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.