What’s Cooking in Southwest Florida
What’s cooking in SWFL
1 ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS AND TRUFFLE VELOUTÉ Restaurant: The Continental Serves: 4 Chicken Breasts
4 airline chicken breasts, each 12 ounces
2 cups truffle velouté
½ cup celery hearts, thinly sliced on the bias
4 tablespoons chive batons
4 tablespoons chervil
1½ tablespoons sliced black truffles in oil (optional)
Truffle Velouté
½ tablespoon blended oil
2 chicken thighs, skin on
½ cup yellow onion, diced
¼ cup celery, diced
¼ cup leeks, diced
8 cups chicken stock 3 thyme sprigs
2 parsley sprigs
Bay leaf
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons sherry wine
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice Cayenne pepper to taste
¼ cup crème fraiche
2 tablespoons truffle oil
In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs (skin side down) and sear until golden, about 10 minutes. Add onion, celery and leeks. Sweat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Simmer until reduced in half. Mix butter and flour in small bowl. Once stock has been reduced, whisk in butter-flour mixture. Simmer 20 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Strain the soup through a chinois and season with sherry, salt, lemon juice and cayenne. Whisk in crème fraiche and truffle oil. Set aside and keep warmed.
For the Chicken Breasts
Heat large sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. Season chicken breasts with salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil to sauté pan and brown chicken (skin side down). Turn chicken over and cook 1 more minute. Flip chicken back to skin side down. Finish in 400-degree oven, cooking to internal temperature of 165. While chicken cooks, divide celery hearts, chives and chervil into one side of 4 individual serving bowls. Add sliced black truffles (if using). When chicken is done, place alongside celery mixture. Pour 4 ounces of truffle velouté into each serving tableside.
1205 3rd Street S., Naples; 239-659-0007; damicoscontinental.com
2 BLACK-AND-BLUE BEEF TIPS WITH ARUGULA SALAD Restaurant: The Standard Serves 4
1 pound beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
Blackening seasoning
Wooden skewers (may substitute metal)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Note: While favorite cut of beef is fine, The Standard suggests sirloin or tenderloin
Toss beef cubes in blackening seasoning. Skewer cubes to desired amount. In small sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat until there are wisps of smoke. Place skewered beef tips in hot pan. Cook on each side for 30 seconds or until golden brown. Beef will be rare-to-medium-rare temperature. Cook longer or shorter depending on desired temperature.
Arugula Salad and Avocado Horseradish Sauce
1 softened avocado
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon horseradish Salt and pepper to taste
1 bag arugula
Mix together dressing ingredients. Add to arugula a little at a time until mixed well.
1520 Broadway, Fort Myers; 239-219-6463; thestandardftmyers.com
3 PARMESAN-CRUSTED CHILEAN SEA BASS Restaurant: Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market Serves 2
2 Chilean sea bass fillets, 8 ounces each
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging
Egg wash
4 ounces Parmesan cheese
4 ounces panko breadcrumbs
Oil for pan sautéing
Put flour on a plate and place egg wash in a bowl. Mix together Parmesan and panko in a bowl. Line all up in order. Dredge fillets in flour. Dip in egg wash, shake loose excess. Place in the Parmesan/panko mixture and gently press to coat. Heat oil in pan. Lightly sear fish for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to 400-degree oven for 10 minutes.
Lemon Butter Sauce
¼ cup white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon minced shallot
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ cup heavy cream
½ pound butter, cut into small cubes
Combine white wine, lemon, shallot and thyme. Reduce. Add cream and reduce until bubbling (no browning). Whisk in butter. Ladle on top of fish and serve with favorite side dishes.
703 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel; 239-395-2722; timbersofsanibel.com
4 LOBSTER POT PIE Restaurant: Fish Tale Grill Serves 4
1 box puff pastry sheets
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced small white onion
½ cup diced fennel
1½ sliced mushrooms
2 lobsters, 2 pounds each, cooked, meat removed and cut to desired size
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons water
Sauce
2 tablespoons lobster base
½ cup cream sherry
2 cups heavy cream
1 pinch saffron
Simmer lobster over medium heat for 5 minutes. Sauté in 2 tablespoons butter, celery, onion, fennel and mushrooms. Set aside. Combine sauce ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. Add cornstarch in bowl with 4 teaspoons water, as thickener. Add to sauce with a whisk. Place lobster in individual dishes or large baking pan. Top with sauce. Cut pastry to size and place on top. Glisten pastry with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown. Let cool and enjoy.
1229 Southeast 47th Terrace, Cape Coral; 239-257-3167; fishtalegrill.com
5 LIL CHUNGU’S COCKTAIL Restaurant: Ember Korean Steakhouse Serves 1
1½ ounces mezcal
½ ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
½ ounce Giffard Banana Liqueur
½ ounce Passoa Passionfruit Liqueur
1 teaspoon St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
½ ounce orgeat syrup
6 dashes Angostura bitters
Combine ingredients and shake over ice. Strain into Collins glass full of crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprig (slap sprig to release its oils) and dehydrated lime slice.
7091 College Parkway, Suite 9, Fort Myers; 239-771-8818; emberfortmyers.com