A press release alerted me that John Gorham, chef/owner of Portland’s Toro Bravo, created the first-place-winning dish–Elk Soup–at Nicky USA’s eighth annual Wild About Game Cook-Off. Each of the 10 participating Portland- and Seattle-based chefs had two hours to prepare a unique dish using wild- and farm-raised game or fowl for the panel of three judges.

The winning chefs included first-place winner John Gorham of Toro Bravo for his Elk Soup with a Kidney Mousse Toast. “The soup was prepared with handmade noodles, tongue, chanterelles, seared cauliflower, sliced raw salted tenderloin, charred tenderloin, and chives in a savory broth. The mousse included kidneys, bacon, foie gras, apples, onions, and chanterelles,” according to the press release. 

Second-place chef Dustin Clark of Wildwood in Portland created Creamed Lacinato-Kale-Stuffed Rabbit Saddle with a Leek-and-Cauliflower Ragout and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Olives.

Third-place winner Pascal Chureau, of Portland’s Lucier and Fenouil, cooked up Pan-Roasted Squab Breast with Toasted Farro & Cabbage Paupiette, Chanterelles, and Coffee Consommé.

Not designed for the faint of heart, vegetarians, or casual cooks, nonetheless, here’s the prize-winning recipe (untested by yours truly, but try it at your own risk!).

Elk Soup

Serves 6

Homemade Pasta

12 egg yolks

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

19 ounces flour

Blend wet ingredients in blender, then mix with flour and salt with dough hook until ball forms.  Roll pasta and cut into thin noodles.  Just before severing, cook pasta in salted water, strain and toss with fresh parsley.

Kidney Mousse

2 elk kidneys soaked in milk for an half hour

4 ounces foie gras

3 ounces bacon

1/2 apple, diced

1/2 onion, diced

5 chanterelles, chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary and sage

4 ounces butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup bourbon

In a very hot sauté pan, sear off kidneys until very brown, yet not over cooked.  Sear off foie gras.  Sauté bacon until crisp then add the rest of the ingredients and cook until everything has color and is cooked through. Put everything in blender and blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve and cool.

Elk Broth and Tongue

Elk Tenderloin scrapes (from the Tenderloin preparation)

1 Elk Kidney

1 Elk Tongue

1 apple, diced 

2 cups chanterelles 

1 carrot, diced

1 rib of celery, diced

2 onions, diced

2 ounces fresh ginger, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

3 Arbol chilies

1 stick of cinnamon

4 cups of water 

Sear tenderloin scraps, kidney and tongue in a very hot pan.  Once the meat has nice color add everything else except the water.   Cook until the mixture has nice color.  Deglaze with water and simmer for 90 minutes, strain and set aside tongue.  Season the broth with salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice.  Just before serving clean tongue and rub meat with salt.  Cut tongue into small cubes.

Elk Tenderloin 

1 Elk Tenderloin

2T of each rosemary, garlic, and sage

Kosher salt 

Black pepper
 
Clean tenderloin, reserving scraps for Elk Broth.  Cut the tenderloin in half.  Pack one half of the Tenderloin in salt and place in the freezer.  Rub the other half with rosemary, sage, garlic, salt and pepper.  Sear the rubbed tenderloin in a very hot pan, but leave it very rare. Hand slice.  Once salted tenderloin is firm remove from freezer.  Slice very thin on a meat slicer or carefully by hand.

Chanterelles

6 perfect chanterelles

1/2 cup of Elk Broth
 
Poach chanterelles in elk broth and season just before serving soup. Reserve for plating.

Cauliflower

1 cup of small cauliflower flowers

1 head of garlic 

1 stem of rosemary

1/2 cup salt

4 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

 Boil rosemary, garlic, and salt in water.  Quickly blanch cauliflower and pat dry.  Sear in a very hot pan with butter.  Reserve for plating.

To Serve

Place the homemade pasta noodles in bottom of individual serving bowl.  Next add chanterelles, cubes of salted tongue, seared cauliflower, then add salted elk tenderloin slices, seared elk tenderloin slices and pour hot broth on top.  Garnish soup with chives.  Serve with grilled rustic bread and the Elk Kidney Mousse.

You know we’ve marveled about the wonderful brunch/lunch options at Etta’s Seafood, Steelhead Diner, and Cafe Campagne, places we frequent on the weekends with some regularity. 

But recently, when all these places were doing a land-office business, we strolled over to Maximilien to get the lay of the land. Luckily, there was a table for two in the lovely front room, with sweeping views of Puget Sound that bounced from the plate-glass windows to the gilded vintage mirrors. 

Spencer enjoyed the classic Steak Frites, a hearty trio of hanger steak, French fries, and perfectly sunny-side-up eggs hovering atop.

I opted for the dieter’s special (with the holidays upcoming and all). Here’s my Salmon Caesar, with its perfectly grilled, pretty-in-pink salmon fillet atop good greens and a pleasantly Caesar-y sauce. Cherry tomatoes, red onions, and walnuts were other tasty touches. A glass of bubbly (French Cremant) made for a pleasant pairing. 

Pastry chef Ryan Witcher is doing great things in his new post at ART Restaurant and Lounge in the Four Seasons Seattle Hotel and Residences. We’ve enjoyed his Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate–chocolate mousse cake, white chocolate espresso foam, and coffee butterscotch sauce; Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta with Sauternes Ice and White Chocolate Crisp; and his ART Cheesecake with Citrus Sauce and Mascarpone Cream.

But for sheer naughtiness and comfort food, his Donuts in a Box win the prize. Here’s a shot of the ‘nuts in all their glory. 

Since its debut two years ago, I’ve been a big fan of DRY Soda’s savory beverages in flavors that include Kumquat, Lemongrass, Rhubarb, and Lavender. Good news is that last month, founder Sharelle Klaus introduced two new (yummy!) flavors–Juniper Berry and Vanilla Bean. Here are shots of the newest offerings.

You can read the article I wrote about DRY Soda in The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine. 

One of our fave restos in the Pike Place Market, The Pink Door, is celebrating 27 years in business in December by offering a four-course, fixed-price menu for $30 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).

We’ll be there to sample the inspired menu devised by La Padrona herself, Pink Door owner and founder Jackie Roberts, and chef Steve Smrstik. Here’s a bit of background on the prix-fixe menu: “For the first seven years it was open, The Pink Door featured a fixed-price, four-course menu which drew rave reviews. In fact, The Pink Door still gets calls and requests from some guests asking if they’d bring it back. To honor its birthday, The Pink Door answered the call and unveiled a fabulous four-course menu created exclusively to celebrate its 27th year of magical life!

And here’s the menu:

First Course

Antipasto Misto (a little taste of everything!)

Second Course

Paglia e Fieno (“Straw & hay” white and green fettuccine with exotic mushrooms, light cream sauce, fresh herbs, and essence of truffle)

Third Course (Choice of Entrée)

Cioppino

Prawns, mussels, clams, and calamari in a spicy tomato & white wine broth

Braised Short Ribs

With celery leaf gremolata, farro, and oven-roasted vegetables

Semolina Gnocchi alla Romana

Gorgonzola sauce, toasted walnuts, and spinach

Fourth Course

Butler Farms Salad

(Lara Ferroni Photo)

Whenever we eat at Rover’s restaurant in the Madison Valley neighborhood near downtown Seattle, my husband Spencer always orders chef Thierry Rautureau’s famous Scrambled Eggs with Lime Crème Fraîche and White Sturgeon Caviar. After scarfing the delicate egg dish, Spencer always (only half-jokingly) says he would like me to make that for him for breakfast every day!

A press release and accompanying photo reminded me of the decadent dish, which would be a perfect holiday treat. It also reminded me that, “December is the perfect month for a bit of indulgence. Whether it’s an extravagant gift for a loved one or that extra plate of homemade fudge, December is full of little pleasures. It’s no coincidence that December is also caviar month at Rover’s. Indulge with the Caviar Martini featuring Belvedere vodka and a tasting of white sturgeon caviar for a treat James Bond might appreciate, or indulge with a tasting ‘flight’ of American caviar and blinis (a buckwheat pancake similar to a crepe) for the ultimate caviar experience.”

Sign me up! Here are particulars on the martini and caviar flight.

Caviar Martini ~ $25

Belvedere Vodka (shaken, not stirred) alongside a tasting of white sturgeon caviar served a mound of shaved ice

Degustation de American Caviar ~ $85

A glass of Veuve Cliquot Rosé Champagne

Scrambled Eggs with Lime Crème Fraîche and White Sturgeon Caviar

Buckwheat Blinis

Montana Paddlefish Caviar

Montana Golden White Fish Caviar

Alaska Ikura Caviar

The second edition of Pike Place Palate is available for early orders. Learn about honey producers, a flower grower, Market restaurants, and much more. There’s also a directory of all Market retail shops and craftspeople (divided by category)–a great help for holiday shopping. Read more here and order your copy today!

Shown above is our colleague Michael Allemeier (right), executive chef of Mission Hill Family Estate winery in Westbank, British Columbia, during a ceremony where he was presented with a Silver Star of Excellence from the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is an international gastronomic society devoted to promoting fine dining and preserving the camaraderie and pleasures of the table in more than 120 countries around the world.

The Silver Star was awarded to Allemeier in late October at the annual induction dinner held at the winery. It honors the chef’s 15 years of service and dedication to the Paris-based epicurean organization and for overseeing the Jeunes Commis Rôtisseurs Competition for young chefs.

“It’s a privilege to be part of such a prestigious organization with its long history of culinary and dining traditions,” says Allemeier. “Helping mentor and develop the next generation of cooks through the Jeunes Commis Rôtisseurs Competition has been a real pleasure for me. I believe all good farmers need to replenish resources we’ve taken out; giving back to the culinary community by cultivating future chefs is one of the greatest ways for us to do this.” Hear, hear! 

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we joined two wild-and-crazy friends for a movie at the Harvard Exit (Slumdog MIllionaire–highly recommended–Spencer and I both gave it four out of five stars) followed by dinner at Jerry Traunfeld’s (former, long-time chef at The Herbfarm) new restaurant, Poppy. The place has been open several months, and while we were embarrassed that this was our first foray, I really prefer to give new restaurants some time to work out the kinks. And glad to report, we weren’t disappointed.

The space along Broadway atop Capitol Hill is clicking along with good energy, big crowds (reservations are a must on Friday and Saturday nights), and assured (and gracious) service. Not least of all is the very creative menu and inspired wine pairings, as well as cocktails and wines by the glass or bottle.

To start, we began with the Eggplant Fries with Sea Salt & Honey, the perfect combo of pillow-soft, thinly sliced eggplant drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sea salt. I’m not sure how Jerry makes this dish–perhaps similar to Pommes Frites where the potatoes are fried once, allowed to drain, then fried again just before serving (?). Anyway, however they are made, they are totally addictive.

All four of us opted for the Thali of the day, which was titled, “A Thali After the Holiday” ($32). In inspired twists on traditional Thanksgiving offerings, it included Potato, Leek, and Taggia Olive Soup; Rosemary-Ginger Yams with Spiced Coconut and a divine fillo-wrapped Cranberry “Cigar;” and Mushroom Marjoram Bread Pudding–yum. Salads included a refreshing Persimmon, Fennel, and Chervil Salad; Shaved Cauliflower with Buddha Hand (not sure what that was, but it added an intriguing flavor sensation); and Fennel Lemon Pickle. Five-Seed Kale was the seasonal veggie, while the large British Columbia Scallop with Vanilla Parsnip Purée and Saffron Cider Sauce (topped with gently fried shallot rings) was my favorite protein on the plate. Quail from the Tandoor was perfectly cooked–flavorfully spiced and moist–and rested on a rich, yet bright Pomegranate Walnut Sauce. 

If we’d wanted to go entirely vegetarian, or simply trade out one or two of the dishes, substitutions of a Leek Blintz with Chestnuts and Porcini or Swiss Chard and Chanterelle Gratin were available. 

There was also A Smali After the Holiday, choice of one dish served with soup, cauliflower, yams, pickle, bread pudding, and the cigar ($22). 

The neat thing (literally and figuratively) about eating in the Thali style (eight or nine small dishes on a large platter–it originated in India, which is where chef Jerry discovered it about a year ago) is that everyone gets his or her own large platter with all the dishes. No sharing à la the recent wave of “small plates,” “tapas,” “pintxos,” “mezes,” or whatever else you want to call them. No accidental stabbing of hands or slicing of fingers as everyone at the table tries to snatch a tiny bite of the Lilliputan-sized dish before it is all gone. No more going home half-starved because you never get enough to eat. Dining Thali-style is a revelation!

Two Sweet Thalis for Two allowed our party of four to taste through almost all of pastry chef Dana Cree’s (former Veil and The Ruins) incredible dessert delights. The little kid in me loved the Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with a rich fudge sauce, while the adult side swooned over the Pear and Sour Cherry Crumble with Blue Cheese Ice Cream (chef Jerry’s fave dessert–an exquisite melding of sweet and savory). Like the main-dish Thali, the Sweet Thali included interesting side dishes to nibble and sip: Pear Rosemary Soup, Chocolate Caramel Truffle, Coconut Haystack (like the best coconut macaroon you’ve ever tasted!), and Spiced Toffee Cashews.

There’s even a Thali Wine Flight ($14) that included a nicely dry but flavorful French Chablis, A to Z 2007 Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, and Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Red, a red blend from the Columbia Valley. Our server encouraged us to try each of the wines with the different dishes–there were no set pairings or “right” or “wrong”–which took the pressure off and added to the sense of discovery and fun during the meal.

After a glass of Andrew Rich Late-Harvest Gewürzt for me, and a final pour of the Oregon Pinot or the red blend for my fellow diners, we were amazed to see it was 11 o’clock, and we’d passed a very pleasant two-plus hours tasting through Poppy’s outstanding offerings. We also all agreed that dining Thali-style at such reasonable prices in a contemporary, yet warm, urban setting will have the crowds, and us, clamoring for more, and often!

Poppy

622 Broadway East at Roy

Seattle, WA  98102

206.324.1108