Meadowlark Restaurant » specials

Grilled Hanger Steak with Porcini Rub

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:18:06 +0000

The Italians know what to do with beef, and this preparation of meaty hanger steak is great for summer eating. The beef is rubbed with a spice mixture of coarse salt, toasted paprika, ground peppercorns, a little brown sugar and dried porcini mushrooms crushed to a powder. The mix coaxes such an incredible earthy, beefy flavor from the steak—a simple, stunning result of mushroom, salt, sugar and beef that goes perfectly with a drizzle of good olive oil, fresh vegetables and a mound of steaming polenta.

Pan-fried Walleye

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:15:58 +0000

Fresh out of Lake Erie, walleye pike is Ohio’s favorite dinner fish. And no wonder—mild and sweet with a delicate texture, I can hear it sizzling in frying pans all over the state. Here the fish is rolled in cornmeal, fried crispy on the griddle and served with celery sauce, a creamy, Southern-style tartar sauce flavored with minced celery, celery seed, green onion and lemon. Add buttermilk mashed potatoes and sauteed broccolini and you’ve got Midwestern eating at its best.

Arctic Char with Herb Leaves and Lemon Mayonnaise

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:09:50 +0000

A delicious fish, brilliant orange like salmon, with a delicate flavor more like trout. Parsley and dill leaves are pressed into the fish, then it is seared on the griddle and sauced very lightly with a squiggle of homemade lemon mayonnaise. Served with sauteed Yukon Gold potatoes and fresh vegetables.

Pink Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:59:20 +0000

Fresh salmon makes the most light-textured meatballs imaginable, fragrant with mint and basil and spiked with lemongrass, ginger and garlic. Served in lettuce cups with pickled and fresh vegetables and a squiggle of sesame mayo, these little hot-on-cold bites are delicious and addictive.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Chow-chow

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:58:39 +0000

Sliced, coated in breadcrumbs and fried till crisp and golden brown, green tomatoes soften and sweeten with cooking and are many people’s favorite treat. The hot tomatoes are dolloped with a lively remoulade and served with homemade chow-chow, a chopped, mustardy relish full of cabbage, peppers, onions and chopped green tomato that goes with every summer thing in the world.

Fried Green Tomato Sandwich with Bacon and Goat Cheese

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:29:36 +0000

Sliced, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to golden brown, green tomatoes soften and sweeten with cooking and become a special treat. Here they are teamed with smoky Nueske’s bacon, a slathering of goat cheese, lettuce and caper mayo to make a great summer sandwich. Served with fries or vinaigrette-dressed greens.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:26:14 +0000

Boneless chicken breast rubbed with lemon zest and herbs is cooked, hand-chopped and mixed with minced raw vegetables, pecans, mayonnaise, a smidge of honey mustard and a titch of peach jam. The dressed chicken is scooped between warm toast, garnished with housemade marinated tomatoes and crisp lettuce, and served with fries or vinaigrette-dressed greens. 10.95
Or have your chicken salad as a green salad topper, add

Fish Tacos

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:24:04 +0000

Three fresh fish tacos in soft corn tortillas with shredded cabbage, our vibrant salsa verde and smoky, spicy chipotle mayo. The fish melts in your mouth, the salsa is zingy, and the earthy flavor of the tortilla brings it all together. Served with crisp fries or vinaigrette dressed greens.

Jerk Chicken and Rice Salad

Wiley — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:23:59 +0000

I learned the marinade for this chicken from a Cuban cook when I spent a season cooking in Key West. I felt like I had found my food soulmate. A boneless chicken breast gets a good soak in it, then cooks on the grill while you assemble a quick chop of cucumber, tomato, pineapple, red pepper and avocado. Hit the veggies with lime juice, olive oil and a drop of honey, throw in some cilantro and whoosh it all onto some warm rice and spinach.Top it with the chicken and drizzle it all with a little jerk-seasoned yogurt, and Hello, lunch in the Summertime!

Israeli-style Hummous with Eggplant, Za’atar, and Olive Oil

Wiley — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:08:40 +0000

Why serve hummous when it’s to be had in every grocery store in the land? Because there is hummous, and then there is hummous. Israeli-style hummous is silky and smooth, no cumin in sight, enriched with lots of fresh lemon and olive oil. It is mounded with roasted eggplant, strewn with whole chickpeas and toasted pumpkin seeds and sprinkled with za’atar, a fragrant explosion of herbs mixed with toasted sesame seeds and flakes of salt. Served with wedges of warm flarbread.