SFC Chef Series: Spring Bounty

SFC Chef Series: Spring Bounty took place this past Sunday eve at La Condesa.

Following tradition, chefs hit us with a delicious array of dishes that are seriously worthy of better quality pictures... so, please be sure to check out La Condesa's Facebook album.

Ned Elliott (Chef and Owner) of Foreign & Domestic kicked the night off with Richardson Farms Pork Liver Custard with piquillo syrup, nasturtium salsa, and sherry caramel.

It was subtle and amazing...and a healthy serving for each person at our table.

Paul Qui (Executive Chef) of Uchiko surprised us by going vegetarian...or so I thought...

Spring onion dashi, spring vegetables (squash blossoms, baby zucchini, baby carrots), goats milk ricotta..... AND dehydrated Uni.

It's hard to describe what I experienced as I ate this dish. The ribbons of vegetables were light and crunchy, while the broth was thin yet flavorful. The Uni was the perfect seasoning and the bowl was NOT big enough. Seriously, I could have eaten 5 more.

Shawn Cirkiel (Chef and owner) of Parkside gave us Sloan Farms Crispy Rabbit with green garlic, pecans, glazed spring carrots, and red wine sauce. Isn't this plate gorgeous? A great display of Spring ingredients...and colors!

Bryce Gilmore (Chef and Owner) of Barley Swine --and Odd Duck Farm to Trailer--served a Milago Farms Soft Egg with elephant garlic puree, and pancetta shitake vinaigrette danube. I really enjoyed the runny yolk all over my pancetta. Is it because I love breakfast?

David Bull (Executive Chef) of the trio of restaurants at the bottom floor of the Austonian (Congress Restaurant) gave us Grilled Lockhart Quail with red romaine, candied orange, and cardamon yogurt. The quail nicely cooked and the yogurt gave a nice balance to the charred romaine.

Zack Northcutt (Head Chef) of Haddingtons and Mulberry ended our savory courses with a Windy Ranch Osso Bucco with polenta. This blew my taste buds away. I was very glad this powerful, flavorful, succulent dish came last! Delicious.

Laura Sawicki (Pastry Chef) of La Condesa served her most complex dessert yet-- Soncrest Farms smoked egg parfait with marcona almond, Oakhill Farms strawberry, quinoa, pickled mustard seed, and smoked sea salt. 

I have to say that this is one of my favorites (top three with her James Beard House dessert and the pie she served at Outstanding in the Field) 

Every dish was paired with a magnificent wine or beer, but this dish was paired with this: Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal, honey liqueur, cream, and house-made Froberg Farm strawberry soda. Kudos to Nate Wales for an amazing cocktail.

It was an outstanding meal. I think my favorite yet. It's amazing how much talent grazes the kitchens of our very own Austin's restaurants. I feel very lucky to have witnessed and tasted such delicious morsels. 

SFC Chef Series: Autumn Harvest at La Condesa

 Last year I had the pleasure of attending the Sustainable Food Center first ever Chef Series dinner at La Condesa. I missed the one they hosted in the Spring, but as soon as I saw tickets on sale for the Autumn Harvest, I jumped on it!


This year was different. We started in Malverde for passed hors d'oeuvres, courtesy of Chef Zach Northcutt and some awesome cocktails by Nate Wales and Bill Norris. It gave us a chance to chat with fellow diners as well as sample the fare of Mulberry and soon to open Haddington's. 

I was also excited for Paul Qui to take Tyson Cole's spot in the kitchen (nothing against Chef Cole, it's just a great chance for a young chef, you know?) and the menu seemed more playful and fun...oh, and I was seated at the wives' (and significant others) table!! So, before each course, the Chef would come out and explain the dish, what inspired it, and then swing by our table to give us some love.


We started with a Catfish Terrine by Jesse Griffiths. This thing was KILLER. He served it with crostinis and raw jalapeños. I literally almost stashed it in my purse...classy, eh?

Todd Duplechan gave us the 'surf and turf' as boar boudin topped with butterflied gulf shrimp and apple rosemary. 


Rene Ortiz served caramelized pork hock and crispy belly, beetroot chili mermelade, creme fraiche, watermelon radish and basil salad. The drink was a sort of sake concoction that was perfect against the bold flavors of the pork. 


James Holmes' creation was crispy braised lamb, bison bresaola, yaupon honey and turnip puree, garden greens and mustard tuile. 


For his first SFC Chef Series, Paul Qui gave us quail, fuyu persimmons, fried cashew miso, marigold. 


Shawn Cirkiel's dish was interesting...to say the least. He called it 'Season of the Witch'. Imagine all of the seasonal veggies on one plate. It was almost like an aerial view of a produce fairy land. 


 



To end the night, Laura Sawicki gave us a goat's milk marigold cremeux, apple and quince confit, marcona almond brittle, pedro jimenez sherry gastrique. 




This was a meal like no other. The diversity in the chef's taste, inspiration, technique, and play on Autumn flavors was so fun to experience. 

You should definitely go to this in the Spring! 
P.S. - sorry for the pic quality ... oops!

The Inaugural Sustainable Food Center Chef Series : La Condesa

As much as I love food, I was hesitant to pay $150 for a 7 course meal... But when all the profits go to the Sustainable Food Center of Austin, and it involves some of the best Chefs, I couldn't say no.

Sunday.Nov.8. 2009
I was so proud of  myself for being on-time as I walked through the door at 6 p.m. sharp into the packed lobby at La Condesa. We were immediately handed a glass of champagne with apples and greeted by the hostess who took us to our table.

As we were served each course, each Chef would explain their dish and the local farms that provided the meats, fish, and produce to a dining room full of mouths watering.  

And so, the marathon of scrumptiousness began:

Jesse Griffiths Dai Due -Supper Club-

Charcuterie plate, dried jalapeno goose sausage, pecan and fig terrine, rabbit  rillettes, olive oil, liverwurst served with Independence Brewing Company Austin Ale.

What a great way to open the meal. The terrine reminded me of Easter at my grandma's house...Except hers had olives, garlic, and all kinds of Mexican goodness. Chef Griffiths' was fantastic with the mix of the sweet figs and crunchiness of the pecan.


Tyson Cole Uchi
Kai jiru, maine mussels, pedernales farms tomato water, celery, bluebonnet farms basil served with Fritz Haag Estate, Dry Riesling 2006

Tyson Cole + food within the same sentence= rock my face off. I can honeslty say this was the first "tomato water" I've ever had and it was a great first experience. The potent flavor of the mussels was toned down by the fresh celery and basil.  Who needs a spoon when you can sip your meal, right?


Rene Ortiz La Condesa
Roberto san miguel gulf shrimp, tamarind, lime and chile, texas crab salad, hands of the earth red amaranth with malpeque oysters, urban roots red chiles, local lime dressing with M Borealis, Montinore Estate, Oregon 2008.

It's no secret- I LOVE the food this magic man makes, but he outdid himself on this particular dish. Not only can he make your taste buds dance with cochinita pibil, he can surprise the hell out of them with a simple amaranth leaf.  He said he was trying to cook out of the box, wihtin his resutaurant and deliver something different (or something along those lines, I was too busy scarfing down my food to listen carefully). The tamarind, the amaranth, the sharp spiciness on the oyster, all very Thai and DELICIOUS. My favorite dish of the night. PERIOD.


Todd Duplechan TRIO
texas quail, green apple, arepas, green mole with Va Piano Signature Series, Syrah, 2007

You gotta love the guy for trying, but I didn't eat an arepa, or mole with the charred quail... No, make that pieces of coal on my plate on top of cornmeal goo and pesto. Very nicely plated, but pretty disappointing. I was very surprised because I'm typically a TRIO fan... an off night maybe?


Shawn Cirkiel Parkside
Loncito's lamb three ways, pardina lentils, butternut squash mostarda, spice with Nadia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara Highlands, 2004

So, when Chef Cirkiel got up to present his dish, and say how happy he was to be a part of this, and the importance of sustainability, etc etc... my food got cold. His lamb three ways was mediocre. I expected the meat to fall off the bone and the lentils to play around with the butternut squash... or just to have more presence I guess, but no. Sad.

But then came dessert.....

Laura Sawicki La Condesa
Texas olive oil ranch olife oil cake, poached farwell gala apple, salted candied pine nuts, texas ice milk with Fine Calvados Manhattan, cinnamon apple vermouth 

Think of the most delicious poundcake you've ever had. Got it? Now magnify the flavor times 1000...and then imagine it's olive oil poundcake, and then imagine it's topped with ice cream like you've never tasted before...cause you can't make out the flavor... definitely not vanilla, but then... what is it? Perfection, that's what.
I guess this cake doesn't even fit into the poundcake category--- it deserves its own.
She toys with your mouth--- fruitiness of olive oil, the apples, and the simple, yet amazing ice cream...mmmmmmmm!
I'm in love with this woman's sweets. I will soon write a love letter to her.

This was an amazing experience, perfect venue, great people, a sampling of the work of the masterminds that rule the kitchens in Austin... Definitely worth $150.
I hear there is another one coming in the Spring. I'm in!

http://sfcchefseries.eventbrite.com/

http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/