The “Food Scene With Steve” series continues here with my travels to Boise, Idaho, for the inaugural Savor Idaho, where 50 of the state’s wineries and restaurants were showcased.

Meeting the chefs and sampling their creations at Savor Idaho was most enjoyable. After tasting the Braised BBQ Beef prepared by the chef at The Cottonwood Grille, I introduced myself to Hilary Blatz, co-owner. She asked where I was from and when I said Connecticut, she said that her husband, Peter Blatz, who is the chef and co-owner, was from Fairfield. The following day, I went to the restaurant to meet Peter. Looking over the Boise River, surrounded by sandstone, alder wood and luxurious furnishings, I felt as if I was in an oasis.

In the restaurant business since age 15, Peter has worked with the finest chefs in New York, California, Colorado and Connecticut. Here, he worked as saucier under Christian Bertrand at Bertrands in Greenwich and later worked as chef de cuisine for Pierre Nelie at Chez Pierre in Westport.

I was intrigued by his wine list because of its low prices for quality wine. I asked him about this and he said, “because wine is such an integral part of a memorable dining experience, our approach is unique. Our prices are comparable to those of retail stores, enabling guests to enjoy a wine or series of wines with each course without paying “restaurant” prices.” Peter and Hilary wanted to share this recipe with you. When in Boise, you must visit this restaurant.


BRAISED BBQ BEEF

- 2-3 pounds beef (Chef Peter likes briquette or top round)

- Splash of olive oil

- Salt and white pepper to taste

- 3 cups beef stock

Ancho Chili BBQ Sauce, recipe included

Season your choice of beef with salt and white pepper and preheat oven to 350. Heat a thick-bottom roasting pan on your stovetop. Splash a little olive oil in the pan when it reaches medium heat and place the beef in the pan. Allow beef to obtain good color all around.

When all sides are golden, add beef stock and transfer it in to the oven. If the pan starts to get dry, add more stock or water. Allow the beef to cook until the meat is fork tender. Different cuts will take different times to tenderize, but poking the beef with a meat fork and having it pull out easily is the best way to go.

Once the beef is tender, cover it with Ancho Chili BBQ sauce, and allow it to cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until sauce starts to caramelize. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to rest 20 minutes. Slice the meat cross-grain and return it to the sauce. The meat now can be flashed under the broiler to be brought back up to temperature and served.

Ancho Chili BBQ Sauce: