Notes from a Richmond Chef

Food related ideas, thoughts, recipes or anything else I care to share.
First Course from our Swine dinner this past Monday: Fromage de Tete, Savory Tomato/Berbere Jam, Watermelon Rind Mostarda, Sauce Gribiche

First Course from our Swine dinner this past Monday:

Fromage de Tete, Savory Tomato/Berbere Jam, Watermelon Rind Mostarda, Sauce Gribiche

sWine dinner at Secco Wine Bar on Monday, August 29th with guest chefs Jason Alley (Comfort & Pasture), Lee Gregory (The Roosevelt) and Lee Baedke (Enoteca Sogno). To view the menu click here.

sWine dinner at Secco Wine Bar on Monday, August 29th with guest chefs Jason Alley (Comfort & Pasture), Lee Gregory (The Roosevelt) and Lee Baedke (Enoteca Sogno). To view the menu click here.

Breath taking sky tonight looking west down Cary Street.

Breath taking sky tonight looking west down Cary Street.

Carytown Restaurant WeekPistachio encrusted Duroc pork tenderloin, fig and tomato confit, house-made labneh, fresh herbs A few days before the start of restaurant week we wrapped whole milk Greek yogurt in cheese cloth and let it rest over a tamis for two days. Any excess whey in the yogurt evaporated or dripped out leaving a wonderfully tangy, creamy substance called labneh. The figs and tomatoes were confited in extra virgin olive oil separately as the figs take longer to cook. Some fresh bay leaves and English thyme were added to the oil for additional flavor. To order, the pork tenderloin is seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and fleur de sel, rolled in flour, then in shiromiso-egg mixture and finally in a bed crushed pistachios. We brown it in a pan with a splash of grapeseed oil and finish the tenderloin in the oven to a perfect medium. Once removed from the oven we let it rest for a few minuted before slicing it in half. When plating we smear some house-made labneh on the dish with a small off-set spatula, then rest the pork medallions down in their assigned spots. Next, the confited figs and tomatoes are placed on the dish followed by an assortment of fresh garden herbs and a little of the confit oil.

Carytown Restaurant Week
Pistachio encrusted Duroc pork tenderloin, fig and tomato confit, house-made labneh, fresh herbs

A few days before the start of restaurant week we wrapped whole milk Greek yogurt in cheese cloth and let it rest over a tamis for two days. Any excess whey in the yogurt evaporated or dripped out leaving a wonderfully tangy, creamy substance called labneh. The figs and tomatoes were confited in extra virgin olive oil separately as the figs take longer to cook. Some fresh bay leaves and English thyme were added to the oil for additional flavor.

To order, the pork tenderloin is seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and fleur de sel, rolled in flour, then in shiromiso-egg mixture and finally in a bed crushed pistachios. We brown it in a pan with a splash of grapeseed oil and finish the tenderloin in the oven to a perfect medium. Once removed from the oven we let it rest for a few minuted before slicing it in half.

When plating we smear some house-made labneh on the dish with a small off-set spatula, then rest the pork medallions down in their assigned spots. Next, the confited figs and tomatoes are placed on the dish followed by an assortment of fresh garden herbs and a little of the confit oil.

Carytown Restaurant WeekTomatoes, watermelon, pearl onions in agro dolce, manouri cheese, salad burnette The tomatoes are quickly blanched and peeled to exposed their beautiful flesh. We juice the watermelon and make caviar out of some of the juice as well as an al a minute foam with some of the remaining liquid. Pearl onions are pickled in a sweet and sour liquid made with balsamic vinegar. Manouri cheese, a creamy and slightly salty Greek sheep’s milk cheese adds salinity to the dish and the salad brunette garnish adds a touch of herb/cucumber flavor. To finish the dish we drizzle a little Arbequina extra virgin olive oil and 20 year sherry vinegar onto the plate along with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

Carytown Restaurant Week
Tomatoes, watermelon, pearl onions in agro dolce, manouri cheese, salad burnette

The tomatoes are quickly blanched and peeled to exposed their beautiful flesh. We juice the watermelon and make caviar out of some of the juice as well as an al a minute foam with some of the remaining liquid. Pearl onions are pickled in a sweet and sour liquid made with balsamic vinegar. Manouri cheese, a creamy and slightly salty Greek sheep’s milk cheese adds salinity to the dish and the salad brunette garnish adds a touch of herb/cucumber flavor. To finish the dish we drizzle a little Arbequina extra virgin olive oil and 20 year sherry vinegar onto the plate along with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

Carytown Restaurant Week Menu
Pistachio bombolini stuffed with peach pastry cream

The dough is mise en placed the night before and mixed when we start prep the following morning. The large ball of dough is placed in a covered bowl and left to rise and a few hours, then it’s punched down and rolled out in little balls (picture #1). The bombolini rise for a second time until they’ve doubled in size and are then deep fried in peanut oil. To order we drop three bombolini back in the fryer for a few second and toss them in a ground pistachio/sugar mixture. Finally, we pipe them full of delicious peach pastry cream made from Agriberry peaches.

Enjoy.

Carytown Restaurant Week began today. Here is a photo of the shrimp dish, which is an option on the second course. You can view the menu here. Chilled olive wood smoked rock shrimp, charred corn, lime, fresh tarragon, sea salt (garnish: fried corn silk dusted with dried chipotle pepper and fine sea salt)

Carytown Restaurant Week began today. Here is a photo of the shrimp dish, which is an option on the second course. You can view the menu here.

Chilled olive wood smoked rock shrimp, charred corn, lime, fresh tarragon, sea salt (garnish: fried corn silk dusted with dried chipotle pepper and fine sea salt)