SHOW & RECIPE FOR AUG. 30

This Labor Day weekend broadcast of Delicious Mischief from San Francisco marks our farewell to our good friends at CNN 650. As of Sept. 6, Houston’s most respected and most fun food and wine radio show moves to NewsRadio 740 KTRH. In addition to its 50,000 watts of broadcast power, KTRH offers Houston a rich tradition of quality broadcasting going back to 1929. In fact, local icon Jesse Jones called the station KTRH to signify “Kome To Rice Hotel,” the downtown landmark he owned and operated across from the Houston Chronicle, which he also owned and operated. We will miss CNN 650 but we embrace NewsRadio 740 KTRH. Any station that carries the Astros games is a pretty good place to call home!

THEATER OF THE TASTE BUDS
People are always saying that restaurant dining is theater, but at Teatro Zin Zanni on the Embarcadero in San Francisco, the idea gets mighty literal. A bit like dinner theater on acid, with a serious side order of Cirque du Soleil, Zin Zanni offers a first-class multi-course meal with a show filled with thrills, spills and plenty of laughter. We chat with the managing director of this San Francisco destination (there’s another Teatro Zin Zanni in Seattle), as well as with the executive chef who watches the night-long performance on a monitor to choreograph each course coming out of the kitchen.

HOTEL WITH A HISTORY
Back in 1906, long before Chef Bernd Liebergesell was born in Germany, a terrible earthquake and fire brought San Francisco to its knees. In fact, one of the few places in the city capable of serving meals to hungry survivors was the then-new St. Francis Hotel, now operated as the Westin St. Francis. We sit down with Chef Bernd to talk about this amazing history spread over more than a century, as well as about the famous dignitaries from around the world he has fed within these walls. There’s even a Survivor’s Breakfast prepared here each year, for the few who were around for the Big One.

YOUR VERY FIRST CRUSH
In this case, we’re not talking about young love but about young wine – unless, that is, we’re talking about old wine. First Crush combines the better parts of Houston establishments like Cova and Max’s Wine Dive, letting a creative menu take orders from an impressive, all-California wine list. The place has a cool, hip, thoroughly downtown vibe and tends to attract a younger crowd with different interests than their parents and grandparents. We interview the eatery’s manager about the wine and its executive chef about the food – as the Gershwins would put it, who could ask for anything more?

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
GRILLED SHRIMP REMOULADE

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Romaine lettuce leaves

Remoulade:
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
½ cup diced celery
1 cup diced green onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place the shrimp in a glass bowl with the oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt, mixing to coat thoroughly. Cover and set the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 hours. Prepare the remoulade by whisking together the mustard with the vinegar in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking constantly, followed by all remaining remoulade ingredients. When ready to serve, grill the shrimp over hot coals for 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through. Set shrimp on plates atop lettuce leaves and spoon remoulade over the top and sides. Serves 8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR AUGUST 16

THE NEW LE MISTRAL
It hasn’t always easy being the flying Denis Brothers from Provence. But at their restaurant Le Mistral in west Houston, they’ve fought the good fight on behalf and French food and wine when at least some Americans averted their gaze. As a tribute to this food and wine – and certainly to David and Sylvain’s tireless labors – they now have a brand-new freestanding version of Le Mistral that’s knocking the socks off even Inner Loopers. And hey, you thought that was I-10 traffic to Katy all this time?

A RIESLING FOR EVERYBODY
We don’t know about you, but we’ve always found Riesling one of the most fascinating grapes. After all, every other grape we can think of is expected, when it becomes a wine, to be “varietally correct.” That means cabernet should taste like cabernet, and not like merlot, syrah or zinfandel. In the case of Riesling, however, there are very sweet ones and very dry ones, plus just about everything in between. We sit down with the winemaker from the famed German riesling house St. Urbans to taste our way through today’s Grape & Grain.

ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE
Maybe you haven’t noticed, but not all the coffee brewed, poured and enjoyed in Houston comes to us courtesy of Seattle. Avi Katz doesn’t yet have two stores competing with each other across the street on West Gray, but he does have a successful business that supplies great locally roasted coffee to restaurants, cafes and gourmet retailers all over town. In addition, because he can and because he wants to, Avi has been a local leader not only in the organic coffee movement but in the one demanding fair trade. And that makes what’s in the cup taste all the better better!

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
LOBSTER AND GRILLED POLENTA CAKES

I really love shrimp and grits, that traditional Carolina Low Country favorite. But when my thoughts turn to Italy, where grits are called polenta, my love for shrimp and grits keeps turning right along with them.

Grilled Polenta Cakes:
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 cup corn kernels
3 cups water, divided 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
Additional olive oil 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add corn; sauté until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Bring 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk cornmeal and 1 cup water in medium bowl to blend. Whisk cornmeal-water mixture into boiling water; return to boil. Cook until polenta is smooth and thick, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Stir in corn mixture. Brush 11x7x2-inch dish with oil. Spread polenta in dish. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.) When ready to serve, brush preheated grill with oil. Cut polenta into 12 squares. Brush both sides with oil. Place on grill; cover grill. Grill until polenta is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side, sprinkling with cheese during last minute. Serve hot topped with lobster (recipe below). Serves 6, with 2 polenta cakes per person.

Lobster Topping:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 lobster tail, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 ripe tomato, chopped
3 tablespoons butter

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and stir in the onion and carrot until they begin to caramelize, then add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Do not burn the garlic. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Pour in the wine and stir until the liquid is almost evaporated, then add the mushrooms and stir until cooked through. Add the lobster pieces and stir just until done, 2-3 minutes depending on their size. Add the chopped tomato and the butter, cooking just until butter has melted to form a sauce. Tomatoes should still be bright red. Season again with salt and pepper.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR AUGUST 9

A TASTEFUL MUSEUM
We start off this show from New Orleans with a visit to a brand-new museum that’s awfully close to our hearts: The Museum of Southern Food and Beverage. With the executive director keeping us in line (and probably telling us not to touch!), we tour this innovative space devoted to the culinary culture of New Orleans first, Louisiana second and the entire Deep South third. Never fear: there’s also a special section of the museum devoted to the great American cocktail, which was probably born within a few blocks of here.

RUM FROM OUR NEAREST ISLAND
Thanks to Capt. Jack Sparrow and a thousand pirates before him, we always associate the sugar-based spirit called rum with the Caribbean, whether we think of that Disney ride with the kids or our last visit to some hedonistic couples resort in Negril. Still, if sugar is the reason for the season, than why not make world-class small-batch rum in New Orleans – surrounded by its long tradition of sugar plantations along the fabled River Road. That’s what the folks at Old New Orleans Rum are asking, thinking and doing every day, as we taste in today’s Grape & Grain segment.

GULF COAST SEAFOOD
One of the neatest things that New Orleans and Houston share is ready access to the Gulf of Mexico, and especially to the glorious fish and shellfish that can be pulled out of it. Good times and bad, the Gulf is indisputably one of the world’s greatest fishing grounds. We check in with our old buddy (the first chef to ever sear scallops in our studio) Tenney Flynn to hear about the latest trends in seafood cookery he sees as chef/owner of GW Fins in the French Quarter.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
MARINATED EGGPLANT AND PEPPERS

2 medium eggplants
4 large cloves garlic
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings
2 red bell peppers
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to cook vegetables
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper

Preheat the broiler. Cut ends off eggplants and slice 1/2-inch thick. Do not
peel. Cut 2 cloves of the garlic into slices and stud each slice of eggplant with a few
slices of garlic. Brush 2 sheet pans with olive oil. Brush the eggplant slices with oil on both
sides and spread them out on one sheet pan. Season with salt and broil until
tender, turning once. Remove and cool.

Place the onion rings on the other sheet pan and brush generously with olive
oil. Season with salt and broil until tender and brown. Remove from the broiler
and let cool. Place the red peppers on a hot grill, under a broiler or directly over your stove
flame, until the skin chars, then place in a paper bag; close and let rest for 15
minutes, allowing the peppers to steam. Remove from the bag and peel off the
blistered skin. Cut the peppers in quarters lengthwise. Alternate the eggplant
with the roasted peppers on a large platter and top with the onions.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the mint, oregano, remaining garlic (finely
chopped), the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper
flakes, if desired. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and let marinate at least
2 but preferably 4 hours before serving. Serves 6-8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR AUGUST 2

WAY BEYOND GUACAMOLE
No, we’re not committing Texas heresy here: we love guacamole and devour more than our share of it. But even after a visit to the guacamole orchards (that’s what their called) of Michoacan, Mexico, a couple years ago, we still kept wishing we could figure out more ways to use the luscious fruit. The stuff is good and good for you, so why not? Recently, we grabbed at the chance to let Chef Hugo Ortega of Hugo’s and Backstreet Café prepare an entire multi-course dinner using avocadoes in every dern one. Of course, we also took a chance to chat with him for this program.

A WINEMAKER’S SURFIN’ USA
David Hopkins is not your average winemaker – he’s a bit to much of a long-blond-locked surfer dude for that. But he’s also hardly your average winemaker, even for California. At a coastal (how convenient!) winery called Bridlewood, Hopkins makes wines that taste a little like they’re from another world. Our favorite part of the wine world, in fact: The Rhone Valley of France. That doesn’t mean he’s ignoring his own terroir, since that wouldn’t be French. But the Rhone-style wines of Bridlewood are exquisite.

INSECT HAUTE CUISINE
It had to happen sooner or later. In a world in which millions of people eat insects and pretend to like it, you can only run and hide for so long. Especially if you happen to be visiting the brand-new Insectarium created by the Audubon Institute on Canal Street in New Orleans. We meant to only tour the facility but we ended up staying fo r lunch. And that is where the trouble started. Of course, we could have run when the head bug chef came smiling through the lobby with a dragonfly he’d just snagged outside. One for the pot, we should have realized.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe
LOBSTER AND AVOCADO SALAD

2 (2 pound) Live Maine lobsters
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small Thai chili, seeded and minced
12 large fresh Thai basil leaves, minced
2 sprigs cilantro leaves, minced
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1 bunch arugula, stems removed
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced thin

Plunge the lobsters into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cover and boil for 10 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to a bowl and let cool to the touch. Using a clean kitchen towel, tear the claws and legs away from the body. Wrap the towel around the tail and twist, separating it from the body. Place the tail on its side and crush down with the palm of your hand until the shell cracks. Separate the meat from the shell and cut it into 1/2-inch slices. Using a lobster cracker, crack the claws and knuckles of the lobster and remove the flesh with an oyster fork. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and the chili. Stir in the basil and cilantro. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, arugula, and bell pepper with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Arrange the salad on 6 Asian style rectangular plates. Top with overlapping slices of the lobster and avocado. Spoon the remaining dressing over the avocado. Serves 6.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JULY 19

A STEAKHOUSE FOR HOUSTON
While the once-predictable Great American Steakhouse has both undergone and enjoyed a renaissance in recent years – after dire predictions throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s that Americans would stop eating red meat altogether – one local entry has exploded into a success story to rival the big national chains. Perry’s Steakhouse used to “stake out” the fringes of the Houston metro area, but now its latest location is going great guns in the heart of Memorial. Mark Collins and sommlier Susi Zivanovic join us to talk about the exciting road Perry’s has traveled – and the one that still lies ahead.

NEW WORLD WINES, AND MORE
So Vino is a terrific place for a glass of wine – that much is certain. What comes as more of a surprise is how successful its owners and chefs have been at pairing great things from the kitchen with great things from the bottle. We’ll chat, taste and sip during out chat with co-founder Elizabeth Abraham, herself the product of a legendary Houston family business, and talk about how her vision of So Vino expanded from “New World Wines” from places like Chile and New Zealand to incorporate wonderful vintages all the way back to France.

COOKING UNDER THE BIG TOP
To make sure today’s show is a three-ring circus (as most of our shows are, after all), we invited in the folks from Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey. It turns out the performers in this traveling extravaganza don’t merely perform, they eat. Several times a day, in fact. And sometimes in large portions. We were intrigued to speak with somebody involved in all this daily cooking, especially after we heard how many nationalities, dietary preferences and religious restrictions there are to cook around. Geez, sounds like dinner in today’s typical American family. Except more so.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
DR. PEPPER BARBECUED CHICKEN

½ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Dr. Pepper
¾ cup water
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
3 slices bacon, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ tablespoon prepared mustard
Grated rind of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 chickens (about 1 ½ pounds each), cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except the chicken and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken halves with salt and pepper and place skin-side down on a hot grill. Brown on both sides, turning occasionally for about 15 minutes. After that, baste regularly with the sauce until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serves 8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JULY 12

WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCE
In New Orleans, Tim McNally has for years hosted a weekly radio show about wine that he oh-so-creatively calls “The Wine Show.” And since Tim and his wife Brenda have been movers and shakers in The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience since the beginning, we start today’s show chatting with him at a grand tasting on the floor of the Louisiana Superdome. Well, OK, not “on the floor” in the alcoholic sense of the phrase.

BAREFOOT IN THE PARK
We’ve traveled so far from the days that wine was just so serious! Of course, wine is still serious business, with a lot riding on each vintage, each blending, each label design and each print, broadcast or Internet marketing campaign. All those things come into play with the wines of Barefoot and their ever-perky creator Jennifer Wall. As you might expect from the name, summer is Barefoot’s busy season.

FRENCH QUARTER ROYALTY
In the oldest and most famous neighborhood in New Orleans, one happily spared by Hurricane Katrina, it comes as no surprise that historic things have happened here. And since the 1960s, many of those things have happened upstairs and downstairs at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel. We chat about some of the biggies, including the creation of Jazzfest, with Rib Room executive chef Anthony Spizale and maitre d’ extraordinaire Patrick van Hoorebeek.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
NEW ORLEANS SHRIMP CREOLE

1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a 2 quart saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic; cook until tender. Mix in cornstarch. Stir in stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and red pepper sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir in shrimp, and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over steamed white rice. Serves 4-6.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JULY 5

MORTON’S BURGER WITH A CAUSE
We always love it, quite self-servingly, when a high-end steakhouse decides to make hamburgers and French fries. For one thing, the quality of the beef used to make that burger is likely to be off the charts. And that’s pretty much what we’ve heard about the brand-new summertime burger and fries being offered Sundays only by the two Houston locations of Morton’s. GM John Recio tells us how the idea came about, and how Morton’s decided to make the whole special promotion a benefit for the Make a Wish organization.

HARVEST TIME FOR TEXAS WINES
The grapes aren’t ready yet in cooler California or Oregon, and they certainly aren’t ready in the even cooler sections of France. But here in Texas, where summer’s heat makes the biological clock turn faster, it’s time to start picking and crushing. Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo of Messina Hof join us to talk about their annual harvest festival. Guests not only learn a few things about winemaking but get to taste a good bit of wine when they’re not picking grapes and crushing them in a vat with their very own feet. Yep, justa lika in da olda country!

TRADITION AT INDIAN BRASSERIE
Recently, we spent a good deal of time (with a good deal of pleasure) exploring the creative new dishes being created by the chef at Bombay Brasserie’s new location across the 610 Loop from the Galleria. At the end of the day, this experience only reminded us how much we love the traditional Indian dishes served every day at the older Bombay Brasserie in Rice Village. The restaurant’s general manager stops by the studio (bearing samples, we hope) to tell us why the classics of India’s rich and colorful cuisine will always be that way.

HEALTHY CHEF MICHAEL KRAMER
We enjoy getting together with each of the Houston chefs showcased in the Healthy Chef column in each month’s Health and Fitness magazine. We’ve actually picked up quite a few great tips for maximizing flavor while minimizing fat and calories. So yes, Paula Deen notwithstanding, it can be done. This month’s Healthy Chef is Michael Kramer, who came from one fat-infatuated place (Charleston, South Carolina) to another (Houston, Texas) to run the new Voice in the Hotel Icon. You’ll be amazed at how little can please you so much.

FOURTH OF JULY
GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS

Peach Salsa:
2 cups chopped peeled peaches
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup diced red onion
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 teaspoon chopped seeded Serrano pepper
3 tablespoons muscat canelli wine
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt

1 pound small to medium Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped seeded serrano pepper
Salt and black pepper
8 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded green cabbage
Additional minced cilantro for garnish

In a glass bowl or plastic bag, combine shrimp with lime juice, cilantro, garlic, serrano, salt and pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. To prepare the peach salsa, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss gently so peaches and tomatoes are not damaged. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, so flavors can combine. Preheat grill and grill shrimp 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice. Serve shrimp wrapped in warm tortillas, garnished with peach salsa, shredded cabbage and a little more cilantro. Serves 4.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JUNE 28

AT TABLE WITH CHEF JAMIE
In some restaurants around town, things kinda slow down in the summertime – a statement that either “the livin’ is easy” or that it’s too hot to live. Not so at Bistro Lancaster in the downtown landmark hotel. Chef Jamie Zelko is marshalling her energies (and her hyper-fresh local ingredients) with more focus than usual, putting out some special tasting menus that just won’t quit. We drag her into the studio in hopes she’ll bring us some samples.

A GLASS OF MACROSTIE
Since the release of its first highly praised 1987 Carneros chardonnay, MacRostie Winery and Vineyards has strived to create balanced and lush wines that reflect their cool-climate origins. This commitment has grown from an early emphasis on selecting grapes from top growers in the acclaimed Carneros region to include the development of MacRostie’s own Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, as Patrick Muleady explains.

UNARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
Armando Florido could have gone through the rest of his life as a Houston cop – he certainly enjoys the work and understands its importance. But somewhere along the way, between stints on patrol and at his desk, Armando decided what he really loved was cooking. He joins us to talk about the comfortable yet classy Italian restaurant that grew out of this passion, Forno’s in northwest Houston.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
GRILLED CARIBBEAN GROUPER

3 pounds grouper fillets, or red snapper (skin on)
4 ripe mangos, peeled and cut into strips
6 ripe pears, unpeeled, cored, and cut into 1/8
3 ripe avocados, peeled cut into quarters
½ pound cleaned baby spinach
½ cup walnut oil
¼ cup Italian salad dressing
1 cup orange juice
½ cup lime juice

Caribbean seasoning:
(can be prepared in advance)

Mix well and place in a lid tight container
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 teaspoon minced garlic
6 teaspoon dried onions
3 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoon chopped chipolte
2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
3 teaspoon brown sugar
3 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 lemon zest

Prepare a wood or charcoal grill and let it burn to ember. Rub the fish fillets generously with the Caribbean seasoning on both sides, place in a dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Spray the fish with walnut oil and grill over low heat for about 8 minutes on one side and 6 minutes on the other side (depending on the thickness of the fish). Remove from grill and keep hot. Lightly oil the pears and mangos and grill for about 3 minutes until light brown. Place in a stainless steel bowl, and toss with the Italian dressing, orange juice and limejuice. Place the baby spinach on individual plates, garnish with the avocado, and spoon the fruit dressing over the spinach. Serves 6.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JUNE 21

BECKS IN ITS PRIME
These days, most of us Houstonians know a great deal about Becks Prime – where else, after all, can you grab a filet and a baked potato through the drive-thru window, race home and pretend to be the ultimate grillmeister? But a couple decades ago, when the founders of the Houston hamburger-happy restaurant started talking up the idea, true believers in American fast-food said the thing would never fly. We’ll chat with the “Founding Fathers” about how and why they’re still here and thriving, plus look ahead to their patriotic (and delicious!) July 4th specials.

SURF’S UP AT BRIDLEWOOD
Happily for all concerned, David Hopkins looks a lot like the surfer he is, from his suntan to his flowing blond locks, from his cutoffs down to his floppy sandals. But when David is not out riding the Pacific curls, he is making some mighty cool wines for the winery called Bridlewood. To David, growing grapes and making wine on California’s Central Coast near Santa Barbara is a voyage of discovery – one that starts anew each year. As a hint, he lets on that Rhone Valley varietals like syrah and viognier are among the favorites he labors to catch – in between catching waves, of course.

GET YOUR ROUGE ON
Rouge has been a popular restaurant on Westheimer in Montrose for several years now, moving at times through a few different personalities. In the beginning, it was all chef-driven New American Cuisine, and it has served up bits of that off and on ever since. Now, though, with new ownership, all bets are off. The new folks – a West Coast family that moved here after many years in the business – want to keep Rouge serving fine food and exquisite wines but weave in an entertainment element. We’ll talk about all this, and the Las Vegas-style showroom they’ve installed upstairs. And we do plan on talking with our mouths full.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
INDEPENDENCE DAY MACARONI SALAD

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup mayonnaise
3 eggs
2 cups macaroni
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together butter, tarragon vinegar, flour and egg. Stirring continuously, heat 10 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes. In a large bowl, prepare the sauce by combining the tarragon vinegar mixture with mayonnaise. Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook for about 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and pour into the bowl with the sauce. Stir until the macaroni is well coated. Mix the coated macaroni with the eggs, cucumber, tomato, green bell pepper and salt. Serve lightly chilled or room temperature. Serves 8-10.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JUNE 14

WINE BAR ON THE STRAND
For today’s show, we travel south to Galveston – as so many Houstonians do this time of year – to check out a food and wine scene that, by all accounts, is going and growing in directions unforeseen only a decade ago. As symbol of this evolution verging on a revolution, we start the program at a classy, brand-new wine bar called Bacchus, right on the Strand amid the longtime T-shirt shops and souvenirs. Owner Ric Legge explains what he saw in Galveston’s changing demographics that made him think a place serving boutique wines would be just the thing.

POOL BAR SUSHI AT THE SAN LUIS
The San Luis Resort has certainly become a place to see and be seen in recent years, especially since it was purchased and glamorized by Tilman Fertita. In years past, for instance, the swimming pool here was a closed-off, functional, guests-only kind of affair. Recently, Fertita and Co. opened the pool view to the Gulf on the other side of the famous Seawall, introduced some super martinis, mojitos and other cocktails and even, in this land of fried seafood, some incredible sushi. Executive chef Sean Moore tells us all about it.

TRADITION LIVES AT MOODY GARDENS
Sometimes, even on a beach vacation, you just want to dress up – well, at least a little. And folks with a love of the culinary classics are increasingly putting their Galveston dining in the hands of European chef Urs Schmid, who holds court daily at Shearn’s Restaurant at Moody Gardens Hotel. The hotel itself is pretty interesting, connecting as it does to its own convention center and all the family attractions the Moody family has installed over the years. But when it comes to Shrimp DeJonge and Lobster Bique, Chef Urs is your man.

HIP SPOT ON THE ISLAND
Finally, you can’t really be a dining destination without one or more stylish places to eat stylish food – uh, stylishly. And if you ask around the island, a lot of people who would be hanging out at Gravitas, Voice or Ra Sushi in Houston are gravitating toward M&M Palms in Houston. It’s a bit more casual than its big-city counterparts, of course, in atmosphere, attire and cuisine. But with a boost from Chef Chris Lopez, the Tex-Mex-influenced but creative food being served has definitely put M&M on the map.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
TRADITIONAL LOBSTER BISQUE

2 whole lobsters, 1 ½ pound each
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 teaspoon thyme
5 cups fish stock or canned chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup dry sherry
1 bay leaf
8 black pepper corns, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons flour
¼ stick butter

Fill 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salt water and bring to a boil. Plunge in the lobsters, head first. Cover the kettle and boil over high heat for 8 minutes. (The lobsters do not have to be cooked fully). Transfer the lobsters with tongs onto a cutting board, and reserve 4 cups of the lobster stock. Let the lobsters cool enough to handle, twist off the claws, and cut the carcass length wise in half. Remove the meat from the body and claws, reserving the shells. Cut the meat into small chunks and refrigerate.

Heat the oil in a 6 quart casserole over high heat, add the lobster shells, onions, celery, garlic peppercorns, tarragon, thyme, and roast for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, paprika, bay leaf, and combine well. Pour the 5 cups fish stock over the mixture, and simmer for 1 hour uncovered, or until most of the liquid has evaporated to about 1 cup. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a 1-quart saucepan, and keep the reduced stock hot. In a separate casserole, melt the butter, mix in the flour to make a roux, and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, but do not brown. Whisk in the 4 cups lobster stock, and reduced stock, a little at a time and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until smooth, add the sherry, heavy cream, lobster meat, Tabasco sauce and heat, but do not boil. Taste to your liking and serve in hot bowls with oyster crackers. Serves 6.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JUNE 7

REFINED SOUTHERN COOKING
The daughter and granddaughter of terrific Southern cooks, Virginia Willis inherited their love of fresh, home-cooked food and unconditional hospitality before going on to become a classically trained French chef. These divergent influences inform Bon Appétit, Y'all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking, Willis's passionate homage to her culinary roots. The author and TV personality will be joining us in the studio, discussing her “simple is best” food philosophy and her reliance on super-fresh ingredients.

HEALTHY CHEF-INSTRUCTOR
This month our healthy chef, chosen in conjunction with Houston Health & Fitness magazine, is an instructor as well. Michael Bargas joins us from the Art Institute of Houston, sharing the ways he hopes to train chefs-to-be into culinary professionals well array of health issues in cooking. This, of course, doesn’t mean that he (or they) cook nothing but “diet food.” Far from it, actually. Sometimes making sure that what people really want is prepared simply and freshly is the healthiest cooking of all.

A TOAST TO LEONARDO
As we discovered during our own Tuscan travels last year, the town of Vinci is just crazy about Leonardo’s legacy. The great man did, as it were, put the place on the map. Today. Da Vinci is not only the presumed “family name” of history’s greatest inventor but of a wine brand that does what Chianti and other Tuscan wines do best. For this week’s Grape & Grain segment, we sit down for a tasting with Giovanni Nencini, who comes to us all the way from Tuscany to share the good news - and some excellent wines.

VIRGINIA WILLIS’ SILVER DOLLAR CORN CAKES
WITH JUMBO LUMP CRAB
Makes 2 dozen hors d'oeuvres

3 large eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels, preferably Silver Queen (about 3 ears)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly chopped tarragon
1/2 cup crème frâiche or sour cream
Pinch of cayenne
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for cartilage and shells
24 1-inch snipped pieces of chive
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

Place the egg yolks in a blender with about half of the corn kernels and puree until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; add the remaining corn, cornmeal, and chives. Stir until well combined and season with salt and pepper. In a separate metal or glass bowl using a handheld mixer whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the corn mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium high heat. When the butter is sizzling drop the batter by the tablespoon into the skillet, leaving plenty of room between the corn cakes. Cook until small bubbles form on the top and the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using an offset spatula flip the cakes and cook an additional 2 minutes. Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool. Repeat the process with the remaining butter and batter. In a small bowl combine the tarragon and crème frâiche. Season with a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Top each corn cake with a nice lump of crabmeat then a small dollop of the seasoned crème frâiche. Garnish each cake with a piece of chive. Serve with Champagne and enjoy!

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MAY 31

A NEW AGE OF INDIAN
In this country, we thought we knew what Indian food was – having learned it from the British, of all people. Yet adopted Houstonian Anita Jaisinghani wasn’t satisfied with our vision of the overly-spiced gravies we invariably called “curries” and offered us her restaurant Indika for a different view. Authentically Indian yet also creative – still, no “fusion” for this chef – Indika can teach us a lot about a huge country filled with religious and regional differences, as Anita joins us in the studio to explain.

SOMEWHERE, OVER THE RAINBOW
It’s been a tough (and probably weird) couple of years for Houston favorite Rainbow Lodge. After 30-plus years in one location at Bayou Bend, the landmark eatery found itself dispossessed and searching for a new home for some of the most game trophies many of us have ever seen, plus some impressive game recipes. Chef-owner Donnette Hansen chats about the journey to an equally intriguing new location, the longtime home of la Tour d’Argent (on White Oak Bayou, no less), and some of her upcoming special events. For one thing, there’s Father’s Day coming up.

THE LEGEND OF FREI BROTHERS WINES
Today, appellations like the Alexander Valley, Dry Creek and the Russian River are magical to wine lovers everywhere. But they weren’t all that magical in the late 1880s, when a Swiss immigrant named Andrew Frei first started pondering the opportunity to grow grapes. Over the years, grapes produced by these three quite different areas, as Jim Collins of Frei Brothers Winery explains, have been some of the finest in all Sonoma. And since Jim is in charge of the vineyards, he tells us what it takes to keep things that way.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
PLUM CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Pastry:
½ stick cold butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups sifted flour
1-tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 pounds plums (washed, pitted, then quartered, but not cut all the way so the quarters can be spread like flower petals)
1 cup apricot glaze or jelly
½ cup sliced almonds (toasted)
1-cup heavy cream (whipped with 2 teaspoon of sugar)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees, generously butter an 11-inch tart pan on the bottom and sides. Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer at high speed. Sift the flour and baking powder together, add the salt and combine by hand with the butter-sugar mixture. Press the dough smoothly over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tin. Arrange the plums skin down in the pastry shell in rows, fanning the plums. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar, and bake for about 45 minutes. Cool the tart at room temperature. Heat the apricot glaze with two teaspoons cold water in a saucepan, and glaze the plums with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the toasted almonds evenly over the plums. Cut in wedges and serve with whipped cream. Serves 8-10.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MAY 24

HEALTHY A LA DEL GRANDE
Each month on Delicious Mischief, we chat with the professional spotlighted as “Healthy Chef” by Houston Health & Fitness Magazine. This month we talk to a guy who starts out by saying, essentially, “There’s no such thing as healthy cooking or unhealthy cooking.” As usual, Robert Del Grande turns out to be a breath of fresh air.

HOMAGE TO MACMURRAY
One of our favorite wine people returns for our Grape & Grain segment with some of our favorite wines. Kate MacMurray, daughter of beloved movie and TV actor Fred MacMurray, signs on for a segment all about the wines made with grapes grown in and around her family’s longtime ranch in the lovely Russian River Valley of Sonoma County and brought to our tables by the talented third generation of the Gallo family.

TAKING A ‘JET’ TO GIGI’S
For more than 30 years, the Huang family of Hunan fame has been a kind of restaurant royalty here in Houston. Now with her own place in the Galleria’s growing Restaurant Row, Gigi Huang is working tirelessly to make her tables the hottest tickets in town. We visit with Thai-born chef Junnajet Hurapan (known conversationally as Chef Jet) about his best dishes at Gigi’s Asian and Dumpling Bar.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
QUICK TORTILLA SOUP

2 chicken breast halves, cut in small, rough pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and black pepper
4 cans chicken broth
3/4 cup chunky tomato salsa
Juice of 4 limes
Corn tortilla chips (or fried corn tortilla strips)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 large avocado, sliced
Grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

Saute the chicken with the onion and carrot in the oil until all are caramelized, then add the garlic and cook just until it’s brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and salsa, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice just before serving. Cover the bottom of serving bowls with the tortilla chips and ladle in the soup. Garnish with cilantro, sliced avocado and cheese.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MAY 17

TO BOMBAY AND BEYOND
In recent years, Houston has seen a steady expansion of its Indian food offering – both in terms of quantity and quality. In particular, several restaurants, from Indika to Kiran’s, have shown the excitement that happens when a talented, innovative chef is in the kitchen. Bombay Brasserie has just entered the fray, with a creative new location subtitled “Gourmet Cuisine.”

WINETALES WITH ALEX OTT
No, a winetale isn’t merely a tall tale told under the influence. It’s a version of the cocktail, except made with wine instead of spirits. Mixology master Alex Ott joins us to talk about what seems his favorite sport – whipping up and offering for tasting a series of summer beverages made with the wines of Ecco Domani in Italy’s Veneto region.

NEW STORY FOR RIDLEY
Ridley Pearson has been on this show before. He’s one of our favorite contemporary authors, mostly for his dark and appropriately violent series featuring Lou Boldt of the Seattle Police Department. Right now, after several other projects, he talks about his new series of young adult novels starting with “Steel Trapp: The Challenge.”

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
ARGENTINE STEAK SALAD

5 to 6 ounces skirt steak, grilled, trimmed and sliced
½ tablespoon grilling spice
1 cup baby arugula
1 cup romaine, shredded
1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons bleu cheese, crumbled
¼ cup Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
½ fresh tomato, wedged

Heat grill to high. Season both sides of the skirt steak with grilling spice.
Grill steak on both sides. We recommend a medium rare temperature for the steak on this salad. Remove steak from heat, letting it cool slightly before serving. Slice steak to ¼ inch thickness. Toss the baby arugula and romaine lettuce in large bowl and plate.
Top each serving with sliced cucumber and sliced steak. Drizzle each salad with the Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette. Top with crumbled bleu cheese and tomato wedges.

Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes 2 cups

8 strips bacon, cooked crisp (set aside the drippings after bacon is cooked)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet and place on paper towels to cool and dry. Lower heat to medium-low and slowly whisk flour into the warm bacon drippings that remain in the cast iron skillet. Whisk flour well until thoroughly dissolved in the drippings. In the same skillet, add water, balsamic vinegar, sugar and kosher salt and pepper.

Stirring constantly, reduce the dressing over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until it is about half of the original amount of liquid. Let the dressing rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, allowing it to thicken as it cools. Crumble cooked bacon strips and add to cooled dressing. Pour dressing over large salad and toss well. This dressing tastes best when served immediately.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MAY 10

NOWFE FOR NEW ORLEANS
For this show, we report from the Crescent City about plans for an even bigger and better version of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, an annual event that originally inspired several of our best wine and food festivals in Texas. We start with NOWFE president Howard Brown, talking about an increasing effort to add things (like a big-bucks auction) for well-heeled wine collectors, as well as the organizers’ decision to move the Memorial Day festival to the Louisiana Superdome. A big-ticket wine and food event in the scene of so much chaos during Hurricane Katrina is a message many ought to be savoring.

ONCE MORE WITH FEELING
For several years, Brennan family-trained wine lover Rick Gratia served as president of NOWFE. Having rotated through that job, Rick is now able to enjoy the festival a bit more than in years past – as proprietor of the lovely Muriel’s right on Jackson Square. What’s even better, life’s seasonal rotation of chefs has brought him a top toque in Muriel’s kitchen whom he has worked with in his Brennan past – Gus Martin. Together, Rick and Gus discuss the importance of NOWFE to New Orleans’ continued recovery as a tourism, convention and dining destination.

A LINK TO THE FUTURE
When feisty food guru Anthony Bourdain visited New Orleans recently for his program “No Reservations,” one of the few segments that wasn’t a downer featured chef Donald Link at a barbecue for family and friends in his backyard. Not only was Link cautiously optimistic about the city’s future, he just seemed like one of those guys who’d rather work to fix things than moan about how broken they are. We chat with Donald about this, as well as about his two sterling restaurants, Herbsaint and Cochon.

RALPH ON GULF SEAFOOD
Each year, it seems, produces at least one dazzling new cookbook devoted to New Orleans cuisine. At this year’s edition of NOWFE, Ralph Brennan’s brand-new seafood magnum opus is expected to be all the buzz. We sit down with the former president of the National Restaurant Association to talk about the challenges (and perks!) of life as a Brennan, along with the abundant blessings of seafood pulled fresh from the waters south Louisiana shares with the Texas Gulf Coast.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
RALPH BRENNAN’S CRABMEAT AND AVOCADO

3 ripe medium-to-large Creole tomatoes
3 avocados, preferably Hass, 7 to 8 ounces each
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups spicy vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through
Flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Trim ends from tomatoes and cut each into three slices, each about ¾ inch thick. Cut each slice in half crosswise. Cut avocados in half lengthwise, peel, and cut halves lengthwise into three slices. On each of six chilled dinner plates, alternate three tomato halve slices with three avocado slices. Season each portion with a total of ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup vinaigrette to blend ingredients. Add crabmeat and mix gently with a spoon to keep lumps intact.

Divide the crabmeat among the plates, mounding it on the opposite side of the plate from the tomatoes and avocado. Vigorously whisk remaining vinaigrette and drizzle about 2 ½ tablespoons over each serving of tomatoes and avocados. Garnish with parsley sprig. Serves 6 as main course. To make 12 appetizer servings, cut tomato and avocado halves into 4 slices; on 12 salad plates fan two avocado slices around one tomato slice, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon vinaigrette.

Spicy vinaigrette
Makes 2 cups

¼ cup each minced red onions, red bell pepper and green bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and thyme leaves
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons mild honey

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, whisking until well blended. Cover and refrigerate overnight. If the oil congeals, return vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk vigorously immediately before using.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR APRIL 26

NEW LIFE FOR THE LANCASTER
Kicking off a show with more chefs per square inch than a typical Houston charity fundraiser, young executive chef Jamie Zelko joins us in the studio to talk about cooking in the busy downtown Theater District. A few months into her tenure at Bistro Lancaster, with the Alley Theatre out one set of windows and Jones Hall out another, Jamie has learned encyclopedias about feeding people in a hurry to get to their seats. And she’s come up with some phenomenal fresh dishes while she’s busy doing it.

SHARING OUR STRENGTH
Of the several interlocking charities helping feed hungry people in the Houston area, none does a better job of getting its message out there than Share Our Strength. A national concern that donates 100% of the money raised to hunger relief (covering costs through donations and sponsorships), SOS has a long history of making sense to the very people who keep us fed every day, the chefs of Houston. Randy Evans of Brennan’s stops in to talk about this year’s Taste of the Nation event, taking place May 4 at the Houston Hotel, Club and Spa.

CLIMBING THE GLASS WALL
What does every chef want when he’s got a busy kitchen full of talented cooks pumping out hundreds of great meals each night? To not have that, of course – and to run a kitchen so small with a dining room so limited that he can personally prepare or at least finish every dish that goes out. That’s what Lance Fegen, long of Zula and Trevisio, wished for – and that’s what he got at the high-spirited Glass Wall. Lance and managing partner-”wine dude” Shepard Ross catch us up on all their news.

FLAVORS OF MAK THE KNIFE
David Yeo is executive chef and partner at a hip Pan-Asian place cleverly marketed as Mak Chin’s, on Shepherd just a spring roll’s throw from I-10. While most folks assume the menu is Chinese, the many surprises point to a different origin that of necessity embraced fusion before fusion was cool – and long before, naturally, fusion was not cool anymore. The food and flavors of Mak Chin take us to Indonesia and Malaysia often as not, where the Chinese, Thai, Indian and a host other worlds collide.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
KOFTA IN SOUTH AFRICAN CURRY SAUCE

1 ½ pound lean boneless lamb, finely ground
16 whole blanched almonds
1 egg
¼ cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoon besan (chick-pea flour)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup clarified butter
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup vegetable oil for frying
½ cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon chilies powder
1 ½ cup unflavored yogurt
½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Place the almonds in boiling water and soak them for two hours. Remove the almonds and discard the water. In a deep bowl, combine the ground lamb, egg, 3 tablespoon chickpea flour, salt, black pepper, and breadcrumbs. Knead vigorously with both hands, and then beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Divide the lamb into 16 equal portions and shape each one into a meatball. Pat the meatballs into a flat circle, place an almond in the center, and close the ball completely.

Pour the vegetable oil into deep fry pot and heat to 375°F, fry 4 meatballs at a time for about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a fireproof ceramic dish. In a 4 quart saucepan, heat the clarified butter, add onions, garlic, ginger, and simmer for 2 minutes, then add coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilies powder. Stirring constantly, cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes until the onions are golden brown, add the yogurt and bring to al boil. Spoon the sauce over the meatballs, cover the ceramic dish and place in the over for 20 minutes at 350°F. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with steamed rice. Serves 4.

RECIPE & SHOW FOR APRIL 19

FINE DINING BY THE POOL
We’re just beginning to remember how steamy summer can be here in Houston, and along comes our own Four Seasons with a great new definition of “dining out.” Chefs from the downtown luxury property join us in the studio to talk about the terrific new items they’ve created to be served by the swimming pool. We’ll be sure to ask them what (besides margaritas, of course) might be the best drink to enjoy as well.

TASTING CLOS DU VAL
When French winemaker Bernard Portet was sent to California to look at the dirt in 1970, Napa Valley had only a handful of wineries – and most of those were dismissed global, by no one as much as the French. Still, the winery he founded called Clos du Val remains a standout even among the many great ones now littering the valley – as Rhodesia-born, former London accountant John Clews explains as we taste.

A BITE OF LAST CONCERT
Dawn Fudge isn’t your typical restaurateur – but that’s okay, since her Last Concert Café hidden among a tangle of warehouses, artist lofts and studio renovations isn’t your typical restaurant either. Dawn joins us to talk about the food she serves – primarily Mama’s Big Dinner of cheese enchiladas – as well as the live music she stages from every known musical genres and quite a few that aren’t.

This Week's Delicious Mischief Recipe...
FRESH MUSSELS IN GARLIC AND WINE SAUCE

4 pounds mussels
¼ cup minced shallots
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive
1 bay leaf
1½ cups dry white wine
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ cups very fine julienne strips of carrots
1 ½ cups very fine julienne strips of leeks
1 ½ cups very fine julienne strips of root celery
3 tablespoons soft butter
3 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 drops Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley

Scrub the mussels well under cold running water. In a kettle heat the olive oil over moderately low heat, add the shallots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, leeks, celery, and carrots. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes stirring the vegetable until crisp-tender. Add the wine, salt and ½ cup of water; bring the mixture to a boil. Add the cleaned mussels, cover the kettle and steam them in the vegetable-wine broth for 8 minutes, or until each mussel has opened. Discard any unopened mussels.

With a slotted spoon transfer the mussels and vegetables to a heated bowl, keep mussels covered. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into measuring cup, and if necessary add enough water to measure 4 cups of liquid. In a saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and cook over low heat for 1 minute to make a roux, do not brown the roux. Whisk the broth, a little at a time into the roux, whisking and bringing the sauce to a boil.

Simmer the sauce for two minute; add the lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and taste to your liking. Divide the mussels and vegetables into 4 heated soup plates, pour the sauce over each serving, and top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with crusty French bread. Serves 4.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR APRIL 12

NEW VOICE OF THE ICON
It’s a tough act to follow when the one before you had the name Jean-Georges. But at the Hotel Icon in downtown Houston, that’s exactly what chef Michael Kramer and his team at the new restaurant called Voice are intending to do. We’ll chat with Chef Michael about the joys and sorrows of following such a high-profile concept in a truly lovely piece of Houston real estate.

DESSERTS FOR PASSOVER
Within the Jewish faith, the heart of the Passover observance is the rather austere and highly symbolic meal called the seder. But as far as the folks at Dessert Gallery are concerned, that doesn’t rule out the celebration associated with any great holiday. In our studio, we sample a number of the special sweets Dessert Gallery is offering – and hear how they connect with Jewish tradition.

THE HEALTHY AUSSIE CHEF
In this month’s Healthy Chef segment, produced in cooperation with Houston’s Health and Fitness Magazine, Jason Gould of Gravitas talks about what he cooks for himself when he feels the need to eat healthy. And since his customers sometimes wish to do the same at Gravitas, he talks about what he likes to fix them.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
Cream of Celery Soup with Crisp Bacon

2 pounds celery, peeled and diced
1 medium size onion, diced very fine
½ cup diced green celery stalks
4 slices thick bacon
⅛ cup olive oil
3 cups chicken stock
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into juliennes
1 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half cream
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 inner celery leaves for garnish
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into juliennes for garnish
½ cup sour cream for garnish

Place the celery roots in a stock pot, add bay leaves, salt, cover with water and cook over low heat for half hour, or until the roots are soft. Most of the water should evaporate. Discard the bay leaves and purée the celery knobs in a blender. Cook the bacon in a frying pan, stirring constantly over moderate heat until light brown and crisp. Separate the bacon from the fat, and transfer on paper towels, set the bacon grease aside.

In a heavy-duty casserole heat the olive oil and two tablespoons bacon grease, add the diced onions and cook over low heat until the onions are glazed but not brown. Dust the mixture with flour, add the chicken stock, pureed celery and bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the half and half, black pepper and heat, but do not boil. If the soup is too thick add a little water, then taste to your liking. Ladle the soup into heated individual soup plates. Place teaspoon of sour cream in the center, top with apple juliennes, crisp, crumbled bacon, garnish with a celery leaf, and serve at once. Serves 6.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR APRIL 5

RETURN OF CHEF PHILIPPE
Many Houstonians were shocked and/or heartbroken when Bistro Moderne closed its doors at the Hotel Derek last fall – most expected Chef Philippe Schmit would return to New York where he first made his name or perhaps to his native France. As corporate chef for Legacy Brands, Philippe will tell us what he’s got in mind for such unexpected Houston landmark’s as Antone’s and even Ninfa’s on Navigation.

WINES OF LLANO ESTACADO
Even as the reputation of wines from Texas has grown over the past decade or so, so has the reputation of wines from Llano Estacado, with most of its best juice hailing from the High Plains around Lubbock. Still, if some people still think you’re crazy recommending a Texas wine, just think what winemaker Greg Bruni’s compadres in California thought when he told them he was moving here.

NEW, IMPROVED MAX’S WINE DIVE
Chef Michael Dei Maggi cut his teeth cooking Italian in the Italian-savvy Northeast, but he came to Houston as part of Bice Restaurant – a genuine Italian fine-dining restaurant chain that’s actually based in Italy. For the last few months, Michael’s been working on his first men for Max’s Wine Dive, and now he’s ready to tell us all about it.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
Sautéed Sirloin Steak with Peppercorns

6 well trimmed sirloin steaks, about 1 inch thick (8 oz each)
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons wholes black pepper, coarsely crushed
3 tablespoons clarified butter
¾ cup cognac
1 ½ cup beef broth, fresh or canned
2 bay leaves
¼ stick butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes
¼ cup heavy cream.
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved with two tablespoon cold water

Season the steaks generously with salt. One side at a time sprinkles each steak with the crushed black peppercorns, pushing them firmly into the meat with your hands. In a 12-inch cast iron or heavy-duty skillet, heat the clarified butter over high heat. Place the steaks in the pan (3 at the time) and sauté them 4 minutes on each side, or until they are done to your taste. Transfer the steaks to a heated platter and set them aside while preparing the sauce.

Remove the pan from the stove, add the cognac, let warm for a minute, then ignite with a match. Pour in the beef broth, bay leaves and cream. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, whisk in the cornstarch and blend well. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chilled butter bits one at a time. Strain the sauce with sieve over the steaks, and serve at once. Serves 6.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MARCH 29

COOKING ON THE RIVERWALK
We start today’s show from San Antonio with Chef Chip McMullin, who’s doing some wonderful things with fresh and local ingredients in a very high-profile location. To Chip, Caleza Grill at the Westin Riverwalk offers a perfect opportunity to wow visitors to San Antonio from all over the world, while sharing with locals his own adventures in culture and cuisine.

AN AMAZING DEVELOPMENT
We all know some beers have a “born on” date, but so few of us know how a beer is actually born. So we check in with good friend Jaime Jurado. In his work with Gambrinus Corp., which counts among its brands the ever-iconic Shiner, Jaime oversees the kind of experimentation that produces seasonal and other special beers. We sit down with Jaime in his “development brewery” to sip away at brews we may well we tasting soon.

CLAIMING MI TIERRA
Like a lot of cities, San Antonio has had its ups and downs – especially the downs over the decades when it comes to downtown. Yet long before the Riverwalk was built for the 1964 World’s Fair, a Mexican-American family was dreaming big. That family started cooking what it cooked best in a tiny location near the old open marketplace – and within a few years, as family members tell us, that tiny space called Mi Tierra had become one of the biggest restaurants you’ll ever see.

This Week's Delicious Mischief Recipe...
TORTILLA SOUP
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
2 large onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
12 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
Juice of 2 limes
1 package (8 oz.) small corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-in.-thick strips (see Notes)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-in.-thick strips
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey jack cheese, additional chopped cilantro, and/or sliced green onions for topping

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large pot (at least 5 qts.) over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in two-thirds of the garlic, 1 tbsp. salt, cumin, and chile flakes and cook 2 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, and half the lime juice and increase heat to a gentle simmer; cook 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour about 1 in. of vegetable oil into a small frying pan set over medium-high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add one-third of the tortilla strips and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer strips to a paper towel-lined baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips in two batches. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Set aside.
Purée soup in batches in a blender. Return soup to pot and resume simmering. In a small bowl, toss chicken with remaining lime juice, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes, then add to soup and simmer 5 minutes, until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in cilantro. Serve hot with tortilla strips and your choice of toppings. Serves 8-10.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MARCH 22

A WINE AND FOOD MINGLE
In our first-ever Delicious Mischief broadcast from the lovely hills and lakes of Marble Falls, we report on a remarkable phenomenon. After years of relying on barbecue and chicken fried steak, the town has gone stylish. And that means chic wine bars like The Falls can hope to stay in business a good long time.

BLAST FROM THE PAST
Before we get too giddy about the future, though, let’s enjoy a heapin’ helpin’ of where Marble Falls has come from. We sit down at a table with the owner of the Bluebonnet Café, a place that’s been serving delicious diner-style Texas food for something like 80 years. What’s not to like about a place that does “Pie Happy Hour”?

909 IS MORE THAN A SONG
The Beatles did a song about “the one after 909,” whatever that meant to them at the time. But in Marble Falls, Café 909 is a stylish restaurant dishing up some stylish and innovative cuisine. We chat with the chef-owner about the challenges of doing food worthy of a new generation.

GENERAL PATTON’S STARS
We end today’s show where many think the “new food” movement in Marble Falls began: at a restaurant called Patton’s on Main. The chef-owner here cut his teeth in Oxford, Miss., after attending Ole Miss and refined his craft under Wolfgang Puck in Las Vegas. But as so often happens when Texans start having a family somewhere else, it seems like time to come home.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
CATFISH CAKES

1 pound fresh catfish fillets
Water
4 teaspoons oil, for sautéing
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green pepper, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
4 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoon s Dijon mustard
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
4 teaspoons Creole seasoning
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoon s dried basil, crumbled
Oil for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour

Poach catfish in a large pot of boiling water for about 15 or 20 minutes, or until the fish begins to flake with a fork. Drain poached fish in a colander, and place it on a baking sheet to cool. In a large skillet, sauté onions and peppers in oil for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft, and set aside. Take the cooled catfish and crumble it by hand in a large bowl. Add beaten eggs to the bowl of crumbled fish. Add cooked onions and peppers to the fish and eggs. Add remaining ingredients to fish and mix well by hand to create a cake-like mixture.

Form mixture into 6 to 10 equal-sized rounds and place on a baking sheet until ready to fry. In a cast-iron skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to about 350 degrees. Just before frying, thoroughly dust each catfish cake with flour. Fry the cakes in the hot oil until they are golden brown all over, rolling them frequently. Depending on your frying apparatus, this should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the cooked catfish cakes on paper towels. Best when served immediately, but you can reserve them in baking dish in a warm oven until ready to serve. Serve with your favorite tartar sauce. Makes 8-10 cakes.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MARCH 15

RUNNING WITH THE FOODS
For this show, we travel to New York City – but the traveling hardy stops there. In our opening segment, we visit from Chef Alex Urena of the restaurant called Pamplona. Yes, it’s named after the city in northern Spain famous for the annual “running of the bulls.” Yet after working with David Bouley New York and Feran Adria in Spain, Chef Alex is introducing us to some exciting new flavors indeed.

WINES FROM DOWN UNDER
For starters, long before David Mayger was sommelier at the chic NYC eatery called Telepan, he was an Aussie. And in both those hats, he has watched Australian wines truly come of age – moving from solid craftsmanship at great value to some extraordinary experiences in the bottle. In today’s Grape & Grain segment, David teaches us about these wines from far away, as well as about the things he teaches chefs about pairing them with great food.

AND NOW, OFF TO GREECE
Every since we first visited Greece 30-plus years ago, it has remained one of our favorite countries for food, for wine, for music, for history, for people, for – well, for anything! Yet we’ve discovered the best Greek meal of our lives in a none-to-busy corner of Manhattan, at a stylish little place called Pylos. We’ll visit with the owner and the chef, chat about cuisine while sipping examples from their remarkable all-Greek wine list.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
TAPAS-STYLE MINI-TORTILLAS (SPANISH OMELETS)

· 6 eggs
· 2 tablespoons half-and-half
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
· 1 pinch powdered saffron
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 tablespoon butter
· 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 2 cups frozen loose-pack diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers
· 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 450 degree F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs; half-and-half, cream, or milk; salt; pepper; and saffron. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in potatoes. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in chives or parsley.

Spread potato mixture evenly into prepared baking pan. Pour egg mixture evenly over potato mixture, pressing down lightly with the back of a spoon to completely cover potatoes. Bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until set and top is golden (center may puff during baking, but will fall during standing time). Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares. Serve warm. Makes about 4 dozen squares.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MARCH 8

GETTING IN THE GROVE
Houstonians are enjoying their first chances to get to know the park called Discovery Green right in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center – and that’s a tasty project indeed. Thanks to the Schiller-DelGrande Restaurant Group (of Café Annie and Café Express fame) there’s an important new eatery called The Grove right inside the park. Executive chef Ryan Pera joins us to explain what the concept’s all about.

HEALTHY CHEF GREG
Greg Gordon is best known as the chef and visionary behind La Vista, the strange and wondrous neighborhood restaurant with two locations in Houston. Today he comes into the CNN 650 studio to talk about what he cooks when he cooks healthy – which to look at him, you’d think he must do pretty often. Greg is this month’s Healthy Chef in Houston Health and Fitness Magazine.

LATE NIGHT AT ARMANDO’S
To date, Armando Palacios has made his name – years ago and again more recently – as the guy who adapted Tex-Mex cuisine to suit the River Oaks palate. We’ve talked to Armando in the past about his achievement, as well as about the chic “taco truck” he uses for upscale catering. This time the subject is his new late-night menu, and an intriguing thing it is, if only we can stay awake long enough.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
ST. PATRICK’S DAY BEEF & STOUT STEW

2 pounds lean beef stew meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 large onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Irish stout beer (e.g., Guinness)
2 cups chopped carrot
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Toss the beef cubes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Dredge the beef in this to coat. Heat the remaining oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and brown on all sides. Add the onions, and garlic. Stir the tomato paste into a small amount of water to dilute; pour into the pan and stir to blend. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour 1/2 cup of the beer into the pan, and as it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This adds a lot of flavor to the broth. Pour in the rest of the beer, and add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR MARCH 1

CHEF’S BARBECUE JOINT
We all know the Great Texas Barbecue Joint. And the people who cook in such a place tend to be veterans and zealots to be sure, but not trained chefs. That’s only one of the things that make Beaver’s Barbecue so interesting, since it’s the brainchild of Chef Monica Pope of today’s t’afia and the fondly remembered Boulevard Bistro. And if one excellent chef were not strange enough, she’s hired others to help her cook barbecue in this former Houston icehouse.

WINES FROM ALEXANDER’S PLACE
Greek wines have enjoyed both evolution and revolution in recent years, with a massive investment in both talent and equipment. The result: Greek wines aren’t just your mother’s retsina anymore. In this Grape & Grain segment, we hook up with wine importer Konstantine Drougos and the owner of Pavlou Winery in the north of Greece. In addition to qualities evident in the bottle, there is the sheer fascination of new vintages from the ancient kingdom of Alexander the Great.

KILLER WINE
Many wine lovers complain these days that one or two wine critics exercise too much power over the wines that get made and marketed. Yet it’s a safe bet most of us have never considered knocking one of these guys off. That is precisely the premise of Peter May’s brand-new mystery “The Critic,” which he joins us to discuss. What’s more, the Scots-born May now lives in France and has done extensive research (a.k.a. drinking) into the wines of Gaillac for his page-turning novel.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
VENISON STEW WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

3 pounds venison shoulder, trimmed and cut into cubes
½ stick butter
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup minced shallots or onions
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
2 medium size yellow onions, peeled and diced
1 ½ pound fresh wild mushrooms, washed and sliced
½ pound lean bacon strips, cut into juliennes
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
8 black peppercorns, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 cup whole cranberry sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups beef broth
2 cups dry red wine

Spread the cubed venison on a large serving platter. Mix the flour, paprika, salt, and dust the cubed venison generously. Heat a heavy duty casserole, and brown one fourth of the venison in one tablespoon each of the butter and oil over high heat, transfer to a bowl. Brown the remaining venison in three batches, adding more butter as needed. Stir-fry the onions, shallots, and bacon with the remaining butter and oil. Return the browned venison to the casserole, add thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, bay leaves, peppercorns, and mix well.

Add red wine, beef broth, cranberry sauce, cover the casserole and simmer for 2 hours over low heat, or until the venison is tender. With a slotted spoon remove the venison and place in a serving bowl. Strain the sauce into another pot, add the mushrooms, cream and simmer for five minutes. Adjust the thickness and taste. Pour the gravy over the venison; serve with pasta or traditional spätzle. Serves 8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR FEB. 23

FISHING THE RIGHT REEF
Like a lot of other Houstonians, we first met Chef Bryan Caswell when he was cooking Jean-Georges-style at the Hotel Icon’s posh dining room called Bank. When Bryan left, it was to work toward opening his own upscale seafood restaurant, which as Reef has emerged as one of the city’s finest dining destinations. We sit down for a multi-ethnic seafood tasting with this talented chef – and ask him too about his sea-foam green Midtown restaurant’s impressive “wall of wine.”

PRESENT AT THE CREATION
These days, most of the major bourbon producers have nudged beyond their best-known traditional products to offer a higher-priced, smaller-batch variation for those consumers who insist upon it. But there was a time, only a generation ago, when anyone around a distillery even suggesting such a thing would have been dismissed as crazy. In today’s Grape & Grain segment, we taste and talk with Bill Samuels of Maker’s Mark, widely viewed as one of the true visionaries who made today’s small-batch bourbons a reality.

NIGHT AT THE OPERA
If all you know about opera comes from Bugs Bunny cartoons or Marx Brothers movies, Jake Heggie would like to think he and HGO have a new opera for you. The San Francisco-based composer joins us for a discussion of his new work “Last Acts,” enjoying its world premiere here in Houston with a cast led by international legend Frederica von Stade. Plus, as a young guy, Jake talks about the long, winding and unexpected road to hanging the “opera composer” sign above his door.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
RODEO BAKED BEANS

2 (15-ounce) cans pork and beans
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup prepared ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 slices bacon, chopped

Combine the pork and beans with the brown sugar, onion, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire and vinegar in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the chopped bacon and set dish in a preheated 35-degree oven. (You can also set the dish in the smoker, as many barbecue places do). Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 1 hour. Serves 8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR FEB. 16

BEYOND THE PUB LUNCH
Our friend Craig Mallinson joins us from the Red Lion Pub to talk about some of his new lunch items. If the British concept of “pub lunch” was once pretty much shepherd’s pie and bangers and mash, the increasing ethnic complexity of the British population has inspired pubs (yes, even here in Houston) to offer more and more ethnic fare. For starters, Craig serves up some of the niftier Indian flavors anywhere, along with unexpected tinges of Thai.

ZERO IN ON ZONIN
Zonin USA may be based in Charlottesville, Va., not far from Monticello and looking like it was designed by America’s first wine lover, Thomas Jefferson. But the house of Zonin was founded in Italy almost two centuries ago and has expanded to incorporate operations at 11 vineyard estates in all of Italy’s most important wine regions. The family is still very much in charge, as we discover during today’s Grape and Grain segment.

SOMETHING-LICIOUS
Two different Houston writers have recently launched cookbooks, and we’ve invited them both into our studio to tell us all about it. Peggy Touchstone Sholly calls her volume “Dome Home Delicious,” and it is much as the words proclaim: simple, filling dishes based on the best that Texas and its neighboring Gulf Coast states have to offer. Besides a TV appearance on Iron Chef, Dominica Catelli has a new cookbook called "Mom-a-licious," which is aimed at “fresh fast family food” for the “hot mama in you.”

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
MIMI’S CHICKEN

1 roasted chicken (available at Spec’s)
½ cup chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ cup mayonnaise
Grated cheddar cheese
Unseasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Steamed white rice

Cut all the meat off the roast chicken, discarding skin and bones. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and combine in a casserole with the broth, soup, mushrooms, curry powder and mayonnaise. Cover with the cheese and breadcrumbs, brushing lightly with the butter. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 6-8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR FEB. 9

This week we broadcast live from Spec’s wonderful warehouse store on Smith Street, so come by, pick up a few things for your next meal, and say hello. Also, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, you can register to win a two-night stay at the romantic Maison Dupuy Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, with a special-occasion wine dinner for two at Dominique’s. It’s all part of the upcoming New Orleans Wine Festival.

SUSHI FOR THE MANY
For a long time, it seems, sushi was the food for purists – people who tended to take yoga classes, read Eastern philosophy and discuss feng shui every time they thought about moving the sofa. Today, thanks to places like Ra Sushi in Houston, sushi is or at least can be for everybody. Our friends Bill and Jerry from Ra (as opposed to Ben and Jerry from Vermont!) teach us how to appreciate some of their finest culinary creations, along with the different kinds of sake that pair with them. Or, if you’re like me, you can still have a nice New Zealand sauvignon blanc!

WINES FOR VALENTINES
Veteran waiters may roll their eyes and grumble about “amateur night,” but Valentine’s Day (or, in this case, night) remains the single busiest day in restaurants across America – followed by Mother’s Day, which shows where all this romancing tends to lead. Our Spec’s buddy and wine guy extraordinaire Bill Coates joins us for today’s Grape & Grain segment, talking about what makes a wine “romantic.” He’ll also pour us tastes of two or three vintages he thinks especially likely to make the most of dinner with your Valentine.

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL
Talk about romantic! Surely everyone has seen at least one movie version of “The Scarlet Pimpernel”. This time around, it’s a musical being staged at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts by Houston’s own Masquerade Theatre. These guys do some really terrific shows – as we saw a few months back with “Gypsy” – and we’ll have a chat with artistic director Phillip Duggins and “Pimpernel” star Luther Chakurian to find out how they do it. And since the last time we saw Luther, he was killing people to fill London meat pies in “Sweeney Todd,” we hope he’ll be a bit lest culinary this go-round.

JOHN’S SAY-IT-AIN’T-SO ONE-HOUR
CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO

Sometimes, when you’re going from cookbook signing to cookbook signing far from home, you have to whip up gumbo in a hurry in some mighty strange places that aren’t exactly kitchens. You do this by “going Thoreau” and simplifying, deciding what’s really important and what’s only an old wives’ tale. Thus, this gumbo in one hour, made with one of those roast chicken Spec’s and everybody else loves to sell us these days. You may grimace at the shortcuts, but you’ll be amazed at the taste. As Justin Wilson says from somewhere in Cajun heaven, long before that guy trying to sell us suits: “I gar-on-TEE it!”

1 roast chicken
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced in coins
2 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups cut okra, fresh or frozen
½ cup tomato salsa
4 cups chicken broth
Creole seasoning to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil
Chopped green onion
Streamed white rice

Remove all meat from the chicken and discard skin and bones. Brown the sausage and bacon to render the fat, then remove the meat from the pan. Saute the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic in the fat until lightly caramelized, then add the okra and stir until soft and the mixture has thickened. Stir in salsa and cook briefly to incorporate. Pour in chicken broth and season to taste. Crumble the cooked bacon and add to the gumbo, along with the sausage and chicken.

In a separate skillet, stir together the flour and oil until smooth, then cook while stirring to form a very dark brown roux. When finished, carefully (it will bubble and splatter) add some of the gumbo to the roux and stir until thick and smooth, then repeat the process – this will “temper” the roux so it combines better. Add the tempered roux to the gumbo and cook until you run out of hour, or longer of course. Serve in bowls garnished with green onions and steamed white rice. Serves about 8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR FEB. 2

NEW CHEF AT ALDEN’S 17
We’re back in the studio today after broadcasts from places as different as New York, Washington and Dallas – and we get to welcome the brand-new executive chef at one of our favorite local restaurants. Wes Morton comes to 17 at the Alden Hotel direct from Navio Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay in California. Before that, he cooked at three super-cool eateries in the nation’s capital, Circle Bistro, Cityzen (cute name!) and Michel Richard’s Citronelle.

LATITUDES IN THE TROPICS
While we’re on the subject of 17 and the Alden, today’s show also welcomes back good friend (and cookbook co-author) Dominique Macquet of Dominique’s in New Orleans. As part of a weeklong series of promotions and cooking classes right here in Houston, Dominique joins us to discuss his (our) latest book, “Dominique’s Tropical Latitudes. In particular, we’ll talk about a special book signing and cocktail reception Dominique is doing at the Alden.

FOR LOVE OF PISCO
In the crazy, mixed-up languages of South America, pisco is named after the word “piscu,” for “little bird,” presumably because the spirit made from grapes (a brandy, in other words) can make us fly pretty high. Pisco is widely and wildly consumed in Peru and Chile, both of which fight over the creation of the pisco sour cocktail, as well as Argentina and Bolivia. In today’s Grape & Grain segment, our buddy Jean-Francois Bonnette joins us to give us a taste of the pisco sour his company is introducing to the Houston market.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
JALAPENO-CHEDDAR CORNBREAD

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely ground corn flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons seeded and chopped jalapenos

Grease a 8-by-8-inch baking pan. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg, then whisk in the milk and butter. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then thoroughly blend in the cheese and jalapenos. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Let cool. Serves 6-8.

SHOW & RECIPES FOR JAN. 26

RESOURCE FOR CHEFS
To be a top-flight chef these days, you need all the resources you can get – including information on equipment and personnel, financial and legal matters, and yes, even that all-important media training. One of the best helps for professional chefs we’ve seen is a website called starchefs.com. In our opening segment, we sit down with founding editor Antoinette Bruno in New York City to learn all about her take of the challenges facing chefs these days.

MASTER OF THE COCKTAIL
For a while, it was looking as though any weirdness you can fit into a glass could be sold and would be bought as a cocktail. But as author David Wundrich tells us, the renaissance being enjoyed by the martini and other classics points the trend-spotters in a different direction. In particular, we want to hear from David why he thinks this is happening – when just over a decade ago, cocktail making and spirit sales in general were considered an endangered species.

HEY, AREN’T YOU TIM KEATING?
Chef Tim Keating didn’t come from Houston, and he isn’t working here right now – but we’re tempted to call him “Houston’s own” anyway. We ran into the chef most recently seen here at the Four Seasons while he was attending the Star Chefs Congress in New York City, and we ask him what all he’s doing as a culinary hotshot for Disney World in Orlando. Yes, he misses us too!

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
SHINER BOCK BARBECUED CABRITO

1 (5-6 pound) goat hind quarter, cleaned
½ cup prepared mustard
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup lemon pepper seasoning
½ cup chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup butter
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 lemons, quartered
2 limes, quartered
1 bottle Shiner Bock beer
2 cups vegetable oil
½ cup Worcestershire sauce

Rub the coat completely with the mustard. Combine the jalapenos and cilantro with seasonings in a large sealable plastic bag and place meat in the bag, turning to cover with seasonings. Close the bag and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions and garlic in a large saucepan until caramelized. Add the lemons, limes and beer. When the foam subsides, stir in the oil and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for about 25 minutes.

Prepare the grill for indirect cooking, with soaked mesquite chips for smoke. Remove the meat from the marinade and place directly on the grill and smoke for 2-3 hours, basting regularly with the sauce. When the goat’s internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, wrap it in foil and return to the grill until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. Remove from the grill and let meat rest for 20 meats before carving. Serve pieces on a platter with barbecue sauce on the side. Serves 6-8.

SHOW & RECIPE FOR JAN. 12

MAKING THIS ABACUS COUNT
Today’s Delicious Mischief comes to you from our neighboring Metroplex to the far north, Dallas. We began our eating and drinking tour at one of the city’s best-known fine-dining hot spots, Chef Kent Rathbun’s Abacus. To his credit, Kent refuses to fuse – so “fusion” is not a word he wants to hear about his food. Still, the confluence of many American and European classics given a twist with some of the finest sushi we’ve had anywhere certainly makes you stop and think. When it comes to cuisine, sometimes it IS a small world after all.

MASTERS OF THE MARTINI
We don’t approve of drinking and driving, of course, but when we’re in Dallas and want a martini, a drive just might be in the offing. Up in Plano we find one of the most off-the-wall, over-the-top tributes to the born-again American cocktail ever, a place called Martini Park. We were intrigued enough by the now-accepted notion that anything served in a martini glass is by definition IS a martini. But we forgot even that when we took a look at the food menu, a list of dishes concocted for their ability to pair with martinis. What a tasty concept that proved to be!

CENTER OF IT ALL
Executive chef Tom Fleming comes to his duties at Central 214 after a host of exciting opportunities, both in north Texas and in Chicago. In the latter city, in fact, his food helped chef/proprietor Jean Joho of Everest win a James Beard Best New Restaurant Award for the newer place called Brasserie Jo. Fleming carries this French training into the American food he cooks at Central 214, located in the chic and centrally located Hotel Palomar. Listening to him is hearing the many “fresh, local, seasonal” mantras of today’s American chef.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
BOILED BEEF WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE AND STEAMED CABBAGE

2 ½ quart water
3 pounds boneless beef rump
1 medium size carrot, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, cut in half, washed and sliced
2 turnips, peeled and sliced
½ cup chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
10 pepper corns
2 teaspoon salt
1 medium head of white cabbage

Horseradish Sauce:
½ stick of butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups beef stock
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup prepared horseradish
1 bay leave
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the water in a medium size pot or Dutch oven; add the meat, carrots, leeks, parsnips, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt. Bring the broth to a boil, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about two hours, skimming the top occasionally to remove any scum. When cooked (the meat should be fork tender) remove the meat, vegetables, and place on a platter, cover with foil and keep warm. Reserve the beef stock. Cut the cabbage in half, and remove the core. Slice each half into 3 wedges and place in a shallow casserole; strain 2 cups of the reserved beef stock over it. Cover the casserole and steam over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Blend in the flour and cook the roux for two minutes. Mix in two cups of hot beef stock and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Combine with the horseradish and cream, mix well, add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, place the steamed cabbage wedges on a heated serving platter, slice the beef across the grain about ¼ inch thick, and arrange the slices over the cabbage. Arrange the vegetables around the beef, top with a little broth, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve with the horseradish sauce. Serves 6.