Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

One of the premier destinations in Cary, North Carolina is the Umstead Hotel & Spa.  Its restaurant, Herons, is a five-diamond designated AAA establishment and Executive Chef Scott Crawford has been a three time semifinalist for a James Beard Award as best chef in the Southeast.   We have been fortunate to eat at Herons on two occasions. The first time was three years ago at a wine and barbecue pairing dinner.  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to talk with Chef Crawford and he was generous to the extreme by sending me some of his barbecue sauce recipes.  You can find them on my blog post about the event here.

Earlier this month our Son and DIL treated us to a Beer Pairing dinner there for our birthdays.  Chef Crawford joined up with Sean Lilly Wilson, Chief Executive Optimist and Founder of Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, NC.

I was amused by this picture of  Sean Wilson that appears on his website.  All I can say is that the above picture of him looks nothing like the guy in the three-piece suit that entertained us the evening of the dinner. That night he looked like the successful businessman that he is.   He is also a semifinalist for a James Beard award for Outstanding Wine, Spirtis or Beer Professional for 2013.  Sean has worked very hard for the beer industry in North Carolina.  He successfully lead the Pop the Cap campaign to change the State’s ABV cap from 6% to 15% alcohol content in 2005.  Raising the ABV cap has resulted in the proliferation of local micro breweries with a craft beer mentality.  In our area, Asheville has become a leader in the craft beer industry.  But the Raleigh Durham Triangle area is also going strong. What I appreciate about Fullsteam Brewery in Durham is Sean’s philosophy of plow-to-pint production.  He supports local agriculture by using barley, rye and other grains grown in North Carolina.  Some of his beers even use locally grown apples and sweet potatoes.  His enthusiasm is contagious and it was obvious that he and Chef Crawford had fun pairing his flavorful beers with the Chef’s delicious food.  Here is the menu.

 The first course was a passed appetizer on the patio.  It was Crab and Corn Fritters with Squash Butter and was served with Fullsteam’s El Toro Cream Ale.  I did not get a picture of the appetizer but it was so good that I am going to try to duplicate it.  The El Toro Ale is brewed with 100% NC barley and corn.  This straw-colored beer is unpretentious and very drinkable.  “A perfect beverage when you just want a beer.”  It was also perfect with the corn fritter.

The second course was Coal Roasted Gold Beets with citrus, smoked firewood honey and Almond Crunch.  It was paired with Hula Hoop Rye IPA.  Hula Hoop is a single hop rye brewed with NC rye, pungent apollo hops and crunchy granola.  Apollo hops are strong with notes of grapefruit, orange, pine, resin, spice and cannabis.  Do you see a pattern here?  The pairing was perfect.

The third course was Bacon Crusted Quail with Foie Gras, Hazelnuts, Date Butter and Pickled Pears, paired with  R&D Flanders Red Ale.   Quoting Sean here about this beer, “the  R&D Flanders Red Ale is a single batch of 10 gallons brewed on our home brew system.  Kevin, one of our brewers, brewed the beer last year and it had been aging for about 18 months.  It’s a sour ale with roeselare wild yeast and traditional beer ingredients; no curious Southern add ons.  The wild yeast lends a wonderful acidity that refreshes the palette, standing up well to that decadent foie gras.  A lighter beer would have gotten lost.  A hoppy beer would have overwhelmed the palette.  It was my favorite pairing of the evening.”  I have to agree with him.  Both the quail dish and the beer were brilliant.

The Main Course was Spice Roasted Venison Loin with Bourbon Buttered Sweet Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Trumpet Mushrooms and Rosemary Madeira Jus.  This was paired with Fullsteam’s IGOR Imperial Stout.   IGOR has a big aroma of roasted grains with overtones of dark fruit and coffee.  It is aged in bourbon barrels for three months before being bottled.  The big flavors of the meat and sweet potatoes paired well with this strong stout. We would like to try using this beer in Jamie Oliver’s recipe for Beef, Guinness, and Cheese Pie  that I wrote a post about in 2011. It would be delicious.

Dessert from pastry chef Daniel Benjamin, was called Cheddar Apple Pie.  It consisted of a Cheddar Parfait, Warm Cider Caramel and an Apple Pop Tart.  The crumbled cheddar on top of the parfait added just the right note to the whole dessert.  It was not too sweet but totally complex in flavor.  The dessert was paired with Fullsteam’s The Common Good.  This beer is a combination of NC malted barley, corn grits and Pippen apples.  There were wonderful overtones of cider here.

The collaboration of Executive Chef Scott Crawford of Herons and Chief Executive Optimist of  Fullsteam Brewery, Sean Lilly Wilson, was meant to be.  They both embrace the philosophy of the farm to table movement and execute their passions to perfection  They should take this show on the road.   Thank you both for a wonderful evening.

A tartine is the French equivalent of the Italian bruschetta.  According to Dorie Greenspan the French verb tartiner means to spread.  So a tartine is a slice of bread that has been spread with some topping or toppings.  We had company for dinner last night.  Penny of The Comforts of Home and From Harvest to Table and her husband were here.  When we had dinner at their house Penny served two kinds of bruschetta so I decided that toasted bread would also be my appetizer.  This inspiration from Dorie Greenspan’s book Around my French Table was one of them.

It seemed to be an unusual combination, but the flavor was refreshing.  I toasted sourdough baguette slices, spread them with softened goat cheese, topped them with strawberry slices, sprinkled them with pepper and finally drizzled them with a balsamic vinegar and apricot jam reduction.  So if you are looking for an appetizer that is something a little different but packs a big impact, this would be a good choice.

They were also easy.  Unfortunately I did not get a picture of them last night so I made a few more this morning and garnished them with fresh whole strawberries;  just in case you were wondering about the presentation Penny.  LOL. Last night they were served on a tray with some other baguette appetizers.

Next up, an easy dessert that requires no cooking but looks elegant.

STRAWBERRY AND GOAT CHEESE TARTINES  (Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around my French Table)

12 slices of a sourdough baguette, about 1/4 inch thick
Olive oil
4 ounces of goat cheese at room temperature
About 12 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Coarsely ground black pepper

Balsamic vinegar and apricot jam reduction – Recipe follows

Spread the baguette slices lightly with olive oil.  Toast them briefly in a toaster oven.  Cool slightly.  Spread with the softened cream cheese.  Fan the strawberry slices on top of each.  Sprinkle with pepper and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

BALSAMIC-APRICOT GLAZE (Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay)

2 cups balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons apricot jam

Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup.  Whisk in the apricot jam and let cool slightly.

This is also good on grilled chicken or fish.

Printable recipe

This quinoa salad is a lovely dish to serve with any of your Southwestern inspired dinners.  Quinoa is one of those grain-like seeds that have become fashionable because of both its exotic nature and because it is good for you.  Unfortunately its popularity has resulted in a price increase for this native South American staple.  It has always been a mainstay of the diets in the Andean highlands of Bolivia and Peru.  In the last three years the price of quinoa has increased three times.   Because of the demand for this healthy foodstuff, local villagers in South America have to pay more.  Some believe that the people are eating less of it because of the price.  But another theory is that because the farmers are making more money they can afford more imported products like white rice and noodles.  Children, given a choice between a sweetened water and quinoa drink or a coca cola will choose the coke.  But the farmers are happy and eventually the supply and demand will equalize and everyone will be better off from the consumption of this protein rich seed.  At least I hope that is the case.

I found this recipe on the Food 52 website.  Because it has so many of the fresh summertime vegetables in it, I knew that it would be a bowl full of goodness.  I love the way that the quinoa cooks up to almost translucent bubbles.  The corn is charred in a skillet with cumin seeds which brings out the flavors of both in a big way.  Add black beans, tomatoes and scallions and a lime and orange vinaigrette and you have a nutritious and delicious salad.

SOUTHWESTERN QUINOA SALAD

• 1 1/2cups quinoa
• 1 cup corn (or two ears of corn, with the kernels sliced off)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2cups black beans, cooked (or use canned beans rinsed and drained)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup feta, crumbled (I omitted this because I didn’t have it)
• 3 green onions, sliced (the whites and the greens)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 poblano chiles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice

1. Bring three cups of salted water to boil in a large saucepan. While it warms, rinse the quinoa well under cold water. When the water boils, add the quinoa and stir. Cover the pot, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes — the quinoa should still have a slight bite. (You want it well before mushy.) Then drain it well and add to a large salad bowl.
2. While the quinoa cooks, heat a cast-iron skillet or wok on high, without adding oil. When the pan is hot, toss in the corn, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are singed. It should take at least five minutes, possibly as much as ten. When they are almost done, add the cumin seeds to the skillet and toast briefly. Then add both to the large salad bowl.
3. To the same salad bowl, add the halved cherry tomatoes, the cooked beans (drained and rinsed, if using canned), the feta, the sliced green onions, and the smoked paprika.
4. Roast the poblano peppers until blackened. (I use the open flame on the stove.) Let cool, then peel, seed, and chop roughly. Add these to the bowl too.
5. Toss the salad together and add salt to taste. Then whisk together the oil, lime juice, and orange juice. Toss the salad with the dressing. Taste. You may want more oil or more lime juice. Adjust as desired. Taste again. Serve.

Printable recipe

My friend Penny of The Comforts of Home and From Harvest to Table is a multi-talented lady.  Not only has she turned her new home into a beautiful place to live by painting, sewing, digging in the dirt and creative decorating, but she is also an accomplished and creative cook.  This past weekend David and I had the pleasure of dining with Penny and her hubby.  The menu was posted in her kitchen.

We were seated in her cozy kitchen nook and enjoyed the crostini and brushetta while she stirred the risotto and we all had a chance to chat. It is fun to watch the hostess put the finishing touches on a meal.  It is smart though to have a place for your guests to sit well out of the way of the action.  Sometimes it is easy to get distracted when people are leaning over your shoulder and messing in your space.  Penny has the perfect set up.

Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of the appetizers.  But they were just perfect with a glass of crisp white wine.

I cannot say enough about the Creamy Corn Risotto with grilled shrimp and truffle oil.  This is a perfect summer dish.  All of the flavors of fresh corn are extracted from the ears.  The cobs are used to make a stock and the corn kernels are used in both a puree and a saute.  The risotto is creamy and full of the flavor of corn.  The shrimp with truffle oil is just simply the perfect embellishment to the dish.  I can see why Penny said “there were a lot of mmms going on from her friends” when she first made this because we were doing it too.  We all ate our dishes with a big spoon and I scraped my bowl clean.

Ah, Poached Pears in Marsala wine with English Stilton Cheese.  This was such an elegant dish and believe it our not it was made in a crock pot.  Simple elegance.  Penny and I both have The French Slow Cooker cookbook by Michele Scicolone which we love.  But she also bought the Italian Slow Cooker and this recipe came from that book.  It is a no fail easy way to poach pears and the rich sauce and bleu cheese complemented it perfectly.  I have a feeling Penny will have the recipe on her From Harvest to Table website soon so be sure to go over there to view it.  Here is her recipe for the risotto.  It might seem long but it can be done in stages and each component held in the fridge until the final cooking of the risotto.

This is a perfect dinner party menu.  I hope you give it a try.  Thanks Penny.

CREAMY CORN RISOTTO WITH GRILLED SHRIMP AND TRUFFLE OIL

RECIPE (serves 6)

Corn Stock

• 6 ears corn, husked
• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise
• 1 leek (white and light green part only), cut into 1-inch pieces

Corn Purée and Sauté

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs

Risotto

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Sartori Stravecchio cheese (or another domestic Parmesan  cheese)

Shrimp

• 24 peeled and de-veined shrimp
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil
• 2 medium summer truffles, very thinly sliced (optional)

Make the Corn Stock

Using a large chef’s knife, cut the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside.  Place the cobs in a large stockpot along with the onion, celery, and chopped  leek. Add 10 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat  and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain the corn stock through a fine-mesh  strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids. You should have at least 6 cups of  stock.

Make the Corn Purée

Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over  medium heat until the butter begins to foam. Add the onion and garlic and sauté  until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved corn  kernels, season to taste with salt and pepper, and continue to cook over low  heat, stirring constantly, until the kernels begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the cream, thyme, and 1 cup of the corn stock and continue to simmer over  low heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the thyme  and purée the mixture in a blender until smooth.

Sauté the Corn

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sauté pan over  medium-high heat. Add the remaining corn kernels and sauté until the corn is  tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the Risotto

Heat the olive oil in a large wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion  and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir  to coat with the oil. Add the wine and reduce the heat to a simmer until most of  the wine has evaporated. Add 1 cup of the corn stock to the pan and continue to  cook, stirring constantly, until most of the stock is absorbed. Repeat the  process with the remaining 4 cups of corn stock, making sure the stock has been  fully incorporated after each addition before adding more. Once the rice is  tender yet firm to the bite, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the corn  purée, sautéed corn, and grated cheese and season to taste with salt and  pepper.

Prepare The Shrimp

Preheat a gas grill to high.  Lightly brush the peeled and de-veined shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Place on grill and cook until pink, about 2 minutes per side.

To Serve

Divide the risotto among 6 warm bowls. Arrange 4 shrimp atop each bowl of risotto. Drizzle with the truffle oil and garnish with sliced summer  truffles, if desired.

We are fortunate to be spending some time with our family in Cary this week.  Kristen and Michael receive a CSA box regularly with all that is in season from the local farmers.  The above photo shows some of the fruits and vegetables that were in last week’s box.  They received fresh blueberries, peaches, heirloom cherry tomatoes, two small watermelons, fresh sweet corn, cucumbers and sweet onions.

Kristen made two salsas to go with our freshly caught (cornmeal dusted) grouper.  The first one was a watermelon and blueberry salsa that also incorporated the cherry tomatoes.  The second one was a peach and mango salsa with a bit of heat from a jalapeno pepper.  When asked which was our favorite, none of us could declare either one the winner.  That was because both were winners in their own way.

Not only is Kristen a great cook, but her brother David (as in “restaurant chef”) came to dinner also and offered great tips on how to cook the grouper properly.  It was cooked to perfection with a light dusting of cornmeal before being fried on one side, flipped and finished in the oven.  What a beautiful plate of food with all of the bounty of summer upon it.  Enjoy these  salsas with any of your favorite main courses.

4 small Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped (we used heirloom cherry tomatoes)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, chopped (discard seeds for a milder salsa)
1 cup diced watermelon
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
1/4 teaspoon salt