Dining

Pick up Your Pomponio Ranch and Make Dad These Sliders!

A former chef of 20+ years, Scott Tomelloso of Pomponio Ranch Meat,  a regular face at our Sunday Farmers Market Bay Meadows, shares this handy recipe for NY Polenta Sliders just in time for Father’s Day! Go ultra local. Drop by this Sunday between 9:30am – 1:30pm and pick up your favorite pasture raised/pasture finished, local San Mateo County cuts! After the market, pick up dad’s favorite growler from Fieldwork Brewing just steps from the Sunday Market!

Pomponio Ranch NY Cut

Pomponio Ranch NY Polenta Sliders: 

The Ingredients:

1Pk Pomponio Ranch New York Steaks

1Pk Gorgonzola or Bleu Cheese or Cambozola Black Cheese

2 tubes Polenta (can be found in the pasta aisle)

1 750 mil bottle Old Vine Zinfandel

2 Shallots

4 Red Onionsè Julienned

4 Cloves Garlic

1 packet Demi-Glace (I use the More than Gourmet Classic French Brand, it can be found at Whole Foods, or on Amazon)

1Pk Micro Greens

1 bunch thyme, leaves only

¼ lb. unsalted butter

EVOO

Sea Salt and Pepper Grinder

The Equipment:

1 Cast Iron Pan

1 9×12 baking dish

1 Fish spatula or flexible spatula

1 Pair of metal tongs

1 wooden cooking spoon

1 Sieve/Chinois/fine mesh strainer

1 secondary sauce pan

1 squeeze bottle (go to smart and final)

1 raised edge cookie sheet with silpat/ nonstick cookie sheet

1 Chef’s Knife-8”

1 Cutting board, preferably butcher board or Epicurean board

Oven set to 400 degrees F

Serving platters with mini spatula

The Polenta:

  1. Heat your cast iron pan to medium and add a smidge of EVOO
  2. To check if your pan is hot enough, place the wooden cooking spoon in the pan, holding it so the bottom of the spoon is in contact with the oil and the skillet. Check to see if bubbles form at the base, if they do, your pan is hot enough.
  3. Cut your polenta into rounds about ¼”-1/2” thick
  4. Once the pan is hot enough, place the rounds in the skillet and grill until golden brown. Using the fish spatula to turn them as needed.
  5. Pull them and place them in the 9×12 bakeware and keep warm or cover with tin foil.
  6. Add extra oil as you continue to cook the polenta until all of the pieces have been grilled
  7. Retain the oil and skillet for the steak.

The Steak:

  1. Thaw and Season the NY Steaks liberally with Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper
  2. Re-heat your cast iron skillet and pan sear your steaks to Medium-Rare, turning as needed to prevent burning or charring.
  3. Remove from heat, and let them rest on a plate with tented tin foil.
  4. Add your red onions to the pan and begin caramelization, add extra EVOO if needed.

The Reduction:

  1. While you were cooking your Polenta and Steaks, You Could have been prepping your bits for the reduction.
  2. Continue caramelizing your red onions, once caramelization has started continue
  3. Mince the Shallots and garlic
  4. Return your skillet to medium heat, add a couple tbsp. of unsalted butter
  5. Using your wooden utensil, scrape the bottom of the skillet for all of the crusty yummy bits.
  6. Add your shallots and garlic and sauté lightly, then add your thyme leaves
  7. Bring your skillet to a medium-high heat, deglaze with your Zinfandel
  8. Add your gelatinous demi-glace
  9. Reduce by half, lightly scraping the bottom for the tasty bits
  10. Reduce the heat, strain into your secondary sauce pan
  11. As the strained sauce slightly cools, add some butter, 1 tbsp. at a time and swirl it around in the pan. This will help the sauce thicken just a little bit more.
  12. Reserve your caramelized onions for later.
  13. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  14. Place in a squeeze bottle and cut the tip a bit with a pair of scissors.
  15. Leave on the counter for the plate-up

The Pre-Plate Up:

  1. Crumble your cheese or slice your Cambozola Black
  2. Cut your rested NY steaks across the grain into ¼-1/2” pieces
  3. Assemble as follows: Polenta NY Steak Piece Cheese
  4. Place in oven for 2-3 minutes tops, you essentially want to melt the cheese a little
  5. Pull out and let rest for a moment before final plate-up

 

The finale:

  1. Plate up your polenta sliders onto your platters
  2. Drizzle with your Old Vine Zinfandel Redux then add your caramelized onions.
  3. Top with your Micro Greens

Bon Appetite!!!

Walkscore.com rates Bay Meadows high on the list for walkable locations to live on the San Francisco Peninsula and for good reason! Why? Because we are steps from shopping and entertainment (Hillsdale Center), groceries (Whole Foods), parks, a farmer’s market and an easy bike-ride from downtown San Mateo with its burgeoning restaurant scene. With wheels on-site to get you from here to there, there’s no need to own your own. And Caltrain is no more than a five-minute walk from anywhere in the neighborhood. Learn all about connecting the dots for your many transportation options with Connect San Mateo.