I'm soooo over winter! It's been a crazy season in Chicago and even though the weather isn't exactly cooperating, (it snowed six inches over the weekend), we're moving ahead with our plans for spring.
Peeks into the chef's inspiration: I'm so fortunate to be able to work with such talented chefs, like Richard James. This is one of his creations, featured on this month's Frontera Menu. (I've already eaten it three times this month.) The dish is called Pollo en Mole Blanco. It's a wood-grilled Gunthorp chicken breast served with a "white" mole of almonds, dried fruit, sweet spices and "blond" chile. I love the story behind how Richard created this dish. Rick isn't a huge fan of white moles, and because of that, they rarely appeared on our menus. Richard worked until he perfected his version of Mole Blanco, and needless to say, he won Rick over! Check out all the new dishes at Frontera and Topolo. Spring has sprung in the Morales Room. Looking for a venue for a graduation party, bridal shower or any other celebration this spring and summer? The Morales Room might be just what you're looking for. Our private dining room can accomodate up to 45 guests. All new seasonal menus will be posted on the web site in mid-April. Contact Elizabeth Entwhistle at 312-334-3662 or at eentwhistle@fronteragrill.net to set up a truly memorable party.
In the News. In the April issue of Saveur Magazine, Topolo was named as one of the "12 Restaurants That Matter."
Profiles of Frontera Farmer Foundation recipients. Meet Jody and Beth Osmund of Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm near Ottawa, Illinois. They moved back to Jody's family farm seven years ago after spending 15 years in corporate America. As Jody put it, "We needed to find a way to make a living on a small farm where we could stay independent and wouldn't require a huge capital investment." They were looking for a niche where they could concentrate their efforts into producing quality products in a sustainable manner with the positive enviromental benefit of locally produced food. They started with a vegetable CSA, and a few years ago, expanded to poultry, beef, and pork. In 2007, they decided to start a meat CSA, and in 2008, made the decision to focus on that sector of the business. They applied to the Frontera Farmer Foundation in order to expand their infrastucture. One of their purchases was a walk-in freezer. These improvements helped them grow their business from 50 CSA monthly shares to 190 monthly shares. That's a truly amazing growth, and why we feel so passionate about helping local farmers.
Frontera Farmer Foundation Benefit. Speaking of the Farmer Foundation, we've gotten so many requests to sign up to attend this year's benefit on June 14th, that we've decided to start taking reservations early. For those of you who may not be acquainted this event, the day is broken up into two parts. In the morning Frontera Grill is transformed into a one of a kind Farmer's Market. From Noon to 3pm meet and eat with our local farmers, staff and friends of the restaurant! Check out Rick in the test kitchen, great auction items, and see what it means to support our local farmers! Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 at the door. Then join us at 6pm for our annual Dinner like no Other! Five courses prepared just for this night, featuring early summer produce, meat and fish from local farms and producers. $125 per person. All proceeds go directly to capital development grants for local farmers. There are a limited number of reservations, and they tend to go fast, so don't wait too long before calling 312-661-1434 and making your reservation. New on the Web Site. We've added a new feature to our site called "Building Blocks for the Mexican Kitchen." Rick demos basic cooking preparations that are used in Mexican cooking. This month it's Roasted Poblana Rajas. He then turns the rajas into a finished dish with grilled chicken breasts.
Kitchen gadget adventure. Here's a gadget that we're constantly getting requests for more information. It's a 2-in-1 lemon and lime squeezer from AMCO which retails for $19.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond. It works for both lemons and limes, and it's coated in enamel, which means it's dishwasher safe. I use it all the time in both my kitchen at home and in the test kitchen, and you've probably seen Rick use it on the TV show.
Cocktail time. Jen, our bar manager, has a few tequila recommendations this month. Here are her thoughts on tequila pairings. "When I think of spring, what comes to mind are foods with delicate, fresh flavors. I recommend pairing blanco tequilas, since they won't overwhelm these flavors. Blanco is the designation that applies to the category of tequilas that are not aged. I've picked two of the more subtle blancos, since they're my personal favorites. Vida from the highlands of Jalisco is my first choice for its smooth, clean agave flavor. It's hinted with a touch of fresh coconut & a slight grassiness. My second pick is Oro Azul Blanco, which is just a touch richer and very easy drinking. This one displays the freshness of a light spring rain with a touch of chamomile." Also, if you get a chance, check out our cocktail menu which is now posted on our web site. Q: Hi Rick, I'm going to make cochinita pibil and I was wondering is there a difference in flavor from cooking it in an oven versus in a pit. I'm using pork shoulder. (if that helps). A: I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said that cochinita pibil tastes the same when baked in an oven or a wood-fired pit in the ground. The in-ground method produces a slightly smoky flavor and supple texture that you'll never get in an oven. That said, how many of us have the time or wherewithall to do the pit thing? And that's okay, because cochinita pibil in an oven (or a slow-cooker, for that matter) is a truely delicious thing. Bones matter, perhaps, even more than the pit. They add so much flavor. So be sure to use a bone-in pork shoulder roast for your cochinita pibil. And, if you're ever going to serve a crowd, buy a suckling pig. The additional flavor you get from the trotters (and head!) are incredible. New Recipes from the Test Kitchen. I've posted three recipes on the web site this month. The first is from the PBS special that Rick did called "A Moveable Feast with America's Favorite Chefs" for Café Tacuba-Style Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. The second is the grill method for cooking Cochinita Pibil in answer to the above blog question. The third is an updated recipe for Ripe Plantain Turnovers with Black Bean Filling.
Sustainability. We call this our rooftop salsa garden. Last year we had 45 earthboxes planted with tomatoes and chiles which we used in the restaurant. This year we're adding another 35 boxes. Earthboxes are a self contained gardening system, they're self-watering and self-fertilizing with the water reservoir in the bottom. The water wicks up through the soil into the roots, which means that it uses significantly less water than conventional gardening. Each box is 2 1/2 feet long, 15 inches wide and 1 foot tall, so that they can fit almost anywhere. Earthboxes are used by the Growing Connection, which is a grassroots project developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supported by a progressive coalition of private and public sector partners. How does it work? School gardening programs and community gardens around the world grow vegetables in an EarthBox system that becomes a common growing platform for all participants. Students grow food, conduct horticultural experiments and share their lessons and experiences with each other using IT connectivity. If you'd like to contribute to this worthwhile program, you can make a donation on-line at The Growing Connection.org.
Deb Silberstein Test Kitchen Director/Web Site Culinary Director P.S. If you happen to be in Dallas on April 25th, Rick will be appearing at the Macy's Galleria store from 2 - 4pm. For reservations call 866-226-0449. Follow Rick on Twitter Become a fan of Topolobampo on Facebook Become a fan of Frontera Grill on
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