Nothing makes a person appreciate dining out like eating in for three months (and counting). By now, youβve mastered every cookbook recipe and self-developed concoctions. But frankly, youβre not alone if what you really crave is a good old dish from your favorite local restaurant, prepped by your favorite chef and hand-delivered by your favorite server.
While Michigan restaurants are now able to operate at 50 percent capacity, many are still only offering carry-out services or are holding off on opening their doors again. So, as the local restaurant industry eases into reopening, we asked several Detroit restaurateurs to tell us how to make dishes and drinks off their summer menus. Consider it a taste of the dining-out experience right in your own home.
From the Kitchen of Michigan & Trumbull
The Peach Pit
At Michigan & Trumbull, the new pizzeria on the block in Corktown, unexpected ingredient pairings are baked into Detroit-style pizzas. A summer favorite, the Peach Pit, which stars ripe peaches and a sticky bacon jam, offers a sweet-savory mix that guests canβt get enough of. βPeaches are now in season, and caramelized peaches are especially delicious,β says co-owner Kristen Calverley. βThe nice thing is, the leftover bacon jam would be delicious with cheese and crackers or on cheeseburgers β the possibilities are endless.β
Ingredients
Your favorite pizza dough recipe (Calverley uses an 8Γ10-inch Detroit-style pan and a 10 oz. dough ball, but a traditional round would be equally delicious.)
Shredded mozzarella
1 whole peach
1 leek
Bacon jam
Hot honey (preferably Michigan & Trumbull Haute Honey, $6)
Cook bacon in a pot until crispy and set aside in a small bowl, reserving a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot. Add the onions and jalapeΓ±o to the pot and cook at medium-low heat until caramelized. Then add brown sugar, minced garlic, cooked bacon, vinegar, and a splash of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce until the onions are jammy.
Directions
Halve your peach, removing the pit. Halve each half so the peach is quartered, and slice into thin half-moons. Using a knife, remove the dark leaf end of the leek and discard. Thinly slice leek into rings and discard the root end. Submerge the sliced leek in a bowl of cold water until ready to use.
Use the pizza dough of your choice and knead it into pan. Top with shredded mozzarella. Using a teaspoon, add dime-sized dots of bacon jam. Sprinkle leek rings on top. Finally, add peaches. (Adding the peaches last will allow them to caramelize nicely in the oven.) Bake at 500 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes or until crispy. Drizzle with hot honey and enjoy.
Michigan & Trumbull, 1441 W. Elizabeth St., Detroit; 313-637-4992;
From the Kitchen of Empire Kitchen and CocktailsΜύ
Raspberry DragonΜύ
Chef Aaron Lowen says the Raspberry Dragon is Empire Kitchen and Cocktailsβ most popular cocktail. βItβs fruity and citrusy and features a delicious sparkling rosΓ© to cap it off,β he says, adding that the drink is a perfect summer treat and βvery easy to make at home.β
Ingredients
Β½ oz. housemade raspberry simple syrup
ΒΎ oz. fresh lemon juice
Β½ oz. pamplemousse liqueur
1 ΒΎ oz. Titoβs Handmade Vodka
Sparkling rosΓ©Μύ
Housemade Raspberry Simple Syrup:
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
Directions
For the Housemade Raspberry Simple Syrup, boil raspberries and water for 10 minutes, then strain. Add granulated sugar and simmer until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Combine all ingredients except rosΓ© into a shaker tin with ice and shake. Strain into a glass and top with sparkling rosΓ© for a fizzy float.
Empire Kitchen and Cocktails, 3148 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-315-3131;
From the Kitchen of Roseβs Find Foods
Grandpa Richardβs Pancakes
Like most dishes at Roseβs Fine Food, the charming diner that has occupied a small Jefferson Avenue lot since 1964, this menu item is endearingly nostalgic. βIn a time like this, Iβve been spending time looking back on things I miss,β says chef and owner Molly Mitchell. βI based the recipe for our pancakes on my grandpaβs recipe β he made blueberry pancakes every morning for breakfast.β What makes Grandpa Richardβs Pancakes better than the average golden stack, Mitchell says, are the extra eggs (which lend a custardy texture), fresh-milled flour, Michigan maple syrup, and housemade cultured butter to dress them up. βReal maple syrup is non-negotiable!β
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose or pastry flour
ΒΎ tsp. baking soda
ΒΎ tsp. salt
5 eggs
ΒΉ/3 cup sugar
ΒΉ/3 cup olive oil or melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Maple syrup
Directions
Whisk together the dry ingredients, except sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk well. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry gently β a few lumps are fine. Let the batter sit for Β½ hour. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron griddle or pan. Before cooking, add a drop of water to the pan to test the temperature β it should hiss when dropped on the grill.
Add butter to the pan and pour in ΒΌ-cup-sized cakes β 2 to 3, depending on the pan size. They will spread out, so make sure they have space to expand. Now is the time to add berries, chocolate, bacon, or some combination. Flip when the edges begin to look dry and a few bubbles have popped on the surface.
Cook for another few minutes. Slather in butter, douse in syrup, and enjoy.
Roseβs Fine Food, 10551 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-822-2729;
From the Kitchen of LeilaΜύ
Fattoush SaladΜύ
Leila, with its polished dining room and swanky underground bar, is a downtown Detroit newcomer serving upscale takes on Lebanese classics. Executive chef Nick Janutol shares a simple dish that can be easily recreated for an at-home taste of the restaurantβs fine-dining experience. βFattoush is an amazing salad to serve year-round but makes for a great patio salad during the summer,β Janutol says. βWe love this salad because it has bold acidity, which makes it a crisp and clean dish that goes well with anything coming off the grill, or stands alone for a light and healthy summertime meal option.β
Ingredients
1 oz. romaine, small dice
1 oz. green peppers, small dice
1 oz. radish, small dice
4 oz. cucumbers, small dice
1 oz. onions, small dice
4 oz. tomatoes, small dice and drained
1 Tbsp. zaβatar spice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 oz. dry pita, small dice
1 tsp. pomegranate molasses
Pepper to taste
Salt to tasteΜύ
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and toss until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to your desired taste and serve.
Leila, 1245 Griswold St., Detroit; 313-816-8100;
From the Kitchen of Mutiny BarΜύ
Island HopperΜύ
Drinks at Mutiny Bar, Detroitβs destination tiki bar, are as fun as they are potent. This whimsical elixir, as the bartenders say, βis a tropical vacation mixed up into one drink.β
Ingredients
1.5 oz. Cabresto Tequila Silver
ΒΌ oz. Campari
ΒΎ oz. mango juice
ΒΌ oz. passion fruit juice
ΒΎ oz. pineapple juice
ΒΌ oz. lime juice
Directions
Fill your favorite tiki mug with crushed ice. Pour all ingredients into mug and stir. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel or dehydrated pineapple and enjoy.Μύ
Mutiny Bar, 4654 Vernor Hwy., Detroit;
From the kitchen of Ivy Kitchen + Cocktails
Cream Sauce Scallop Tostadas
An eclectic menu abounds at Ivy Kitchen + Cocktails in Detroitβs East Village. Southern favorites, such as shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles, comprise the brunch menu; charred whole branzino shines as an entrΓ©e; and mini wonton ahi tuna tacos are so artful they hardly seem edible. And a robust beverage program offers craft cocktails that pair well with each dish on the menu. This one, owner Nya Marshall says, is one of the restaurantβs healthy options that βhas a burst of flavor that you donβt expect from such a light dish.β It also pairs well with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc, she says.
Ingredients
Guacamole:
4 oz. hass avocado
ΒΌ cup tomato, diced
2 Tbsp. red onion, diced
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. chopped cilantro
Β½ tsp. kosher salt
Fresh black pepper to taste
Tostadas:
2 Tbsp. light sour cream, thinned with 1 tsp. fat-free milk
6 large sea scallops (8 oz. total), side muscle removed, rinsed and patted dry
ΒΌ tsp. kosher salt
Black pepper to taste
1 tsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. olive oil
2 large gluten-free corn tostada shells
Directions
Mash avocado in a small bowl with tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper
to taste.
Season scallops with salt and black pepper. Add butter and oil to a 12-inch skillet on high heat. Once the butter begins to smoke, gently add in scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear scallops for 1 Β½ minutes on each side. The scallops should have a ΒΌ-inch golden crust on each side and translucent centers.
Spoon guacamole onto the tostada, top with scallops, and drizzle with sour cream.
Ivy Kitchen + Cocktails, 9215 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-332-0607;
From the Kitchen of Taqueria y Cenaduria TriΓ‘ngulo DoradoΜύ
Sushinola Sushi Roll
Best known for its tacos, ceviche, and various authentic Mexican street food dishes, Taqueria y Cenaduria Triangulo Dorado in Southwest Detroit features one menu showstopper that may make most diners do a double take β sushi! Santiago Torres, co-owner of the restaurant (known as the Golden Triangle, as its name indicates in Spanish), which highlights specialties from Sinaloa, Durango, and Chihuahua, says he plans to introduce a new menu of sushi, putting a Latin spin on a Japanese staple. This one, starring carne asada and grilled shrimp, is deep-fried and scrawled with a creamy Tampico sauce.
Ingredients
2 cups long-grain
white rice
Β½ cup vinegar
2 oz. sugar
Β½ tsp. salt
Grilled steak (2 strips)
Grilled shrimp (2 pieces)
Bacon
Cream cheese
Cucumber (1 strip)
Avocado
1 egg
Breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil
Tampico (a mixture of crab, mayonnaise, and cream cheese)
Anguilla sauce
Directions
The process begins with the rice. Pour 2 cups of rice (rinsed) and 2 cups of water in a pan and let cook for 45 minutes. Once cooked, add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir.
Place a sheet of seaweed on a sushi roller, then spread a lump of rice the size of a golf ball evenly across the sheet. Add layers of grilled steak, shrimp, bacon, cream cheese, cucumber, and avocado.
Roll the mixture, pour pureed egg over top, and coat in breadcrumbs. Fry for up to 20 seconds or until brown. Once the roll is removed from the fryer, top with Tampico and a sweet Anguilla sauce and enjoy.
Taqueria y Cenaduria TriΓ‘ngulo Dorado, 8065 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit; 313-652-5247;
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