Lifestyles

Springfield Grille, in Adams, Butler County, might be mistaken for just another steak house, because it has its own brand of beef, called Springfield Angus.

"But we're definitely not meat and potatoes," says executive chef Dan "Mitch" Mitchell, 34, of Cranberry. "We offer various different seafood items, pork chops, chicken dishes and pastas."

The daily specials are a collaboration of ideas from the whole kitchen staff, he says.

"I'd hate to sit down and have to think of 10 dishes all by myself. We're given freedom on the specials, and the sous chefs and cooks all contribute. They do a good job. They are passionate about what they do."

Mitchell, a self-taught cook, was working at the Foxburg Inn, in Clarion County, three years ago when the opportunity arose to become a line chef at Adams Township's Springfield Grille, the third of its kind among seven restaurants operated by the Springfield Restaurant Group, with headquarters in Mercer, Mercer County.

He already had worked the kitchen at another Springfield-owned location and liked it; the restaurants include the Iron Bridge Inn, the inaugural restaurant, founded in 1979, Rachel's Roadhouse and Springfield Grille, in Mercer; Log Cabin Inn, Zelienople, Butler County; Hickory Bar and Grille, Hermitage, Mercer County; and another Springfield Grille in Boardman, Ohio.

The company is privately owned by businessman John McKinley.

"He's a great guy to work for," says Mitchell. "He knows a lot about what he's doing, and he pays attention to our input."

Springfield Grille features "modern American cuisine in a white-tablecloth, casual atmosphere," says the chef, who also gained experience at Penn Brewery, on the North Side. About the only item not prepared on premises, he say, is a low-fat raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing.

"We do all the stocks, soups, the buns for sandwiches, hamburgers and hoagies and the salad dressings," he says.

Desserts are in-house, too, prepared by a pastry chef.

The stars of the menu are steaks, pork and lamb -- center-cut filets, top sirloins, New York strips, frenched pork chops, fire-grilled baby back ribs and New Zealand rack of lamb. Each comes with a choice of sauces, from a creamy blue cheese-butter mixture perked up with cayenne pepper, to a mushroom Marsala shrimp sauce flavored with basil.

Jumbo lump crab cakes head the seafood selection, joined by ahi tuna, dry scallops, fresh catch of the day, halibut, orange roughy, shrimp and haddock. Side dishes include oven-roasted vegetables, steamed broccoli, sweet potato "streusel," coleslaw and Idaho baked potatoes the size of a football player's fist.

There is an array of entree salads -- with beef filet, gilled chicken, ahi tuna or a stacked Cobb -- as well as sandwiches, including burgers, crab cakes, a turkey club and chicken dip. Stuffed Chicken Marsala is one of four poultry entrees, and there are four main-dish pastas, featuring angel hair, penne and linguine with marinara, cheese, chicken and seafood sauces.

The restaurant seats about 180 people, says the chef, with accommodations for 36 in a private party room that sometimes is used for overflow diners awaiting tables.

For Cooking Class, Mitchell offers Chicken Francaise, one of the most popular entrees at Springfield Grille, featuring chicken breast cutlets in a wine and lemon sauce, accompanied by sauteed asparagus.

Springfield Grille, 7001 Crider Road, Adams Township, is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Details: 724-778-8700.

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Chicken Francaise

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If desired, garnish one side of the plate with some mixed field greens and halved cherry tomatoes.

• 1/4 to 1/2 pound fresh asparagus spears
• Boiling water
• Ice water
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast half (8 ounces), butterflied
• All-purpose flour, for dusting chicken
• Beaten egg, for coating chicken
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) olive oil-vegetable oil blend
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) sherry or white wine
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) chicken stock or broth
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, divided
• 3 whole lemon slices, seeds removed
• Finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus spears, blanched
• Paprika, for garnish

Plunge the asparagus spears into boiling water and cook for no longer than 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and put them into the ice bath until they are thoroughly chilled. Pat dry and set aside.

Using a very sharp knife, cut the butterflied chicken breast on the diagonal into 3 thin slices (cutlets) about 1/4-inch thick. If necessary, pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thick so it will cook quickly and evenly.

Place the flour and the beaten egg in separate shallow dishes. Dust the chicken cutlets with flour, then coat with the egg (see Photo 1). Return the chicken to the flour to coat, dusting off the excess. Place the cutlets on a plate as they are coated.

Pour the oil blend into a large skillet. As it heats, add a pinch each of salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken cutlets (Photo 2) and cook until golden brown on the bottom, for 2-3 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue cooking until the other side is browned, for 2-3 minutes.

Keeping the chicken in the pan, drain off the excess oil, if any. Splash in the sherry and return to the stove, being careful because the sherry might ignite. When the alcohol has cooked off, squeeze in the lemon juice and add the chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a "loose gravy" consistency. If desired, place a whole lemon slice on top of each cutlet (Photo 3).

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saute pan with the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Add the asparagus (Photo 4) and toss until heated through and crisp-tender.

Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces and swirl into the pan with the chicken to thicken the sauce. Let heat until bubbly.

To plate: Lay the chicken cutlets on one side of a dinner plate, overlapping slightly and, if the lemon slices were not used as the chicken cooked, place one onto each piece of chicken. Place the asparagus on the other side (Photo 5). Sprinkle with parsley, then dust the edges of the plate with paprika.

Makes 1 serving.

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