Food + Drink: Chefs' Night Out

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Chefs Night Out

A chef spends his nights in a sweltering kitchen filled with the cacophony of pots and pans, continual motion of multiple moving bodies, and never-ending parade of plates. So last spring, Peninsula Grill executive chef and partner Bob Carter and Hank’s Seafood executive chef Frank McMahon invited 11 culinary comrades over for a rare evening of fine wine and fabulous food away from their restaurants. With the promise of relaxation and camaraderie just one week before the rigorous four-day Charleston Wine + Food Festival, they accepted without reservation

The top toques of the Charleston food scene share a fellowship that folks from “Off,” accustomed to a more intense industry rivalry, sometimes find surprising. It is this sense of community, however, that has nourished the city’s rapid transition into a culinary destination. On this evening’s guest list: Donald Barickman (Magnolias), Ben Berryhill (Red Drum), Sean Brock (McCrady’s), Marc Collins (Circa 1886), Craig Deihl (Cypress), Mike Lata (FIG), Frank Lee (SNOB), Brett McKee (Oak), Eddie Moran (Mercato), Robert Stehling (Hominy Grill), and Michelle Weaver (Charleston Place)

Menu

• Local Stone Crab Claws, Shrimp, Clams, & Oysters
• Rabbit, Salmon, & Wild Mushroom Rillettes
• Swordfish Carpaccio
• Poached Skate with Lobster & Yukon Gold Potato Salad
• Roasted Rack of Berkshire Pork with Country Ham-Cheddar Creamed Rice, Local Turnips, & Bourbon Beurre Fondue
• Lou Lou Lemon Cake

1st Course: A Savory Start

Local Stone Crab Claws, Shrimp, Clams, & Oysters (Frank McMahon)

Rabbit, Salmon, & Wild Mushroom Rillettes (Bob Carter)

The chefs grab beers and hit the hors d’oeuvres, gathering round Frank’s heaping platters of local seafood and bragging about fishing—who caught what over the weekend. They gravitate to the local petite clams and meaty stone crab claws, true treats in this abundance. For more than an hour, they slather Bob’s rillettes on crusty grilled bread and fork pickled cherry tomatoes and foraged chanterelles, the conversation moving from food and whiskey to molecular gastronomy and boats. After a grueling week at work, they’re typical chefs unwinding—sipping suds and talking smack.

2nd Course: Fresh Catch

Swordfish Carpaccio With Lime Juice & Truffle Oil (Frank McMahon)

Bright with a confetti of pear tomatoes, lime supremes, lemon zest, minced shallots, and snipped chives and finished with a spritz of lime juice and truffle oil, Frank’s carpaccio of swordfish sparkles on the plate and the palate.

3rd Course: Haute Fare

Poached Skate with Warm Lobster & Yukon Gold Potato Salad (Frank McMahon)

Frank’s Le Bernardin background shines strikingly in this dish, which is pure simplicity in concept—fish and potato salad—but absolute sophistication in rendition, with beautifully executed “fingers” delicately cut
from the skate wings. Dressed with a lobster and grain-mustard vinaigrette and garnished with frisée, it is a dish to be celebrated.

4th Course: Hearty & Soulful

Roasted Rack of Berkshire Pork with Country Ham-Cheddar Creamed Rice, Local Turnips, & Wild Mushroom-Bourbon Beurre Fondue (Bob Carter)

For the centerpiece of the dinner, Bob serves some of his Southern favorites. With the luxe rack of Eden Farms Berkshire pork, he dishes up perfect baby turnips from Wadmalaw Island farmer Joseph Fields, unctuous creamed Carolina Plantation rice inspired by his grandmother’s recipe, and piquant homemade tomato jam. Feeling saucy, he pours the elegant beurre fondue sauce from bourbon bottles.

5th Course: Sweet Tart

Lou Lou Lemon Cake with Italian Meringue & Raspberry Sorbet (Claire Chapman)

Bob asked Peninsula Grill pastry chef Claire Chapman to create an original dessert for the occasion; the sweet surprise was the Lou Lou Lemon Cake. With rich vanilla layers brushed with lemon syrup, filled with tart lemon curd butter, wrapped by an almond-paste enriched almond sponge cake, and crowned with a towering Italian meringue, it was a showstopping confection.

The timeless music of Van Morrison wafts through the room as the evening mellows. Talk about travel, grass-fed beef, and bikes turns to kitchen war stories and tales of demos gone wrong. Eventually, the toasts begin: “To chefs and colleagues. To Frank and Donald for being here first. To Marc for starting the festival. To breaking down whole hogs. To a last night out!”

Lou Lou Lemon Cake

Serves

12

Ingredients 

For the lemon syrup:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the lemon curd:

• 1 1/8 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 yolks
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 10 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp. powdered gelatin

For the vanilla cake:

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. unsalted butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1 1/2 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

For the almond sponge cake:
Color Paste:

• 2 oz. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 oz. egg whites (whites of 2 large eggs)
• 2-4 drops yellow food color (number of drops depends on desired depth of yellow)

Almond Sponge:

• 3 eggs
• Heaped 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• Heaped 1/2 cup almond flour (or substitute all-purpose flour)
• 1 mounded Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 oz. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 egg whites
• 1 Tbs. granulated sugar

For the Italian meringue:
*Make just before serving.

• 1 1/8 cups sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 4 egg whites

To assemble:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Directions 

For the lemon syrup:
Bring all ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.

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For the lemon curd:
Place first five ingredients over a double boiler and whisk until thickened. Remove top of double boiler from heat and slowly whisk in butter.

Sprinkle gelatin over one tablespoon of cold water. Melt gelatin gently in microwave and whisk into thickened curd mixture.

Place in container, cool to room temperature, and cover. Must be room temperature before using.

*Baker’s note: The curd may be made several days ahead and refrigerated.

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For the vanilla cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a nine-inch round cake pan with three-inch sides with Pam or other baking spray.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and sift well. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in oil and vanilla extract. Add eggs on medium speed, one at a time. Scrape down bowl and mix again thoroughly. Add dry ingredients alternately with cream, scraping bowl down in between each addition.

Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Immediately flip onto cardboard cake circle.

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For the almond sponge cake:
Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl. Add flour. Slowly add whites to form a smooth paste. Add food color.

Spread about half of paste in a very thin layer onto a silicone baking mat. Drag a small spatula through the paste, creating a wave pattern by removing paste in some areas. Place mat on a baking sheet and freeze. The remaining paste may be frozen for future use.

Almond Sponge:
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Place first four ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer and whip with whisk attachment until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add melted butter. Remove bowl from mixer.

Place whites and sugar into a separate mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.

Fold whites into egg/flour batter. Spread batter gently over frozen color paste. Bake immediately for 15 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden and springy to touch. Cool, flip over, and gently peel off silicone mat.

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For the Italian meringue:
*Make just before serving.

Bring sugar and water to a boil and continue boiling until bubbles pop slowly and temperature measures around 248°F.

Whisk whites in a stand mixer until they are just beginning to form soft peaks. Carefully pour hot sugar syrup down side of bowl, increasing mixer speed and whipping until egg whites form shiny stiff peaks.

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To assemble:
Use a 10-inch loose-bottom round cake pan with three-inch sides or a 10-inch springform pan.

Lightly spray pan and dust with sugar to help cake release.

Place lemon curd in a mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with whip attachment, slowly whip in butter until curd comes to a thicker consistency. Place lemon curd cream in a piping bag.

Cut very top of vanilla cake off. Cut remaining cake into three even layers. Set aside.

Cut two 2 ½-inch wide strips of almond sponge cake. Wrap strips of cake around inside of the cake pan; you will need two to complete the ring.

Place a layer of cake on base of pan and brush with lemon syrup.

Pipe a ring of lemon curd around edge of cake. Tap pan on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Place more lemon cream in center of the cake and spread evenly.

Place second cake layer on top of cream, pipe with lemon cream, and top with third cake layer. Top last layer of cake with remaining lemon cream. Cake should now be even with top of almond sponge cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, unmold cake from pan and place on a serving platter. Prepare Italian meringue. Top cake with Italian meringue and lightly brown meringue to a golden color using a mini blowtorch.

Allow the cake to sit for at least 15 minutes so the flavors come through when eating.

*Baker’s Note: If you do not wish to use the almond sponge, you can assemble cake in a nine-inch round pan and cover in meringue. You will need to double meringue recipe to have enough.