Expanding The Juniper Grill Family

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Juniper Grill

As most of you may have heard, we are currently in the process of opening a new Juniper Grill in Cranberry Township, PA.  We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand Juniper Grill and introduce our wood fire grill to the residents north of Pittsburgh!

At Juniper Grill, we take a lot of pride in what we create in our kitchens.  It takes a special chef with a strong passion for food to fit into our team of culinary experts.  After months of searching for the right chef, we are proud to finally announce the newest member to our Culinary Team!

Here are a few fun facts about our newest team member, Chef Darek Fiut!

What is your culinary background?

Born in Poland, my passion for cooking started very early.   When my family came to the states, my passion only grew more as I began my culinary education.

I first started my culinary education at Horry-Georgetown College in Conway, SC.   There I received my Culinary Arts Technology Degree.  As my passion for the restaurant industry grew, I then earned a degree at Johnson & Wales University in Food Service Management.  Upon graduation, I specialized in Southern Cooking at a few private country clubs in South Carolina.  From there I have had the pleasure of working for myself, as well as other international restaurant groups.  My biggest accomplishment was opening my own restaurant with my family, The International Kitchen, which focused on my Polish background.    I have followed Juniper Grill for the past year and was thrilled to learn of the newest opportunity in cranberry!   My wife and I just recently moved to the cranberry area and are so excited to become more involved in the community.

What is your favorite vegetable to cook?

You can never go wrong with simply grilled asparagus.   It just so simple to cook and pairs well with almost anything!   More importantly, asparagus is a great low-calorie source of folate and potassium.  The stalks of asparagus are also very high in antioxidants.

What is your all time favorite thing to cook?

Without a doubt, pork is my absolute favorite thing to cook!  In Poland, pork was always the standard meat to use.   I learned so many techniques with cooking pork in my early years.  It is just really easy to work with and has a great texture and taste.

What is your favorite region of food to prepare?

I really enjoy the simplicity of California cuisine.   I really enjoy using fresh and simple ingredients to balance out the flavor profile of the entrée.  I like the Juniper Grill blends a lot of the California cooking styles with a southern twist!

 

In the next few weeks, we will share more with you about our new additions to the Juniper Grill team!  Next on the list, General Manger, Larry Lang!

 

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The Season Of Gazpacho

Posted on July 31, 2012 by wgilch@atrias.com

When you think Summer, you normally do not think of soup.  However, this hot season is the perfect time of year for Gazpacho due to is refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature!

A traditional gazpacho is tomato based.  However, you will see many modern variations that omit tomatoes and use seasonal vegetables, meat stock and even seafood!

My gazpacho recipe is based more on the traditional gazpacho using fresh roma tomatoes.  I prefer the roma tomato as it has fewer seeds than other tomato and is easy to find at your local grocer this time of year.    This powerful little fruit, yes it is a fruit, also contains carotene lycopene.  Lycopene is one of the most powerful antioxidants and has been rumored to help protect against the sun’s harmful UV rays, which all have seen a lot of this Summer!

When making croutons for the gazpacho, I always recommend using a ciabatta bread.  The airiness of the ciabatta helps to provide a better crunch for your croutons!  Surprisingly,the ever so popular ciabatta was not introduced into the United States bakers until 1987!

Gazpacho with Ciabatta Croutons
Ingredients: Amount Unit
Cucumber, peeled & seeded 1 each
Red Bell Pepper 2 each
Green Bell Pepper 2 each
Red Onion, medium 1 each
Garlic Cloves 3 each
Roma Tomato 6 each
Basil, chopped 1 Tbsp
Parsley, chopped 2 Tbsp
Cilantro, chopped 1 Tbsp
Tomato Juice 2 cups
Tobasco 1 tsp
Kosher Salt to taste
Ground Black Pepper to taste
Croutons:
Cibatta Bread, 1″ dice 2 cups
Olive Oil 2 tsp
Kosher Salt 1/4 tsp
Ground Black Pepper 1/4 tsp
Chili Powder 1/4 tsp
Instructions:
1. Rough chop all vegetables.
2. Incorporate all soup ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender and process until almost smooth. (do not over process, leave some texture for the palate) Chill soup until service.
3. Place ciabatta bread on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Lightly dust the bread with the seasonings.
5. Place in 325° pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove croutons from oven and let cool to room temperature.
7. Ladle your chilled gazpacho into a cup or bowl and garnish with your ciabatta croutons.

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Chef Nick

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The Almighty Vegetable!

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Juniper Grill

The Power Of Vegetables

As we all know, January is the month that most people decide to start eating healthy and exercise.  To go along with the January health craze, I decided to post my families ratatouille recipe.   It is such a simple recipe and offers so many great benefits from the different vegetables that are used.

You can pair this side dish with any protein.  The rule of thumb is that your protein should be the size of the palm of your hand.   Your vegetables, on the other hand, can take up your whole plate!

Here are some of the benefits of the vegetables used in this recipe….

Red Peppers

Compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant, lycopene. Red peppers have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers. Also, one large red bell pepper contains 209 mg of vitamin C, which is almost three times the 70 mg of an average orange.

Red Onions

Red and yellow onions are one of the best natural sources of quercetin, a bioflavonoid that is particularly well suited for scavenging free radicals. Aside from its antioxidant properties, quercetin has been found to possess cancer fighting, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Eggplant

Fresh eggplant helps to block the formation of free radicals and is also a source of folic acid and potassium.

Garlic

Reports claim that Garlic helps to prevent heart disease.  Garlic is used to prevent certain types of cancer, including stomach and colon cancers. In fact, countries where garlic is consumed in higher amounts, because of traditional cuisine, have been found to have a lower prevalence of cancer.

Ratatouille
Ingredients: Amount Unit
Eggplant, medium dice 1 cup
Yellow Squash, medium dice 1 cup
Zucchini, medium dice 1 cup
Red Bell Pepper, medium dice 1/2 cup
Green Bell Pepper, medium dice 1/2 cup
Red Onion, medium dice 1/2 cup
Garlic, minced 2 Tblsp
Basil, chopped 1 Tblsp
Oregano, chopped 1 Tblsp
Diced Tomato, canned 2 cups
Kosher Salt 1 Tblsp
Black Pepper 1 tsp
Olive Oil 1/4 cup
Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over high heat.
2. Add eggplant to pot and saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add peppers and onion to the eggplant. Saute for 4 minutes.
4. Add yellow squash and zucchini to the rest of the vegetable mixture.
5. Add garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to the vegetable mixture.
6. Add tomatoes to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes and serve.


Happy & Healthy Cooking!

Chef Nick


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A Tasty Winter Treat

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Juniper Grill

White Chocolate Crème Brulee

I recently made this dessert for our Wine Society, Winter Tasting.  I received such a great response from our guests that I thought I would share it with you!  Although it is not the easiest chocolate to work with, I feel that it is the best chocolate to use for a Winter look!

Surprisingly, White Chocolate in some countries is not really considered chocolate due to the lack of cocoa solids or cocoa mass.  One positive benefit to using white chocolate is that it does not contain caffeine.  Although there really is nothing that can be said about chocolate that will make it sound healthy.  However, it is the Holiday Season and calories do not really count until January 1st!

White Chocolate Crème Brulee

Makes  12 servings Shelf Life: 2 days

Ingredients:

4 Cups  Heavy Cream

2 Cups Milk

1 Vanilla Bean (split/scraped)

12 Large Egg Yolks

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 Cups  White Chocolate Chips

Method:

  1. Heat cream, milk and vanilla bean in large saucepan over med-low heat.
  2. Place egg yolks and sugar in heatproof mixing bowl and beat until sugar has dissolved.
  3. Temper about ½ at a time of cream mixture into white chocolate chips and whisk vigorously to incorporate.
  4. Slowly temper chocolate and cream mixture into egg yolk mixture.
  5. Strain through fine mesh sieve or china cap.
  6. Pour into 6 oz. oval ramekins and place in a large deep pan.
  7. Pour hot water into pan to come halfway up ramekins.
  8. Torch tops of batter lightly, just enough to make a smooth surface and no bubbles.  Do not do this step while drinking Holiday cocktails!
  9. Bake covered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, low fan.

Let cool at room temperature and then place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours until completely cool.

Garnish with a fresh assortment of seasonal berries

 

Happy Holidays and Happy Cooking,

Chef Nick

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The Tastes Of Fall

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Juniper Grill

Pork Tenderloin With Dried Fruit Veloute


This time of year is my favorite.   You can really start to take your cooking up a notch with some flavorful and hearty entrees that are perfect for Fall!  I selected the Pork Tenderloin because of the texture and flavor when you finish it off with the dried fruit veloute!

Pork Tenderloin actually refers to the muscle along the central spine.   This is the most tender part because this muscle is used for posture and not locomotion.   Pork tenderloin is typically considered low in fat and rivals the chicken breast as one of the leanest meats.

The Dried Fruit Veloute is created with one of my favorite fall fruits, the Granny Smith Apple.  This apple is a great source of dietary fiber and Vitamin C.

 

Roast Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients: Amount Unit
Water 1 gal.
Kosher Salt .5 cup
White Sugar .25 cup
Pork Tenderloin 2 each
Kosher Salt 1 Tblsp.
Black Pepper 1 tsp.
Vegetable Oil .25 cup
Procedure:
1. In a large storage container combin water, salt and sugar- stir until dissolved to form a brine.
2. Add pork tenderloins to the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. Remove pork tenderloins from the brine and pat dry with paper towel.
4. Season the pork tenderloins with salt and pepper.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over med-high heat until oil begins to ripple.
6. Sear pork tenderloins in skillet to brown on all sides.
7. Transfer pork tenderloins to baking sheet and cook in 350′ oven for 20-25 minutes- Or internal temperature reaches 140′.
8. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 1/4″ slices.
9. Serve pork with “Dried Fruit Veloute”.

 

Dried Fruit Veloute
Ingredients: Amount Unit
Cherries, dried .25 cup
Apricot, dried-rough chop .25 cup
Granny Smith Apple, med-dice .5 cup
White Wine .5 cup
Shallot, minced 1 Tblsp.
Garlic, minced 1 Tblsp.
Sage, rubbed 1 tsp.
Ancho Powder 1 tsp.
Allspice 1 pinch
Cinnamon, ground .25 tsp.
All Purpose Flour 1 Tblsp.
Butter 2 Tblsp.
Chicken Stock 1 cup
Salt & Pepper TT
Procedure:
1. Soak fruit in white wine for minimum of 15 minutes.
2. Sweat shallot, garlic and spices with butter in stock pot. Do Not Brown
3. Add flour to form a blonde roux.
4. Add fruit and wine to stock pot, Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken stock and bring to simmer. Let roux cook out for five minutes, season to taste.

 

Happy Cooking

Chef Nick

 

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The Harvest Season Of Tomatoes And Cucumbers

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Juniper Grill

Get Them While They Are Fresh!

With only a month or two left of homegrown tomato and cucumber season, I thought it would be a perfect time to share my cucumber and vine tomato salad!

The Colorful World Of Tomatoes

Did you know that there are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes available for the home gardener?  Tomatoes have transformed from the ever traditional red tomato to now the high end “white wonder” tomato with a creamy white flesh and skin or a “Yellow Stuffer” with a lemon yellow flesh.  I prefer to cook with tomatoes on the vine.   You can find them at Giant Eagle and other local stores.   These tomatoes tend to have a better flavor profile.

Healthy Facts About Tomatoes

  • Tomatoes contain carotene lycopene, one of the most powerful, natural antioxidants.
  • Lycopene has been shown to improve skin’s ability to protect against harmful UV rays.
  • Different tomato varieties may contain more than double the normal vitamin C and 40 times normal vitamin A

The Watery World Of Cucumbers

Contrary to popular belief, this member of the gourd family is actually classified as a fruit.  Made up of more than 90% water, this fruit is typically classified into three different categories; slicing, pickling and burpless.  When cooking, you should normally use slicing cucumbers.

Healthy Facts About Cucumbers

  • A ½ cup of freshly sliced cucumbers contains only 8 calories!
  • Cucumbers have a high amount of Vitamin K, which is thought to support bone strength
  • Cucumbers contain unique anti-oxidants which help to prevent aging. This is why in most spas they suggest to put over your eyes

My Summer Recipe

The recipe I have created below combines these two powerful fruits into one tasty Summer salad!

Locally Grown Cucumber & Vine Ripened Tomato Salad
Ingredients: Amount Unit
Cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced 2 cups
Vine Ripened Tomato, cored and wedged 2 cups
Red Onion, julienne 1/2. cup
Vinaigrette:
Rice Wine Vinegar 1/4. cup
Vegetable Oil 1/2. cup
Oregano, dried 1 tsp
Basil, dried 1 tsp
Garlic, minced 1 tsp
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 1/2. tsp
Black Pepper 1/4. tsp
Kosher Salt 1 tsp
Granulated Sugar 1 Tblsp
Procedure:
1. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
2. Lightly toss cucumber, tomato and onion in the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

 

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The Tasty World Of Avocados

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Juniper Grill

The Avocado

This time of year is perfect for the distinct flavor of the avocado!  With its non sweet, almost creamy texture, the avocado is great to add to any Summer meal!

This tasty fruit has been around for ages.  They were actually known to have been found in tombs with Incan mummies dating back to 750 B.C.   Although they are believed to have originated in Mexico, they were introduced in California in 1871.   Now, nearly 90% of domestic avocados come from California and some from Florida.

Why I Like Avocados

  • Avocados have 60% more potassium than bananas.
  • They are rich in B vitamins as well as Vitamin E and Vitamin K.
  • They have a high fiber content
  • Avocados are trans fat and cholesterol free.  They are also sodium free.
  • Be cautious with the unused parts of the avocado.  The leaves, bark, skin and pit are documented to be harmful to animals.

My Summer Avocado Recipe

The recipe I have created below is very easy to follow and is a perfect accompaniment to any entrée.

Salad with Avocado Lime Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette Recipe

9 Tbl       olive oil

½ cup    peeled & seeded ripe avocado

½ cup    chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup    fresh lime juice

¼ cup    toasted raw shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds

3 Tbl       white vinegar

1               garlic clove

¾ tsp     minced seeded Serrano pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Season with salt & pepper to taste

Salad Recipe

5 oz        mixed baby greens

2            avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced

12 oz      halved grape tomatoes

1            medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1            medium jicama, peeled, cut into 1/3 inch slice sticks

½          medium red onion, sliced very thin

1 1/2 c.  coarsely crumbled cotija or feta cheese

1/4 c.     pumpkin seeds  (optional)

Place greens in a very large bowl.  Add avocados, tomatoes, cucumber, jicama and onion.  Toss with enough vinaigrette to coat.  Sprinkle with cheese and pumpkin seeds

 

Cook Well,

Chef Nick

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