The Oklahoman’s Food Editor Dave Cathey

S & B Burger Joint: Where the Cool Kids Eat

S&B Burger Joint, 5929 N May Ave., Suite 106, is adjacent to The Electro Lounge in the building across the parking lot from a Best Buy – a highly unlikely spot to find a top tier burger. But that’s what you’ll find at this neophyte burger dispensary. S is for Shannon and B is for Brian, the two gents who’ve been slugging it out in the same space for a decade, offering indie rockers and philosophers respite from the Affliction-afflicted, metrosexual and Classen Circle rowdy crowds. The Electro Lounge has long been where the cool kids beer up and listen to the city’s finest jukebox, thanks to the Spy’s Ferris O’Brien, and proselytize against Nickelback and for The Mekons, The Smiths, The Replacements, Sufjan Stevens or anything produced by Dangermouse. Now the proselytizing can expand into burgerdom: Say no to Chili’s or Red Robin, say yes to a nice Fatty. Thanks to S & B Burger Joint, some of those waif-life shoegazers we’ve come to know and yearn to be might put on a little weight.

In an attempt to become more kid-friendly for their maturing customers, Shannon and Brian remodeled the area where the pool table used to be into a small diner.

“It’s probably the best thing we’ve ever done in here,” Shannon said said. “Everybody that comes in here for drinks ends up eating. Everyone.”

That’s because S & B’s is serving up honest, authentic burgers on the griddle. The meat is never frozen. The patties come out with a nice crust and a lush, pink center — even the sliders. Speaking of sliders, while the Fatty is the signature burger, the sliders are what attract me. When I talked to Shannon, I found that we’re kindred spirits about burger consumption.

“I was tired of going to Red Robin and paying a bunch of money for a burger I couldn’t finish and not getting to try out the different toppings.”

So, S&B offers an extensive selection of sliders. They are not your $1 sliders from White Castle, which is a good thing. No, a great thing. Aside from giving us the genius that is Harold and Kumar, I’ve always likened White Castle burgers to Steakumm on a school cafeteria roll. No, the S&B slider is muscular. Cost is $4, but two will get you where you want to be. Three is merely prelude to a nap. The record, according to the scoreboard over the counter, is 10 consumed in an hour. While I’m sure there was plenty of motivation and adulation expended upon the champion in his hour of triumph, my guess is the following 18 to 24 hours were marked by self-loathing and promises and proclamations on bended knee to eat nowhere but Coolgreens and/or 105degrees Cafe until the Winter Solstice.

Right now, a new menu is under construction. On my latest visit, I tried two sliders from the upcoming menu: The French Onion slider and the Elvis. The French Onion included mushrooms, swiss and the meat was clearly infused by some amount of French onion dip flavoring. The Elvis as it was envisioned isn’t how it’s currently being executed. I was promised peanut butter and banana on a bacon-cheeseburger. If either Harold or Kumar had bumped into this concoction, cinema history would’ve been changed forever. Because they haven’t been able to keep bananas fresh enough, the Elvis slider has no banana today. As a card-carrying peanut butter freak, this burger really worked for me. I must say that I would really love to try it with the banana, though.

The new menu is due any day and will include these choices, the old faithfuls and a few surprises. Shannon is an adventurous dude, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t stop experimenting. Right now, you can dress your burger or slider with numerous mayos and dressings, bacon, hot peppers, assorted cheeses, Cincinnati-style chili, fried eggs and more. Meanwhile, you can get any burger on the menu with a vegetarian or ground turkey patty. On the side, you’ll want to start with the fried pepper-jack cheese cubes. The fries are solid, but it’s the sweet potato fries that I can’t get enough of — ever.

S & B is closed Sundays, and shuts down at 6 on Mondays. Otherwise, they’re serving burgers till 2 a.m., giving north-side Nighthawks an option beyond The Drunken Fry, Big Truck Tacos and Beverly’s.

Who would’ve thought at the dawn of the 21st Century that by the next decade, some of the city’s best burgers would be in The Electro Lounge and the neighboring Best Buy would still be in business despite selling virtually no CDs? Life, she’s a funny one.

Have you been to S & B Burger Joint? Let me know what you thought. Be sure to take a look at what Greg Elwell had to say from The Corner Booth.

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Coolgreens In for the Long Haul to Good Health

The way to healthy eating in the modern world is a feat no less harrowing than a boat trip home after a long war in the ancient world. 

Fueled by freewill, we travel waters where the deadly sirens don’t sing so much as they deep-fry. Scylla pushes doughnuts, Charybdis runs a taco truck. The modern-day Odysseus is a raunchy, paunchy guy with a burned out minivan full of buddies from the plant turned into pigs not by a witch but by a 9-headed monster called hydrogenated fat. When he finally makes it home to find his beloved wife pursued by sycophants, he doesn’t have the strength to draw his bow thanks to drive-throughs, Pall Malls, Little Kings and losing touch with the gym shortly after high school.

Progress has its pitfalls. Choices are only as good as we make them. Coolgreens seems to recognize this better than any other restaurant committed to good health, extending a lifeline to those of us on a collision course with diabetes, heart disease or just an inflated waist band. Eateries that focus on good health too often take a militant approach, choosing fervor over flavor.

Take 105degrees Cafe. By all means an excellent restaurant. The preparations are artful, elegant and typically successful. But my problem with 105degrees is that too few people will ever get to know it. Why? First off, it ain’t cheap. By its menu prices, a good portion of the general public will never experience the good 105degrees has to offer. Secondly, it caters to those with adventurous palates. Fear will keep large portion of the dining public away. This isn’t to say that the food is anything less than excellent. I’ve loved everything I’ve ever eaten at 105degrees, especially the desserts. But the concept plays very hard to its base, lessening its impact on the general public. It’s like using fish bait that striped bass should love but shun.

That gets us back to Coolgreens. Wraps, salads, soups, pizza and yogurt. That pretty much covers the bases that would lure the general eating public. But at Coolgreens there is no bait-and-switch. Absent are the healthless caveats present at most delis: potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, or soda pop to name a few. One is actually forced to try foods chocked full  of fresh, organic and usually local ingredients with house-made dressings and sauces that are absent processed ingredients. And to no surprise at all, the result is phenomenal. This is the kind of approachable, healthful food that has a chance to a major impact for three reasons: 1. Flavor is given as much import as nutritional value; 2. The menu is approachable and 3. prices are affordable.

Awhile ago I had lunch with Chris Lower at the most upscale of his many restaurant concepts, The Metro Wine Bar and Bistro. I asked him if he was surprised at the success of his two latest concepts: Big Truck Tacos and Coolgreens. The veteran restarauteur, who responsible in some part for many of the city’s most important restaurants, has been humbled and blown away by the success. It’s also changed his view a little of the model for restaurant success.

“I’ll tell you, with the success and popularity these counter-service concepts have gained, I’m not sure I could ever open another full-service restaurant.”

Coolgreens certainly celebrates the possibilities of the simple. With his culinary palette ridded of unnatural ingredients, executive chef Trey Ferguson is able to introduce the palate to nature’s preternatural ability to exude flavor with strict attention to detail. Put simply: there is no Frankenstein in this food. Coolgreens celebrates good flavor, good health and responsible stewardship in every bite. The partnership is committed to that concept.

And they’ve put their money where your mouth is. When Lower and managing partner Allan McMurrain bypassed the opportunity to sell diet soda and potato chips in their soup, salad, wrap and yogurt joint, they left money on the table.

“No doubt we would’ve profited more if we offered those things,” Lower said. “But if we did offer them, it would affect the credibility of our commitment to the concept.”

That’s why the wraps, salads, soups and yogurts I’ve sampled at Coolgreens create more hope for the city’s ongoing assault on the standards of fast-casual dining. And the newest Coolgreens location near Quail Springs Mall joins Saturn Grill, Thai Stop, Nunu’s Mediterranean Cafe Yakimono Japanese Grill Express, and Cafe 7 in creating a foundation of locally owned, quality-first restaurants on the city’s northwest side. Coolgreens is expected to expand into downtown sometime this fall, and has been approached by entities beyond the boundaries of Oklahoma City.

In the end, Coolgreens could be the portal that we use to a greater appreciation for foods that satisfy our basic nutritional needs as well as our tastebuds. Perhaps this is the first brick in a long overdue widening project for the path to healthy eating. Who knows, maybe the path ends at 105degrees Cafe. If so, we’re on our way.

Have you eaten at Coolgreens or 105degrees Cafe? Let me know what you thought.

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‘Man v. Food’ on the Prairie

Production crews for the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” were in the Oklahoma City area last week to visit three local restaurants for an upcoming episode.
The show, hosted by Adam Richman, highlights an eating challenge in a given city or area while featuring two other eateries in the same locale.
The challenge segment was shot Thursday at the Steak and Catfish Barn, 5175 E Waterloo Rd. in Edmond. Dino Smalley, who owns the place with his wife Maria Vitale, said Richman was going for the title of Top Cat, which is a yearly challenge to customers. The record for most catfish eaten in a single sitting is 28.

The Steak and Catfish Barn opened in 2004, it was previously Vitale’s Italian Kitchen. Smalley and Vitale also own second Steak and Catfish location at N Walker Ave. where they still offer Italian food. Smalley said Richman was genuinely nice guy who didn’t shoot and run.
“After the shoot was over, Adam spent at least an hour in the restaurant with Maria and I just — just talking about food.”

The crew also spent time shooting at Adam at Sid’s Diner in El Reno for an onion burger and steaks and lamb fries at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse on Mother’s Day.
Owner Dick Stubbs said he was surprised when producers for the show called, because Cattlemen’s doesn’t offer any eating challenges.
Richman and film crew spent all day Sunday filming in the kitchen and throughout the restaurant. Stubbs said he tried to change the shooting schedule, since Mother’s Day is the restaurant’s busiest day of the year, but the show’s production schedule wasn’t flexible.
Cattlemen’s, which has been in operation since 1910, also has been featured on the Food Network program “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” with Guy Fieri.

Richman also dined at The Drunken Fry and Big Truck Tacos for eats and drinks during his visit, but no filming was done at either place. Big Truck Tacos partner Chris Lower said Richman visited Big Truck Tacos based on a recommendation from chef Rick Bayless, an Oklahoma City native, at the James Beard Foundation Awards dinner.
Smalley was told by producers that the episode of “Man V. Food” will air some time in August.

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Pride of The Cinco

Then one year, I got overly ambitious with both the food and the invites and dinner ran way late. That was a pivotal year as it was also the one and only time I ever rented a frozen margarita machine. While folks were forced to wait to eat, they were not forced to wait on those margaritas and the ice-bathing cervezas. The party was such a success, the format changed the following year: enchiladas, mole, beans and chorizo rice were out; tacos were in.

Last year, I had to cancel the party because my mother fell ill a week before the big day. As rough as that was, this year’s has been even more trying.

For the second time in the last 18 months, The Oklahoman announced a reduction in workforce. Fifty-seven good folks are now out of work. More than a few I consider friends. One in particular I consider among my closest friends.

Just so happens the announcement was made on May 5, and my good friend Jesse Olivarez was among those left with no job.
Jesse might just be the Sultan of Cinco. No, not because he’s Hispanic. Because there’s no one that loves my annual Cinco de Mayo party, which rarely ever falls on the 5th, like Jesse.

Whether putting the “water” in firewater, “helping” wrap tamales, or gently reminding we foolish gringos that Cinco de Mayo is a made-for-Budweiser holiday celebrated more north of the border than south, he’s the first to arrive and up first for migas the next morning.
This year’s fiesta is dedicated to him and the decade of hard work he gave The Oklahoman and in turn the community, including grunt work, holidays, nights and weekends for half the pay he was worth.

If there’s one stereotype of Hispanic folks born from overwhelming anecdotal evidence, it’s a propensity for loving spicy food. Jesse is the reason I know it’s a stereotype, it’s because Jesse would choose sugar over chile any and every time.
This recipe, derived from Rick Bayless’ first book, “Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico” (William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1987) for Manchamanteles, which means tablecloth-stainer, is perfect for my very good friend Jesse as it combines spicy and sweet beautifully. And I love it because I can now acquire all the ingredients needed right here in Oklahoma City.

Mole Manchamanteles

Ingredients

• 6 medium dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded,
  deveined, and halved
• 3 cascabel chiles, stemmed, seeded and deveined
• 5 tablespoons lard
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2″ cubes and patted dry
• 1 pound chicken tenders, diced
• 3 black peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 1⁄2″-long piece canela (Mexican cinnamon) or cinnamon stick
• 8 pieces dried crostini pieces
• 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
• Salt
• 1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks
• 1 ripe medium plantain, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons Agave nectar

Directions

1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle medium heat. Working in batches, toast chiles on both sides, pressing them down with a metal spatula, until aromatic, about 1 1⁄2 minutes.
2. Transfer chiles to a large bowl, cover with boiling water, weight down with a plate, and let soak, 30 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the lard in the skillet over medium-low. Add onions and fry until softened, 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onions are golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Remove onions and garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender, leaving lard in the skillet.
4. Increase heat to medium, add pork, and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, 12–14 minutes. Drain pork on paper towels and set aside.
5. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate with pork and set aside. Reserve skillet with any remaining lard.
6. Put peppercorns, cloves, and canela into a mortar and crush with a pestle to a powder. Transfer spices to a blender.
7. Add 1 cup water, drained chiles, and bread and blend until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon. Discard solids.
8. Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, carefully add chile mixture, and fry, stirring constantly, until thickened, 4–5 minutes.
9. Transfer chile mixture to a large heavy pot. Add pork, 2 cups water, vinegar, and salt to taste and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 to 2 1⁄2 hours.
10. Add chicken and pineapple and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, melt remaining lard in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry plantains, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
12. Transfer plantains to the mole and stir to combine.
13. Add agave nectar and salt to taste and continue to cook for 10 minutes more.

Serve over rice or potatoes with plenty of warm tortillas.

SERVES 4

Source: Adapted from Rick Bayless recipe

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Quesadillas: The Mexican Grilled Cheese

 

We’ll fulfill this month’s taco recipe and honor April’s designation as National Grilled Cheese Month simultaneously by sharing a recipe for quesadillas.

Quesadillas are merely grilled or griddled cheese tacos. Start with good flour tortillas, then add a nice melting cheese or two or three and you’ve got the foundation. For this recipe, I’ve prepared a sweet and spicy bacon filling, featuring agave nectar and Salsa Ahumada, chipotle-based sauce with a smoky finish.

To amp it up, serve them with a good salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

If bacon doesn’t fit your palate but you want to introduce a protein, thin slices of grilled chicken, beef or pork work great. Avoid ground meats as they tend to make for a soggy quesadilla.

Killer Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup grated queso quesadilla or blend with Monterrey Jack, cheddar or asadero.
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 8 ounces Chipotle-Agave Bacon filling (recipe below)
• Salsa Ahumada (recipe below)

Directions

Heat skillet or griddle to medium.

1. Making one at a time, melt butter then add tortilla. Immediately add a few pinches of cheese then optional proteins.
2. Using a spatula, fold the quesadilla into a taco shape and press.
3. Cook until quesadilla is golden brown.

Sweet and Spicy Agave Bacon Filling

Ingredients

• 6 slices hickory-smoked bacon
• 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Chile de Arbol powder
• 2 tablespoons Pure agave nectar

Directions

1. Fry bacon to desired crispness, drain and cool.
2. Chop bacon and mix with remaining ingredients

Salsa Ahumada

• 1 28 ounce can Fire-Roasted organic tomatoes
• Half a small to medium white onion
• 3 to 4 cloves unpeeled garlic cloves
• 2 to 4 chipotles in adobo

Directions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle to medium high.
2. Place tomatoes and chipotles in food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to break up chipotles.
3. Place onion half on griddle, flat side down along with garlic cloves.  Cover with the lid from another pot or pan. Roast 2 to 3 minutes until onion and garlic begin to blacken.
4. Using tongs, flip to unblackened sides and repeat.
5. Once the garlic and onion have attained some color and all sides and is fragrant, remove from heat.
6. Peel garlic cloves and add to food processor. Pulse mixture 5 to 6 times to blend garlic thoroughly.
7. Roughly slice the onion and add to food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times for chunky consistency.

Source: Dave Cathey

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Food Choices Fantastic at 2010 Festival of the Arts

 

Time was the Festival of the Arts took place on the lawn west of the Civic Center and the best food was served on its outskirts by Frank Hightower’s bunch from The Cellar.

“We set up a sidewalk bistro just outside the festivities,” his widow Dannie Bea told me. “My father used to come out to pitch in. I remember so clearly, it was like yesterday.”

Beautiful spring days conjoined with art for all five sense have a tendency to cling to whatever primordial fabric it is that makes up memory.
The Festival of the Arts is now one of the city’s premier annual events, and in no small part because of the food. Doubtlessly, Hightower and chef John Bennett helped nudge the level of the food with their impromptu sidewalk bistro back in the day.

This year 28 vendors are on the premises. On opening day I was able to sample bites from four of them with the help of videographer Tanner Herriott and famed freeloader and public information expert Sheri Guyse.

We started out with the chicken-avocado cone from Iguana Mexican Grill. This is a nod to The Mighty Cone down in my hometown, and a fine one at that. Crunchy, creamy, spicy and easy to eat while you walk. That is festival food at its finest. Chef Ryan Parrott and partner Robert Painter, who as always was leading the Iguana cheering squad, succeed again.

Next we made it over to Craig and Carter’s Famous Fish Tacos. I remember Carter Tague from his days with the old Varsity Sports Grill where he managed for a long time. I also recognized him as a charter member of the Stalkers Society for the original Iguana Lounge. We reminisced about the original when it was in the space currently filled by Earl’s Rib Palace on Western, long before it expanded.

“Tomatillos,” he said. “They were the only place in town that had tomatillo salsa.”

So I knew right away that the fish tacos he and his long-time partner would be dynamite. And they are. Atlantic pollock dipped in a batter that includes red chile, chipotle crema and serrano slaw. It’s no surprise that Carter spent a lot of time working at the famous Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, where he and Craig Stringer still reside. This was my favorite overall dish. Crunchy, spicy, cream — hmmm, running theme — all in a light corn tortilla so it’s not too filling. Super easy to tote around the grounds.

Then we ventured to Deep Fork’s tent where chef Joshua Richardson had my favorite bite overall with the chicken brochette. Bacon-wrapped chicken and artichoke heart. Game over. The Wedgie is a pecan-crusted chicken sandy with a spicy slaw in a pita. Excellent, but the videographer Tanner Herriott has video evidence that plainly depicts it’s a little messy. Thanks for sparing the world my slaw explosion, Tanner. That said, The Wedgie beats the heck out of trying to eat an Indian Taco on the go. We also had Deep Fork’s Drunken Fries with the cheeseburger sauce. If you’ve been to the Drunken Fry, you already know how lip-smacking this dish is. I won’t bore you with the details only relate as Sheri, Tanner and I dug in we were joined by chef Parrott, who ate more than one, actually more than two — perhaps even more than three.

We finished up at Sage Cafe’s booth. Co-owner Charifa was running the register, lighting up food row with her smile. And then there’s the three-cheese mac and cheese that is Sage’s signature. You get the picture. They also had a nice little brownie parfait with a hint of mint, though I didn’t pick up much. I did get plenty of chocolate, including some little chunks within the brownie. What I liked was that the parfait wasn’t huge. Some of the desserts on the row were the size of minor planets. That’s good for some, but not really my thing. Something about crunchy, creamy and spicy. Unfortunately, I didn’t have room for a Strawberries Newport or anything from Coco Flow, though I’m confident that both will live up to the standards we expect.

Anway, everyone who attend will doubtlessly find some thing to love. Enjoy the festival.

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Sage Cafe to Introduce Lounge

The rebirth of Deep Deuce has been truly laborious. This baby has been a 500-pound gorilla — octomom style. But Kevin and Charifa Smith have certainly done their part to see this historic area not be forgotten by time or slow development.

First, the couple opened Sage Gourmet Cafe and Market, adding a downtown dining experience to the landscape that features organic foods, fresh and, when available, local ingredients. Well, the market hasn’t gone as expected, but response to the cafe has. Thus, the market is being phased out in favor of more seating. Considering the size of the well-appointed space, this is a welcome transition.

But an excellent new addition to the restaurant communities growing middle class wasn’t enough for the Smiths. Now they’ve targeted another 500-pound gorilla that has sat in the center of Deep Deuce since the first day the word rebirth and Deep Deuce were mentioned in the same sentence: music.

More specifically, jazz.

To mark the first year of the cafe’s opening, The Smiths are poised to open Sage Lounge on May 1 and, at least for the first month, will feature only jazz. Charifa Smith says that without jazz there would never have been a Deep Deuce worth remembering.

“We think it’s important to bring it back,” she said. “Deep Deuce holds such nostalgia because of the wonderful musicians who’ve played here in the past, such as renowned Guitarist Charlie Christian and Blues singer Jimmy Rushing. Sage has had such a successful first year and we are excited about all the changes that have been made to better serve our customers.”

The Smiths are working with Walter Taylor III of Taylor Made Jazz to showcase the musicians in the Sage Lounge. “I was 14-years-old playing my first gig down on Deep Deuce and am honored to be a part of a project that will restore the authenticity of the music and pay homage to the history of the neighborhood,” states Taylor. “I’ve spoken to Leroy Parks who played sax with Edward and Charlie Christian.” Parks is expected to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and anniversary live performance on May 1 along with 80-year-old drummer/vocalist Roland Allen who still plays. Bands scheduled to perform will be announced during the ceremony. “We look forward to creating a relaxed, upscale entertainment venue for all music and food lovers alike.”

On May 1, Sage will celebrate its anniversary all day with specials, giveaways and door prizes in the restaurant starting at 11 a.m. The live jazz event in the lounge starts at 7 p.m. There is no cover charge. Table reservations are suggested and can be made by calling  232-7243.

If you haven’t been to Sage Cafe, this lounge will put you in the neighborhood. The food will keep you coming back. Don’t expect to find chicken-fried steak, hamburgers or barbecue. This chic little cafe sports a seasonal menu that promotes fresh, organic ingredients. Salads, sandwiches and mac and cheese are the showpieces. Each time I’ve been to Sage, I’ve started with the grilled seasonal vegetable platter and haven’t been disappointed. The platter also comes with house hummus and tortilla chips. Be sure to grab a selection of salts Sage offers as the vegetables come off the grill lightly seasoned. The “salt bar” includes 11 choices and for $2, diners can select three. Be sure to choose a basic salt, a smoked salt and make sure the third varies in texture from the first two.

The big ticket at Sage is the macaroni and cheese. The five varieties are served as entrees, my favorite so far was a beef stroganoff that was the special one day. The beef melted in the mouth and creamy sauce carried just enough kick to titillate my heat-seeking palate. Sage will split the entree on request, and I recommend that if you’re considering the Blue Cheese and Roasted Garlic mac. I loved the first three bites of this dish, but it’s very rich.  By the end, I’d wished it was a side rather than an entree. So, cut in half with perhaps the Beef and Cheddar or Three Cheese, it would be perfect. As for those on the menu daily, I’m partial to the Greek and Cheese, which include kalamata olives, Feta, diced tomatoes, garlic and grilled chicken. The only version I have yet to try is the Shrimp Pesto, but at our recent photo and video shoot I got a close enough look to be inspired to try it on my next visit, which will be soon.

Have you been to Sage? Let me know what you thought.

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It’s all about the Pig

 

The delicious irony of Cochon 555 is it’s mission is to preserve heritage-bred pigs by way of eating them. Founder Brady Lowe, whose background is in marketing and eventually led to food and wine then to the niche of pork, professes that the only way to preserve these pure bred hogs and sows is to create a demand for them. Anyone who ever tastes one will feel the demand for more immediately. This is pork unlike any other I’ve had, and I mean that in the best possible way.

So what are heritage pigs? Well, as I stated, they are delicious. More specifically, they are pigs who come from bloodlines going back generations to a time when farmers raised livestock on the free range. The breeds developed traits based on the farmers practices and names were applied like Berkshire, Gloucestershire Old Spot, Mangalitsa, Tamworth, Red Wattle, Mulefoot, Guinea Hog, Ossabaw Island Hog, Hereford, Duroc, Hampshire, Lacombe, Iberian, Chester White, Saddleback, Yorkshire, European Wild, Poland White, Large White and Large Black.
Heritage pigs don’t come from an industrial pig farm. These pigs are livestock, not a commodity.
The pork they yielded is perfection, I promise.

The best thing consumers can do is ask for heritage pigs. Ask your grocer or butcher if he/she carries these pigs. If they don’t, ask them to start. Demand is the key to keeping this practice alive.
For more information, go here.

Now, as for the night of April 3, what a beautiful succession of interpretations. Winner Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer at the Joule in Dallas was first to deliver and his offerings stuck to the imagination over four competitors to take a narrow victory over my personal favorite, that of the the Big Kahuna himself, Kurt Fleischfresser. On my scored card, Scott got 14 out of a possible 15 while Kurt scored perfection. The difference to me was I found no missteps on Kurt’s menu while Scott’s two desserts were only good and fair. I did give Scott credit for creating desserts.  I also loved that’s Kurt’s menu was technically precise both from preparation to presentation. Both chefs showed advanced skills, drawing from all over the culinary map for inspiration. But Kurts presentation was symmetric. Each portion was the same size, aside from the inspired pork rillette porkcicle, which was served on a separate dish.

The other difference for me was that in the 38 samples I tried, Fleishfresser had 3 of the top 5 for me with the rillete, his Quail Egg Benedict was second. My favorite bite was Kahuna’s pork belly with cherry gastrique. After that, was Shepard’s pork belly on a turbinado stick, then Romano porchetta.

Curt Herrmann of Tulsa’s White Owl offered Mexico on a plate, but the results didn’t elevate the dishes. Rather, they were fairly standard interpretations. Tasty but perhaps too reverential and not creative enough for a competition of this ilk.

Here’s hoping we can draw Cochon 555 back to Oklahoma in the future. If we do, do not miss it. Were you at Cochon 555? Let me know what your favorites were.

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March Tacos inspired by early Spring

So I, as is often the case, was in the Texas Hill Country when the first day of spring. This year, the bluebonnets were just starting to bloom, meaning the local vegetable crops were coming in early.

The past two years Marches have been less kind to local vegetation down there thanks to prolonged drought. But two Marches ago, five daze beyond the Ides love was in bloom as Lori and I wed on hilltop courthouse by a judge who bore an eery resemblance to Col. Sanders.
So with the luck of an early crop spinach and the memory of my Lori’s love for mushrooms, I came up with the following recipe.

I don’t usually favor flour tortillas over corn, but Lori insisted they’d be better and since she’s the inspiration for the recipe (and she does all the laundry) I chose to go with her suggestion, which was the correct one. I will say, don’t steam the tortillas. Take the extra minute or two to heat them on a very hot griddle or cast iron skillet so they will be a little crisper. This filling would also translate beautifully into a quesadilla, adding a nice mix of sharp white vermont cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese.

I bought the spinach at a Central Market in Austin, but Central Market bought the spinach from a farm in Oak Hill, which is less than 10 miles from the store. Here’s hoping that when Whole Foods finally arrives to Oklahoma City (the Chesapeake Campus to be exact), hopefully before the end of 2011, they too will provide the needed cashflow to allow our local producers to feed us more thoroughly.

Bacon-Infused Spinach Tacos with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 10 ounces fresh spinach
• 4 thick slices of bacon
• 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 red onion, in small slices
• 1 jalapeno or large serrano chile in small slices
• 1-2 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
• 1/2 cup fine-grated cotija cheese

Directions

1. In a medium-heated skillet, fry bacon.
2. When ample fat has been rendered, move bacon to papertowels to dry and cool.
3. Heat small cast iron skillet until almost smoking.
4. Add pumpkin seeds and shake 10 to 15 seconds.
5. When seeds start to release oils, remove from heat and add chile powder, mixing well.
6. Cover with another skillet, and let toast four minutes.
7. Chop bacon into small pieces and to pumpkin seed mixture, mixing thoroughly, and set aside.
8. Reheat bacon fat to medium high.
9. Saute mushrooms until well coated and begin to release their liquid.
10. Add onions and saute 1 minute, add garlic and saute another 45 seconds to a minute, mixing well.
11. Add spinach, shake or stir until it begins to wilt.
12. Stir in chiles until well coated.
13. Add bacon-pumpkin seed mix and cook about one more minute.
14. Add a splash of rice vinegar and stir.
15. Add tomatoes, remove from heat and give the filling one last thorough toss.
16. Serve in flour tortillas heated on a very hot griddle or cast iron skillet and grated cotija chese. Yucateco Habanero sauce works well with these.

Butter-Wilted Spinach and Mushroom Tacos

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh spinach
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 red onion in small slices
• 1 jalapeno or 2 serrano chiles in small s
• lices
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fine-grated cotija cheese

Directions

1. Heat small cast iron skillet until almost smoking.
2. Add pumpkin seeds and shake 10 to 15 seconds.
3. When seeds start to release oils, remove from heat and add chile powder, mixing well.
4. Cover with another skillet, and let toast four minutes.
5. In a medium-heated skillet, melt butter.
6. Saute mushrooms until well coated and begin to release their liquid.
7. Add onions and saute 1 minute, add garlic and saute another 45 seconds to a minute, mixing well.
8. Add spinach, shake or stir until it begins to wilt.
9. Stir in chiles until well coated.
10. Add pumpkin seeds and cook about one more minute.
11. Add a splash of rice vinegar and stir.
12. Add tomatoes, remove from heat and give the filling one last thorough toss.
13. Serve in flour tortillas heated on a very hot griddle or cast iron skillet.
14. Sprinkle with cotija cheese. Yucateco Habenero sauce works well with these.

Source: Dave Cathey

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Saturn Grill Serving Just What The City Needs

 

When Joseph Royer studied under chef Kurt Fleischfresser, he was in a culinary atmosphere that’s rare in this state. Chef Kurt emphasizes tradition, attention to detail, technique, creativity and ultimately perfection. His standards for what’s correct border are the food version of an angry nun teaching class with a long ruler. If you don’t believe me, have lunch with the Big Kahuna some time. He appreciates all kinds of food, but don’t ask him what he thinks unless you’re prepared to have something you thought was good picked apart down to the number of grains of salt. But that’s what makes him the best.

And that’s why a talent like Royer was a perfect fit for BK’s apprenticeship program. That’s what also makes him a candidate to fulfill the goals that Fleischfresser and other localcentric chefs are aiming to do: create an Oklahoma cuisine. In order for that to happen, the middle class of restaurants must improve.

I write a lot about my hometown, Austin, Texas, and the thrills of the dining scene there. What separates Austin from other cities is not it’s fine dining. The fine dining in the Texas state Capital is no greater than here in Oklahoma’s. What Austin has that gives it a culinary identity is the mid-range dining options. If you are looking for Tex-Mex there, it will be served to high standard. If you go to an all-night diner like Magnolia or Kerbey Lane Cafe you will find hand cut home fries, hand-formed burgers and eclectic plays on huevos rancheros, green chile burritos and a plethora of fresh vegetable options. And the spots you’ll find them in are not chains, but locally owned concepts with artsy settings and spirits of local celebration.

Royer’s Saturn Grill is the embodiment of eclectic. From its far-out decor to its clever plays on common dishes. The flatbread is a wonder as is most everything they lay upon it. Bathe me in curry-lime mayo, really. It’s that good. The daily specials are inspired by seasons and available fresh ingredients. Not only is eating seasonally fun, but it’s kind to the growing patterns of our planet. Fresh produce is delicious produce.

Royer could open an upscale restaurant next month and it would compete with the city’s finest. He’s that talented. But the truth is, upscale dining isn’t where this city and this state need the help. We have plenty of venerable cafes like Eischen’s, Folger’s and the onion-burgerdom of El Reno. And, as previously stated, the top end is covered.

Thanks to Royer for seeing that void and dedicating to it. With the recent addition of Cafe 7 and places like Iguana Mexican Grill, Cafe Antigua, Flatire Burgers in Edmond, Sean Cummings Irish Pub, Pepe Delgados in Norman, The Wedge Pizzerias, Cafe 501 in Edmond and soon in Oklahoma City, El Pollon, Irma’s, and Sage Cafe in Deep Deuce the foundation is under construction.

Now, we as diners must celebrate them with out devotion. Join me now, as we stand and go get something to eat.

Do you know of a great local mid-range restaurant? Let me know.

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