Recipes

Robust's Pan-Seared Scallops with Ham in Tomato-Truffle Sauce: A Recipe from Joseph Hemp V

This is part three of Gut Check's Chef's Choice profile of Joseph Hemp V of Robust. Read part one, a profile of Hemp, here. Read part two, a Q & A with Hemp, here. Joseph Hemp V, the chef of the popular wine bar and restaurant Robust (227 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-963-0033) and its ... More >>

Top 5 Recipes to Celebrate 4/20 -- From a Professional!

Didn't win our 4/20 Cannabis Cupcakes giveaway? Fret not, dear reader. Gut Check has a treat for you! It just so happens that a person of our acquaintance -- we'll call her "Mary Jane" -- spent three years traveling the jam-band circuit, supplying cannabis-based baked goods to hungry audiences from ... More >>

Natasha Kwan of Frida's Deli: Recipes for Vegetable-Stuffed Zucchini Boats and Baby Spinach Salad with Champagne-Mango Dressing

This is part three of Gut Check's Chef's Choice profile of Natasha Kwan of Frida's Deli. Read part one, a profile of Kwan, here. Read part two, a Q & A of Kwan, here. Natasha Kwan, owner of Frida's Deli (622 North and South Road, University City; 314-727-6500), doesn't create a dish by deleting the ... More >>

Rick Lewis of Quincy Street Bistro: Recipe for "Chicken 'n Biscuits"

This is the part three of Gut Check's Chef's Choice profile of Rick Lewis of Quincy Street Bistro. Read part one, a profile of Lewis, here. Read part two, a Q & A with Lewis, here. "Seeing as how we are a comfort food restaurant, I thought the 'Chicken 'n Biscuits' may be a fun one for the at-home ... More >>

Matthew Daughaday of Taste: Recipe for Lamb Sugo

​This is part three of Holly Fann's Chef's Choice profile of Matthew Daughaday of Taste. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Daughaday, is published here.This dish can be paired with grilled country bread as served at Taste, or in a more traditional way, atop a pasta dish. Lamb Sugo ... More >>

Bluestem: The Cookbook: Recipe for Pea Soup, Preserved Lemon, Crème Fraîche

Tonight, Niche (1831 Sidney Street; 314-773-7755) presents the Bluestem Cookbook Dinner, featuring dishes from chefs Megan and Colby Garrelts of Bluestem, a progressive fine-dining establishment in Kansas City, Missouri, that features reinvented regional flavors from the other side of the state. Th ... More >>

Jason Tilford of Milagro Modern Mexican: Recipe for Ceviche with Cilantro-Pepita Pesto and Mango Salsa

This is part three of Stacy Anderson's Chef's Choice profile of Jason Tilford of Milagro Modern Mexican. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Tilford, is published here. A big part of chef Jason Tilford's history as a chef and his current work at Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, ... More >>

Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen: Recipe for Crustless Buttermilk Pie

This is part three of Stephen Fairbanks' Chef's Choice profile of Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Vires, is published here. Stephen FairbanksCrustless Buttermilk pie with lemon creme anglaise and lemon zest. ​Cassy Vires, chef-owner of Home W ... More >>

Recipe: Melba's Baked Pork Chops from Stirring it Up with Molly Ivins by Ellen Sweets

Mabel SuenCopies of Stirring It Up with Molly Ivins now available at Left Bank Books.​Last week, Gut Check spoke with St. Louis native Ellen Sweets about her new book, Stirring it Up with Molly Ivins. The memoir celebrates Ivins' life by taking a deep look into her joyous domestic side. As a t ... More >>

Marianne Prey of Extra Virgin's Recipe for Jaffa Mousse

Read more about Marianne Prey and Extra Virgin: an Olive Ovation here. Marianne Prey is an olive-oil enthusiast. She approaches the different varieties and flavors scientifically and is able to recommend the best oil to fit each customer's particular preferences and needs. "My palate has become m ... More >>

The WiseJack Man's Cookbook: Recipe for Shakshukah, or Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Gut Check spoke with St. Louis native and co-author Jon Harris about his new book, The WiseJack Man's Cookbook. Here is a sample recipe from his book. Billy Brady Photography​When Jon Harris and long-time friend Ari Axelbaum both left St. Louis to go to college in New York, they realized that ... More >>

Steve Komorek of Trattoria Marcella: Recipe for Meatballs With Creamy Polenta

This is part three of Emily Wasserman's Chef's Choice profile of Steve Komorek of Trattoria Marcella. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Komorek, is published here. Courtesy of Trattoria Marcella​After spending 12 weeks in Tuscany, it's safe to say that Trattoria Marcella's (360 ... More >>

Casey Shiller of Jilly's Cupcake Bar: Recipe for Banana Toffee Cupcakes, a.k.a "Space Monkeys"

This is part three of Emily Wasserman's Chef's Choice profile of confectioner Casey Shiller of Jilly's Cupcake Bar. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Shiller, is published here. Emily Wassermancaption​Walking into Jilly's Cupcake Bar (8509 Delmar Boulevard, Ladue; 314-993-5455) ... More >>

Janet Shulman of the Caramel House: Recipe for the Caramel House Baked Apples

This is part three of Mabel Suen's Chef's Choice profile of confectioner Janet Shulman of the Caramel House. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Shulman, is published here. D. E. Shulman​Janet Shulman knows sweets. Before forming the Caramel House company on her own, she started ... More >>

Elie Harir of The Mediterranean Grill: Recipe for Tabbouleh

This is part three of Emily Wasserman's Chef's Choice profile of chef Elie Harir of the Mediterranean Grill. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Harir, is published here. Kelly HoganAn assortment of Mediterranean salads and dips, including Harir's tabbouleh​Elie Harir knows good ... More >>

Vom Fass Samples Absinthe as Part of Let Them Eat Art

Deborah HylandVom Fass' absinthe​Long before Willard Scott was terrifying small children as the first Ronald McDonald or Tony the Tiger and Spuds MacKenzie, the Green Fairy was luring consumers to indulge in her wares: absinthe. And just like with Happy Meals and Joe Camel, the fuddy duddies f ... More >>

Conservation Department Releases Wildlife-Inspired Cookbook

Image viaBernadette's Catch-All Muffins​A former publications editor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, Bernadette Dryden sought out the advice of Show-Me State hunters, fishers, nut growers and mushroom foragers to pen a new cookbook that focuses on stuff you can find in your backya ... More >>

Frog Season Begins -- How to (Legally) Catch and Cook the Critters

Image viaIt ain't easy being green -- especially during frog season. ​Here's your chance to impress guests at your next underground dinner party or office social. Come sunset tomorrow, foodies and chefs from all over the state will be able to take to the swamps and lakes in search of that dele ... More >>

John Griffiths of Truffles: Recipe for Olive Oil Shortcake

This is part three of Amanda Woytus' Chef's Choice profile of chef John Griffiths of Truffles. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Griffiths, is published here.Amanda WoytusThe Olive Oil Shortcake at Truffles​We know what you're thinking: Rachael Ray nearly ruined olive oil for al ... More >>

Reine Bayoc of SweetArt Bakeshop: Recipe for Jezebel Bars

This is part three of Emily Wasserman's Chef's Choice profile of bakery chef Reine Bayoc of SweetArt. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Bayoc, is published here.Chrissy Wilmes​ Making recipes and presentation less and less conventional, more and more bakers are deviating from th ... More >>

Ivy Magruder of Vin de Set: Recipe for Bouillabaisse

This is part three of Amanda Woytus' Chef's Choice profile of chef Ivy Magruder of Vin de Set. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Magruder, is published here.Amanda WoytusVin de Set's bouillabaisse​If you eat one thing on Vin de Set's (2017 Chouteau Avenue; 314-241-8989 or www.vi ... More >>

Ericka Frank of the Cakery and the Cup: Recipe for German Chocolate Icing

This is part three of Chrissy Wilmes' Chef's Choice profile of bakery chef Ericka Frank of the Cakery. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Frank, is published here. Chrissy Wilmes​Cupcakes have experienced quite the spike in popularity these last few years, and bakers have gotten ... More >>

Miguel Carretero of Guido's: Recipe for Bacalao a la Vizcaina

This is part three of Deborah Hyland's Chef's Choice profile of Miguel Carretero of Guido's. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Carretero, is published here. Deborah Hyland Carretero's recipe for Bacalao a la Vizcaina​Tapas have become quite trendy over the past decade, often to ... More >>

Chris Williams of Franco: Recipe for Chicken Roulade

This is part three of Chrissy Wilmes' Chef's Choice profile of Chris Williams of Franco. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Williams, is here. Chrissy Wilmes​When it comes to education, some chefs choose the formal route, attending culinary school and working externships, while ... More >>

Matt Dawson of Brandt's Cafe: Recipe for Duck Tacos

This is part three of Deborah Hyland's Chef's Choice profile of Matt Dawson of Brandt's Cafe. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Dawson, is here. Deborah HylandBrandt's Cafe chef Matt Dawson prepares duck tacos.​Appetizers are Brandt's Cafe (6525 Delmar Boulevard, University Cit ... More >>

Chef Chris Bork of the Mud House: Recipe for Poached Egg with Ham Fat, Chorizo Puree and French Horns

This is part three of Holly Fann's Chef's Choice profile of Chris Bork of the Mud House in south St. Louis. Part one can be found here. Part two is here. Holly FannYou can do this! You can poach an egg! Go ahead, give it a whirl!​A perfectly poached egg is a thing of beauty -- elegant, delica ... More >>

Kosher Soul Food: The Recipes

Aimee Levitt​On a recent morning, Andria Simckes and her mother Evelyn Lard invited Gut Check to Simckes' Creve Coeur kitchen to give us a crash course in their specialty: kosher soul food. The results were delicious. They were kind enough to provide recipes, but Gut Check declines to take res ... More >>

Agi and Aaron Groff of 4 Seasons Baked Goods & Catering: Recipe for Dutch Almond Cookies

This is part three of Holly Fann's Chef's Choice profile of Agi and Aaron Groff of 4 Seasons Baked Goods & Catering. Parts one and two are accessible here and here. Holly FannDutch almond deliciousness​ A favorite among 4 Seasons customers, Dutch Almond cookies are crunchy and not too sweet. ... More >>

Bob Colosimo's Pasta with Walnut Sauce

This is the final installment of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice profile of Bob Colosimo of Eleven Eleven Mississippi. Part one is available here; part two, a Q&A, is posted here. Robin Wheeler​While traveling in Tuscany last month, Eleven Eleven Mississippi's Bob Colosimo noted the abundance o ... More >>

Get cooking: The recipes from our feature story

Panzanella by Amy Zupanci of Fond and Township Grocer

​This is the final installment of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice profile of Amy Zupanci, chef/owner of Fond and Township Grocer. Part one is available here, and part two, a Q&A, is posted here. Robin Wheeler​Few dishes espouse the fresh, sustainable and local ethos of Amy Zupanci as well as p ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipe: Jennifer Pensoneau's Cochon de Lait and Cherry Cobbler

This is part two of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice profile of Jennifer Pensoneau of JFires' Market Bistro. Part one can be accessed here. Part three, a Q&A with Pensoneau, is here. Robin WheelerThis little piggy looks delicious!​The cochon de lait at J.Fires' Market Bistro reflects the Louisia ... More >>

David Molina's Paella Valencia Recipe

This is part three of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice interview with chef David Molina of BARcelona Tapas. Part one is available here; part two is here. Robin Wheeler​Paella Valencia Serves 6 4 1/2 cups chicken stock Robin Wheeler​1 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 1/4 poun ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipe: Jarvis Putnam's Tequila Lime Mussels

This is part three of Robin Wheeler's Chef's Choice interview with chef Jarvis Putnam of Bossanova Restarant & Martini Lounge. Part one is available here; part two is here. Robin WheelerTequila lime mussels by Jarvis Putnam of Bossanova Restaurant & Martini Lounge​For a born-and-raised Mi ... More >>

St. Patrick's Day Special: Bake Your Own Chocolate Stout Cupcakes!

How early is too early for beer? One could choose to hold off until after sunrise. Fortunately, crumb toppings are the great equalizer: Is it breakfast? Brunch? Dessert? Who cares! It's beer! Here's to you, patron saint of unnaturally colored alcoholic beverages! These cupcakes have an exceptional ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipe: David Timney's Shrimp Pasta with Vodka Sauce

With a growing wholesale fresh pasta business, Mangia Italiano executive chef David Timney (profiled on Gut Check yesterday) hopes to see more home cooks using the restaurant's product. Dierbergs now carries Mangia's fresh pasta under the store's brand name, and Mangia's staff do in-store demos on ... More >>

Farmer's Market Share Gives the Gift of Nuts in Your Mouth

Alissa Nelson​These days it's smart to be budget-minded and realistic when giving gifts. If you're like this blogger, that means forgetting that Hanukkah is coming and then blaming late gifts on finals or wanting to make something yourself to save money. In previous years, I've knitted various cl ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipes: Chuck Friedhoff's Bacon Cheddar Burgers and Vinegar-Salted Fries

Robin Wheeler​Anyone can buy ground beef and frozen French fries, but as I detailed in yesterday's Chef Choice's profile, Chuck Friedhoff of Persimmon Woods Golf Club wants to make these American classics transcend the manufactured version that's taken over in food service. It takes a lot of extr ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipes: Josh Allen's Spinach-Walnut Pesto Crostini

Robin WheelerJosh Allen, founder of Companion​Just as Companion founder Josh Allen's career has focused on bread, so does his family's diet: "We mainly eat a Mediterranean diet with lots of spreads like tapenade."Read the Chef's Choice profile of Josh Allen.Even pesto, traditionally relegated to ... More >>

Farmers' Market Share: Thanksgiving Wheat Berry Salad Recipe

Jérôme Sautret, Wikimedia CommonsSweet potatoes: Try not to eat them all before you're done.​As a compulsive cooking overachiever, I have a tendency to see pot lucks as a challenge: How can I make something totally novel and awesome...yet avoid shopping? It's like Iron Chef: College Ingenuity.S ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipes: Josh Galliano's Butternut Squash Ravioli with Chinese Bacon

Robin WheelerMonarch executive chef Josh Galliano​While I interviewed Monarch executive chef Josh Galliano, he prepared butternut squash ravioli in a lemon-sage beurre blanc with Chinese bacon. After the jump, the recipe for this dish -- and for the fresh pasta you need to make it.

Farmers' Market Share: Autumn Latkes

Alissa Nelson​Last week, while browsing the wares at Local Harvest Grocery, I encountered the biggest beets I'd ever seen. They were like cow hearts. I considered staging the Harrison Ford sacrifice scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, just for dramatic effect. Then I saw a sweet pota ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipes: Jeffrey Constance's Chèvre-Stuffed Meatloaf

Robin Wheeler​During my visit with Jeffrey Constance of Hanley Grille and Tap, he prepared a meatloaf unlike any mama's meatloaf. With influences from both his classic French and Italian background, this dish has all the surprising, complex flavors of upscale cuisine without sacrificing the comfor ... More >>

Chef's Choice Recipes: Vito Racanelli's Calabrese Chicken and Rice

Robin WheelerVito Racanelli of Onesto Pizza and Trattoria​As I wrote in my profile of Vito Racanelli, the chef's food passion lies in the home cooking of his 71-year-old mother, who still cans her own tomatoes every summer. Don't skimp on the fresh flat-leaf parsley. The herb's the predominant sea ... More >>

Farmers' Market Share: Winter Squash Muffins

Alissa Nelson​Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows in this food blogger's kitchen. I was seriously tempted to just link to the New York Times recipe for Ratatouille Pot Pie and call it a day. (It was really excellent, by the way.) Then I made a meal that resulted in the exclamation, "What the fuck ... More >>

Out, Damned Sneak!

Show: St. Louis Shakespeare's cunning blood-n-gore production of Macbeth, a terrific play about terrible people.Food: Globe Theatre Apple-Hazelnut Tart, baked by yours truly.Difficulty: Extreme. While the initial sneak phases of repackaging the food in aluminum foil and taking it into the theater w ... More >>

Farmers' Market Share: Peach Pound Cake and Apple Honeycake

Alissa Nelson​While training for my first 100-mile bike ride last spring, I developed a terrible habit. Although I stocked my saddlebag with the finest in sports goos and my back pocket with peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches, I couldn't help but plan the huge meal I would eat as soon as I got ho ... More >>

Innovations in Sneaking: The Solid-State Cocktail

Fernando de Sousa, Wikimedia Commons While I'm constantly amazed at the number of movie theaters in St. Louis that offer beer, wine and decent coffee, there still aren't many places you can enjoy a good cocktail during the show. What's a sneak to do?1. Pre-mix the cocktail and bring it in a bottle ... More >>

Cooking With Match: Wild Rice and Corn Stuffed "Chicken" Roulade

photo: David KilperHolmes Lounge at Washington University, where you can eat Suarez' food.In this week's feature article, I report on Match, a meat substitute created by Allison Burgess, a lifelong St. Louisan. If you'd like to try some, I'll be posting recipes here on Gut Check all week long.Gary S ... More >>

Cooking With Match: Match Burger

flickr.com/photos/creativilleIn this week's feature article, I report on Match, a meat substitute created by Allison Burgess, a lifelong St. Louisan. If you'd like to try some, I'll be posting recipes here on Gut Check all week long.Just in time for the Fourth, here's Clint Whittemore's Match burger ... More >>