New Blog and Website Address

Faithful readers, as of today, March 23, my blog postings will be current and available through my website. That address is the following:

http://www.hollyherrick.com

I hope to see you there!

Happy cooking and great eating to each and every one of you...Best, Holly

Small Plates, Big Flavor at Barsa

Several years ago, a wave of tapas mania hit Charleston with a clamor of small plates that slowly and mysteriously receded with the passing of long-time favorites like 11 Center Street, Meritage, Raval, and most recently, Chai's.

In January, Mediterranean restaurant maverick, Drazen Romic, opened Barsa, thus initiating what I consider a very welcome tapas resurrection in a town that was getting dangerously tapas-thin.

And, as Romic and John Ondo do so well at Lana, Romic and executive chef Derek Falta (formerly at Chai's) do equally well here. The ripe flavors of the Mediterranean, in particular lovely Barcelona, dance a sprite tango of Spanish twang on an enticing menu peppered with both authenticity and talent.

The dishes, like the restrained, sophisticated decor (spearheaded by Studio Caban), allow the food and the space to speak for themselves. Gone is the fluff and din of Shine (which, in my book, never really "shone"), replaced with lots of black, leather, wood, and a few touches of retro/antique Basque effects in lighting and massive original paintings. Faux painting in subdued hues on most of the walls adds to the old-world feel in the wide, open space at the corner of King and Line Streets.

Freely flowing drinks from the centrally located bar combined with flexible hours and a daily happy hour from 5 - 7 p.m. definitely contribute to Barsa's bar/lounge feel, but the food is restaurant quality of high order, any time of day or night.

I visited on a sunny, breezy, Sunday during Barsa's brunch service (11 a.m. - 7 p.m.), to find a relaxed, neighborhood mood and several acquaintances, which seemed especially Barcelona-like. Everything on the menu, from lamb meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce ($6) to tomato bread with ciabatta, roast tomatoes and manchego ($5), sounded delightfully delicious (there are even more choices on Sunday), so I asked for help from the bartender/server and my neighbors.

A pleasant mood settled in with a chunky, mildly piquant, veggie and olive-garnished Zing Zang Bloody Mary, followed by a plate of calamari ($7). Four, whole grilled squid were fanned around a central mound of fried, sliced calamari. The grilled "half" of the plate was dressed with olive oil, lemon and fresh parsley, and was refreshing, but the light, tender crunch of the fried calamari was perfect, especially with a nice, gently drizzle of a lemmony aioli. It was, however, the drunken goat fondue ($8) that practically had me bleating with glee. Thick, creamy and hot, it was served in a mini, ceramic red pot, swirling with golden and white cheese goodness. The tart kick of goat cheese was apparent, but there were several undertones that spoke beautifully of manchego and white wine. It's paired with grilled cauliflower and asparagus and thick slices of country bread that are just doughy enough to soak up the cheese, but firm enough to maintain an idyllic chewiness.

The fondue alone is enough to make a visit to Barsa, unless you count the crunchy, hot cubes of potato perfection in the patatas bravas ($3) that Raval so cruelly took away when it closed. I'm so happy to see them back at Barsa, which brings tapas to the table in a welcome, complete and authentically Spanish way.

Barsa
58 Line Street (Corner of Line and King Streets), downtown Charleston.
(843) 577-5393
www.barsatapas.com

Great Spring Eating Picks in Charleston

When warm weather arrives and spring is in full bloom in Charleston, the time is right for Southern food done right. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!


http://www.thedailymeal.com/5-must-try-restaurants-charleston

Duck Breast with Slathered Fresh Cherry Compote

Try this delicious recipe for simply, elegant late winter, early spring entertaining. Duck never tasted so good! The sweet, dark cherries pop with the mild heat of the Slather Brand Slatherin' Sauce and triple cream brie cheese smooths all the flavors out with mellow, creamy goodness.

http://slatheriton.com/2011/03/duck-breast-with-slathered-fresh-cherry-compote-triple-cream-brie-cheese/

My Mom's Sweet Rendition of Tart Love Cover

Great Goodness in The Big Apple

New York is the ultimate reality show-land of extreme "haves", extreme "have-nots", and just about everything in between from just about every corner of the earth. That's why I love to go there for a few days every year. It helps me get out of my protected cushion of a world here in Charleston and see more of what's going on "out there".

The itch usually hits in late winter or early spring. So, I found myself there this past weekend to scratch it, mostly with long walks around midtown and through Central Park, people watching. As usual, I saw a bit of everything; a spoiled, loud, rude woman chewing out a sweet waitress, ostensibly because her salad was too dry, but really (as everyone could hear), because her boyfriend had dumped her. She couldn't figure out why. I resisted a very strong urge to tell her. Next came friendly shop-keepers on Lexington Avenue, a classic Russian waitress at a classic New York deli breakfast who consistently bumbled orders and consistently made up for it with her winning smile. Then, of course, there were the tragic, gaunt, faces of the homeless, the displaced, and the poor. People with faces so hardened by hard times and sad stories, the depths of which are almost impossible to comprehend.

Which, with no small irony, brought me to the next step of my NYC journey, a fund raiser held at the ultra-swank, ultra-celebrated restaurant, Daniel, on Sunday evening (March 6). A cause near and dear to Chef Daniel Boulud's heart, Citymeals-On-Wheels has delivered over 43 million meals to the doors of frail and elderly New York City residents. Boulud has been on board with "Wheels" since 1988 and has since cultivated an annual gala fund-raising tradition dedicated to this important cause. On Sunday, Boulud joined Gerald Passedat of Le Petit Nice (Three Michelin Stars) from Marseille, France and Laurent Kalkotour of DB Bistro Moderne (New York) for this year's fete with a "Burgundy, Bordeaux, Black Truffles & Blue Jeans" theme.

I've been lucky enough to feast on Chef Boulud's delices on two prior occasions, so I knew to expect his trademark celestial cuisine. I've been to fund-raisers before, but never one quite of this caliber, so I didn't know quite what to expect there. So, with memories of that mean, spoiled woman freshly etched in my mind, I braved a downpour of rain and the unknown world of the New York elite, even as I entered it through the security guard-flanked doors of Daniel.

Soulful jazz musicians performed an endless stream of tunes, while Champagne and gin, thyme and honey cocktails were poured from the bar. Servers expertly navigated the 178 person-strong crowd with endless trays of goodness, especially bites of tender, peppery, beef. Chef Boulud and Chef Passedat were there, of course, greeting guests with sincere care. The crowd was an eclectic one - young and old, formal and less formal, all genuinely friendly. After the silent auction, guests were seated at large round tables over-looking the center of the dining room where the live auction would soon begin. Meanwhile, I got to know my table mates. To my right, was Harvey, a 46 year-old bachelor and self-proclaimed foodie who had made considerable concessions to meet the $1,000 per person price of admission and who, I would later learn, had not yet given up on love. To my left, a young couple expecting their second child, who not only love great food, but also love Charleston and make a trek here to the Isle of Palms every August.

Around this time, the first course from Chef Daniel's side of the kitchen arrived; shaved slivers of fresh, exquisitely buttery Maine sea scallops set atop a frothy, savory bed of celery mousseline, punctuated with the elegant fragrance and flavor of black truffles. This, like all of the courses that followed, was expertly paired with wine, in this case a Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1 er Cru "Clos Des Mouches" Blanc, Burgundy, 2008. Chef Gerald Passedat, who is best known for his subtle fish dishes, was up next with a square of the freshest sea bass this side of the Mediterranean. It was so fresh, any fish taste was practically indiscernible, instead leaving behind a milky sweet, mild brine taste in its flavor wake. This was surrounded with a lively pesto and topped with an artistic clear gelee encased with truffle slivers and tendrils of vegetable green. After Chef Daniel's remarkable chicken, brussel sprouts, and caramelized truffles with an earthy, fragrant truffle sauce was served (pictured top left), the live auction began with several introductions, including a colorful one from New York City Mayor Bloomberg.

This was no ordinary live auction, and these were no ordinary bidders. Whimsically named packages like NYC Culture & Cuisine, La Dolce Vita a La Toscana, and La Vie Du Chateau promised days, and in some cases, weeks of indulgence at some of the world's best hotels, restaurants, and vineyards, many with personal tours and meals at select proprietors' homes. A bidding frenzy slowly mounted through the crowd, guided with the gentle urging and tempting descriptions provided by Chef Boulud and others as the evening roared on. Harvey got on the phone with his banker to check on his balance as bids by the $1,000's - $5,000, $10,000 and up to $70,000+ whirred by, gradually filling the Citymeals-On-Wheels coffers, until everything was sold, and the bucks stopped at a whopping $706,000 in earnings for the organization.

As guests supped on the final succulent dessert course, slices of frozen sliced vacherin that took on the texture of frothy marshmallow as they melted and were imbedded with candy-like tubes of exotic fruits and dressed with a tart-sweet exotic fruit coulis (picture top right). Served with an exceptionally delicate Vilmart et Cie Rilly-A-Montagne 1er Crue "Cuvee Rubis Rose" Champagne NV, this was Chef Passedat's baby, and he shyly stopped by with Chef Boulud to ask how we liked it.

After Daniel's famous tiny madeleines, chocolates and pretty petits fours made their rounds, guests began to gather their things and leave this evening of paradise. It was something to witness the amazing amount of work and talent that went on that night and many days and weeks preceding it, to ensure that lonely, displaced elderly ladies and men have something to look forward to at the end of the day. A nutritious, delicious and soul-stirring meal made possible because of the love and dedication of these chefs and their teams, other New York restaurateurs, and the City meals-On-Wheels organization, is something beautiful, indeed.

That's the kind of reality the world could use a lot more of and the kind of reality that makes one proud of their fellow man. Thank goodness!

www.citymeals.org

www.danielnyc.com

Make Time for Pot Pie

Spring is tickling Charlestonians' senses with warm weather, a blush of pale green, and bouquets of blooming beauty. It's all so intoxicating, it's almost easy to forgive the brutality of this past winter.

But not so fast! No matter where you live, winter has a nasty way of roaring back with raw cold and wind in the fickle month of March, and that's the perfect time to make pot pie.

Pot roast, that soul-warming classic, gets all dressed up with a flaky pastry lid in this dish. By braising the meat with the vegetable aromats until the meat's tender and the vegetables have dissolved into the sauce, you're ensured layers of flavor. A jolt of red pepper flakes provide a little flavor surprise that will take the chill off any cold, dreary late winter day. If you can't find collards, substitute kale, spinach, or arugula.

This takes a little time the day before, but the taste and aroma dividends are well worth a little slow-cooked effort and handmade, buttery pastry.

Pot Roast Pot Pies
(Makes 6 - 8 individual pot pies)

Equipment needed: Six to eight 8 - 10 ounce oven-proof ramekins or bistro bowls
One 6" round pastry cutter

For the pastry:

2 1/2 cups White Lily All Purpose flour (use only 2 1/4 cups if using another brand)
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
2 sticks (or 1 cup) best quality, AAGrade unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4" cubes
Ice cold water - about 3 tablespoons or enough to just hold the pastry together

For the pot roast filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds pot roast
1 onion, peeled, quartered and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 stalks celery, trimmed, sliced into 1/4" rounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 cup red wine
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef or vegetable stock (or enough to cover the roast just over half-way)
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley

To finish:

2 cups baby carrots
3 cups collards, washed, tough stems removed, and cut into 1" squares
3 cups baby, fresh potatoes, scrubbed and pierced with a fork
1 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 egg wash - yolk, pinch salt, splash of water, blended together.

The day before service, prepare the pastry. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a plastic blade, pulse together the flour and the salt. Add the very cold butter and pulse rapidly, 40 - 50 times, or until the butter is the size of very small peas. Gradually, drizzle in the water in drops, while running the machine. Add just enough until the pastry forms a clumsy ball. Pour it out onto a lightly floured surface. Form a flattened disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate over night.

Next, prepare the braised stew filling. Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. When it's hot, add the olive oil and butter. Season the pot roast, generously, on all sides, with salt and freshly ground pepper. When the fat is sizzling (but not burning!) add the roast to the pan. Brown,undisturbed, for about five minutes. Turn the roast and repeat on the second side. Remove the browned roast from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, garlic, celery, salt, pepper and herbes de Provence to the pan. Stir to coat and pick up any brown bits. Cook until softened, about five minutes. Deglaze with the red wine, stirring to pick up all the brown bits, and reduce the wine by half.

Return the roast to the pan. Add the tomatoes and stock. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar. After about four hours, add the red chili flakes and parsley, stirring in to blend. Remove the meat from the pan and allow to rest and cool. Meanwhile, using a shallow ladle, skim any excess fat off the surface. When the meat is cool enough to handle, chop it coarsely, removing any excess fat or sinew, which should be discarded. Return the beef to the pot and add the baby carrots, collards, baby potatoes and ketchup. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If too much water has evaporated, add enough water to thin to a stew consistency. Simmer, covered, another forty minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate overnight.

The following day (or the day of service), roll out the prepped pastry into a large circle (about 1/4" thick) on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6" rounds, using your pastry cutter. Return the rounds to the refrigerator to chill for about twenty minutes. Meanwhile, remove the stew from the refrigerator and skim off any remaining fat which may have coagulated overnight. Arrange the ramekins or bistro bowls on a baking sheet. Fill each with 1 1/4 cups of the stew. Top each with a prepped pastry round, sealing the excess pastry down around the rim of the bowl (it should be about 1/2" deep). Cut three slits into the top of the pastry and brush the top and sides of each lightly with the egg wash using a pastry brush. (Note: The pies can be compiled and refrigerated for several hours before baking, or go directly into the oven at this point).

Preheat the oven to 375F and bake for 35 - 40 minutes until bubbling, golden and beautiful. Set aside to cool for ten to fifteen minutes before eating.

March never tasted so good!