Thanks to L.I.M.E. for a Wonderful Benefit for Slow Food Charleston!

Keeping the Green Movement Alive

Slow Food USA cited as "one of the most dynamic of the food movement groups" in TIME article...read more.

SLOW COUNTRY CUISINE| Renata Dos Santos

by Wendy Swat Snyder

For Chef Renata Dos Santos, liming is a way of life. In her island home of Trinidad, it is part of the culture. There, liming is local slang for a casual getting-together of friends to share good food and good times.

A winner of the 2009 Laura Hewitt Culinary Legend Award, Dos Santos was shocked when she first landed in the United States and was unable to find locally sourced products readily available.

“In Trinidad, the majority of our food is local,” says Dos Santos, “either grown in the backyard or on local farms.”

She also found the concept of the “family table” lacking in the American mindset, and looked for a way to share her cultural heritage and bring people together in her new hometown.

The pieces fell into place during her studies at The Culinary Institute of Charleston. Dos Santos had watched a program on nontraditional dining concepts in China where people opened their homes to friends and family to share meals.

She loved the concept of getting back to basics, and L.I.M.E. was born. “We created the acronym,” explains Dos Santos, “local, impromptu, moveable, evening, to express the idea behind the event and bridge the two cultures.”

L.I.M.E. dinners unfold with an emphasis placed on mingling and networking during cocktails, and then gathering at a common table for a social feast centered around farm-fresh products. The venue is kept secret until shortly before the event.

“It’s become a huge extended family,” says Dos Santos. “Many of our guests come to all the dinners.”

Dos Santos shares a recipe for a cauliflower dish she learned from Chef Sean Brock, noting how a unique preparation can transform even a non-favorite into a winner. “It’s a long process, but definitely a labor of love.”

Brown Buttered Cauliflower

1 large cauliflower head intact, greens removed, 1 inch of the stem intact
8oz to 12oz butter
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt
white pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese- optional

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Place butter in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet on stove over medium heat. Butter will melt, then foam, then start to brown. Stir it carefully, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Add the entire head of cauliflower, stem down to the heated pan with butter (you can use a cookie cutter or ring mold to hold it upright and in place). To scoop the butter, tilt pan towards you and gently ladle butter over the cauliflower. Repeat until entire cauliflower is golden brown (about 20 - 30 minutes).

Once golden brown, place pan in oven and bake till just tender in the middle (about 15 minutes).
Transfer cauliflower from pan to a plate and sprinkle lemon zest, salt and pepper. Slice into four portions and serve warm. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Can be served as a side dish or as the main entree.

Short cuts: To reduce cooking time and eliminate the use of an oven, pre-slice the cauliflower or just use the cauliflower florets for basting step.

Sources: Farmers' Markets, Fields Farm, Kennerty Farms, Legrare Farms

Sweet Decadence Valentine's Day Celebration at Dock Street Theatre

Eat the Lionfish Dinner at Lucca Sold Out!

Photos of the event follow...

More on the lionfish-

How to conquer the invasive lionfish? Saute it.

By Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Lionfish makes for a stunning sight underwater, with its vibrant red hue and long, venomous spines. But it is also a relentless predator in U.S. and Caribbean waters, a trait that threatens coral reefs in the Southeast, Gulf of Mexico and beyond. Click here to read more...

SLOW COUNTRY CUISINE | Ken Vedrinski

by Wendy Swat Snyder

Chef Ken Vedrinski established himself in the early 1990s as an advocate for farm fresh ingredients heading up the kitchen of the acclaimed Opus Restaurant in the former Swissôtel Atlanta. He went on to garner the only Mobile Five-Star ranking awarded to a South Carolina restaurant at the Dining Room at Woodlands Inn. With the opening of hisTrattoria Lucca, Vedrinski, who learned to cook at the side of his Italian grandmother, has brought his culinary journey full circle.

Lucca - named for the town in Western Tuscany that produces his favorite olive oil - is a tribute to Vedrinski's Italian heritage. A semi-finalist for "Best New Restaurant" in the 2009 James Beard Awards, its menu showcases Lowcountry staples, particularly freshly-netted fish and local produce.

Recently, Slow Food Charleston asked Vedrinski to help raise awareness of the predatory lionfish now patrolling the waters of the East Coast, and he was completely on board.

"I'd just read an article about the lionfish," says Vedrinski. "They eat everything, and are threatening to wipe out the natural species unique to South Carolina."

Vedrinski also read that the lionfish is delicious, and that the best strategy for controlling it is increased consumption, so he's teamed up with guest chefs Mike Lata of FIG and Celina Tio of Julian to prepare a four-course dinner to support this sustainable initiative. The lionfish will be the centerpiece of the January 30 event, "Eat the Lionfish", as well as a new dish on Lucca's menu. Local lionfish hunter (and Lucca lionfish supplier) Vic Depuis will give a presentation.

Ken Vedrinski's Lionfish

Lionfish with Fregola Sarda , Lambrusco , Guanciale

Four 6-oz Lionfish filets

1 cup all-purpose flour

8 oz Fregola (large cous cous)

1 btl Lambrusco

4 oz Guanciale, cooked & chopped

1 qt chicken stock

2 shallots, finely minced

4 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 small carrot, diced

1 fresh bay leaf

1/3 cup olive oil

1 beet, peeled & chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Saute shallots, garlic, and carrot in olive oil till soft. Add Fregola, Lambrusco, beets and bay leaf, and simmer until wine is almost gone. Add chicken stock and cook until Fregola is al dente. Remove beet pieces. Add salt to taste. Keep warm. Put Guanciale crust thinly on top of fish and bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. Serve over Fregola.

Terra Madre Delegates Share Food + Thoughts at FIG

Terra Madre luncheon hosted by FIG last Thursday was an amazing food and fact-sharing experience! Chefs Mike Lata and Craig Deihl presented a 4 course menu inspired by their trip to Torino Italy to attend the international Terra Madre conference promoting sustainable local food production. Photos follow...

Photos | Terra Madre Luncheon

SLOW COUNTRY CUISINE | Jeremiah Bacon

by Wendy Swat Snyder

Chef Jeremiah Bacon’s love of local fare began as a boy growing up on John’s Island, where family meals consisted of fresh shrimp and blue crab hauled into his john boat from surrounding salt marsh creeks.

The Charleston native elevated his love of seafood in New York City, where he honed his cooking skills at the award-winning River Café, and went on to work at some of the city’s finest restaurants, including Michelin three-star recipient, Per Sé.

Bacon now focuses on building relationships with local farmers and fishermen to create a seasonally driven menu that’s brought national attention to Carolina’s and maintained platinum award status from the Sustainable Seafood Initiative.

Bacon’s latest endeavor utilizes locally raised pastured pork. “I love pork and I love to eat charcuterie,” says Bacon. An ardent fan of craft beers, he presents the sausages paired with a German larger or Belgian ale, noting that the light, crisp flavor goes well with the charcuterie.

Sources for free range pork are Keegan-Filion Farms, www.keegan-filionfarms.com and Caw Caw Creek Farm, www.cawcawcreek.com

Jeremiah Bacon's Charcuterie

Peperone

5 lb. top round

40 g. Kosher salt

6 g. Insta Cure #2

1/4 to 1/2 pkg. live starter culture Bactoferm

1/4 c. distilled water

9 g. cayenne pepper

1 g. allspice

2 g. fennel

40 g . dextrose

95 g. dry non-fat milk powder

16 g. paprika

2 T. red wine

10 ft. hog casings or 20 ft. sheep casings

Soak casings in tepid water for 30 minutes. Combine meat with salt and Insta Cure #2 or DQ Curing Salt #2 and grind through the small die into the bowl of standing mixer set in ice.

Dissolve Bactoferm in distilled water and add it, along with the rest of the ingredients, to meat. Using paddle attachment, mix on lowest speed to incorporate all ingredients, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stuff sausage into casings and twist into 10-inch links. Using a sterile pin or needle, poke holes all over casings to remove air pockets and facilitate drying.

Hang sausage at room temperature, ideally 85 degrees, for 12 hours to “incubate” the bacteria; beneficial bacteria will grow and produce more lactic acid in warmer temperatures.Hang sausage to dry, ideally at 60 degrees with 60 to 70 percent humidity, until completely firm and/or it has lost 30 percent of its weight, 6 to 8 days if using sheep casing, 12 to 18 days if using hog casing.

Fields Farm Picnic

Slow Food Membership Drive

Slow Food USA is offering a discounted membership rate of $25 this month only. If you've been meaning to join and haven't gotten around to it, this is a great time to show your support of this international movement and get connected to our Charleston chapter, local news and events. The special rate is good through October 22, so join now and add your voice to the Slow Food network of changemakers. Sign up here!

On-the-Farm Picnic tomorrow!

A dip in the temps makes this weekend a great one for spending a day out in the fresh Fall air at Fields Farm. Pack a dish and join us for live music, cooking demos and a tour of the farm. Check Slow Food Charleston website for more info.

Invitation to Imagine a Slower Life

A recent NPR interview of author Elisabeth Tova Bailey, whose life was transformed by an incurable illness, motivated me to find out more about her book, The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating: A True Story. Looks like a great read!

Certified SC Grown Campaign News

A recent AP article in the Post and Courier reports the SC Dept of Agriculture's three year old campaign to raise public awareness of locally grown products is succeeding on several levels. Read more...

Charleston Farmers' Market in Bon Appetit Survey

How great that Bon Appetit rates farmers' markets. In a September article they sampled lunch dishes from farmers' markets across the country and Charleston's ranked in the top 10!

Fields Farms is hosting Slow Food Charleston's annual picnic - come out and show your support!

A Shout to the Chefs!

Thanks to all the local chefs participating in the SC Department of Agriculture Fresh on the Menu initiative by dedicating at least 25 percent of their menu to local products. These efforts support local farmers and bring the freshest food to the table. We at Slow Food Charleston show our appreciation by highlighting a participating chef each month in Slow Country Cuisine.