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.