Chefs Molly McCook, Blaine Staniford, Juan Rodriguez, and Sarah Hooten are four of Fort Worth’s most recognizable chefs. From James Beard-recognized talent and conceiving the hottest, sold-out dinner events, these four notable culinary minds have one thing in common, they are part of Fort Worth’s biggest and tastiest culinary family — The Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation. This year the veteran festival chefs invite you to ring in the season with recipes straight from their family table to yours. Each dish represents both heritage and home, infusing their signature style while making it easy to bring chef-worthy flavors into your winter holiday celebrations and gatherings.
Crystal Wise
SWEET POTATO EMPANADA (EMPANADA DE CAMOTE)
YIELDS 12-16 EMPANADAS
EMPANADA DOUGH
Ingredients
- 18 ounces all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2/3 cup melted vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/3 cup sweet potato water (from cooking sweet potatoes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and vegetable shortening and mix well. Add sweet potato water and mix. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth. Let it rest for 45 minutes.
- Divide the dough evenly into 12-16 portions, depending on what size you want. Roll them out into discs. Put in filling (sweet potato). Bring sides together to form a half moon and then crimp the edges with a fork.
- Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Time saver: Goya makes an empanada disc already rolled out and ready to fill that you can find in the freezer section in the Mexican grocery store or any major grocery store, like HEB.
SWEET POTATO FILLING
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 1/2 cups of piloncillo, Mexican brown sugar
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into large cubes
Ingredients
- Bring water, cinnamon, allspice, and piloncillo to a boil. Let sugar melt.
- Add sweet potato and cook down until tender. Add water if it evaporates before potatoes are cooked.
- Once tender, smash with fork or toss in a mixer and blend potatoes together. We are looking for a mash potato texture. You may need to drain a little bit of water before you smash. Once smashed, let cool in refrigerator. Filling must be cool before filling empanada.
Crystal Wise
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GRUYERE BREAD PUDDING WITH SPICED PECANS
Ingredients for roasted butternut squash:
- 6 cups butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (approx. 1 1/2 whole)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, stems removed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss all ingredients together to coat.
3. Scatter butternut squash over a sheet tray and place in the oven.
4. Roast for 15 minutes and gently turn over the squash.
5. Roast an additional 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Remove from oven and set aside.
Ingredients for spiced pecans:
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, gently toss all ingredients together.
3. Scatter the pecans on a sheet tray and place in the oven.
4. Toast the pecans for approximately 10 minutes or until they begin to brown. Be sure to check frequently, as they will burn quickly.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Once the pecans are cool, roughly chop and set aside.
Crystal Wise
MARY HOOTON’S CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
Ingredients (for the chocolate filling)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 cup chocolate (use your preference if you like sweeter or more bitter chocolate but use a good quality chocolate) bar chopped or chips. I usually use 50%-65% chips.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder (optional and not part of the original recipe, but a tiny bit of coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 each, egg yolks only (toss whites or save for a meringue)
- 1 cup cream, the real stuff, and buy at least 2 cups more for the top
- 2 cups milk (whole is best)
Instructions:
1. Mix milk and half of sugar in a pot. Set chocolate chips and butter in a large bowl so butter can come to room temperature. Set bowl aside
2. Mix remaining sugar and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Add yolks and 1 cup cream to make a paste. Add cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla. Set aside
3. Combine remaining cream with the milk and sugar and begin cooking on medium low until it reaches a simmer. Turn off the heat.
4. While stirring, slowly add 1 cup of milk mixture at a time to the cocoa paste. The goal is to heat the paste slowly without cooking egg yolks. When the cocoa paste is heated, combine it with remaining milk in the pot
5. Set pot on medium heat and bring to a boil to thicken. Stir frequently, watching the bottom. When the mixture has thickened, remove from heat.
6. Combine the thickened chocolate mixture with the chocolate chips and butter.
7. Pour into fully baked pie shell or Oreo crust.
8. Allow pies to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Crust:
Traditionally, the Hootons use a pie crust that is fully baked off and cooled. At Hot Box, we serve this pie in an Oreo crust … ’cause who doesn’t love Oreos! And if you’re in a rush, it saves lots of time.
Serving:
The filling and crust can be made ahead to save time. Wrap each separately, then fill the crust the day of. Top with loads of fresh whipped, not very sweet cream and some chocolate shavings or a sprinkle of cocoa.
Crystal Wise
COLORADO RACK OF LAMB ON CAULIFLOWER PUREE AND GOLDEN RAISINS
Ingredients:
- 2 eight to nine bone rack, bone in, lamb rack
- 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
- 1 head purple cauliflower (cut into florets)
- 1 head yellow cauliflower (cut into florets)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 pound unsalted butter, diced
- 1 cup capers, drained
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups veal stock
- 1/4 bunch Italian parsley, minced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Peanut oil
Instructions – Rack of lamb and lamb jus:
1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Cut the racks off of half of the racks of lamb leaving you with four loins and cut the remaining racks into two bone rack portions.
3. Place removed lamb bones onto a sheet tray and roast until golden brown. Approximately 15 minutes.
4. Remove caramelized lamb bones from oven and place into medium size pot and cover with veal stock.
5. Bring stock mixture to a high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until stock coats the back of a spoon. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Strain reduce lamb sauce through chinois and season to desired taste and reserve hot
7. For racks heat a large sauté pan on high heat. Season racks with desired amount of salt and pepper.
8. Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan and sear all sides of lamb until well caramelized.
9. Remove lamb from pan and place onto a roasting rack and place into oven for about 2 minutes.
10. Remove lamb racks from oven and rest. Reserve at room temperature.
Instructions -- Cauliflower Puree:
1. Place white cauliflower florets into medium-size pot.
2. Cover cauliflower with milk and cook on medium heat until florets are tender. Approximately 15 minutes.
3. Be careful not to boil milk; it will scorch the bottom of the pot.
4. Gently remove cooked florets from milk and place into a blender.
5. Turn blender on low speed; while blender is running, add enough of the cauliflower milk to the blender to form a smooth puree.
6. Season cauliflower puree with desired amount of salt and touch of butter.
7. Reserve puree hot.
Instructions -- Golden raisins:
1. Heat a medium-size pan on low heat.
2. Add butter and continue to slowly cook until butter is golden brown. Reserve warm.
3. In a separate size pan, add balsamic vinegar and slowly cook until reduced by half and thick like syrup.
4. Add browned butter to balsamic and whisk until combined.
5. Add parsley, shallots, garlic, golden raisins, and capers.
6. Mix until well combined and season to desired taste with salt and pepper.
7. Reserve hot.
Assembly:
1. Reheat racks and loins at 450 F for approximately 3 minutes.
2. Spoon a small amount of the cauliflower onto the plate.
3. Top the cauliflower puree with the slice rack of lamb.
4. On the opposite side of the plate, place lamb loin.
5. Top lamb loin with cauliflower couscous.
6. Drizzle the golden raisin chutney over the plate.
7. Drizzle the lamb jus over the plate.
8. Serve immediately.
