Chefs Collaborative

The 60-page report outlines the ecological pressures that human activity has placed on our oceans, and stresses the need for action on behalf of ocean health. To that end, the aquarium’s Seafood Watch program has instituted a chefs’ call to action, signed by many Chefs Collaborative members and supporters. Chefs who sign the pledge agree not to serve any wild-caught or farmed seafood that appears on the Monterey Bay’s Seafood Watch red list, and to communicate those efforts to the public.

We applaud the leadership taken by Chefs Collaborative members and other culinary professionals dedicated to supporting sustainable seafood. We urge chefs to learn as much as possible about how to make sustainable choices when purchasing seafood.  This includes using the rating lists generated by our partners at the Blue Ocean Institute and Monterey Bay, as well as developing relationships with trusted purveyors and asking lots of questions to determine how and where fish was caught and farmed.

Our Green Chefs, Blue Ocean sustainable seafood training tool can also help chefs learn more about the issues behind seafood sustainability, as well as the practical aspects of developing a sustainable seafood program in the restaurant.

Taking steps like the ones outlined in the chefs’ pledge are important as we strive to improve the long-term health of our oceans. Chefs are in a unique position to lead the way!

Last Sunday Chefs Collaborative and Slow Food Seacoast held an “Heirloom Harvest Barn Dinner” in the barn at Berry Hill and Meadow’s Mirth Farms in Stratham, NH.  As discussed in an earlier post, it was an amazing event.  Seven local chefs came together to create and prepare an outstanding menu using heirloom vegetables from the RAFT Grow-Out project.  The menu they came up with is too amazing not to share, so here it is:

Heirloom Harvest Barn Dinner

October 11^th 2009

The barn at Berry Hill and Meadow’s Mirth Farms, Stratham, NH

Mark Segal, Executive Chef, The 100 Club, Portsmouth

Potato and Goat Cheese Terrine with Blood-rooted turnip beet caviar

Wood-grilled Scallop with True Red Cranberry bean falafel and Jimmy Nardello pepper relish

Mini Lobster and Corn Taco with local tomatillo salsa

Sweet Baby Vineyard Kensington Red & Farnum Hill Semi-dry Sparkling Cider

∞∞∞

Matt Greco, Executive Chef, Blue Moon Market, Exeter

Vegetarian Blood and Marrow Soup: Potage of Gilfeather turnip and Boston Marrow squash finished with purslane and Great Hill blue gremolata

Farnum Hill Kingston Black Still Cider

∞∞∞

Josh Lanahan, Chef/Owner, Fresh Local, Newington and Chef Ted McCormack

True Red Cranberry Bean Salad on mixed greens garnished with apples, pickled Boothby Blond cucumbers and Smuttynose-cured pork with chili crust

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale

∞∞∞

Evan Mallett, Chef/Owner, Black Trumpet, Portsmouth

Smoked NEFF Beef Brisket on a parsnip puree with braised Gilfeather turnip greens

and Jimmy Nardello mojo

2007 Four Vines “Biker” Zinfandel, Paso Robles, CA

∞∞∞

Mariah and Tom Roberts, Bakers/Owners, Beach Pea Bakery, Kittery, ME

Apple Strudel with Berry Hill berry coulis and vanilla-whipped goat cheese

Sweet Baby Vineyard Apple wine

∞∞∞

Plating by Chef Evan Hennessey

Breads by Beach Pea Bakery

A special thanks to our generous product donors and sponsors:

Caroline Robinson of Berry Hill Farm for the use of her beautiful barn
Applecrest Farm, Hampton Falls, NH
Dole and Bailey, Woburn, MA
Farnum Hill Ciders, Lebanon, NH
General Linen, Somersworth, NH
Java Tree Coffee, Manchester, NH
Marshall Rental, Portsmouth, NH
M.S. Walker Distributors, Bow, NH
Smuttynose Brewing Co., Portsmouth, NH
Sweet Baby Vineyard, Kensington, NH
Taylor Lobster Company, Kittery, ME
Vermont Butter and Cheese, Websterville, VT

and an extra-special thanks to Evan and Denise Mallett, for working harder to make this beautiful event happen than could have been expected of mere humans

When Chefs Collaborative first came to Rhode Island to talk about the RAFT Grow-Out, we had an overwhelmingly positive response from the entire Newport Restaurant Group.  The NRG, with restaurants mostly located around the Newport area, showed no less enthusiasm when it came time for Heirloom Harvest Week, a week-long celebration of the Grow-Out.  Check out what they’re making below, or better yet – go check it out in person for a taste of one of these delightful dishes!

22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille
Newport, RI

Matthew Preble, Chef

Braised Blackbird Farm Short Rib over a Schartner Farm celeriac root and Yukon potato mash with a roasted habaneras BBQ sauce

The Boat House
Tiverton, RI

James Campagna, Executive Chef

Manic Organic Mixed Heirloom Green Salad, featuring Speckled Trout, Deer Tongue, Tango, and Rosalita heirloom greens tossed with a local apple cider vinaigrette

Portuguese Seafood Stew: pan seared blue cod, native littlenecks, Wishing Stone Farm potato puree, heirloom Tuscan “Dinosaur” Kale, crispy local chourico, and Wishing Stone Farm heirloom Trophy Tomato jam.

Castle Hill Inn and Resort
Newport, RI

Jonathan Cambra, Chef

Sweet Berry Farm Sugar Pumpkin-Reynolds’s Barn Goat Cheese Ravioli with autumn spiced squash, Castle Hill sage butter, and a honey crisp apple chip

Simmons Farm Pork Pot Pie: slow cooked heritage pork, cranberry beans, fall squash, and heirloom white corn and parsnip

The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar
Newport, RI

Adi Mandel, Executive Chef

Grilled Flat Iron Steak with a Tomato Bread Salad composed of Wishing Stone Farms sorrel, Reynolds Farm crumbled goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes, Bristol Bakery focaccia croutons, and honey balsamic vinaigrette

Trio
Narragansett, RI

Kevin DiLibero, Executive Chef

Grilled Flat Iron Steak with early blood rooted turnip beet, baby arugula, student parsnip puree, and red wine demi glace

It’s Heirloom Harvest Week: A celebration of the New England RAFT Grow-Out.  From October 12th – 18th you can go to Boston, Providence/Newport, RI or Portsmouth, NH to have delicious heirloom vegetables prepared with incredible skill by local chefs.  In the Boston area, it’s been a hard pilot year for the Grow-Out.  Various factors, including the incredibly hard year farmers had, have made project vegetables scarce in the area.  However, all the project chefs have scared up a RAFT Grow-Out veggie or two, and they are doing some amazingly delicious things with them.  Take a look for yourself (and don’t forget to visit one of these establishments to have a taste for yourself, too!):

51 Lincoln

Jeffrey Fournier, Chef/Owner

Bibb and arugula salad, Allandale farm roasted root vegetables, toasted pumpkin seeds and sherry vinaigrette

Craigie on Main

Tony Maws, Chef/Owner

Vermont Organic Chicken Two Ways: Slow-Roasted Breast, Crispy Thigh
schmaltz-braised vegetables, cranberry beans, aged balsamic, bagna cauda

EVOO

Peter McCarthy, Chef

Spiced Verrill farm Student parsnip cake with pistachio ice cream and sticky toffee sauce

Garden at the Cellar

Will Gilson, Chef

Garden at the Cellar will be changing their Gilfeather turnip-inspired dish every night.

On Wednesday they were serving:
House made chicken and duck liver sausage with caramelized Gilfeather turnips, sunchoke puree, fried sage and brown butter powder

Henrietta’s Table

Peter Davis, Chef

Roasted Sibley’s/Pike’s Peak squash and Siena/Sparrow Arc Farm Greens, House Dried Carnberries, Toasted Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

Henrietta’s Table is also offering a side of roasted Student parsnips

Hungry Mother

Barry Maiden, Chef/Owner

A taste of Student Parsnip Soup with Hungry Mother Pancetta

Lumiere

Michael Leviton, Chef

Allandale Farm Boston Marrow Squash Soup, Spiced Creme Fraiche & Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Rialto

Jody Adams, Chef
Nuno Alves, Sous Chef

Heirloom tomatoes…warm crab bundle, ginger, basil

Local grilled bluefish… corn relish, heirloom tomatoes, pickled peppers

Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro

Richard Garcia, Executive Chef
Matt Maue, Chef de Cuisine

Siberian Sweet Watermelon Cooler

Jimmy Nardello Pepper Pinxtos

Boston Marrow Squash Flan

Tomatsso Trattoria

Justin Melnick, Executive Chef

Ravioli filled with Sibley squash from Verrill farm tossed with brown butter and toasted squash seeds

T.W. Food Restaurant

Tim Wiechmann, Chef

Boston Marrow squash bisque with roasted onion, petite crouton and vanilla whipped cream

It’s Heirloom Harvest Week in Providence, Boston and Portsmouth (October 12-18), a time when we asked all the participating chefs to have one or more items on their menu highlighting and honoring locally grown vegetables from the RAFT Grow-Out project.  The chefs in Providence have outdone themselves, using RAFT veggies in creative and delicious ways, and making some of the most beautiful food I’ve seen.  The dishes speak for themselves, so here they are.  All I have to say is: Providence, I will be back!

Chez Pascal

Matt Gennuso, Chef/Owner

Pike’s Peak Squash Dumplings with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Marfax Bean Ragout with Molasses, Bacon and Seared Pork Head Roulade with Pickled Gilfeather Turnips

New York State Tasting of Lamb with Long Pie Pumpkin Gateaux de Riz, Gilfeather Turnips, Student Parsnips & Red Wine

Long Pie Pumpkin Custard Tart with Graham Cracker Crust and Student Parsnip Ice Cream

Gracie’s

Joseph Hafner, Executive Chef

Slow Poached Heritage Farm Duck Egg
Long Pie pumpkin, marrow squash, Jimmy nardello’s peppers, duck confit, duck crackling

Julian’s

Mike Nice, Chef

Roasted Long Pie pumpkin flan with hazelnut graham wafer cookie, tarragon granita and Mexican chocolate sauce

Julian’s will be running various RAFT-inspired specials throughout the week

La Laiterie at Farmstead

Matt Jennings, Chef/Owner

Sformato of Long Pie Pumpkin
Wild Arugula, Gilfeather Turnips, Marfax Beans, Parmigiano Stravecchio, Jimmy Nardello Pepper ‘Agrodolce’

Local 121

David Johnson, Chef

Long Pie Pumpkin Pumpkin Pie with Molasses Ice cream

Jimmy Nardello Peppernadda with prima pasta and Narraganset creamery fresh ricotta

Other RAFT-inspired specials throughout the week

New Rivers

Bruce Tillinghast, Chef/Owner
Beau Vestal, Chef de Cuisine

House-cured Sopresatta with Jimmy Nardello Pepper Jam, Molasses Mustard and Baguette

Confit of Belly of Pork with Gilfeather Turnips, Green Apple and Cider/Vanilla Sauce

Grilled Tartine Wethersfield Onion and Bacon marmalade, Long Pie Pumpkin and Gruyere

Nick’s On Broadway

Derek Wagner, Chef/Owner

Skillet roasted wild Rhode Island Striped Bass with local heirloom vegetable ragout, white wine and garden herbs

Waterman Grille

Michael Conetta, Chef

Wood Fired Apple Napoleon: Pippin Orchard Apples, Simmons Farm Pork Sausage, Hannah Bell Cheese, and a mulled apple Cider Reduction

Georges Bank Scallops with Tiverton pumpkin puree, Jeffries Baby Greens and pickled beet salad

A fine time was had by all at the Berry Hill barn in Stratham, NH this past Sunday. Chefs Collaborative and Slow Food Seacoast put on a barn dinner there to celebrate the end of the first year of the Renewing America’s Food Traditions Grow-Out project.

It was a clear, breezy fall day and a chilly night, but the guests were warmed by delicious dishes like Boston Marrow squash soup and smoked brisket with braised turnip greens and parsnip puree, seen here:

One of the aims of the night was for the chefs to use as many of the RAFT Grow-Out vegetables as possible from as many of the participating farmers as they could. Wow. From True Red Cranberry bean falafel to pickled Boothby’s Blonde cucumber, this group went above and beyond.   And the volunteers–from cooks and expeditors to servers and dishwashers, were  an   amazing impromptu team. The drinks flowed, the music played, the cooks grilled, and the lights kept going out. People rolled with it.

Despite the difficult growing season and the sputtering economy that closed restaurants and put some Portsmouth-area restaurant workers out of work, the Grow-Out project couldn’t have asked for a better first year in Portsmouth. Thanks to everyone who participated!

…many reasons to pay close attention to what we eat popped up in the news this week.

It’s amazing what it takes to make a frozen burger patty these days.  And what one burger can do to a girl. After a young woman was paralyzed after eating an e-coli-laced burger in Minnesota, The New York Times traced the burger back to its various sources, with grotesque results. It’s enough to make you go DYI with meat grinding, and underscores the importance of buying your food from trusted and responsible sources; producers with the animals’ interests–and ours–at heart.

But our country’s meat production system is severely broken, as Barry Estabrook points out in his recent column on sustainable meat production in gourmet.com. Supporting a sustainable alternative means spending more on meat–but maybe eating less of it .

Speaking of Gourmet,  we blogged about its sudden death on our Green Chefs, Blue Ocean site. What are your thoughts on its sudden demise?