McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood restaurant at the SouthSide Works is discovering that Pittsburghers have big palates for fish. “They just don’t order a lot of meat,” says Chef Ricky Kirsop, who transferred from the Philadelphia location of the nationwide chain to handle the Sidney Street restaurant. It opened Sept. 25. “I was so surprised that oysters are such big sellers,” says Korean-born Kirsop. Six to 12 varieties are offered daily. He says he also is surprised that his customers here are much more tuned into fish and seafood than those he served in Philadelphia, “considering how close Philadelphia is to New York upscale restaurants.” Kirsop’s menu changes twice a day to accommodate frequent deliveries of fresh fish and seafood. He concentrates on fish and shellfish that are in season, adding flavorful highlights that don’t mask their natural essences. “We do offer three to four kinds of steaks, and chicken, too,” the chef says, adding that there is something for everybody from his kitchen. Most of the appetizers are sea- or lake-based, but a few of them — chicken quesadillas and portobello mushroom bruschetta, on the restaurant’s inaugural menu — as well as soups and salads offer items such as goat and blue cheeses, and vegetables and fruit for variety. McCormick and Schmick’s — based in Portland, Ore. — was founded by restaurateurs Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick in 1979. There are about 60 locations across the country. The Pittsburgh site reflects the city’s history and sports teams and features private-dining booths with velvet curtains for business dinners or for couples or families celebrating special occasions. Kirsop, 36, graduated from the culinary institute at Portland; his specialties at McCormick & Schmick’s include Seared Yellowfin Tuna Steak “Diane” with roasted shallot and wild mushroom ragout; Pan-Roasted Tilapia with chile cilantro pesto; and Whole Baby Flounder stuffed with jumbo lump crab. Stuffed seafood items also are popular at the South Side restaurant, he says, which is gearing up for the holiday rush. Reservations are recommended. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, 2667 Sidney St., SouthSide Works, is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays. Bar is open until 1 a.m. Details: 412-432-3260, www.mccormickandschmicks.com Executive chef Ricky Kirsop of McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant at SouthSide Works shared this elegant but easy fish dish for entertaining. Purchase sashimi-quality tuna, because the fish is swiftly seared, then served rare. Wasabi powder and panko bread crumbs are available at Asian markets, natural foods and gourmet stores and some large supermarkets. Wasabi Crusted Tuna Lemon Grass Jasmine Rice ( recipe follows ) 1 (7 ounces) tuna steak, albacore (tombo), cut in a narrow rectangle 2 teaspoons vegetable/olive oil blend Stir-Fried Vegetables ( recipe follows ) 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1/4 teaspoon rough-cut fresh chives For the Soy Butter Sauce: 1 cup bottled teriyaki sauce 2 tablespoons butter For the Wasabi Crust: 2 tablespoons wasabi powder 4 cups panko bread crumbs 1 bunch parsley, washed and trimmed 1 bunch green onions, washed and trimmed 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Prepare the Lemon Grass Jasmine Rice; set aside and keep hot. Prepare the Soy Butter Sauce : Pour the teriyaki sauce into a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce by 1/3. Stir in the butter. Remove from the heat and set aside. Prepare the Wasabi Crust : In a food processor or blender container, whirl all ingredients until incorporated well. Set aside. Place the wasabi mixture on a plate, clean surface or wax paper. Coat the tuna on all sides except for the ends ( see Photo A ). Heat the oil in a saute pan. Sear the tuna on its long sides (do not cook the end) until of desired doneness. Kirsop prefers to serve the tuna rare ( Photo B ), but it can be cooked medium-rare to medium and still retain its texture and flavor. Cooking it longer will toughen the fish and make it dry. Meanwhile, prepare the Stir-Fried Vegetables ( Photo C ). Remove the tuna from the stove when done and let it rest a few minutes while the vegetables finish cooking. To plate : Place a portion of the rice and the vegetables at the center of a dinner plate. Slice the tuna diagonally crosswise, and lay the pieces to each side of the rice. Ladle a pool of soy butter around the bottom of the fish. Garnish the rice with sesame seeds and chives. Makes 1 serving. Lemon Grass Jasmine Rice: Using the back of a knife, crush a stalk of fresh lemon grass, leaving it whole. Place the lemon grass on the bottom of a saucepan or rice cooker, then cook the jasmine rice according to the package or manufacturer’s directions. When the rice is cooked, remove the lemon grass, then serve. Stir-Fried Vegetables: Use any combination of favorite fresh vegetables, including onions, sweet peppers, cabbage, daikon (a type of Asian radish) and celery. Cut them into similar-sized pieces. Heat a small amount of a blend of olive and vegetable oils in a saute pan; cook minced garlic and shallots until translucent. Add the stir-fry vegetables and toss until tender-crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Consider these spectacular dishes to serve dinner guests over the holidays — or make a call to your favorite restaurant to see whether similar ones are offered. Cowboy Steak Diane This recipe is from “The Great Steak Book” by Grady Spears with Torri Randall (Ten Speed Press, $15.95 paperback). He writes, “If you use a less expensive cut than strip sirloin, first marinate it overnight in a red wine-based marinade (1 cup red wine, 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste). The key to this dish is to cook the steaks quickly in a very hot skillet so they retain their tenderness. 4 (12 to 14 ounces each) well-marbled strip sirloin steaks, cut 1/2-inch thick 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons brandy, warmed 2 tablespoons minced shallots or green onions 1 (10 ounces) can beef consomme, chilled 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place an ovenproof platter in the oven to warm. Using a mallet, pound the steaks to 1/4-inch thick. Pierce one side of each steak with the tines of a fork, and then roll the steaks up. Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat, until just to the smoking point. Using a pair of tongs, unroll 1 steak into the hot skillet. Cook for 1 minute per side, then transfer the steak to the warm platter. Repeat with the remaining steaks. Return all the steaks to the skillet over high heat. Pull the skillet off the heat — turn it to low — and add the brandy. Using a long kitchen match, ignite the brandy. Gently shake the skillet to extinguish the flame. Return the pan to low heat on the stove and cook for 1 minute. Add the shallots, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the consomme, one spoonful at a time, and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the pan liquid onto the warm platter. Transfer the steaks to the platter and keep warm. Cook the pan liquid over medium-high heat until it is reduced by half, for about 5 minutes. Add the parsley and season with salt and black pepper. Pour the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Bananas Foster This New Orleans original — created in 1951 by chef Paul Blange of Brennan’s Restaurant upon the request of family member Owen Brennan — requires few ingredients, but be cautious that you keep the fire in the skillet, away from flammable objects. Dim the lights for effect. For extra safety, call the diners and perform the flambe in the kitchen, away from the heat source. Never carry a flaming dish from one place to another. The recipe is from “The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine” by John D. Folse (Chef John Folse & Company, $49.99). He writes that about 20 tons of bananas are flamed each year at Brennan’s. 4 bananas 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup banana liqueur 1/4 cup dark rum Vanilla ice cream or cheesecake Peel the bananas and cut in half lengthwise, then dice into 1-inch cubes. Or, peel them, leave whole and cut into bite-size slices. In a heavy-bottomed saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is bubbly. Blend in the bananas and banana liqueur. Remove the pan from the heat source. Add the rum, then carefully return the pot to the heat, because the rum will ignite. Stir constantly. (You also can ignite the rum away from the heat source, using a long-handled fireplace match.) When the flames subside — place a lid over the pan if the fire gets out of hand — spoon the bananas over ice cream or pieces of cheesecake to serve. Makes 6 servings. Grand Chocolate-Hazelnut Crepes This chocolate-stuffed version of crepes Suzettes makes a luxurious dessert even more indulgent — the flambeed finish takes it over the top. Leftover plain crepes can be filled with jam and sauteed in butter for a quick breakfast or dessert treat. The recipe was adapted for GranGala Triple Orange Liqueur by Rick Rodgers, from his book, “Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” (Clarkson Potter, $37.50). For the crepes: 1 1/2 cups milk 3 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar Pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup club soda Vegetable cooking spray, for coating For the filling and assembly: 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup orange liqueur, such as GranGala Triple Orange Italian liqueur, divided 1/4 cup granulated sugar Grated zest of 1 orange Confectioners’ sugar for serving Prepare the crepes : In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, granulated sugar and salt. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours — this is important, or the batter will be too thin. Just before making the crepes, stir in the club soda. Heat a 7 1/2- to 8-inch diameter nonstick skillet (measured across the bottom) over medium-high heat until the skillet is hot, for about 1 1/2 minutes. Coat lightly with vegetable cooking spray. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into the skillet. Immediately tilt and swirl the skillet so the batter thinly covers the bottom. Fill in any holes with dribbles of batter from the cup. Cook until the edges look dry and the top is set, for about 1 minute. Using a heatproof spatula, lift and turn the crepe. Cook until the other side is splotched, for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, separating the crepes with pieces of wax paper. You will have 16 to 18 crepes, but consider the first few as test-runs, and adjust the heat as needed. Reserve 12 crepes and save the rest for another use. The crepes can be made as long as 1 day ahead; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Or, freeze up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Place 1 crepe, spotted-side up, on a work surface. Spread a heaping tablespoon of hazelnut spread in the center, leaving a wide border around the edges. Fold the crepe into quarters. Repeat with the remaining crepes and spread. The filled crepes can be prepared as long as 4 hours ahead, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. To serve, melt the butter in a chafing dish in its stand over high heat. Mix the orange juice, 1/4 cup orange liqueur, granulated sugar and orange zest. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about half. Place the crepes in the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cook, basting with the sauce, until the crepes are heated through, for about 5 minutes. Warm the remaining 1/4 cup orange liqueur in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour over the crepes and ignite, using a long match. Baste, if desired, until the flames burn down, or cover the pan with the lid after 30 seconds. Transfer 2 crepes per serving onto dessert plates, sift confectioners’ sugar over each and serve hot. Makes 6 servings. Yuletide Plum Pudding 101 Rick Rodgers features this traditional British recipe in his book “Christmas 101: Celebrate the Holiday Season from Christmas to New Year’s” (Broadway Books, $15 paperback). Plum pudding can be aged for days, weeks or even months, just like a fruitcake, doused every week with about 1/4 cup brandy, dark run or both, he writes. “I find that for American tastes, a couple of days is enough.” To reheat a steamed pudding, a microwave oven works well, using 70 percent power. Plum pudding should be made at least one day ahead of serving, and it will keep in the refrigerator for as long as three days. Allow five hours for it to steam. 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, shredded on the coarse holds of a box grater, plus more for greasing pudding mold 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, more for dusting pudding mold 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced 1/2 cup (3 ounces) chopped pitted prunes 1/2 cup (2 ounces) dark raisins 1/2 cup (2 ounces) golden raisins 1/2 cup (2 ounces) dried currants or additional raisins 1/2 cup candied lemon or orange peel, or a combination 1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely chopped almonds 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs, prepared from firm white sandwich bread 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup stout 2 large eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons brandy or dark rum 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves Grated zest of 1 orange 1/4 cup brandy, for flambeing Hard sauce ( recipe follows ); or vanilla ice cream; or whipped cream, for serving Butter the inside of a 1 1/2-quart covered tubed steamed pudding mold. Flour the mold. In a large bowl, combine the apple, prunes, raisins, currants, candied citrus peel and almonds. Add the bread crumbs, brown sugar, flour, stout, eggs, 2 tablespoons brandy, the cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and orange zest. Mix very well. Spoon into the prepared pudding mold, smooth the top and cover. Place the pudding on a trivet or a collapsible steamer rack in a large kettle. Fill the pot with enough hot water to reach the bottom of the steamer rack. Cover the pot tightly and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook at a steady simmer, keeping a full head of steam going and adding boiling water to the pot as needed, for 5 hours. The pudding is done when it has lost its raw look, has a rich dark brown color and is firm to the touch. You will have to remove the mold and open it to check the pudding’s progress — be careful of the steam and hot water. Transfer the pudding mold to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert the pudding onto a plate. Let cool completely. Wrap the pudding in aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least overnight and for as long as 2 days. To reheat, butter the steamed-pudding mold well. Unwrap the pudding. To heat by steam, slip it back into the mold. Place the mold in the pot and steam again in simmering water until heated through, for about 1 hour. To reheat in a microwave oven, place the pudding upside down in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap. Cook on medium-high (70 percent) power until heated through, for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the wattage of your oven. The higher the wattage, the less time needed to reheat the pudding. The pudding is heated through when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165 degrees. Be careful of the steam when you uncover the pudding. Invert the pudding onto a rimmed heat-proof plate. In a small saucepan, heat the brandy over low heat just until warm. Do not allow the brandy to come to a boil. Brandy will not flame unless it is warm, but if it’s overheated, it could unexpectedly ignite. Pour the warm brandy over the pudding and light the brandy with a match. Present the flaming pudding, spooning the brandy over the top of the pudding until it extinguishes. Serve hot with Hard Sauce, if desired. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Hard Sauce 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons brandy 2 tablespoons dark rum 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg In a medium bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter until creamy, for about 1 minute. On low speed, gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Beat in the brandy, rum and nutmeg. Serve at room temperature. The sauce can be prepared as long as one day ahead, covered tightly, then refrigerated. Return to room temperature.

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