Chateaubriand & Clasic Cliff Sauce

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · March 2011

A while back, there was a thread on Chateaubriand and Clasic Cliff Sauce....
I went back there and asked my question, but didn't hear anything...It might be TOO FAR away already, so here goes again.
I do a Chateaubriand with a venison loin, which has always been a BIG hit.
However, the sauce I do (which I'm told, and hold to be true, is coined as the classic Chateaubriand) is different than the "Classic Cliff Sauce" talked about in that thread.
My question is, even though different and used in this preparation: Where and / or how did the name "Cliff Sauce" originate?

Little Chef · March 2011

M&M Ph: It appears in my research that "Classic Cliff Sauce" was created/named by a particular restaurant called El Gaucho. I can assure you, there is no "Cliff" sauce in any classical study I have done. It certainly is no where to be found in Escoffier, which I consider about as classical as they come. Perhaps the person that came up with the recipe was named Cliff?? :huh: Best I know, the traditional pairing with Chateaubriand is Béarnaise, or perhaps a red wine/demi reduction. Hope this helps!
Richard FL provided this link in the prior thread:
http://www.elgaucho.com/elgaucho/recipes/chateaubriand.pdf

Richard Fl · March 2011

Why not call one of the El Gaucho restaurants and see if they know or maybe an egghead in WA or OR might be able to find out.

At the price of this chateaubriand they may have the answer.

http://www.allmenus.com/wa/seattle/3507-metropolitan-grill/menu/

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · March 2011

Thanks guys....
Curiosity just gets the best of me sometimes and I get stuck in wonder-mode. Cliff???
I'll talk with somebody at El Gaucho, for the fun of it.
For the record: I do mine as you noted LC. Butter, shallots, red wine, splash of cognac, tarragon, demi glaze reduction.
I never have done a beef tenderloin, but it's really good with venison!

SoCalWJS · March 2011

IMHO, the Chateaubriand @ Metropolitan Grill is about the best thing I've ever had. Definitely expensive, but a very memorable dining experience.

However, my last attempt to make it on the BGE (including an attempt at Cliff Sauce) was REALLY good.

PattyO · March 2011

Bordellaise is often served with Chateaubriand. You MUST use bone marrow in it for richness.
Bordelaise Sauce

3 lg Shallots, Minced
2/3 c Dry Red Wine
Salt And Freshly Ground
-Black Pepper, To
Taste
1 ts Chopped Fresh Thyme
4 tb Butter
1 tb Unbleached Flour
1 c Brown Stock, Boiled Over
-High Heat Until
Reduced To 2/3 Cup
2 tb Beef Marrow, Cubed, Poached
-5 Minutes In
Simmering Water To Cover,
-And Drained
3 tb Chopped Fresh Parsley

Here is a rich, delicious sauce for special occasions. Serve it with
grilled steak or roast beef for a really elegant dining experience. Ask
your butcher for the marrow; its rich flavor is indispensable to the
recipe. This sauce can be prepared up to two days in advance. Before
serving, rewarm over low heat until very hot.

Place the shallots, wine, salt and pepper, and thyme in a small saucepan
and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the liquid is reduced by one
half. Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve.

Melt 1 Tbls of the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the
flour, turn down the heat to low, and cook until browned, about 2 minutes.
Then pour in the stock and continue to simmer over low heat for another 15
to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in the reduced wine and
marrow and cook several minutes longer. Remove from the heat, beat in the
remaining butter and stir in the parsley. Check and correct the seasonings,
if necessary and serve very hot.

Yield: About 1 cup.

Little Steven · March 2011

Thanks Michelle,

Thought I was mistaken there for a bit.

Steve

Richard Fl · March 2011

Did you use the El Gaucho sauce or something else?

Seattle Todd · March 2011

Warning this is long and more than you probably want to know about the Cliff Sauce. :laugh:

To the best of my knowledge two restaurants in Seattle serve their Chateaubriand with Cliff Sauce. The would be the Metropolitan Bar and Grill and El Gaucho. They are both world class steak houses.

The Met's ambiance is very "old boys club". They used to have a chalkboard in the bar where regulars could guess what the DOW would close at on certain dates and win free food and bevvies.

El Gaucho was a Seattle restaurant that opened in the mid 50's and went out of business in the mid 80's. A major local restauranteer decided to revive it and re-open it in the mid-90's. If you remember that scene of Henry's first date in Goodfella's in the club that's how they make you feel there. You could easily imagine anyone of the Rat Pack walking in during your meal.

When El Gaucho's opened again the head chef from the Metropolitan jumped ship and took recipes with him. They both have a great french onion soup and a GREAT beer and cheese sauce for the baked potatoes. Recipe is online for that somewhere.

Since both of them have the Cliff Sauce on their menu I'm guessing, just guessing, that it originated at the Metropolitan Bar and Grill and went over to El Gaucho with the former Met head chef.

Like all good recipes from iconic restaurants (Bananas Foster anyone?!?) I'm guessing the 'Cliff' was a reference to either the employee that came up with the recipe or a great customer that it was initially prepared for.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · March 2011

Thanks Todd..

I actually talked to a person (the only one there, because of the time frame. I had to go to work, so it was like 1030 their time) at El Gaucho in Portland today.
The extremely friendly and seemingly helpful lady said she would have somebody get back to me....We'll see and I'll report.
This curiosity thing of mine....Well, you know it killed the cat :ohmy:

SoCalWJS · March 2011

Used the El Gaucho recipe as well as some good Aus Jus - the popular vote was for the Aus Jus - gotta keep working on the Cliff sauce, cause I really like it at the Metropolitan.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · March 2011

:woohoo: WOW :woohoo: !!! I got a response from Chef Parsons at El Gaucho, Portland.
Turns out that Cliff Sauce originated at the Cliff House Restaurant in San Francisco.
He is not sure of the exact date, but sometime in the 1930’s / early 40’s. Seemingly it was their signature sauce. How it got to Seattle (Metropolitan Bar and Grill and El Gaucho) and Portland (El Gaucho)? Who really knows, but good things do travel fast.
I want to try this sauce sometime down the road as it sounds as tough it would be VERY good on the buds, for sure....
But I have to admit that the classic Chateaubriand I have done is darn GOOD

The "curious cat" is now satisfied

.

SoCalWJS · March 2011

Makes sense. That was the first place I looked for the recipe, but I was UTL.

Thanks or sharing the response/

Chateaubriand & Clasic Cliff Sauce

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