2006  2005  2004

NORTH CAROLINA

Chef Chef Shawn Wellersdick: Port Land Grille

Shawn Wellersdick, executive chef and owner of Port Land Grille, earned his degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. He served his culinary internship at Rihga Royal Hotel's Halcyon Restaurant in New York before moving to North Carolina in 1993.

Shawn joined Noble's Restaurant Group as executive chef in 1994. During his tenure, Noble's won praise from National Restaurant News and Food Network. In 1998, Shawn became part-owner and executive chef of the acclaimed Under Currant in Wilmington, NC. Shawn continues his unique culinary explorations today at his Port Land Grille.

Shawn is a member of the American Culinary Association and La Chaine des Rotisseurs, and serves on the Chefs Advisory Board of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission and the NC Seafood Commission and he has just joined the Chefs Advisory Board for the NC Pork Council. He has won a silver medal from the American Culinary Federation and was a finalist in the La Chaine des Rotisseurs National Hot Food Competition at the Culinary Institute of America.

Since Port Land Grille has been open, Shawn has been instrumental in the restaurant’s reputation and garnering both regional and national attention and recognition…the restaurant won the prestigious DiRoNA award in 2005 and continues to earn recognition for excellence in areas of both food and wine. The restaurant consistently earns recognition with the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2000-2006 and counting); Sante Award - for Best Fine Dining in the Southeast (2004,2005…) Wine Enthusiast Award of Unique Distinction (2004, 2005) and remains on the top of many regional “best of” lists.

Shawn and Anne participate in many local fundraisers for the community (most recently Empty Bowls 2006) as well as the “fun”draisers such as the Beaufort Wine and Food Festival (which raised lots of money for the Beaufort, NC Maritime Museum and the “tall ships” exhibition 2006).

Wild-Caught Triggerfish (Southport, NC) Over Day Boat Shrimp (Snead’s Ferry, NC) & Crabmeat (Oriental, NC) Succotash – with a Pimiento Chees Butter, “Chow-Chow” and Peppered Collard Greens

 

 

 

Chow-Chow: Serves 6

Ingredients: 4 cups julienned green cabbage 1 large white sweet onion, julienned 1 T celery seed 1 t madras curry powder 2 bay leaves 2 T tumeric 1⁄2 ground ginger powder 1 cup julienned or shredded carrots 1 cup sugar 1 cup rice wine vinegar 1 T salt

Place all ingredients in medium saucepan, place over high heat. Bring to boil, reduce to low and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Let cool, strain and discard excess liquid.

Shrimp Stock

Ingredients: Tails and shells from 30 large shrimp (reserve shrimp for succotash recipe) 2 smoked ham hocks 1 medium diced onion 1⁄2 cup diced celery 2 Bay leaves 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 T tomato paste 4 cups of water \

Place onions, celery and oil in a medium saucepan. Sweat onions & celery for five minutes, add tomato paste, bay leaf, ham hock and shrimp shells to pan. Cover shrimp mixture with water and bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 20 –25 minutes. Remove from heat and remove ham hock, let liquid cool, strain and reserve liquid. Pick meat off of reserved ham bone to use for collard greens. Should have about 3 cups stock and approximately 1/4 cup of shredded ham hock meat.

Keep warm until service.

Pimiento Cheese Butter

Ingredients: 1 T sour cream 1 T worcesterchire sauce 1 t Texas Pete’s hot sauce 1⁄2 cup diced pimientos 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese zest and juice of one lemon 1⁄4 cup basil 1⁄2 t salt 1⁄2 cup of soft unsalted butter

In food processor, pulse first four ingredients until smooth. Add cheese, lemon zest and juice...continue to pulse Add basil, butter and salt and pulse long enough to incorporate all ingredients.
Using wax paper, roll into a log and chill until needed.

Peppered Collard Greens

Ingredients: Leaves from one bunch of fresh collard greens, washed, trimmed and julienned. (Reserve two collard green leaves for collard green “hay” garnish) 2 T olive oil 1⁄2 cup of chopped uncooked bacon (about 4 slices) 1⁄4 cup diced ham hock meat (reserved from shrimp stock recipe) 1 cup sliced white onion Pinch of red chili flakes 1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar 1⁄2 cup fresh shrimp stock 1 t salt 1 t ground Tellicherry peppercorns

In large saucepan over medium heat, render bacon with the onions and chili flakes for about 7 – 10 minutes. Add collard greens, sear in bacon drippings for approx 2 minutes, coating greens well.

Add remaining liquids and simmer for 25 – 30 minutes.
Season with salt & pepper Keep warm until service.

Succotash

Ingredients: 11⁄2 cups baby lima beans or butter beans* 11⁄2 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears of preferably a sweet variety such as silver queen) 3⁄4 cup black eyed peas * 1 cup julienned raw applewood smoked bacon (about 6 slices) 3⁄4 cup of diced mild andouille sausage 1 medium sweet onion, diced (approx, one cup) 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (approx. 1⁄2 cup) 1⁄2 cup diced celery 1 cup diced carrot 1 t paprika 1-14 oz can of diced unsalted tomatoes 1⁄2 cup dry sherry 1 cup fresh shrimp stock 2 T roasted garlic puree 1 bay leaf 1 1⁄2 T fresh thyme leaves Salt and Pepper to taste 3 T unsalted butter (divided) 30 raw shrimp (peeled, de-veined, tails removed) 1 pound of cleaned, picked jumbo lump crabmeat

*can use fresh, frozen, canned (rinsed and drained) or dried (cooked off and drained)>-Melt 2 T butter in large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat

1. Add bacon, render for 5 minutes until bacon is just beginning to crisp
2. Add shrimp, season with salt & pepper.
3. Sear shrimp on both sides – approx 90 seconds on each side - remove and reserve.
4. Add onions, continue to cook until onions become translucent.
5. Add corn, celery, bell pepper and carrots.
6. Cover and sweat vegetables for 5 minutes until fork tender.
7. Add lima beans, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, roasted garlic puree, bay leaf, paprika, andouille sausage, fresh shrimp stock and sherry.
8. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes
9. Cover and set aside, but keep warm.Ten minutes before service, bring mixture back up to medium heat. Add reserved shrimp, crabmeat, remaining T of butter, fresh thyme to finish.
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Collard “Hay” Garnish

Using the remaining two collard green leaves. Chiffonade Collard Greens and flash fry @ 350 degrees for 60 seconds. Remove from fry oil and drain on paper towels. Lightly season with salt.

Pan Seared Triggerfish

Ingredients: Twelve (2 1⁄2 - 3 oz each) skinless and boneless Triggerfish fillets Salt and Pepper 4 T of unsalted butter (may need more)

1. Lightly season fish fillets with salt and pepper on both sides, set aside.
2. In a large heavy bottom skillet, melt 2 T butter over med high heat.
3. Place gently in hot pan (don’t crowd)
4. Sear for 2 minutes until light golden brown.
5. Carefully flip over and finish cooking until fish is just cooked through.
(Approximately another 1 - 2 minutes depending on size and thickness of fillets)
6. Remove from pan and keep warm until all fillets are cooked.
7. Add butter as necessary to keep pan well lubricated during the cooking process.

To assemble:

1. Ladle succotash into serving bowl (approx 1/2 cup per serving)
2. Top succotash with peppered collard greens (approx 1/3 cup per serving)
3. Place one fillet of fish on bed of succotash/collards
4. Layer with chow-chow (approx 2T) and top with next fish fillet.
5. Top second fillet with pimiento cheese butter (approx 1 T)
6. Arrange 5 shrimp per serving around stacked fish fillets and succotash.
7. Garnish fillets with “collard “hay”

8. Serve immediately.
Using wax paper, roll into a log and chill until needed.