Houston Restaurants & Food

Arcodoro will participate in Houston Restaurant Week between August 1 and 21. Executive chef Giancarlo Ferrera shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make a Scottish salmon with saba glaze and Sardinian summer fregula.

Saba is made from cooked grape must. Must is freshly pressed fruit juice (usually grape juice) that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit.
This dish will be on the menu during Houston Restaurant Week. Chef Ferrera also shows a sample three-course dinner that will be available during Houston Restaurant Week, which benefits the Houston Food Bank. The restaurant will donate $5 to the Houston Food Bank for every special dinner sold during the event.

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

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Source: Chef Giancarlo Ferrera, Arcodoro
Serves 4
Arcodoro’s Salmon with Saba Glaze & Cous Cous
(Salmone alla Saba with Fregula Estiva)

Salmon Dish Ingredients

4 fillets of Scottish salmon (6-8 ounces each)
½ cup Sardinian Saba
Sea Salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in a baking dish and brush with ¼ cup of the saba.
Sprinkle fillets with sea salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Remove fish from baking dish and place skin side down on a baking sheet. Cook in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

4. Brush with remaining saba and return to oven for an additional 3-5 minutes for saba to caramelize.

5. Drizzle with a good quality extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Summer Sardinian Cous Cous with Fresh Vegetables
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small zucchini, diced
1 small carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups Sardinian fregola (toasted pasta, llike cous cous)
1 pinch saffron
1 bay leaf
3 ripe roma tomatoes, diced
3 shallots, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 basil leaves, julienned
5 ounces pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, zested and juiced (separate juice and zest)
1 orange, zested and juiced (separate juice and zest)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring water to boil in large stock pot. Add zucchini, carrot, and celery and cook for 30 seconds.
Remove and transfer immediately to an ice bath. Drain and set vegetables aside to cool.

2. In a large stock pot, bring chicken stock to a boil. Once boiling, add the fregula, saffron, bay leaf and a pinch of salt.
Stir, and then cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. All liquid should have been absorbed by the fregula.
Remove from heat. Spread the fregula on to a sheet pan and let cool for 5 minutes.

3. Add fregula and vegetables to a large bowl. Add tomatoes, shallots, parsley, basil, olives. Stir to combine.
Stir in extra virgin olive oil and citrus juices, toss well. Put into serving dish or platter and sprinkle with lemon and orange zest.

Served chilled.

Source: Chef Giancarlo Ferrara, Arcodoro

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 20 oz. chicken tenderloins, cubed
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 3 tsp extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 dozen zucchini blossoms, chopped
• 1 pinch of saffron
• ½ cup vermentino white wine
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 zucchini, diced
• salt & pepper for seasoning

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken for 5 minutes in 1 teaspoon olive oil, thyme, salt & pepper.
2. Sautee chopped shallot and diced zucchini over medium heat in remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
3. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the cubed chicken. Stir, and cook for 4 minutes.
4. Continue to stir while adding a pinch of saffron, the chopped zucchini blossoms and the vermentino wine.
5. To complete the dish add the chicken stock and heavy cream. Let simmer for 2 minutes or until the sauce becomes creamy.
6. Serve with grilled asparagus and roasted fingerling potatoes or your choice of vegetables.

Source: Giancarlo Ferrara, Executive Chef from Arcodoro
For complete menu visit www.HoustonRestaurantWeek.com

Click here to watch Chef Ferrara and Houston restaurant journalist Cleverley Stone prepare the recipe on FOX 26 Morning News.

Serves Four

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Yellowfin Tuna fillet
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup fresh diced Roma tomatoes
• 3 oz chopped kalamata olives
• 2 oz capers
• 2 tsp. mixed herbs (chive, oregano, basil)
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 pinch paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Marinate the 4 fillets with half of the lemon zest, 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and fresh thyme for about 10 minutes.
2. While fish is marinating, make the tomato relish: combine tomatoes with the remaining olive oil, the remaining lemon zest, capers, olives, chopped garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
3. Preheat a Teflon pan and sear the fish for one minute on each side.
4. Remove from pan, place on cutting board. Cut each fillet into 3 slices.
5. Arrange them on four separate plates. Top with the tomato relish.

Buon Appetito!