Sugo News

“Restaurant Week”, a statewide celebration of Connecticut’s restaurant industry presented by the Connecticut Restaurant Association with the support of SYSCO Foodservice of Connecticut is back. And Bricco and Grants are offering these special menus below as participants in this exciting dining experience not to missed.

BRICCO
Three Course Meal for $20.08

Appetizer Choice: Handmade Potato Gnocchi in Classic Bolognese Sauce or Italian Greens, Cucumber, Radish, and Fennel with white Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Entrée Choice: My Mom’s Spaghetti Carbonera, Soft Onion, Peas, Italian Bacon, Parmigiano, OR Mustard Glazed Cedar Planked Salmon, Mashed Potato and French Green Beans.

Dessert Choice: Pumpkin Cheese Cake or Gelato Selection.
Call - 860.233.0220

GRANTS
Three Course Meal for $20.08

Starter Choice: Chopped Salad, Olives, Chick Peas,Red Onion, Feta Cheese, and White Balsamic Vinaigrette, or Butternut Squash Soup, Sage Brown Butter & Spiced Creme Fraiche.

Entrée Choice: Mustard Glazed Atlantic Salmon, with Haricot Verts and French Lentils; OR Braised Short Ribs in Red Wine, Golden Potato Puree, and Roasted Autumn Vegetables.

Dessert Choice: Local Apple Crisp or Pumpkin Cheesecake Brulée.
For Grants reservations - call 860.236.1930

Billy Shore, Billy, George Stephanopoulos and Mike McCurry

West Hartford’s Billy Grant is joined by Billy Shore, founder of Share Our Strength; George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC News “This Week”; and Mike McCurry, former press secretary to President Bill Clinton, at Share Our Strength’s 2008 Conference of Leaders in Washington, D.C. Grant was one of the hundred volunteers from across the country invited to the nation’s capital to plan Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation events, scheduled in 50 U.S. cities beginning in March 2009.

Stephanopoulos provided his views on the 2008 presidential election and its potential impact on future hunger-related issues during his keynote address on Monday, October 20. McCurry serves on the board of directors of Share Our Strength, the national organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America.

Chef and owner of Grants Restaurant and Restaurant Bricco, Grant also co-chairs Taste of the Nation Hartford, now in its 21st year, scheduled March 26, 2009. Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation, presented by American Express, is the nation’s premier culinary benefit that has raised more than $70 million toward ending childhood hunger. For more information, visit Taste of the Nation.

Restaurant Bricco is teaming up with Waiter Wheels to bring our delicious food right to your door. Now that’s service!

Only available between October and December these white Alba truffles are the most rarest and expensive item around. But Grants is now serving them at a very affordable price - $22-25. Don’t wait too long to try this wonderful dish at Grants - Fresh White Alba truffles with handmade fettucini, hen of the woods mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and Parmigiano Reggiano.

“New England Cuisine”, a local Cox Communications cooking series that airs in northern and central Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, has been honored with two 2008 National Pegasus Awards.

The National Pegasus Awards are given in recognition of excellence in local non-broadcast television programming. Entries represent corporate, educational, government, medical and local cable programming from throughout the United States.

The series was honored for its “Spice Theme Episode” which featured Executive Chef Chris Prosperi from Metro Bis in Simsbury and its “Classic Pasta Episode” which featured Executive Chef Billy Grant from Grant’s and Bricco’s in West Hartford. Both restaurants are the recipients of multiple culinary awards and both have received national acclaim, including recognition from the distinguished James Beard Foundation.

Here is a sampling of our new Chef’s Market Menu at Grants.
Please note: In order to bring you our freshest dishes, this menu changes regularly.

FIRST COURSE
Pan Roasted Wild Mushrooms
anson mills cheddar cheese grits
or
CT Beltane Farms Goat Cheese Gratinee Mission Figs
local apple salad

SECOND COURSE
Grilled Hanger Steak
tender spinach, potato puree, glazed carrots
or
Pan Roasted Atlantic Swordfish
chorizo, mussel broth, and fingerling potatoes

THIRD COURSE
Local Artisan Cheese
native buckwheat honey, fig jam and honey roasted almonds
or
Local Apple Crisp
vanilla bean gelato

Price Per Person: $32
The Chef’s Market Menu is designed for complete table participation.
Kindly: No splitting or substitutions

Chef/Proprietor: William F. Grant III
Chef De Cuisine: Eric Sass
Sous Chefs: Jonathan Hudak, Brent Stanford, and David Wheeler

Many of you have asked, so here it is…

Neapolitan Meatballs
Ingriedients
5 lbs Ground Sirloin
1 loaf “day old” Italian Bread (crust removed and cut into 1 inch cubes)
1/2 gallon whole milk
10 eggs
1 1/2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 1/2 cups Grana Padano Cheese
1/2 cup of pine nuts
1/4 cup dried currents
salt, pepper, and parsley

Procedure
- Cover bread in milk and soak for 20 min
- in large bowl combine all remaining ingredients
-squeeze soaked bread and shred into bowl
- add 1/2 cup of reserved milk and mix gently to incorporate

Chef note- extra milk may be necessary to obtain proper consistency for meatballs

Dear Billy:

It is my honor to inform you that you have been nominated for Share Our Strength’s Chef/Restaurateur Award. As a 2008 award nominee, you join a small group of exceptional leaders in our network whose contributions and commitment to ending childhood hunger provide a shining example to the hundreds of incredible volunteers we are proud to work with each year.

A committee with representatives from Taste of the Nation, The Great American Bake Sale, Operation Frontline, and Share Our Strength staff will review all nominations, and winners will be announced at Share Our Strength?s Conference of Leaders in Washington, DC. The Leadership Awards Ceremony will take place on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at the Capital Hilton, the location of this year?s Conference of Leaders.

Congratulations on this important recognition. We are honored that you have chosen to share your time and talents with Share Our Strength. Please know that your leadership enables Share Our Strength to change lives and strengthen communities as we work toward ending childhood hunger in America.

…And more congratulations go to Mary Clare Mooney & Billy

Dear Mary Clare and Billy:

It is my honor to inform you that Taste of the Nation Hartford is nominated for Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation 20th Anniversary Committee of Year Award. As a 2008 award nominee, you join a group of exceptional leaders in our network whose contributions and commitment to ending childhood hunger provide a shining example to the hundreds of incredible volunteers we are proud to work with each year.
Sincerely,

Debbie Shore
Co-Founder & Associate Director

Billy Shore
Co-Founder & Executive Director

Support ArtWalk and buy the cookbook that features recipes and photographs from Billy as well as some of West Hartford’s other restaurants.

Corn Risotto                   Billy Grant                     Apple Cobbler

Billy Grant is a bit leery of chefs who call themselves artists. “A lot of people abuse that,” says the chef and co-owner of West Hartford’s Restaurant Bricco and Grants. Far more important to him is the idea that food and culinary tradition are respected, that the very best ingredients are sought out and treated with what he calls “the techniques and timing” essential to bringing out their best.
“Being able to use the best ingredients simply and not complicating them
unnecessarily” are the keys to Grant’s extraordinary cooking and the success
of his two restaurants.

“You’re feeding people,” he says. “Whether you do that simply or in a
complicated way, those are all decisions you’re making. If you get the right
balance, then it’s an art . It’s not always about creating the next new
dish. It’s about finding the right balance and finding what you can offer at
a restaurant or what you can produce at home for your family.”

Grant’s risotto recipe is a culinary classic prepared to perfection. This
delicious version showcases wild mushrooms, but Grant encourages home cooks
to try seasonal variations. “Your risotto can be altered by changing the
flavor of broths, adding herbs and spices, or incorporating meat, shellfish,
or vegetables,” he says.

As always, start with the best ingredients and master the technique.
Simple is best for a reason.
Interviewed by Deb Hornblow

Book signing: Eat for Art: TD Banknorth branch ( September 20th )

Purchase an ArtWalk 5th Anniversary cookbook for $15 and have it signed by Billy Grant, Scott Miller of Max’s Oyster Bar and Michael Yarnot of the Corner Pug. Refreshments courtesy of Crown Market and Trader Joe’s.

TD Banknorth West Hartford Center branch
29 South Main Street. 11-1 p.m.