Lasater Burger at The Med!

Joe and I celebrated Melanie V. and Maria R.'s birthdays at The Med yesterday. Tony Hessel, executive chef at The Med, prepared a juicy Lasater Grasslands Beef burger served with shaved prosciutto, wood oven roasted onions, aged provolone, tomatoes and portabella aioli on a housemade sourdough roll. To make our mouth-watering burger, Tony seasoned the Lasater beef with volcanic sea salt & fresh cracked pepper. He let it rest at room temperature before grilling. NOTE: Bringing beef to room temperature before heating is a technique employed by all savvy cooks, and is especially important when preparing lean 100% pasture raised beef.  If you stick a cold dense piece of meat in a hot pan or oven, you risk drying out the exterior of the meat before you've given the inside a chance to cook through. Adding a delicate, smoky flavor to our meal were the thick-sliced onions, slow roasted in the imported wood oven that has been a mainstay at The Med since its opening. The portabella aioli and shaved prosciutto de Parma gave the burger a tangy, rich finish. You may order either a garden salad or house fries to accompany any sandwich at the Med. We asked for both! As always, the restaurant atmosphere was fun, and the Honig Sauvignon Blanc made our mid-day birthday party just a bit raucous!

 

 

 

In addition to our savory dishes, we enjoyed amazing baked goods prepared in-house. Anyone who has been to The Med knows about their crusty-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside, can't-quit-eating-them, artisan breads and delectable pastries. We voraciously devoured both bread and dessert yesterday. Executive pastry chef John Parkinson, leads a team that puts out so many tasty treats, it was difficult to choose one. We ultimately decided on the Chocolate Almond Tower which featured Ice Cream Alchemy's lusciously rich caramel ice cream.  Lucky for us, anyone can purchase fresh baked breads and desserts from the Med directly. Just be sure to call ahead for large orders.

Chocolate Almond Tower

 

Fresh Baked Bread

Spend an evening at The Chef's Table and enjoy local, organic & seasonal fare. Be sure to ask for Lasater Grasslands Beef

• EVERY TUESDAY at 7:00 pm
• 5 Courses $40 (wine pairing additional $20)
• 12 Reserved Seats
• For reservations, call 303.444.5335 
  

  Hours
  Open daily at 11:00am
  HAPPY HOUR
  7 days a week 3:00 pm - 6:30 pm
  The Med 

  

Roasted Marrow Bones

Marrow from the center of a roasted bone is so delicious and decadent, it has been referred to as "God's butter". Yesterday, Tita and Kay N. came over for a mid-day treat of Roasted Marrow Bones. We enjoyed the subtle, rich flavor and creamy texture of this highly nutritious dish.

Marrow from a pasture-raised animal is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin K2, and contains up to 45% percent of healthy fat.  

Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye.  

Vitamin K2 is mostly required for blood coagulation, but is also involved in metabolic pathways in bone and other tissue. 

The fat in marrow is rich in sphingolipids, which are specialized fats that protect cell membranes against environmental insults, and are important components of the brain and nervous system. 

 

 

 

 

Lasater marrow bones are cut from the middle of the steer's leg bone. The marrow is firm when uncooked, and becomes gelatinous and loose when roasted. The best way to eat marrow is immediately after roasting. When the marrow is still hot, spread it on grilled toast and sprinkle with a mineral rich salt such as Celtic Sea Salt.

Ingredients:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

2-4 center-cut beef bones

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. capers

1 Tbls. olive oil

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

kosher salt, to taste

Thick slices of crusty bread, grilled or toasted

Serves about 4

Directions:

Roast bones for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Arrange your bones standing upright in the baking dish or sheet pan in a 'Stonehenge' pattern.  While your bones are roasting, toss the chopped parsley, red onion, and capers into a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Once the bones are roasted, use a marrow spoon or any other thin utensil to extract the marrow from the center of bone. Spread the marrow on grilled toast and top with onion, parsley, & caper condiment. 
Now I know why our ancestors went through the trouble of smashing bones to get at this succulent meat butter! Let me know what you think.

 

Beef & Broccoli Cooking Demo

At the most recent Lasater Grasslands Beef cooking demo a good group of folks showed up to learn some new recipes. Each person shared their successes and challenges cooking with 100% pasture raised beef. We enjoyed delicious food, good conversation and shared recipes with one another. Please join me for the next cooking demo in April 2011. Look for the upcoming date to be announced & follow related Lasater tweets.

 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 lb or more top sirloin or sirloin tip, sliced against the grain 1/8 inch thick
3 tablespoons peanut oil
10 ounces broccoli florets and stems
ginger root, fresh or frozen grated
chili pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup water if more beef, then add more water

Directions:
Toss together cornstarch, salt, pepper, and beef in a bowl until meat is coated.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then stir-fry beef until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Constantly stirring beef. Transfer with a slotted spoon to another bowl and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to wok along with broccoli and garlic and stir-fry over moderately high heat until broccoli is just tender and garlic is pale golden, about 2 minutes.  
Add soy sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return meat to skillet and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Cooking tips for great stir fry:

• Partially freeze meat before slicing against the grain- Appro. 30 minutes.
• Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to use before beginning.
• Cut all ingredients the same size for even cooking.
• Pre-heat the wok on medium-high to high heat for at least a minute before adding oil.
• Make sure oil coats all sides of wok.
• If possible, never add more than a cup of meat at a time to the wok.
• Remove the meat from the wok when it changes color - for example the redness in the beef is gone. At this point the meat is approximately 80 percent cooked.
• Do not use wet vegetables. Vegetables should be as dry as possible.
• Once the dish is completed, taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
• Serve the stir-fried dish immediately.

Rustic Cabbage, Beef & Barley Soup

Rustic cabbage, beef & barley soup is a variation on a traditional dish from the Provence region of France. What I found most appealing about this soup is that it requires ingredients found in a winter pantry or cellar: onion, garlic, cabbage, celery, & barley. The orange is the bit from Provence. This is a simple recipe.

 

Ingredients: 

2 ounces bacon

1 pound Lasater stewing beef, in 1-inch cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup barley

2 cups chopped green cabbage (about 1/4 medium head)

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1-2 teaspooons grated orange zest

7-8 cups beef stock 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

In a four quart Dutch oven or other large heavy pot, cook the bacon on med-high until lightly browned. Remove, leaving the fat in the pot. Add the beef and cook over high heat until lightly browned. Remove, return the bacon to the pot and add the onion, celery, garlic and cabbage.  Cook on medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the paprika and zest.

zester close-up

microplane zester

Return the beef to the pot. Add stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Stir in the barley, cover and cook for 30 minutes. If the beef is not tender, cook it a bit longer. If the soup is not served immediately, more stock may be needed for reheating. 

Build a fire, get a bottle of Cote du Rhone and enjoy!

Beef Chili with Molasses Cornbread at Salt!

Yet another smokin' hot dish from Salt The Bistro. Bradford Heap, owner of Salt, has given his staff the opportunity to really work with local suppliers to create fresh twists on some classic standards. The boys and I were in the other night for dinner and enjoyed Lasater Grasslands Beef chili.  Brett Bertin, the new AM sous chef added his own signature to this western comfort food. While Brett sauteed Poblano and Anaheim peppers with onions & carrots, he let the beef marinate in freshly toasted cumin seeds, paprika, salt & pepper. After browning the beef, the peppers were added to the pan and he deglazed it with the house draft beer - Bella Big Brown Ale. Brett used the mild chili mix from Savory Spice Shop and let the aromatic ingredients simmer. Finally, he added pinto and great northern beans and a tomato puree, and then let the chili cook for 4-5 hours.  The chili was mouth-watering and pleasantly spicy. Adding the final touch to this hearty dish was a giant piece of housemade molasses cornbread. The cornbread was perfectly moist and delicious. If this is what we get out the gate from Brett, I can't wait to taste more.  Congratulations to Brett -- lucky us!

HOURS:

sunday 10 - 10 

monday - wednesday 11 - 10 

thursday - saturday 11 -11

1047 Pearl Street

303.444.(SALT) 7258 
Salt the Bistro