Ettienne Leibman’s Potato Latkes & Wine Gadgets

After emigrating from South Africa, Ettienne Leibman opened Leibman’s Wine & Fine Foods in Houston, Texas in partnership with her husband Ralph in 1979. The store has a deli, featuring Ettienne’s dishes, including her famous chicken salad; a gift shop, a chocolate section and a wine shop. She shows food radio talk show host, Cleverley Stone, how to make mini potato latkes; talks about wines for New Year’s Eve and demonstrates some nifty wine gadgets.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show,
Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (PS: She gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)

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Mini Potato Pancakes/Latkes
Ettienne Leibman
Leibman’s Wine & Fine Foods

Ingredients
12 oz. potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes)
4 oz. onion (optional)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour or 2 Tablespoons Matzo Meal
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup vegetable oil

Directions
1. Using a food processor or hand grater shred the potatoes and the onions.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the potatoes, onions, eggs, flour or matzo meal, salt and pepper and mix together.
3. Heat the oil and using a 1 oz. ice cream scoop gently place the potato mixture into the oil, press down lightly
with a fork and cook until golden brown.
4. Turn over and cook the other side till golden brown.
5. Remove from oil and place on a wire cookie rack or on paper towels to drain.
6. Top with crème fraiche and a small dollop of caviar.

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Web links:
www.Leibmans.com
www.Cleverley.com

Haven Dishes for Houston Restaurant Week

Haven restaurant is participating in Houston Restaurant Week, continuing through August 21st.  Executive chef and partner Randy Evans shows us how to make three dishes that are on his menu: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Squash Blossom Sauce & Corn Relish; Flat Iron Steak with Roasted Potato Hash & 1015 Onions and Texas Fruit Ambrosia.  Evans is a graduate of the culinary program at the Art Institute of Houston. Prior to opening his own restaurant, Haven, he was the executive chef for Brennan’s, a Houston dining landmark. Evans also shows us a sample of a 3 course dinner that will be available at Haven during Houston Restaurant Week benefiting the Houston Food Bank. For details visit www.HoustonRestaurantWeek.com.
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Appetizer – Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Squash Blossom Sauce & Corn Relish
Serves 5
Ingredients for Crab Cakes
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Creole seafood seasoning
Juice of ½ a lime
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
1 tablespoon oil
1 recipe squash blossom sauce (see recipe below)
1 recipe corn relish
1 recipe pea shoot salad
Ingredients for Squash Blossom Sauce
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 small 1015 onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
2 cups vegetable stock or chicken broth
1 small boiling potato, peeled and roughly chopped
12 large (3 to 4-inch) squash blossoms
½ cup milk
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large ear of corn, husked, kernels cut from the cob
1/2 cup crème fraiche
Salt to taste
Ingredients for Corn Relish
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup roasted corn (about 1 ear)
1 tablespoon fire-roasted poblano peppers, skinned, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon minced 1015 onion
2 squash blossoms, sliced into strips
Ingredients for Pea Shoot Salad
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Steen’s sugarcane vinegar
1 teaspoon Steen’s sugarcane syrup
¼ cup sweet pea shoots
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation for the Crab Cakes

1. In a bowl, combine the corn, peppers, mayonnaise, parsley, seafood seasoning, lime juice, salt and pepper; add crab and fold together, taking care to not break up the crabmeat.
2. Then pack the mixture into 2½-inch metal cookie cutter rings. Heat oil in a large cast-iron pan or griddle over medium heat.
Place rings in the pan. Cook crab cakes for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Set aside.
Preparation for the Squash Blossom Sauce
1. In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the broth and potato, partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
2. Add the blossoms to the broth and simmer 3 more minutes.  Add the milk; bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes more.
Add the zucchini and corn, simmer a couple of more minutes and remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, taste, and season with salt. Puree the mixture and set aside.
Preparation for the Corn Relish
1. In a small sauté pan heat the oil over medium high and add ingredients and cook until onions are translucent.
Adjust the seasoning to taste. Set aside.
Preparation for the Pea Shoot Salad
1. In a bowl combine the oil, vinegar and syrup. Add pea shoots; toss and season to taste.
Presentation
1. Ladle Squash Blossom Sauce to cover plate. Center a crab cake on it and gently slide off rings.
Top with Corn Relish and Pea Shoot Salad and serve.
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Entree – Flat Iron Steak with Roasted Potato Hash & 1015 Onions
Flat Iron Steak with Roasted Potato Hash & 1015 Onions
Serves 4
Ingredients for Steak
4 flat iron steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients for Potato Hash
4 new potatoes, quartered
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small onion, julienned
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients for 1015 Onion Relish
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large 1015 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon cold butter
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation for 1015 Onion Relish
1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over low heat.
Add onion and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until caramelized.
2. Add wine and cook until reduced.
3. Remove from heat stir in cold butter. Season the onions with salt & pepper.

Preparation for Potato Hash
1. Pre-heat an oven at 400°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine ingredients and place on a baking pan in a single layer.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Preparation for Steak
1. Rub steaks with oil and season with salt & pepper.
2. Grill over high heat for 2 minutes on each side.
Place under broiler and cook until desired doneness.
3. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Presentation
Place a spoonful of potato hash in center of the plate.
Place the grilled steak on top of hash and top with onion relish.
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Dessert – Texas Fruit Ambrosia
Serves 12
Ingredients
2 peaches, peeled & sliced
2 plums, peeled & sliced
4 figs, quartered
2 Rio Queen navel oranges, segmented. Reserve the juice.
½ cup blackberries
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup pecan pieces
2 tablespoons toasted coconut
Ingredients for Lemon Curd
½ cup lemon juice
½ tablespoon lemon zest
1¼ cup sugar
4 eggs
1 sticks butter
Ingredients for Peach Sorbet
(makes 12 cups)
4 cups peach puree (made from 4 cups of sliced fresh peaches, pureed)
4 cups simple syrup (2 Qt water: 2½ cups sugar: 2 cups corn syrup)
5 cups water
Juice of half a lemon
Preparation for Lemon Curd
1. Over a double boiler, add lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and eggs.
Stir constantly – if you stop, the eggs will curdle.
When mix has become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat.
2. Add butter cubes and stir until completely incorporated.
3. Transfer curd to a shallow rectangular baking pan, cover with plastic directly
over top and refrigerate.
Preparation for Peach Sorbet
1. Combine the puree and simple syrup.
2. Add enough water to bring the mixture to between 16 & 20° Baume.
(You can use a saccharometer to measure this. Usually available at kitchen supply stores.)
3. Add the lemon juice.
4. Process in ice cream maker.
Presentation
1. In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients (fruits, pecans, toasted coconut, lemon curd)
except the sorbet.
2. Gently fold the ingredients to combine them. Try not to break up fruits into small pieces.
3. Place a scoop of fruit mixture in individual dessert bowl and top with a scoop of the peach sorbet.
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Web links: www.HavenHouston.com, www.HoustonRestaurantWeek.com, www.Cleverley.com
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For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show,
Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (PS: She gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)==================================