Restaurant Recipes

So, you fancy yourself a gourmet chef, do you?
Well then, we’re going to put you to the test with a range of recipes from the finest chefs Baltimore has to offer. Normally, of course, the makings of their most delectable dishes are closely held secrets, sometimes passed down through generations, and sometimes concocted late in the night by these clever chefs themselves. But in the pages that follow, you’ll be treated to the inside scoop on exactly what makes that potato wrapped grouper or that roast tenderloin beef au poivre just so special. So break out the pots, the pans, the whisks, and the measuring cups, pull your big chef hat down to the eyes, and fire up the Viking. It’s time for the fun to begin.

Lobster Americaine
Corks restaurant
1026 S. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 • 410-752-3810 • corksrestaurant.com

4 lobster tails, shells removed, each sliced into 1-inch medallions
6 shallots and 1 clove garlic, peeled, finely chopped
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 1/2 cups white wine
1/4 cup cognac
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Melt four tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; saute until translucent. Add tomatoes, wine, and cognac; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add herbs and enough tomato paste to thicken the sauce. Add lobster and cook until just done. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.


Potato Wrapped Grouper
from Frank Greco, Executive Chef
George Martin’s Grillfire
7793-A Arundel Mills Blvd., Hanover, MD 21076 • 410-799-2883 • grillfirearundel.com

Fillet, skin, and de-bone 1 2.5-lb. grouper
1 large baking potato, sliced paper thin, soak in lemon water
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup fl our
2 cup Shiraz
Fresh thyme and chives; 1 small shallot
1 tsp. black peppercorn; season to taste

Combine wine, sprig of fresh thyme, shallot, and peppercorn over medium heat. While reducing by 75 percent, pat dry potato slices and arrange in a rectangle on work surface to twice the size of the filet. Season fish lightly with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Place each filet over the potato slices and wrap potato around fish. Wrap each assembly individually in plastic film and refrigerate until cooking time. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in sauté pan until butter foams. Coat potato-wrapped fish lightly with flour and sauté at high-medium heat 5-7 minutes, until crisp. Flip the fish, reduce heat to medium, and cook second side 7-10 mins until fish is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Finish wine reduction by straining out solids and whisking in remaining butter. Spoon sauce onto plate
and place fish on top. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.


Kona Grill Crab Cakes
Kona Grill
1 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 • 410-244-8994 • konagrill.com

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Smooth Grey Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions (bottoms only)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Togarashi (Japanese seasoning)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco
dash garlic powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup crushed oyster crackers
2 lbs. crab meat (half jumbo lump, half claw) butter (for cooking)

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, scallions, lemon juice, Togarashi, Worcestershire, Tabasco, garlic, and eggs in large bowl until smooth. Gently fold in crushed oyster crackers, followed by crab meat. Do not break up lumps too much. Form mixture into a large, smooth mound in bowl. Cover and chill for 30 min. (or up to 12 hrs). Form into cakes about the size of tennis ball, 4-5 oz. each. Melt butter in saute pan and cook crab cakes over medium heat for about a minute and a half. Flip and cook 3-4 more minutes or until heated through and at desired crispness. Serve on toasted brioche roll with lettuce, tomato, and creamy mustard.


Roast Tenderloin Beef au Poivre
Langermann's
2400 Boston Street, Baltimore, MD 21224 • 410-534-3287 • langermanns.com

1 beef tenderloin (4-5 lbs.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley & thyme)
6 tbs. olive oil

ESPRESSO RUB
6 tbs. ground black pepper
6 tbs. kosher salt
2 tbs. paprika
2 tbs. onion powder
6 tbs. fine ground espresso coffee (dry)
1 tbs. cayenne
1/2 cup sugar

MADAGASCAR GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE
2 thinly sliced shallots
1 tbs. butter
1 quart demi-glace stock (can be purchased)
2 tbs. Madagascar green peppercorns (strained)
Salt and pepper to taste

Rub the tenderloin with olive oil until evenly coated. Combine espresso rub and brown sugar in a bowl and add the chopped herbs. Mix thoroughly. Coat the tenderloin on all sides. Refrigerate for at least 2 hrs. In a large sauté pan, heat 4 tbs. olive oil and sear tenderloin on all sides until browned. Place on a sheet pan in a 400-degree oven and allow to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 100 degrees. Remove from oven for 15 minutes, then return to oven and repeat process three more times, bringing the temperature to 110 degrees, 120 degrees, and 125-130 degrees, letting it rest for 15 minutes between each. When the internal temperature is 125-130
degrees, remove from oven and place on a cutting board. Allow to rest for 8 minutes. Slice and serve topped with Madagascar green peppercorn sauce. Madagascar green peppercorn sauce: In a medium saucepan, sauté shallots in tablespoon of butter. Add peppercorns and demi glace. Simmer 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and reduce to sauce consistency (until it coats the back of a spoon).

*The secret to this 10-serving dish, in addition to the aromatic espresso rub, is patience. The process takes a good hour but by
slowly reaching the desired temperature, in this case medium rare, the meat will be amazingly tender.


Spicy Fried Shrimp Appetizer
Reter’s Crab House and Grille
509 Main Street, Reistertown, MD 21136 • 410-526-3300 • reterscrabhouse.com

1 lb. medium shrimp (36-40)
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1 cup flour
1 cup plain bread crumbs
Canola oil (for frying)

Peel and de-vein shrimp and place in medium mixing bowl. Add hot sauce to cover shrimp. In a second bowl, combine fl our and bread crumbs. Using a slotted spoon, move coated shrimp to fl our and bread-crumb mixture and stir to completely coat. In skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees and add shrimp. Cook for 1 minute. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon or tongs and place on a paper towel to drain. Serve with bleu cheese or ranch dressing at your next holiday or football game gathering.


Sweet Potato Casserole
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Annapolis | Baltimore (Pier 5 | Water Street) | Pikesville

FILLING
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

CRUST
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup fl our
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
1/3 stick butter, melted

Combine crust ingredients in mixing bowl and set aside. Combine all filling ingredients in order listed in a mixing bowl. Pour thoroughly blended mixture into buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.


Pumpkin and Crab Tempura Sushi
Shanty Grille
3410 Plum Tree Drive • Ellicott City, MD 21042 • 410-465-9660 • shantygrille.com

1 cup sushi rice (cooked)
1 8-oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
6 tbs. sugar
4 sheets nori (dried seaweed wrap)
Rice wine vinegar
2 avocados
cooking oil (enough to cover the rolls)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup (4 oz.) crabmeat (jumbo or backfin)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup tempura batter (mix available at grocery store or Asian market)
Chopped scallion and sesame seeds (black and white) for garnish (optional)

Cook sushi rice (about 1/2 cup dry for 1 cup cooked). Mix pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Add to hot rice. Allow to cool. For each of four rolls, lay out a sheet of nori, sprinkle with rice wine vinegar. Place a sheet of nori on a rolling mat and spread about about 1/2
cup pumpkin and rice mixture on nori. Pat to fl atten rice and top with a line of slices from 1/2 avocado. Proceed to roll.* Coat rolls with tempura batter and cook in hot oil 2-3 minutes or until brown. While rolls are cooling, mix mayonnaise, crab, and cayenne. Top each
roll with equal portion of crab mixture. Slice and garnish with scallion and sesame seeds.
*Rolling maki rolls takes practice, but it’s easier to handle the sticky rice and manipulate the nori if you dip your hands in water. Start with the side closest to you and curl the edge over the rice to start the roll. Roll away from you, making sure the mat doesn’t become
part of the roll!


Lump Crab and Avocado
Tabrizi's
500 Harborview Drive, Baltimore, MD 21230 • 410-727-3663 • tabrizis.com

1 ripe Avocado (not too ripe)
6 oz. lump crab meat
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Juice from one ripe lemon
2 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste
Caviar optional
Green sprouts such as micro wasabi or red mustard leaves.

Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Discard pit and peel. Slice the bottom of each half about 1/8 thick, set aside. Blend garlic salt, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in blender for 30 seconds. Fill each half with crab meat, drizzle blended mix atop, place each sliced avocado from earlier on top of each mound, garnish with caviar or fresh greens.


Avocado and Corn Grilled Shrimp Seviche
From Chef James Rogers
Talara
615 President Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 • 410-528-9883 • talarabaltimore.com

1.5 lbs. wild shrimp
3 avocados
1 red bell pepper
3 ears corn
3 jalapeno peppers (1/2 cup chopped)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro (approx. 2/3 cups)
1/4 cup chopped red onion (1/4 onion)
1/4 cup of thinly sliced green onion
Juice from 10 limes or 1/2 cup lime juice
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and de-vein shrimp, toss with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through. Let cool and rough chop.
While shrimp is cooling, grill corn. Fine-dice red pepper, onions, jalapeno, and cilantro and toss with corn kernels. Remove skin and pits from avocados and chop into half-inch cubes. Gently toss with vegetables, lime juice, and shrimp in large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. Serve cold with corn tortilla chips.


Winter Vegetable Pot Pie
Waterfront Kitchen
1417 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD 21231 • 443-681-5310 • waterfrontkitchen.com

1/2 cup each rutabaga and sweet potato, 1/2-inch dice, roasted
1/2 cup each pearl onions and 1/2-inch diced celery, sauteed in butter
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, roasted
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Béchamel sauce
Fresh grated nutmeg, to taste
Sheets of frozen puff pastry

Mix first seven ingredients together. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide mixture evenly into four 8-ounce ramekins or fill a 32-ounce oven-proof casserole. Cut pastry to cover each dish with 1/2-inch overhang. Roll the pastry edges under to fit into each dish. Brush with beaten egg and bake in a 350 degree oven until the pastry browns and the contents bubble, about 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.