Unusual Holiday Eats You Won't
Believe You Will Enjoy
Posted: 12/22/2015 12:03 pm EST Updated: 31 minutes ago
The holiday season usually attracts food lovers that can't wait to sink their teeth and
celebrate on a full stomach devouring turkey, pumpkin, ginger and nutmeg spices, among
many others. Despite these traditional dishes, it’s the year to be adventurous and try new
things. Therefore, I recommend some unorthodox recipes that will surely satisfy your taste
buds and cravings.
Steak Sauce Eggnog Martini
Restaurants putting a new spin on the ordinary
By way of example, Wolfgang Puck visited AOL BUILD to showcase a demo on how to
spruce up and add flavor to your holiday meal. As a result, what unusual flavors and dishes
will you surprise your friends and family with? Steak sauce – specifically, Ben & Jack's (Not
Just) Steak Sauce which was created by Executive Chef, Admir Alibasic who oversees the
menu at Ben & Jack’s Steak House in New York City.
Steak Sauce Chocolate Cheesecake Lollipops
"When I tell people that I have made a cocktail with steak sauce, they automatically think
it's a Bloody Mary,” says Chef Admir. “But when they see a White Chocolate Martini with
steak sauce, they think I'm crazy. This is because I like to experiment with unconventional
ingredients with food. In fact, our steak sauce adds a slight kick and tones down the
bitterness of the chocolate. Even better, my recipe for Steak Sauce Chocolate Chili has to be
hands down one of my favorite dishes to make."
Now you are probably thinking to yourself, what is the difference between regular steak
sauce and Ben and Jack's (Not Just) Steak Sauce? "Ben & Jack's (Not Just) Steak Sauce is a
perfect combination of flavors,” says Chef Admir. “It hits every note on the pallet, starting
with a sweet molasses on the tip of the tongue, followed by a burst of citrus towards the
middle and finishing with a slight kick that doesn't linger. Other steak sauces are either full
of sugar or Worcestershire Sauce which either tastes like Cocktail Sauce or skimps out on
the Horseradish."
Still not convinced yet? Try these recipes at home and come to your own conclusion:
Steak Sauce Chocolate Cheesecake Lollipops
Ingredients
1- 9-inch prepared cheesecake
1- Pound bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
2- Tablespoons Ben & Jack's (Not Just) Steak Sauce
1- Teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2- Teaspoon chili powder
1- Teaspoon finely grated orange zest
½- Pound chopped walnuts, toasted
-Melted caramel
-20 Lollipop sticks
Directions
Use a melon baller to scoop the cheesecake balls onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
Freeze until solid, at least an hour. Melt the chocolate in a small, deep bowl set over a
saucepan of partial simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, stir in steak sauce,
cayenne pepper, chili powder and orange zest. Remove the cheesecake balls from the freezer
and gently dip into the melted chocolate, let excess chocolate drip off, then return to the wax
paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped toasted walnuts and drizzle with melted
caramel.
Steak Sauce Eggnog Martini
And to top it off, Chef Admir recently integrated the steak sauce into the perfect holiday
cocktail, "Steak Sauce Eggnog Martini," which incorporates Bourbon, White Chocolate
Liqueur, Frangelico, of course Eggnog, accompanied by a bacon strip for stirring. It's the
perfect combination of salt and sweet, which can be served for any holiday occasion.
Don’t fret, there's even a low-calorie version of the cocktail!
Steak Sauce Eggnog Martini Low-Cal
Ingredients
1 oz- Bourbon, 66 calories
1 oz- Eggnog, 25 calories
½ oz- White Chocolate Liqueur, 51 calories
½ oz- Frangelico, 35 calories
¼ tsp- Steak Sauce, 9 calories
Directions
-Smear the steak sauce on the inside of a chilled martini glass.
-In a shaker tin with ice, add Bourbon, Eggnog, White Chocolate Liqueur and Frangelico.
-Shake and pour into the martini glass.
As a matter of fact, Chef Admir makes every batch himself. If interested in purchasing a
bottle, you can contact him here.
Still not feeling adventurous enough to try some steak sauce on your desserts? Well, if you
are in the Chicago area for Christmas, you might be interested in Chef Stephen Gillanders
creative interpretation on classic Chinese dishes such as: Truffle Egg Drop Soup with
Chicken Broth, Green Onion, Schmaltz; Roasted Peking Duck with traditional garnishes and
condiments; and Foie Gras Fried Rice with sunny-side duck egg, ginger crumbs.
Foie Gras Fried Rice with sunny-side duck egg, ginger crumbs.