Chef Challenge Recap

Though the forecast called for steady rain, the weather cooperated on Saturday morning and the third annual Durham Farmer’s Market Chef Challenge was a success.

Beginning at 8:30, Fank Stasio, serving as emcee, introduced chefs Billy Cotter (Toast), Josh DeCarolis (Dos Perros and Jujube), and Shane Magowan (Geer Street Garden) and judges Johanna Kramer, Ross Grady, Heather Greer Klein and myself. A modest crowd gathered on the market lawn when he announced the secret ingredient: Okra!

The chefs had two hours to buy their ingredients at the market and prepare entrees for the four judges as well as 70 samples for the crowd.

Muscadine Season

Each fall, I can't resist buying a pint of local muscadine grapes. Also known throughout North Carolina as scuppernogs, few foods have such a strong local connection. In addition to the numerous NC wineries that feature muscadines, NC State University's Cooperative Extension website explains Carolinians' unique love affair with this spunky fruit:


Muscadine grapes are well adapted to the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, where temperatures seldom fall below 10°F. Considerable injury generally occurs where winter temperatures drop below 0°F. Some of the more hardy cultivars such as 'Magnolia', 'Carlos' and 'Sterling' survive northward to Virginia and westward to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Muscadines have a high degree of tolerance to pests and diseases that makes the production of bunch grapes nearly impossible in eastern North Carolina. There is no other fruit with such strong personal associations for so many native North Carolinians. The fruit has a distinct fruity or "musky" aroma, while the juice by itself is sweet with a light taste and aroma. The fruit is very popular with native Southerners for making into wine, pies and jellies. 

I'm a big fan of the muscadine's sweet, mild flesh, but its tough skin and numerous seeds (there can be as many as five in each berry) can be a challenge. I found a way around the skin and seeds tonight by substituting muscadines for the raspberries in my dad's dessert recipe. We strained the sauce, then poured it over a bowl of vanilla ice cream and sliced banana.

If anyone has a favorite way to use muscadines, leave a comment! 

Whose Cuisine Reigns Supreme?

I'll be participating as a judge this Saturday, September 24 at the Durham Farmer's Market's third annual chef challenge.

Billy Cotter of Toast, Josh DeCarolis of Dos Perros, and Andy Magowan of Geer Street Garden will create meals using a secret ingredient in hopes of earning them the title of 2011 champ. They will also provide samples of their creations to market shoppers throughout the morning. Don't miss it!

Grilled Peaches with Rasberry-Balsamic Sauce

The Christopher males are not known for their desserts, but I mentioned in last week's post that my dad made a very simple one that everybody loved. The sauce features two different kinds of summer fruit and works well as a topping for many different foods. Apparently my mom puts it on everything from bananas to cottage cheese.

 

Grilled Peaches with Rasberry-Balsamic Sauce

2 pints ripe fresh raspberries

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

3-4 Tbs sugar depending on how sweet you like it

3 Fresh ripe peaches

2Tbs butter

2 Tbs brown sugar

Vanilla ice cream

 

1. Combine the sugar and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and heat until sugar is fully dissolved.  

 

2. Slightly crush the raspberries and add them to the saucepan.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes while stirring routinely.  

 

3. Once it's done, you can serve as is or put the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds for a smooth sauce.  The sauce can be kept refrigerated for 1-2 weeks.

 

4. Cut peaches in half and remove the pit. 

 

5. Combine brown sugar and butter in a pan and heat until sugar dissolved.  While the mixture is still hot, brush the peaches with the mixture on the flesh side.  

 

6. Put the peaches flesh side down on a hot grill. Grill until they are glazed and the peaches begin to soften.

 

7. Place a peach in a bowl, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and cover with your raspberry sauce.

A Family Meal, Starring an Unfamiliar Leaf

The Ohio Christophers visited us for Labor Day weekend. Any time the family gets together an epic meal occurs, so before everyone went to work building nursery furniture, throwing a baby shower and watching college football, I took them to the farmer's market for inspiration.

The market was as busy as I've ever seen it, but that didn't stop us from picking up fresh peppers, onions, garlie, eggs and sweet potato greens. That evening, we recreated Tony's Three Pepper Parade along with fresh fetuccine, sauteed sweet potato greens (recipe after the jump), tomato and bean salad and grilled peaches with ice cream and a rasberry-balsamic sauce for dessert.