Morels

Buttered Popcorn Grits

Morel Mushrooms

Slow Poached Egg

Pork Cracklins'

Bing Cherry "Porkelaise"

Micro Basil

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Raw and Cooked Spring Radish

Purple Plum Radish, Cincinatti Radish, Icecycle Radish, Easter Egg Radish

Both Butter Poached and Raw

Shaved Texas 1015 Onion

First of the Season Bing Cherries

"The Elements of Ranch": Buttermilk Powder, Garlic Chips, Red Wine Vinaigrette and Chive

Amberjack

Seared Amberjack a la Plancha

Local Squash (Roasted Seeds, Raw Ribbons, Sous Vide Parisenne, Seared Triangles, Sous Vide Tops, Ash)

Crispy Chicken Skin

Fried Egg Emulsion

Charred Cumin Oil

Basil

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Sous Vide Baby Turnip Salad

SV Baby Turnips
Porcini- Raspberry Soil
Shaved Serrano Ham
Real Ale Pale Ale Gelee
Balsamic
Patio Herbs

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Trumpet Royale Mushroom Salad

Seared Trupet Royale

House Cured Lomo

Pickled Pearl Onion

Dates

Horseradish "Ranch Dressing"

Mushroom Ash

Patio Herbs

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Scallop

I came up with this dish a few weeks, originally for a wine dinner with hopes it would end up on our spring menu. This is version 1.1 I did for special tasting last night. I have always loved the evolution of a dish, but maybe its time I concentrate on the refinement of a dish.

Seared Diver Scallop
Glazed Baby Turnip
Preserved Kumquat
Kumquat Puree
Nori Puree
Micro Arugula

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Raspberry Sorbet

This is one of the desserts we ran as part of our Valentine's Day prix fixe. Its funny to think how much I used to dislike pastry, and see much I have been enjoying it lately.
Raspberry Sorbet
Licorice Shortbread
Raspberry Pearls
Mint Consomme

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Lamb Tartare

Lamb Loin Tartare
Bacon 3 Ways: Jam, Nougat, Foam
Pickled Pearl Onions
Whole Grain Mustard

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Apricot Stuffed Foie Gras Terrine

Liquid Apricot Stuffed Foie Terrine
Pinenut Crumble
Fennel Jam
Micro Arugula

This is a very cool technique I learned while staging at WD~50. The same idea a liquid filled chocolate truffles.

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Holiday Grape Sorbet

Holiday Grape Sorbet
Warm Juniper Pudding
Caramelized White Chocolate
Porcini Meringue
Pinenuts
Burning Juniper branch for aroma

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Fall Inspired Duck Breast

Crispy Skin Duck Breast

Foie Gras- Parsnip Puree

Parsnip Chips

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts

Cranberry- Jalapeno Jam

Tater Salad

Sous Vide Fingerling Potatoes

Shaved Celery

Fennel Jam

Pearl Onion "Rings"

Dijonaisse

Vegan

This is a tomato dish I did for some vegan VIP's tonight. Sometimes restrictions can be fun.

Roasted Yellow Tomatoes

Raw Cherry Tomato

Smoked San Marzano Tomato

Tomato Jam

Roasted Garlic Puree

Shisito Peppers

Meyer's Lemon

Bibb Lettuce

Basil Ice

Espelette Pepper

Herbs

Foie Gras

This is our new Foie Gras dish for our Fall menu. First we cure the foie for a day and then cook it sous vide for a hour at 58c. The resulting texture is great.

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras

Greek Yogurt Brulee

Sweet Pickled Green Bell Peppers

Falafel

Heirloom Tomatoes in a Variety of Textures

Heirloom Tomato

Yellow Heirloom- Orange Gelee

Tomato Seeds

Tomato Granite

Tomato Coulis

Pedro Ximenez - Tomato Reduction

Mozzarella Powder

Orange

Basil

Seared Scallop with Deconstructed Paella

Seared Diver Sea Scallop

Spanish Chorizo Emulsion

Roasted Bell Pepper Terrine

"Sacarrat"

Saffron Foam

Texas Peach Glazed Pork Belly

Texas Peach Glazed Snake River Farms Pork Belly

Cornbread Crumble

Smoked Onions

Grilled Texas Peaches

Sweet Tea Gastrique

Taking it back to the Old School

Changing of the Seasons

Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut

Local Summer Squash

Meyer's Lemon

Marcona Almonds

Nasturtium

Some beautiful nasturtium grown exclusively for us by our good friends at Blue Bonnet Hydroponics Farms

Spring Lamb

I recently read a blog post by a chef who said that spring's finest ingredients are like "crack" to a chef. There are certain things that only flourish for a mere 3 weeks to two months this time of year. Morel mushrooms and ramps (wild onions) are two of these things. What he meant by "crack" is that chefs will do anything to get their hands on these products while they are in the peak season including jeporadizing their job just to order them. Fortunately I am very lucky to work for a chef/ owner that shares the same passion for these ingredients as I do.

Lamb Loin wrapped in ramp tops

Morels

Ramps

Asparagus

Asparagus- Meyer's Lemon Emulsion

Balsamic Lamb Jus

Heirloom Tomato Salad 2010

Kent Perkle's Heirloom Tomatoes

Candied House Smoked Bacon

Avocado

Arugula

"Ranch" Creme Fraiche

Happy Times in the Kitchen!!!!!!

A look at some beautiful heirloom tomatoes we recieved from our friend Kent Perkle today! Kent owns a farm in Donna, TX which is right outside of Austin. The best part is that these tomatoes were picked off the vine yesterday. And Kent knows how to take care of these beauties, they come individually wrapped in paper and stacked in layers of shredded paper. It's things like this that get cooks excited, to open a box and see the care that farmer has put into his product.

Striped Bass with "Gumbo"

We did this dish for an Abita Beer Dinner. Abita is based out of New Orleans so I thought it would be cool to re-do a New Orleans classic. The brown sauce on the bottom is a gumbo that was then strained into a very nice smooth sauce. On top of that there is a micro brunoise of Okra and the holy Trinity along with grilled shrimp and andouille. On top of the fish is the seeds from the okra pods that were marinated in tabasco for 2 days.

Strawberry Crusted Goat Cheese