San Antonio’s Chef Ed Villarreal offers our readers a recipe–his mouth-watering take on a New Orleans classic–to entice you to join him at an upcoming fundraiser benefiting Launch SA.
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If you follow the San Antonio food scene even a little, then you’ve likely heard of Ed Villarreal. Not only is he the executive chef at Hotel Havana’s Ocho but also he hosts an online program called Homegrown Chef. And when he’s not working on those fronts, Chef Villarreal is an active member of Chef Cooperatives, a non-profit organization that presents pop-up food events designed to promote the vitality of South Central Texas farmers, ranchers, and vintners while celebrating the international farm-to-table movement.
On November 9, Chef Villarreal will be among several local celebrity Chef Cooperatives culinary stars cooking up suppertime fun at Bites for Business (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.). The evening fundraiser will be held at LiftFund’s offices (2007 W. Martin St. San Antonio, Texas 78207) and benefits Launch SA, an organization that provides valuable support and programming to fledgling and established entrepreneurs in the area.
In fact, TheTexasWildflower.com benefited early on from support by the Launch SA staff, so we’re especially keen on seeing this fundraiser succeed. And if you leave the party with a full belly and zip in your step from the fun, then that’s a win-win.
Bites for Business will offer attendees a delightful combination of music, food, and a silent auction. For a full rundown on the participating chefs, the menu, and the featured wineries and breweries, see the Chef Cooperatives website.
Finally to get you in the mood for what promises to be a delicious evening, we’ve got a Homegrown Chef video and companion recipe for a fantastic shrimp dish to share with you, from Chef Villareal himself.
Enjoy!
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Recipe: Shrimp Grillades with Zas! Hatch Chile Mac-n-Cheese
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Mac-n-Cheese
1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cups whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Zas! Hatch Chile seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ lb shredded cheddar cheese
½ lb shredded fontina (for gooey effect)
I cup roasted hatch chiles, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley (for garnish)
½ cup manchego cheese (for garnish)
Grillades
1 dozen 16/20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup flour
2 cups spicy lobster stock (can substitute with chicken stock)
1 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Method:
Mac-n-Cheese
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until barely al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain; return to the pot.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and hatch chiles and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a simmer.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in another large saucepan. Add the flour and Twang Hatch Chili seasoning and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes; remove from the heat.
4. Gradually whisk the simmering milk into the flour and butter mixture until smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook over low heat, whisking, until thick and bubbling, about 7 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add the cheeses and cook over low heat, stirring, just until melted. Fold in the macaroni until coated with sauce. Spread the macaroni in a 3-quart baking dish.
5. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling.
Grillades
1. While the mac-n-cheese is baking, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add butter and allow to melt. Then add flour, salt and pepper. Whisk together to create a roux, about 5 minutes. Note: If roux is clumpy, add more melted butter until smooth.
3. Add stock then whisk together until thick. Simmer another 5 minutes.
4. Lower heat to medium low. Add shrimp, stirring occasionally on. Simmer another 5 minutes.
5. Portion out mac-n-cheese, then top with 4 to 5 shrimp and pan sauce. Garnish with parsley and shaved manchego. Serve and enjoy!
Thanks for reading!
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