Chef's Kitchen

Each month, a guest chef gives us a tip that elevates their cooking or simplifies things in the kitchen; something a home cook might not know. They also provide a recipe that uses the tip, so you can practice at home. Our guest chef this month is Chef Adam Gerlitz of Revolve True Food & Wine in Bothell. Revolve is owned by a chiropractor, Dr. Dusty DuBois, who loved going out to eat, but couldn't find an upscale restaurant with healthy food. She created Revolve and Chef Adam has been in the kitchen from the start, creating delicious and clean, healthy dishes without gluten, grains, preservatives, refined or cane sugar, GMO, soy, MSG, trans fats, or emulsifiers.

Adam Gerlitz had his first professional job at Caveman Kitchens in Kent at 15, working his way up as he learned the business. He received his bachelor's degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology, but found he wanted to get back to restaurants. Over the years he has worked with long-established restaurants as well as opened new locations including Hi-Life, BeachHouse Bar + Grill, Munchbar, Bootleggers Bar and Grill, Adam's Northwest Bistro & Brewery. He brings a wealth of experience to Revolve where he has moved up from Sous Chef to Executive Chef to General Manager.

Basic Pan Sauce, by Chef Adam Gerlitz

Instead of using flour or a roux to thicken a sauce, you can use different stocks and reduce them to intensify flavor and create sauces for nearly anything you want to dress up a bit. I like creating and flavoring different sauces to put onto a pork chop, steak, or chicken breast, or even to put over some grilled vegetables or potatoes.

Of course, making your own stock is the way to go but most people don't have that kind of time on their hands. Getting a couple quarts of stock from your local grocer works just as well. Make sure you get stock and not broth. Broth is seasoned and when it reduces down it becomes very salty.

Mushroom Steak Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

1 small shallot
3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
2 quarts beef stock
½ cup cold coffee
3 each mushroom of your choice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil

Procedure

Dice your shallot very small or mince; do the same for the garlic and mushroom.

In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil on medium-high heat with your garlic and shallot; cook for about 30 seconds and keep stirring to avoid burning the garlic. Add your thyme and pour in stock and coffee. Bring to a boil and reduce down by 75%.

Put 1 tablespoon of your butter into a small sauté pan and heat until melted on medium heat. Add your mushrooms and continue to cook in the butter until they start to get a little crispy. Using a fine strainer or shinoise, strain your reduced stock into the sauté pan with the mushrooms and continue to heat. Add the remaining butter at the very end to finish the sauce. The sauce should be fairly thick and should coat a spoon easily. Spoon the sauce over your steak and enjoy!

You can easily add different ingredients to your sauces as they are cooking to change or enhance flavors. I've used coffee in this one but have used cola or maple syrup for a sweeter taste. Try adding different seasonings such as bay leaf, chili flakes, whiskey, or red wine. I use white wine when going with chicken or fish, however.

Cheers!

Revolve True Food & Wine
10024 Main Street
Bothell, WA 98011
425-287-6420

revolvefoodwine.com

Parking lot behind building
Street parking

February 2019