Mountain Standard
Contact: Paul Anders
Chef: Joe Frietze
Phone: 970-476-0123
Address:
193 East Gore Creek Dr
Vail Co, 81657
Website: mtnstandard.com
Social:
From the creators of the legendary Sweet Basil, Mountain Standard is a rustic and relaxed tavern that is setting a new standard in the Vail valley by using an ancient form of cooking.
The majority of Mountain Standard's menu is prepared via the most primal cooking method: over an open and live wood fire. The food at this exciting new restaurant has rustic, bold and honest flavors, focusing on the purest ingredients in the Rocky Mountain region and beyond.
Service, like the cuisine, has that perfect balance of providing a first class dining experience with a more casual vibe. There are no smoke and mirrors here - no fuss - just simple, honest, from the heart service and cooking. The beauty of the creek side location is mirrored by the high energy vibe of this dynamic restaurant.
It is this energy, outstanding service, and hand crafted food that enables Mountain Standard to offer a truly unique dining experience, approachable and enjoyable to everyone.
Mountain Standard Recipes
Molasses Quail, Blackberry Agrodolce, Marcona Almonds, and Wilted Greens Prepared for
Molasses Quail, Blackberry Agrodolce, Marcona Almonds, and Wilted Greens
Serves: 8 People
Molasses Marinade:
For 8 whole semi-boneless Quail
2 cups water
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup molasses
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 oz. shallot, sliced
1 lemon, peel only
A few sprigs thyme
In a mixing bowl add the molasses to the water and whisk very well. Next add the Worcestershire, sherry vinegar, shallot, lemon peel, and thyme and whisk again to fully incorporate. Place the whole quail in a non-reactive container large enough to hold the birds and all of the marinade. Pour the marinade over the quail and place lid or plastic wrap over the container. Place the container in the refrigerator and marinate overnight, at least 12 hours.
Blackberry Agrodolce:
2 pints blackberries
1 C. balsamic vinegar
1 C. red wine vinegar
1 C. water
1 C. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 t. juniper berries
1 T. pink peppercorns
1 pod star anise
Either in a sauté pan on a stove top or in a low temperature oven, place all of the spices in the pan and roast over low heat until very fragrant. Once the spices are toasted, transfer them to a large piece of cheesecloth and tie the cheesecloth into a sachet. In a medium sized sauce pot place 1 pint of the blackberries, the sachet of spices, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, water, and sugar. Place the pot over medium high heat and bring the ingredients to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to simmer the sauce until it reduces to 1/3 of the original volume. Remove the spice sachet and add the remaining blackberries. Cool the sauce to room temperature; it should continue to thicken as it cools.
Marcona Almonds:
1 C. Marcona Almonds, fried and salted
You could replace the marcona almonds with regular whole/peeled almonds if necessary. Most Marcona almonds come fried and salted when you buy them, if not, you will need to toast them in oil until golden brown and the salt them liberally. Lightly chop the almonds into large pieces.
Wilted Greens:
1 large head Bitter greens, such as escarole, frisee, kale, swiss chard, etc.
2 medium shallots, julienne fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch, crushed red chile flake
½ lemon, juice only
Remove the core from the greens and wash very well. Chop the greens into large 2” pieces and set aside. Remember that these greens will wilt to 1/3 of their original volume. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add a small amount of olive oil to a pan large enough to hold the greens. Add the shallot and cook until they soften and lightly caramelize, then add the garlic, chile flake, and the greens and stir/sauté quickly to prevent the shallot from browning too much. As the greens are cooking down, add the lemon juice and a good amount of salt and pepper. Continue to cook, only a minute or two, until the greens are just wilted. They should taste slightly acidic, in order to counter balance the sweetness of the blackberries.
Final Preparation:
Prepare a hot grill (preferably wood fired) or large cast iron pan. Drain the quail from the marinade and pat them dry with a towel. Season the quail with salt and pepper and place over the grill or in the pan and sear “hard”. The sugars in the marinade should caramelize very deeply, almost to the point of burning. Turn the quail over and repeat the sear. At this point the quail should be medium in doneness and are cooked, if you wish them to be done more, simply continue to cook over the grill or in an oven.
Place a small amount of the greens in an individual bowl. Cut the quail in half and place over the greens. Top the quail with another small pinch of the greens. Sauce the entire dish liberally with the blackberry Agrodolce. Finish with a good crumble of the marcona almonds. Serve immediately.
Sweet Pea Bruschetta Prepared for
Sweet Pea Bruschetta
Executive Chef Paul Anders
Makes 8 servings
Sweet Pea Hummus
Yields=2 Qt.
2 Qt fresh shucked peas, use frozen if fresh are not available. If using fresh, blanch the peas in boiling water and shock in ice water. If using frozen, thaw completely
½ C. Tahini
12 garlic cloves, smashed
2 C. olive oil
1 T. kosher salt
1 t. ground black pepper
Method: Place the tahini, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and process till smooth. Add half of the peas and puree until completely smooth. Next add the remaining peas and pulse a few times so that the peas are chopped but still retain some chunkiness and texture. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Calabrian Chile Condiment
Yields=2 C.
2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 C. fresh garlic, shaved thinly
1 C. Calabrese Chiles, stems and seeds removed, sliced thinly
Method: Place the garlic and olive oil in a sauce pot over medium/low heat. Cook the garlic and oil until the sliced garlic browns lightly. Remove from the heat and add the sliced chiles, cool to room temperature.
Final Preparation:
Serves 8
8 slices of good quality French bread or sourdough, cut ½ “ thick
2 C. sweet pea hummus
½ C. Calabrian chile condiment
2 C. sliced snap peas and/or garden peas, blanched in boiling water and shocked in an ice bath
1 C. home-made ricotta cheese, or good quality store bought
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 lemons
Salt and Pepper, as needed
Method:
1. Pre-heat a grill, or oven. Brush the sliced bread with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Depending on your choice, either grill the bread or bake until it is crisp and well-marked, but with some residual softness left in the bread. Sp
2. Spread 1 oz of the pea hummus over the entire surface of the bread.
3. Scatter small dollops of the ricotta over the hummus.
4. Place the blanched peas in a bowl and dress with the Calabrian Chile condiment, season with salt and pepper. Spoon the dressed peas over the bruschetta, and follow with a drizzle of the left over condiment.
5. Zest lemon over the bruschetta and follow with a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
6. Sprinkle the bruschetta with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
7. Cut the bruschetta into 4 pieces and place on serving plates.
For additional photos and information contact
Jana Morgan, Marketing Director
Sweet Basil | Mountain Standard
970.331.5262
jana@sweetbasilvail.com
Bourbon Onion Soup Prepared for
Caramelized Onion Soup, with Bourbon, Hickory, and Dry Jack
Yield=4 Qt.
16 8oz. servings
5 lbs. yellow onion, peel, slice ½ moon julienne
Place onion in a large pot heavy bottomed pot with 4 T. of bacon fat and a small pinch of salt. Cook/caramelize over medium high heat until caramelized and a deep golden brown color, scrape the bottom of the pan often to prevent burning.
Deglaze the pot with:
2 C. bourbon whiskey
Reduce the bourbon until dry.
Next add:
4 oz. good quality slab bacon chunks or slices
2 C. veal stock
2 Qt. chicken stock
1/2 C. tamari soy sauce
1/2 C. white soy sauce
2 oz. parmesan cheese rinds, tied in cheesecloth sachet
1/4 oz. fresh thyme, tie in butcher’s twine
Spice sachet in cheesecloth:
1 T. peppercorns
1 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise pods
2 cloves
½ oz. hickory wood chips/chunks
Bring soup to a low simmer and simmer over low heat (NO REDUCTION) for 1 hour
Remove the sachets/thyme bundle/and bacon chunks
Season the soup with 3 T. sherry vinegar, 4 oz bourbon and salt and pepper as needed
Torn Sourdough Croutons:
Take a loaf sourdough, rustically tear the bread into medium sized chunks, toss the bread with melted butter, salt and pepper and place on sheet pan in a 375 degree oven. Toast the bread chunks till crisp, firm and golden brown.
Method of Preparation:
32 slices soft Monterey Jack Cheese
Large chunk, aged dry jack cheese, preferably one year aged (may substitute parmesan Reggiano if dry jack is not available)
Turn Broiler in oven onto high heat. Laddle 8 oz of soup into soup bowls/crocks. Scatter torn sourdough croutons across the top of the soup. Lay two slices of Monterey Jack across the croutons, draping a bit of of the cheese over the edge of the soup bowl. Place the bowls under the broiler and cook until cheese is melted and browned. Remove the soup from the oven and using a cheese grater or micro-plane, grate a large pile of the dry jack over the entire soup/melted cheese.
