“Confit Duck Leg, Black Garlic, Pan Fried Farro Verde, Pear Kimchi, Embered Cabbage, Virginia Peanuts…” Honestly, when I hear a menu description like that I usually excuse myself (“Where’s the men’s room?”) and head for the hills. It is a chef in a thousand who can pull of a menu promise like that. As Flip...
Read MoreBest-of-the-Carolinas Barbecue Sauce Just because today marks the unofficial end of summer doesn’t mean that grilling should screech to a halt. There’s plenty of warm days ahead, and that means BBQ. This is my blend of the vinegary mop sauces, the mustard-based sauces and ketchupy sauces that hail from different parts of the Carolinas. All of...
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I used to make this all the time and then plain forgot about it. It is quick, rich in flavor and lots of good oils from the avocado. I use this on a lot of stovetop-smoked foods and most often with grilled fish or chicken. This summer I started pairing it more with vegetables, like these mini-cauliflowers from the farmers’ market. Sliced dead ripe...
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Caramelized is a word that has been tossed around so often it has almost lost its meaning. Technically, the only thing that can be caramelized is sugar, all other foods get their rich brown crust from something known as the Maillard reaction. Caramelized onions are really Maillard-ized onions but that doesn’t sound so good on a menu. To put it very,...
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So they’re ‘half-crocked’ because there is far less salt in this brine than most. It still flavors the chops and keeps them moist but it isn’t the salt-fest that most brines are. I also don’t like the super juicy effect that a heavy brine gives. It reminds of those hams in a can. Orange zest, thyme and honey round things out....
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