Fall Feast at Bonnell's Restaurant in Texas

October 1, 9:03 PMEast Coast Restaurant ExaminerKellie Speed

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When Bonnell’s Restaurant opened in Texas in 2001, it was quickly hailed for its innovative cuisine and marked the beginning of a new chapter in the book of fine Texas cuisine. Visitors come to this inventive restaurant to sample Chef Bonnell’s unique take on Texas food.

Texas Cuisine, as defined by Chef Bonnell, is “a blend of flavors from our neighboring regional cuisines, combined with ingredients that are distinctively our own.” Bonnell’s main fare of certified Texas organic beef, wild game specialties and fresh gulf seafood exhibits regional style with spices that fuse Southwestern, Creole and Mexican influences.

Bonnell’s Restaurant is dedicated to working with local Texas farmers and ranchers to serve its patrons the highest quality and most unique products. Nearly all of the grass-fed beef, produce, venison, quail, wild boar, fish, oysters, cheeses and fresh herbs served at the restaurant are from Texas.  

Bonnell’s has won the “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, was rated one of the Top 10 Restaurants in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex by the 2006 Zagat Survey of Texas restaurants and awarded “Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year” by Texas Restaurant Association. The restaurant has been regularly praised for its outstanding cuisine by publications including the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, Texas Monthly, Wine and Cuisine, Savvy and Texas Journeys Magazine.

Below is an exclusive recipe from Chef Bonnell designed to make the fall a little more flavorful:

Bonnell’s Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with

Bourbon-Spiked Whipped Cream

Ingredients

For the cheesecake base:

5 eggs

12 ounces pumpkin puree (canned works fine)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ginger

3 pounds cream cheese

1 ½ cups sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ vanilla bean, scraped (or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)

Preparation

Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before mixing.  In an electric mixer, combine all ingredients and whip together until uniform and smooth. Begin mixing slowly, then gradually increase speed until the mixture is free of all lumps. 

In a springform pan, begin by layering the bottom with graham cracker crumbs. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crumbs, then bake in a 325 degree oven (water bath optional) for approximately 40-45 minutes or until the cake is done.  To check for doneness, lightly jiggle the cake and see if the middle has set up or is still mostly liquid.  Once the middle has set, remove from the oven, cool well, then unmold and cut into slices with a warm knife.

Easy Shortcut: instead of all of the different spices, substitute with a canned pumpkin pie filling that is already spiced.

For the whipped cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons bourbon

Begin by placing the mixing bowl of an electric mixer in the freezer and chill very well.  Cream whips much better the colder it is.  Dissolve the sugars in the bourbon, then combine all ingredients together with the cream.  Whip in the ice-cold bowl on high until the cream forms stiff peaks, then top each slice of pumpkin cheesecake with a heavy dollop and serve.