Photos by Aubrey Dunnuck

Pickled Carrots

Chef Erika Yochum

Feast Bakery Cafe 

A fun little garnish for salads or tacos or a mezza plate.

1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds (or freshly picked, thin, baby carrots)

Peel from one lemon

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup apple cider vinegar 

3 chile de arbol

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons toasted ground coriander 

2 teaspoons toasted ground cumin

1) Place carrots, lemon peel, and garlic in a large bowl.

2) Mix water, vinegar, chiles, sugar, salt, and spices in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until salt is dissolved.

3) Pour brine over carrots, lemon peel, and garlic. Weigh carrots down to keep them under the brine.

4) Refrigerate. Ready in 12 hours. 

Korean Barbeque Short Ribs

Chef Lake Hubbard

The Uptown Cafe

  “The inspiration behind this dish came while reminiscing about my travels in Tokyo as a young, aspiring chef. I wanted to recreate some of the things I tried at the Korean barbeque restaurants there. The savory, succulent, braised beef pairs extremely well with the sweet, soy barbeque sauce. I also make my own kimchi at the restaurant to complete the flavor profile. I offer the dish as a special at The Uptown Cafe from time to time.” —Lake Hubbard 

15 single-bone beef short ribs

2 cups pineapple, peeled and chopped

2-inch piece ginger, sliced

1/2 cup garlic cloves

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 jalapeño, sliced

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

16 cups beef stock (or enough to cover)

1) Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2) Cut short ribs into single bone pieces and season with salt and pepper.

3) Place ribs on a baking sheet, bone side up. Roast at 500 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until brown. Drain oil and set aside. 

4) Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

5) In a large Dutch oven, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add ribs and bring to a simmer.

6) Cover and bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes until tender. 

7) Remove ribs from cooking liquid.

8) Strain cooking liquid and let sit for about 15 minutes, until oil comes to the top. Using a ladle, skim off the fat. Add ribs back to the clean cooking liquid. Reserve cooking liquid to make Korean Barbeque Sauce (recipe below).

9) Glaze ribs in Korean Barbeque Sauce in a large saucepan, then serve with kimchi, steamed white rice, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds.

Korean Barbeque Sauce

1 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/8 cup garlic, minced

1/8 cup ginger, minced

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 cups cooking liquid from Korean Short Ribs

1/4 cup corn starch, dissolved in cold water

1) Bring all ingredients except corn starch slurry to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

2) Whisk in corn starch slurry until thick.

Boneless Trout

Stuffed with Crab Cake

Chef Seth Elgar

NOCO

 “This dish pairs well with full-bodied Chardonnays, East coast lagers, or a dirty gin martini.” —Seth Elger

1 batch Crab Cake Stuffing (see recipe below)

1 batch Lemon & Olive Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

6 boneless whole trout (known as “clear cut”; available at Butcher’s Block)

2 lemons, cut into wedges, seeds removed

1/2 bunch flat Italian parsley, leaves removed, sliced thin

seasonal vegetable of your choice, 1 cup per plate, prepared as you like

kosher salt

ground black pepper

canola oil

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a baking sheet on the middle rack.  

2) Open up each trout and season interior lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. 

3) Place a heaping 1/3 cup of Crab Cake Stuffing into each fish and spread it out on one side of the interior.

4) Fold the empty side of the fish over the crab covered side, making the fish whole again.

5) Pat the skin of the trout dry with a paper towel. This avoids popping of oil and sticking to the pan.

6) Heat a cast iron skillet or sauté pan on high, adding 2 tablespoons canola oil and wait for it to heat. You should see wisps of heat and just a little bit of white smoke. 

7) Add the fish, up to two at a time, and sear the skin for 2–3 minutes until crispy and golden. Using a metal or wooden spatula, get under the belly of the trout and roll it onto the other side. Cook for another 2–3 minutes to crisp the second side.

8) Set aside until all of the fish are done.

9) Transfer all of the fish to the hot baking sheet. Bake the trout for 10–12 minutes, until the Crab Cake Stuffing reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.

10) Place prepared vegetables and a trout on each plate, then spoon 2–3 tablespoons of Lemon & Olive vinaigrette over each fish.  Sprinkle on cut parsley and garnish with lemon wedges.

Crab Cake Stuffing

2 eggs

1/2 cup aioli or real mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

1 1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound crab meat

 1) In a small bowl, mix eggs, aioli, green onions, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay Seasoning, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.

2) Let sit in refrigerator, covered, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight, letting the breadcrumbs soak up the moisture of the other ingredients.

3) Gently fold in the crab meat, taking care not to break up the crab meat too much. It should remain in larger pieces.

Lemon & Olive Vinaigrette

2 lemons, zested

4 lemons, juiced (approximately 1 cup juice)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 shallots, minced

1 cup mixed olives (green olives, kalamata olives, etc.)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1) Slice olives into 1/4-inch rings, then mix all ingredients and refrigerate until needed.

2) This vinaigrette can be made ahead and be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Yield: 2 cups

Kung Rad Prik

(Stir-Fried Shrimp)

Chef Chitakorn Setmark

Bangkok Thai Cuisine

Stir-fried shrimp in Thai red curry paste is a quick and simple dish that can be cooked within 10 minutes. Fresh shrimp need to cook for a few minutes only; when they turn pink and curl up, they are done. 

4–6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

2 pounds shrimp (approximately 16–20), without head or shell
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced onions

1 cup sliced green bell pepper
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons kaffer lime leaves

2 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons palm sugar or cane sugar
4 tablespoons peanut butter
8 ounces evaporated milk

1) In a large wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir-fry until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.

2) Add curry paste and kaffer lime leaves. Stir-fry a few minutes more.

3) Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then season with soy sauce and sugar.

4) Add the shrimp and the green and red bell peppers. Cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through.

5) Stir in the peanut butter and the evaporated milk.