Events

^{Bistro
Lancaster - Chef's Table - Now through Labor Day

^{Bistro Lancaster is participating in Houston Restaurant Week, Aug. 11-17, 2008.

Make your reservations now.
Click here to view menu.}}

Welcome to the
Summer Chef's Table

at The Lancaster Houston

Summer is here and it's the perfect time to ...

Experience the talents of award-winning Chef Jamie Zelko at Bistro Lancaster. Her 'Summer Spectacular Chef's Table' is an exquisite dinner of six courses, featuring a specially selected wine pairing with each course. Chef Zelko will personally describe each course for you throughout the evening.

. This special tasting menu is offered for parties of 4 or more.
. Tuesday through Saturday evenings until Labor Day.

. Service from 5 to 11 p.m. Reservations are required.
. $125 per person. Includes wine pairing with each course.

. Plus tax & gratuity.
. Call 713-228-9500 for reservations.

Six Course Menu

1st
Sweet Lime Ceviche
Avocado, tomatoes, shrimp and
lump crab, stacked on wonton

2nd
Heirloom Tomato Salad
On a bed of organic spring mix with shaved red onion,
goat cheese and 25 year age balsamic

3rd
Watermelon Gazpacho
With cucumber, red onions and crème fraîche

4th
Red Snapper
With shallot cracklings, parsnip puree, spring vegetables
and a sherry beurre noisette

5th
Venison Tenderloin
With chive potatoes, foie gras and sweet dew berry nectar

Dessert
Grapefruit Campari Sorbet
With grapefruit segments and zest

Jamie Zelko
Executive Chef

Executive Chef Jamie Zelko presents a new seasonal menu that continues the Bistro's commitment to local, fresh ingredients of the highest quality.

From soups to sizzling steaks and savory seafood, come in for a taste of delectable New American cuisine.

Join us for

Houston Restaurant Week!

August 11-17, 2008

Bistro Lancaster
701 Texas Avenue Houston, TX 77002
(713) 228-9500 ~ www.TheLancasterHouston.com

Ruth's Chris July 2, 2008

Ruth's Chris Steak House is participating in Houston Restaurant Week, Aug. 11-17, 2008.
Make your reservations now. Click here to view menu.

Smith & Wollensky

4007 Westheimer at Highland Village
Houston, Texas 77027
Phone: (713) 621-7555 ~ Fax: (713) 621-8250

Click here to sign up for Smith & Wollensky VIP reservations, wine dinners & special offers.

The Highland Village location features the distinctive Smith & Wollensky décor of painted forest green wood trim on white with latticework flourishes with an interior of polished wood floors and brass trim. The vast wine collection of Smith & Wollensky has won many awards including Wine Spectator's Grand Award, Award of Excellence and Wine Enthusiasts Restaurant Award.

www.Lancaster-Estate.com

$100 person
(Includes tax & gratuity)

Smith & Wollensky Presents Pourings & Pairings Dinner with Lancaster Estate Vineyards
Sonoma, California

Wednesday, July 23rd
6:30 p.m.
5 courses ~ 5 wines
A spokesperson from the winery will attend the dinner.

This 12,000 square foot restaurant can seat up to 350 guests. Located in Highland Village, where an air of privilege and leisure pervades, Smith & Wollensky not only serves the exclusive surrounding neighborhoods, but also has "steaked" its claim as the quintessential steak house for Houston.

www.SmithandWollensky.com

Seating is limited.
Please call 713-621-7555
for reservations.

Lancaster Estate is located at the southernmost tip of Alexander Valley, California, and includes 53 hillside acres of vineyard surrounding the winery. Situated near the confluence of the Knights Valley and Chalk Hill appellations, this location offers a great diversity of soils and micro-climates and the optimum growing conditions for Bordeaux varieties. The Estate is uniquely blessed with warm days and cool nights, and a longer growing season than other Cabernet-driven appellations. As a result, their wines express rich, ripe flavors with bright vibrancy and balance. The vineyard is planted exclusively to the classic Bordeaux varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

You're Invited to a

'Bubbly Wine Dinner' at Kiran's
with Houston's Only Master Sommelier ~ Guy Stout

Thursday, July 24, 2008

6:30 p.m. ~ $125. pp plus tax & gratuity

4100 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas
Reservations: 713 . 960 . 8472 ~ www.KiransHouston.com

Chef Kiran Verma

Kiran Verma, award winning executive chef and owner of Kiran's, is widely acclaimed for setting new levels of fine dining for Indian cuisine.

Beginning with her classically trained skills in preparing the authentic Mughlai dishes of Northern India, Chef Verma fuses American and French influences to create a menu of contemporary, ethnic food that has resulted in a cross-cultural legion of praise, kudos and national attention.

Zagat
Best New Restaurant 2006

Wine Spectator
Award of Excellence

Houston Chronicle
Three Stars

Houston Business Journal
Three Forks

Dinner with Bubblies from Around the World
Each course will be paired with a different sparkling wine!

MENU

Reception
Oysters on the Half Shell with Lime & Ginger
Scallop & Tangerine Ceviche
Cheese Tray with Fruits, Nuts & Bread
Wine: Roderer Estate Brut Rose

Starter
Prince Edward Island Mussels with Saffron & Cream Sauce
Wine: Montesel Prosecco

First Course
Coriander Crusted Ahi Tuna Loin
Served with Seaweed Sesame Salad with Tobiko Caviar
Wine: Segura Viudas Brut Reserva

Second Course
Tandoori Quail Stuffed with Mission Figs & Pinenuts
Served with Quail Egg Biryani
Wine: Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose

Intermezzo
Fresh Lychees in Late Harvest Gewurztraminer

Third Course
Cold-water, Butter-poached Lobster with Fresh Black Truffles
& Garlic-braised Oyster Mushrooms
Crab & Green Onion Ragout Served in its Sauce
Wine: Veuve Clicquot Brut

Dessert
Ruby-red Port Poached Bosc Pear with Gorgonzola
Sabayon with Fresh Berries
Wine: Gruet Demisec

Bon Appétit
Chef Kiran

Stew: Makes: 1 gallon
2 Tablespoons - vegetable oil
1 Tablespoons - minced garlic
½ cup - diced yellow onion
1 pound - Tenderloin of beef, ¼” cubes
2 pints - whole shiitake mushrooms: (cleaned: stems removed and reserve for drying, slice mushrooms)
4 cups - cooked shelling peas (black-eyed, purple hull, lady creamers or mixture of all)
1 tablespoon - salt
1 teaspoon - black pepper
½ cup - white wine
1 recipe - mushroom stock
1 stem - rosemary

Heat oil in a large saucepot over medium heat, add garlic and yellow onion.

Sweat for 3-4 minutes until translucent.

Increase heat to high and add seasoned beef.

Sear meat for 2-3 minutes; add sliced mushrooms and peas to pot.

Deglaze pan with white wine and add stock.

Boil and simmer on low heat for 35 minutes.

Add rosemary and cook for 5 minutes more.

Adjust seasoning.

Mushroom Stock
Yield: 2 ¾ quarts

1 Tablespoon - vegetable oil
1 each - small yellow onion, rough chopped
1 stalk - celery, rough chopped
1 each - parsnip, rough chopped
½ cup - white wine
1 cup - dried mushroom stems
¾ gallon - veal stock or low sodium beef broth
1 each - bay leaf

Cleaning mushrooms: remove stems and place on sheet pan; roast in oven 1 hour on 200; reserve for mushroom stock.

To make the mushroom stock:
Heat oil over high heat and sauté onion, celery and parsnip for 5 minutes until they begin to caramelize.

Deglaze pan with white wine scraping food from bottom of pan.

Add veal stock, mushroom stems and bay leaf.

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain through fine mesh strainer and reserve.

Carol's at Cat Spring, Cat Spring, Texas
Owner, Carol Davis
www.Blisswood.net

Good Luck Hoppin' John Black Eyed Peas

8 ounces dried black-eyed peas (about 1 ¼ cups)
I like using fresh peas (adjust).

For dried peas, soak and cook until tender, drain and add ingredients below.

For fresh peas, add peas to ingredients below.

3 cups water (I like to use chicken stock)

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 ounces smoked ham, diced (or ham hock)

½ teaspoon dried thyme (I like to use fresh, adjust)

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 large bay leaves

Simmer gently, uncovered, about 20 – 30 minutes.

Discard bay leaves and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Sprinkle each serving with minced fresh parsley and serve with fresh-baked cornbread.

Must be eaten on New Year’s day to bring you good luck for the year.

Michaels Magic New Year’s Black Eyed Peas
Michael Briggs, Home Cook

• Two 12 oz bags of fresh black-eyed peas
(frozen works in a pinch)
• 1/2 pound diced ham
• 1/2 pound chopped link sausage, or your favorite meat, chopped
• 1 medium onion, course chopped
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, course chopped
• 1 medium Green Bell Pepper, course chopped
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes and liquid
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth (or beef broth depending on your preference)
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard (I prefer spicy)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon course ground black pepper
• ½ cup chopped bacon
(Optional) Add diced jalapeno and pepper sauce to taste.

Place the peas, ham, sausage (or other favorite meat) into a 4-6 qt crock pot set on HIGH.

Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic and diced tomatoes, and cover with Chicken broth.

After the peas have cooked 3-4 hours check them for consistency, adding more broth if needed to keep the peas covered, then add mustard, salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the ½ cup of the chopped bacon just prior to serving.

Top with finely chopped parsley and onion. They get better with time so try to cook them the day before you serve them and let them sit in the refrigerator over night. Reheat slowly and enjoy the results!
Serves 6 - 8

EASY TIP – Substitute your favorite jarred salsa (16 oz) for the onion, bell peppers, garlic and diced tomatoes.