Detroit Chefs Share Recipes for Your Kitchen

If you can’t make it to a Detroit restaurant, you can make their food at home! The executive chefs from MotorCity Casino-Hotel and Andiamo restaurants have generously provided special recipes from their restaurants that will keep you cooking in the spirit of Detroit.

Lodge Diner Beef Stroganoff

By: MotorCity Casino-Hotel’s Executive Chef Michael Golden

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 (1-lb) piece beef tenderloin, trimmed, sliced 1/2 inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces (Chef has also used sirloin or chuck roast, they just need increased cook time 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola olive oil blend)
• 1/2 cup burgundy or medium red wine
• 1/2 cup julienne Vidalia or Spanish onion
• 1 lb mushrooms (button or baby bella), sliced thick (Chef likes to quarter his)
• 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, (sub 1/4 tsp dry)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooked and buttered wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium heavy saucepan over moderate heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.
2. Add broth slowly, whisking constantly, add thyme and wine and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally for at least 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the mixture from heat and keep warm.
3. Pat beef dry and season well with a mixed combination of dry mustard, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides.
4. Sauté beef in small batches, turning it only once, until browned evenly.
5. Transfer to a plate/bowl and hold. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté the onions stirring occasionally, until they start to turn translucent (3-4 minutes) add the mushrooms and continue to stir occasionally about 6-8 more minutes.
6. Return meat with its juices to skillet and stir to combine, hold on low.
7. Whisk sour cream into sauce and slowly heat sauce back to temperature. Add mushrooms, onions and beef to sauce.
8. Serve over buttered egg noodles or aromatic rice.

Eggs Benedict for Easter Brunch

By: Executive Chef Jim Oppat of Andiamo restaurants

Sauce Hollandaise

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 parsley stems
• 3 ounces water
• 6 egg yolks
• 15 ounces clarified butter
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Ground cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine vinegar with water, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf and parsley stems and reduce until about 1/8 cup of liquid is left.
2. Cool reduction and strain.
3. Combine reduction with egg yolks.
4. Simmer over water bath, whipping constantly until light, ribbony and triple in volume.
5. Gradually emulsify in warm clarified butter using ratio of 3 fluid ounces butter to 1 egg yolk.
6. Season to taste with lemon juice salt and cayenne pepper.

Courte Bouillon

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon of water
• 1 onion, peeled and rough cut
• 2 celery ribs, rinsed and rough cut
• 1 carrot, peeled and rough cut
• 1 bunch of parsley stems
• 1 lemon, rough cut
• 2 bay leaves, dry
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 ounces iodized salt

Directions:

1. Combine all the items in tall, deep pot and bring to the boil.
2. Allow to simmer for one hour.
3. Strain the courte bouillon and return to the boil.
4. Keep liquid at an extreme gentle simmer with minimum bubbles breaking the surface.
5. Add the eggs and allow to poach for about 1.5-2 minutes.
6. Eggs white should be about 100% cooked but with a just set, runny yolk.
7. Quickly remove the eggs and place on plate with cloth to drain.
8. Place immediately on toasted english muffin with cooked Canadian bacon slices, spinach braised in olive oil and garlic, and freshly chopped chives or ramps for garnish, if desired.

Italian Style Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

By: Executive Chef Jim Oppat of Andiamo restaurants

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups mirepoix, small dice (equal parts onion, carrot, celery)
• 2 cups assorted wild mushrooms (rough chopped)
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (olive oil packed and rough chopped)
• 2 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoon oregano, dried
• ½ teaspoon allspice, ground
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground veal
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, finely milled
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Melt the butter and oil and sauté the mirepoix with the garlic, thyme, oregano and allspice until translucent.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook to remove all of the moisture from the pan.
3. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the tomato paste, cook until dry.
4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
5. In large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, cooled vegetable mixture, eggs, breadcrumbs and parsley.
6. Season with salt and pepper and pre-cook a small amount in the microwave to taste so the seasoning can be adjusted.
7. Bake either in a greased loaf pan or hand-form into a rectangle on a greased tray.
8. Bake at 350 °F until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
9. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and covering with the mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 quarts white chicken stock
• 2 cups assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced or quartered
• Pale roux (equal parts of cooked butter and flour) as needed
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Lemon juice as needed
• Heavy cream as needed

Directions:

1. Heat stock to the high simmer. Whisk in the roux, small amounts at a time, until the sauce has a nape consistency, meaning that it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. The sauce must then cook at a very low setting for 20-30 minutes to allow the roux to cook out.
3. Strain the sauce through a chinois and return to the heat.
4. Add the mushrooms and allow them to poach in the sauce.
5. Season accordingly with crème, lemon juice, salt and pepper.