Fort Bend Focus | Photos By Alisa Murray Photography –
What better time than July 4th to celebrate summer’s favorite past times – fireworks, friends, and of course, food! Now’s the time to get out the grill and brush up on your outdoor culinary skills with some help from two of Fort Bend’s best chefs. We asked Missouri City’s Ron Brandani and Sugar Land’s Fernando Echeverria to share some of their favorite summer grilling fare to help you get ready to celebrate America’s birthday with the best menu in town!
Ron Brandani
Ron Brandani, owner of Brandani’s Restaurant & Bar in Missouri City, along with wife Claire, knows a thing or two about amazing food. With a career spanning 15 years in several top restaurants in Houston that concluded as Managing Partner for the Original Carrabba’s on Kirby, in March 2015, the Brandani’s decided to open a restaurant close to their Sienna Plantation home. And Fort Bend has embraced Brandani’s – both the family and the restaurant.
Family is a common theme at Brandani’s, as both Claire and Ron run the business with Ron serving as the executive chef, as well as host to their guests. Both Brandani’s are hands-on visiting with guests, making recommendations and most of all, making everyone who walks in the door feel like family. The menu features recipes passed down from Ron’s grandmother and father, and the walls are adorned with paintings by Ron’s mom.
When we discussed how the Brandani’s celebrate our nation’s birthday, once again, it was all about family. “When I was a kid, we would go down to the valley where my grandparents lived, and my grandfather would smoke a brisket,” said Ron. “My Grandmother made her delicious barbeque sauce that I still make to this day. Now, we celebrate by gathering with friends for a pool party and lighting up the grill. We end the night by watching the great firework display in our neighborhood.”
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
• 12 Large Eggs
• 1 ½ Tbsp. whole grain mustard
• ½ Cup mayonnaise
• 1 ½ Tsp. White balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ Tsp. Diced shallot
• 3/8 Tsp. Hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Light up the smoker.
2. Hard boil eggs and peel the shell.
3. Place eggs in a cardboard egg carton, and place on the top rack of the smoker for 30 minutes.
4. Turn the eggs over. Smoke for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Cut eggs in half, and place the yolks in a medium bowl.
6. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
7. Spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg whites. Serve chilled.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
• 2 Pounds of ground beef
• 50/50 Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
• 2 Metal pans with ice
Directions:
1. Divide meat into four equal portions, and form patties.
2. Sprinkle each patty with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Place the patties on a rack placed on a sheet pan. Place in the freezer for a short time until the patties are extremely cold but not frozen.
4. Start up the smoker. Keep the temperature between 175-200 degrees. You want to have the smallest fire possible while creating smoke for the burgers.
5. With the smoker lit, place the sheet pan with the patties on it directly on the grates so they receive indirect heat.
6. Have a pan of ice beside the patties and one under the patties. The idea is to keep the patties as cold as possible the entire time.
7. Smoke for 1 hour. Turning is not necessary.
8. Return the patties to the freezer or refrigerator until they are completely cooled down.
9. Turn on a gas grill and let it get extremely hot. Add the patties and grill to desired internal temperature. The patties will have a smoke ring inside the meat like you would see on a well cooked brisket.
10. Serve with your favorite hamburger trimmings. Note: The longer you smoke the burgers, the better they will turn out. You may need to add ice during the smoking process.
Brandani’s
Restaurant & Wine Bar
3340 FM 1092, Suite 160
Missouri City • 832.987.1313
brandanis.com
Fernando Echeverria
For over 11 years, Fernando’s Latin Cuisine, owned by Fernando Echeverria, has been a landmark in Sugar Land for classic continental fare with a Latin influence. After beginning his career in New York learning every aspect of the restaurant industry where he began in his childhood as a dishwasher, Fernando purchased the location along Highway 59 to work close to his Sugar Land home in 2005. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Known for his community involvement as much as his talent for fusing old-fashioned Italian and South American cuisine, Fernando’s has become a staple in the Fort Bend community. His menu, inspired by his Ecuadorian roots, features menu items named for his regular clientele, and as executive chef, Fernando is constantly preparing off-the-menu creations to give his guests something new. But executive chef is not the only hat Fernando wears. Growing up in the industry, he works the restaurant as host, as well as floor and kitchen manager. “I make it a point to personally visit guests,” said Fernando. And it’s not uncommon to see him sipping a glass of chilled tequila or aged port with both old and new friends.
Originally from Ecuador, July 4th has a special meaning for Fernando. “Growing up in New York, we didn’t always have time to celebrate the holidays because we were always working. In restaurants, you always work. But for July 4th, we would always try to see the fireworks over the river. It was important to take a moment to appreciate our freedom.”
Ingredients:
• 2 Cups Italian parsley leaves
• 4 Garlic cloves, peeled
• ¼ Cup of oregano
• ¼ Cup red wine vinegar
• ½ Teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ Teaspoon kosher salt Ground pepper
• 1 Cup of olive oil
• 1 Squeezed lemon
• ½ Red onion, chopped
• ¼ Cup of basil leaves
Directions:
Pulse all of the ingredients in the food processor. Store in a large jar. Keeps up to two weeks in the refrigerator. The longer the ingredients fuse together, the better the flavor.
Fernando
14135 Southwest Freeway
Sugar Land
281.494.9087
fernandosrestaurants.com