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TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

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FUN FINDER

on page 2 from Kids Town!

A BATTLE BETWEEN

SOUTHERN CHARRED AND MAVERICK’S Greg Cox for Triangle Today Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Barbecue Smackdown 2018! Tonight’s event looks to be one for the ages. You’ve heard of the Thrilla in Manila? The Rumble in the Jungle? Well, they’ll soon be talking about the Wrangle in the Triangle. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s bout, pits two up-and-coming rookies trained in the New School of Barbecue. These brash upstarts don’t limit their repertoire to a single region’s barbecue style. Instead, taking advantage of the more precise temperature control of modern hybrid smokers, they cook North Carolina pork, Texas brisket, and pretty much everything in-between. They round out their offerings with appetizers (unheard of in a traditional barbecue joint), an updated selection of sides and a wellstocked bar. Their respect for tradition is obvious, but make no mistake about it: these guys are out to prove that the

old ways aren’t the only ways. So without further ado, let’s get on with the action. In this corner, setting up camp in the former Alivia’s building across from Brightleaf Square in Durham. . . the Durham Deadeye, aka Maverick’s Smokehouse & Taproom! Trainer Fergus Bradley, who also owns the James Joyce Irish Pub a few doors down, has his team in fighting form, using a gas-fired smoker with an offset firebox burning hickory or sustainable sugar maple logs, depending on what they’re cooking. And in this corner, hailing from the heart of Glenwood South in Raleigh. . . the Glenwood Gladiator, Southern Charred! A promising rookie with a smoldering hot arsenal of weapons that includes hickory, mesquite and cherry in an electric cooker, Southern Charred is managed by the Bunch

of Fives Hospitality Group — whose name, fittingly, is old British slang for a knuckle sandwich. And there’s the opening bell! Round 1: Atmosphere Maverick’s comes out swinging with a rough-and-ready look: salvaged wood bar, one wall plastered with old barbecue posters, and the flags of North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas — the holy trinity of barbecue — flying high on another. Southern Charred counters with an urban rustic vibe and glass garage doors that open to a patio with a front row view of the night life action on Glenwood South. Maverick’s parries with an impressive patio of its own (part of which can be enclosed in inclement weather) and a second outdoor bar. Round 1 is too close to call.

See Greg’s complete review at triangletoday.com.

Maverick’s serves Memphis dry-rubbed ribs and smoked house-made jalapeño-cheddar sausage with collard greens with house beef. Juli Leonard Maverick’s Smokehouse & Taproom 900 W. Main St., Durham 919-682-8978 maverickssmokehouse.com Southern Charred 510 Glenwood Ave., Suite 101, Raleigh 919-758-8851 southerncharred.com

As the days cool down, the fun heats up at Kids Town! TRIANGLE TODAY’S

Find fun family-friendly events, crafts, recipes, offers and contests at kidstownnc.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

recipes

Local chefs dish on recipes perfect for football season.

Melissa Howsam for Triangle Today Here, a top Prestonwood Country Club toque dishes on a delish dish so that regardless of the game outcome, your tailgate is winning. A.M. SOUS CHEF ELIZABETH BARNETT A well-traveled, avid equestrian who has ridden in at least six countries and rode professionally while in culinary school, A.M. sous chef Elizabeth Barnett, (formerly of Tyler’s Taproom as head chef, and Pinehurst as P.M. Lead) has a firsthand appreciation of how countries and food are intrinsically linked. “Whether it was here or abroad,” she recounts, “talking to someone’s grandmother about why the recipe they used had certain ingredients, why they used certain methods and how old the recipe was … revealed something more authentic and historic than just the experience of eating the final product. It revealed a unique culture.” Here, her knowledge translates to her recommendation for the family tailgate with this healthy tailgate recipe. Eggplant “falafel meatballs” with kale pesto makes about 18 balls, plus a generous cup of pesto MEATBALL INGREDIENTS: 2 tsp. olive oil 1 medium eggplant, diced small (about 3 cups-worth of diced eggplant) with or without skin salt + pepper to taste 1/2 c. cooked chickpeas (about half a can of organic chickpeas, with half of the liquid reserved) 1/4 c. almond meal/butter 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. dried oregano or dried Italian herbs 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley ( about two bunches with stems removed) 1-2 tsp. lemon zest ( 1 large lemon)+ the juice of the lemon 1/4 c. of the reserved organic chickpea canning liquid (aka chickpea brine/aquafaba) MUST BE ORGANIC!!!* 2 eggs, beaten (for a vegan recipe add 1 tsp. ground flaxseed, mixed with one tsp. water in place of eggs) 2 slices of bread, toasted and roughly cut (see below for details for a gluten-free recipe) KALE PESTO INGREDIENTS: 1/2 c. sliced almonds 1/2 c. boiling water 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped 1 tsp. lemon juice (half a lemon) 3 packed c. of chopped kale 1 tsp. sesame paste or oil salt + pepper 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil (more, depending on consistency)

Tailgaters at N.C. State. File METHOD: 1. Soak the almonds in hot water and set aside.

the oven and bake meatballs for 25-28 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cooking time.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or nonstick spray. Set aside.

FOR THE PESTO: Rinse out your food processor bowl and blade with hot water. Then, drain and add the almonds. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the bowl. Pulse the mixture until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Add the kale, sesame paste or oil and salt and pepper to the food processor. Flip the machine to high until everything in the bowl is finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil into the food processor until you have a nice paste-like consistency. You may have to use more oil than specified, or less depending on how tightly you packed the kale. Once you have a consistency you like, season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper, and perhaps more lemon, and store in a covered container with a thin layer of oil on top to preserve the color.

3. Heat the olive oil for the meatballs in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add all of the diced eggplant and saute until golden on all sides, about 8 minutes. Make sure that the pieces are noticeably soft. Once soft, season with salt and pepper; toss; and remove from the heat. Cover and set aside.(Drain off the liquid the eggplant releases and reserve. Add later if needed.) 4. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the chickpeas, almond meal/butter, spices, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and chickpea canning liquid until you have a smooth paste. Add the cooled sauteed eggplant to the food processor. Pulse until you have a lightly chunky paste. Add the roughly cut toasted bread to the the food processor, and some salt and pepper to taste. Then add the egg and flip the machine to high once more until you have a chunky and thick, slightly sticky mixture. If the mixture is too thick, add the reserved eggplant juice or some water. This mixture should be thick enough to easily form a ball in your hand. 5. Form the eggplant mixture into balls with roughly 2.5 Tbsp. per ball. Gently roll them and then place them on the lightly greased baking sheet. You can use a small ice-cream scoop (about 2 oz) . Fill the baking sheet, and then put into

TO SERVE: Serve the warm eggplant meatballs in halves warm whole wheat pita with dollops of the kale pesto, some roughly chopped parsley, sliced tomatoes and red onion and lettuce; or atop some sliced ripe tomatoes, salad greens & sliced hard boiled egg. Top with lemon zest, mint, olive oil and sesame seeds. *Note the other half of the chickpea liquid can be saved (or frozen) to make a vegan or vegetarian mayo or salad dressing. Replacing half or all of the eggs in a recipe with equal parts of the liquid. Plus 1 tsp. ground flax seed.