Fall Flavors Take Center Stage at Finn & Porter

FALL FLAVORS TAKE CENTER STAGE AT FINN & PORTER

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Chef Showcases Season’s Offerings Including an Unexpected, Artistic Play on

Campfire S’mores

Chef Peter Maffei of Finn & Porter, located inside Hilton Austin, recently released his new fall menu filled with creative preparations of seasonal ingredients along with signature touches to classic cool weather dishes.

Maffei infused the flavors of fall into a sumptuous Foie Gras appetizer dish served with golden beet, braised red onion, arugula and celery; a handmade Ricotta Gnocchi with crispy lamb sausage, mushroom, tomato and quail egg; and a new play on a previous favorite – the Lockhart Quail with confit grape, pearl onion, kohlrabi and sherry jus.

The salad and soup section includes the return of another seasonal favorite: the Beet Salad served with Wateroak Farms goat cheese, pistachio and micro arugula. Nothing says fall quite like Maffei’s Parsnip & Apple Soup filled with crispy parsnip and apple celery chutney.

Entrée selections cover the range of proteins including six inventive seafood dishes, beef cheek and steaks, plus a hearty duck cassoulet and pork chop. New to the fall menu is Hawaiian Butterfish, served with custard potato, fennel, carrot and mushroom cippolini broth. The Diver Scallops with cider glazed pork belly, caramelized cauliflower, radish, apple and watercress are light and full of flavor. Maffei serves a fresh Halibut with spaghetti squash, apple, pine nuts, raisin and saffron sherry buerre blanc. For those with a big appetite Finn & Porter serves up a 16oz Pork Chop with butter whipped potatoes, Swiss chard and caramelized apples.  The Beef Cheek is accompanied by hand rolled pasta, glazed root vegetables and Swiss chard. A fall/winter classic, Duck Cassoulet, includes confit leg of duck, merguez sausage, crispy pork, carrot and white beans.

Known for its expert preparation of steaks, the latest menu includes a 16 oz. Strube Ranch Ribeye or a 24 oz. version for two people.  And a year-round favorite is the Finn & Porter, a seven ounce center cut beef tenderloin and poached lobster served with creamed spinach and fennel orange beurre blanc.

For dessert, chef has created a treat for the all of the senses, Campfire S’mores Pot de Crème. The scent of toasted marshmallow, smokey maple leaves and chocolateenvelops diners as the dish is served. Three crème’s -- toasted marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker?,  are served in hollowed-out eggshells, delivering a totally new twist on the traditional S’more.

“I’m incredibly proud of this fall menu,“ Chef Maffei said. “My personal favorite dish is the Beef Cheek as it is the true definition of fall, plus the Campfire S’mores Pot de Crème is the ideal ending to any meal. The S’mores has that “wow” effect that gets diners excited – we have to be sure our guests save room for it!“ Maffei stated.