Annual National Road Dinner highlights local cuisine
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Chef Joe Carei prepared a five-course gourmet meal made with ingredients from local farms for the eleventh annual National Road Frontier Dinner held at Christian W. Klay Winery in Chalk Hill.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Chef Joe Carei prepared Sweet Potato Hash as part of the main course of the five-course gourmet meal made with ingredients from local farms for the eleventh annual National Road Frontier Dinner held at Christian W. Klay Winery in Chalk Hill last week. Also included in the main course were Venison Madiera, Roast Leg of Lamb, Free Range Turkey with Cranberry and Nut Stuffing, Succatash, and Herbed Saffron Rice.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Daria Cober of Fairchance (left) and Pam Newmeyer of Perryopolis and attendees explore the different variety of farm-to-table options prepared by Chef Joe Carei at the eleventh annual National Road Frontier Dinner held at Christian W. Klay Winery in Chalk Hill.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Chef Joe Carei prepared Frontier Pudding as part of the dessert portion of the five course gourmet meal made with ingredients from local farms for the eleventh annual National Road Frontier Dinner held at Christian W. Klay Winery in Chalk Hill.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Roasted late summer vegetable salad and mixed green salad made by Dr. McCarthy蘑菇视频 Kitchen in Hopwood was part of the five course farm-to-table meal for the eleventh annual National Road Frontier Dinner held at Christian W. Klay Winery in Chalk Hill.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Chef Joe Carei prepared smoked trout canapes as part of the starters portion of the five course gourmet meal.
When the National Road put the local farmers on stage for its annual Frontier Dinner Friday night at Christian Klay Winery, the consensus of opinion was: Fabulous.
The event, in its 11th year, had an even more locally-flavored, farm-to-table aura than it had in previous years.
The sold out dinner was a fundraiser to help the National Road Heritage Corridor with its mission: to strengthen regional economies through the conservation of cultural, heritage and natural resources, increased tourism, creation of new jobs and new investment opportunities.
And food is always looked to for strength and it was applied here.
Donna Holdorf, executive director of the National Road, felt that the cooperation between the Road and the farmers and farm-to-table movement is crucial to all蘑菇视频 success. 鈥淲hen you join together, it gives you a bigger voice. Better cooperation creates bigger interest.鈥�
The night started out with Charcuterie and cheese from Emerald Valley Farms of Scenery Hill, Butternut Squash bisque and locally sourced roasted vegetable salad prepared by myself, along with a Pasta Salad Athena from Dr. McCarthy蘑菇视频 kitchen, a farm-to-table concept located in Hopwood.
I prepared appetizers of smoked Laurel trout canapes and braised bear shooters were enhanced with products from the Republic Food Enterprise Kitchen. The kitchen uses locally-sourced products to produce a varied array of pantry goods and also sets up farmers market around the county. The trout was 鈥榢icked鈥� up with some onion-garlic jelly and zucchini relish, while the bear shooters were boosted by local blueberry preserves.
The main courses I prepared included an array of dishes from several area farms and farmers. Pasture raised turkeys provided by Footprint Farms was paired with a pumpkin seed stuffing. The Venison was prepared with Duda蘑菇视频 Farm peppers and onions, along with a splash of Christian Klay Winery蘑菇视频 Jumonville Glen wine for a very popular choice. Redrange Farm蘑菇视频 leg of lamb was slow roasted and delicately offset with a fresh mint pesto.
The Spring Valley community had a hand in the dinner by providing tomatoes, corn and onions for the colorful succotash and lettuces for the salad.
For dessert, Holdorf wanted to highlight the frontier of the Frontier Dinner. So the desserts were gleaned from recipes from the 1800s.
Almost all felt that the best way to keep the farm-to-table concept viable in Fayette County would be continued education and events like the Frontier Dinner.
1 pound smoke trout
Small baguette or pack of cocktail bread.
陆 cup herbed cream cheese
Jar of Republic Food Enterprise Garlic/Onion Jelly
Jar of Republic Food Enterprise Zucchini relish
Cut baguette in 陆 inch rounds and toast in oven. Brush with schmear of cream cheese. Place piece of smoked trout on cream cheese. Place 陆 tsp relish on top of trout and then drizzle with garlic/onion jelly.
2 pounds butternut squash
1 teaspoon olive oil
录 cup butter
1 small onion diced
陆 pound carrots diced
3 cups salted water, vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 up Jackson蘑菇视频 Farm cream
Salt and pepper
Pinch all spice
Cut squash in half, brush with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on cookie sheet, cover with foil and place in 350 degree oven. Cook until soft 45min-hour. Sweat onions in carrots in pot until slightly caramelized. Add cooked squash, water, allspice and simmer 20 minutes. Puree in food processor or blender. Reintroduce to pot and add cream. Adjust with salt and pepper.
Laurel highlands succotash
录 pound Footprint Farms bacon
1 pound Spring Valley tomatoes chopped
4 ears of Duda蘑菇视频 corn
2 cupslima beans
1 medium onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
Chopped fresh basil
Salt and fresh pepper
Cut corn kernels off of cob. Render bacon with onion and garlic, add corn and cook a few minutes. Add tomatoes and beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste.
2-pound venison leg
Flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium Dudas onion julienned
1 large Duda pepper julienned
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
Cup beef or venison stock
陆 cup Christian Klay Washington Jumonville Glen Wine
1 tablespoon thyme leaves or tsp dry thyme
Salt and pepper
Slice venison into 1-2-ounce medallions. Pound out with mallet, season with salt and pepper. In skillet, heat butter and oil. Dredge medallions in flour. Saut茅 medallions until browned. Place medallions in 9脳9 oven safe dish. In same saut茅 pan, saut茅 onions, peppers and mushrooms. Add redwine, reduce and add stock. Reduce until slightly thick. Pour over medallions, cover and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Cake
1 陆 sticks of butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
戮 tsp all spice
1/2 cup milk
Filling
3-4 cups applesauce(homemade is better)
陆 tsp cinnamon
Icing
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons apple cider or juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Sift together all dry ingredients. Add molasses then eggs to the butter and finally the milk. Add dry ingredients until incorporated. Press into 3-8 or 9 inch cake pans. Will be like cookie batter. Bake for approx. 15 minutes. Let cake cool then cut in half lengthwise so you have six layers. Place cut side up and spread half cup applesauce and cinnamon, place next layer on top cut side up and repeat. Spread excess applesauce around sides. Wrap and let sit for a day. Icing: mix all ingredients, adjust to desired thickness. Pour over cake before serving.