Steal this crab cake and veal chop meal

Skip the ham and turkey and try this menu for your holiday meal — from chef Russell Skall of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

updated 12/21/2005 7:42:04 AM ET

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In this special weekly feature, “Today” food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much fun you can have (and money you can save) by cooking these dishes at home.

THIS WEEK: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Veal Chop

What did we ask for, for Christmas this year? We asked for executive chef Russell Skall’s recipe for Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Veal Chop ... so we could pass it on to our readers! Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar may be famous for their steaks, but this dish is unforgettably delicious! Cook up the crab cakes as an appetizer, and serve the veal as your main course. Forget turkey and ham, this combination is an excellent idea for holiday dinners!

About the chef: As corporate executive chef of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Russell Skall is creating new boundaries of culinary excellence for American steakhouses. Skall uses his exceptional talent and expertise to continually perfect fresh, inventive dishes for Fleming’s, the ultimate steakhouse destination for lovers of fine wine. He oversees menu development, and supervises the skilled kitchen staff and the purchase of food products for the restaurants, which are noted for serving prime quality beef, fresh seafood and other specialties under his direction.

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“Initially, when you walk into Fleming's, the ambiance is friendly and inviting with soft wood tones, upbeat music, and an open kitchen allowing our guests, if they desire, to watch the happenings of a busy restaurant," says Skall. "We use only the top 2 percent of prime beef available, and then we hand cut the steaks daily to ensure quality and consistency. Also, at Fleming's, the many recipes are made from scratch, presenting a vast array of flavor profiles and innovative dishes to choose from.”

Before joining Fleming’s, Skall worked as the executive chef at Arizona-based Sullivan’s steakhouses. He also served as banquet chef at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Dana Point, Calif.; chef at the Princess Resort in Phoenix; and chef at the Phoenix and Scottsdale locations of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.

Skall studied fine cuisine at the Fox Valley Technical Institute. Still, his roots can be traced to his family’s 250-seat dining establishment in Appleton, Wisc., Skall’s Colonial Wonderbar. The restaurant proved a fertile training ground for Skall, who served in nearly every capacity before venturing out on his own.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is served as an appetizer at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar for $13.95 for 2- to 3-ounce cakes. The 14-ounce Veal Chop is served at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar for $31.95. Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes is meant to serve 5. The Veal Chop is meant to serve 1.

Recipe: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Veal Chop (on this page)

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
For locations around the nation, please go to Fleming's Web site:
877-969-3774
www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Want to nominate your favorite restaurant dish for a "Steal This Recipe" feature? Just e-mail Phil at Phil.Lempert@nbc.com(or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.

Recipe: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Veal Chop

By Chef Russell Skall of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Ingredients

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Ingredients
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 eggs, whole
1/2 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh
2 tablespoons cracker meal
1/2 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, fresh or pasteurized
1 ounce Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (see recipe)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients
3/4 cup roasted red pepper puree, canned (or 3 fresh red peppers)
1 ounce olive oil
3 tablespoons shallots, minced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 pound butter, lightly salted
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Yield: 3 cups
Veal Chop Ingredients
14-ounce veal chop
1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper mixture
1/2 ounce butter, lightly salted
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 ounces bearnaise sauce

Preparation

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes instructions:

Combine mayonnaise, eggs, Creole mustard, Old Bay, salt, pepper, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and cracker meal in a mixing bowl.
Mix well.
Add crabmeat into mixing bowl and gently fold into the ingredients with your hands being very careful not to break up the larger pieces of crab.
Portion into 5 equal portions, then form crab cakes into smaller stacks.
Spread olive oil onto a half sheet pan and place into a 350 degree oven to preheat the pan.
Prepare the Red Pepper Sauce.
Place crab cakes onto the preheated sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Place the Red Pepper Sauce on a warm plate and set the crab cakes on top.
Garnish as needed.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce instructions:
If using canned roasted red peppers, skip to step 5.

If using fresh red peppers char red peppers over an open flame until they are black.
Cover with saran wrap and place in bowl.
Let it cool for 20 minutes.
Gently remove charred skin and core from peppers (Tip: Use cold running water to help remove the skin.)
Puree in a food processor until smooth.
Heat a saucepan over medium high heat, add olive oil.
When oil is hot, add minced shallots, garlic and bay leaf.
Sauté until translucent (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
De-glaze the pan with white wine and lime juice.
Cook for 2 minutes and add the cream and reduce the heat to half.
Cut butter into 1-inch pieces and slowly add to the sauce until the butter is incorporated.
Add the white pepper.
Strain the sauce into a container.
Hold in a warm water bath until ready to use.

Veal Chop instructions:

Season both sides of veal chop with salt and pepper.
Place veal chop on broiler and cook to the correct temperature.

Approximate broiling times and temperatures on each side (broiling times are approximate and subject to varying broiler temperatures and the number of steaks in broiler at the same time): medium-rare, 5-6 minutes at 125–135°F; medium, 7-8 minutes 135–145°F; medium-well, 9 minutes at 145–155°F.