Signature Dishes

Written by Kimberly Mayone

What comprises a signature dish? Sometimes a restaurant’s signature dish is a unique preparation, unseen elsewhere; other times, it’s a chef’s personal take on a popular item, such as a lobster roll or grilled steak. Sometimes it’s a style rather than a particular recipe—a restaurant might be known for whimsical preparations, or bold flavors, or perfectly rendered classics. Essentially, signature dishes are those that keep diners coming back for more.

We explore four noteworthy restaurants and their signature food. Radici, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, specializes in authentic Italian fare, with an emphasis on seafood. In Maine, Kennebunk’s On the Marsh Bistro turns out elegant and beautifully presented food, often creative interpretations of traditional dishes, with a gorgeous view. In Portland, The Salt Exchange is as much about visual presentation as it is about wonderful combinations of ingredients, with a touch of whimsy. And in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Mission Oak Grill specializes in hand-cut, high-quality steaks.

Radici
142-144 Congress Street
Portsmouth, N.H.
603-373-6464
www.radicirestaurant.com

Candlelight, fresh flowers, and walls the color of autumn pumpkins create a welcoming space at Radici. The menu focuses on coastal Italian cuisines, reflecting Radici’s proximity to the ocean. With the coast just six blocks away, the restaurant receives daily seafood deliveries to ensure the freshest fish possible. Chef Daniel Rean uses seafood in both appetizers and entrees. Pan Seared Sea Scallops with sundried tomato and lemon aioli, for example, is a favorite that has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2002.

Owner Jay Krecklow has been working in the restaurant business since he was a teenager. At Radici, he started as a waiter when the restaurant first opened; he enjoyed working there so much, he bought the place in 2007. His enthusiasm for genuine hospitality and for great food is apparent. Radici, he says, is “a place to enjoy fabulous Italian food and good wine with friends and family.”

Meals begin with bread from Jessica’s Brick Oven in Woburn, Massachusetts, served with homemade roasted garlic olive oil and balsamic vinegar for drizzling. Next comes the salad course. According to Krecklow, “Many guests make a meal out of the salads by simply adding a shared appetizer.” Indeed, the salads are more than ample. The Roasted Vegetable Salad includes yellow and red beets, carrots, parsnips, and leeks, drizzled with a slightly sweet, warm champagne vinaigrette. The crowning touch is two crostini toasts topped with pistachio encrusted chèvre rounds. This is the kind of salad you’ll end up wanting to order every time you visit.

Radici_Seafood_Far_Diavolo Pasta plays a principal role on Radici’s menu, including six vegetarian options. If you’re craving spaghetti and meatballs, you can get it, but a more unusual and popular offering is the Penne Gorgonzola, tossed with a hearty mixture of mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, earthy sage, and heady Gorgonzola. Krecklow says, “Many guests, vegetarians and meat eaters alike, opt for this choice.” Regulars also love the Seafood Fra Diavolo, scallops and shrimp swirled with fettuccine in a spicy tomato sauce garnished with a bit of crumbled feta in a bowl rimmed with steamed mussels. Many of the pasta dishes are available in half portions, ideal for a lighter meal, or if you’d like a separate pasta course as well as an entree.

One dish that keeps diners coming back to Radici is the classic Osso Bucco, served with mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus. Fork tender, falling off the bone, and perfectly seasoned after a long braise in a rich, house-made veal stock, the veal is beautifully prepared. While Krecklow changes the menu five times a year, this is one dish, he says, “we could never take off the menu.”

Save room for dessert, because the homemade Tiramisu is incredible. Made with three layers of airy ladyfingers gently brushed with espresso, amaretto, and Kahlúa, four layers of creamy, sweet mascarpone, a layer of chocolate ganache, and a garnish of fresh berries, this is indeed a grand finale.

Radici offers Sunday brunch featuring frittatas—traditional Italian open-faced omelets—and other egg specialties including Eggs Oscar, poached eggs served over grilled ciabatta with jumbo lump crab and herb hollandaise. Additional brunch choices include sandwiches like Chicken Parmesan, assorted salads, a few pasta dishes, and a very popular Make Your Own Bloody Mary Bar.

Lunch service runs during the work week, with soups, salads, and sandwiches. “The goal of lunch is to offer reasonable portions of terrific food at fair prices with efficient service, because most lunch guests have time constraints,” Krecklow says.

Generous portions of skillfully prepared food and a comfortable, inviting atmosphere make Radici a worthwhile dining destination. It’s a restaurant you could eat at once a week and never tire of the menu, whether you opt for your favorite dish or try something new.

On the Marsh Bistro
46 Western Avenue (Route 9)
Lower Village, Kennebunk, Maine
207-967-2299
www.onthemarsh.com

Located in an old farmhouse along picturesque Route 9, On the Marsh Bistro delivers a feast for both the eyes and the palate. The decor matches the natural setting, with chandeliers made from twisted branches and an appealing balance between rustic and elegant. Owner Denise Rubin is an interior designer by trade, and her expert touch is apparent; she even designed the restaurant’s flatware.

On the Marsh Bistro is a wholly special place. A romantic setting, thoughtful cuisine, and superb service set the restaurant apart from typical tourist-town establishments. Meticulously groomed gardens surround the building. On a recent summer evening, the tide was rolling out and many coastal birds made for a great flight show for a table by a window. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes seems to be romance—Rubin says their designated “most romantic table” has been the site of at least 38 wedding proposals.

The menu at On the Marsh Bistro changes twice weekly. It is a result of a collaborative effort directed by Executive Chef Jeffrey Savage. He sums up the menu offerings as “seasonal, fresh, and local whenever possible. Our menu is written based on what is available, what is in season, and what will taste the best.” Savage has a purveyor list “as long as his arm” that he’s built up over his years in the business. Diners at On the Marsh Bistro enjoy classic preparations but also have come to expect Savage’s ingenious renditions of traditional fare.

In reconstructing Maine Lobster Pie, for example, Savage prepares an intensely flavored lobster bisque and thickens it slightly with a light roux. All the vegetable components are cooked separately, and fresh lobster meat is pulled from the shell. Each lobster pie is made and cooked to order by assembling the ingredients in a Spanish cazuela, a low-sided terracotta baking dish. Homemade pie crust gilds the top of each pie before it is baked off in the oven.

On_the_Marsh_Oysters_3 For appetizers, On the Marsh Bistro always offers Damariscotta River Oysters. Mignonette sauce (a wine vinegar dressing seasoned with shallots) and fresh lemon wedges accompany the briny oysters. The signature Demi Salad is so pretty you might hesitate to break open the thinly sliced cucumber ring that holds a combination of organic greens, heirloom tomatoes, crunchy croutons, and just the right amount of Parmesan cheese to complement the delicate champagne vinaigrette. The nightly bread is an excellent sourdough delivered daily by Big Bread Company in Rye, New Hampshire. Butter is served at room temperature (perfect for spreading), accented with fresh chives, mild chili pepper threads, and sea salt.

In the five years that Savage has been running the kitchen, he has perfected the restaurant’s signature dish of Seared Sea Scallops and Fresh Maine Lobster-Truffle Risotto. Oversized sea scallops with a golden crust are adorned with baby toy moi, an Asian green similar to baby bok choy. The accompanying risotto includes several bites of Maine lobster and a nuance of black truffle. This gorgeous plate is garnished with a black truffle sauce so good that you might find yourself stopping mid-bite just to savor it. The sauce is made from a combination of summer black truffles, white truffle oil, 100-year-old sherry vinegar, lemon juice, and whole-grain mustard.

House-made desserts complete the On the Marsh Bistro experience. An unusual Goat Cheese Cheesecake is served with seasonal fresh fruit. One of the most requested is the Dutch Apple Bolen. An apple is baked in a buttery pastry crust and served with salted caramel sauce and a vanilla bean ice cream gently flavored with Navan, a French vanilla cordial. When you slice into the apple, a cinnamon sugar butter sauce flows onto the plate.

On the Marsh Bistro is an absolute gem in the southern Maine dining scene, and you do not need a special occasion to pay a visit.

The Salt Exchange
245 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
207-347-5687
www.thesaltexchange.net

Charles and Martha Bryon, a husband and wife team, opened The Salt Exchange last spring. Charles says, “Our goal was to create a space where seasonally inspired food and local art could be presented together.” The restaurant’s Executive Chef, Jacob Jasinski, has succeeded in translating the Bryons’ vision into reality. Every ingredient is selected with intention and each plate is designed to thrill the eye and the taste buds.

Jasinski changes the menu weekly, with some daily seasonal specials. “There is something uniquely special about the people and the culture in Maine,” Jasinski says. “The farmers, the fishermen, and the food producers are all so genuinely passionate about what they do.” During scallop season (December though March), Jasinski worked closely with a local scallop fisherman who delivered freshly harvested scallops to the restaurant. Seriously fresh—according to Jasinski, “The scallops were still in the shell, still pulsating.”

A signature dish on both the lunch and dinner menu is Spiced Casco Bay Cioppino. Jonah crab claw, Peekytoe crabmeat, sole, hamachi, and a thick crouton arrive at the table in a warmed bowl. The server then pours a rich seafood broth around the ingredients to create the soup. On a recent visit, only good table manners prevented me from lifting the bowl to my mouth so that I could enjoy every last drop. All the soups at The Salt Exchange are poured tableside.

The popular Duck Sliders offered at lunch are three bread-and-butter rolls split and filled with braised duck, a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce, and crunchy, crème fraîche coleslaw made with red cabbage for extra eye appeal. Charles says, “They are so popular it is not uncommon to run out of them during a particularly busy lunch.”

“Every dish Jacob designs has a little surprise built into it,” says Martha. On the evening we dined, Baked Egg with Pickled Ramps, Onion Vinaigrette, and Seasonal Greens was a showstopper. What appeared to be a green vegetable soufflé was served on top of an oversized, crispy crouton. Biting into the soufflé revealed a perfectly cooked soft egg yolk, which added a luxurious layer to the dish. Jasinski created this culinary wonder by separating out the yolk while keeping it intact. The egg whites were whipped with kale juice to give them a beautiful spring green color. Before cooking, the “egg” was reassembled on top of the crouton.

King Salmon with Ramps is served with a foie gras emulsion and tangy tomato jam. Asparagus Salad is presented in a fanciful ring of fried prosciutto and dressed with a sherry-citrus cream dotted with fresh orange segments.

Bread is delivered daily by Portland’s Standard Baking Company as well as Rosemont Market and Bakery. The bread basket comes with domestically made European-style butter along with three salts: Smoked Hawaiian Black Salt, Italian Herb, and Sel Gris Sea Salt. Homemade desserts include Earl Grey Panna Cotta, light and creamy, gently accented with the distinct flavor of the tea. Sugared Muscat grapes and delicate tuile cookies complement the panna cotta.

The menu is not the only thing that changes at The Salt Exchange. The walls are adorned with a rotating art show. A new emerging artist is featured every three months, and all the work is for sale. The open, high-ceilinged room has nicely spaced tables covered in crisp linens, with attractive contrasts between the pale walls, exposed brick, dark woods, and bright, kiwi-green ceiling. The bar at The Salt Exchange offers an extensive bourbon list as well as classic cocktails and a thorough wine list. Charles has studied viticulture, and he knows his wine.

Located on Commercial Street, The Salt Exchange can boast about one thing many downtown Portland restaurants cannot: free parking! There is a small lot next to the building with 22 spots for restaurant guests. The Bryons want The Salt Exchange experience to be marvelous from beginning to end and, Charles says, “that begins with not having to search for or pay for parking.”

Mission Oak Grill
26 Green Street
Newburyport, Mass.
978-463-9009
www.missionoakgrill.com

Located in a former Baptist church, Mission Oak Grill is the place to go for skillfully seasoned steaks and seafood. Owner Wellington Augusto and Executive Chef Christopher Hirtle have been working together for over 17 years at various Boston-area eateries.

Mission_Oak_Grill_Tuna_tar_tar_2 Mission Oak Grill has been open since October 2006. The menu changes three times a year but Hirtle says, “There are certain items that absolutely can never be taken off the menu.” The Tuna Tartar appetizer is one of them. A generous portion of chopped raw Ahi tuna is layered over wakame (a sesame-seasoned seaweed salad) and a thick disc of sushi rice. The dish is finished with sriracha mayonnaise and sweet soy caramel. Given the number of these appetizers flying out of the kitchen on the night we visited, it’s clear that, as our server commented, “Everyone is crazy about the Tuna Tartar.” One tasty seasonal starter is the Summer Fig Salad, a refreshing balance of fresh sweet figs and peppery arugula, dressed with a white balsamic vinaigrette.

The 10-ounce, center-cut Classic Filet Mignon is another signature dish. Hirtle hand-cuts all the Prime beef steaks. Each filet is grilled to order, expertly cooked to desired doneness and sauced with a Madeira wine demi-glace. The dish includes garlic sautéed broccoli and buttery mashed potatoes. Each plate is garnished with an oversized russet potato gaufrette, a kind of giant waffled potato chip. The same filet is available in a 5-ounce, petite-cut portion with identical sides. Many of the salads and entrees can be ordered in half portions.

Simply Grilled Churrasco has been on the menu since the restaurant opened, a nod to Augusto’s Brazilian roots. Beef skirt steak is marinated until tender, grilled, and brought to the table sizzling on a cast-iron skillet. It is served with vibrant, julienned carrot salad and ultra-crispy fries. The nightly chimichurri sauce is served on the side. On the night we visited, the sauce was spicy and tangy, made from lemon, garlic, olive oil, and red Italian cherry peppers. The house-made Brazilian-inspired Sangria is the perfect accompaniment, made from Burgundy wine, a variety of fruit, and cinnamon sticks—very refreshing.

Hirtle prides himself on the from-scratch cooking done at Mission Oak Grill. Stocks, soups, sauces, and dressings are all made in house. House-made focaccia is delivered to each table with a puree of garbanzo beans and roasted garlic drizzled with olive oil. Every dessert is homemade except for the ice cream, which comes from nearby Richardson’s Ice Cream. The Cheesecake is made from a recipe Hirtle has perfected over the years, in a variety of flavors—the limoncello version we sampled was a creamy, lemony delight. The S’mores Brownie Sundae is over-the-top dessert nirvana. An extra-thick two-inch brownie is centered on the plate, next to toasted marshmallows. It’s topped with a layer of chocolate ganache, then scoops of vanilla ice cream coated with graham cracker crumbs. We advise that you share it with a friend and make an extra appointment with your personal trainer.

Mission Oak Grill has an extensive wine list and offers 25 different pours by the glass, plus a tempting list of specialty cocktails. During warmer months, there’s a large outdoor patio. The second floor of the restaurant boasts a lovely ballroom that can hold up to 180 seated guests. “It’s the biggest wedding room in Newburyport,” Hirtle says.

Jessica Duffy, the restaurant manager, explains the Mission Oak Grill’s philosophy: “I strive to offer our guests an upscale dining experience with a casual approach while Chef Hirtle works very hard to deliver consistently excellent food.” It’s a successful formula. Rich leather, dark woods, low lighting, and the promise of a good meal draw guests into Mission Oak Grill. It is the restaurant’s bold, well-seasoned dishes and professional service that beckon guests back.

Recipes

Seared Sea Scallops and Fresh Maine Lobster-Truffle Risotto
Makes 2 servings
Beer recommendation: Pretty Things Jack D'or
Wine recommendation: Ceretto, Blange Lange Arneis (Piedmont, Italy)

Chef Savage makes this dish with a 100-year-old sherry vinegar, but it’s also tasty with 50-year-old—or even relatively new sherry vinegar. Fresh summer truffles are in season from May through September. They can be difficult to find in stores, but you can order them online, or use jarred black truffles (see “Ingredient Source,” page 48).
Adapted from Chef Jeffrey A. Savage of On the Marsh Bistro.

Truffle Sauce
1 ounce summer black truffles, preferably fresh
3 tablespoons aged sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup white truffle oil
Pinch sea salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Risotto
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small Spanish onion, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
4 to 6 cups lobster stock, fish stock, or clam juice, warmed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons minced chives
4 ounces cooked fresh Maine lobster meat
½ ounce summer black truffles, preferably fresh
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
8 ounces fresh diver scallops
Maine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste, preferably from Tellicherry peppercorns
6 baby toy moi cabbage or small baby bok choy

1. Prepare the truffle sauce. In a blender, combine the truffles, vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice. Puree, then drizzle in the truffle oil while blending. Add salt and pepper to taste and blend. Refrigerate while you prepare the risotto.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon to toast and coat with oil.
3. When the rice starts to brown, add the wine. Continue stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the stock and stir frequently until it is absorbed. Continue adding stock 1 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed after each addition, until the rice is almost cooked through. Check after adding 4 cups of the stock. If rice is not yet ready, add remaining stock 1 cup at a time, checking after each addition. When rice is just al dente, stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter, chives, lobster, truffles, and cheese, and cook and stir until the lobster is warmed through, about 2 minutes.
4. While the risotto cooks, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook until brown, then turn the scallops over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent to keep warm.
5. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add cabbage and sauté over medium heat. Cover and cook until just tender. Season with salt and pepper.
6. To serve, divide risotto between 2 plates. Place the scallops and toy moi or baby bok choy next to the risotto and drizzle a bit of the truffle sauce on the plate, to taste. Serve immediately. Store any leftover truffle sauce, refrigerated, in an airtight container.

Spiced Casco Bay Cioppino
Makes 4 servings, with extra broth
Beer recommendation: Mayflower Summer Rye Ale
Wine recommendation: J. Lohr “Carol’s Vineyard” Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley, California)

This recipe makes a large amount of flavorful seafood broth. Make the full amount and freeze leftovers in 1-cup containers to have on hand. Tougarashi is a kind of Japanese ground pepper, found in Asian markets. Hot chile flakes may also be used.
Adapted from The Salt Exchange.

Seafood Broth
2½ pounds live crabs
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely diced
½ carrot, finely diced
½ fennel bulb, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 leek top, finely diced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 cup tomato paste
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bay leaf
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup pureed red bell pepper
1½ cups dry white wine
1 gallon lobster stock, or fish stock
Reserved lobster tomalley, from lobster stock preparation (optional)
Sugar and lemon juice, to taste

Cioppino
4 slices sourdough bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces assorted local fish, such as haddock or cod
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 ounces fresh Maine crabmeat
4 Jonah crab claws
4 cups Seafood Broth (above), simmering
Tougarashi spice or red chile pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Szechuan hot pepper oil to taste (optional)
Chopped chives, for garnish

1. Prepare the broth. Put the crabs in a bag and smash to break into small pieces. Press to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve the liquid separately.
2. Heat a large stockpot until very hot over high heat, add oil, then the crabs, which should sizzle loudly. Lower heat and stir occasionally to keep crab from burning; do not stir constantly.
3. Add the onion, carrot, fennel, garlic, and leek, season with salt and pepper, and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and let it brown, but be careful not to burn. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and orange juice. Simmer until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is almost dry. Add the pureed pepper, reduce until almost dry, then add the wine and reduce.
4. Add the lobster stock and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and let steep an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Puree and pass through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve. Add the reserved crab liquid and tomalley if using. Add additional salt if needed. Add sugar and lemon juice to taste. Stir well. Measure 4 cups broth and keep at a simmer in a medium saucepan. Let remaining broth cool to room temperature, then store up to 3 days in the fridge or freeze in airtight containers.
5. Prepare the cioppino. Toast or grill the bread and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet and cook on both sides until just cooked through. Divide the fish among 4 shallow soup bowls. Add the crabmeat and crab claws to the pan and cook, then divide among the bowls. Pour simmering broth over each bowl. Garnish with a toast slice and, if desired, a pinch of Tougarashi, a drizzle of Szechuan oil, and a sprinkle of chives. Serve immediately.

Summer Fig Salad
Makes 4 servings
Wine recommendation: Banfi Vintners, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy)

Sopressata is a cured Italian salami. Regular salami, prosciutto, pancetta, or bacon may also be used.
Adapted from Mission Oak Grill.

Dressing
2½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon whole grain mustard
1½ teaspoons minced shallot
1/3 cup canola oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnishes
½ cup grated Asiago cheese
2 ounces sopressata, cut into strips
½ cup balsamic vinegar

Salad
8 cups baby arugula
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 yellow pear tomatoes, halved
12 fresh figs, halved

1. Prepare the dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard, and shallot and mix well. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare the garnishes. In a large nonstick skillet, divide the grated cheese into 4 small mounds. Spread each into a circle. Heat over medium-high heat until the cheese melts. Continue heating without touching until the cheese crisps up. Transfer each Asiago crisp to a plate using a spatula and let cool slightly.
3. Add the sopressata to the skillet and cook until crispy. Transfer
to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
4. Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced by half and is syrupy. Remove from heat.
5. Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the dressing. Divide the greens among 4 salad plates. Place 4 cherry tomato halves, 4 pear tomato halves, and 3 fig halves on top of the greens. Divide the sopressata among the 4 plates. Drizzle each with ½ teaspoon of the balsamic syrup and garnish with an Asiago crisp. Serve immediately.

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Signature Dishes Winter 2009

Restaurants

Written by Paula Sullivan

*Photos by Jack Bingham

Epoch's Spicy Chilled Hawaiian style Prawns Sometimes, when a chef takes over an older establishment, he or she inherits a few dishes that don’t necessarily fit in with their culinary vision. Steve Harding became executive chef of Epoch restaurant, located in the Exeter Inn in Exeter, New Hampshire, in November of 2007, and he quickly gave the menu a complete overhaul—he now sources locally whenever he can and makes seasonal changes to the menu—and he just as quickly had to come up with an interesting way to satisfy customer requests after he removed shrimp cocktail from the menu.

The result was Spicy Chilled Hawaiian-style Prawns with Red Onion Confiture and Tomato-Ginger Chutney. The appetizer has become a customer favorite, but it’s a signature dish the chef can live with. A few other items have also cultivated fierce customer loyalty. A starter of Spinney Creek Oyster Shooters features New Hampshire-made General Stark vodka and homemade tomato jus spiked with fresh horseradish. Although Harding will make seasonal adjustments to the dish (he makes the jus from local Brandywine tomatoes in the summer) he says he will keep some form of this dish on the menu each season, as he loves the brininess and clean flavor of the Spinney Creek oysters, and he is thrilled about using a local vodka.

Another favorite starter is the Maytag Bleu Greens. For the simple salad, Harding dresses organic greens with a classic vinaigrette and adorns them with French Breakfast radishes, thick slices of tomato, and a generous crumbling of Maytag Blue. A drizzle of herb oil finishes the dish, and Harding says it’s a perfect example of how sometimes the best way to showcase ingredients is with simplicity. Epoch’s winter favorites include Seared Red Snapper and Shrimp served with a Roasted Sweet Potato-Corn Galette and Cilantro-Chestnut Pesto, a Pepper Crusted Angus Strip Steak with Bacon-Corn Fritters and sautéed spinach, and Scallop and Lobster Papardelle which is prepared with chorizo, baby spinach, and a General Stark vodka sauce.

One signature main course that took hold quickly is Fennel-seared Sea Bass with Garlic-infused Mussels and Fennel Tomato Broth. Although not on the winter menu, diners can look forward to its return in the spring and summer. The thick fillet is dusted with a dredge of flour and fennel seed and sits in a deep-red broth made by simmering caramelized fennel with ripe tomatoes. Plump, garlicky mussels surround the fish, and a crispy chive potato rosti is perched on top. Harding had to be resourceful with the dessert menu as well. When folks clamored for cheesecake, he came up with a Pumpkin Chevre Cheese Cake served on a gingerbread cookie and offers different versions throughout the year.

At Cinque Terre, in Portland, Maine, Chef Lee Skawinski honors the Italian tradition of using what is available in the garden that day, so that many of his signature dishes, such as the Cozze, or Maine Mussels, look quite different from season to season. Chef Skawinski is a member of the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association (MOFGA), and in addition to heading the kitchen at Cinque Terre and its sister restaurant, Vignola, he helps tend a forty-acre spread of farm land and a 3,000-square-foot greenhouse. The busy chef goes to the fields each morning during the growing season and arrives at the restaurant with baskets full of homegrown vegetables. “We grow all our own potatoes, and eight or nine varieties of squash, heirloom Italian tomatoes, zucchini, fennel.” And thanks to the greenhouse and to an ambitious scheduling of canning, pickling, and preserving, many of the (literal) fruits of Chef Skawinski’s labor will be featured throughout the winter.

For the aforementioned Cozze, the basic preparation of steaming the sweet mollusks in a flavorful mixture of aromatics doesn’t change much, but the seasonal ingredients Chef Skawinski uses vary greatly throughout the year. A typical wintertime treatment includes roasted garlic, lemon and vermouth, and is finished with a generous dollop of sun dried tomato butter, prepared from Skawinski’s house-dried tomatoes, made from Laughing Stock Farm tomatoes and preserved in olive oil. On the side is a cluster of savory chickpea fritters seasoned with fennel pollen, lemon zest and chili flakes.

Cinque Terre's Ostriche Skawinski almost always features some version of Ostriche, or oysters, on his winter menu, and one of the chef’s favorite ways to prepare them is to lightly roast them on the half shell until they are just warmed through. A recent incarnation involved a topping of pepperoncini butter and herbed crumbs. A quick turn under the broiler creates a sizzling, aromatic topping, while the briny oysters below receive just enough heat to become plumped and bursting with flavor.

A risotto dish is often featured on the menu, and in winter it likely involves a hearty preparation of braised Maine lamb or veal. Chef Skawinski starts his risotto the classic way with gently sweated onions and garlic, then proceeds to add shavings of Alto Adige Speck, a salt-cured and very lightly smoked ham from the far north of Italy. Once the rice is added, Skawinski slowly adds the rich, almost demi glace-like stock that comes from slowly braising lamb or veal shoulder for hours with aromatics and red wine. Chunks of the tender braised meat are pulled from the bone and added to the risotto at the end, along with a swirl of butter, a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano and some freshly minced rosemary and sage.

Chef Skawinski features plenty of fresh Atlantic fish and shellfish on his menu throughout the year, and Seared Sea Scallops, or Capesante, are always a customer favorite. A recent version was served with parsnip puree, tri color greens, and lightly crisped slices of house-cured pancetta. For his pancetta, Skawinski rubs pork belly with a mixture of salt, chili flakes, fennel seed, black pepper, and bay leaf and sets it to cure for up to two weeks, then lays it on refrigerated racks to air dry for another week or so. It’s not an exact science, according to the chef, who says, “it can cure for anywhere from 8 to 14 days, depending on the thickness of the belly.” Not only does Skawinski prefer the flavor that results from the house-curing process, but he says, “It’s a little more wholesome when you do it yourself; you can control the salt, and you don’t have to use nitrates, and it gives you a chance to use the whole animal.”

The dessert menu changes just as often as the dinner menu, but chef Skawinski always includes housemade gelato in one form or another. Buttermilk Gelato was featured on a recent menu alongside Warm Rum Glazed Spice Cake and Brown Sugar Roasted Pineapple.

Sibling Rivalry's Pristine Tuna Tartar At Sibling Rivalry, in Boston, Massachusetts, Chef David Kinkead draws inspiration from his brother, Chef Bob Kinkead, whom he has admired from a young age for his culinary creativity. Although David is the primary force at Sibling Rivalry, Bob is a partner in the business and divides his time between his own restaurant (Kinkead’s, in Washington, D.C.) and Sibling Rivalry. The menu changes frequently, but the signature theme of the restaurant is a dueling menu that features each chef’s presentation of
a single ingredient—bacon, mushrooms, pasta, beef, etc.—and guests can order from either side (Bob’s or David’s), and mix it up any which way.

Sometimes the single ingredient, well, isn’t an ingredient, but rather a technique. Both chefs often do some form of tartar, and on a recent menu David offered his version of Pristine Tuna Tartar with Warm Sushi rice, Sticky Soy Glaze, Pickled Ginger, and Spicy Aioli. For his version, Bob went with an Ancho Chili Steak Tartar with Cheese Pupusa, Pickled Cabbage, Tomatillo Relish, Avocado and Cilantro. The pupusa, a thick homemade corn tortilla stuffed with queso fresco, is typical of the authentic ethnic touches that often adorn both chefs’ dishes.

Crab is a favorite ingredient of both chefs, and a recent menu featured David’s Lump Crab Cake with Grain Mustard Sauce and a Corn and Okra Relish against Bob’s Tempura-Fried Soft Shell Crab with Green Papaya Salad, Thai Basil, and a Chili Dipping Sauce.

Lamb is another ingredient both men like working with, and one of David’s most popular interpretations has been his Moroccan Lamb Brik. The labor intensive appetizer starts with a house-made phyllo-like pastry that is painstakingly pulled and stretched to paper thinness. A filling of ground lamb seasoned with cumin, curry, and golden raisins is spread over the pastry, and a single raw egg yolk is gently nestled in the center. The delicate pastry is sealed and deep fried, with the golden yolk running out over the plate with the first forkful. Bob’s interpretation of lamb often includes two separate cuts, such as his two-way of Spiced Loin and Braised Shank with a Syrah Reduction and Fava Ragout.

Sometimes the chefs do a playful take on Surf and Turf, with one brother contrasting a meat dish against the other’s fish or shellfish dish. David, for example might offer Sea Scallops with spicy Anaheim Chili Relleno, Black Beans, Tomatillo Relish and Salsa Fresca, while Bob might do a braised or roasted meat dish as counterpoint. Both chefs are big fans of roast pork, and customers particularly like Bob’s Thyme and Rosemary-Roasted Loin of Pork with Braised Red Cabbage, Sautéed Apples, and Sweet Potato Gnocchi.

For dessert, the chefs stop “fighting” and offer a duel-free selection. The chefs like to find interesting ways to present traditional items like carrot cake or cheese cake, and a recent favorite was the Carrot Cake Roulade with Black Pepper Cream Cheese, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, and Ginger Sabayon. Another big hit was a Brown Sugar Cheesecake with Port Wine Poached Pears, Almond Tuile, Oatmeal Streusel and Pear & Port Sorbet. See this beautiful dessert on page 104.

Michael Timothy's Baked Nova Scotia Oysters Chef Michael Buckley open-ed Michael Timothy’s, in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1995, and while his passion is using seasonal ingredients and creating new dishes, he’s discovered over the years that there are some dishes customers just can’t let go of.
“I change the menu every four weeks,” says the chef, “but there are a few staples.” One such staple are the freshly shucked Baked Nova Scotia Oysters, wrapped with oven-dried tomatoes and prosciutto, and baked with a drizzle of butter. A blanket of spinach hollandaise is spooned over the top. Another is the Sautéed Escargot and Shrimp. For the dish, he sautés shrimp in whole butter over fairly high heat, which results in a little browning and starts to build flavor. He then adds the escargot, deglazes with white wine and lemon juice, and adds a splash of heavy cream. The sauce is reduced and finished with a dollop of garlic butter. “This is so simple,” says Buckley, “but people just love it.”

Buckley has taken certain popular items off the menu in the past, but he says customers wouldn’t stand for it. “Oh, they didn’t just request it,” he says laughing. “They told me it had to come back. People were really serious. I’d love to be able to do a chalkboard menu that changes every single day, but I have to respect the fact that sometimes people want to have something familiar.” Buckley created one very popular appetizer when he was looking for an interesting way to utilize the quantities of tenderloin tips that result from the in-house butchery. He coats the meaty tips in a corn flour dredge and deep fries them, then tosses them in a green curry sauce he makes with reduced pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, coconut milk, and chilis. The tips are then presented in a pappadam shell over a bed of greens. For his house salad, Buckley dresses mâche and other delicate greens with a scallion vinaigrette and tops them with crispy ham croutons and a sour cream dressing.

Bistro Beef Tournedos at Michael Timothy's The most popular entrée, by far, says Buckley, is the Bistro Beef Tournedos over Garlic Crostini with grilled tomatoes, Crispy Pancetta, and Spinach Hollandaise. “I always think I’m so sick of this dish,” says Buckley, “but then there’ll be a mistake, and I get to eat it and I think, wow, this is really delicious.” Buckley says that much of the flavor comes from the fact that the tournedos are seared over the intense heat of a wood-fired grill. “We don’t use any gas for the grill. It’s fueled by 100 percent local hardwoods, and the flavor you get, you just can’t beat it,” says Buckley. The restaurant has an entire section of Wood-Grilled Pizzas, and Buckley says he takes as much pride in those as in any of the dishes on the menu. “People sometimes think of us as high end,” says Buckley, “because we’re a steak house, but I love the fact that you can come in and just sit and have a really good pizza.” Another signature main course is the Roasted Local Halibut with Hand-Dug Potatoes and Nantucket Pan Sauce, which was inspired by a visit to a Nantucket restaurant. “I asked the maître d’, ‘What should I have for dinner?’ and he said, ‘Oh the chef and I were out fishing and we caught a couple of real nice halibut.’” Buckley says the fish came out simply roasted and adorned with a pan sauce of shallots, white wine, fish stock, finely chopped red onion, parsley, cornichons, bacon, and whole butter. One of the signature desserts at Michael Timothy’s is White Chocolate Crème Brûlée, which Buckley says is proclaimed “best crème brûlée I ever had” by almost everyone who tries it.

A Johnson and Wales graduate, Paula Sullivan trained with Jasper White in Boston and was sous-chef at Lindbergh’s Crossing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Her work has appeared in the Culinary Institute of America’s Kitchen and Cook, The Wire, and the Portsmouth Herald.

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A Piece of Cake

Restaurants

Written by Paula Sullivan

For weddings, baby showers, career milestones, homecomings, and more; today’s cake artisans design works of art that embody the celebrant’s personal vision, and showcase the creator’s signature style.

*photo by MAC Photography

Arie Kidder, of Arie Kidder Custom Cakes, in Exeter, New Hampshire, will take on any design challenge to fulfill a client’s dream. One of her most remarkable creations was a replica of stacked vintage suitcases designed to reflect a wedding couple’s passion for travel. Kidder had been granted full creative license to come up with a concept, so she met with the couple to get a sense of what would be meaningful to them. “They were very big travelers and were having a Havana wedding theme. There was going to be a woman passing out [chocolate] cigars, and there was going to be a salsa band.” The couple loved Kidder’s idea and the resulting tower of luggage was complete with authentic-looking passport stamps, luggage tags, “metal” clasps and hinges, and “leather” handles, all constructed out of edible materials such as buttercream, fondant, and sugar paste. The top suitcase was propped open to reveal actual mementos from the couple’s many travel adventures.

As stunning as her creations are, says Kidder, it’s all meaningless if the cake isn’t yummy. “I’m more flattered if you say my cakes are delicious than if you say they look beautiful,” she says. “That’s the main dessert, and it’s the last thing guests are going to eat, so first and foremost you really want it to be delicious.”

At Let Them Eat Cake, in Kennebunk, Maine, Gayle Forte draws inspiration from many sources, but the most important muse, she explains, is the celebrant. Most of Forte’s creations are wedding cakes and she says, “I get [the couple] to think about something that means something to them, a favorite painting, the dress design.” Forte loves it when the cake evokes a personal memento, such as the bride who wanted the cake to reflect her late grandmother’s china pattern, or another who offered a set of tiny bird magnets she loved, inspiring Forte to hand-sculpt tiny, marzipan replicas of the little creatures.

Of course, the beautiful Maine shoreline is a popular theme among her clients, many of whom are from away and have chosen Kennebunk as a destination wedding site. For her signature seashore-themed cakes, Forte has handcrafted silicon molds from foraged seashells, and she uses the molds to create pristine sugar-paste facsimiles of various ocean treasures.

*photo by Justin Monroe, Monroe Photography

At Hippie Chick Bakery, in Kensington, New Hampshire, co-owner Amy Mastronardi creates elegant, custom-designed cakes, but with an added challenge; Hippie Chick specializes in accommodating various dietary restrictions. Whether it’s vegan, nut free, or gluten free, Mastronardi can accommodate almost any request. In addition, Mastronardi and her partner, co-owner Carl Neunaber, use lots of local, organic ingredients, including eggs from their flock of free-range rescued shelter chickens, and fresh fruit and edible blossoms from their organic garden. They also maintain an absolutely tree nut– and peanut-free facility.

To compete in the boutique cake business, Mastronardi (who is the culinary and artistic force at the bakery) must craft stunning, decadent-tasting cakes, regardless of the ingredients. Creating several variations of each cake flavor is an impressive undertaking—Hippie Chick offers over a dozen cake flavors and over two dozen filling and icing flavors that can be made with or without eggs, dairy, or gluten—and Mastronardi has developed all of her own recipes. In addition to wedding cakes, Mastronardi has sculpted detailed special-occasion cakes, such as a mug of foaming Guinness, an African safari, and a Noah’s Ark. Her most memorable cake thus far, she says, has been a Deep Space wedding cake ordered by a couple who were Star Trek fans and had the cake flown cross-country for their Vegas wedding.

Residents of Suncook, New Hampshire, have been indulging in the fine European-style pastries of Jacques Pastries for more than thirty-five years. Owned by Jacques and Paula Despris, the bakery also specializes in the custom cakes designed by daughter-in-law Tammy Despris, who came to the bakery as an intern fourteen years ago and eventually married son Justin. The creative process is a collaborative effort for the Despris family; for weddings, Tammy meets with the couple and comes up with the visual concept for the cake, then Jacques and Justin do most of the cake baking. Paula does all of the detailed hand-sculpting of sugar paste figurines, and Tammy does the main decorating and assembly.

The Despris have seen a lot of changes over the years. fourteen years ago, says Tammy, wedding cakes all followed a similar design, with ruffly, white frosting and piped buttercream roses tinted to match the colors of the wedding. “The Food Network has opened up new ideas and there is so much to work with now,” says Tammy. A perfect example is the wedding cake Tammy designed for a hiking-enthusiast bride and groom. The three-tiered cake resembles a mountain, with the bride and groom—hand-sculpted by Paula and decked out in hiking garb—ascending the mountain towards their waiting spaniel.

In Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, Melissa Carter at Bumblebee Cake Studio does many custom-designed wedding cakes, but her specialty is sculpted cakes for all manner of celebrations. For a beach-themed bridal shower, Carter designed a whimsical sand pail filled with “sand” and embellished with lifelike, hand-sculpted baby crabs and seashells, and for a literary couple’s rehearsal dinner cake she created a collection of classic novels.

Carter loves working with many different mediums, including buttercream, sugar paste, and marzipan. Fondant is one of her favorites and she says it undeservedly receives a bad rap in the flavor department. A good quality fondant, she says, has a pleasant, marshmallow-like flavor (another cake maker described it as similar to candy corn), and it has the look of porcelain, which provides a wonderful backdrop for the elegant design details of contemporary wedding cakes. Often times, says Carter, a bride will choose her cake design based on the fabric and lacework of her dress or on a piece of heirloom jewelry. Beneath the fondant there is always a layer of buttercream or other icing, says Carter, so it’s the best of both worlds.

Hilary Larson, of Eat Cake, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, says her most popular cake is a chocolate fudge cake filled with fresh raspberry preserves and white chocolate buttercream. The cake is frosted with dark chocolate ganache, topped with a mound of fresh raspberries, and then decorated with lacey, baroque piping. A relevant message or salutation is elegantly inscribed around the side of the cake. “Using lots of fresh fruit, and the writing around the outside of the cake,” says Larson, “those are our signatures, and what I love about it is that it’s this delicious-looking thing that is going to totally wreck your diet.”

Larson left the business world to pursue her dream of cake making and she says, “I know it seems cliché to say ‘I left corporate and I’m doing something fun,’ but this has been the most positive experience; I really love what I do.” No matter how labor intensive or beautiful her cakes might be, Larson wants guests to truly indulge in the flavors and to enjoy the pleasure of eating. After all, her motto is “It’s great to be alive. Eat cake!”

Cake tips from the pros
• Contact the bakery at least three months in advance. Many bakeries limit the number of cakes they will produce in a weekend, so even if you are not ready to settle on the specific design for your cake, you can often reserve the date far in advance with a “good faith” deposit, and then schedule a consultation when the big day is only two or three months away.
• When you arrive at your consultation, it’s a good idea to bring pictures of anything you may want to incorporate into the design: color swatches, pictures of flowers, dresses, rings, invitations, or anything else you think might inspire you. Pictures of other cakes you love can be helpful as well (you can bring pictures of cakes you dislike, too).
• In addition, bring basic information, such as number of guests, date, time, and vendor (function site) along with a list of names and phone numbers.
• Bring your appetite, too. Most bakeries will allow you to sample as many cake flavors as you like at no charge!
• Have a budget in mind before you arrive at your consultation. Prices vary from bakery to bakery but the range is generally between $3.50 and $5 per person. Extensive decoration, intricate design, and elaborate decoration may cost slightly more. In particular, the use of rolled fondant, marzipan, handmade sugar deco-rations, and edible blossoms will add to the cost.
• Ask about any additional fees and costs. Most bakeries include delivery within a certain radius, and then charge more per mile or per hour for deliveries outside of their range.

Thanks to Amy Mastronardi, of Hippie Chick Bakery, for her helpful tips.

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Signature Dishes Summer 2008

Restaurants

Written by Paula Sullivan

Harvest in Cambridge, MA, Black Point Inn in Scarborough, ME, Hurricane in Kennebunk, ME and Rudi's in Portsmouth, NH

A signature dish in its true sense is a dish that, both in its creation and execution, is uniquely associated with a particular chef or restaurant. It’s a dish that has been on the menu for years. It’s a dish that customers demand.

The truth is, though, fewer and fewer chefs have signature dishes these days. As the American palate grows more sophisticated and adventurous, and as more and more chefs embrace the challenge of weekly, or even daily, menu changes, it becomes less likely that any one item will earn a permanent place on the roster. A chef might, however, become so enamored of a particular ingredient or cooking technique that it becomes something of a calling card.