This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Actors, directors and other Hollywood types will dine at some of Park City's best restaurants during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, which starts its 11-day run Thursday.
Everyday Utahns can do the same — without the high prices or the crowds — with a copy of "From the Restaurants of Park City: A Mountain Town's Cookbook." Part culinary manual, part coffee-table display, the publication contains nearly 100 recipes, color photographs and stories from some of Park City's beloved eateries and chefs.
"I want people to take the book, go home and have an evening cooking their favorite food from Goldener Hirsch or Riverhorse on Main or The Farm," said Lauren Nadler, owner and creative director at Park City Publishing, which released the book just in time for the mountain town's biggest party.
The cookbook costs $28.95 and is available at several Main Street locations, including Dolly's Bookstore, La Niche Gourmet & Gifts and Deer Valley Signature stores. Most of the restaurants featured in the book also will sell copies, and it is available online at parkcitypublishing.com .
Nadler said the cookbook is her love letter to Park City, a town she visited regularly as a child.
Born and raised in New York City, she came to Park City numerous times on ski vacations with her family. The Claim Jumper and Utah Coal and Lumber, two old-time restaurants that are now closed, were family favorites, she said. "I have beautiful memories of my family coming here," she said.
Later, as a young adult, she moved to Park City and worked a few years at the ski resorts and restaurants, ultimately returning to New York City and the publishing industry, where she worked as a designer for magazines and books — including a few cookbooks. Now married, she returned a few years ago with her husband and started Park City Publishing, which focuses on various kinds of publications.
Unlike most cookbooks where recipes are divided into appetizer, entrée and dessert sections, "From the Restaurants of Park City" gives each of the restaurants a chapter to explain its history, introduce its chef and share recipes.
"It really paints a more complete picture of who we are as a restaurant," said Jeff Ward, co-owner of Silver Star Café with his wife, Lisa. In the cookbook, Silver Star shared a recipe for its signature pork osso bucco with coconut creamed corn and fresh tomatillo salsa.
Nadler said she hopes the sections inspire cooks to re-create an entire meal from one restaurant. But mixing and matching is fine, too.
Among the other Park City restaurants featured in the cookbook: 350 Main, The Brass Tag, The Bridge Café & Grill, Deer Valley Grocery and Cafe, Gateway Grille, Good Karma and Sammy's Bistro.
Many restaurants contributed signature dishes, including the shepherd's pie from Flanagan's, cheese fondue from Goldener Hirsch and bison nachos at the No Name Saloon.
"When I first opened the No Name Saloon 16 years ago, I was one of the first to have buffalo on the menu in Park City," said owner Jesse Shetler. "It took off like crazy. I used to offer both buffalo and beef burgers. But the buffalo outsold the beef 9 out of 10 times, so we actually removed the beef burgers from the menu."
Shetler, who has lived in Park City and been a part of its restaurant industry for more than 30 years, also shared recipes from his other two restaurants/bars — Butcher Chop House and the Boneyard/Wine Dive.
"I just thought that it was something unique," he said. "I'm not aware of any cookbook that has featured just Park City restaurants."
Silver Star Café pork osso bucco with coconut creamed corn and fresh tomatillo salsa
1 pork shank per person
Chicken stock (to cover)
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 bay leaves
2 poblano chiles, chopped
3 limes, halved
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Crumbled queso fresco, for garnish
Pork shank rub
1 cup coriander seed
½ cup cumin seed
¼ cup black peppercorns, whole
½ teaspoon red chile flake
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1½ tablespoons onion powder
1½ tablespoons oregano, dry
¾ cup kosher salt
¼ cup brown sugar
Creamed corn
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
6 fresh corn cobs (scrape cobs with the back of a knife and add the milk to the kernels or 2 quarts frozen corn)
1½ cups yellow onion, finely chopped
2½ teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper (table grind)
½ teaspoon turmeric
3 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
Fresh tomatillo salsa
3 cups tomatillos, small dice
2 jalapeños, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 325 degrees. For rub, toast coriander, cumin and peppercorns until aromatic, then cool. Once cooled, grind in a spice grinder, and then combine with red chile flakes, cinnamon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, kosher salt and brown sugar.
Tie the pork shanks individually with a piece of twine to hold them together during cooking. Rub the pork generously with spice cure. Let marinate overnight in refrigerator.
In a heavy pan, add grapeseed or vegetable oil and brown the pork shanks over medium heat. Once browned, transfer pork to a large roasting pan and add chicken stock, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, poblano chiles and a few halved limes. Cover tightly, and braise in a 325-degree oven for four hours. Allow to cool in braising liquid.
For creamed corn, in a large pan, heat a small amount of grapeseed oil on high heat until near smoking. Add corn, and cook until slightly brown. Add onion, garlic, pepper, turmeric and coconut milk, and simmer until corn and onions are tender. Slightly puree half the corn mixture in a food processor, then mix back in. Season with salt and pepper.
For tomatillo salsa, combine tomatillos, minced jalapeños, shallot, garlic, cilantro, honey, kosher salt and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For pork shanks, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Discard any fat from the top of the cooled pork shank braising liquid. Remove the pork from the cooled liquid, strain the liquid and cook to reduce by half. Place the shanks in a pan with about a half inch of the reduced braising liquid. Place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is a thick jus.
To serve, spoon the creamed corn into a wide bowl for each portion. Place the pork on the creamed corn, ladle reduced jus on top, and finish with fresh tomatillo salsa, chopped cilantro and crumbled queso fresco.
Servings • 4-6
Source: Silver Star Cafe