Wedge Salad With Creamy Feta Dressing

It was another busy week-end at South Beach Grill, and once again, the kitchen put out some fantastic dishes. You know I always talk about how so often simple is best. Well here is a recipe for an Iceburg Wedge Salad that a very nice guest asked me about. You will find this recipe in the book "Fresh Fish And Fried Pickles" as well as soon as it's in print (should be only a couple more weeks!). A nice preview of the book can be found at its website: http://www.fishnpickles.com/

In the mean time, here's that delicious wedge salad!

4 Roma tomatoes

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 Tbs. dried oregano

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 leaves leaf lettuce

1 head iceburg lettuce

1 cup sliced red onion

1/2 cup cooked chopped bacon

For The Dressing:

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 Tbs black pepper

2 Tbs Italian parsley, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbs minced chives

Combine all dressing ingredients, and mix well.

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Quarter the tomatoes, and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Bake for about 10 minutes, just until the skin of the tomatoes starts to soften.

Cut the iceburg head into 4 equal sections. Arrange one piece of leaf lettuce on each serving plate, and set wedge on top. Top with red onions, and ladel dressing evenly over each salad. Garnish with chopped bacon, and roasted tomatoes.

"SIMPLY" Delicious! Back To The Basics

Last night a couple came into the restaurant for dinner. After they had somewhat worked their way into the meal, I approached the table, and asked them if they were enjoying dinner. The gentleman said that his Grouper "Linda" (pecan-crusted grouper with a lump crab and sherry beurre blanc) was very good, and his wife's meal was excellent as well. But what he most noted as being perfectly done was the sauteed vegetables that accompanied his dish. In fact, his comment to me was that he and his wife had not had vegetables that perfectly cooked and seasoned since their honeymoon in Venice, Italy!

Sooooooo what, you say? Well, it just shows like it has countless other times, that if great care is taken in the simple things, great tasting and eye-appealing food is really easy. When we cook, we pay attention to what we are doing. We understand the concept of how the heat of the pan is causing the food in it to react.

I keep saying it over and over, but to cook great food requires just a few basic ingredients and practices. Lets take our sauteed vegetables for example.

Start with FRESH ingredients, and a really HOT pan

Extra virgin olive oil

A little Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Splash of white wine

From there we take some julienned squash, zucchini, red bell pepper and onions, and sautee them for just a few seconds in olive oil. Then just a splash of wine (the wine helps to somewhat steam the vegetables), season lightly with salt and pepper, and away we go! No magic here, just some high heat, and care for what we're doing.

The same principle applies to fish. I am a firm believer in the fresher the fish, the less you need to mess with it.

When we get grouper in for example, and it looks absolutely beautiful, glossy, and smells like nothing but the sea, the first thing that comes to mind is: Grill. Olive Oil, Lemon. No need to mask the thing with a heavy sauce, or even a light butter sauce. I've got a good example of this very dish in the book, "Fresh Fish And Fried Pickles" comming out in early August. It's Grilled Grouper With Roasted Tomatoes, Olives And Feta.

You can check out the photo of it and a couple of really simple recipes at: www.fishnpickles.com

So I See You Went To Culinary School...

When my son Max reaches the age of deciding what he wants to do with his life (thank God that's not for about 18 years!), if he wants to be a chef, well that's great, and off to culinary school he will go. But hopefully he will have learned from his dad, and from his dad's peers that culinary school alone will not give him all the skills he will need to become a great chef, or even restaurant cook for that matter. I bring this up because of my observations of the culinary work force over the last few years, at least in the Wilmington NC area.

Thanks to the Food Network, Bravo, and other channels that host an array of celebrity and non-celebrity cooking shows, the status of the "chef" has been elevated to that of a sort of "rock star" like persona. But of course everyone knows this, and this has all been said before.

But something that I think this has also affected is the frame of mind and work ethic of young people fresh out of culinary school. I think a lot of young culinary students figure that because they are a Johnson and Wales grad, or even CIA grad, they have what it takes to make it in real professional and very busy kitchens. I can assure you that this is not the case.

To be honest, and I mean no offense, but I have hired and worked with young men and women alike who boasted a degree from an acclaimed school, but couldn't cook there way out of a revolving glass door! Yes it's true that the celebrities on food network make everything look really easy. And in fact, the things they are doing are quite easy. But they have people. There ingredients are for the most part, already prepped for them.

What young kids may not realize, is that to get to that point, most (not all, but most) of the tv/chef personalities actually paid their dues in real kitchens. Emeril Lagasse started working in a local bakery as a small boy. He worked in restaurants to pay his tuition. He spent years working in fine dining kitchens after attending Johnson and Wales culinary school. In 1982, he took the Executive Chef position at the Commander's Palace in New Orleans, and put in 18 hour days regularly.

The food network "rock star" Guy Fiere managed, and worked in restaurant kitchens for years before he was able to open his own place.

And the list goes on. But what all these guys have in common is that they worked hard, and didn't expect that things get handed to them because they went to culinary school.


Cooking in professional kitchens is a demanding job. Very demanding. And on top of the physical demands, to be successful, you have to have common sense (I like to call it "kitchen sense"). You have to be quick. You have to work clean and work efficiently. You have to be prepared for what may come next.


And here I go again with this word: Passion. You have to be passionate about what you do. If you are not passionate, then you do not care enough, and it will show in your work, or lack of work.

These are the things that I remember seeing more of 10 years ago. Lately it's a lot of people who can interview well, but when it comes to producing, they are falling short. This may sound cliche, but I do blame the parents a little bit. My father's constant words to me were: "Don't half-ass the job!" I appreciate the few things that I have, because I worked very hard for them. And when I was offered my first chef job, I knew the backbreaking and mentally stressful schedule that came with it. Things haven't changed. The title of chef or even sous chef should not be taken lightly. Whether it is at a four star hotel, or a little restaurant on the beach, the chef's job is one that requires a lot of responsibility, and work.

So if you've been to culinary school, and maybe even worked in a couple of popular and busy restuarants, If you want to work at my restaurant, I will say this:

So I see you went to culinary school...now how will you convince me you are actually a good cook?

A Chowder For All Seasons

Recently, South Beach Grill was honored with the award of "Best Hot Soup" in the Voter's Choice Awards at the Taste of Wilmington (see article at www.starnewsonline/tasteofwilmington).


Our Clam Chowder is one of those recipes that has remained unchanged since it first appeared on the menu, and for good reason: it's delicious. That's it. It's not thick and heavy like some, but it has just enough weight to it that to make a great appetizer in the summertime, or a full meal when the weather gets cool. Like any good chowder, time and care are given to build the soup in layers, with attention to detail being paid with each one.

I think there's just something emotional about sitting out on the South Beach patio, looking out at the boats on Bank's Channel, and enjoying a nice hot cup of homemade clam chowder.

Probably more than any other dish on the menu, we are asked how the chowder is made, and for the nice couple I spoke with last night (as they watched the boats on Banks Channel), here you are:


Butter 3 tbs.
Bacon 1 cup (about 4 or 5 slices), chopped fine
Celery, diced 1 cup
Onion, diced 1/2 cup
Carrot, diced 1/2 cup
Thyme, 1 tsp
Garlic, minced 1 tbs.
All purpose flour 1/3 cup
Clam juice 8 oz
Water 1/2 cup
Red potatoes, quartered and sliced thin 1/2 pound
Milk 1 1/4 cup
Canned chopped clams 2-6.5 oz cans
Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp
Tabasco sauce 2 tsp


In a 8-quart stock pot, heat butter on medium high heat. When melted, add bacon and cook until it just begins to crisp. Add garlic and vegetables, and cook until they soften slightly, about two to three minutes. Stir in thyme, and reduce heat to low. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in flour until all is thoroughly incorporated.


At this point, you will want to change your utensil to a whisk, and slowly whisk in the clam juice making sure to get out all of the lumps of flour. Add water and potatoes, and bring soup to a simmer. Continue to simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Add clams, milk, Worcestershire and TAbasco. Continue to simmer soup for about 20 minutes. Season to taste with Kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Makes about 6 to 8 servings

SIMPLE Summer Grilling

While I am a chef and restaurant manager by trade, at the core of it all, I just love food and cooking, pure and simple. It is a passion that drives me insane at times. And there is no season that ignites and inspires my passion for grilled food like summer.

I've been seeing a lot of great recipes for summer grilling, tried a few, and liked most of them, but I found (as I figured I would), that the simplest recipes were the ones that were best. It's no secret, and I say it all the time: Use the freshest ingredients you can find, prepare them simply keeping their integrity, and you'll have a great tasting meal!

What do I mean when I say keep the "integrity" of the food? Say for example I go to my local seafood market, and the boats just brought in some grouper. It's so fresh it has no oder at all except for the faint smell of the sea. There's no better way to prepare it then simply rubbing it with some good olive oil, a dash of Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, gently grilling it to perfection, and finishing it with a bright splash of fresh lemon juice. No need to mask it with a sauce.

Here's another one I tried a couple of days ago. A really nice couple came into the restaurant and were commenting on the great meal they had. The gentleman was telling me about a salmon recipe he had with brandied peaches. Sounded wonderful, so I took that idea, and brought it home to my grill. Again, you really have to go, "O.K. Summer: fresh, bright, crisp and clean flavors." The peaches got quartered, drizzled with a little oil, and grilled for just a few minutes. The salmon I grilled as well, and made a really nice barbecue sauce with a little added chipotle pepper, peaches, and the brandy. I always strive to have a good balance of flavors, and the heat of the chipotle barbecue sauce worked really well with the fresh, sweet peaches.

Vegetables too. Zucchini and yellow squash may sound redundant and like something straight out of the eightie's, but damn if it's not tasty grilled and drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil!

We've been doing sautee'd julienned squash and zucchini at South Beach Grill for years, and still get compliments from our guests on how good our vegetables are, and asked what we do to them. Well my friends, it's not hard, we use fresh veggies, and saute them to order just till there cooked through, and finish them with olive oil. That's it! No butter, no excess seasoning, just a nice quick saute in a really hot pan.

As tempting as it is, especially for us guys, not everything needs to be grilled. Roasting in the oven is a great way to bring out the flavor of vegetables and some fruits as well. At the restaurant, we serve an Iceburg wedge salad with oven roasted Roma tomatoes. The salad is served with a peppery feta dressing, and roasting the tomatoes brings out their sweetness which is a nice balance (there's that word "balance" again) and contrast to the dressing.

Summer is here. And with it comes a bounty of wonderful produce. So wheather you're grilling some fresh picked rhubarb, or roasting tomatoes, remember to keep things simple, and let the freshness of the product your using be your guide.

Grilled Salmon and Peaches With Chipotle Peach Barbecue Sauce
4 each salmon filets
2 each fresh peaches
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced small
1-15.25 oz can peach halves in syrup
3 each chipotle peppers (packed in adobo sauce)
2 tbs. sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brandy
2 tbs. molasses

Pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill.
Slice fresh peaches in half, and remove the pit. Cut into quarters. Brush the salmon filets with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and season lightly with Kosher salt and ground black pepper.

While grill is heating, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, saute the onions in 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. When onions have softened, add sugar, brandy, vinegar, and molasses. Bring sauce to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer sauce to a blender, and add the canned peaches and chipotle peppers. Blend until smooth.

Brush grill with vegetable oil, and grill salmon to desired doneness, basting with the barbecue sauce just before removing. Grill peach quarters for about two minutes per side.

Plate the salmon, top with the peaches, and serve remaining barbecue sauce on the side.

Inspiration!!

I have been asked many times where we chefs get our inspiration from. The answer is simple: From EVERYWHERE!


A chefs menu (if it's good) can be compared to a symphony. But instead of musical notes and phrases, we have ingredients. And like the notes and phrases come together to form beautiful melodies, our ingredients come together to form complete dishes.

But where do the ideas come from? They can come from anything. Being fortunate enough to live on the coast, and have an abundance of fresh seafood at my disposal, I have been inspired by simply sitting on the beach at sunset, and gazing out over the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, deciding that the simple grilling of a filet of Sea Bass with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon is perfect for capturing the natural beauty of the sea.

Or maybe a rustic painting of a French cafe inspires me to go for some simple French or even Cajun or Creole comfort food.

Often the inspiration comes from other chefs, or even our own cooks in our own restaurant kitchens.
I have always said that it is the kitchen staff who makes (or breaks) a good chef. Often times an eager young cook will throw an idea our way that lets us see a dish in a different light. The more peoples perspective on the dish allows for the chef to take in many ideas, and perhaps mold them to fit the vision of the dish.

What it boils down to, is that much like a musician or artist, a chef's inspiration can come from virtually anywhere. What really makes a good chef is being able to capture that inspiration, bottle it up inside, and then transform it into something that can be shared by the guests of the restaurant, and hopefully inspire them to create gastronomical works of art themselves for their friends and family.

GET YOUR "CALABASH STYLE" SEAFOOD!!

With the weather getting warmer, and summer just around the corner, we at the restaurant sit in great anticipation of the hundreds of tourists that will be dining with us each week. Most of them are often in search of the freshest local seafood they can get, which is what we, of course will give them.

Being the providers of a wide variety of amazingly delicious seafood treats, we realize that we are not the only restaurant on the Carolina coast that vacationers visit. Just a little over an hour south of Wilmington is the famous, "Las Vegas-like" Myrtle Beach, where coastal fried seafood is consumed at an almost sickening pace.

Just before you get to Myrtle Beach (if you are driving), you will come to a little town called Calabash, North Carolina. This tiny little town prides itself on being the "seafood capital of the world." This is due to the great number of seafood restaurants located in Calabash. Most, if not all of these restaurants boast to have the freshest and best fried seafood of all. An advertising statement that brings the tourists back year after year.

This in turn, has led to the coining of the term "Calabash-Style" seafood. Several restaurants actually give a definition of calabash style (claiming to have invented it) as being "seafood prepared fresh, lightly battered, and fried to order."

Researching just what this "style" of cooking might be, I can tell you that the common ingredient that Calabash area restaurants use is self-rising flour. This results in a very light breading when fried. Other than that, my friends, it's nothing more than fried seafood. And it can be done very well, and it can be done badly. The most common mistake restaurant cooks and home cooks alike make is over-cooking fried seafood. Take fried shrimp for example. With the oil at 375 degrees, it only takes 2 to 3 minutes to fry shrimp to golden brown and delicious.

Other things to keep in mind:

Shake off excess flour before frying.
Don't overcrowd the oil (frying too much at once) or you'll loose temperature, and your batter will fall off. Fry in batches.
Drain fried food on paper towels as soon as it comes out of the oil, and season immediately.
So with the season fast approaching, and the insatiable hunger for saturated fat looming like a giant storm cloud of vegetable oil, here's a little recipe for what you may consider "Calabash Style Fried Shrimp."

2 pounds 21/25 count shrimp, peeled and de-vained
4 each whole eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup self rising flour
1 teaspoon iodized salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

vegetable oil for frying

Combine in a bowl the eggs, milk Kosher salt, and black pepper, and set aside. In another bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper, sugar, chili powder and parsley.

Heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees. Place shrimp in egg mixture, and then coat in flour. Shake off excess flour, and fry shrimp in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and season immediately to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with your favorite cocktail or tarter sauce.