New Tastes for a New Year
By Executive Chef Russell Skall
In celebration of the New Year, I always like to introduce some exciting new additions to the Fleming's menu. Or even reintroduce an original as the case may be.
One of our all-time favorite appetizers, Baked Brie in Puff Pastry has been off the menu for several years now, but a week hasn't gone by when one of our guests doesn't stop and ask me if I might consider bringing this rich and delicious starter back. Well, consider it done. The brie is topped with an apple chutney, wrapped in a light pastry and then baked to a perfect golden brown. It's served with candied walnuts and fresh slices of Gala apples. Welcome back.
Something old and now something new. I'm really excited to bring out a brand new appetizer — Braised Short Ribs of Beef. I've been considering this dish for a long time and it's been worth the wait. These short ribs are cooked low and slow in an aromatic mixture of garden fresh vegetables and red wine until they are so tender they almost fall off the bone. We serve them hot with a rich cabernet butter sauce and crunchy, fresh horseradish slaw on the side.
This is a banner year for the shrimp harvest. And to celebrate, I'm introducing a brand new entrée – Shrimp Scampi with summer squash vermicelli pasta. These are succulent jumbo shrimp, butterflied and quickly sautéed to perfection, then drizzled with a luscious lemon-butter sauce. Instead of the traditional wheat pasta, we've created a fresh "vermicelli" from thin strips of green and yellow summer squash. The plate is beautiful and incredibly satisfying.
The New Year is already off to a memorable start. I hope you try some of these new menu additions. And be sure and let me know what you think.