Ending With Berries And Cream

Executive Chef Mark Black
The Brown Palace Hotel
Denver, Colorado

Menu:
Mixed Garden Lettuces with Almond-Crusted Goat Cheese with White Grape Vinaigrette
Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Caramelized Fennel
Tempura Strawberries

Mixed Garden Lettuces with Almond-Crusted Goat Cheese And White Grape Vinaigrette
4 servings

Ingredients:
4 oz. Assorted lettuces
2 oz. Toasted almonds, chopped fine
4 oz. Goat cheese, sliced thin (use unflavored dental floss)
4 oz. Red seedless grapes, cut in half
1 ea. Shallot, minced
4 oz. White seedless grapes
2 oz. Grape seed oil
1 oz. Rice wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Puree the white grapes in a food processor. Strain the juice through a cheesecloth.
   
2. Add grape seed oil, rice wine vinegar and shallots to the white grape juice.
3. Whisk and adjust seasoning accordingly. Hold for service.
   
4. Gently coat goat cheese slices with toasted almonds.
   
5. Clean lettuces, pat dry, and hold in a separate salad bowl.

1. Carefully add desired amount of dressing to lettuces and gently toss.
   
2. Arrange lettuce on chilled salad plates.
   
3. Garnish with goat cheese and red grapes.

Ingredients:
4 ea. 5-ounce salmon fillets, boneless and skinless
2 oz. Olive oil
1 bulb Fennel, sliced thin
8 oz. Crimini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
6 oz. Sherry wine
3 oz. Whole butter
Salt and Pepper
1 oz. Sorrel, chiffonade

Method:

1. In a hot medium-sized pan, add 1 ounce of olive oil.
   
2. Add fennel and sauté until almost tender.
   
3. Add mushrooms and sherry wine.
   
4. Lower heat and reduce until almost dry.
   
5. Add butter and adjust seasoning. Hold warm for service.
   
6. Brush salmon fillets with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
   
7. Place on medium hot grill. After 2 minutes, turn fillets one-quarter turn and grill for 2 more minutes.
   
8. Turn fillets to opposite side and repeat step #7 or until desired doneness.

1. On warm dinner plates, spoon equal amounts of braised fennel and mushrooms onto the center of the plate.
   
2. Place salmon fillets on top and coat with remaining sauce from fennel-mushroom mix.
   
3. Garnish with sorrel and serve.

For Tempura Batter:
6 oz. All purpose flour
8 oz. Very cold water
1 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
1 Egg

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
   
2. Refrigerate.

8 oz. Half & Half
1 oz. Vanilla extract
3 oz. Granulated sugar
3 ea. Egg yolks

Method:

1. In a small sauce pot, combine half and half, and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil.
   
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar and egg yols. Mix well.
   
3. Slowly add half & half into sugar and egg yolks, while constantly whisking.
   
4. Pour mixture back into sauce pot, and while constantly whisking, heat until the sauce will coat the back of the spoon. Do not bring to a boil.
   
5. Remove from heat, cool in an ice bath, and refrigerate.

20 ea. Strawberries with long stems
1 cup Cinnamon-Sugar (1 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon)
1 qt. Vegetable oil
4 ea Mint sprigs

Method:

1. In a deep sauce pan, bring 1 quart of vegetable oil to 450 degrees.
   
2. Dip strawberries, one at a time, into tempura batter and place in the oil. Fry for approximately 30 seconds.
   
3. Remove and place in cinnamon sugar.

On chilled dessert plates, spoon vanilla cream onto plates. Place 5 strawberries on each plate.

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