Nestled behind flowering bougainvillea covered wrought iron gates in the heart of Naples’ historic and iconic shopping and dining district, D’Amico’s The Continental offers innovative cuisine started by brothers Richard and Larry D’Amico who wanted to open a true American Steakhouse and make it as perfect as possible. And indeed they have — the vibe of New York Steakhouse meets 1920’s Parisian Bistro. The Continental’s chef-driven menu features steakhouse-inspired classics with modern, artisan twists. From the land, it features a large selection of higher grade Kobe cuts, prime and grass-fed beef cut to order. It says it offers top quality steaks from four breeds: Kansas-based Creekstone Farms’ Black Angus, Italian Piedmontese, Australia’s Darling Downs Wagyu, and Japanese Wagyu. From the sea, the menu features daily fresh catches of fish and shellfish, as well as a sensational Brunch menu.
Arriving for D'Amico's weekend brunch with dear friends on a glorious Saturday, we were seated in the gorgeous outdoor garden courtyard with live jazz. Beginning with a few bottle of Prosecco with complimentary French Toast Soufflé, we perused the Weekend Brunch menu and settled in for a long leisurely afternoon in a gorgeous setting with fabulous food and great conversation. Bliss.
The beautiful outdoor courtyard
Live Jazz with local saxophonist
D'Amico's Saturday and Sunday Brunch Menu
Sweet and decadent French Toast Soufflé for the table
My friend Paul and I ordered the Handcut Steak Tartare with Sauce Verte, Quail Egg and little toasts, which was absolutely delicious
Escarole Caesar Salad with Parmigiano and Brioche Croutons
Chicken Liver Pâté served with haricot verts, shallots and crostini
My great friend Manita ordered the Poached Lobster with Burrata, Pickled Eggplant, Basil and Mâche
Steak Sandwich with frites
Cauliflower Risotto with Seared Scallops, Shaved Truffles and Chives
The Impossible Smash Burger with frites
One Triple Chocolate Silk Pie and five forks
damicoscontinental.com
Beef Tenderloin With Red Wine Sauce with Forme D'Ambert Butter
Serves 6
Recipe courtesy of chef Andrew Wicklander, The Continental
1 (2-pound) Piedmontese beef tenderloin roast
Blended oil, as needed
Salt and pepper, as needed
Red Wine Sauce:
1 (750-mililiter) bottle red wine
12 oz veal stock
4 tbsp granulated sugar
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 garlic cloves, crushed
12 black peppercorns
Fourme D'Ambert Butter:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 cups, yellow onions, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
Pinch of kosher salt
8 oz Fourme d'Ambert, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces*
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp sage, finely chopped
1/2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
*Fourme d’Ambert is a semi-hard blue cheese made from cow’s milk. It hails from France and dates back at least 1,000 years. If fourme d’Ambert is not available, saint agur blue and cambazola are excellent substitutes.
Roasted Oyster Mushrooms:
12 oz oyster mushrooms or wild mushrooms, cleaned
3 oz clarified butter
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
For the red wine sauce, combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Skim and slowly reduce to a light syrup consistency and strain. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the mushrooms, preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the hard stems from the oyster mushrooms and tear the larger caps or pieces down to thumb size. Toss with the clarified butter, fresh thyme, and season with salt and black pepper. Spread evenly on a small baking sheet and roast in the oven, mixing the mushrooms occasionally until slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and mix in the chopped garlic. Reheat slightly when needed.
Meanwhile, for the cheese sauce, heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a medium sauté pan. Add the onions and a pinch or two of kosher salt. Toss to coat the onions and sauté until they reach a light golden color, stirring frequently to prevent burning, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in the bowl until evenly mixed, being careful to leave some of the cheese in larger pieces. Keep warm.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Season the tenderloin roast with salt and pepper. Coat the bottom of a large, ovenproof sauté pan over high heat with oil and add the tenderloin, browning for about 2 minutes on each of the sides. Transfer to the oven and finish to your preferred internal temperature (between 125°F and 130°F for medium-rare). Rest the tenderloin for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve alongside the room temperature butter, the reheated red wine sauce and mushrooms.
