Wine Country Fine Dining, On A Budget
Chef Douglas Keane is an award-winner who brings an air of elegance to the dinner table.
Keane is executive chef and owner of Cyrus restaurant in Sonoma County, the heart of California wine country.
Cyrus has been awarded a two-star Michelin rating, and Keane's been named Chef of the Year by Esquire Magazine.
He prepares exquisite meals every night of the week, and is used to cooking with luxurious ingredients, but can he do it on a budget?
As The Early Show's "Chef on a Shoestring" Saturday, Keane was put to the test. We challenged him to make a fabulous, three-course meal for four with only $40.
California, is an award-winning. As our Chef on a Shoestring, he will make a meal for four, on a budget of 40 dollars.
FOOD FACTS
Tri-Tip Steak: The tri-tip roast or steak (also called a triangle roast) is the 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 pounds of meat that sits at the bottom of the sirloin. It has great flavor and tends to be lower in fat than other cuts. However, it's a bit tough.
Creamed Corn: Creamed corn is a popular side dish in the Midwest that has slowly become a commonplace part of American cuisine. It's an almost soupy version of sweet corn. Creamed corn is partially puréed, releasing the liquid contents of the kernels. Often, butter or mild is added in homemade versions.
Menu: Cucumber Avocado Salad, Tri-Tip Beef with Sweet Corn, and Blueberry, Peach and Ginger Crumble
Take-Home Tips
RECIPES
Chilled Cucumber Avocado and Buttermilk Soup with Mint
6 Cucumbers, chopped (skins left on)
3 Avocados, peeled and pitted
2 cups Yogurt (plain whole milk)
2 cups Buttermilk
½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Salt
6 Fresh Mint Leaves, diced small
In a food processor, add cucumbers and avocadoes and blend for two to three minutes. Add rest of ingredients (except mint) and puree until smooth.
Transfer in batches to a blender and puree until very smooth (one to two minutes). Pass through a fine strainer.
Refrigerate for at least two hours or until it is well chilled.
Ladle into bowl and sprinkle with fresh mint just before serving.
FOR MORE OF KEANE'S RECIPES, GO TO PAGE 2.
Tri-Tip of Beef with Sweet Corn and Arugula
8 ounces Tri-Tip Beef, cleaned
1 tablespoon cooking oil (corn, olive, grape seed)
6 Ears Fresh Sweet Corn, creamed
1 bunch chives, sliced thin
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 cup arugula, cleaned
½ lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon olive oil
For Tri-Tip Beef:
Pre-heat oven to 375º
Season meat with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper
Heat a large pan on high heat with cooking oil.
Sear Tri-Tip in pan for three minutes on both sides, until a nice crust forms.
Place in oven at 375º for eight to ten minutes.
Pull out of oven and rest on meat rack for about fifteen minutes.
Rub the peeled garlic on outside of meat while resting.
For Corn:
In a small pan, heat creamed corn on low heat for two minutes.
Add all of the butter and chives.
Add ½ tsp salt.
Keep warm. (If it separates add 1 tablespoon of water)
For Arugula Salad:
In a mixing bowl, mix arugula, lemon, juice and olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper
Slice meat across the grain and season again with salt and pepper.
To serve, place a spoon of creamed corn on plate. Add a few slices of tri-tip and top with arugula salad.
Blueberry Peach and Ginger Crumble
2 pints blueberries, rinsed and stemmed
4 peaches, large dice
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lime, juiced
1 inch of ginger, peeled and chopped fine
1 cup ginger snap cookies, crumbled
1 pint vanilla ice cream
In a large bowl mix the blueberries, peaches, butter, sugar, flour, salt, lime and ginger and combine well.
Place fruit mixture in individual containers (2-3oz) and place on a baking pan in a 400º oven.
Cook for twenty minutes.
Pull out of oven and allow to cool for ten minutes.
Add crumbed cookies on top and finish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How did Keane do with our $40 budget?
1ST COURSE
Cucumbers $3.90
Avocados $6.00
Yogurt $1.20
Buttermilk $1.29
lime .25
Mint Leaves $1.49
2ND COURSE
Tri-Tip Beef $6.49
Corn $3.00
chives $1.49
Garlic .39
arugula .99
lemon .75
3RD COURSE
blueberries $5.00
peaches $1.89
ginger .48
ginger snap cookies $2.99
vanilla ice cream $1.99
FINAL COST = $39.59