Steve Spitz’s menu for TAB

23 Feb Steve Spitz’s menu for TAB

What has TV celebrity Steve Spitz cooked up for the Telluride AIDS Benefit? 

TV lifestyle celebrity Steve Spitz describes his upcoming new program, "Live with Steve Spitz" this way: "People don't need to find another lifestyle show. They need to find style in their own lives. My program helps them to do just that: find it, nurture it, get their freak on and party with it like Paris Hilton before celebrity rehab."

For a sneak peek at the party Steve has planned for the Telluride AIDS Benefit on Tuesday, February 24, 6 p.m. at a private home in town, check out the mouthwatering menu, then call 970-728-0869.

Pairing #1
Grilled Blue Point Oysters with chili rubbed bacon, herb butter & scallions
 
8 dozen Blue Point Oysters (Blackberry Point or Belon Oyster may be substituted)
4 pounds thick cut apple wood smoked bacon
4 cups brown sugar
4 heaping tablespoon red chili powder
3½ cups butter, room temperature
7 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 cups diced scallions
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 300, mix brown sugar & chili powder in a shallow bowl. Line a jelly roll pan with
parchment paper. Sprinkle each slice of bacon with mixture on both sides, gently pressing seasoning into bacon. Twist each slice of bacon 2 times and lay on parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes without
turning bacon, when done, remove with tongs and place on a platter until cool, then crumble bacon.
Whip butter, garlic, cream until mixed and fluffy, lightly season with salt. 
Remove the top shell of the oysters. Try not to spill the juice. Add a teaspoon of the whipped butter
mixture, sprinkle bacon & scallions on top & add a pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Place oysters on a
hot outdoor grill and leave them just until the liquid is bubbling lightly. Be careful not to leave them on
too long. Remove with tongs and serve

Pairing #2
Spitz Family Handmade Christmas Smoked Sausage with Manchego Cheese

Christmas smoked sausage
3 lbs Manchego Cheese

Pairing #3
La Deu home-style potatoes

La Deu is a restaurant in an old farmhouse in Olot, Spain that has included this family recipe on its menu for decades. A former, food-loving mayor of Olot used to sing its praises at every
opportunity to such an extent that, over the years it became a local classic tapas dish! Steve has taken this classic tapas dish and updated it by adding garlic, butter and fresh serrano peppers.

20 russet potatoes, medium size
1 pound minced beef
1 pound minced pork
3 large white onions, finely chopped
1 whole head of garlic, minced
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded & finely chopped
8 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
½ cup unsalted butter
All purpose flour
Whole milk
18 eggs, beaten
Olive oil
Sea salt

Peel the potatoes and slice thinly, fry in olive oil, drain and set aside.
For the filling, first brown the minced meat in a little oil.
In a separate pan, sauté onion, garlic, peppers & tomatoes peeled.
Add the meat to vegetable mixture and cook for a few minutes, then drain off fat, add ½ cup of butter. 
Bring mixture back to medium-high heat and add just enough flour to bind everything together, cook for a few minutes then slowly add milk to make a thick béchamel
sauce.
Take two potato slices at a time and place a little stuffing between them. Coat with beaten egg and fry until they turn an attractive golden brown. Drain and serve.

Pairing #4
Queso de Perilla canapés with Caramelized Onion

6 loafs European country side bread (artisan bread in the U.S.)
4 pounds queso de Perilla (mild semi-sweet cheese may be substituted, but not recommended)
Caramelized onion:
4 pounds white onions, peeled & finely sliced
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 ½ cups olive oil
1 ½ c balsamic vinegar
Sea salt

Caramelize onions: place onions in a pan with the sugar, vinegar, oil and salt. Simmer until all liquid has evaporated and the onions are caramelized.
Thinly slice bread then cut diagonally; trim any rind off the cheese and cut it into thin wedges. Place one wedge of cheese on each slice of bread then top with a spoonful of caramelized onion.
Place the canapés in a hot oven, 375 degrees F for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Pairing #5
Sea Scallops en Brochette

90 large sea scallops
4 pounds applewood smoked bacon, thinly sliced
9 large lemons, juiced
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh cracked pepper
1 cup brown sugar
90 wooden skewers, 4-6 inch in length, soaked in water for 30 minutes

In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil & pepper, place scallops on a single layer in a 2” deep baking pan and pour marinade over scallops, cover & refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat broiler to high heat and place rack in upper 2/3 part of oven.
Remove scallops from marinade and pat dry.
Wrap each scallop in ½ slice of bacon (if using thick cut bacon, pre-cook it for a few minutes,)
then secure with skewer.
Place scallops on a clean 2” deep baking pan in a single layer, Broil for
2-3 minutes then turn over and lightly sprinkle with brown sugar, return to broiler for an
additional 3 minutes or until scallops are medium rare.
Remove from broiler and serve.

Pairing #6
Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto with asiago cheese

90 spears fresh medium asparagus
3 pounds paper sliced excellent quality parma ham
1 cup melted butter
2 pounds finely shredded asiago cheese
Fresh cracked pepper
Heat oven to 325 F. wrap each asparagus spear in a small piece of parma and lay on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with asiago cheese and fresh cracked pepper and place in oven 4-6 minutes or until ham is crispy.

Pairing #7
Garlic infused grilled free range chicken cutlet 

20 free range chicken breast, boned & skinned
5 heads garlic, peeled & chopped
1 bunch fresh rosemary, chopped
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 ½ cup olive oil
6 large lemons, juiced
Cut cutlets into one inch pieces, place in a large bowl, set aside. Place garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil & lemon juice in a blender and emulsify.  Pour marinade over chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat outdoor grill to medium high heat, place chicken on grill,
turning once, keeping grill closed. 

Pairing #8
Cider Glazed Colorado Lamb Chops

Yield, 8 chops
8 cups unfiltered apple cider
8 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
24 tablespoons minced garlic 
24 tablespoons soy sauce
24 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 
14 tablespoon mild honey
80 rib lamb chops 
8 scallion, finely chopped 

Boil cider, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and honey in a small saucepan until reduced, about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Reserve 16 tablespoons glaze for drizzling. 

Preheat broiler. 

Pat lamb chops dry and sprinkle with kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper. Arrange on rack of a broiler pan and brush top of chops with half of glaze. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat 3 minutes.
Turn over and brush with remaining glaze, then broil 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare.
Transfer chops to a plate and drizzle with reserved glaze. Let stand 5 minutes and then sprinkle with scallion. 

Pairing #9
Assorted Chocolates