HOLIDAY APPS for EATING, NOT CLICKING

Beets and Goats Bruschetta

I've always fallen for that old holiday song about "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." and it conjures up in my head some silly, romantic notion of sitting by the fire and all chores are done, food prepared, gifts wrapped, and there's nothing to do but smell the chestnuts roasting, which I have never, ever done - smelled chestnuts, nor gotten everything done just so. 

Bah Humbug!

Most know that I emit Scrooge-like squawks this time of year.  The holidays just come loaded with such grand expectations, mainly from my Inner Administrator.  And so I stress.

The "holidays" stand the chance of really, truly being that special time of year for making wonderful, magical, fun and humorous memories.  And so, with that in mind, I'm going to push Scrooge aside and plan on gathering with some special friends and my loved ones on several occasions.

And I'll bring one of the following apps, or appetizers, to contribute to the celebrations.  Finger food, each is relatively easy, not very time consuming, and delightfully delicious.  

My wish for all you foodies is to have a relaxing time during this season of sharing gifts, time with loved ones, and sumptuous feasts!

Recipes follow~

 *****     BEETS and GOATS BRUSCHETTA

            Recipe by Elizabeth Wiegand, author of THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK, THE NEW BLUE RIDGE COOKBOOK, and FOOD LOVERS’ GUIDE TO NC’S OUTER BANKS, all from Globe Pequot Press.

This version of bruschetta, a spin on the classic combo of roasted beets and goat cheese, makes a beautiful holiday appetizer.

Chop roasted beets; add chives and thyme; smear goat cheese on toast.  Voila!

3 medium beets, about 2 cups

Aluminum foil

4 to 6 ounces goat cheese

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

1 baguette

Chopped parsley for garnish

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash and trim roots and stems from beets.  Place whole beets in a large square of aluminum foil and seal tightly.  Place the foil package on a baking sheet, and roast in oven for about an hour, maybe a little more, until the tip of a knife goes into the beets easily. 

2.     Allow the beets to cool.  Peel (you may want to use gloves or a paper towel to rub the skin off the beets).  Dice the beets into tiny cubes, about ¼ inch or less.

3.     Meanwhile, set the goat cheese out to soften at room temperature.

4.     Place diced beets into a medium bowl.  Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs.  Carefully mix together.

5.     Preheat broiler.  Cut baguette into thin, diagonal slices.  Brush both sides with olive oil.  Lightly toast both sides under the broiler.

6.     Spread goat cheese onto toasts.  Top with beet mixture.  Garnish with parsley.

Shrimp stuffed "Dare" Devil Eggs

*****    DARE DEVILED EGGS  from THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK, by Elizabeth Wiegand, Globe Pequot Press, 2^nd ed. 2013

Watch me prepare this on WSLS Daytime Blue Ridge:  http://www.wsls.com/story/24193954/food-lion-kitchen-dare-deviled-eggs

            
What’s old is new again. . . . Deviled Eggs, a staple of Southern picnics and Sunday gatherings, are making their rounds at wedding receptions and chic cocktail parties.  Here’s a “Dare Deviled” version that includes either shrimp or crabmeat, two of the bounties from the Outer Banks’ Dare County.

            You would think it a simple matter to boil an egg, but there are many ways to accomplish that.  I’ve found this manner works best if you need to shell the eggs without marring the white.  If you unintentionally dismember too many whites of the eggs, just go ahead and make an egg salad. And as I heard Julia Child exclaim once, during a cooking class I was attending, “Never, ever admit a mistake.  That’s what parsley’s for!”

12 eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely cut chives

½ teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ cup steamed shrimp, chopped fine OR ¼ cup backfin crabmeat

1 teaspoon Old Bay, if desired or sweet paprika

1. Place eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water.  Gently bring to a boil over medium heat.  Watch pot carefully, and immediately remove the pot from the heat when the bubbles begin.  Cook for five minutes, then immediately remove from heat.
2. Drain water from pot, and run cold water over the eggs until water remains cold, about 2 minutes.
3. Peel the eggs.  The best method is to tap them all over on the countertop.  Start at the big end where there is usually an air pocket, and carefully slide the shell away from the whites.  Rinse each egg quickly in cold water if needed to remove any pieces of shell. 
4. Slice each egg in two lengthwise, and carefully pop or scoop out the yolk into a mixing bowl. 
5. Mash the yolks with a fork, then add mayonnaise, mustard, chives, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.  Then gently fold in either shrimp or crabmeat.
6. Stuff the middle of each egg white with the yolk mixture, and arrange on a serving plate or platter.  Sprinkle the tops with either Old Bay or paprika.

YIELD:  24 stuffed eggs (if you’re lucky!)

****   SHRIMP SALAD from NORTH BANKS, from FOOD LOVERS GUIDE TO NC'S OUTER BANKS, by Elizabeth Wiegand, Globe Pequot Press, 2013

            Driving up to Corolla may feel like you’re driving to the end of the earth.  But there’s a heavenly stop before you get to the end of the road.  North Banks Restaurant and Raw Bar, in the TimBuck II shopping center, has a fantastic menu featuring local, coastal cuisine, as well as great dishes from around the globe.  I’ve enjoyed many lovely meals at this casual eatery.

            Here’s a great recipe for Shrimp Salad that can be used to fill lettuce leaves, or sandwich wraps, or in a bun, or enjoyed just by itself.  It makes a vast quantity, perhaps good to have on hand for the start of a vacation.  Otherwise, size it down according to your needs.  If you have time, roast your own red peppers over a hot grill or under the broiler, then peel and chop.

6 pounds shrimp, cooked and chopped

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup whole water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 cup chopped red onion

2 to 3 cups mayonnaise, according to preference

1 teaspoon and a pinch of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

Place the celery, water chestnuts, red pepper and onion in the food processor.  Process until all is finely minced.  (Or finely chop all.)

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and add other ingredients.  Mix well.  Chill and serve.

YIELD:  About 12 servings

HWY 12 SOUTH - Hatteras & Ocracoke

FRESH & LOCAL - that is what I preach.  And that is what you'll find on the Outer Banks.  Tender, flaky tile fish, at Ketch 55 in Avon or the Blue Moon Beach Grill in Nags Head.  Sheepshead at The Back Porch on Ocracoke.  Fresh crab cakes with remoulade at the Flying Melon Cafe, also on Ocracoke.



And beautiful dry scallops, brought in fresh that day in big, muslin bags to the Ocracoke Seafood market.  A pound of those beauties found their way to my ice chest, to appease those left working back home.  Check out how they were cooked, and a recipe, below.








HWY 12 SOUTH

Bodie Island Lighthouse

NC HWY 12 is open.  Flowing south (and north!).  Past one of my favorite haunts, the Bodie Island Lighthouse, now re-opened for climbing.  The heat and I rolled past the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, where I stopped to see if any boats were in yet with the day's charter haul.  I was too early.

Charter Boats lined up at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center

Down HWY 12, past the temporary bridge, where the sand seems to be gathering on either side, past the high buildup of sand, pushed there ever too frequently to keep the ocean at bay, and on into Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, past Avon to Buxton, where I stopped to chat with Gee Gee at Buxton Books, one of the greatest little indy bookstores, and for dinner at Rusty's Surf & Turf.

Summertime on the Outer Banks is a real trip.  Patience must rule, with traffic, the heat, and frequent thunderstorms.  There's usually a wait anywhere you want to eat, but take it from this foodie, it's worth it.  Like at Ketch 55, in Avon, where a delightful filet of tilefish balanced on a bed of orzo with fresh veggies spilling out.

THE GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC MUSEUM is a fascinating place to explore and cool off. And they have frequent talks, about the civil war and World War II on the island, as well as culinary demos and talks by folks like myself, promoting both THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK and my newest, FOOD LOVERS' GUIDE TO NC'S OUTER BANKS.

Tuna Udon, from THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK

With beautiful, brilliant red pieces of yellowfin tuna from Harbor House Seafood in Hatteras, we chatted about foods and stories while I prepared TUNA UDON, this time with sugar snap peas, red peppers, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds over udon noodles.  The smells permeated the gift shop and artifacts, with folks seeking out where the delicious smell was coming from!




OCRACOKE UPDATE


At Dajio's, right on the main drag as you crawl through the village of Ocracoke, I smelled their delicious flatbread pizzas coming from their pub-side kiosk, now available during dinner through midnight. As usual, their terrific sandwiches and dinner menu, crafted from local catches, continues to impress my tastebuds.

Turning down the Back Road, I found where the Flying Melon Cafe had built their new, gorgeous facility, using artifacts and designs from their native New Orleans, like the charming interior doors to bathrooms and offices.  There's a beautiful spiral staircase that leads to a urbane waiting area.  But the thing that has not changed is the marvelous menu and local seafood.  As usual, it was outstanding, as was the service.

Eduardo has a new and improved Taco Truck, at the same location on the left as you come into the village.  He's added more outdoor seating in the shade.

Books to be Red, as always, is super friendly and carries a nice variety of books, including mine!  Stop in and see what best sellers you can find.  And of course, the Ocracoke Coffee Shop on the Back Road is THE place to catch up on politics wherever and the latest gossip, with the group of locals, mostly men, who gather on the porch.  Be patient, for I have never NOT had to wait in line for my morning coffee.  If you're on the waterfront, look for the relatively new Live Oak Coffee shop for a cup brewed "with intention."



OCRACOKE AND ITS FIGS

Miss Della made my day.  Actually, she made my trip.




The winner of this year's Fourth of July Ocracoke Traditional Recipe, Mrs. Della Gaskill has been making fig cakes with her own fig preserves just about her whole life, she says.  But now, "old age is bringing me good luck," she added with a grin while adjusting her gray topknot.  She hobbled with her cane to the backyard to show me her fig trees.

Ocracoke is famous for its figs, with either 9 or 11 varieties grown on the island, depending on whom you're talking with.  Just about every single house with any age on it has a fig tree or two in a sunny corner.  Islanders cover the base of their fig trees with clam and oyster shells, to allow the minerals to leach down into the soil and to provide a mulch to protect them from sun and cold.  Legend has it that fig trees will mourn when their owner dies....but more likely, they are languishing from neglect.


"Miss Della" has several HUGE trees, one that almost blocks the steps leading to her tiny shop, WOCCOCON NURSERY & GIFTS.  She points to one budding fig.  "It's started swelling.  I been praying for it, otherwise, there will be no fig cakes."  She takes phone orders and ships her cakes all over the country.  (252) 928-3811.  Her husband Owen, until his death, sold veggies and fruits at the nearby stand, and she has self-published her memoirs, A BLESSED LIFE:  Growing Up on Ocracoke Island, sold at several of the island's shops.

Ocracoke Fig Cake, recipe from THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK

 About that recipe?  She grins.   "Well, I do add more nuts.  And it's real moist, because I use a full pint of preserves."  But she's not about to divulge any more about her winning recipe.  I'll have to stick with the one I extracted from Dale Mutro for THE OUTER BANKS COOKBOOK.






REMEMBER THE SCALLOPS.......
Before the ferry left the dock, headed to Cedar Island and home, I visited with Patti at the Ocracoke Seafood market, run and owned by the Ocracoke Working Watermen Association.

There are 40 of these dedicated souls, commercial fishermen, who worked and fought to save the last remaining fish house on Ocracoke Island.  Everything sold is caught locally, brought in by one of the members, except for the wild Atlantic salmon they contracted and bartered for in Canada.  "Our folks here asked for it.  They like a little variety, too," says Patti.






The scallops she showed me were huge, firm, fresh, smelling like the brine of the sea.  And they were packed dry, meaning they had been treated with the utmost care from the water, while stored on the boat, shucked, and then brought into the shop.

Don't crowd scallops while searing.

I find the that scallops scream for a simple prep.  Sear them quickly in just a little oil, cooking on one side for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Don't crowd them in the pan, or else they'll steam.  Flip them, and add a nugget of butter.  After a minute or two, no more, take them off the heat.

I served these with a quick saute of spinach with garlic and mushrooms, a little red pepper strips, on top of some leftover, warmed up udon noodles.  A little dusting of chopped chives, salt and pepper, and there you have it.

Delicious.  Simple, easy, fresh.  Wow!

NEW! FOOD LOVERS' GUIDE TO NC'S OUTER BANKS

Hey you beach lovers of the Outer Banks! Know where to find crab grenades?  Apple Uglies?  Hatteras Flats?  And fish so fresh the name of the fisherman who caught it is on the menu?

You'll find that, as well as where to sip local brews...... do wine tastings....... get dinner in flip flops and ON frisbees ...... have pizza delivered on the beach ..... where kids and large parties are accommodated .......food festivals to attend, culinary tours to take ....... kitchen stores with steamers and crab pickers ...... and anything and everything to do with food on the Outer Banks.  Even personal chefs who'll come to your rental kitchen, make and serve you dinner, then clean it all up.  You get a price range, what style of food, addresses and contact info.

And, there's a dozen great, simple recipes from chefs and foodies for you to try at home.

Here's a sampling of dishes and scenes you'll find on the Outer Banks:

                                          A Hatteras Flat, at Cafe 12 in Avon

 
                                   Tempura-fried soft shells over jasmine rice at Dajio on Ocracoke.......do you know what Dajio is an acronym for?

         
        Get to Ocracoke on a ferry, ditch your car, and ride a bike to dinner and everywhere!

                   This, folks, is what the food scene is all about on the Outer Banks!

               




       The herb and vegetable garden outside of Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe

You'll find the fisherman's name on the menu who caught this fish at Basnight's Lone Cedar!

       

Scallops and greens at The Brine & The Bottle, Nags Head, on the Causeway

Beet juice flavors this John Dory caught in the Pamlico Sounds, served up at Ketch 55 in Avon

Fresh tuna at Blue Moon Beach Grill
        in Nags Head














Look for this logo at restaurants and markets while on Ocracoke Island












And there's so much more, about 200 restaurants, markets, and stores described, and a dozen great, simple recipes from chefs and foodies, and a heads-up on what kind of food you'll find, brief histories, and interesting food tidbits!

Email me for a signed copy, or get to your independent bookstore, or go online to your mega-favorite.