After the Feast

So hopefully everyone has recovered from annual day of American gluttony...I love it! For those of you still digesting I take my hat off to you. But for the rest of us, thank goodness, there's Bluestone. And at Bluestone we like to keep things chugging along so here is what to expect for the very specials tonight!

~Steamed "Prince Edward Island Mussels" with Garlic, White Wine And a Touch of Cream
~Crunchy Brushcetta with Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Red Onions & Basil
~Pan Seared Jumbo Diver Scallops Served over Pesto Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Asparagus Spears & Cherry Tomato Sauce
~Grilled Hand Cut 12 oz. New York Strip & Sauteed Garlic Spinach with Penne Pasta Gratin & Red Wine Demi Glace

If the leftovers just aren't cutting it and you gotta get out for something new,we will be cooking up fresh, delicious, non-Thanksgiving goodies here...at Bluestone!

Big Game Weekend!

We are getting pumped and ready for this Saturday as the Northwestern Wildcats host the Wisconsin Badgers. It's going to be a great game and if you are looking for the place to watch this huge event, check out Bluestone! We're gonna be cranking out hot wings, great burgers and the best pizza in town. Come on in early and have one of our ice cold, on tap beer selections or pick from our extensive list of bottles. Cold beer and hot food...what goes better with football? There will be some terrific new specials and our seasonal, delicious menu of comfort food to tap into as well. So don't be shy. Come celebrate with our Wisconsin brethren and enjoy the best food in Evanston...at Bluestone!

Specials November 13th

Well the only bad luck you will suffer is getting to Bluestone too late to enjoy these great specials. Seriously! So the forecast for monchong was premature, I did score some super fresh marlin however. After a quick dip in a soy, ginger, green onion, chili & olive oil marinade, these marlin steaks get a hot sear in the saute pan then on top of warm noodles loaded with peppers, onions & carrots they go...hit that with a coconut curry broth and some fresh basil and cilantro and it's a light, fresh dish that hits the spot. The venison burgers are selling fast, so get 'em while you can! Now about that pork belly...well it's awesome! After soaking in a brine overnight, I slow braised the bellies and they are ready for carving. First a crisp crust is added on the grill, then roasted apples meet fluffy potatoes with a hint of thyme and butter. Add sauteed Napa cabbage with pancetta and a delicate cider vinegar sauce and OH MAN! I'm getting hungry just looking at the words! Steamed mussels and my take on poutine(crunchy fries with gravy and cheese)are still rocking tonight, so get yourself into Bluestone and try some new classics.

Chef Mike

Big Weekend Specials

I'm talkin wild game this weekend! I have barely been able to enjoy my week as I am so excited for the food this coming weekend. Slow roasted pork belly with cabbage and potatoes, fresh Hawaiian monchong marinated in chilies, ginger and soy then seared in a hot pan and served up over warm Thai noodles and curry broth...well that's not until tomorrow. Starting tonight however...how about a burger? How about a venison burger? Try it at Bluestone slathered in blue cheese and topped with jalapeno and garlic coleslaw and fig chutney. I also have, thanks to Chicago Game & Gourmet, a beautiful strip loin of bison. Marinated in rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper and balsamic vinegar these hand cut babies will grill perfectly and pair up with diver caught scallops for a one of kind surf and turf, sure to please! I gotta get back in the kitchen, the gravy for my fries is almost ready, but I will be back to expound on the delicious details of my wild game weekend here...at the Bluestone.

Back at the Bluestone!

G'Day loyal blogger! I am back in the kitchen and things are heating up. A few of this weekends special are being previewed tonight. Pan seared diver caught, jumbo sea scallops atop a bed of creamy pumpkin risotto with oxtail sauce is the feature this evening. These scallops(thanks to Dan Kurczak at Fortune Fish) are the size of golf balls and pack a wallop of flavor. The pumpkin infused risotto helps bring out the sweetness in the scallop and the oxtail sauce rounds off the dish with a rich, meaty background. It makes for a terrific entree! Then, for your consideration, how about a fresh airline(skin on and a wing) chicken breast roasted in a pan with fingerling potatoes and asparagus and drizzled with a garlic-thyme natural jus...sound good?
Getting hungry? For tomorrow these will accompany wild boar rack with grilled greens, spiced sweet potatoes and blueberry demi-glace. There will be mussels with garlic and cream and maybe a few more if I spend less time blogging and more time cooking! So back to the kitchen I go! I'll be looking for you between the aisles...at Bluestone!

Apple Cobbler

I have had quite a few compliments on our new apple cobbler so I thought I would drop a recipe and see what hits the fan.

This recipe will be for 4 portions.

You will need some sort of baking dish that will tolerate being heated to 400 degrees for a prolonged period. This vessel will also be what the cobbler is served in so choose something easy to eat out of and reasonably attractive.

2 lemons
1 quart of cold water

6 cups diced apples(there are lots of choices right now, fuji, honeycrisp, whatever you like)
1 tbls. sugar
1 tbls. butter
pinch of cinnamon


streusel topping
1 stick of butter(room temperature just enough to be malleable)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt


Juice the lemons into the water. Peel the apples and place them in the acidulated water. Next is to core the apples and dice them. Dice them to a size that is relative to the dish they are baking in, keeping them around 1/2 to 1 inch in size.
Keep the apples in the water to prevent browning each step of the way. Heat up a saute pan large enough to handle all the apples. If you lack such a pan them do this step in batches. Add butter to the hot pan, either all or whichever quantity you have determined to do in batches, it should melt and sizzle almost to the point of browning. It is okay if the butter does brown just move quickly on the next step. With the flame off on the stove top, add the apples, sugar and cinnamon. Do not move the pan or stir. Let the apples brown a bit, 1-3 minutes depending the heat of your pan. You are looking for just a little color on the fruit and when you have it stir or toss the apples in the pan to mix and slide them off onto a sheet pan to cool.
This can be done in advance and will keep for up to a week. The streusel topping is just a matter of combing all the ingredients. mix the cinnamon and salt in with the flour first for even distribution and just go ahead and use your hands to knead it all together. Don't fret for perfection here, it can look a little rough. Chill the mixture, this also should be made ahead and will keep for as long as butter provided it is sealed well in the fridge.
So here we go...heat the oven to 400 degrees. Fill your baking dish or dishes with apples. The streusel will be pretty solid now but it crumbles nicely. Cover the top of the apples with crumbled streusel, the more the better, and pop it in the oven. It should take about 10-15 minutes but ovens vary so look for doneness when you see liquid bubbling up around the edges and the top is golden brown. Top with your favorite ice cream and enjoy!