Archive for November, 2011
New Year’s Eve: An exciting culinary and musical journey featuring the Greta Pope Ensemble
Saturday, November 26th, 2011
The lights will shine on Benny’s Chop House this New Year’s Eve, as the amazing vocalist Greta Pope brings her full quintet, The Greta Pope Ensemble, to Benny’s Chop House for a full evening of musical pleasure. This top notch ensemble of Chicago’s finest music makers, together with Benny’s renowned food and drink, will create a memorable New Year’s Eve celebration, certain to be one the most romantic, sophisticated - and festive - evenings in the Windy City. The music will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 1 a.m.
The Greta Pope Ensemble will offer a unique music lover’s journey through its superb renditions of jazz standards, lush romantic ballads, sensuous Brazilian Bossa Nova classics and inspiring Broadway favorites.
Featuring Greta Pope and her magnificent vocals, the ensemble includes such in-demand players as Paul Coscino on piano, Scott Mason on bass, Steve Magnone on drums and Audley Reid on saxophone. Paul Coscino has been a regular at Benny’s Chop House over the last several months as accompanist for award-winning, internationally acclaimed vocalist Greta Pope. He is a graduate of DePaul University’s School of Music and is one of Chicago’s top musicians. Scott Mason has been on the faculty of The Roosevelt University Music Conservatory since 1984. He is a graduate of Grinnell College and is a much sought-after jazz musician in Chicago and beyond. Steve Magnone maintains a busy performing schedule around the Chicago area. He is a graduate of DePaul University’s School of Music and has served as the Percussion instructor at Triton College in River Grove, Ill., for the last 12 years. Audley Reid’s passionate approach to contemporary jazz transports listeners to an island of musical paradise, a direct result of his Jamaican/Cuban heritage. “Reid” is a true Chicago musical gem.
Posted in News
Add a touch of seasonal elegance to your Thanksgiving Dinner with these unique Spiced Pumpkin Soufflés
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
From RedEye Chicago
This year’s Thanksgiving menu at Benny’s Chop House (444 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago; 312-626-2444) brings forth an especially elegant and delicious pumpkin dessert that will add more than a touch of taste delight to your Thanksgiving meal. The Spiced Pumpkin Soufflés, created by Benny’s pastry chef Aaron Lindgren, are a delicate and creative way to transform the traditional pumpkin dessert experience into something truly memorable.
You can enjoy this dessert at Benny’s Chop House on Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving dinner is served from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 24) or, if you’re planning to enjoy Thanksgiving at home, you’ll be thrilled with the accolades you’ll get from your friends and family when you serve this sophisticated dessert creation, made with spiced rum. This year, let the kids enjoy the pumpkin pie while the grownups marvel at your dessert-making prowess. Here is the recipe and preparation from Chef Lindgren:
Spiced Pumpkin Soufflés
Serves four (4)
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons (2 ounces) butter, plus 3 oz. of butter for ramekins
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar for ramekins½ cup spiced rum
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canned, unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
¼ teaspoon clove
¼ cup of milk
¼ teaspoon allspice
Pinch of nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
8 eggs
6 Tablespoons Pumpkin Powder
3 Tablespoons of flour
Pinch of cream of tartar
4 soufflé ramekins, 4 inches OR 16 ounces in diameter
Directions
How to prepare the soufflé molds:
Generously grease your soufflé ramekins with 3 tablespoons of melted butter and. Refrigerate the buttered ramekins and then butter them again. Dust the insides of the ramekins with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and return them to the refrigerator. Keep the remaining butter at room temperature.
How to make the pumpkin pastry cream:
Separate the eggs, reserving the whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg yolks, 1/4C or 2oz. sugar, spices, salt, flour, and pumpkin powder. Gradually add milk and whisk until lumps are removed. Heat the mixture on low, stirring with a whisk, until it begins to thicken. Cook over medium heat stirring vigorously until you can see the bottom of the pan. Cool slightly and stir in the butter and rum, set aside to cool.
Make the meringue:
Combine all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar and 4 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium heat and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Simultaneously place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium high speed. Once the egg whites begin to foam up, add the cream of tartar .When the egg whites are completely foamy, shiny and begin to hold the lines of a whisk, add the sugar. The whites should become shiny and gain volume. If you see the whites beading (small lumps of egg whites forming on the side of the bowl), you have whipped them too dry; slow the machine down and add the remaining sugar.
Prepare Soufflé Mixture:
Add about a quarter of the meringue to the pumpkin custard to lighten it and then add the remaining meringue by placing a spatula in the center of the bowl, scrape the bottom, and bring the bottom over the top. Rotate the bowl 45 degrees and continue folding until all the egg whites are incorporated.
Fill the prepared ramekins:
Using a rubber or plastic spatula, fill the prepared ramekins with the mixture, avoiding leaving any air pockets under the mixture in the ramekins. Flatten the tops of the ramekins with a metal spatula, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl. Clean off any bits of mousse that might have dropped onto the sides of the ramekins.
Bake the soufflé:
You can now either bake your soufflés or place them in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 hours or in the freezer for up to 24 hours. Before baking frozen soufflés, allow them to sit out at room temperature for 1 hour. When you are ready to bake the soufflés, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the soufflés until they are raised over the rims by about ½ their original volume, 9 to 12 minutes in a convection oven or 15 to 20 minutes in a regular oven without a fan.
Egg Nog Crème Anglaise
1qt heavy cream
1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1T vanilla extract or 1 Vanilla pod
1t Cinnamon
1t Allspice
1t Nutmeg
Directions:
Heat cream in sauce pot but do not boil. In mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Gradually pour heated cream into bowl with yolks. Mix well with whip. Pour mixture back into pot. On low heat, stir constantly. When sauce coats spoon, remove from heat. Pour through a fine strainer and chill.
Posted in Press
Benny’s Chop House Thanksgiving celebration is a mouthwatering feast, rich in variety and flavor
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Benny’s Chop House celebrates Thanksgiving 2011 with a contemporary nod to tradition. The acclaimed steakhouse will offer guests a special Thanksgiving menu in addition to many selections from the regular menu, making it the perfect spot for those seeking a casually elegant feast sure to please your friends and family. Benny’s Thanksgiving celebration will be available from noon to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24. View menu.
Benny’s special Traditional Turkey Dinner ($29.99) begins with a choice of delicious House Salad or soup of the day followed by butter basted organic turkey breast, braised turkey leg, chestnut-stone fruit stuffing, sweet potato, and giblet-sage gravy. To enhance your feast, you can order the special fall salad-Port-Poached Apple Salad, with arugula, watercress, Maytag blue cheese and sweet potato puree ($14.99), or Benny’s special side dish, Pumpkin Sage Bread Pudding ($14.99). When it comes to dessert, Benny’s pies are always a crowd favorite and, on Thanksgiving, Benny’s serves an inspired version of pumpkin pie: Grandma’s Traditional Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Seed Praline ($7.99)-just the right amount of sugar and spice in a rich, flakey crust. Another amazing special dessert for Thanksgiving is Spiced Pumpkin Soufflé with Eggnog Crème Anglaise, made from locally grown pumpkins ($12.99).
If you or your companions prefer to indulge in a fish entrée rather than the traditional turkey, you will love the delectable Minnesota Walleye Pike with Ginger-Chive Sauce, served with Pumpkin Sage Bread Pudding and Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($34.99). This item is from Benny’s fall dinner menu and is extremely popular.
Benny’s regular menu selections are also sure to be a big hit on Thanksgiving. In addition to the wide selection of USDA Prime Wet Aged Steaks, such as the magnificent Bone-In Filet Mignon (16 oz., $64.99) and USDA Prime Dry-Aged Steaks like the delicious Bone-In Rib Eye (16 oz., $47.99), Benny’s now offers delicious USDA Prime Natural Steaks, specially raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free. Choose from a 7 oz. or 10 oz. Filet Mignon ($36.99/$49.99), 16 oz. Rib Eye ($42.99), 12 oz. New York Strip ($36.99), 18 oz. Bone-In New York ($44.99) or a 10 oz. Skirt Steak ($24.99). All Benny’s steaks can be ordered with enhancements such as Lobster Tail, Foie Gras, Oscar Style, King Crab Legs, Maytag Blue Cheese, Jumbo Sea Scallop, Barbecue Chili Rub or Béarnaise.
Among other new items on the fall menu are a luscious vegetarian pasta appetizer, Butternut Squash Tortelloni with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Ricotta Salata, Brown Butter-Sage ($8.99) and two new sides: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with caramelized onion and bacon ($7.99) and Root Vegetable-Potato Gratin ($8.99).
Posted in News