Benjy’s on Washington and Benjy’s Rice Village are participating in Houston Restaurant Week, which ends on Labor Day Sept. 6. Executive chef Mike Potowski demonstrates how to make three dishes that are on the Houston Restaurant Week menu: Pork Potstickers with Sesame Ponzu and Cucumber Kimchi, Pan Roasted Salmon with Tangerine Vanilla Vinaigrette & Edamame Couscous and Butterscotch Bread Pudding. Owner, Benjy Levit, explains on FOX 26 Morning News Extra hohis restaurants and his participation in Houston Restaurant Week, benefiting the Houston Food Bank. Restaurant journalist and radio show host Cleverley Stone is the founder and event chair of Houston Restaurant Week.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show, Saturdays at Noon on Talk KIKK-650 AM. (By the way, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)

Pork Potstickers with Sesame Ponzu & Cucumber Kimchi
Chef Mike Potowski
Benjy’s on Washington

Dumpling Ingredients
Pork butt, ground 1 lb
Cabbage, minced 1 cup
Shiitake mushroom, minced ½ cup
Ginger, ground 2 tbsp
Garlic, ground 2 tbsp
Green onion, chopped 2 bunch
Soy sauce, light ½ cup
Sesame oil ¼ cup
Pot sticker skins 1 pkg

Ponzu Ingredients
Ponzu 1 cup
Soy sauce, light 2 cups
Sesame seeds, toasted 1 tbsp

Kimchi Ingredients
Cucumber, English, chopped 1 ea.
Onion, white, chopped ½ cup
Garlic, ground 1 tbsp
Ginger, ground 1 tsp
Sriracha 1 tbsp
Fish sauce 3 tbsp
Rice vinegar 3 tbsp

Dumpling Preparation
1. Sauté cabbage, shiitake mushroom, ginger, and garlic with canola oil for 10 minutes.
2. Place in cooler to chill.
3. Mix pork butt, green onion, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a chilled bowl.
4. Take a napkin and place the cabbage and mushroom mixture in the middle.
5. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
6. Add the mixture to the pork and mix thoroughly.
7. Cook a little bit of the mixture to check for seasoning.
8. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
9. Spray one dumpling skin with water and add 2 tsp of pork mix to the middle and seal tightly. Repeat
10. Place dumplings on pan lightly dusted with flour.

Ponzu Preparation
1. Mix all the ingredients together and place in the cooler.

Kimchi Preparation
1. Heat the garlic, ginger, sriracha, fish sauce, and rice vinegar to a boil.
2. Pour the mixture over the cucumber and white onion, and chill for 1 week.

Assembly
1. In a nonstick pan, add 2 tbsp of canola oil and place the dumplings in the middle of the pan.
2. Pan sear for 5 minutes then add a cup of water to the pan and cover.
3. Remove the cover after 5 minutes and remove all the liquid.
4. Add 1 tbsp of canola oil and sauté the potstickers until crispy.
5. Serve with kimchi and ponzu on top.

Pan Roasted Salmon with Tangerine Vanilla Vinaigrette & Edamame Couscous
Chef Mike Potowski
Benjy’s on Washington

Salmon Ingredients
Salmon, four 5 oz. filets
Chermoula seasoning to taste
Juice, lemon to taste
Butter, room temperature to taste

Edamame Cous Cous Ingredients
Edamame beans, 1 cup, shelled
Onion, minced ½ cup
Garlic, ground 1 tbsp
Bulgur wheat 1 ½ cups
Chicken stock 2 1/2 cups
Sweet chili sauce ½ cup

Vinaigrette Ingredients
Vanilla bean, one, split, seeds removed
Tangerine segments ½ cup
Shallots, minced 2 tbsp
Vinegar, rice ¼ cup
Olive oil ½ cup

Couscous Preparation
1. Sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add the chicken stock and sweet chili sauce, bring to a boil.
3. Add the bulgur wheat and edamame and cover immediately.
4. Turn the heat to the lowest setting possible. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Vinaigrette Preparation
1. Mix all the ingredients together and place in the cooler to chill.

Salmon Preparation
1. Season with chermoula seasoning and olive oil.
2. In a medium hot skillet add a tbsp of olive oil and add the salmon.
3. Cook the salmon for 2 minutes on one side and 4 minutes on the other side.
4. Add a tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of lemon juice to the salmon.
5. Once the butter has melted, remove the salmon steaks.

Serve the salmon over a bed of couscous and top with the tangerine/vanilla vinaigrette.

Butterscotch bread Pudding
Chef Mike Potowski
Benjy’s on Washington

Ingredients
Brioche, toasted, diced, 1 pound
Butter, unsalted, ¼ lb
Water, ¼ cup
Sugar, ½ cup
Heavy cream, 2 cups
Milk, 2 cups
Butterscotch liquor, 2 tbsp
Eggs, 4 ea.
Hazelnuts, toasted, crushed, 2 tbsp

Preparation
1. Place water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil until it turns golden brown.
2. Carefully add butter, heavy cream, milk, and butterscotch.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Remove ¼ of the sauce and reserve.
5. Add the eggs to the butterscotch mixture and mix rapidly.
6. Strain the sauce through a fine strainer.
7. Add the strained sauce to the toasted brioche and add the hazelnut.
8. Let the brioche absorb the sauce for 1 hour at room temperature.
9. Plastic wrap the container and wrap again with aluminum foil.
10. Bake in a water bath at 300*F for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

To serve, cut the bread pudding into desired size and top with reserved butterscotch sauce and your favorite ice cream.