Try your hand at some of celebrity chef Vincent Fiore’s mouth-watering recipes, available at UXU Ranch.
UXU Ranch chef Vincent Fiore’s repertoire of recipes includes salmon en papillote (French salmon baked in a bag), Parmesan-crusted trout, and tomahawk pork chop topped with apple-brandy chutney. Another favorite at the ranch, Cowboy Mac & Cheese, brings frequent calls for seconds. One evening during our stay, Fiore even incorporated heritage tomatoes from my son’s garden into the menu; later in the season he’d prepare guests’ daily catch from the adjacent North Shoshone River. Adapting the menu to visitors’ wishes has become a signature feature at the UXU. “We take suggestions from guests,” Fiore says. “We’d say, ‘Hey, what would you like that you don’t see on the menu? Tell me.’ ” It’s one of the things that have won a loyal following of local diners.
The restaurant opens to the public Friday and Saturday evenings and — reservations required (generally weeks ahead). After dinner, diners usually retire to the deck for s’mores and libations from the Bad Bear Bar Saloon & Grill.
You can find more of Fiore’s cooking on The Wiseguy Kitchen and the upcoming travel/cooking show Cooking With Cowboys, airing this fall on Prime Video. Highlighting ranches all over the West, the new show is hosted by “Cowboy Bear” and inspired by Fiore’s time on the UXU, which is the subject of the first several episodes.
Cowboy Mac & Cheese
Serves 8 – 10
INGREDIENTS
1 pound rotelle (spiral) or penne pasta
1 cup Velveeta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup pimento cheese spread
1 cup cheddar
1 cup heavy cream
2 sticks butter
½ cup chopped bacon, cooked
Toasted breadcrumbs
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine cheeses, cream, and butter in a sauce pot. Simmer on low flame. As the cheese melts, stir continuously to melt evenly so the cheese does not burn. In a separate pot, boil water. Add a tablespoon of salt. Once it’s boiling, add pasta for 8 – 9 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine drained cooked pasta and cheese mixture. Stir evenly. Place in a serving dish. Top with breadcrumbs and use torch or broiler to brown breadcrumbs. Add parsley and bacon to garnish. Serve hot.
Parmesan-Crusted Trout
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 rainbow trout fillets
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan
¼ cup olive oil
½ stick of butter
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a shallow mixing bowl. Dredge trout in breadcrumb mixture. Heat olive oil in a hot pan. Place trout skin side up in pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes; then flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Place trout on plate. Melt butter, garlic, and juice of one lemon in a saut. pan. When melted, pour over trout. Add salt and pepper to taste, and parsley for garnish. Serve with favorite sides like mashed potatoes and green beans or asparagus.
Get the story behind Vincent Fiore's UXU recipes.
From our July 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Vincent Fiore