Do you duplicate recipes from restaurants?

20 years ago

I was inspired by an awesome soup I had the other day at Panara Bread to come home and try to duplicate it. When I got home I looked up the menu for Panara on the web and read the discription of the soup:

Portobello & Roasted Garlic Bisque

Domestic mushrooms and sliced portobellos simmered in a roasted garlic veloutÃ© embellished with Amontillado sherry, prosciutto, sweet cream and chives.

I didn't have chives so I added onion. The first time I made it I also used domestic mushroom but I felt it would be better with all Portobello. I think I came pretty close. It rich, creamy and a little spicy. Soooo good!

1 large garlic bulb

2 slices thick sliced bacon; minced

12 ounces portabella mushrooms

1 small onion or shallot; minced

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine (sherry or brandy)

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper (I like a lot)

Roast the garlic first. This can be done up to a day ahead of time. Pre-heat oven to 350Â°. Remove the peel from the garlic bulb, cut the top off and drizzle with a little olive oil. Wrap up completely in foil and roast in the oven for 50 minutes until very tender, cool in foil for about 25 minutes, remove from foil and cool enough to handle. Squeeze soft roasted garlic from each garlic clove, discard peel. Mash garlic with a fork until smooth and creamy.

Meanwhile make the soup: In a medium size, heavy sauce pan brown bacon until almost crisp. Remove the dark brown gills from the mushrooms and slice; add to bacon in the pot along with the minced onion. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper and add olive oil, cover and sweat until very tender 5 to 8 minutes, uncover and continue to simmer until liquid is evaporated. Stir in wine and continue to simmer until wine is almost evaporated.

Make a VelouteÂ (white sauce (roux) made with stock or broth instead of milk): Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir, continuing to cook and stir while pouring in broth. Stir in garlic and cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in cream, taste and add more salt and fresh ground pepper as desired.

Marilyn

I also duplicated a sauce I had with fish from McCormick and Schmick's seafood restaurant last Friday. Anone else do this?

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Comments (20)

BeverlyAL
20 years ago
Looks soooo good Marilyn! I also have also tried to duplicate several recipes from restaurants. Even though I'm not a big slaw lover, I had some at a fish and seafood restaurant a few years ago that I liked and managed to duplicate it very well. I didn't make it for a while, then I lost it. Now, all I can remember about it was it had confectioner's sugar in it. I figured out that was the big secret to it. Moral of the story is to put your duplications in a safe place.
lindac
20 years ago
I very often duplicate a recipe I have had somewhere. Being able to do it is a matter of knowing basic cooking methods and recognizing tastes.
Linda C
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cindy_5ny
20 years ago
Yum, looks good Marilyn.

I also try to duplicate recipes from restaurants and other sources (like my Grandmother who never wrote down a recipe and I was too young to cook with.....). Doesn't it drive you nuts when you've almost got it, but there is that one elusive "something" that is missing? LOL

Cindy
shaun
20 years ago
I try to sometimes. Other times, I go to that copy kat site and see if it's listed there.
annbarbara
20 years ago
Marilyn, that soup sounds delicious! (Laughing at myself because your name looks so different in all lower case and I wondered who you were :-)

Only once or twice have I tried to duplicate a restaurant meal, with success I might add, but they were 2 quite simple chicken dishes.

Woodie
(ivillage hasn't given me back my "woodie" name yet, When I log on with woodie, my original sign on name that I first used back in the olden days when I first joined comes up)
teresa_nc7
20 years ago
There was a chicken, spinach, and smoked gouda recipe that I loved once and wished I could duplicate, but that was before I was on the internet. I would still like that recipe, but it's been years since I had it, and I think the restaurant is out of business now.
ginger_st_thomas
20 years ago
No, I just go back to the restaurant & buy it again.
roselin32
20 years ago
I'm with you Ginger, I like to go out and be waited on. Years ago I learned to make homemade pizza and we haven't been out for pizza in 30 years-BIG mistake (regardless of how good homemade is!)
annbarbara
20 years ago
RL, now I know why I don't want to learn to make pizza!
BeverlyAL
20 years ago
Those homemade pizzas are so much better than than the pizza parlor's. It does ruin you when you start making them. It's not always convenient for us to go to a specific restaurant where I liked a particular dish. That's the reason I like to learn to duplicate it at home.
homesforsale
20 years ago
Marilyn..this sounds very good!

I have one called mushroom..pale ale and asiago cheese..But I think the bacon in yours..well..Yum:)
danain
Original Author
20 years ago
I agree Ginger and Roselin but, as with this soup it's nice to have at home too. And, like the Pasta Norcia at a cost of $17 to have it out, I can make enough to feed four for that!

On the other hand, there are many things that I get out that I wouldn't even try to duplicate because it's too much trouble and too much fun to go out an get it.

Marilyn
roselin32
20 years ago
beverly, what are you talking about?? Aren't you and your husband retired now?? That is one of the benefits of retirement-you do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it!! LOL
BeverlyAL
20 years ago
We rarely go out after dark any more as we are both pretty much night blind. This time of year the sun sets too early to have dinner before then. When summer comes we'll be back out there.
Tikanas2
20 years ago
Marilyn,

That recipe is PERFECT for a small dinner party that a friend is having next week! Copying and pasting to her email right now.

Thank you!

Tikans
LucyIL
20 years ago
Not sure what the name of this one is but I had it at a restaurant DH and I went to and it was so good I've made it for my family a few times and they love it.

Chicken Breast done on the grill.

Put them on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. On top of the breasts put BBQ sauce, a slice or 2 of ham lunchmeat, grilled onions, fried bacon, and cheese. Put in the oven on about 350 degrees until heated and cheese is melted. Top with chopped tomatoes. Sooooo good!! Serve with whatever sides you desire. The restaurant had smashed tators with the skins in them and veggies. Also they used chives but DH prefers the grilled onions.
pat_t
20 years ago
Teresa - is this the recipe you're looking for?

Here is a link that might be useful: Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Gouda and Spinach
doucanoe
20 years ago
I often will ask if they will share their recipe, and sometimes they do. I have tried to duplicate things I can't get recipes for, sometimes I come close....sometimes not!

Linda
jessyf
20 years ago
Marilyn, that recipe is screaming at me to try it with porcini mushrooms. Looks good.
trh701
20 years ago
I always try to duplicate recipes at home. I go to recipelink.com (copykat section). They have about 12,000 restaraunt recipes.