Auction Dinner: 1851 Steakhouse
Each year, my school auctions off dinners created by me and paired by Ryan Smith (sommelier) and co-owner of Enoteca La Storia (https://enotecalastoria.com/los-gatos-enoteca-la-storia-locations) and hosted at their restaurants. The proceeds go to our school’s Financial Aid Program. For each dinner, I send the winning family a questionnaire about their food likes and dislikes before composing a menu.
This evening’s theme came from the family who purchased the meal loving prime rib and wanting to avoid seafood. I love Steakhouses. There is something very classically American about them. From the old school places like House of Prime Rib in San Francisco, to Peter Luger’s in Brooklyn, Keen’s Steakhouse in Manhattan. But while I love those places, modern Steakhouses that have reinvented classics capture my imagination. Places like Bazaar Meat in Las Vegas by Jose Andres or Cut by Wolfgang Puck. I, of course, am not a culinary visionary like they are, but I set my mind to create a modern Steakhouse menu by focusing on reinventing classics and not simply having steak in every course.
Card placed on the table at the start of the meal
Usually, we provide some type of card for the table indicating an idea of what might be coming and only present the menu the full menu at the end of the meal. Borrowing from the great three Michelin starred restaurant Manresa (which has unfortunately closed), at one point, they used to give you a list of 100 ingredients, all would be used by the end of your evening. Following in that idea, I created a list of major ingredients used to begin the evening.
1st Amuse: A modern caprese salad. Torn hand pulled mozzarella, dehydrated cherry tomatoes, pesto, and balsamic pearls
2nd Amuse: Duck Rillettes on toasted sourdough, topped with fleur de sel and chives
1st Course: A play on the classic steakhouse French Onion Soup. Here is a French onion tart topped, filled with carnalized onions and reduced French onion broth. The gruyere cheese is placed on the bottom to help keep the crust crisp. Served with a frisse salad with toasted hazelnuts and a mustard vinaigrette.
2nd Course: Mac and Cheese. A ,mornay sauce with smoked gouda and sharp white cheddar, Cavatappi pasta, topped with horseradish breadcrumbs.
3rd Course: Brined and airdried, roasted Cornish Hen with a carrot gastrique, roasted carrots with honey and cider, and a carrot top salsa verde.
4th Course: 3 Month Dried Ages slow roasted Rib-eye with Sauce Perigueux and Hasselback potatoes
Intermezzo: Lemon granita made with homemade limoncello and topped with macerated strawberries with fresh vanilla bean.
Cheese Course: Sesame Whole Wheat Toast, 36 month aged Gouda with orange honey and balsamic pearls, semi firm cheddar with preserved apricots and chili, and triple creme Mt. Tam with preserved cherries.
5th course: Ginger poached Pear with a Napoleon with blackberry preserves, vanilla custard, and whipped cream.
