Sliced Steak Sandwich, Manchester Farm

Over the past three weeks, my menus have offered a new take on beef.  Or, if you sit next to Dave Beckwith at the counter, he might suggest it's "old style beef."  The source, Manchester Farms in

Avella, Pennsylvania has a strict code, raising its animals on a grass diet from start to finish. At this time, since Manchester is an organic dairy farm, they raise only Hereford dairy cows.  Smaller than beef breeds, the Hereford male offspring provide a deep flavor, lean but rich and gamey.  I just love it.

Purchasing beef from Manchester Farm requires a unique ritual that I won't go into here.  More importantly, it involves an education in whole animal awareness. You must commit to 1/4 of an animal. 

In this case, that dialed down to 96 pounds of meat. That is then packaged in a cryovaced plastic bag and labeled properly for each cut. The package included one filet, two London broils, seven pieces of New York Strip (cut at 10oz on average), five Delmonico steaks, beef stew chunks, 30-pounds of chop meat, an assortment of roasts and a brisket.

We have had a favorable response to the prime cuts and especially the Delmonico.  And we have had enthusiastic reviews for our 1/3-pound burger served on 8-grain toast with our Ensalada de Casita.

Why introduce the Organic, grass fed beef now, in the middle of the off-season? Simple answer, we're preparing new menus for the next Estia location. As we searched for the next spot to share our full-service program, we met many new people.  Luckily, Joe Pagliarulo and his wife Margie who own the Manchester Farm were two who came across our bow. 

Our new space has all of the ingredients we want to make the Estia formula work. It's in a family community; filled with open-minded busy folks who look for fresh, clean food to share with their friends and families. While I'm not at liberty to disclose the location yet, I can tell you that my partner in the kitchen will be Carissa Waecter.  I'm happy to work with Carissa, whose enthusiasm and drive make every moment of this anxious time worthwhile. 

One of the many dishes we've developed to highlight the "Old Style Beef" from Manchester Farms is our new Sliced Steak Sandwich.  It will be served on a home-baked baguette topped with grilled red onions and warm bleu cheese over arugula.  The beef is so flavorful that we have learned it is not necessary to pile it on.

3 Sprout Sandwich with Pinenut Cream & Parsley Puree

Tomorrow night will mark my first vegetarian tasting effort, five courses served with organic wine from the Heller Estate in Carmel Valley, California. This dish pictured above will start the evening.  As the menu developed, I was concerned that there might not be enough substance to satisfy a hungry guest. Having tasted this dish, I now feel confident that we will more than fulfill the goal of providing complete nourishment with tasty variety.

1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced thin on a mandoline
1 spicy turnip, peeled and sliced thin on a mandoline
1 cup lentil sprouts
1 cup sunflower sprouts
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 cup pine nuts (soak in filtered water over night)
1 garlic clove
2 shallots
1 cup parsley leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water

Start by placing the butternut squash slices on an oiled baking sheet and roast at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Drain the pinenuts.

Place the pinenuts in a blender and run on low.  Add 1/2 of the olive oil to the blender as it continues to run.  Then add the garlic and shallots, running the blender at a higher speed.  Add the lemon juice and 1/2 of the salt adding water as needed. Remove from the blender when the mixture is smooth.

To plate the dish beautifully,  place the sliced turnips on the plate (3 pieces per plate) then mix most of the sprouts with the pinenut cream (save enough of each sprout variety for garnish). Now place three tablespoons of the sprout mix on each plate over the turnips. Top with the butternut squash slices.

Finally, combine the parsley with the remaining oil and salt and run blender until smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle over the top of the butternut squash and on the plate. Garnish with remaining sprouts and serve.