Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2
Page 15
HABANERO HONEY SAUCE
1 cup water
I 6-ounce can tomato paste
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup honey
¼ cup molasses
1 teaspoon minced habanero
pepper (1 pepper)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon dried minced onion
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon liquid hickory smoke
⅓ cup white vinegar
MANGO RANCH DIPPING SAUCE
1 8-ounce bottle Hidden Valley
Ranch dressing
¼ cup mango juice (Kern’s is
good)
½ jolapeno, minced
6 to 10 cups vegetable oil (as
required by fryer)
10 chicken wings
salt
pepper
ON THE SIDE
cucumber sticks
1. Prepare habanero honey sauce by combining all ingredients except the vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer sauce for 1 hour uncovered, or until sauce reduces to about half of its original volume and thickens. Remove sauce from heat, mix in ⅓ cup white vinegar and cover.
2. Make the mango ranch dipping sauce by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill sauce until needed.
3. In your deep fryer, bring 6 to 10 cups of vegetable oil (or whatever is required by your fryer) to 375 degrees.
4. Drop in the wings and fry for 8 to 12 minutes or until the wings become golden brown. Drain wings for a few minutes on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Put wings in a large metal or glass bowl, add ½ cup of the habanero honey sauce and toss the wings until they are all coated. Serve with dipping sauce on the side and cucumber sticks, if desired.
• MAKES 10 WINGS (PLUS SAUCE FOR 20 MORE).
MARGARITAVILLE KEY LIME PIE
MENU DESCRIPTION: “A true taste of the tropics. National award-winning recipe.”
Many of the key lime pie recipes circulating, including the recipe found on bottles of key lime juice, have a glaring error: They don’t make enough filling to fit properly into a standard 9-inch graham crust pie shell. That’s probably because those recipes are designed around one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. But come on, if we’re going to make a beautifully thick key lime pie like the one served at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurants we need to use something like 1½ cans of sweetened condensed milk, or, more accurately, two cups of the stuff. The clone recipe for the pie is a simple one that’s for sure, with only four ingredients including the pie shell. But don’t stop there. I’m also including a special way to make mango sauce by simply reducing a couple cans of Kern’s mango juice. And there’s a raspberry sauce recipe here that’s made easily with frozen raspberries. These two sauces are used to jazz up the plate at the restaurant and are certainly optional for your clone version, even though I’ve made them as easy as, um, you know.
2 cups sweetened condensed milk
6 egg yolks
cup key lime juice
1 graham cracker pie shell
MANGO SAUCE
2 11.5-ounce cans Kern’s mango juice
RASPBERRY SAUCE
I ½ cups water
2 cups frozen raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar
GARNISH
canned whipped cream 4 thin lime slices, halved
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice. Mix just until ingredients are combined.
3. Pour filling into graham pie shell and bake on middle rack for 20 minutes or until filling jiggles only slightly when shaken. Cool. Cover pie and chill in refrigerator for a couple hours before serving.
4. Make mango sauce by bringing two cans of Kern’s mango juice to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cover and chill.
5. Make raspberry sauce by combining water and raspberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer raspberries for 10 minutes. Use a potato masher or a large spoon to crush the raspberries as they boil. Strain raspberry seeds from water, then put the liquid back into the saucepan and add the sugar. Bring mixture back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Cover and cool sauce until you are ready to serve the pie.
6. Prepare dessert by dribbling some mango sauce and some raspberry sauce onto a small plate (you can use spoons or squirt bottles for this). Place a slice of pie onto the sauce, add a dollop of whipped cream to the top of the pie slice with one half of a thin lime slice on top of the whipped cream.
• MAKES 8 SERVINGS,
MARIE CALLENDER’S LEMON CREAM CHEESE PIE
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Our melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese pie with a tangy lemon topping.”
Here’s a great double-layered pie with lemon topping covering a creamy cheesecake filling. It’s two great pies in one dessert. This creation has been huge seller for Marie Callender’s, and I’ve had nothing but raves from anyone who’s tried it—including a couple high fives and one affectionate rabbit punch. Make the crust from scratch like the pros using the recipe here, or take the easy route with a premade graham cracker crust found in the baking aisle. Either way it’s pie heaven.
CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted (½ stick)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
one 8-ounce pkg. cream cheese,
softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
I egg
LEMON FILLING
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
dash salt
1 cup water
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
I tablespoon butter
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and sugar in a small bowl. Press the crust mixture into an 8-inch pie pan.
3. Prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, vanilla and an egg using an electric mixer. Mix well until smooth. Pour cream cheese filling into graham cracker crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is cooked. A knife stuck in the middle of the filling should come out mostly clean.
4. As the pie cools, make the lemon filling by combining ½ cup sugar with cornstarch, salt and water in a small saucepan. Set mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often.
5. Whisk in egg yolks, then add lemon juice and butter When mixture simmers again immediately remove it from the heat.
6. Pour the lemon filling over the cream cheese filling, and let the pie cool. When cool, chill pie in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. Slice into 6 pieces to serve restaurant-size portions.
• MAKES 6 SERVINGS.
MARIE CALLENDER’S PUMPKIN PIE
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Our famous pumpkin pie has just the right amount of spice.”
The vittles from Marie Callender’s have made an impression beyond the chain’s West Coast roots with home-style packaged entrees and side dishes available in frozen food sections of supermarkets across the country. But pie making is where the chain excels. A fresh slice of a Marie Callender’s pie is as close as you’ll get to homemade heaven this side of grandma’s porch window. This clone is an obvious selection, since the restaurant sells more pumpkin pies than any other, even in non-holiday months. This clone is a perfect opportunity to improve on icky pumpkin pie recipes (like those found on ca
ns of canned pumpkin, for example) in many ways. For one thing, there’s no need to use canned evaporated milk when fresh whole milk and cream is so much better. Also, I’ve added a little brown sugar in there to contribute hints of molasses that go so well with the pumpkin and spices. And three eggs, versus two found in many recipes, will add to the richness and firmness of the cooked filling. After mixing the filling we’ll let it sit for a bit while waiting for the oven to preheat. This way it can come closer to room temperature, and the pie filling will bake more evenly. And then, of course, you’ve got the crust. Marie Callender’s pie crust is a treat, and the clone recipe included here—which uses a chilled combination of butter and shortening—results in the perfect mix of flavor and flakiness.
¼ cup butter, softened (½ stick)
¼ cup vegetable shortening
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water
FILLING
3 eggs
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
I teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
1. Prepare the crust by beating together the butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Chill until firm.
2. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Using a pastry knife or fork, cut the chilled butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the flour is mixed in and it has a crumbly texture. Mix egg yolk and ice water into the dough with a spoon then form it into a ball with your hands. Don’t work the dough too much or your crust will lose its flakiness. Flakey crust is good crust. Cover dough ball with plastic wrap to sit until the filling is ready.
4. Prepare filling by beating eggs. Add pumpkin and stir well to combine.
5. Combine sugars, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Stir spice mixture into the pumpkin. Mix in milk and cream.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While oven preheats let filling sit so that it can come closer to room temperature.
7. Unwrap pie dough, then roll it flat on a floured surface and line a 9-inch pie dish.
8. When oven is hot pour filling into pie shell, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife stuck in the middle comes out clean.
9. Cool pie, then chill. Slice chilled pie into 6 pieces to serve restaurant-size portions. Whipped cream on top is optional, but highly recommended.
• MAKES 6 SERVINGS.
MIMI’S CAFE CARROT RAISIN BREAD
It’s dark, moist and delicious, and it comes in a breadbasket to your table at this French-themed West Coast casual restaurant chain. Now the tastiest carrot bread ever can be yours to create at home with a couple of grated carrots, molasses, raisins and chopped walnuts. You’ll be baking this one in the oven for at least an hour. That should be enough time to warm up the house and send amazing smells wafting through every room. Line the carpet with newspaper to catch the family drool.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
I cup vegetable oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 tablespoons molasses
I teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrot
¼ cup crushed pineapple
1 cup raisins
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, molasses, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add shredded carrot and pineapple and mix. Add raisins and walnuts and mix well by hand.
4. Pour flour mixture into the other ingredients and stir until combined.
5. Pour batter into two greased 8-inch loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes, or until done.
• MAKES 2 LOAVES.
MIMI’S CAFE CORN CHOWDER
Arthur Simms was in the restaurant business for many years before he opened the first Mimi’s Cafe with his son, Tom, in Anaheim, California in 1978. Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood Arthur was the guy running things in the MGM Studios commissary where, on any given day, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable and Judy Garland might stop in for a grazing. Arthur named his New Orleans-influenced, bistro-style restaurant after a woman he met and fell in love with in Paris during the war. Today it’s Tom who runs the show at this growing 93-unit chain where regulars return for the staple favorites including the French Market Onion Soup (on page 230), Carrot Raisin Bread (on page 225) and the delicious Corn Chowder, cloned here.
2 tablespoons butter
2 large celery stalks, chopped
(about ½ cups)
½ cup diced white onion
4 cups water
1 russet potato, peeled and cut
into ½-inch cubes (about
2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 15-ounce can cream-style corn
(with liquid)
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn
(with liquid)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups half-and-half
GARNISH
minced fresh parsley
1. Sauté celery and onion in the butter for 5 minutes in a large saucepan or stock pot. Don’t brown.
2. Add 4 cups of water, chopped potato, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add creamed corn (with liquid), canned whole corn (with liquid), sugar, salt, and white pepper and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine flour with half-and-half and stir until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until thick.
5. Serve by spooning a I-cup portion into a small bowl and sprinkle a little minced fresh parsley on top.
• MAKES 2 QUARTS (EIGHT I -CUP SERVINGS).
MIMI’S CAFE FRENCH MARKET ONION SOUP
You might not think that a tough World War II flying ace would open a restaurant called “Mimi’s,” but that’s exactly what happened in the 1970s. Arthur J. Simms flew spy missions over France during the war and helped liberate a small French town near Versailles. After the war, Arthur ran the commissary at MGM studios in Hollywood, stuffing the bellies of big-time celebs like Judy Garland, Clark Gable and Mickey Rooney. He later joined his son, Tom, in several restaurant ventures including one called “French Quarter” in West Hollywood. This was the prototype for the French-themed Mimi’s Cafe. In 1978, the first Mimi’s opened in Anaheim, California. Today there are over 90 Mimi’s in the chain with a new one opening every other week; all of them serving this amazing French onion soup that’s topped with not one, not two ... three different cheeses. Oui!
¼ cup butter
3 medium white onions, sliced
3 14-ounce cans beef broth
(Swanson is best)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons Kraft grated
Parmesan cheese
6 to 12 slices French bread
(baguette)
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices mozzarella cheese
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
cheese
1. Saute onions in melted butter in a large soup pot or saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes or until onions begin to brown
and turn transparent.
2. Add beef broth, salt and garlic powder to onions. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for I hour. Add the grated Parmesan cheese in the last 10 minutes of cooking the soup.
3. When soup is done, preheat oven to 350 degrees and toast the French bread slices for about 10 to 12 minutes or until they begin to brown. When bread is done, set oven to broil.
4. Build each serving of soup by spooning about 1 cup of soup into an oven-safe bowl. Float a toasted slice or two of bread on top of the soup, then add a slice of Swiss cheese on top of that. Place a slice of mozzarella on next and sprinkle I tablespoon of shredded Parmesan cheese over the top of the other cheeses.
5. Place the soup bowl on a baking sheet and broil for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.