Pistachio-crusted Salmon

2 Servings

1 cup hulled salted pistachios
1 cup arugula
1 tsp. lemon zest, plus more for garnish, if desired
¼ cup olive oil
2 6-oz. salmon fillets, 1-inch thick

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Place the pistachios, arugula and lemon zest in a food processor. With the food processor running, slowly add the olive oil. Process until a thick paste forms.
• Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press an equal amount of pistachio paste on top of each fillet.
• Bake 20 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through. Garnish with lemon zest if desired.

Pistachio and Fig Granola

7 cups

3 cups rolled oats
1½ cups hulled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup agave or maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¾ cup coconut oil (melted) or olive oil
1½ cups dried figs, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries or other chopped dried fruit
1 tsp. orange zest

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the oats, pistachios, brown sugar, agave, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Pour the oil over the mixture and stir to coat.
• Using a spatula, evenly spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even browning.
• Remove from the oven, pour into a bowl and stir in the dried fruit and orange zest.
• Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Pear and Pistachio Crisp

6 to 8 servings

4 to 5 pears (Bosc or Anjou), peeled, cored and chopped (about 4 cups)
1¼ cups hulled salted pistachios, chopped, divided
¾ cup, plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
½ Tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the pears, 1 cup pistachios, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, cardamom, brown sugar, maple syrup and lemon juice. Stir well.
• Pour the pear mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ¾ cup flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter. Stir until the mixture forms pea-sized lumps. Sprinkle over the pear mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup pistachios.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

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ROAST CHICKEN WITH CLOVE-STUDDED ONION

4 to 6 servings

5- to 6-lb. chicken, giblets removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 4 tsp. freshly chopped thyme, divided
1 bay leaf
2 small white or yellow onions, peeled and cut in half
4 whole cloves
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. lemon juice

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Place the thyme stems inside the cavity. Place the bay leaf on the outside of 1 onion half and affix it to the onion using a whole clove. Pierce the other 3 onion halves with 1 clove each. Place the onions inside the chicken cavity.
• Combine the butter, 3 teaspoons chopped thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt into a paste. Massage half of the paste underneath the chicken skin. Massage the outside of the skin with the remaining paste.
• Tie the legs together with butcher string. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan on a rack. Bake 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let rest 15 minutes.
• Remove the onions from the cavity, discarding the cloves and bay leaf. Place the onions in a saucepan. Pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup and refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Carve the chicken and cover with foil.
• Remove the measuring cup from the refrigerator and skim off the fat. Add the remaining drippings to the saucepan with the onion. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes. Using a fork, mash together the onions and the drippings. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped thyme. Spoon the onions over the chicken and serve.

ONION STRINGS

4 to 6 servings

1 red onion, very thinly sliced
2 cups buttermilk
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup medium-grind cornmeal
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 to 2 quarts canola oil, for frying

• Place the red onion in a dish and cover with buttermilk, tossing to coat. Soak 1 hour.
• Mix together the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
• In a large pot or Dutch oven, pour 1 to 2 quarts canola oil, enough to fill 2 inches of the pot. Heat the oil to 375 degrees.
• Using tongs, remove ¹∕³ cup onions from the buttermilk, place into the flour mixture and toss to coat. Shake off excess flour and carefully place the onions in the hot oil. Use a spider or a long-handled metal slotted spoon to lightly break up the onions; do not let them clump together.
• As soon as the onions turn golden brown, about 2 minutes or less, use the slotted spoon or spider to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat in batches.

GLAZED CIPOLLINI ONIONS WITH CARROTS

6 servings

1½ lbs. cipollini onions, peeled (can use pearl onions)
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup vegetable broth
¹∕³ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. crushed coriander seeds
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch disks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cilantro, for garnish

• Cook the onions in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water. Trim the ends.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden.
• Stir in the vegetable broth, orange juice, balsamic, brown sugar, molasses, orange zest and coriander. Add the carrots.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is almost completely evaporated. Stir occasionally, adding water if necessary.
• Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro.

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Five months ago, T.S. Ferguson began preparing blanc (dry white) and rouge (sweet red) vermouths at Medianoche, the evenings-only restaurant in Clayton that was recently replaced by another, Little Country Gentleman. While Ferguson was influenced by France and Italy – the originators of vermouth – he noted that he is trying to use his own flavors to create his own style. “Most people shy away from the V word because it’s too many dusty bottles on the bar,” he explained. “Cocchi [Americano], Antica Formula, Barolo Chinato: They are so embedded in ancient tradition that they don’t pay homage to the modern palate or style of modern cocktail making … Why use 200-year-old recipes?”

Then, there’s the L Word. “Why not have a local product that is on par or better than the stuff sold in the stores?” he questioned. “The vermouth I make is pretty solid. I can alter the recipe depending on what I am doing. I can make a summery vermouth, fall vermouth, wintery vermouth. It gives me complete control.” As head barman at Little Country Gentleman, Ferguson is now offering his house-made vermouth in cocktails like No. 1, where it works in harmony with rye whiskey, Green Chartreuse, Calvados, Luxardo Fernet and Creole bitters.

Ferguson’s desire to offer apertifs that both fit within a 21st-century context and meet the demands for all things local epitomizes the recent growth of the domestic vermouth market. Artisanal U.S.-born vermouths like Imbue and Vya now sit on shelves at bar and liquor stores, with a handful more coming down the pipeline.

But Ferguson isn’t the only one itching to fiddle with a vermouth formula. This summer, Cory Cuff began making experimental batches of dry and sweet blanc, with hopes of soon serving them at Cielo. Why go through the trouble? “To push myself,” responded Cuff. “It’s for my development – and this bar’s development. This is the next step.”

Justin Cardwell echoed a similar sentiment regarding the house-made sweet rouge he’s working on to soon appear in cocktails at BC’s Kitchen in Lake St. Louis, where he is the bar manager. “There are such well-made vermouths nowadays and aggressive pricing that make it almost inessential to have a house-made vermouth, especially when you have multiple styles and structures at your disposal. It’s something for the burgeoning bartender to learn the structure and technique and history.”

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2. Bagels Fry 5 strips of bacon. Drain and chop finely, reserving bacon grease. In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast. In a separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1¼ cup of warm water. Add to flour-yeast mix. Add the bacon and bacon grease to mixture, stirring to mix well. In ¼-cup increments, add 1½ cups of additional flour to make a kneadable dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover. Let rest until doubled in size, about 1½ hours. Divide into 12 portions. With floured hands, shape into smooth balls. Poke hole in center with your finger and pull apart to form a bagel shape. Set on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover. Let rise for 1 hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil bagels for 7 minutes, turning once. Drain. Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.

3. Hot salad Fry 4 strips of bacon. Drain and crumble, reserving bacon grease. Combine 2 teaspoons of whole grain mustard with 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. Set aside. Reheat the pan used to fry the bacon. Add 4 cups of fresh spinach and ¼ cup of thinly sliced red onion, stirring to coat with rendered bacon grease. Quickly stir in mustard and vinegar mixture. Add generous pinch of salt and sugar, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Keep on heat until spinach is just wilted, less than 1 minute. Divide into 2 bowls, sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve immediately.

4. Grits Fry 5 slices of bacon. Drain, then crumble. In the same frying pan, saute 1 jalapeño (deseeded and finely chopped) and ½ cup of finely chopped onion. Combine with crumbled bacon plus 3 dashes roasted jalapeño sauce (such as Smoke Canyon brand) in a bowl. Set aside. In a pot, combine 2¼ cups of whole milk and 2¼ cups of water. Bring to a boil. Whisk in 1 cup of quick-cooking grits, ¼ teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Reduce to low, stirring periodically. Cook 15 minutes or until creamy. Stir in bacon mix, plus 1 to 1½ cups (depending on taste) grated extra sharp cheddar cheese. Mix well. Cover and let sit 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

5. Peanut butter bacon sandwich In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook 3 pieces of thick-cut bacon until crisp (but not burnt). Drain. Toast 2 pieces of white bread. Generously spread creamy peanut butter on each piece. Layer bacon evenly on 1 piece of toast. Top with other piece.

6. Brownies Add ½ cup of semisweet chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of bourbon to your favorite brownie batter. Pour ½ of batter into a 13-by-19-inch pan. Combine ¾ cup of caramel sauce, ½ teaspoon of salt and 4 strips of crumbled, crisp bacon. Heat the mixture in the microwave and pour onto the batter in an even layer. Cover with remaining batter. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

7. Praline bacon To make Monarch’s Josh Galliano’s addictive candied bacon, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 pound of thick-sliced bacon on a foil-lined sheet pan. Do not overlap strips. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. In a food processor, pulse 1 cup of light brown sugar with 1 cup of chopped pecans. Distribute nut mixture over the bacon slices, covering the tops of the bacon completely. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp but the nuts haven’t burned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes before serving.

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At Yia Yia’s in Chesterfield, hickory-smoked sea salt clings to a glass bearing the Smoke and Fire cocktail. Bar manager Jay Olson opted to use the sea salt for this margarita makeover to “accentuate the smokiness of the peppers” he used for a chipotle-infused tequila, which gets blended with blood orange liqueur and a house-made sweet-and-sour mix. The cocktail is served sans straw; bringing the glass to the mouth is Part One of what Olson called a one-two punch: “You get the aroma from the smoked salt rim, which gives you anticipation of what you are going to taste.”

For Salt of the Earth, a beet-centric twist on the tequila-based classic at cocktailian outpost Taste in the Central West End, margarita salt gets its daily dose of veggies. The ring of the glass is dipped in a mixture of finely ground dehydrated beets and fleur de sel, a colorful finish to a cocktail that combines roasted beet-infused tequila with Cointreau, lime juice and agave syrup that’s been jacked up with salted lime.

Liqueurs are also getting dried out in this new age of drinking. Last summer, Tim Kosuge at Araka in Clayton turned Campari into a dust that encircled the glass rim for blood-orange juice-based cocktail The Sanguinello. A more recent liqueur dehydration project is on display at Taste, where powdered Green Chartreuse clings to the rim for Say Hello to My Little Friend: a chocolaty, mole-heavy, java jolt of jalapeno-infused tequila, rum, AGWA (an herbal green Bolivian liqueur made from coca leaves), vermouth, espresso syrup and mole bitters.

Gourmet salts and sugars are more accessible than ever. Add to that fresh seasonal produce and a lineup of liqueurs just waiting for the creative types to dehydrate them, and it’s clear that the collar of the cocktail glass is going to get colorfully dirty.

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Minus a recent hiatus, the cracking fire in the hearth of Fox & Hounds has been warming up patrons on cold winter nights for 80-plus years. A renowned hot spot for visiting celebs and St. Louis bigwigs, the tavern has seen its share of wild nights. Following a change in ownership and menu redesign, the ribbon was sliced on the new Cheshire this summer. Luckily for Anglophiles like me, the old English pub décor came out of mothballs seemingly untouched. The tavern looks as it always did – oozing Old-World, masculine charm.

By 9 o’clock on a Friday night, the eight or so barstools at Fox & Hounds are nearly always occupied. Watching patrons trickle in and queue up for a pint, it’s hard not to feel like you’re in a hunting lodge – cramped seating, stuffed animal heads, frames of old British weaponry and all. The tight space is dimly lit aside from the snapping flames of the colossal stone fireplace throwing light on the planked wood and worn leather. Aged and smartly chosen, the décor serves as a backdrop to the social scene of a new generation of Cheshire enthusiasts.

Like any proper English pub, conversation and alcohol take center stage. An occasional live jazz duet picks up here and there, throwing even more of a laid-back, casual vibe onto the night. And not unlike most British saloons, Fox & Hounds mingles patrons of all ages and tax brackets. The lobby might be holding a group of baby boomers dressed in black-tie sipping Johnny Walker, while a few hip, penniless undergrads are running their parents’ credits cards for beer inside. Fox & Hounds also remains a prime pickup bar for St. Louis’ upwardly mobile. It’s normal to spot a few of the see-and-be-seen types milling about and eyeing each other from behind their cocktail straws or bumming cigarettes by the outside fire pit in the courtyard.

The bartenders utilize a wide range of Scotches and American- or Irish-made whiskeys, along with a well-worn list of wines by the glass. As with the décor, the booze is traditional. Lots of Manhattans, whiskey sours and Old Fashioneds are mixed up. Nothing froufrou, though the occasional brave soul will call for one of the infamous yard glasses to be plucked from the wall and filled to the brim with smooth, frothy ale. Those aiming for a pint can choose from a nominal draft menu of half a dozen imports and microbrews including Urban Chestnut Winged Nut Ale and Schlafly Pale Ale. Ample refrigeration space provides a much broader selection of bottles – foreign and domestic standards – but it’s hard to say no to the gorgeously oversized, 16-ounce glass chalices used for the Stella pours.

The disappointment, though, is in the total lack of a proper drink menu. Aside from an extensive wine list, patrons are deprived of signature drinks or seasonal comforts like whiskey toddies, hot buttered rums and mulled ciders. These would be the perfect drinking companions to the cabin-like atmosphere and were an extremely popular order during the bar’s prior reign. Another large draw that’s no more: that 3 a.m. close time. While The Cheshire was the saving grace for barhoppers hoping to suck down a few more cocktails after the Clayton bars shuffle everyone out around 1 a.m., the city of Richmond Heights mandated that last call at the new Fox & Hounds comes around 1 a.m. on weekends, 1:30 if you’re lucky. One last hitch: Getting consistent service can be tricky. Best advice once the crowd thickens: Take slower sips. Or start double-fisting because, even with an open tab and a good seat, it becomes something of a frustration to get the attention of the quickly overwhelmed (and surprisingly self-important) bar staff.

Service issues aside, Fox & Hounds remains a standard – a classic, intimate, casual lounge with astute attention to detail. Rumor has it that summer 2012 will see the reopening of Cheshire’s larger bar (hopefully with a drink menu) in the adjacent building, along with a restaurant. This is great news in itself, but it’s nice to know I’ll have a more than decent pub to grab a tall one and wait out the cold.

The Fox & Hounds Tavern
The Cheshire, 6300 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, 314. 647.7300

Why go? A local legend reopens with same ol’ masculine charm

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In its purest form, mead is just wine made from honey, water and yeast. And while funkier meads are on the market these days, mead-makers who stick with the three basic ingredients can still wind up with starkly different results. One important factor is the makeup of that sweet honey pot. “Honey takes on the flavor of wherever the hive is and what the bees eat,” said Dwight Crevelt, co-owner and winemaker from 7C’s Winery in Walnut Grove, Mo. Crevelt keeps five varieties of local honey (basswood, orange blossom, gladiola, clover and wildflower) in stock, of which he went through 1,200 pounds last year. Because some varieties are hard to find, Crevelt joined the Ozark Beekeepers Association and the Missouri Beekeepers Association to network with area apiarists. They supply him with enough honey to produce the winery’s line of nine meads.

The brewing team at Schlafly recently took the mead leap, making this soul-juice for public consumption for the first time. By early December, the brewery’s sparkling blackberry mead was on tap at The Tap Room. Schlafly assistant brewer Auggie Altenbaumer noted, however, that letting the mead sit a couple more months could improve the flavor. “The thing with meads, they tend to get better as they age. … Because they are so big and high in alcohol, it takes a while for [meads] to mellow out and get their stride.”

Aging mead for a cocktail is what bartender Justin Cardwell of BC’s Kitchen had in mind when he tasted a bottle of 14-year-old Irish mead. “It was finally oxidized and I loved the flavor,” he said. Inspired by the trendy technique of barrel-aging cocktails, Cardwell barrel-aged five bottles of locally distilled JJ Neukomm Whiskey with an equal amount of Burraty Irish Mead. After six weeks, he removed the blend and bottled it for use in his original cocktail, The Spicy Bear. To make this warm-your-insides cocktail, Cardwell shakes together the barrel-aged concoction with a tart house-made shrub (essentially a fruit syrup with a vinegar base) made with apple cider vinegar, Jonathan apples, Missouri wildflower honey, and aromatics like sage, thyme, peppercorn and cinnamon. “I wanted what a bear would come after,” explained Cardwell of his desired flavor profile. Better come after this honey pot elixir before other bipedal beasts gorge on it – or one cloak-wearing, wand-carrying wizard, of course.

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The Look: Blood & Sand is every part a swanky, aristocratic clubhouse smartly designed to cater to all the senses. It’s equal parts understated and plush. Crystal chandeliers throw streams of light from an enormous ceiling onto the slick, hardwood floors. The main room is dominated by the dining area, lined with chic, wrap-around red leather booths. A row of these sit opposite a main bar decked out with so many fresh ingredients, garnishes and mixers that bartenders become chefs. A seductive, urban, loft setting beckons upscale (but hardly pretentious) 20- and 30-something patrons interested in avoiding the typical bar scene.

The Booze: Rarely are cocktails such a feast. Owners T.J. Vytlacil and Adam Frager, both mixologists and veterans of the St. Louis restaurant scene, have spent the last year putting together a premier kitchen and bar staff, even poaching some talent from other St. Louis hot spots. The result is a mass of knowledge not only of slinging booze but also choosing vendors, stocking good brands and designing innovative and appealing food and drink menus. Simple drinks are served up strong and fast, and the wine list has clearly been crafted to the personal tastes of those behind the bar (rather than increased profit margins). The beer list needs serious reconsideration (nothing on draft either, unfortunately), but at this bar, cocktails are the order. “Conceived as a laboratory for creativity,” Blood & Sand offers a fusion of classic and original cocktails – a must for first-timers. The bar’s namesake – a mix of Scotch, orange juice, sweet vermouth and cherry brandy – is a playful little number with a nice finishing kick. Even more substantial is the Grounds for Divorce, which blends bourbon, vermouth, Campari, amaro and bitters. Increasingly popular beer cocktails also poke their head out at Blood & Sand. Try the Dust and Summer: a combination of gin, lemon, Punt e Mes (an Italian vermouth), Witbier and lemon bitters.

The Concept: Indulgence, tailor-made and custom-poured for each member. That’s the goal at least for the team at Blood & Sand, who places and tracks orders with iPads, noting members’ preferences for return visits. Here are the specifics: For a monthly $15 fee, members are given unlimited walk-in privileges with up to three guests (no limit with a dinner reservation). One house rule includes making discerning choices when deciding which guests to bring (no rowdies or street toughs). Another was resurrected from an age gone by: Members are required to consult with the bartender on duty before soliciting someone’s company at the bar. Not that you’ll ever be waiting around for a drink. Service is impeccable. The wait staff is both outgoing and casual, offering up great drink recommendations (even if they happen to be up-selling). You get the feeling that this crew wouldn’t hire someone they wouldn’t want to drink with themselves. And a few days following the first visit, members receive a personal email from the owners thanking them and asking about their experience.

The Verdict: It’s easy to be put off by gimmicks, and Blood & Sand has plenty. But there’s something special here. A heavy dose of strong spirits in a gorgeous setting, personal touches that are well worth the healthy prices. Whether our fair city is ready to support an exclusive club like this is questionable. But this is one cynic who is holding on to his membership. Judging by Blood & Sand’s instant popularity, it’s possible that by the time this article runs, the 400-member maximum will be met.

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