Steaming rises in esteem: chefs, patrons warm up to the cooking technique

Nation's Restaurant News,  Oct 29, 2007  by Pamela Parseghian

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David Groll, who runs McAlister's culinary development and is the company's executive chef, says steaming "brings the meats back to life."

Besides the deli meats, Groll advocates steaming his new meatloaf as well as two sides: veggies containing broccoli and carrots, and mashed potatoes. They also steam a new fillet of salmon and offer it as a dinner entree, salad or sandwich with tarter sauce.

Each McAlister's has eight countertop steamers in which a 4-ounce-to-5-ounce serving of meat heats in one to two minutes, Friedman says. An average McAlister sandwich sells for $6 with a side dish at lunch.

At the new Latin restaurant Maya Del Sol in Oak Park, Ill., chef Ruben Beltran steams shrimp and calamari for a "ceviche" priced at $9.75. After steaming the seafood, he tosses it with orange segments, some habanero chiles, jicama, avocado and cilantro.

Mussels are one of the more popular steamed items on menus this fall. At Phillips in Atlantic City, N.J., the shellfish comes with Thai red-curry sauce and is $8.99.

Chef-owner Vito Giannandrea's new fall menu at Trattoria San Nicola in Berwyn, Pa., features steamed mussels in a garlic-butter broth scented with Pernod for $7.

Also, at the soon-to-open Stix in Boston, a concept where much the food will be served on sticks, the sak&steamed mussels topped with scallions is slated to sell for $9 and come in a bowl. Finally, Nadia Tilkian's new French-inspired bistro Maijean, located in Clarendon Hills, Ill., features mussels mariniere with white wine, parsley and cream for $9.

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pparsegh@nrn.com

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