Pernod) and the flaky puff pastry.

For someone who has never tried escargot before, this is quite the tasty introduction.

Morton’s proudly serves Wild Burgundy Snails, a timeless French delicacy. Purchased from the sole US distributor, the preeminent purveyor in Burgundy, Henri Maire, has been satisfying the most discriminating palettes in France since 1938.

As with all gastronomic delicacies, escargots exhibit varying levels of quality. Henri Maire’s snails have maintained an unwavering reputation for incomparable products amid the demands of the culinary capital of the world.

Go on. Come in and try them. We know you want to.

Have you ever tried escargots before? Do you like them? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

We’re concluding our ‘Football and Fridays’ series leading up to this weekend’s Super Bowl with a more sophisticated recipe for your football fans…our Seared Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Soy-Ginger Sauce.  For this, we have Troy Aikman to thank!

Aikman, Dallas Cowboy superstar and Hall of Fame quarterback, is regarded as one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time. He led his team to three Super Bowl victories. He also knows a great seafood dish when he tries one! This tuna is one of his favorites.

Serves 6

Soy-Ginger Sauce
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup white rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 ½ tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 ½ tsp. finely minced garlic
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Seared Sesame-Crusted Tuna
Six 10-ounce tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick
¼ cup white sesame seeds
¼ cup black sesame seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sesame oil
2 tsp. wasabi paste
1 lemon, quartered
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

To make the sauce:

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and pepper flakes and stir to mix.
3. Set aside.

To cook the tuna:

1. In a shallow dish large enough to hold a tuna steak, mix together the white and black sesame seeds.  Season both sides of the tuna steaks with salt and pepper.
2. One at a time, put the tuna steaks in the sesame seeds, pressing them into the fish to adhere. Turn the steak over and press the seeds into the other side to distribute evenly.
3. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the tuna steaks for about 1 minute on each side. Using tongs, hold the tuna upright to brown the edges in the hot oil and until the tuna steaks are medium-rare. For more well-done tuna, increase the cooking time by 30 to 60 seconds on each side.
4. Lay a tuna steak on each of the 4 serving plates. Spread a little wasabi paste on each lemon quarter.
5. Garnish with a lemon quarter and parsley sprig. Serve the sauce on the side.

Whether you go the more traditional route and serve potato skins and chili, or if you’re feeling a little more fancy and serve this tuna dish, I hope you’re able to enjoy good food, good friends and some good football.  May the best team win!

Enjoy!

Chris Rook
Corporate Chef
Morton’s The Steakhouse

If you’re looking for someone else to do the cooking on Super Bowl Sunday, Morton’s has you covered!  Join us in the bar for appetizers, reserve a private room with state-of-the-art AV, get Morton’s Prime To Go or call in your Prime Platter order for an easy option!  (Hours and participation vary by location.)

Klaus’ Secret Chili
Makes 1 ½ gallons

4 Tbls. Salad Oil
4 cups Spanish Onions, ¼ inch dice
6 Tbls. Garlic, minced
3 lbs Boneless, Chuck roast, trimmed of fat and silver skin, ¼ inch dice
8 Tbls. Chili Powder
2 Tbls. Ground Cumin
1 Tbls. Salt
2 tsps. Black Pepper, ground
2 cups Water
2 Tbls. Beef Base
4 cans Diced Tomatoes, Hunts, 14.5 oz. can with juice
4 cans Chili Beans, Bush, in hot sauce, 16 oz. cans
2 cans Tomato Sauce, Hunts, 8 oz. can

1. Place stock pot on burner over med-low heat. Add salad oil to the stock pot. Add onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium low heat for approx.8 minutes until onions start to soften. Add diced chuck roast and cook for 5 minutes while continuing to stir.
2. Add chili powder, ground cumin, salt and ground black pepper. Mixed thoroughly and cook for another 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Add water, beef base, diced tomatoes, chili beans, bay leaves and tomato sauce. Mix together thoroughly.
4. Reduce heat to low and slowly, very slowly, simmer for 2 hours, stirring frequently so chili does not burn on the bottom of the pot.
5. Adjust chili’s thickness with water if necessary. Remove bay leaves from the chili.
6. Place finished chili in a storage container and let stand 24 hours in the cooler before reheating and serving.

Check back with us next Friday, when we’re going to share one of Troy Aikman’s favorite recipes.  He’s “keeping it classy” with Seared Sesame Crusted Tuna…perfect for your more sophisticated football fans!

Enjoy!

Chris Rook
Corporate Chef
Morton’s The Steakhouse

If you’re looking for someone else to do the cooking on Super Bowl Sunday, Morton’s has you covered!  Join us in the bar for appetizers, reserve a private room with state-of-the-art AV, get Morton’s Prime To Go or call in your Prime Platter order for an easy option!  (Hours and participation vary by location.)

If you’re gearing up to host a party for the mother of all football games on Sunday, February 5, chances are you’ll need to feed your fans!  For the next three Fridays, we’ll post ‘Football and Fridays,’ when we’ll share a recipe that will be a welcome addition to your buffet table.  Think finger food…comfort food…quintessential football food!

We’ll start with potato skins, a recipe from Morton’s Steak Bible and one that used to be on our dinner menu.  When done right, these are outstanding. The trick is to use large potatoes, so you have enough skin to work with, and to leave just the right amount of potato flesh on the skins. These turn out crisp and tasty and can be served as they come from the oven or with sour cream, chopped bacon, minced onions and shredded Cheddar – or your favorite filling.

Morton’s Potato Skins
Serves 6

6 large russet potatoes (each 8 to 10 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Scrub the potatoes and prick them in several places with a fork. Lay on the center rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and feel tender when pierced with a small sharp knife. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 450 F.
4. When the fully cooked potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise. Scoop out most of the flesh, leaving about 1/8 inch. Err on the side of a little too much potato flesh, if you must. Reserve the removed potato flesh for another use.
5. Lightly brush the melted butter on the outside of the potato skins and drizzle the rest inside the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the potato skins to a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp and lightly browned. Garnish with parsley.

This should be a fan favorite.  And if it’s not, you must be watching the wrong sport!  Tune in next Friday for Klaus’ Secret Chili recipe!

Enjoy!

Chris Rook
Corporate Chef
Morton’s The Steakhouse

If you’re looking for someone else to do the cooking on Super Bowl Sunday, Morton’s has you covered!  Join us in the bar for appetizers, reserve a private room with state-of-the-art AV, get Morton’s Prime To Go or call in your Prime Platter order for an easy option!  (Hours and participation vary by location.)

We continue our “Hosting for the Holidays” series with a complete, yet simple, guide to in-home holiday entertaining.  Andrea Aretakis, Sales and Marketing Manager at Morton’s in Troy, shares her tips, ideas and no-fuss solutions!

Hosting at home for the holidays can always be challenging, but I try to make it fun and festive so everyone is comfortable and enjoying the occasion!

I always make my menu before I decide to host, then I post it by the phone! This is a great method, so when your guests call to RSVP and ask if they can bring anything, your list is in front of you as a reminder. I usually ask my guests to bring a dozen of their favorite cookie, along with a copy of the recipe to share with everyone, and a bottle of their favorite sparking wine, champagne or sparkling fruit juice.  (I have a couple of guests who are the exception…my sisters Kristin makes her Four Layer Delight and Ellen makes the Jell-O Fluff.)

Having a limited menu and sticking to the plan helps streamline any stress. Making a pot of soup is always warm, inviting, easy to prepare…and everyone is always lifting the lid when they walk into the kitchen to see what’s cooking!  We also serve the whole Beef Tenderloin, and I ask my local Butcher to trim the tenderloin so I don’t have to fuss with it. (I simply use Kosher Sea Salt, cracked black pepper, dried basil and chopped garlic.  Then I mix the ingredients together, brush the tenderloin with olive oil, and coat the tenderloin with the mix. I layer the seasoning on thick.)  When my brother Ned arrives, he becomes our “BBQ Guy” (everyone has one), and he’ll sear the tenderloin on the grill, put it in the oven for 15- 17 minutes and then rest it for a few minutes before slicing.

Here’s a look at a menu that I recommend:
Appetizers
Shrimp Cocktail ( I order the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail from Morton’s and pick it up at the restaurant.  It’s a terrific appetizer, a ”Colossal” conversation piece and no fuss for me!)
Feta Cups
Warm Artichoke Dip with Pita Bread
Vegetable Crudites and Dip

Dinner
Mixed Field Green Salad with Pomegranate and Sunflower Seeds
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Basil and Pepper Encrusted Beef Tenderloin
Whole Grain Cracker Assortment
Rolls and Butter
Cherry Jell-O Fluff (a guest brings this)

Dessert
Four Layer Delight (a guest brings this)
Assorted Cookies (one dozen of each guest’s favorite cookie)

Beverages
Small Bottles of Soda
Sparkling Cider
Champagne or Sparkling Wine (all guests bring a bottle)
Water Pitcher with Fresh Lemon
Imported Beers 

While the food and beverages are usually what guests think about first, you have to also consider the dinner table! I recommend getting out the China and setting your table a few days before the party. I use fresh garland in the center of the table, pine cones from the backyard sprayed with gold glitter paint, a few gold and red ornaments tied together and placed on the garland and a large gold bow in the center.

I also put a box of Godiva Chocolates at each place setting for my guests to take home, and the packaging of Godiva’s boxes adds to the table’s décor. I tie a special holiday tag on the ribbon of the box with their name and for “best wishes” in the coming year!

On the night of your party and before guests arrive, light some candles, such as apple cinnamon or Sugar Cookie, Have a small basket available for the cookie recipes, turn on the holiday music, fill the ice bucket and have the hors d’oeuvres out on the table, self-serve style, so you can enjoy the company of your friends and family!

After my party and the holidays are over, I like to thank my guests by sending a special note…along with copies of all the other guests’ cookie recipes.

I love hosting my friends and family anytime of the year, but the holidays are even more special!  I hope my tips will help make your holiday hosting more manageable, less stressful and lots of fun!

Happy Hosting!

Andrea Aretakis
Sales and Marketing Manager
Morton’s The Steakhouse – Troy

What are some of your holiday traditions when hosting friends and family?  What makes your get-together stand apart during a season filled with holiday parties?

We continue our “Hosting for the Holidays” series with the secrets of Chef Joe Raila’s Christmas Eve feast.  Our Executive Chef from Morton’s in Brooklyn shares his family’s vault of recipes for a delicious traditional Italian-American meal.

Happy holidays to all!!! I love Christmas time! The countless hours at work, cold weather, long lines at the malls, extra heavy traffic and high balances on the credit cards…

Err, I mean, it’s the time for giving, family, and most of all, for cooking the special meals that are only prepared this time of the year.

Most of you know I am from an Italian American family. Well, Joe Raiola from Brooklyn…what else would I be?!?! OHHEHHOHH. Okay, enough fooling around.  Let’s get to it.

My family always has a fish feast for Christmas Eve.  Yes, “the seven fishes.”  (This tradition started in southern Italy and is also known as the Vigil, representing the celebration of the wait for the birth of baby Jesus. The fish was eaten on this day because it’s a holy day, and most Roman Catholics don’t eat meat or dairy on some of the holy days.)  So, after long conversation with my oldest Aunt Lucille, she finally broke down and gave me some of our old family tips, secrets and recipes.  She is the oldest in our family and has been cooking Christmas dinner the longest, so who better to ask?

Truthfully, there aren’t really any “recipes” per se.  Aunt Lucille instead uses the “pinch of this, pinch of that” method. The most important thing I learned from her was the techniques on how to cook this meal…not necessarily following an exact recipe. This is what separates the good food from the really good food. If you follow theses recipes, and tips!, you’ll give your guests some lasting, and delicious memories of your Christmas celebration. Here we go….

Christmas Eve at the Raiola’s
Shrimp Oreganata, Seafood Salad, Lobster FraDiavlo,
and Homemade Zeppolies with Madera and Chocolate

Seafood Salad
Yields 8 portions

Ingredients

8 oz. carrots, roughly chopped
8 oz. celery, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
6 bay leaves
3 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs. conk meat
2 lbs. squid (calamari) tubes and tentacles, cleaned
1 ½ lbs. jumbo shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined
1 octopus, 6 to 8 lbs.
10 cloves of garlic
2 cups celery, small dice
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup “flavorful water”
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 lemons, juiced
Salt
Black pepper

1. A day before you plan to serve this, add the first 6 ingredients to a gallon and a half of water and let simmer until the vegetables are soft (about an hour.)
2. In the meantime, slice the squid into ¼ inch rings and pull the long tentacles off the heads. Separate the legs from the rings.
3. After the veggies are soft, strain the liquid and return it back to the stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Drop the squid rings in and cook for anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes. You want them just cooked. (The only way to check is to taste a piece, and it shouldn’t be raw or too chewy.)
4. When they’re ready, immediately put them into iced water to stop the cooking process. Do the same for the tentacles, although they might need to cook for another minute. TIP:  Timing on this is everything!!! If you cook them too long, you will make squid gummy.
5. Next add the shrimp. They are usually just about done when the water returns to a boil. Again you want them just cooked. Check to see that they’re white all the way through. Immediately put them in the ice water until cold. Same deal, overcooked = shrimp gum = no good.
6. When the water comes back up to a boil, add the conk and the octopus. Bring it to a simmer and cook the conk about 45 minutes. Let it cool and slice it as thin as possible, because it can be very chewy if sliced too thick. The octopus is going to take a little longer. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s about 1/3rd of its original size and the legs are soft enough to pull apart.
7. Save a cup of the boiling liquid, the “flavorful water.” (That’s what it’s called in my house.  The French call it a “court bouillon.”)
8. My aunt only uses the legs of the octopus, leaving the suction cups on, and throws the rest out. Slice the legs into ¼ inch thick rings.
9. Put all the seafood in a bowl and toss with the celery, parsley, red pepper, flavorful water and olive oil.
10. Refrigerate overnight and season it with lemon juice, salt and black pepper when you’re ready to serve it. Oh, and tell your guests to watch out for the whole garlic cloves!

Shrimp Oreganata
Yields 8 portions

Ingredients

2 lbs. jumbo shrimp, (16/20 count), peeled and deveined
3 cups plain breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
3 oz. extra virgin oil
¼ cup white wine (whatever you have is fine)

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients but the shrimp. Make sure there are no garlic lumps. Set aside.
2. Arrange the shrimp on a baking pan. TIP:  My aunt says not to grease the pan, because they come out better that way.
3. Pack the bread crumbs over the shrimp.
4. Bake them in at 350F oven for 30 minutes or so.
5. Serve with lemons.

Lobster FraDiavlo
Yields 8 portions

Ingredients

2 2 lb. lobsters
1 cup white onion, minced
12 cups canned crushed tomatoes (I like Red Pack brand)
2 bay leaves
1 cup broth
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
2 dozen little neck clams, rinsed
12 dozen. Mussels, cleaned
1 ½ cups white wine (whatever you have)
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 oz. unsalted butter
2 lbs. linguine

1. Put two cups of water in a really large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Now add the two lobsters and cover them.  Let them steam for 3 minutes.
3. Set lobsters aside and save the broth.
4. When the lobsters are cold, split them in half with a really sharp knife, right down the middle. Now clean out the cavity and crack the claws with the back of the knife. Set aside.
5. In a medium pot, sauté the onions over medium heat, with the two tablespoons of oil, until soft.  Then add the tomatoes and the steaming liquid and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil for the linguine.
7. Now in your largest sauté pan, put the rest of the olive oil, garlic and clams on the stove over high heat to brown. When the garlic is browned, place the lobsters cut side up.
8. De-glaze with the white wine and add the mussels, red pepper and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
9. Let’s add the linguine to the boiling water, stirring often to prevent it from sticking. Let it boil for about 9 minutes for perfect al dente pasta.
10. Pull the clams and mussels out of the pan as they start to open. The lobsters should be done when the last clam comes out.
11. Strain the linguine, add it to the sauce and finish it with the basil, parsley, butter, salt and pepper.
12. Arrange beautifully on a platter and indulge!!!

Homemade Zeppoles with Chocolate and Madera Sauce
Yields 8 portions

Ingredients

2 vanilla beans, split
2 cups water
½ cup sugar
8 oz. unsalted butter
½ tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 eggs
3 cups canola oil, for frying
8 oz. milk chocolate
¼ cup heavy cream
2 cups Madera wine
1 brown paper bag
Powdered sugar

1. In a medium sauce pot, combine vanilla bean, water, salt and sugar over medium heat.
2. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir continuously until the mix forms a ball. Transfer the dough into a bowl and add 1 egg at a time. Don’t add the next egg until the first one is completely mixed in.
3. In a medium sauce pot, add the oil over medium heat. I like to fry at 350F. TIP:  If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the oil by putting a small piece of the dough in it. It should start to fry right away.
4. While you’re waiting for your oil to get hot, melt the chocolate, cream and Madera over a double boiler.
5. When your oil is ready, carefully drop about 2 tablespoons of the dough into the oil. TIP:  Don’t overcrowd the oil with too many zeppoles at once. This will cause the oil to drop in temperature.
6. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, and then put them in the brown bag.
7. When they are all done, arrange them on a platter, drizzle the melted chocolate sauce over them and finish with lots of powdered sugar.

So if your traditional Christmas Eve dinner doesn’t include any fish, perhaps this is a great time to try a recipe or two. I want to thank my aunt for giving up some of our family tips and tricks.  And I want to wish all of you a wonderful and safe holiday season.  Thanks for your support and following. Enjoy!!!

Joe Raiola
Executive Chef
Morton’s The Steakhouse in Brooklyn