Stronghill Dining Co.

Stronghill has been open a year and I've finally managed to try it. That is my typical MO for sure, to wait until a restaurant has settled into it's paces before I give it a whirl. So, Balliceaux- see you in 6 months or so!

I'd seen mixed reviews on SH lately, so had some apprehensions last evening about how the meal would turn out. It was all for naught b/c the meal and the service were equally lovely. The menu is straighforward, simple and southern tinged. Cashew encrusted shrimp, a sampler platter including fried goat cheese and a classic salad wedge w/smoked onion dressing top out the appetizer menu. Entrees showcase a nice variety of proteins from duck to rabbit to ribs.

For some reason, this restaurant evokes thoughts of Savannah for me. And I certainly felt plucked out my average Richmond and into the cozy bosom of all that is good about restaurants. The interior is warm and the booths and woodwork surrounding the bar appear to be hand done(reminded me of the interior of Kitchen Table, may she rest in peace). This restaurant also boasts a hand painted mural on the wall. I had a wonderful time casually observing and absorbing their warm interior while sipping on the Charlie martini- def. give this one a try! (Firefly, mango vodka, grapefruit juice, splash of ginger ale and a twist of orange)

Beyond the inviting exterior and the charming interior, the food is worth mention. I started w/the wedge salad that had a smoky onion dressing. Definitely a palate zinger and certainly the danger would be to overdo the smoke, but this was a perfectly balanced, craving inducing salad. Followed by the rabbit over celery root w/apple puree and a side of broccolini. Rabbit, perfectly seasoned and prepared. The succulent meat fell off of the bone. I'm a big fan of of celery root and this did not disappoint as well as the perfectly seasoned and steamed broccolini.

The rest of the table had the ribs, steak and risotto. I was informed that the risotto was bland and tasteless. And after trying a bite I have to concur. It was certainly al dente, but lacked the creaminess you want in a hearty, soul warming risotto. The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare and melted like butter. I don't know what kind of grill you guys have going on, but it's working!

The piece de resistance for the evening was the basil creme brulee. Now, this girl has tried her fair share of creme brulees in this life, including ones she makes at home. And I have to tell you, hands down, the BEST creme brulee I've ever had. The basil adds a certain sweetness, a lovely depth of flavor without being overpowering or even coming through in a hearty basil way. (which was my fear) Just wonderful.

The service could not have been more kind or have made the experience more enjoyable. During the course of the evening, met Gwen, the lovely & engaging day chef(hope your toe feels better!). During our brief conversation, I learned that locally sourced free range chickens have been a challenge lately b/c while the price doesn't change, the chickens have been getting smaller. Thus, they are buying less and they will run out of the chicken entree early in the evening. I was also informed that they are about to switch to their fall menu. Very excited to see what they will do next!

Reservations on the weekend, partic. Sat. nite are recommended.

Stronghill Dining Company
1200 N Boulevard
Richmond, VA
23230
(804) 359-0202

Steak Diane

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to prepare steak. Confession: this is actually my standby "Impress Your Date" recipe from the 'good ole days'- lol! The classic recipe is a wee bit more rich, I've lightened it up (as much as 5 tbsp of butter can be considered 'lite').

So easy, quick, tasty and will make your whole house smell good! Shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes to make.

Steak Diane

Serves 2

2 Strip Steaks, dried thoroughly w/paper towels

5 tbsp butter, separated

1 tbsp grated onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 c. cremini mushrooms, sliced thick

1/2 tspn Worcestershire

1/2- 1 tspn fresh lemon juice

1/2 tspn fresh chopped thyme

Salt & Pepper
1 tbsp fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Heat 2 tbsp of butter over medium high heat, add steaks and sear first side for 3-4 minutes. Season (salt & pepper to taste) the side facing up in the pan. Flip, season the other side and cook for another 3-4 minutes (for a 1 1/2" thick steak, this will be medium). Set aside on a warm plate, tent w/foil.

Cut heat to medium, add remaining 3 tbsp of butter until melted. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, lemon juice, thyme and worcestershire. Saute until mushrooms are tender. Stir in parsley, add any juices on the steak plate that have collected. Pour over steaks and serve!

Summer Sippin'

Friday, on a quest for the perfect wine to serve with spicy Thai, I found these two lovelies (thanks, oh helpful guy at Total Wine & More!) One from South Africa, one from California, both clean & smooth, a perfect compliment to our asian meal. These would also be wonderful to sip on their own, provided you're on a back porch with a fan in the deep humidity of summer. So now I'm on a Chenin Blanc kick with hopefully more to report back with soon!

Shepherd's Pie with Bison & Gruyere

Don't ask what possessed me to make such a filling dish at the height of the heat of summer. I really have no idea other than I like trying to use up what I have on hand to make something tasty. It's pretty much one of my favorite games to play.

I've made a lot of shepherd's pies in my time. I enjoy how one can substitute and not hurt the heart of the dish. It's meat & veggies at their finest. I've used lamb, sausage, ground beef, chicken, you name it! All have turned out tasty following the basic 1,2,3 of assembling this dish. However, this time, I decided to switch up the winning formula with a layer of grated gruyere. Wow. Just...........wow. Try it- you won't be sorry! (Although, unlike my glutton for punishment/heat self, you may want to wait until Fall ;) )

Shepherd's Pie w/Bison & Gruyere

Potatoes-

1 1/2 - 2 lbs white russet potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2" dice

1/4 c. cream

2 Tbsp butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

Approx. 3 cans low-sodium chicken broth (reserve broth)

*Ricer recommended equipment

Filling-

1 lb Bison/buffalo

2 Tbsp butter

2 carrots, brunoised (small dice)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tspn fresh chopped thyme

1 c. reserved broth from potatoes

1/2 c. corn & peas (fresh or frozen)

1 c. freshly grated Gruyere

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Potatoes-

Place cream and butter in the bottom of a large, stainless steel bowl. Prep potatoes, cover with broth in a deep pot. Bring to a boil until tender (approx. 10 - 15 minutes). Strain broth, reserving 1 cup for filling and a little of the rest to mix in to the potatoes. Run potatoes through the ricer into the cream/butter bowl. Mix lightly and season to taste with salt & pepper. Add a little reserved broth to moisten if the potatoes get tight while waiting on the filling to cook.

Filling-

Warm next 2 tbsp of butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, sauteeing until soft. Add minced garlic, cook for another minute before adding bison. Brown meat, then add tomato paste, reserved cup of broth, thyme, corn and peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place filling mixture in a 2 Qt. casserole dish. Scatter top of filling with gruyere. Spread potatoes on top of filling and cheese, spreading smoothly w/a spatula until all corners and sides are sealed (keeps it from bubbling up). Optional - cross hatch top w/a fork for interesting design and a little extra crunchy texture when fully cooked.

Bake at 400 degrees approx 25-30 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Let sit 10-15 minutes prior to serving.

* If you have frozen your pie after making it and thawed it in the fridge overnite, bake at 350, covered w/foil for abt. an hour. Then broil the top a minute or two for some golden brown crispy goodness.

Pole Green Is Poppin'!

I moved to the Richmond area about 5 or so years ago. Pole Green was the first farm stand my husband introduced me to (he had already lived here abt. 15 years) and I've been in love with it ever since. If you're on the west end of the city like us, it's a fair trip, but so worth it!

I totally forgot my camera today and I'm kicking myself. The produce was busting at the seams. I've been out here plenty and have yet to see the bounty of goodness like I saw today. The tomatoes were in red, ripe, mountainous piles, almost spilling onto the floor along w/some especially verdant green tomatoes. Purple and white eggplant, juicy peaches, Hanover blackberries/potatoes/tomatoes, new(red) potatoes, giant cucumbers, melons galore, peppers.........just a tumult of ridiculous goodness.

I rounded the corner in an overwhelmed daze from all the choices and ran smack into a Montana Gold bakery stand. I picked up some of their garlic knot rolls that we're going to have our hamburgers on tonite. They also had cookies, quick breads, challah rolls and granola. (there may have been some more choices that I didn't see). It was a nice surprise!

I walked out of there w/a big pepper, 2 huge cukes, 3 tomatoes, sack of potatoes, 6 ears of corn, blackberries, 2 small jars of McCutcheon's jam and the bread, all for the low, low price of (literally) 19.99!

If you haven't been, I highly recommend a nice little jaunt out to the country. Some fresh air and locally grown produce will do you good! Just off the Pole Green exit (295). They only take cash or check (ATM in the stand).

Mark Bittman's 101 Simple Salads

I think overall, salads get a pretty bad rap for being "boring" or "too healthy." Pish Posh!

They are an excellent vehicle with which to utilize all of the fresh produce rolling out during the summer months. Personally, I enjoy new ideas and creative suggestions for salads. They mean I have the chance to lay back a little, have a low maintenance meal that's high in quality as well as keep any extra heat out of my house. Great article in the NYT's from Mark Bittman w/101 ideas for simple salads here.

A Tasty Turkey Meatball

Watching "Chopped" on the Food Network last week, I heard the winner refer to the ground turkey in his basket as an "inferior product." And in fact, all of the chefs ended up with a dry final product once their first round dishes were complete. If you don't count the guy who added a stick of butter to his pound of turkey in order to make turkey "galettes." (whatever you're thinking right now, I was thinking the same thing...LOL!) I would also like to mention that this particular episode ticked me off b/c the show gave the chefs CELERY in their dessert ingredients. Really? WTH? But, I digress.........

Back to the subject at hand-- I'm not normally a ground turkey eater. Chicken is my poultry of choice. But, when I tripped across some turkey on sale recently, the Chopped challenge flashed in my mind and I thought I would take it on myself.

This budget turkey find had been languishing in the freezer for a little while, until I received the most recent Gourmet mag. It had a recipe for chicken meatballs that I decided to riff off of-- instead of Italian bread, I used whole grain (skim milk), instead of pancetta I used regular hard wood smoked bacon and of course instead of chicken I used turkey.

It was nice to have all these simple ingredients on hand to make such a tasty dish! I served these with a stripped down, single-note tomato sauce since all of the flavor is in the meat and I wouldn't want to upstage or overwhelm it. Nothing earth shatteringly creative, but then again, most of the tastiest things aren't! ;) Moist, juicy & delicious....take that, Chopped!


Tasty Turkey Meatball
Serves 4

3 oz. bacon (3 strips), cut into small pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Pinch salt & pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 slices (1 cup) whole grain bread, torn into pieces
1/3 c. milk
1 egg, beaten in separate bowl
1 lb. ground turkey
3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine bread and milk, let sit for a few minutes, until bread has completely absorbed the milk.

Cook bacon, onion, S&P and garlic over medium heat in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until onion is soft and translucent (approx 5 minutes). Let cool for a minute or so (I put it in a bowl and stuck it in the freezer b/c I am impatient!)

Combine poultry, bread, egg, bacon/onion mixture and parsley loosely with finger tips. Form into 12 meatballs, placed on a sheet pan coated w/non-stick spray.

Combine tomato paste and remaining 1 tbsp of oil. With fingertips & the help of a small spoon, lightly rub paste mixture over the tops of the meatballs. Distribute evenly.

Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes until cooked through!