Four Stars: Super Skillets – US Food Trends
Consumers find something satisfying about morning meals that deliver layers of flavors in a sturdy skillet.
This article first appeared in the 1 March 2007 issue of Restaurants & Institutions (R&I).
R&I is the USA's leading source of food and business-trend information and exclusive research on operators and restaurant patrons. Editorial coverage spans the entire foodservice industry, including chains, independent restaurants, hotels and institutions. To find out more about R&I, visit its website here >>
By Allison Perlik, Senior Editor
Texas Sunrise (see above)
Purchase College (Chartwells Higher Education Division), Purchase, N.Y.
Breakfast Strata
Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington, D.C. At this historic restaurant, Executive Chef Robert McGowan's recipe begins with hefty chunks of ham, diced egg bread and Cheddar cheese tossed in a cast-iron skillet. Beaten eggs enriched with heavy cream, nutmeg and cinnamon are poured over the mixture. The dish then is baked to a bubbling finish.
Tasso Ham-and-Potato Hash
Cherry Valley Country Club, Skillman, N.J. The skillet, central to Chef Michael Giletto's uniquely constructed dish, is more about presentation than preparation, set amid potato hash with tasso ham and red peppers. A squash blossom filled with scrambled eggs and Taleggio cheese perches atop a fried green tomato slice inside the dish, garnished with crisp speck.
Steak Skillet
Shari's Restaurant & Pie Bakery, multiple locations. Draped over fried potato nuggets, diced bacon, sautéed peppers and onions, and pepper-Jack and Cheddar cheeses, a generous portion of grilled top sirloin adds hearty sustenance to the meal. Scrambled eggs and a dollop of sour cream crown the colorful blend, the top seller among four skillet choices.