A couple months ago, I sampled the Capital Grille’s 3-course fall menu. The Capital Grille likes to change things up and add menu additions to keep things seasonal and fresh. So, they’ve changed the menu slightly for the winter and invited me to sample their new menu additions.

The menu mostly remains the same except that the Porcini soup has been replaced with a Roasted Red Pepper soup and the Butternut Squash has been replaced with root vegetables. I loved the soup – it was extremely tasty without being heavy like some soups can be. It left me lots of room to savor the other menu addition – the Wagyu Cheeseburger with fried egg. Honestly, I feel the burger fell a little short of my expectations. I asked for it medium and it was served much more on the rare side and the outside was a bit charred. Out of the options, I feel like the steak sliders are a better bet. They are tender with just a bit of seasoning and cheese and practically melt in your mouth. However, the root vegetables (also new) were a nice and healthy alternative to fries.

So, here’s the deal – for $16 choose one from each category:
Starter: Salad, Clam Chowder, or Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Entree: Wagyu Cheeseburger, Steak Sliders or Lobster Roll
Side: Truffle fries, Root Vegetables or Green Beans

255 East Pace Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
404.262.1162

Capital was kind enough to share some recipes. See the Wagyu Roast and Root Vegetables Below

Wagyu Pot Roast

Ingredients(Serves 4-6)

Wagyu Blade Roast 3 lbs
Kosher Salt 1 Tbsp
Olive Oil, Blended 2 Tbsp
Onions, Medium Spanish 2 each
Carrots, large 2 each
Granulated Sugar 1 tsp
Tomato Paste 1 Tbsp
White Wine 1 1/2 Cups
Beef Stock, prepared 1 1/2 Cups
Fresh Thyme 2 Sprigs
Smoked Paprika 1 tsp
Bay Leaf 1 each
Dijon Mustard 2 Tbsp
Fresh Bread Crumbs 1/4 Cup
Italian Parsley, Chopped 3 Tbsp
Chopped Hazelnuts 2 Tbsp
White Soy 2 tsp
Sherry Vinegar 2 tsp

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 275°F.
2. Peel the carrots and onions. Dice into 1/2”sized pieces.
3. Season the blade roast all over with 1-1/2 tsp of the kosher salt.
4. Heat a large heavy Dutch oven with the blended oil to the smoke point over medium high heat and sear the roast until deep brown, approximately 4 minutes on each side.
5. Removed seared roast, reduce the heat to medium low, and add the onions and carrots. Coat the vegetables well with the drippings/oil and season with the remaining salt and sugar.
6. Cook the vegetables over medium low heat, stirring frequently for 30 minutes.
7. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently for an additional 10 minutes.
8. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring the wine to a boil.
9. Add the beef stock, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, and Dijon Mustard, whisk well to combine.
10. Return the seared roast to the pan. Cover tightly and place in the pre-heated oven.
11. Cook the roast for two hours and then remove the cover.
12. Cook, uncovered until fork tender (about 1 1/2 additional hours).
13. Remove from the oven and strain the liquid from the pan into a small sauce pan. Discard the vegetables.
14. Bring the liquid to a simmer and skim the fat from the surface. Reduce liquid to approximately one cup in volume.
15. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, nuts, soy and vinegar and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
16. Place the roast on a serving platter and garnish with the finished sauce and Roasted Root Vegetables.

*This recipe may be done through step 15 and refrigerated overnight. Place in a 275°F degree oven to re-heat. Heat one hour until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F prior to serving.*

The Capital Grille

Roasted Root Vegetables

Pot roast—Wagyu or otherwise—just wouldn’t be complete without a side dish of the season’s freshest root vegetables roasted to sweet perfection. We propose an orange duo of carrots and sweet potatoes, mixed with celery root, fresh herbs and a little garlic. A touch of honey and sugar adds a little sweetness, and some dried cranberries delight with a burst of flavor. You’d be wise to make plenty.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

Carrots 2 each
Sweet Potatoes 1 each
Celery Root 1 each
Fresh Rosemary Leaves, chopped 1/2 Tbsp
Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped 1/2 Tbsp
Garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp
Olive Oil, blended 1 Tbsp
Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp
Granulated Sugar 1/2 tsp
Cranberry Honey* 1 Tbsp
Dried Cranberries 1/8 Cup
Fresh Sage, chiffonade (thin ribbon cut) 1/2 Tbsp
*Any high quality honey may be substituted

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Wash, peel and wash the carrots, sweet potatoes and celery root.
3. Dice the vegetables into ¾” inch cubes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, rosemary, thyme, garlic, olive oil, salt, and sugar and mix thoroughly.
5. Place the vegetables in a large roasting dish and roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Vegetables will still be firm after roasting.
6. Remove the vegetables from the oven and add the cranberry honey. Stir well to combine.
7. Return the coated vegetables to the oven for approximately 10 minutes to finish cooking. Check tenderness.
8. Remove from the oven and stir in the dried cranberries and sage.
9. Serve immediately.

Pavo en Salsa de Pina:

Ingredients
2.5 lbs boneless, skinless leftover turkey
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Jar salsa
Fresh cilantro (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Heat oil in 12 inch pan
Add turkey and heat on medium to medium low heat for 5 minutes
Pour salsa over turkey and let simmer for another 5 minutes or until turkey is heated through
Top with cilantro and enjoy

1 cup whole plain yogurt
1 tablespoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 head garlic, peeled
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup packed mint leaves
1/4 cup kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 8-to-10 pound leg of American lamb, boned and butterflied
1/2 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2 -inch thick slices.

1. In a food processor, combine the yogurt, paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mint and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Pulse until the mint and garlic are finely chopped.

2. Season the lamb on all sides with salt and black pepper. Lay the lamb fat-side down, roll into a tight cylinder and tie with cooking twine. Place in a container just large enough to hold it. Pour the marinade over the lamb and massage it into the meat. Dip both sides of the bread pieces into the marinade and place evenly over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer the lamb to a large roasting pan, discard the bread and reserve the excess marinade. Baste the lamb with the marinade. Cook in the oven until a meat thermometer reads 130 degrees, for medium rare, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on the thickness of the lamb. Baste with the marinade from time to time during the first hour of cooking. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Serves 10 to 12.

Source: New York Times, Chef Thomas Keller’s

Jack-O-Lantern

2 oz. Citrus Vodka
1 oz. Mango Nectar or Juice
0.5 oz. Orange Juice
0.5 oz. Fresh Sour*

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake
vigorously and pour into a goblet glass and garnish with a slice of orange
and a mint leaf laid flat on top.
*Combine 0.25 oz fresh lime juice and 0.75 oz simple syrup.

Vampire’s Elixir

1.5 oz. Raspberry Vodka
.75 oz. White Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz. Half and Half
Strawberry Syrup

Dress strawberry syrup on the inside and rim of a chilled martini glass.
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and
strain into martini glass. Garnish with vampire teeth.

Black Widow

1.5 oz. Raspberry Vodka
0.5 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Pomegranate Juice
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice
Raspberry Syrup

Draw a spider web on the inside of a chilled martini glass with raspberry
syrup. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake
vigorously and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with plastic
spider.

Red Zombie

1.5 oz. Vodka
3 oz. Tomato Juice
0.5 tsp. Finely Grated Horseradish
1 tsp. Barbeque Sauce
3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
3 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
0.5 tsp. Finely Chopped Chipotle en Adobo
Pinch of Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Generous Squeeze of Lemon Juice
Pinch of Celery Seeds
1 Celery Stick
2 Large Green Olives
2 Lychee Fruits

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with green eye balls, laid across
the rim of the glass*.
*Cut the end of a stalk of celery so it measures 5-6 inches long and split
the stick in half lengthwise. Slide the green olives into two lychee fruits
to make eye balls and push the thin celery stick through both as garnish.

Wicked Witch Apple Punch

1 750 ml bottle SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
1 750 ml bottle Sparkling Apple Cider
1 64 oz. bottle Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 Liter Ginger Ale
2 cups Pineapple Juice
Red Apple Slices

Combine all ingredients in a large black witch’s cauldron with ice and
stir. Garnish with large slices of red apple floating on top and dry ice.

Ingredients:
12 oz. Sliced Beef Tenderloin
1 tbsp. Soy Bean Oil
½ tsp. Garlic
2 fl oz. GLUTEN FREE soy sauce
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Rice Wine
2 oz. Green Onion Sticks- 3″ long, green part only!
½ tsp. Sesame Oil

Procedure:
1. Heat oil in a sauté pan. Add the beef and cook for 30-60 seconds or until cooked. Beef should be lightly browned around the edges and gray throughout the rest of the surface.

2. Add your garlic and toss.

3. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil.

4. Cook and reduce the sauce around the beef until all sauce has caramelized onto the beef. The sauté pan should be “dry” (no flowing sauce) before proceeding onto the next step.

5. Add the green onion sticks and toss to incorporate into the beef. A few tosses are all that are needed; do not wilt the green onion sticks!

6. Finish with sesame oil.

7. Place on a plate and enjoy!

Source: P.F. Chang’s