Favorite recipes from a decades closed restaurant.

Mary D. is looking for a praline sauce like that served on Colton’s Steak House bread pudding.

We weren’t able to get Colton’s recipe, but the following are similar and quite good. One is made without alcohol the other is made with bourbon.

Praline Sauce

1 cup butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to low, stir pecans, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Bourbon Praline Sauce

1 cup chopped pecans 4 tablespoons butter

1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons bourbon

whiskey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Dash salt

In a heavy sauce pan, combine pecans and butter. Cook over medium heat until nuts are toasted, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cream; stir until smooth.

In small bowl, blend milk and cornstarch. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce.

Increase heat to mediumhigh; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Stirring, boil 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon, vanilla and salt.

Makes about 2 ½ cups. I can’t say if this recipe is anything like Colton’s or not. But it is typical of steakhouse mushrooms. If you have one that’s better, please share.

Some recipes call for deglazing the pan with a bit of beef broth, wine or sherry.

Steakhouse Sauteed Mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

2 large shallots, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound fresh button mushrooms (white or cremini), wiped clean ½ teaspoon dried thyme Salt and ground black pepper,

to taste

Minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are tender and begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes about 4 servings.