10 minute read
ON THE SCENE
5160 Sunset Lake Road, #101, Apex 984.229.7480 | osteriag.com For a family-oriented Christmas Eve dinner, try Osteria G’s authentic Italian comfort food. Feel the holiday spirit as you sit near the dining room’s Christmas tree adorned with rustic, homey ornaments. Osteria G’s Christmas Eve specials include a seasonal pasta dish incorporating fresh, wintry ingredients inspired by the holidays, as well as other Italian classics featuring a Christmas twist. In the past, the restaurant has offered surf and turf with a béarnaise sauce, a slow-roasted herbstuffed porchetta and a rotating array of Tuscan wines, including a flavorful Montepulciano.
FOUR CHEFS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE: THE CHEFS OF OSTERIA G ARE (LEFT TO RIGHT) MANNY LOZANO, JOSEPH REINIS, JOSH HEINZ AND KYLE HAYS.
PHOTOS BY ALISHA CLEVELAND PHOTOGRAPHY
OSTERIA G’S WINTER SPICED POT DE CREME Serves 8
INGREDIENTS 1 quart of heavy cream 1 tablespoon of vanilla paste 8 egg yolks 2 whole eggs 220 grams of granulated sugar Pinch of salt 1 gram of cardamom 1 gram of nutmeg 20 grams of crushed cinnamon sticks 5 cloves
DIRECTIONS Boil the cream and vanilla paste. In a separate bowl, mix together all eggs, sugar, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Slowly add the scalded cream to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Strain the mixture and fill eight 6-ounce ramekins. Arrange the ramekins in a pan and fill the pan with boiling water halfway up the outside of the ramekins. Bake at 280 degrees until the mixture sets (when the amount that jiggles is the diameter of a nickel). Cool and serve.
MULINO’S ITALIAN KITCHEN & BAR
309 N. Dawson Street, Raleigh | 919.838.8595 | mulinoraleigh.com Looking for a place to host a party for the workplace? Skip the stress and celebrate the season with a holiday party at Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar. Though the restaurant is not open Christmas Eve, it’s the perfect destination for a holiday outing with friends, family or coworkers. Offering multiple private dining areas that can accommodate groups of varying sizes, as well as three gorgeous bars, Mulino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar makes it easy for you and your guests to enjoy a festive holiday cocktail.
CHEF SAMAD HACHBY’S CHANTERELLE AND PORCINI MUSHROOM RISOTTO
Cooking time: 30 minutes | Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 240 grams (8.47 ounces) of Carnaroli rice 200 grams (7.05 ounces) of porcini 1 large porcino Grated Parmesan cheese Butter 1 shallot Extra virgin olive oil 6 cups of vegetable broth 1 glass of white wine Pepper, to taste Parsley, to taste Sage, to taste
DIRECTIONS To prepare the porcini risotto, start by placing the mushrooms on a cutting board. Clean the mushrooms with a sponge and a small knife, without washing them, to remove the earthy parts, then cut them into strips. Chop the shallot and fry it in a saucepan with a drizzle of oil. Add the rice and toast it, then blend it with the wine. Let the alcohol evaporate, then wet the rice with a ladle of hot broth and cook it, adding more broth if necessary. Halfway through cooking, add the mushrooms and mix everything together. Once the rice is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and add a little grated Parmesan cheese and a knob of butter, then stir it vigorously to emulsify it. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
3460 Ten Ten Road, Cary 919.267.6011 | chefspalette.net Chef’s Palette’s warm and friendly atmosphere offers a Christmas Eve dinner that is both a family-oriented and finedining experience all at once. The land-and-sea restaurant typically features a menu with home-cooked flair. The Christmas Eve menu features an eclectic array of appetizers, salads and entrees. Elevated comfort foods such as creamy shrimp and grits are enjoyed alongside pan-seared scallops, chicken Francese, steak frites and other all-American classics. For dessert, enjoy creme brûlée, pumpkin bread pudding and Chef Ryan Summer’s famous chocolate Oreo pie. In addition to a dine-in experience, Chef’s Palette is also offering a pickup option for its Christmas Eve dinner.
CHEF RYAN SUMMERS’ HERBES DE PROVENCE–MARINATED LAMB RACK WITH BALSAMIC RED WINE REDUCTION Serves 3–4
INGREDIENTS 2 racks of lamb Herb marinade Balsamic red wine reduction
DIRECTIONS Combine the herb marinade ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Cut up two racks of lamb into 2–3 bone portions. Add the lamb to the bowl, coating each piece well with the marinade. Cover and marinate the lamb in the refrigerator for 24–36 hours. Grill the lamb until the meat reaches a temperature of 130 degrees. Let the meat rest for 5–10 minutes before serving with the red wine reduction, either on top of the lamb or on the side as a dipping sauce. HERB MARINADE INGREDIENTS 1 large shallot, minced 5 garlic cloves, minced 3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped ¼ cup of mint, chopped 1/3 cup of herbes de Provence (can be purchased at most grocery stores) 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
BALSAMIC RED WINE REDUCTION INGREDIENTS Half a bottle of red wine 1½ cups of balsamic vinegar Shallots, mint and rosemary, to taste Veal demi-glace or beef bouillon, to add flavor and consistency ¼ cup of honey 2 tablespoons of butter BALSAMIC RED WINE REDUCTION DIRECTIONS Sweat the shallots. Deglaze with wine, balsamic and veal demi-glace or beef bouillon. Add the mint and rosemary, then reduce the mixture by half. Add in the honey and butter. Strain the mixture and then serve the sauce on top of the lamb or on the side as a dipping sauce.
Chef’s Tip: Serve the lamb and sauce with two bunches of broccolini. Blanch the broccolini, then cook it lightly in 3 tablespoons of butter with garlic, shallots and chicken stock, to taste. Serve all of the above with Israeli couscous with sautéed fresh tomato, olives and basil.
CHEF SPYROS SKELLAS’ GREEK CHRISTMAS LAMB IN PARCHMENT PAPER Serves 8
INGREDIENTS 1 8-ounce lamb leg, bone-out 8 ounces of kefalotiri (saganaki) cheese, shredded 4 medium-sized carrots, shredded 2 ounces of pine nuts, toasted 4 cloves of garlic 3 ounces of olive oil 1 teaspoon of pink whole peppercorn 3–4 branches of fresh thyme 1–2 teaspoons of oregano 2–3 branches of fresh rosemary 2 pounds of potatoes, peeled Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry the meat. Toast the pine nuts without oil. In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded carrots, kefalotiri cheese, pine nuts, salt, pepper and oregano. Place the meat on a large piece of parchment paper. Rub it with salt, pepper and oregano. Make small incisions and tuck in pieces of garlic, some of the carrot and the cheese mixture. Use the remaining mix to cover the meat, then add the pink peppercorn and drizzle it with olive oil. Roll the meat into a firm roll and secure it with string or baker’s twine. In a large mixing bowl, add the potato wedges and season them with salt, pepper and oregano. Place the meat roll at the center of the parchment paper and distribute the potatoes all around it. Add the herbs. Wrap everything and tie the parchment paper with some string or baker’s twine. Dampen the paper and put it in the oven on a pan. Cook for about 2 hours.
TAVERNA AGORA
326 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh 919.881.8333 | tavernaagora.com Taverna Agora offers a quaint, family-oriented Christmas Eve experience, where diners can enjoy the tastes of Greece inside a charming, picturesque dining room. The familiar blue and white table coverings, ceramic pottery and rich images of the Mediterranean coasts will transport you to the Greek Isles while you enjoy a three-course Christmas Eve dinner. In the past, Taverna Agora has offered a 12-ounce ribeye and Astakos grilled lobster tail paired with imported Greek wines or hand-crafted cocktails. The restaurant embodies Greek gathering tavernas and encourages a serene, communal atmosphere where friends and families can gather to enjoy a meal without stress.
9401 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh | 919.781.2444 | angusbarn.com While not open for Christmas Eve, a holiday meal created by Angus Barn Chef Walter Royal is worth a visit. Shop the restaurant’s traditional country store while you’re there to find holiday snacks and appetizers that will make your home glow with Southern hospitality. Every holiday season, Angus Barn hangs beautiful garland, Christmas lights and gorgeous ornaments around its rustic dining room. It’s the perfect place to treat incoming family and friends.
ANGUS BARN BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE
Serves 10–12
PUDDING INGREDIENTS 2 loaves of French bread 2 quarts of milk 6 eggs 4 cups of sugar 4 tablespoons of vanilla 6 tablespoons of butter 2 cups of yellow raisins 2 cups of chopped pecans
PUDDING DIRECTIONS Soak the bread in milk and then add the raisins. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together, then stir into the bread mixture until mixed well. Add the nuts and mix again. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray and pour the melted butter into the pan to coat the bottom. Pour the pudding mixture into the pan and bake in a water bath until it is very firm—about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let it cool.
BOURBON SAUCE INGREDIENTS 2 pounds of butter, melted 8 cups of sugar 8 eggs 16 ounces of bourbon
BOURBON SAUCE DIRECTIONS Cream the eggs, sugar and bourbon. Pour the warm butter over the egg mixture. Place the mixture in a double boiler and heat it until the sugar dissolves.
PHOTO BY JOSH MANNING
SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE 410 GLENWOOD AVENUE, SUITE 100, RALEIGH Sullivan’s Steakhouse offers a warm, social and luxurious atmosphere within the walls of its yellow-brick Creamery Building location in downtown Raleigh. Guests will find the elegant lacquered bar tops and tables decorated for the holidays, as well as a cozy Christmas feel beneath floods of warm light and polished wood. Enjoy Sullivan’s Steakhouse’s stellar a la carte menu, helmed by Executive Chef Mario Ledezma and featuring classics such as hand-cut steaks and signature cocktails. Customers can also participate in the restaurant’s holiday gift program, which offers guests a $10 gift card for every $100 enjoyed there. Make a Christmas Eve reservation at sullivanssteakhouse.com or by calling 919.833.2888.
A’VERDE COCINA + TEQUILA LIBRARY 2300 WALNUT STREET, CARY Experience a vivacious, lively atmosphere this holiday season at a’Verde Cocina + Tequila Library in Cary, where Top Chef alum Katsuji Tanabe takes a creative approach to Mexican fare. His trendy menu features fresh North Carolina ingredients and incorporates them into entrées that reflect the latest culinary trends. Choose from familiar dishes with an avant-garde twist: adobo marinated meat and sizzling vegetables, for example. Reserve a table for Christmas Eve at averdecary.com or by calling 984.200.3469.
THE PEAK ON SALEM 126 N. SALEM STREET, APEX Enjoy Christmas Eve right in the middle of historic, festively decorated downtown Apex at The Peak on Salem. The restaurant’s gorgeous lacquered bar, and brick and marble accents envelop diners in a cozy, upscale ambience, where prime cuts of steak and fine wines serve as the centerpiece for an amazing culinary experience created by Chef Steve Zanini. The restaurant has offered a traditional three-course Christmas Eve dinner in the past, during which customers enjoyed twice-buttered cornbread and fresh salad alongside herb-roasted pork loin or prime rib entrées. Settle in and order a craft cocktail while enjoying an elevated, yet relaxed scene. Make a reservation at thepeakonsalem.com or by calling 919.446.6060.
LUCKY 32 SOUTHERN KITCHEN 7307 TRYON ROAD, CARY For a Southern-inspired Christmas Eve meal, head over to Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen, where Chef Dan Hoskins serves up delicious comfort food rendered with an array of local ingredients. From fried green tomatoes to Cheerwine-braised short ribs, Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen offers every Southerner’s dream meal with a farm-to-table twist. Enjoy your favorite dishes in the restaurant’s beautiful garden patio or modern-chic dining room. Make a Christmas Eve reservation at lucky32.com.
