Sunnyledge prodigy
Ethan Granberg is the chef de cuisine -- the chef in charge -- at Sunnyledge Boutique Hotel & Tea Room in Shadyside. He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute and has worked at the former Baum Vivant restaurant and at Cafe Zao, both developed by esteemed Pittsburgh chef Toni Pais.
Granberg, however, is all of 20 years old. He can't even drink alcoholic beverages legally.
Yet, for dinner, his kitchen offers Bronzed Sea Bass laced with a saffron champagne beurre blanc; Long Island Blackberry Duck accompanied by a fennel-fig confit over mashed potatoes; and Lobster Risotto, including shiitake mushrooms and seasonal vegetables.
Granberg seems to be years ahead of his time.
Sunnyledge is a longtime spot for finery. Originally the home and office of Dr. James H. McClelland, the founder of Shadyside Hospital, it was built in 1886. His daughters lived in the house until the mid-1980s. Eldest daughter Rachael McClelland's artwork is featured in the restaurant's library.
Sunnyledge is an official historic landmark -- renovations were made to provide five-star accommodations to travelers, but the original oak paneling and fixtures remain. Eight rooms and suites are available at the inn, at the intersection of Fifth and Wilkins avenues. Breakfast is served only to guests, but the public can partake of lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and Sunday brunch.
Granberg is assisted at lunch and tea by chef Justin Benson, who began his career at Moosewood Restaurant, the famous establishment known for healthful, natural foods in downtown Ithaca, N.Y. Moosewood also is celebrated for its strong vegetarian influence.
The lunch menu includes roasted red pepper bisque and a soup du jour, as well as several appetizers, followed by a host of main-dish salads, quiche, sandwiches, crab cakes and a catch of the day. Afternoon tea, from 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, lets guests choose from among a long list of freshly brewed teas and then snack on classic English tea sandwiches, oven-fresh scones with Devonshire cream and preserves, and assorted mini tarts.
Dinner at Sunnyledge often marks a memorable occasion, such as an anniversary or birthday, although the restaurant has regulars, with many Shadyside residents among them, says Granberg, who has been in charge of the kitchen for about five months.
Salads brim with baby or field greens or Romaine hearts, fresh fruit, herbs, nuts, cheese, olives and fresh dressings flavored with raspberries, honey and mustard, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Blackberry Brie, Wild Mushroom & Chevre Purse and a Lobster & Crab Martini are among the appetizers.
The selection of entrees includes rack of lamb, grilled salmon, scallops, a veal chop, Moroccan grilled swordfish and filet mignon Geneve, a grilled center-cut beef filet with rosti potatoes and shallot confit with a rosemary sauce.
That's not all -- and here's where Granberg's youth is on his side. For Sunday brunch, the chef wheels out buffet items such as chicken Marsala, whitefish salad, shrimp cocktail, salmon gravlax, Cheddar and spinach quiche, grilled vegetables and an assortment of salads, breads, muffins, bagels and desserts. There are entrees, too -- potato pancakes with all the trimmings, french toast, flapjacks, omelets and a Maine lobster salad with caviar and lobster croquettes.
Sunnyledge also features the Club Room, a martini bar stocked with fine wines and spirits for patrons waiting for tables, enjoying after-dinner drinks or stopping by for a cocktail.
Sunnyledge Boutique Hotel & Tea Room, 5124 Fifth Ave., Shadyside, is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; for tea from 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays; for dinner from 6-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; and for brunch from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sundays. The martini bar is open from noon-11 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, noon-midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sundays. Details: 412-683-5014.
Deconstructed Beef Wellington
Chef de cuisine Ethan Granberg, of Sunnyledge Boutique Hotel & Tea Room, says to remove the filet mignon out of the refrigerator for as long as 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature. If the bechamel sauce is too thin, make extra roux and whisk it into the sauce to thicken. For an elegant dinner party, place a slice of foie gras on top of the steak before crowning with the mushroom ragu.
- 1 piece puff pastry
For the bechamel sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- About 1 cup milk, more if needed for thinning sauce
- Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- 1 ounce soft goat cheese (chevre)
For the ragu:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Chopped or sliced portobello and shiitake mushrooms, to taste, or any wild mushrooms of choice
- 1 to 2 tablespoon minced shallots
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Minced fresh thyme leaves, to taste
For the beef:
- 1 filet mignon, 6 to 8 ounces or size desired, at room temperature
- 3-4 tablespoons whole butter, clarified butter or extra-virgin olive oil
For assembly:
- Mashed potatoes made with butter and whole cream
- Blanched asparagus spears, sauteed in butter
Press out a piece of puff pastry on a sheet pan. Place another sheet pan on top to weight down the pastry. Bake according to package directions. Remove from the oven and cut the pastry into rounds 2-3 inches in diameter. Let cool on wire racks.
To make the bechamel sauce: In a medium-size saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, using a spatula or wooden spoon, until the flour is absorbed, for a minute or so.
Meanwhile, bring 1 cup milk in a separate saucepan to simmering. Remove the flour mixture from the heat, let cool a little, then whisk in the milk slowly.
Return the pan to low heat and slowly bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often. Do not boil. Skim off any film that appears on the surface. Continue cooking until the consistency is similar to a thick cream soup, for 8-10 minutes, seasoning with nutmeg as the mixture thickens ( see Photo A ).
Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Strain ( Photo B ). Keep warm over very low heat or on top of a double boiler. Just before serving, thicken with more roux or thin with additional milk, if needed.
To make the ragu: In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms and shallots and saute until the mushrooms exude their juices and are tender but not limp. Stir in the salt, pepper and thyme ( Photo C ). Set aside.
To make the beef: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat an oven-proof skillet on the stovetop until very hot. (The chef describes it as "screaming hot.") Season the steak with salt and pepper on all sides.
Add 3-4 tablespoons butter or oil to the skillet, then add the beef; quickly sear for about 1 minute on each side. Place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking the beef, for 4-6 minutes for medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 4-5 minutes to let the juices settle.
To assemble: Place a serving of mashed potatoes in the middle of a dinner plate. Top with the steak. Top with a portion of the mushroom ragu, then place a puff pastry round on top at a rakish angle. Drizzle the bechamel sauce in a circle around the steak ( Photo D ). Arrange the sauteed asparagus on one side.
Makes 1 serving.
