In this issue — The Fire and The Hearth has moved to a new web site and Randy gives a tip of the cap to Rick Brown, his former webmaster and long time friend. In the smoker there is a leg of lamb stuffed with kale, a variation on a recipe from one of the South's great chefs, Frank Stitt. And among the restaurant reviews, Kathy and Randy dine with friends at the Four Seasons in New York and celebrate niece Kelly's birthday in Charleston, S.C. with dinner at FIG.
An occasional newsletter devoted to food, wine, and those things that make for a good life
May 30, 2008 — Vol. 10, No. 3
A new site and look, and many thanks to Rick Brown
For most of the 10 years or so that I have indulged in writing these scribblings, my friend Rick Brown has hosted them on his web site. Rick and I go back more than a few years. When I joined CNN more than 28 years ago, Rick and his wife, Jane Maxwell, were already there. A few months ago, Rick decided that Jane and their kids, Ben and Molly, deserved more of his time. He has now closed down his web site.
As a result, The Fire and The Hearth has moved to this new site. In the coming months, my sister, Patty Harber, will be adding to the archive of past issues.
I want to take this moment to thank Rick, who has not only been a webmaster but also has been a prodigious copy editor. I'm not sure he would call himself a devoted food lover, but Rick has always been a keen and curious observer, and these writings have benefited from his touch. Thanks, Rick.
A Variation on Roast Leg of Lamb
I want to say straight away that this is a variation on a roast lamb recipe featured in Frank Stitt's cookbook "Southern Table." Frank is one of my heroes, not only because he is one of the founding members of the Southern Foodways Alliance, but because of the philosophy of cooking he has practiced over the years.
As a young man, Frank left his native Cullman, Ala. and through a circuitous route that took him to Chez Panisse in Berkeley he ended up in France working with Richard Olney, whose book "Simple French Food" should be read by anyone who appreciates good cooking. That would be enough to put anyone in his corner. But Frank's genius is that he was one of the first to bring back French attitudes and techniques and applied them successfully to local ingredients. In the process he has turned Birmingham from a culinary backwater into a destination for those of us who love to cook and eat.
In his recipe, Frank stuffs a leg of lamb with mustard greens, a potent and tasty combination. But since kale is my favorite green, I decided to use it instead. I also decided to begin by smoking the lamb and then finish it in the oven. One other twist, Frank relies on the pungent quality of the mustard greens mixed with lemon zest for flavor. I've kept the lemon zest, but because I used a milder flavored green, I put chopped dried cranberries in my mixture. You could also substitute sun dried tomatoes.
If you don't own a smoker, or if you don't want to have that flavor, simply roast the lamb in the oven, the method Frank uses in his recipe. I feel the smoke adds a wonderful component.
What I have found over the years is that great chefs love for you to take their recipes and make them your own. I hope Frank would approve of this one.
SMOKED LEG OF LAMB STUFFED WITH KALE
Ingredients
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) dried cranberries
- 1 large bunch of kale, center ribs removed and coarsely chopped
- grated zest of one lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 boneless, butterflied leg of lamb 5 to 6 pounds (2.3 to 2.6 kilograms)
- extra virgin olive oil
Method
Begin by roasting the garlic cloves. Put them on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to hold them, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in a 375F (190C) for about 20 minutes. Allow the garlic cloves to cool, then chop.
While the garlic is roasting, bring a pot of salted water to boil and blanch the kale for 2 minutes. Remove the kale to an ice bath to stop the cooking. When the greens have cooled, strain them and dry them completely.
In a bowl, combine the chopped garlic, kale, lemon zest and cranberries with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
I had my butcher butterfly my leg of lamb, but you can also do this by slicing down through the thickest part of the meat, spreading the meat flat and pressing with your hands to make it flatter.
Salt and pepper the meat, then spread the kale mixture down the center.
Roll up the lamb and tie it at one inch intervals with butcher twine.
Light the smoker, place the leg on a grill rack and smoke it at no more than 200F (100C) for a minimum of an hour and preferably up to three hours.
When the lamb has been smoked, place it in a 375F (190C) oven for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 130F (65C) for medium rare. Remove the leg, tent with foil, and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes before carving.
Serves six with leftovers.
GEORGIA WINES
Realizing that we had not properly done the right thing by niece Kelly to help her appreciate the qualities of our fair state, we took a weekend trip to the Georgia mountains. We stayed on Lake Rabun, which put us in an excellent position to show Kelly around.
Among our stops was a fabulous breakfast at Savannah Street Cafe in Clayton where the biscuits are so light and fluffy they virtually float off the plate and the country ham breakfast comes with gravy, two eggs over easy and a whole slice of center cut ham for less than $7.
That was followed by Kelly and Aunt Kathy doing their dead level best to fortify the Clayton economy with a little shopping. Later in the day we were joined by our friends Larry Shealy and Gabrielle Numair, who drove up to Clayton from Demorest, to dine at Rumor Hazit. This restaurant bills itself as a fish house, and the Trout Primavera was sweet and good, but the kitchen also turned out a thick and succulent pork chop as well. This was not haute cuisine by any means, but my part of the thoroughly delightful meal cost only $87.71 to feed three people.
The real focus of the trip, however, was Georgia wines. Because Kelly is from the San Francisco Bay area, and because she and her brother often go sampling Napa wines, she approached this whole project with certain expectations.
Our first stop was to see our friends John and Martha Ezzard at Tiger Mountain Vineyards (2591 Old U.S. 441, Tiger, Ga., 706.782.4777). For years now Tiger Mountain has turned out big, tannic wines. What struck me about the latest vintages is how Tiger Mountain wines have grown in subtly and finesse.
Among the vintages we sampled was the 2005 Cabernet Franc, one of the best offerings yet and a winner of a gold medal. This is a big, robust wine with the earthiness that is the hallmark of Cabernet Franc.
We also liked the 2004 Rabun Red, which is, in fact, a Cotes du Rhone style wine featuring the American hybrid Cabernet Norton.
One of the best reds was the 2003 Mouvedre. It was light in color with a fresh taste and big finish. And now, for the first time, there is a white, a '06 Viognier, among the Tiger Mountain offerings that we found crisp and refreshing.
Our next stop was at Persimmon Creek Vineyards (81 Vineyard Lane, Clayton, Ga., 706.212.7380), which lies in a wooded hollow just a few miles from Lake Burton. Owner Mary Ann Hardeman did the pouring.
With the exception of the hybrid Seyval Blanc, the Hardeman's have focused their plantings on traditional French and German varieties.
We liked the 2005 Georgia Merlot, which was plush and fruit forward. The style of Persimmon Creeks 2005 Cabernet Franc was like a pinot noir, light, smooth, and refreshing.
Unfortunately, there was no 2006 Georgia Riesling to be sampled, but the 2005 Late Harvest Riesling was a sound attempt to produce a palatable dessert wine from Georgia grapes.
The next day, we made our way west to Dahlonega where we stopped on the square at Wolf Mountain Vineyards tasting room and were pleased by the crisp flavors of the Sunset Rose. Wolf Mountain's best offering was the 2005 Instinct, another Cotes du Rhone blend which was smooth and luscious.
Our final stop was a BlackStock Vineyards and Winery (Dahlonega, Ga., 706.219.2789), where we found a wide variety of delicious vintages. At many Georgia vineyards you tend to think, "Not bad for a Georgia wine." At Blackstock you tend to say, "These wines can compete with anybody's wines."
Among the wines we liked the best were a Sangiovese Rose which is light and just right in the place of a heavier red on a hot summer day. We also like the Sangiovese itself. It is a light-bodied red, earthy with a hint of spice.
There was an admirable merlot and a hearty cabernet sauvignon, both smooth and fruit forward.
But the wine we liked the best was ACE, a "family reserve" red named for winemaker David Harris' three children. It is lush and spicy with considerable depth that rolls easily on the tongue.
While retaining pride in her native California vintages, Kelly agreed that many of the Georgia wines we tasted were quite good and that a tasting trip was a wonderful family event.
Restaurant Notes
THE FOUR SEASONS, 99 E. 52nd St., New York, 212.754.9494 - We were in New York to attend the wedding of our adopted niece, Lindsay Miller, the daughter of our friends Jill and Bobby Ray Miller. Since we don't get to New York that often, we decided to splurge a bit — stay at the Waldorf and have dinner with our friends Steve and Lorna Langowski at the Four Seasons.
The "Pool Room" at the Four Seasons is an architectural delight, designed by Philip Johnson and Mies Van Der Rohe, with tall ceilings and spectacular views through the giant windows.
To me, you don't go to the Four Seasons because the dishes are going to be cutting edge. Rather, you can count on impeccable service and classic preparations that are simply first rate.
Among the starters, Lorna and Steve chose langoustines garnished with sea urchin roe and served atop a creamy risotto. Kathy had a lobster bisque with savory chunks of lobster that was creamy and rich. And, I chose the selection of oysters - Kumamoto and Malpeck - fresh and briney and served with two mignonette sauces.
With the starters we drank a delightful Cakebread Cellars 2006 Sauvignon Blanc that was crisp, dry and laced with minerals that played perfectly off the seafood.
For our main courses, Lorna chose the arctic char, a pink fish, milder than salmon. This one was broiled and served atop a citrusy sauce laced with grapefruit.
Kathy selected the carpaccio of bison, served with a celery root slaw. The meat, rich, tender and tasty, was a perfect accompaniment to the tangy slaw with its hints of lemon and mustard.
Steve and I both went for a classic — Dover sole. It was sautéed and then filleted at the table by our server. The fish was terrifically fresh with a wonderfully mild flavor punctuated by a parsley sauce. It was served with creamed spinach that was sweet and buttery. As I said, nothing cutting edge here, just a classic preparation done wonderfully well.
With our main courses, we drank a Domaine Callicot Meursault 2004, the wonderfully crisp and refreshing chardonnary from the Cote d'Or region of Burgundy.
Interestingly, in a restaurant where the main courses, like our sole, ran $55, the wine was very affordable. The Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc was a mere $65 a bottle, and the Meursault only $95, a real bargain.
When it came time for desserts, Lorna picked the chocolate soufflé, which as you would imagine, was soft and rich. Steve chose the cheese cake, dense and flavorful. And Kathy had the Grand Marnier soufflé, buttery and laced with deep orange flavor. I had decided to skip dessert, but the chef sent out a complimentary pastry shell stuff with balls of tangy fruit sorbet.
Terrific service and wonderful classics. The tab for each couple, plus tip, $368.22.
FIG, 232 Meeting Street, Charleston, S.C., 843.805.5900 — When we decided, along with nephew Patrick, to journey down to Charleston to celebrate Kelly's birthday in March, our food-loving friends told us not to miss eating at FIG.
I was eager to try it for a couple of reasons. First off, my old friend and cookbook writer Fred Thompson sent word I would love the pate and that I'd also appreciate the wine list. Second, FIG has an Atlanta connection. Executive chef and co-owner Mike Latta spent some time at the stove at Ciboulette which operated for a time in the Ansley Mall area.
The preparations are definitely French, but Mike also has a devotion to local ingredients which, he told us, you have to treat with "respect and finesse" to coax out to best of flavors.
Among our starters were an artichoke soup, a crispy leg of duck confit, the house signature salad of locally caught shrimp over locally raised radicchio, and of course, the chicken liver pate.
The soup was smooth creamy, with a lemony edge. The crispy duck was falling off the bone. The salad had really fresh, sweet shrimp paired against the slightly bitter edge of the fresh radicchio. The pate was laced with the flavor of pork fat that covered the smooth, creamy paste of chicken livers.
For our main courses, Kelly had the sea bass, cooked just right and set atop a smooth buttery broth studded with mushrooms. Kathy chose the steak tartare, one of her favorites. This one was fresh, rich and unctuous. It was served with a side of good crispy potatoes.
As for Patrick and me, it was difficult to say which of us had the best meal. His was a dish of beef short ribs slow-cooked in red wine until they were fork tender, then served in a rich, winey sauce.
I, on the other hand, had the cocotte, a traditional cast-iron cooking vessel, of seafood in a Pernod broth. This was a perfect blend of French technique with local fresh seafood featuring fish, squid, shrimp, and mussels in a savory saffron broth laced with anise-flavored Pernod. The dish was served in the French way with a spicy rouille and toast points.
With his ribs, Patrick drank L'Ecole #41 Recess Red, a Rhone-style blend from Washington's Columbia Valley. To pair with our seafood, I chose a classic white Graves from Bordeaux. Chateau Carbonnieux is crisp and lemony with that mineral finish you expect from the rocky soil of Graves. It is a perfect pair to any seafood dish.
Among the desserts, my pear crisp with a crunchy almond crust was excellent. But the scene stealer was Kelly's orange cake with walnuts, light and flavorful.
With our desserts, Patrick sipped Calvados VSOP, an apple brandy from Normandy, while Kathy drank a glass of Warres port. I had a glass of smooth, warming Armagnac reserve, while Kelly's orange cake was pared with a glass of orange muscat.
The dining room at FIG is not large, and is sparely furnished, but it is also warm and inviting. And Mike is holding to his dream of pairing the techniques he learned from French chefs, here and from working in France, to excellent local ingredients.
Dinner for four $299 plus tip.
RATHBUN'S,112 Krog St., 404.524.8280 — When niece Kelly signed up to spend a month studying Spanish in Costa Rica, she realized she wouldn't be at home to celebrate Kathy's birthday. The answer was simple. Kathy loves to have "birthday seasons" and this year we began it early at Rathbun's.
Kelly had never been, and we had invited our friend Emily Schmidt to go with us. I had only one concern. Kevin and brother Kent recently defeated Bobby Flay on an episode of Iron Chef America. Predictably, it is hard to get a reservation these days at Rathbun's.
One of the few detractions for me about Rathbun's is that during the height of the dinner rush, the noise level in the dining room can be a little overwhelming. Fortunately, we were able to go early and sit on the patio.
Kelly and Emily began with bowls of the soup of the day, garlic and fennel, which was light, smooth and creamy. Kathy selected the Soup 1-1-1, where an espresso-sized cup of the garlic and fennel soup, was served along side espresso cups of mock turtle and an unctuous charred onion soup with lemon, garlic and fennel.
I'm a fan of turtle soup and Kevin makes an excellent mock turtle. Chunky, rich, with a generous slurp of dry sherry to drive the flavors home.
When it came to the main courses, Emily picked the sautéed halibut, a wonderfully fresh, firm fish with a tasty, lemony sauce. Kelly chose the duck breast with Thai risotto. The duck breast came prepared medium with a spicy risotto, a bit too spicy, I thought, so that the flavor of the duck was a bit overwhelmed.
Kathy chose the chef's special of sand dabs, served in a lemony sauce with okra and tomatoes. The fresh flavors of the fish came through with this one, aided by the fresh crunchy taste of the okra.
I made two choices from the small plates menu. The first was a dish of sautéed chicken livers in a sauce made with fig molasses. The flavors were deep and rich with the molasses adding great depth. That was followed by a tart made of Jona crab. The crispy tart shell was filled with sweet crab bathed in a creamy mustard sauce. Delicious.
With our meal, we drank a 2005 Chateau Mirambeau, a white from the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. Based on sauvignon blanc, it was light, crisp and a great pairing to our dishes.
We had told our server we were celebrating Kathy's birthday, so out for her dessert came a peanut butter banana tart. It was creamy and delicious.
Kelly and Emily split a selection of four small desserts. The favorite for me was a chocolate cake with a Jack Daniel's sauce. With our desserts, Emily had a glass of late harvest moscato, tart and sweet with old fruit flavors. Kelly had a glass of Warre's Optima port. "Esta bien," said my favorite Spanish scholar.
Kathy had one of her favorite after dinner drinks, a glass of Benedictine and brandy. And I had a glass of Pedro Ximenez, the wonderfully dark, thick, pruny flavored wine from Spain.
While our server was excellent, the back waiters were, as I feared, a little too hurried and a bit careless. But the food, as always, was excellent.
Dinner for four, $271.63, including tip.
Here are random notes on other restaurants we've tried in the last few months:
THE NATIONAL, 232 W. Handcock Ave., Athens, 706.549.3450 — This is the second restaurant for Five and Ten chef Hugh Acheson. While it calls itself Mediterranean, in truth the format is refreshingly Spanish. While in Athens for the wedding of Savannah Weaver, the daughter of our old friends Kendal and Penny Weaver, we took the occasion to go to The National with my cousin Janet Kendal and husband Josh.
Starters included serrano ham with marinated Manchego cheese and boquerones — white, mild tasting anchovies — with pickled chilis and caperberries served on grilled bread. Both were just yummy.
Among the main course, I had a wonderful seafood stew laced with safron.
At the end of the meal we drank glasses of rich, silky Pedro Xemes with its hints of prunes.
Dinner for four, $304.
WISTERIA, 471 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta , 404.525.3363 — It had been a while since we had eaten with Chef Jason Hill at Wisteria, so when Kelly brought home stellar grades from college, we decided to go to Wisteria and celebrate.
Among the highlights were a bread soup and a crab bisque laced with sherry for starters. That was followed by seared scallops for me and crabcakes that, as they should be, were mostly crab for the ladies. Interestingly, we almost never see Pedro Xemenes on the dessert drink menu, but here was a third restaurant with this wonderful digestif. Dinner for three, $234.
CAFE CIRCA, 464 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta, 404.477.0008 — We're always excited when a new restaurant opens near us, so we were happy to read about Cafe Circa opening on Edgewood Avenue. On our way to see Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" at the Shakespear Tavern, we stopped in to find this an inviting venue with dark woods and soft light. The menu is Caribbean or Latin themed.
Among the starters were particularly good pot stickers with pork and a spicy sauce. The Empamadas made with turkey and served with a garlic-apricot sauce were also very good.
In the entrees we tried was a Mojo pulled pork, moist, lightly spice and flavorful as well as a mango infused spicy shrimp served with a dark rum sauce. Each plate was served with coconut rice and black beans. We washed it all down with a smooth Montebuena Rioja 2004. Owners Kevin Holt and Randy Hazelton both came by to check on us and to say their goal is to create a comfortable place where people can drop in for a good meal. Dinner for three $138.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Our friend and fellow Southern Foodways Alliance member Fred Sauceman is also the editor of "Now and Then, The Appalachian Magazine" published at East Tennessee State University. In the current issue is an article about ground cherries. Quite frankly, until last summer when they showed up at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, I had never heard of them.
As Roberta Herrin explains in her article, they grow wild, maturing late in the season. Each golden "cherry" is wrapped in a paper-thin husk. The fruit has a fresh, tart flavor, similar to the Morello cherries from Germany.
With the new emphasis lately on eating locally, I was especially glad to read about this delicacy and its uses in preserves, pies, and salads.
To know more about Fred's magazine, visit the web site of the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at www.etsu.edu/cass.
Until next issue, a votre sante!
Randy Harber
Vol. 10, No. 3
