Recipes

The Michelle Burger

The Michelle Burger was developed by T. Cook's employee, Michelle Martinez. This burger was the winner of T. Cook's 2011 Annual Burger Contest and is featured on T. Cook's lunch and Cabana Café menu through May 2012.

Ingredients:

Four onion hamburger buns
Four 10 ounce ground beef patties
1 large tomato, sliced (vine-ripened is best)
1 Cup Sherry vinegar
½ Cup sugar
4 mini sweet chilis (sold in pints in grocery stores)
1 Cup Mayonnaise
T. Cook's Signature Spice Rub
Arugula
4 ounces Manchego cheese, sliced
1 small yellow onion, sliced very thin
Asparagus
Corn starch
Flour
Frying oil
Salt
Olive oil

Directions:

In a pot, heat oil to 350ºF. Take the shaved onions, dredge them in seasoned flour and deep fry. Drain on paper towels. Cut asparagus very thinly on a bias. Dredge in the corn starch and deep fry. Drain on paper towels.

In a second pot, heat the Sherry and sugar. Once boiling, add the sliced tomatoes and then remove the pot from the heat. Allow tomatoes to steep for approximately 5 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the liquid and allow to cool.

Toss the mini sweet chilis in a little oil and salt. Roast them in a 350º oven. Once they are roasted (soft and a little golden brown), remove the tops and purée with the cup of mayonnaise. Season the roasted sweet chili aioli with a little salt.

Take the arugula and toss it with a little olive oil and salt. Season the burgers with T. Cook's Signature Spice Rub and then either grill or sear to your liking.

Take the onion bun and spread it with the mini sweet chili aioli. Take some of the seasoned and dressed arugula and place it on the bottom bun. Top with the burger patty. Top the patty with the Sherry tomatoes and melt an ounce of Manchego cheese on top. Finish the burger with crispy asparagus and fried onions. Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Vanilla Malted Profiteroles

A pairing of crispy profiteroles filled with vanilla and chocolate malted Bavarian cream, served with vanilla gelato and a warm fudge sauce over a bed of crushed Whopper candies, this special dessert was developed by T. Cook's lead pastry cook Kay Brickley. This dessert was the winning submission in T. Cook's 2011 Annual Dessert Contest and is featured on T. Cook's dinner menu through February 2012.

Step 1: Profiteroles -

1 pint whole milk
8 ounces butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ ounce granulated sugar
12 ounces bread flour
10 eggs

Directions -

1. Combine milk, butter, salt and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a full boil.
2. Remove from heat and add flour and stir quickly.
3. Return to medium heat and stir vigorously until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and mix at low speed, with paddle attachment to cool slightly. It should still feel very warm but not too hot to touch.
5. Add eggs a little at a time, allowing them to be fully incorporated before adding more.
6. Using a large round pastry tip, pipe out round mounds of dough, approximately 1 ½ " in diameter onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
7. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375° and bake until they are very crisp and well browned.

Step 2: Vanilla Malted Bavarian Cream -

1 pint Crème Anglaise
¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon powdered malted milk
5 gelatin sheets
1 quart + ¼ cup whipping cream

Directions -

1. Place gelatin sheets in ice water to bloom.
2. Warm crème anglaise over a double boiler and add ¾ cup of malted milk powder, mix well, remove from heat.
3. Whip 1 quart of cream to medium peak, set aside.
4. Mix 1T of malted milk powder and ¼ cup of cream in a medium size bowl, add bloomed gelatin and heat over double boiler until gelatin melts.
5. Add gelatin mixture to warm anglaise mixture, then fold in whipped cream.

Step 3: Chocolate Malted Bavarian Cream -

12 ounces milk chocolate
1 pint Crème Anglaise
¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon powdered malted milk
4 gelatin sheets
3 cups + ¼ cup whipping cream

Directions -

1. Place gelatin sheets in ice water to bloom.
2. Melt chocolate with anglaise and ¾ cup of malted milk over double boiler, mix well to blend, remove from heat.
3. Whip 3 cup of cream to medium peak, set aside.
4. Mix 1 Tablespoon of malted milk powder and ¼ cup of cream in a medium size bowl, add bloomed gelatin and heat over double boiler until gelatin melts.
5. Add gelatin mixture to warm anglaise mixture, then fold in whipped cream.

Step 4: Warm Fudge Sauce -

8 ounces dark chocolate
1 pinch salt
½ cup cream
½ corn syrup
¼ cup sugar

Directions -

1. Place chocolate in a large bowl.
2. Place the remaining ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil, then pour over the chocolate.
3. Stir until mixture is smooth.

Step 5: Malted Brittle -

3 Tablespoons powdered malted milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¼ water
1 Tablespoon butter

Directions -

1. Combine malted milk, baking soda and salt in a small bowl
2. Combine sugar and water in a small heavy pot and cook until it becomes dark amber in color (about 320°)
3. Remove from heat and add butter, then add dry ingredients.
4. Pour onto a parchment lined, sprayed sheet pan and spread thin.
5. Allow to cool, then break into small pieces for garnish.

Final Step: Plating -

1. Cut the tops off of the profiteroles and fill half of them with vanilla malted Bavarian cream and half with the chocolate malted Bavarian cream, using a large star piping tip.
2. Place the tops on the profiteroles at an angle, place piece of brittle into the cream for garnish
3. Place one of each type of filled profiterole on each plate, pour warm fudge sauce over each one. Also pour a spot of sauce onto the plate, and place a mound of crushed Malted Milk Balls on top of the dot. The place a small scoop of vanilla gelato onto of the milk balls.

Enjoy!

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

Sweet and tangy; perfect for the holidays, or frankly, any time of the year, T. Cook's cranberry chutney is always a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cranberries (okay to substitute frozen)
2 oranges, zest only
2 cinnamon sticks
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup quality orange juice
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cranberries achieve a chutney consistency. Cool completely, and serve.
Serves 8 people.

Tip: If mixture is too thin, add extra sugar. If mixture is too thick, add water.

Enjoy!