In Good Taste: Harvest Dinner
Jeremiah Bacon, chef of Oak and The Macintosh, falls for the season with an autumnal feast
It all began with a conversation about bird hunting, a popular Lowcountry sport and one that Jeremiah Bacon enjoys with his dad. “We’ve hunted on farms and plantations around the state, especially in Florence, Walterboro, and the Santee area, since I was 14,” he explains. “I’ve done a bit of deer hunting, but I really enjoy the challenge of bird hunting. Dove and quail are my favorite.” The talk quickly segued to the pleasures that come after, when the birds are dressed and browning in the pan.
So, what would Bacon, executive chef/partner of Oak Steakhouse and The Macintosh, pair with a bevy of bobwhites? “I’d plan an earthy, medium- to full-bodied palate, dishes that have a rustic elegance as well as refined flavors,” he says. Those musings morphed from small talk into a menu, and the menu into a feast: roasted fall squash and root vegetables, Brussels sprouts—“they roast up great, too”—a simple purée of spinach for contrast, and a stuffing of Carolina Gold rice. “After a feast like that, dessert should be low-key,” says Bacon. “Perhaps a caramel pot de crème with a touch of fresh plum chutney.” All seasonally perfect for a special post-hunt dinner party or even as flavorful sides for holiday meals.
Oven-Roasted Squash
First Course
3 lbs. butternut squash
2 lbs. acorn squash
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch rainbow Swiss chard
Tzatziki sauce (recipe follows)
For the tzatziki sauce:
1 cup cumin seeds
1 cup Greek yogurt (fat-free is fine)
1/2 cup seeded and finely chopped cucumber
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Remove the skin from the butternut and acorn squash with a serrated knife, scrape seeds out with the back of a spoon, and cut the meat into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Place the cubes on two rimmed baking sheets and place them in the oven. Roast the squash until fork tender, about 20 minutes.
For the tzatziki sauce:
While the squash are roasting, remove the stems from the chard and trim off the ends. Thinly slice the stems on a bias and reserve. Rinse four large chard leaves with cold water and pat dry. Make stacks of the leaves, roll them into cylinders, and cut them into very thin chiffonade. Reserve. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the stems until tender, about four minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Use the rest of the chard on the platter with the quail.)
Toss the roasted squash with the chard stems and chiffonade in the serving bowl and drizzle with tzatziki sauce.
Toast the cumin seeds in a small sauté pan over low heat until they release a toasted aroma, two to three minutes. Cool to room temperature and grind. Combine one teaspoon of the toasted ground cumin with all remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve
Stuffed Quail
Main Course
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups Carolina Gold rice
4 cups boiling water
1 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 lb. Mepkin Abbey oyster mushrooms, cleaned with a mushroom brush
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. unsalted butter
1 thyme sprig
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
6 semi-boneless quail (Manchester
Farms brand recommended)
Swiss chard leaves, for garnish
Roasted cherry tomatoes
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and gently cook for three minutes. Add the rice, mix well, and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional four minutes. Add boiling water and salt. Stir well and cover. Cook over low heat until the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and spoon on a baking sheet to cool.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for three minutes on each side until browned and crisp. Add the stock, scrape the bottom of the pan to capture any brown bits, and cook until the liquid is almost gone. Swirl in butter and thyme. Remove from heat and let cool. Chop into small dice.
Combine the rice, mushrooms, and cranberries. Add salt and pepper as desired. Stuff the quail. Tie them off between the body and legs with butcher’s twine to hold the stuffing and season with salt and pepper.
Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in two batches, add the quail and sear until browned on both sides, four to five minutes each side. Place the skillet in the oven and roast quail for about six minutes, or until heated through.
Remove the quail from the oven and let rest for five minutes. Remove string. Place on a platter lined with the chard leaves and roasted tomatoes, and serve.
Roasted Sunchokes, Parsnips, & Brussels Sprouts with Sautéed Carrots
Sides
1 lb. sunchokes
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb. parsnips
2 lbs. small Brussels sprouts
2 lbs. baby carrots with stems
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Clean sunchokes with cold water and a brush, cut in half, and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and sauté for four to six minutes, or until lightly browned. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender, three to five minutes.
Wash and peel the parsnips and cut them into pieces about an inch long. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and sauté the parsnips for four to six minutes, or until lightly browned. (Be careful, they will brown fast because of high sugar content.) Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast them in the oven until tender, three to five minutes.
Trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts, remove any damaged leaves, and cut in half. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and sauté for about five minutes, until just beginning to brown. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender, six to eight minutes.
Wash and peel the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and sauté the carrots for about six minutes, until they are tender and have a light color. They should still have a bit of structure to them.
Serve the vegetables in separate groups or mixed together.
Caramel Pots de Crème With Plum Chutney & Tuiles
Dessert
16 egg yolks
1/4 packed cup dark brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. kosher salt
6 (5-oz.) oven-proof ramekins
6 Tbs. plum chutney
Vanilla tuiles, for garnish
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Place egg yolks in a large bowl and lightly whisk till smooth. Set aside.
Combine the brown sugar, milk, and cream in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the brown sugar starts to dissolve. Continue to heat until the milk is steaming and tiny bubbles have formed along the edges, but do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
Combine granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Do not stir. As soon as the sugar turns amber (ideally the color of a new penny), remove from heat. Carefully add 1/4-cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking until combined. Whisk in two more cups of the cream mixture, then whisk in the rest.
Pour the caramel cream into the yolks in a slow, steady stream, gently whisking the mixture continuously. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Strain the custard through a fine strainer into a pitcher. Skim off any foam or bubbles on top.
Pour the custard into the six ramekins, leaving a 1/2-inch at the top of each. Place ramekins in a roasting pan and carefully fill the pan with hot water until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully cover the pan with foil and place in the oven.
Bake the pots de crème for 45 to 50 minutes, until set. When done, their centers may still be a bit loose when they are gently shaken.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let the pots de crème finish cooling uncovered until the water is room temperature. When cool, refrigerate uncovered to preserve the burnished color.
When ready to serve, top each with a tablespoon of plum chutney and a sprinkle of broken tuiles.
