Chef Darian’s Blog

How about a recipe.

February 14, 2009 on 6:18 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

I recently taught a class in Cuero, Texas at the Cooking Depot. It was a lunch class with about 30 wonderful women in attendance. I think it is safe to say that a good time was had by all. Good food, good company and most of all, we all had a few good laughs. I thought I would share one of the recipes with you. Enjoy!

Steak Pinwheels with Fontina and Salami

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 whole green onion, sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
4 ounces thinly sliced salami
8 ounces fontina cheese, cubed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs, toasted
1/4 cup pecan oil
3 tablespoons pecan oil
3 pounds beef tenderloin

Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, scallions, parsley, salami, Fontina, Parmesan, and bread crumbs and mix well. Add ¼ cup of the pecan oil and mix well with your hands or a spoon. Set aside.

2. Cut six 15-inch-long pieces of kitchen twine (if you grill on the stove top you can use silicone ties instead of kitchen twine). Open out the beef (butterflied and pounded out), season on both sides with salt and pepper, and place it on a work surface so a long side is toward you. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the beef, leaving a ½-inch border along the side farthest from you; press and gently pack the stuffing mixture onto the beef to keep it in place (you may have a little stuffing left over—it makes a great Panini filling). Starting from the side nearest you, roll up the meat like a jelly roll, pressing any stuffing that falls out of the ends back into the roll, and tie tightly with the twine, spacing the ties evenly (it’s easier if you have a friend to tie the beef while you hold the roll together). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to make a compact roll, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.

3. Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or heat a nonstick grill pan on your stove top.

4. Carefully unwrap the beef roll and, using a very sharp knife, cut it between the ties into six 1½-inch-thick pinwheels. Brush gently on both sides with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecan oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Gently lay the pinwheels on the hot part of the grill and cook, unmoved, for 5 to 7 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn each pinwheel over and cook for 4 minutes longer for medium-rare. (Don’t be alarmed if some of the cheese in the stuffing starts to melt and char on the grill, making kind of a savory Florentine-cookie-like thing; but if you find it charring too much, move the pinwheels to a slightly cooler part of the grill.) Transfer to a platter and serve.

We served this with Polenta and Fresh Tomato and Basil Salsa!

Not forgotten!

February 4, 2009 on 6:26 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

Well, It has been a few weeks since I returned home from Ireland and I haven’t made one post! I am a little ashamed of myself. I have gotten back to the routine of school only to realize that on May 15 it will be over! The classes left, geometry, accounting and statistics. Could I have chosen three classes to take the last semester that might not have been such a challenge for me? Who ever said that I take the easy way out?!

I have to tell you that I had almost 15 days of free time to travel with my family after I finished working at the castle. It was a great time. It was also so incredibly cold! I don’t think my feet ever really thawed out until I was in Houston a couple of hours. It was good to be home again. Why would anyone ever want to leave Texas?

On Friday we had a great class at The Cooking Depot. I will get some of the recipes on my website in the next few days. I am having another on the 6th of February. It is a lunch class with some easy and delicious recipes. The next two classes will be in March on the 27 and 28. Check out the schedule for the specifics on class times and recipes.

Well, off to class. Enjoy your dinner and don’t eat too fast (that’s what my Mom always said)!