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Courtesy Hotel Valley Ho

Featured Article

Seasonal Selections

Local Chefs Share Their Favorite Summer recipes

During the summer, chefs delight in creating light, bright dishes to showcase the seasonality of ingredients—especially fruits and vegetables. This month, four lauded local chefs are sharing their favorite summer recipes, some of which may be enjoyed at their eatery and all of which are easily replicated at home.

Brent Menke

Chef-Owner, The Mick Brasserie + Bar

9719 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale; TheMickAZ.com

Watermelon Gazpacho

“This is a fun Arizona twist on the classic. Our Watermelon Gazpacho blends sweet, juicy watermelon with heirloom tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and a touch of Fresno chili for a gentle kick. It’s light, hydrating, and bursting with flavor—your ultimate chilled escape from the Arizona heat.”

Ingredients

Cubed Watermelon        1.5 pounds

Heirloom Tomatoes             1 pound

Cucumbers                             0.5 pounds

Fresno Chili                          1 (seeded)

Shallot  (peeled)                    1 whole

Sherry Vinegar                    ⅓ cup

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil       1 cup

Pistachios (roasted)          ⅔ cup

Water                                        1 cup

Salt                                             1½ tablespoons

Smoked Paprika                2 teaspoons

Put all ingredients into a Vitamix blender. Start the blender on the slowest speed and then gently turn to the highest speed over the course of about 10 to 20 seconds. Once at the highest speed, remain there for 30 seconds. Remove from blender and refrigerate for 2 hours until gazpacho is cold and all ingredients have had time to blend together to create a depth of flavor. Stir before serving and garnish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and additional crushed pistachios. The recipe makes 64 ounces.

Russell LaCasce

Executive Chef, Hotel Valley Ho

6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale; HotelValleyHo.com

 

Grilled Asparagus and Egg

“Ideal for any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner—not only are asparagus in season right now, but the grilling method also used to cook them preserves the veggies’ key nutrients while imparting a fantastic crispness and charred flavor profile that juxtaposes the richness of the egg.”

Ingredients

White Wine                           1 cup

Shallot                                      1 (sliced) 

Thyme                                       2 sprigs

Butter                                        1 pound

Lemon                                      1

Sea Salt                                   1 tablespoon

Jumbo Asparagus            8 pieces

Olive Oil                                  1-2 tablespoons

Salmon Roe                          0.5 ounces

Chives                                      1 handful, minced finely

Egg                                              1

The asparagus and egg will be topped with beurre blanc butter, so start by making it and then setting it aside. To make the beurre blanc, place 1 cup of white wine in a sauce pot. Add 1 sliced shallot and 2 thyme sprigs. Reduce to almost dry and then stir in 1 pound of butter slowly, in very small increments, making sure to stir constantly so it does not break. Strain out shallot and thyme and season with a squeeze of lemon and salt. Put this to the side.

Next, toss asparagus with olive oil and sea salt and grill until tender. Place down on a plate all facing the same direction. Mix lemon zest, salmon roe, and chives together and spoon over asparagus generously. Poach the egg and place on top. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Serve the beurre blanc drizzled on top or on the side for dipping. The recipe makes one large serving to share.

Jon Sparre

Chef de Cuisine, Fellow Osteria & Pizzeria

1455 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; FellowOsteria.com

 

 

Steak With Gremolata and Veggies

“I love this dish as it spotlights creamed corn with blistered cherry tomatoes, grilled asparagus, and a fantastic gremolata, which helps cut through some of the richness from the corn and steak.”

 

Ingredients: Gremolata

Parsley                                                       1 ounce

Basil                                                             1ounce

Mint                                                             0.5 ounces

Shallot                                                        0.5 ounces                                             

Garlic                                                          0.5 ounces

Capers                                                       0.25 ounces

Anchovies                                                0.25 ounces

Lemon                                                        0.5 juiced and zested

Chili Flakes                                             1.5 grams

White Balsamic Vinegar               60 milliliters

Olive oil                                                 120 milliliters

Salt                                                                

Pepper                                                      

Ingredients: Steak and Vegetables

Corn                                                        2 ears

Onion                                                          1

Fennel                                                        ½ bulb

Garlic                                                     3 cloves

Heavy Cream                                     1  cup

Parmesan                                             ¼ cup

Honey                                                         ¼ cup

Small Tomatoes                                  10 halved or 5 wholes

Olive Oil                                                    drizzle

Steak                                                           cut of choice

Start by making gremolata by mincing the herbs separately until fine, followed by the shallots, garlic, and capers. Mash anchovies into a paste and add. Finish with lemon, chili flakes, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste).  

Grill corn in husks and rotate until charred. Pull from the grill and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic until cool. Grill the corn again and then transfer to bowl for another cooling. Mince onion, fennel, and garlic. Sautee onions, adding in fennel, corn, and garlic, and then add the cream, Parmesan, and honey. Heat thoroughly and then use an immersion blender to blend about 50%, allowing some kernels to remain.  

To make asparagus and tomatoes, take off woody ends and blanch in boiling water briefly, then dunk in ice water. Toss halved or whole tomatoes in olive oil with asparagus, salt, and pepper.

Finally, cook steak on the grill until the preferred temperature and plate with vegetables. Finish with a scoop of gremolata.

 

Blake Luecke

Chef de Cuisine, Uchi Scottsdale

3821 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; Uchi.UchiRestaurants.com

Oreo Peppermint Ice Cream

“Forget the holidays! Cool, creamy, and incredibly refreshing, peppermint ice cream is the ultimate treat in the hot summer months. The natural chill of peppermint has a cooling effect on the palate. Once the mixture is cooled over an ice bath and churned in an ice cream maker, it takes on a light, airy consistency that’s both satisfying and easy to scoop.”

 

Ingredients

Whole Milk                                                                3 cups                         

Heavy Whipping Cream                                   3 cups

Peppermint Candies                                          1 cup

Crushed Double Stuffed Oreos                 2 cups (or more!)

Expert tip: Before doing anything else, crush Oreos and then pre-chill them for several hours. By pre-chilling the Oreos before mixing them in, you prevent the ice cream from softening too much, allowing it to go straight into the freezer and harden into scoopable perfection.

Once that is done, it’s time to make some ice cream! First, gently heat milk and heavy whipping cream together. Slowly add in peppermint candies, keeping heat very low to prevent scorching. Essentially, do this until candies dissolve into mix. Once peppermint candies have dissolved, place cream mixture in a mixing bowl on top of an ice bath, whisking to cool down quickly. Next, time for the ice cream machine, which can easily be purchased online or at a local shop. It is important to spin ice cream machine exactly as the manufacturer specifies because all machines differ. Once the base reaches a soft-serve consistency, slowly mix Oreos into the mixture. Finally, store ice cream in the freezer until completely hardened and then enjoy!