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Cooking Class: Avanzare

Chef Tony Garcia prepares a mix of his favorite Italian cuisine creations at this month’s 417 Cooking Class.

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Tony Garcia opened Avanzare restaurant in 2002. The restaurant’s building on South Glenstone Avenue, which is the former home of Metropolitan Grill, was opened only three weeks after Metropolitan Grill relocated. Garcia had the entire building remodeled during that time. “It all happened really fast,” Garcia says. “We had people working all through the night.” Garcia had different crews working various shifts to complete the fast renovation. “I’d have one group of guys work for eight hours, then they’d leave and another group would come for eight hours, then they’d leave and another group would come,” Garcia says.

But after two weeks of remodel work and a week of inspections, Tony was behind the counter at his restaurant cooking up many of his delicious Italian dishes. “We were busy right away, I wasn’t even really open yet, I was just cooking for friends and stuff,” Garcia says. “But people kept coming in, and eventually my restaurant was full.”

Avanzare didn’t face the skepticism that new restaurants often do. Garcia feels this is partially because many people knew him from his former position as head chef at the former Italian restaurant Teatro. “I had a lot of followers,” Garcia says.

Lamb

with Gorgonzola cream sauce
Serves four.
Paired with Felsina I Sistri chardonnay.

For the lamb:
½ rack of lamb (or four chops)
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil

For the Gorgonzola cream sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped onion
½ teaspoon rosemary
salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup white wine
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Gorgonzola cheese

To prepare lamb:
Season lamb with rosemary, garlic, salt and black pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and marinate over night. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450ºF. Place lamb in baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and slice into four chops.

To prepare the Gorgonzola cream sauce:
Place oil in a sauce pot, and heat until hot. Add garlic, and sauté until lightly brown. Add rosemary, onion, salt and black pepper. Simmer for one to two minutes. Add white wine, and reduce. Add heavy cream, reduce. Add chicken stock, and bring to a slight boil. Add Gorgonzola cheese, stir, and serve with lamb.