Oven Roasted Tomato Flatbread

Flatbreads are one of the signature dishes people come to El Gaucho to taste - it has become a sort of tradition. Because of this, we are constantly experimenting and coming up with some new creations.

However, there are some things you just don't mess with - like our steaks. When you get something right, don't change it for the sake of change. So while we are creating new combination's of flatbreads, one of them that has remained a favorite and a constant is our Oven Roasted Tomato Flatbread.

The key to the flatbread is oven roasting the roma tomatos - this is something I love to do because it traps in the flavor and actually intensifies the tomato and the sugars. Then we add a little olive oil (can't have too much of this stuff as I've said before), whole milk ricotta cheese (keeps some sweetness but is all natural) and top it off with basil. Oh yea, least I forget the light dusting of sea salt on the edge of the bread just to give it a bit more salt with the light sweetness of the tomato.

Boy, this is making me hungry - which is why this is a staple on the menu. This works for just about everyone - whether they are having steak or not - it is a compliment to any meal or by itself. Try it out and let me know what you think of the flavor - I think it rocks!!

Eastside Seafood Salad - Refreshing lunch addition

Who would have thought a place known for the best beef in town would offer such a light and refreshing seafood salad - surprise!!

When I designed this light, low-carb creation, that was exactly what I had in mind. I wanted something on our new luncheon menu that would appeal to anyone who wanted the "El Gaucho ambiance" with something light - so I created the Eastside Seafood Salad.

Besides being loaded with seafood, like prawns and crab, its secret is the very light soy vinaigrette dressing. Actually, there are only 2 tablespoons of soy in the 2 quarts of dressing we make so while you don't really taste the soy, it adds a bit of zest and life to the dressing.

We also use New England Bay Shrimp as these are extremely fresh right now and very firm and flavorful. Combined with the crab, hearts of palm and romaine lettuce, it is light yet filling. I like to use romaine that is closer to the heart of the lettuce simply because it is much more flavorful than when you get out to the ends of the lettuce leaf.

I can go on and on about how tasty this salad is - but how about you stop by and taste one for yourself. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think - I'm always looking for ways to continually entice our customers palates.

El Gaucho Signature Mushroom Flatbread

El Gaucho has been known for its Flat Bread for some time now. While most people view bread as an “add-on” to a meal or an appetizer, we make ours so it could stand alone. Yes, it is that good.

Working with our executive Chef Kent Sharp, we formulated this particular recipe about 3 months ago. We finally settled on a recipe that includes an unbelievable crust (a key part of any good flat bread) that includes 10% whole wheat in the dough to give it just a bit of chewiness and slight nuttiness. The base of the dough starts with the finest bread flour we can get, mandako flour.

We top it with Crimini mushrooms that are sautéed with fresh garlic and shallots until they are golden brown and then add Italian Marsala which reduces it down and puts a slight glaze on the mushrooms and seals in the flavor. This not only intensifies the flavors (again, less is more) but makes it all come together nicely. We finish it off quite simply with some Reggaino parmesean and some olive oil – can’t use enough olive oil in my opinion to enhance the flavor.

The end result is our most popular Flat Bread that everyone seems to love. Let me know what you think – give it a try sometime.

28 days to a great Steak Sandwich

OK, now we’re talking about favorites. Of all the lunch items we serve and among the ones we are doing in the Taste and Tweet event we are holding tomorrow, this is everyone’s favorite. And why wouldn’t it be – you’re basically getting filet mignon on a baguette.

As with all our steaks, we use only the best, 28-day aged, prime tenderloin for this sandwich – no cutting back here. The meat is tender so you don’t need a knife to cut it up, just pick it up, dip it in the Au Jus and enjoy. Simple but flavorful.

Speaking of the Au Jus, that is what also makes it something special to me. Most places use au jus from a packet to make the sauce – leaves something to be desired in my opinion. We make ours from scratch using a beef stock that simmers for 8 hours with onions, peppercorns, bay leaves and a few special spices. It has a clarity to it that is not salty but has a deep flavor to enhance the flavor of the filet mignon. No wonder it is an absolute favorite and staple among our guests.

High Quality Burger - unbelievable Sauce

OK, I might be a bit biased, but to me this is the best burger in Bellevue – hands down. It is made from Certified Angus Beef and is full of flavor from the first bite. And you get lots of bites – this isn’t some wimpy burger, it is big and bold. We top it with smoked bacon, Coastal Cheddar Cheese (white cheddar from England that is just a bit dry to give it a good sharp flavor) that compliments both the bacon and the beef.

Like most burgers, it comes with lettuce, tomato and onion and a magical dressing. We created a Thousand Island Dressing that has its own special flavor. We use some red pickle relish and a bit of lemon juice to just give it an interesting flavor that works with the burger and bacon and cheese. The final ingredient is of course the bun – no skimping there. We use fresh buns from Mario’s Bakery in Tukwila to complete the creation.

If you’re into burgers, and who isn’t, this is one you have to try. I hope you enjoy it and let me know how it stacks up against any other burger you have had out there.

Ahi Tuna Salad - custom designed, custom prepared

When you are a chef, many people ask, “What are your favorites?” For me the Ahi Tuna Salad is one of my own personal favorites for two reasons. It was one of my personal creations inspired by my mother. When I grew up, my mother was a chef and was influenced by the likes of Muriel Hemingway, Julia Childs and others of such caliber. She taught me at an early age that less is more – use less heavy ingredients to create more intense flavors.

The Ahi Tuna Salad does just this. I purposely kept it simple to bring out the flavor of the tuna and vegetables we use in the salad. The ingredients are all high quality with emphasis on fresh – nothing artificial in this salad. This allows me to amplify the flavor and let the salad do the talking. When I first came up with it, I wanted to focus on more of sashimi type salad where we could use a very high grade tuna. It simply works better.

I finish off the salad with some great vegetables, such as green beans that will be coming in next week from Duris Farms in Puyallup. These are incredible beans that you have to taste to appreciate. We add some Kalamata Olives, Basil, Grilled Potatoes (from the Skykomish Valley) and finish with a light lemon, basil vinaigrette dressing. I can taste it now – which is why it is one of my personal favorites. It is healthy, low carb salad that just offers great flavor.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy it and leave me your comments on what you think.