The Digital Collegian - Published independently by students at Penn State ARTS
[ Thursday, March 24, 2005 ]

Local eateries spring into new menu choices
Spring is here and for many local restaurants, that means some changes in the kitchen.

By Dan Schwartzman email
Collegian Staff Writer

Several area chefs agree the emergence of spring compels a change in cooking styles and presentation, but often the change in season on the calendar does not coincide with the growing season of local producers.

Pete Herncane, executive chef at the Allen Street Grill, 100 W. College Ave., said kitchens are in a state of transition during this time of year.

"This is the last hoorah for winter," Herncane said. "Parsnips, beets and other roots are being cleaned out."

Herncane said he plans to replace roots with one of his favorite vegetables, asparagus, as well as adding several fresh fish options to the menu, including wild king salmon from Copper River, Alaska.

Recipe of the Week
Chicken curry with dried apricots
This recipe's few ingredients and steps make it a good fit for beginners experimenting with Indian and Thai food. It fuses a blend of sweetness from the fruits with spiciness from the curry paste. Ingredients with an asterisk can be found at local markets such as International Market, 328 S. Allen St., or Far Corners Asian Market, 1101 N. Atherton St.
Prep time, 10 minutes. Cook time, 22 minutes
Serves two people.
Part 1.
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallots
  • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste* (for those who do not like spice, use Ã} tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 pound sliced chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
Part 2
  • 2 14 ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk*
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons purchased mango chutney
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Steamed white rice
  1. Heat a large rimmed pan, a skillet, on a medium heat. Add the oil and the shallots and sauté until they begin to brown (about five minutes).
  2. Mix in the red curry paste and fresh ginger and cook one minute.
  3. Add the chicken and sauté until it is cooked through (about 6 minutes).
  4. Put the chicken to a bowl.
  5. Add the coconut milk and dried apricots and boil until mixture is reduced to 2 1/4 cups (about 10 minutes).
  6. Mix in mango chutney and 1/2 cup cilantro. Return cooked chicken and stir, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir to heat through and serve over rice.

In past springs he has prepared salmon several ways including poaching, making a crispy orange teriyaki salmon and even trying some sushi dishes.

This year he plans "something simple" -- like preparing it in a lemon and caper citrus sauce.

Many restaurants cater to the season by changing their specials, which Allen Street Grill does with weekly features and a menu insert.

The spring menu at Zola New World Bistro, 324 W. College Ave., was introduced earlier this month. Paul Kendeffy, co-owner and executive chef, said spring dishes are often lighter than winter meals.

The seafood trilogy is one entrée Kendeffy said evokes a light feeling, by grilling three types of seafood and letting their natural flavors intermingle. This time of year presents a challenge because the spring harvest is still several months away and most supplies are traveling great distances.

"Spring is a tough menu because there's really nothing ready from spring yet," Kendeffy said. "I'm looking forward to the spring weather, but we still have to wait for the spring harvest. May and June is when everything is really rockin'."

Damian Peca, chef at Spats Café and Speakeasy, 142 E. College Ave., said most of his produce is traveling longer distances, and he is currently trying to work with local growers in the coming months. Peca said he looks forward to buying vegetables and also fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, mint, chives and rosemary.

Spats changes its menu three or four times a year.

"We try to stick to the Cajun creole base," Peca said. "We're going to do some lamb dishes like charred lamb with tart citrus sauce."

Spats will also bring back a popular dish from the Mardi Gras menu, crab imperial topped with sherry cream sauce and grated Romano cheese.

Jeremy Strouse, kitchen manager at Faccia Luna Pizzeria, 1229 S. Atherton St., said the restaurant switches from a lunch time soup of the day to a daily salad selection. His ideas include a cucumber salad and a Cajun grilled chicken salad, which is spicy with a lot of peppers and sweetened with honey mustard dressing.

Strouse said this season he likes to uses a lot more vegetables, including zucchini, squash and a medley of peppers.

Faccia Luna's homemade pesto, used on pizza and pasta, now is popular regardless of the season.

"Traditionally pesto was a spring and summer thing," Strouse said. "Now it's a year-round thing."

Like anything, though, Strouse said it comes down to good ingredients, which are imperative in all seasons.

PHOTO: Jessie Bright
PHOTO: Jessie Bright
The seafood trilogy dish at Zola's New World Bistro is just one example of the changes in meal selection restaurants undergo for spring.

 

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