Seems everyone is doing it these days - starting a steakhouse that is.  In San Francisco, Bradley Ogden extends his farm-to-table philosophy to the American steakhouse with Lark Creek Steak.  The steaks are, needless to say, amazing, but Lark Creek Steak has much more to offer starting with tempting appetizers.  Their buttermilk biscuits with Andouille sausage spread and seasonal fruit compote almost make a meal on their own!  But, save room for the main course offerings which in addition to their steaks include a scrumptious seasonal vegetarian dish - yes that's right a vegetarian option at a steakhouse - and tempting seafood entrees such as today's recipe for Pan Roasted Skate Wing.  Skate is a wonderful white fish that Chef Jeremy Bearman makes even more wonderful by combining it with tea soaked raisins and Muscat grapes.  If you haven't had Skate then you really need to try his recipe out… yum!

Pan Roasted Skate Wing with Capers, Pinenuts, Tea Soaked Raisins and Grapes

Chef Jeremy Bearman, Lark Creek Steak

Serves 4 people

• 4 skate wings, about 8 oz each
• 1/4 lb butter
• Wondra Flour for dusting
• ¼ cup capers
• ¾ cup grapes sliced in half (preferably Muscat)
• ¼ cup toasted pinenuts
• ¼ cup dark raisins
• ¼ cup brewed earl grey tea
• ½ cup heirloom cauliflower florets (3 kinds if possible)
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Start by purchasing the skate wing from a specialty seafood purveyor.  You are looking for wings that are very white in color with no dark spots.  Also the fish should not be paper thin, but rather have a good thickness to it.  Try to purchase pieces that are around the same size and thickness to make it easier to cook.  Ask the butcher to show you which side is the top and which is the bottom.

For the raisins, soak them for about 5 minutes in the hot brewed earl grey tea.  After the five minutes, remove the liquid and discard.

For the cauliflower, cook the florets in a sauté pan over high heat with about a ½ cup of water and a tablespoon of butter until just about tender.  Don't cook them fully as they will be cooked again.  Remove them from the pan.  At this time there should be no liquid left in the pan as it should have evaporated.  Put them in the refrigerator to cool so they don't carry over cooking.

For the skate, Make sure the fish is dry and heat a large sauté pan with a thin layer of olive oil.  When the pan just begins to smoke, season the skate with salt and pepper and dredge the top side in flour.  Shake off any excess and place the fish into the hot pan.  Sauté on medium high heat until you start to get a nice brown color.  Flip the fish over in the pan and add the butter.  Baste the fish until it is completely cooked and has a beautiful crust.  Remove the fish from the pan with a spatula and place on a serving dish.  At this time the butter in the pan should be brown.  Add the cauliflower, capers, grapes, raisins and pinenuts.  Heat until just warm, do not cook.  Add the juice of one lemon and the chopped parsley.  Pour the mixture over the skate and serve.

About Lark Creek Steak

Lark Creek Steak is a contemporary steakhouse that features the classics guests expect combined with a refined twist using seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients, and is the latest restaurant under Bradley Ogden's Lark Creek Restaurant Group umbrella of American restaurants.  Inspired by the Bay Area's plentiful bounty of fresh products, Lark Creek Steak offers a menu that is a veritable study in the classic and the new with an abundance of meat, fish, vegetable and dessert options to satisfy the palette.  Chef Jeremy Bearman, formerly the Executive Sous Chef at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas and Executive Sous Chef at Daniel Boulud's db Bistro Moderne in New York, features seasonally-changing, a-la-carte steakhouse lunch and dinner dishes that are both simply prepared using the best ingredients and delectable to taste. 

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