Hungry to cook some photogenic food? Lowcountry Cuisine sported two different covers this issue. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on the fun, so here are the secrets to the two stunning food presentations. Bon appétit!
RAPPAHANNOCK OYSTER BAR
Yes, the oysters on the cover are on the half shell. That means raw. Yum-oh! Rappahannock Chef Kevin Kelly kicked it up a notch and also supplied this grilled oyster recipe:
Rappahannock Grilled Oysters with Smoked Jalapeño Butter
- 1 pound unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 12 Rappahannock River oysters
- 6 fresh jalapeños, sliced lengthwise, seeds and pith removed
- Salt
Hot-smoke peppers and purée in food processor. Mix jalapeños into softened butter and add salt to taste.
Shuck the oysters and place on an open-flame grill with a dollop of the smoked jalapeño butter. When the butter begins to bubble, they are ready to eat.
THE RUSTY RUDDER
Talk about a tuna tower! Though it may look daunting to make at home, Chef Mike Eckert recommended that when you break the recipe down into four main parts, it’s really not complicated.
Rusty Rudder Grilled Tuna Entrée
- 1 6-ounce yellowfin tuna fillet
- Pineapple Hoisin glaze
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup kimchi, homemade or store-bought
- Sushi rice
- Wasabi aioli
- Wakame
Main dish
Prepare the glaze, aioli and rice. Sear tuna on both sides to desired temperature, brushing on hoisin glaze just before finishing. Drizzle olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add spinach and kimchi, stir until wilted. Set aside. Flash-fry the sushi rice cake until golden brown on both sides. Assemble dish and top with wakame and drizzle with wasabi aioli.
Sushi Rice
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 1¼ cups water
- ½ tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon mushroom powder
In a large bowl, rinse sushi rice with cold water three times, straining the water each time. Place in large stock pot with 1¼ cups water. Boil, then reduce to a very light simmer and cover. Cook until water is absorbed, turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix mirin, vinegar, sugar and mushroom powder until sugar dissolves. Scoop rice into a large mixing bowl and fold in mirin mixture until well-blended. Place on a large sheet tray and refrigerate. Once cooled, form into hand-size cakes. When ready to assemble dish, flash fry until golden brown on all sides.
Pineapple hoisin glaze
- 1 cup hoisin
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- Juice of 1 orange
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium-low heat. Reduce sauce by one third until thickened.
Wasabi aioli
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons wasabi powder
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ tablespoon of honey
- Dash of sesame oil
- Dash of soy sauce
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
In a food processor, process egg yolks until the color changes to a bright yellow. Slowly add oil and lime juice at the same time, making sure not to break the mixture. Add more oil as needed to thicken.
In a mixing bowl, form a paste with the wasabi powder, powdered sugar and rice wine vinegar, making sure all lumps are gone. Add this paste and remaining ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth.
By Anne Schuler Toole
