Donne Tempo - Colorado
A
hike next to a clear mountain stream is peaceful. One
is propelled to stop and marvel at the clear shallow
lake where even 30 feet out from the shore you can
see the rock bottom and fallen timbers that lay
there. A fellow traveler stops for a bit of yoga
practice among the wildflower and grass meadow. Geese
swim, birds fly.
The mountains breathe and so do we.
Following the brisk mountain air hike it is back to the Jerome for a stop at the J-Bar, a very historic place where one can partake in a prohibition created cocktail the Aspen Crud.
During prohibition the J-Bar was turned into a soda fountain however the 10th Mountain Division, which boarded at the hotel during WWII, added Jack Daniels to their milkshakes!
A snack and Aspen Crud and its to the room for a leisurely soak in the large Jacuzzi tub followed by a nap nestled in a lush robe before supper.
Dining in the Hotel Jerome’s Century Room is to step back to the boomtown years of the mid-1800s. A 2006 winner of the Wine Spectator’s “Best of Excellence Award” Chef Christopher Keating’s passion and skill shines even brighter, adding a further glow to this historic room.
Chef Keating’s appreciation for art and beauty is omnipresent in his foods. Growing up in the Mid-Atlantic region outside of Washington, DC he began working in restaurants as a young man when he realized that he could combine his passion for food and art attending the Culinary Art Institute in Hyde Park, N.Y.
After time spent at L’Auberge Sedona, Arizona, and New York City’s tour de force Lespinasse, Chef Keating was drawn to the mountains and spent five years working at the famed Little Nell resort. Aspen denizen and James Beard Award Recipient, Chef George Mahaffey has stated that “Chris has a remarkable sense of taste and his creation are pure pleasure for the senses.”
In his plating there is an artistic sense that is pleasing to the eye with foods perfectly paired for esthetic and culinary beauty. Add to this a ravenous appetite fueled by incredibly fresh air, outdoor activity and indoor opulence and you have a modern gourmand’s delight.
Dining next to the fireplace, a treat in June for one from a Southern environment, Chef Keating presented a whimsically fresh Kobe beef starter, followed by a salad course consisting of a simply elegant Butter Salad with roasted beets and a warm pancetta dressing. The fish course presented a mustard crusted trout with masked potatoes, sautéed tomatoes, wild mushrooms and lemon-sage jus.
But one comes to Colorado seeking lamb and Chef Keating does not disappoint with a roast course of a luxurious trio of lamb steaks served over a soft white polenta with rosemary sauce.
A day well sated. A day well served. A day well lived in Aspen, Colorado at The Hotel Jerome.
After you have the grits, tomatoes and brown butter hollandaise prepared you can finish the dish by poaching the farm eggs.
Poaching eggs.
Bring 1 G of water to a simmer (about 200F), add 2 tsp of white vinegar band 1 tsp of salt. Crack two in a cup (make sure the yolks are not broken) swirl water in the pot with a wooden spoon and carefully pour off the eggs into the middle of the swirl.
Let the eggs poach until cooked to the desired doneness (about 4 minutes for soft and 6-8 for a firm yolk). These times and temps are different here at high altitude due to the low boil temp of water.
Warm the tomato in the oven, serve each person about 1 cup of the prepared grits, two poached eggs and cover with the brown butter hollandaise. You can serve with your favorite sausage (we make our own smoked fennel maple sausage) or bacon.
Corn Grits
2 qt. Chicken Stock
2 C Milk
1 Bay Leaf
1 T Kosher Salt
1# stone ground white corn grits
4 oz whole butter pieces, chilled.
Half and Half cream as needed.
Combine the ingredients, except for the cream, grits and butter. Bring slowly to a boil, then add the grits in a steady stream while stirring continuously.
The cooking time is variable depending upon the grits, but is typically about 30-40 minutes.
Keep simmering and stirring until tender, adding “Half and Half” cream if necessary to keep them creamy. When tender add the butter and stir it in completely.
Keep the cooked grits in a bain marie for service, and thin them out periodically as necessary using a small amount of half and half.
Brown Butter Hollandaise
5 Egg Yolks
1/2 Shallots, finely diced
1T Lemon Juice
1/2t Kosher Salt
1pinch Cayenne Pepper
3-1/2T Water
1/2 qt Brown butter, strained (recipe)
Combine the egg yolks, shallots, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk together well.
Continue to whisk the mixture while cooking it over a bain marie or a very low flame until the yolks have the consistency of thick cream, and a lemon color. Remove from heat, and begin to whisk in the brown butter adding it in a slow steady stream, whisking to emulsify.
Add some of the water as necessary to keep the mix from being too thick, Then add more of the butter, and lastly, the remaining water.
The finished sauce should be medium consistency and very smooth. Strain through a chinois and adjust seasonings.
Brown Butter
3# Butter
Place the butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and melt it completely.
Adjust the heat to a lower flame during cooking to avoid burning the milk solids before the butter browns -continue to cook until the butter is a light brown.
Remove from the heat; cool briefly, then strain through the chinois. Pour into 1qt storage containers, label and date.
Oven Dried Tomatoes
15 ea Firm Roma tomatoes cut in half
30 ea Sprigs of fresh thyme and fresh parsley
2T Chopped garlic
2T Chopped Shallot
30 ea Small sprigs of Rosemary
Salt and fresh cracked peppers
Olive oil
Gently toss the tomatoes with the oil, garlic $ shallot. Coat thinly.
Lay the tomatoes (skin side down) on a wire racked sheet pan (this will allow the air to circulate around the roma).
Season each roma half individually with salt and pepper place two sprigs of each herb on the tomatoes, place in oven set at 200F and dry for 6-8 hours.
The tomato should not be completely dry when finished and will loose about 60% of it's moisture. Cool and reserve.
The mountains breathe and so do we.
Following the brisk mountain air hike it is back to the Jerome for a stop at the J-Bar, a very historic place where one can partake in a prohibition created cocktail the Aspen Crud.
During prohibition the J-Bar was turned into a soda fountain however the 10th Mountain Division, which boarded at the hotel during WWII, added Jack Daniels to their milkshakes!
A snack and Aspen Crud and its to the room for a leisurely soak in the large Jacuzzi tub followed by a nap nestled in a lush robe before supper.
Dining in the Hotel Jerome’s Century Room is to step back to the boomtown years of the mid-1800s. A 2006 winner of the Wine Spectator’s “Best of Excellence Award” Chef Christopher Keating’s passion and skill shines even brighter, adding a further glow to this historic room.
Chef Keating’s appreciation for art and beauty is omnipresent in his foods. Growing up in the Mid-Atlantic region outside of Washington, DC he began working in restaurants as a young man when he realized that he could combine his passion for food and art attending the Culinary Art Institute in Hyde Park, N.Y.
After time spent at L’Auberge Sedona, Arizona, and New York City’s tour de force Lespinasse, Chef Keating was drawn to the mountains and spent five years working at the famed Little Nell resort. Aspen denizen and James Beard Award Recipient, Chef George Mahaffey has stated that “Chris has a remarkable sense of taste and his creation are pure pleasure for the senses.”
In his plating there is an artistic sense that is pleasing to the eye with foods perfectly paired for esthetic and culinary beauty. Add to this a ravenous appetite fueled by incredibly fresh air, outdoor activity and indoor opulence and you have a modern gourmand’s delight.
Dining next to the fireplace, a treat in June for one from a Southern environment, Chef Keating presented a whimsically fresh Kobe beef starter, followed by a salad course consisting of a simply elegant Butter Salad with roasted beets and a warm pancetta dressing. The fish course presented a mustard crusted trout with masked potatoes, sautéed tomatoes, wild mushrooms and lemon-sage jus.
But one comes to Colorado seeking lamb and Chef Keating does not disappoint with a roast course of a luxurious trio of lamb steaks served over a soft white polenta with rosemary sauce.
A day well sated. A day well served. A day well lived in Aspen, Colorado at The Hotel Jerome.
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Visiting the Hotel Jerome – some tips to remember
- The Hotel Jerome offers the utmost in luxury. Ask for and anticipate paying for the best you can afford. It will be worth it.
- Please, you are in the Rocky Mountains. These mountains are very much alive and they always unpredictable. Never take off on a nature excursion without leaving an itinerary and expected return time. If you are going deep into the mountains, off the road or the well-traveled path, take a knowing guide. No one wants to become a headline.
- Temperatures are different. We visited in June and it required warm coats and gloves one day while a light jacket more than sufficed on another.
- Plan on making some side trips to see the silver mines. A journey to the Continental Divide marker should include snow boots and gloves as well as a camera and sketchpad.
Recipe - Sustainable Egg with Grits and Tomato
After you have the grits, tomatoes and brown butter hollandaise prepared you can finish the dish by poaching the farm eggs.
Poaching eggs.
Bring 1 G of water to a simmer (about 200F), add 2 tsp of white vinegar band 1 tsp of salt. Crack two in a cup (make sure the yolks are not broken) swirl water in the pot with a wooden spoon and carefully pour off the eggs into the middle of the swirl.
Let the eggs poach until cooked to the desired doneness (about 4 minutes for soft and 6-8 for a firm yolk). These times and temps are different here at high altitude due to the low boil temp of water.
Warm the tomato in the oven, serve each person about 1 cup of the prepared grits, two poached eggs and cover with the brown butter hollandaise. You can serve with your favorite sausage (we make our own smoked fennel maple sausage) or bacon.
Corn Grits
2 qt. Chicken Stock
2 C Milk
1 Bay Leaf
1 T Kosher Salt
1# stone ground white corn grits
4 oz whole butter pieces, chilled.
Half and Half cream as needed.
Combine the ingredients, except for the cream, grits and butter. Bring slowly to a boil, then add the grits in a steady stream while stirring continuously.
The cooking time is variable depending upon the grits, but is typically about 30-40 minutes.
Keep simmering and stirring until tender, adding “Half and Half” cream if necessary to keep them creamy. When tender add the butter and stir it in completely.
Keep the cooked grits in a bain marie for service, and thin them out periodically as necessary using a small amount of half and half.
Brown Butter Hollandaise
5 Egg Yolks
1/2 Shallots, finely diced
1T Lemon Juice
1/2t Kosher Salt
1pinch Cayenne Pepper
3-1/2T Water
1/2 qt Brown butter, strained (recipe)
Combine the egg yolks, shallots, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk together well.
Continue to whisk the mixture while cooking it over a bain marie or a very low flame until the yolks have the consistency of thick cream, and a lemon color. Remove from heat, and begin to whisk in the brown butter adding it in a slow steady stream, whisking to emulsify.
Add some of the water as necessary to keep the mix from being too thick, Then add more of the butter, and lastly, the remaining water.
The finished sauce should be medium consistency and very smooth. Strain through a chinois and adjust seasonings.
Brown Butter
3# Butter
Place the butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and melt it completely.
Adjust the heat to a lower flame during cooking to avoid burning the milk solids before the butter browns -continue to cook until the butter is a light brown.
Remove from the heat; cool briefly, then strain through the chinois. Pour into 1qt storage containers, label and date.
Oven Dried Tomatoes
15 ea Firm Roma tomatoes cut in half
30 ea Sprigs of fresh thyme and fresh parsley
2T Chopped garlic
2T Chopped Shallot
30 ea Small sprigs of Rosemary
Salt and fresh cracked peppers
Olive oil
Gently toss the tomatoes with the oil, garlic $ shallot. Coat thinly.
Lay the tomatoes (skin side down) on a wire racked sheet pan (this will allow the air to circulate around the roma).
Season each roma half individually with salt and pepper place two sprigs of each herb on the tomatoes, place in oven set at 200F and dry for 6-8 hours.
The tomato should not be completely dry when finished and will loose about 60% of it's moisture. Cool and reserve.
Recipe - Mustard Crusted Tout
The Kitchen of the Hotel Jerome strives to
serve the finest fresh ingredients found
locally when possible. Food is prepared from
wholesome ingredients to order for our guest.
“From the farm to you” is our goal. Classical
techniques form our foundation while new trends
help educate and shape our menu’s balance of
flavor, presentation, temperature, textures.
The “Mustard Crusted Tout” dish is a classic country style preparation using Dijon mustard to bind bread crumbs and fresh herbs to the trout. It is served with garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions in a lemon sage jus. Please enjoy.
mustard crusted trout
garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed tomatoes, wild mushrooms
lemon-sage jus
Procedure:
Season the trout filets with salt and pepper
Liberally brush dijon mustard on the flesh side
Coat with the bread crumbs and refrigerate
Prepare the lemon chicken stock (keep cold)
Prepare the mashed potatoes (keep warm for serving)
Pan fry the tout until golden brown (about 2 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the trout) over medium high heat
Saute the mushrooms in a separate pan
Add the tomatoes
Add the chopped sage
Add the lemon chicken stock and bring to boil
Add the diced butter cubes and cook until the sauce resembles a gravy style consistency
Finish with the green onion and serve!
Mustard Crusted Trout
8 pc trout fillets, 3-4 oz ea mustard crusted (recipe)
2/3c garlic mashed potatoes per person (recipe)
1 C red and gold tomatoes, diced 3/8"
2 C wild mushrooms
3 Tbs scallions, sliced thinly on the bias
1Tbs chopped sage
1 C lemon-chix broth (recipe)
5 T cold diced butter
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
8 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut up
3-5c garlic cream (recipe)
salt and pepper to taste
-cook the potatoes until tender, then rice (you will need a food mill) them.
-combine with the hot garlic cream until a very smooth
consistency has been achieved. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper
Lemon-Chicken Broth
2 C chicken broth (no sodium)
1/4 C lemon juice (fresh)
-combine and heat to a boil, then remove.
Herb Breadcrumbs -for mustard crusted trout
1/2 white bread (no crust)
1 ½ qt Dried plain bread crumbs
2c chopped parsley
2c chopped chives
1qt roughly chopped basil
1/2c grated lemon zest, chopped
-combine in the food processor and blend until it turns green
and the crumbs are very fine.
Garlic Cream
½ G heavy cream
½ # butter
1 C chopped garlic
-combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes
and allow to cool, then strain. Reheat prior to use.
The “Mustard Crusted Tout” dish is a classic country style preparation using Dijon mustard to bind bread crumbs and fresh herbs to the trout. It is served with garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions in a lemon sage jus. Please enjoy.
mustard crusted trout
garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed tomatoes, wild mushrooms
lemon-sage jus
Procedure:
Season the trout filets with salt and pepper
Liberally brush dijon mustard on the flesh side
Coat with the bread crumbs and refrigerate
Prepare the lemon chicken stock (keep cold)
Prepare the mashed potatoes (keep warm for serving)
Pan fry the tout until golden brown (about 2 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the trout) over medium high heat
Saute the mushrooms in a separate pan
Add the tomatoes
Add the chopped sage
Add the lemon chicken stock and bring to boil
Add the diced butter cubes and cook until the sauce resembles a gravy style consistency
Finish with the green onion and serve!
Mustard Crusted Trout
8 pc trout fillets, 3-4 oz ea mustard crusted (recipe)
2/3c garlic mashed potatoes per person (recipe)
1 C red and gold tomatoes, diced 3/8"
2 C wild mushrooms
3 Tbs scallions, sliced thinly on the bias
1Tbs chopped sage
1 C lemon-chix broth (recipe)
5 T cold diced butter
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
8 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut up
3-5c garlic cream (recipe)
salt and pepper to taste
-cook the potatoes until tender, then rice (you will need a food mill) them.
-combine with the hot garlic cream until a very smooth
consistency has been achieved. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper
Lemon-Chicken Broth
2 C chicken broth (no sodium)
1/4 C lemon juice (fresh)
-combine and heat to a boil, then remove.
Herb Breadcrumbs -for mustard crusted trout
1/2 white bread (no crust)
1 ½ qt Dried plain bread crumbs
2c chopped parsley
2c chopped chives
1qt roughly chopped basil
1/2c grated lemon zest, chopped
-combine in the food processor and blend until it turns green
and the crumbs are very fine.
Garlic Cream
½ G heavy cream
½ # butter
1 C chopped garlic
-combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes
and allow to cool, then strain. Reheat prior to use.