Gated alleys in Charleston are always intriguing.  May we come in?

COLD in CHARLESTON = CAULIFLOWER SOUP

     "Doing the Charleston" in our book means "eating well."  On a recent weekend getaway, our Christmas present to each other, we failed to miss a meal. We hustled to make it south through South Carolina to the Holy City, as Charleston is known, for Friday dinner at FIG (Food is Good), at the only time available, an early 5:30.  No problem.  We lingered over cocktails, then sated our appetites with three divine courses, finishing early enough to "walk it off" downtown.   

A Bloody Mary, spiked with a slice of country ham and a pickled green bean, is an excellent way to start Sunday Brunch at HUSK.

     After a morning walk, we ambled for a lunchtime worship at Sean Brock's HUSK, where only regional, Southern foods are served. 

      Not even olive oil was poured in this kitchen until Chef Brock found an olive grove in Texas that was producing a good quality oil.  Just the whole idea of serving only what you find in your region, in season, is so radical to many, but I love it, and that has earned Chef Brock accolades from the food world.  We were so enamored with our first meal, that back we went for Brunch on Sunday.  Unfortunately, dinner reservations require about a month's lead time.  

Consider the Source, at HUSK in Charleston, SC

In the meantime, we walked and walked to make room for yet another worship session at Sean Brock's table, this time for dinner at McCRADY's. 

     

REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

    I was delighted to find on these menus some of my favorite providers, like BORDER SPRINGS FARM's gorgeous and delicious Kathadin lamb.  And cider to pair with pork and rabbit from FOGGY RIDGE CIDER.  

    

 

CAULIFLOWER SOUP
     One of the dishes we loved at HUSK was a sumptuous, seasonal soup made with roasted cauliflower.  That bitter taste that cauliflower sometimes has just disappears when roasted, getting sweeter and more flavorful.
     So, when I got home, I had fun in the kitchen trying to reproduce that soul-warming dish.  I love that fact that it's so creamy, yet it has NO CREAM, unless you just can't help yourself and add it at the end.
     We had some duck confit on hand, and that made an excellent garnish and companion to the soup.
      And, it's EASY.  Please give the recipe that follows a try!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SOUP Recipe

1 to 2 heads of cauliflower
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 whole head garlic
about 1/4 cup olive oil
bunch of fresh thyme
about 4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
OPTIONAL:  1/2 cup heavy cream
   2 to 4 tablespoons chopped duck confit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break cauliflower into small clumps of florets.  Place them in a roasting pan.  Add onion.

Slice off the top quarter of the garlic head.  Coat it with a drizzle of olive oil, and add to the roasting pan.  Add 4 to 6 sprigs of thyme.  Then drizzle all with olive oil, stirring, until all glistens.  Loosely cover with foil, and place in oven until cauliflower is very tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove and cool.

Squeeze the softened, roasted garlic from its paper coat.  Remove the thyme sprigs.

If you have an immersion blender, place all roasted veggies in a large pot.  Add about half of the vegetable stock, and puree. Or, use a blender to puree with a smaller amount of the stock.

Pureed and simmering

After the mixture is pureed, add enough stock as needed for your desired consistency.  Bring to a soft boil, then turn the heat down and simmer gently to warm through.  Add more thyme leaves (removed from the stems), and season with salt and pepper.  When the soup is hot enough, stir in about 2/3s of the Parmesan.

Ladle the soup into bowls, then garnish with more Parmesan and parsley.  Add duck confit if using.


                                               ~~~~

2nd EDITION OF THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK has hit the stores!  Loving the new, color photos and about a dozen new recipes and stories!  Please let me know what you think.

LAMBTASTIC!

Border Springs Farm photo credit Mike Saurez

WISH EWE WERE HERE....

Shepherd. Lamb fanatic. Owner of a thousand acres of Southern Heaven within the shadow of the Blue Ridge. A bon vivante whose contact list includes the who's who of chefs from the Mississippi to New York City. That's Craig Rogers, former Dean of Engineering, CEO of his own startup, now owner of Border Springs Farm in Patrick County, VA.

Once a year, Craig welcomes chefs, food artisans, writers, foodies and other professional fans of lamb to his Border Springs Farm for a three day orgy he calls LAMBSTOCK. Think Woodstock with music under a bandstand, yes, but more importantly, as a humongous picnic that allows you to gorge yourself with tender, succulent lamb prepared by some of the nations top chefs.

This year, George Mendes of Aldea in New York City, one of Food & Wines Best New Chefs; Sean Brock of HUSK, winner of the James Beard Best Chef in the Southeast; John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, Miss, another contender for that award; and other big name chefs brought their staff and RVs or tents, slept in the sheep pastures and then for three days prepared lamb for our tasting.

EWE'RE HOT . . . . .COUNTING SHEEP. . . . BAAAAAD TO THE BONE (thanks to the American Lamb Board)

Here are a few things we tasted:

Lamb roasted on a spit supervised by Angelo Vangelopoulos of The Ivy Inn in Charlottesville.

Lamb tacos with a smoking hot adobe sauce, salsas. . . and did I mention freshly rolled, pressed on the spot, then grilled tortillas?

Lamb burgers, grilled with freshly made tomato catsup and homemade mustard.

Lamb posole, a spicy stew with hominy, salsa and fatback chips.

An older lamb, a whole splayed mutton, slowly grilled to 190 degrees like a whole hog, for a lamb pickin' by Jimmy Hagood, who owns the Que-osk in the newly opened Charleston Market. www.foodforthesouthernsoul.com

Clams with lamb? You bet, with Rappahannock River Oysters, too.

And to balance the menu, there was gazpacho, and collards, and more collards, and roasted tomatoes . . . .

And dessert? Cookies and a gorgeous coconut cake.

Lime curd, Lemon Curd and a Coconut Paste separate the layers of this Coconut Cake.

FOR THE LOVE OF LAMB, A RECIPE FOR YOU

Here's the recipe for Lamb Burgers that Craig Rogers shared with me for THE NEW BLUE RIDGE COOKBOOK, by Elizabeth Wiegand, Globe Pequot Press, 2010. (c) Please be nice and give credit.

BORDER SPRINGS FARM LAMB BURGERS

Craig Rogers loves to wax poetic about his Texel sheep and lambs, and the Border Collies he trains to keep them in line at Border Springs Farm. These lamb burgers are the very best you’ll ever taste, he says. The mayonnaise provides an exquisite, finishing touch. “Leave the catsup and mustard in the refrigerator in you want to enjoy a true, farm fresh burger,” he says.

FOR HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE WITH A TWIST

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 pinch sea salt

¼ teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 egg, large, fresh from the hen

1 cup olive oil

Optional: 2 teaspoons dill, finely chopped and 1/3 cup feta cheese, OR, 2 teaspoons mint and 2 teaspoons rosemary, both finely chopped

1. In a medium bowl, mix the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and egg together well, using a whisk or egg-beaters (or a blender).

2. Very slowly add the olive oil while mixing vigorously or pureeing in the blender. The final product should be whipped-cream smooth and firm.

3. To add a twist try folding in your favorite herbs and cheese once the mayonnaise is complete.

a. For one variation try: 2 teaspoons dill, finely chopped and ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled. The dill adds some pizzazz and the feta a nice texture.

b. For another twist try: 2 teaspoons mint, finely chopped and 2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped.

4. Let the mayonnaise rest in the refrigerator for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to set.

FOR LAMB BURGERS:

2 pounds ground lamb

1 onion, finely chopped

½ cup fresh mint, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 eggs, large, fresh from the hen

½ teaspoon red chilies, crushed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cumin, ground

1 teaspoon coriander seed, ground

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Homemade Mayonnaise with a Twist (as above)

6 Buns

Sliced tomatoes and onions, optional

1. Prepare charcoal or preheat gas grill.

2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well.

3. Form 6 burger patties from the mixture.

4. Grill slowly, for approximately 20 minutes. Leave the middle medium rare or to taste.

5. Serve on a good bun, with homemade mayonnaise, a slice of garden fresh tomato and onion.

YIELD: 6 Servings