The Woodlands (Houston), TX (October 5, 2015) – Benchmark Hospitality International dives into National Seafood Month this October with a collection of recipes from its Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels® and Benchmark Resorts & Hotels® portfolios. Crafted by top chefs from more than a dozen properties across the country and the Caribbean – including Willows Lodge’s award-winning Barking Frog in Seattle’s Woodinville wine country, the buzzy Dirty Habit Restaurant & Bar at San Francisco’s Hotel Zelos, and the Forbes Four Star-rated Nine18 at Villas of Grand Cypress in Orlando – these culinary how-tos offer up a do-it-yourself taste of Benchmark Hospitality’s diverse group of destination resorts, hotels, and fine dining restaurants.
Barking Frog at Willows Lodge, Woodinville, Washington
Penn Cove Mussels with Coconut-Curry Broth by Chef Bobby Moore
Coconut-Curry Broth
Ingredients
- 1 bottle white wine
- 2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk Lemongrass, smashed
- 3 Kaffir Lime Leaves
- 1 large Shallot, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tbsp. Black Peppercorns
- 1 tbsp. Tumeric
Combine all of the above ingredients in a stock pot and reduce by 3/4. Strain and add to the following ingredients.
- 1 pinch – Saffron
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 1 can coconut milk (13/5 fl. oz.)
- ¼ cup cream of coconut
- 1/8 cup Yellow Curry Paste
Simmer for 15 minutes and cool.
- 1 lb. fresh mussels, cleaned and washed
- 3 oz. Coteghino (uncured Salami – you may also substitute a mild sausage or soft salami)
- 1 whole shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 head Baby Bok Choy, rough chopped
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth or stock
- 2 oz. curry base
- 1 tsp. butter
- Lime juice and salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. chopped Cilantro
Sauté Shallots and Coteghino (or similar sausage) in a small amount of oil until shallots are translucent. Add mussels and continue to sauté briefly. Deglaze with White Wine and let reduce until almost dry. Add Bok Choy and briefly sweat.
Add remaining ingredients (except Cilantro) and continue cooking until all Mussels are opened. Discard any unopened Mussels, season and finish with the Chopped Cilantro. Serve immediately with Grilled Naan or similar bread to accompany.
Dirty Habit Restaurant & Bar at Hotel Zelos, San Francisco, California
Seared King Salmon with Piperade by Chef David Bazirgan
Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 each 5oz portions king salmon, skin on
- Oil for cooking
- 2T butter
- Salt
Method
Sear the salmon skin side down until crispy, flip and baste with butter until medium rare.
Piperade
Ingredients
- 550g sliced onion
- 250g sliced peppers
- 40g sliced garlic
- 120g evoo
Cook until very soft add
- 100g tomato paste
- 30g sherry vin
- 20g espelette
- Salt to taste
Garnish
- Fried garlic
- Piment d’espelette
- Fleur de sel
Serve
Warm 4 plates. Set piperade on the center of each plate with fish on top, skin side up. Garnish with fried garlic, fleur de sel and espelette.
Nine18 at Villas of Grand Cypress, Orlando, Florida
Red Curry and Coconut Mussels by Chef Lonny Huot
Ingredients
- 50 mussels washed and beards removed
- 2 tbsp. Sesame oil
- 3 tbsp. Red curry paste
- 1 can Coconut milk
- 2 oz. Mirin wine
- 1 stock Lemon grass
- 1 tbsp. Shallots (Minced)
- 1 Tbsp. Garlic (Minced)
- 1 tbsp. Ginger (Minced)
- 1 tbsp. Cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tbsp. Scallions (sliced on a bias)
- 1 French baguette
- 3 tbsp. Butter (softened)
Method
In a large pan on high heat, put in the sesame oil, shallots, garlic, ginger, and lemon grass to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir constantly. Do not burn the garlic. Add the Mirin, coconut, milk, curry paste and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the mussels, cover and cook until they pop open. This should only take a minute or so. Watch them closely so not to overcook them. Remove and put in a large serving platter and finish with cilantro, scallions and grilled bread.
For the grilled bread:
Split the baguette and spread the butter evenly over the bread. Grill until golden brown.
Note: this is great for dipping in the sweet and spicy broth and is also delicious with steamed rice.
Las Ramblas at Hotel Contessa, San Antonio, Texas
Grilled Gulf Dorado with Seafood Caldo & Saffron by Chef Jeff Axline
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup olive oil
- 1 cup onion (small, diced)
- ¼ cup leeks (white part, rinsed and dried)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 fennel bulb (sliced thin)
- 1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1.5 qt. water
- 1 cup canned clam juice
- 1 bunch Italian parsley
- 8 Thyme sprigs
- ½ tsp. Saffron threads
- 1.5 lbs. unpeeled shrimp
- 3 lbs. mussels
- 1 lb. cooked lobster meat (chopped)
- 1 pt. Cherry tomatoes (sliced in halves)
- 10 red potatoes (sliced)
- 6 5-oz. portions of Dorado or Mahi Mahi
- Extra Virgin olive oil for a finishing drizzle
Method
In a medium sauce pan, heat ¼ cup of oil, add ½ of the onions, leeks, and fennel and cook till soft. Add the diced tomatoes and stir in the parsley and thyme. Add water and clam juice and slowly bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, remove the shells from the shrimp and add to the pot. Turn down heat and add saffron threads. Let simmer for about 45 minutes or until reduced by a third. Heat gas or charcoal grill to medium high. Strain through a chinois. In another medium sauce pan, add remaining oil and heat, add sliced potatoes and remaining onion, leek, garlic, and fennel. Cook until the onions become translucent, add the shrimp, mussels, and the broth. Finish off the broth with the cherry tomatoes and lobster meat, reduce heat and cover. Brush Dorado with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place serving side down on the preheated grill for about 5 minutes on each side.
Serve
Spoon equal amount of seafood broth into 6 bowls, and place the Dorado on top. Drizzle each bowl with the Extra Virgin olive oil.
The Pub at Doral Arrowwood, Rye Brook, New York
Porcini Dusted Diver Scallops & Butternut Squash Blinis by Chef Michael Schmutzer
Scallops
Ingredients
- 24 Diver Scallops or Jumbo Scallops (size U-10)
- 2 oz. olive oil
- ¼ cup Porcini powder
- Kosher salt
Method
Start by removing the muscle from each scallop and season with kosher salt. Preheat a large pan until very hot. Dip the seasoned scallops one by one in porcini dust and sear both sides at a very high heat until they are golden brown and heated through. Set aside and keep warm.
Butternut Squash Blini
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash (roasted)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup flour
- 4 oz. butter (room temperature)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a medium size mixing bowl, add squash purée, cream and egg yolks. Slowly add the flour until a doughy constancy is reached. In a preheated pan, melt butter and make eight equal sized blinis. Cook until brown on both sides and cooked thoroughly.
Roasted Tomato Coulis
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. chopped shallots
- 2 cup fresh tomato sauce
- ¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade
- 1 oz. olive oil
Method
In a small sauce pan, sauté shallots. Add tomato sauce, basil, salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes. Using a stick blender, purée until smooth, adding water if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
Porcini (also known as Cêpe or Steinpilze) is part of the fungi family and is widely regarded as the King of Mushrooms.
Haydens Post at Snow King Resort, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Bouillabaisse by Chef Josh Ladd
Ingredients
- 2 leeks, washed & small diced
- 2 red bell peppers, small diced
- 2 fennel bulbs, small diced
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. saffron
- 1 cup Pernod (Anise Liqueur)
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tsp. chopped fresh basil
- 1 gal. Fish Fumet (clam juice works if you are in a pinch)
- 2 lbs. of your favorite seafood (shrimp, clams, mussels, halibut, salmon, crab, lobster etc.)
- Zest and juice of 2 oranges
Method
Heat the oil in a pot. When oil is hot add leeks, red bell peppers, garlic cloves, fennel seeds & saffron. Sweat on medium heat until the veggies are soft. Add the Pernod & orange juice and reduce the liquid to au sec (until it is almost dry). Add the tomato paste and cook five minutes. Stir the bottom of the pot so the paste does not scorch and burn. Add the fish fumet and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and allow broth to simmer for 45 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the kosher salt and orange zest and mix well.
Season all the seafood well with salt and pepper, then add it to the simmering broth. Cook for about six minutes until seafood is just cooked through. Add the basil right before serving.
Serve with grilled bread, lemon wedges, and rouille.
For additional National Seafood Month recipes from Benchmark Hospitality International, please visit the following:
Linwoods Bar & Grill at Chaminade Resort & Spa, Santa Cruz, California
Steamy Mussels by Chef Kirsten Ponza
Broad Street Grille at The Chattanoogan, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Sautéed Golden Tilefish by Chef Adam Roe
Prairie River at Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Itasca (Chicago), Illinois
Christopher’s Restaurant at The Heldrich, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Citrus Ragu Grouper by Chef Joel Medero
Morada at Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, California
Honey-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass by Chef Brian Black
Shore at Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, Curacao
Seared Local Snapper with Crispy Shrimp Rolls and Butter Poached Scallops by Chef Heinrich Hortencia
Stillwaters at Stonewall Resort, Roanoke, West Virginia
