Yum! 3 recipes use fresh summer flavors

When it comes to summer, there are a few things from childhood that come to mind including ice cream, watermelon, cherry pie and Independence Day. 

Those things are combined at J & G Steakhouse located at the Phoenician in a special Prix Fixe menu being offered Tuesday, July 3 and Wednesday July 4. 

Make it your holiday stop to get the best view of the city's fireworks, or stay at home and use Chef Jacques Qualin's recipes for your own gathering.

Watermelon Gazpacho

For the Gazpacho
5 ¾ cups Ripe, red, seedless watermelon
½ cup Red pepper, washed and seeded
Teaspoon Thai chili, washed
1 cup Euro cucumber, peeled
1.5 cups Ripe cherry tomatoes

Puree in blender until smooth. Season gradually with:

2 Tablespoons Salt
¼ cup Red wine vinegar

To Serve (Garnishes)
¾ cup Ice cold soup
2 teaspoons Brunoise yellow watermelon
2 teaspoons Brunoise euro cucumber
2 teaspoons Brunoise red pepper
3 teaspoons ¼'d cherry tomatoes
Micro basil or wide chiffonade basil
Maldon, as needed

In a frozen bowl, arrange very neat piles of the garnish next to each other and season gently with the maldon.  Serve the soup in an ice cold pitcher to be poured table side.

Grilled Tuna Burger, Miso Mayonnaise and Yuzu Pickles

For the Tuna Mix
1.5 lbs Tuna
3 Tbsp Shallots, minced
3 Tbsp Ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp Red Thai chili minced
1 Tbsp Sesame oil
    
Cut the tuna and grind with large die with the Kitchen Aid into a hotel pan on ice.  Carefully spread the tuna to cover the entire hotel pan. Sprinkle the surface with the remaining ingredients and mix carefully.  Form into 7 oz patties without working the meat.  

For the Miso Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp Fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp Dijon
6 Tbsp White miso
1/2 Tbsp Sriracha
1 Egg yolk

12 Tbsp Grape seed oil
4 Tbsp    extra virgin olive oil

Combine 1st set of ingredients in the robot coup and process until smooth.  Emulsify with the oils.


For the Pickles
2 each Euro Cucumber, sliced 6/16' THICK
3 ¾ cups Japanese Rice Vinegar
¾ cup Yuzu juice
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Green Thai chili

Put cucumbers in a baine. Combine vinegar, sugar, chilies and salt and bring to boil, do not let roll. Add yuzu juice and cool over ice. Pour over pickles 4 hours prior to use.

To Serve
1 Tuna burger
1 Kaiser bun
2 each Boston lettuce leaves
1 piece Shiso leaf
6 pieces Pickle

Season with salt and white pepper, brush with light soy sauce and olive oil and grill on high until medium rare.   Cut a Kaiser roll in ½ and brush with olive oil, grill until toasted and warm.  Spread both sides of roll with bonito mayonnaise, and set tuna burger on bottom half of roll.  Top with lettuce, shiso and pickles, the finish with top bun.  Hold in place with two bamboo skewers, then cut in half and place slightly offset on the plate.  Place fries in a cup on the side.

Popping Cherry Pie (for 4 people)

For the Pie Dough
¾ cup  Butter    
1 ¼ cups AP flour
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Baking powder
2 Tbsp Water        
1 Tbsp  Cider vinegar
½ cup Cream cheese

Dice the butter and freeze. Sift all the dry ingredients and freeze in a zip lock bag. Mix the vinegar and the water and freeze. Freeze cream cheese. Pulse the flour in food processor. Add the cream cheese and pulse. Add the butter and pulse for 10 seconds. Add the water-vinegar mixture and pulse 15 seconds. Knead the rest by hand. Do not over mix.

For the Cherry Filling
1.6 lb. IQF sour cherries    
½ cup Cherry juice    
2½ Tbsp Water
4 Tbsp Water        
2 Tbsp Starch        
11 Tbsp Sugar        
½ tsp     Salt

Strain the cherries. Mix the first water with the cherry juice and boil. Mix the second water with the starch. When boiling pull pot off the flame and add the starch. Whisk and place back on the stove on low flame. Add the sugar and the salt and boil. Fold in the cherries and let cool.

To Serve
½ Tbsp Poprocks

Quickly roll dough until very thin, being careful not to allow it to get to warm, then chill.  Spray #80 molds with Pam and form dough into them.  Fill with cherries to top, then cover with lattice.  Brush lattice with egg yolk and sprinkle with raw sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.  On the pick up, liberally scatter with pop rocks and top with powdered sugar.  Quenelle almond sorbet on one side and serve.

J&G Steakhouse
at The Phoenician Resort & Spa
6000 East Camelback Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 214-8000
www.jgsteakhousescottsdale.com