Tell me Louisville, Kentucky is not at the epicenter of a culinary explosion and I’ll show you someone who needs to wake up and smell the bourbon! Things are hot in Louisville and it’s about to get even hotter with the release of Southern Heat by Chef Anthony Lamas and Gwen Pratesi – a gorgeous, beautifully written cookbook entwined with the heartwarming culinary life journey of Chef Lamas.
Famous for Kentucky bourbon, the greater Louisville area is, and has been, bourbon central since before Prohibition and is reveling in the dramatic spike in the popularity of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey which has transformed this uniquely American amber spirit into an $8 billion dollar business.
A decade ago, the American whiskey industry was flat on its back, having suffered decades of weak sales and underinvestment. Today, though, bourbon — the corn-based, barrel-aged spirit that accounts for the vast majority of the whiskey made in America — is everywhere, from Mad Men to the wet bars of C-level office suites, feeding a global ecosystem of tourism, whiskey bars, cocktail competitions, and craft distilleries. The most coveted drink on Wall Street is no longer a Screaming Eagle Cab or a 40-year-old Glenfiddich, but the 23-year-old bourbon from Pappy Van Winkle, which is so rare that it can retail for up to $3,500. {Source: Fortune magazine}
My affinity for Louisville began three years ago when I attended a Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Tasting Dinner at Anthony Lamas’ restaurant Seviche in Louisville. An incomparable degustatory experience – if I wasn’t already a fervent bourbon believer, all it took was an evening sitting across from Julian Van Winkle, sipping 10, 12, 15 and 23-year old Pappy alongside the bold Nuevo Latino cuisine of Anthony Lamas to convert me. And the Foie Gras Apple Bread Pudding, Bourbon dulce de leche, Marcona almond and Horchata ice cream paired with Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23-year old (shown above).
On this same On The Road culinary adventure tour arranged by Gwen Pratesi of Bunky Cooks in concert with her husband and photographer Roger Pratesi, our group met three of Louisville’s culinary movers and shakers: Anthony Lamas of Seviche, A Latin Restaurant; Bobby Benjamin, Executive Chef and partner at Butchertown Grocery; and Matt Jamie, founder of Bourbon Barrel Foods.
When Gwen emailed me that they were organizing another On The Road adventure that was to include a tour of Brown-Forman Cooperage, Woodford Reserve Distillery, and a Southern Heat cookbook launch dinner and signing with Anthony Lamas at Seviche, guess what I said? Without question, “Yes”.
“The South is more than grits, collards, and fried chicken, and we have assembled a star-studded team of chefs to bring their International flavors to life. Kentucky has attracted many chefs who put their International spin on traditional Southern cuisine using local ingredients and are inspired by their heritage to create dishes that are truly extraordinary. Along with bourbon as a culinary ingredient, these chefs have created dishes that have wowed their diners and have won them national acclaim.”
Tuna Old Fashioned | Photo by Gwen Pratesi
Another two nights at the historical Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville and meet three more top chefs integral in Louisville’s culinary renaissance, oh snap! The itinerary: arrival night dinner at Milkwood prepared by Chef Glenn Dougan and meet Chef Edward Lee who spins his Korean flavors into Southern ingredients at both Milkwood and 610 Magnolia in Louisville. Chef Lee is a four-time James Beard Award finalist, owner of MilkWood and 610 Magnolia, host of the show Mind of a Chef on PBS, and author of Smoke & Pickles. Bright and early Monday morning we toured Brown-Forman Cooperage, followed by Woodford Reserve Distillery tour and luncheon with Chef Ouita Michels, owner of Holly Hill Inn near Lexington and several other restaurants in Kentucky, then dinner and Southern Heat book signing at Seviche. The tour culminated with a “Recovery Brunch” with Chef Ryan Rogers of Feast BBQ. I’ll share more about these extraordinary experiences in another post!
Warm Milk Cake, brown butter macadamia nut ice cream, bourbon dulce de leche |
Photo by Roger Pratesi
In Southern Heat, Chef Lamas reveals some of his secret ingredients and you’ll learn how to create the layers of flavor that result in the bold, bright and fresh “party in your mouth” dishes he has become known for. Tips such as seasoning each ingredient individually as you go, tempering “hot” or “spicy” ingredients with other components for a balanced dish and, of course, using the finest local ingredients available to you.
Both the Tuna “Old Fashioned” and Warm Milk Cake pictured above are recipes in the cookbook. To further pique your interest, I’m sharing the “Old Fashioned” recipe below. Seafood is my crack and, combining the freshest sushi grade tuna with bourbon – well, I had to hold myself back because this was supposed to be an appetizer – there were 5 other courses to savor!
- Juice of 1 orange
- Juice of 5 limes
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup Bourbon Barrel Foods Bluegrass Soy Sauce*
- 1/4 cup Kentucky bourbon
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek chile paste
- 1 tablespoon yuzu juice or additional lime juice
- 1/2 pineapple cut into quarters, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce preferably Bourbon Barrel Foods Bluegrass Soy Sauce
- 12 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1-1/2 ounces Pico de Gallo
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 24 ounces sushi grade Ahi tuna cut into 1/4-inch dice, well chilled
- Orange supremes and orange twists black sesame seeds, micro greens or celery leaves, and thinly sliced radishes for garnish.
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
-
Make the broth: Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Refrigerate for longer storage (up to 6 hours).
-
Make the pineapple salsa: Combine all the ingredients, except for the cilantro, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve the ceviche.
-
To assemble: Have ready 6 highball or rock glasses. Place about 4 ounces of tuna in the bottom of the each glass. Pour approximately 1 ounce of the broth over the tuna (evenly portion it among the glasses). Stir the cilantro into the salsa, then place 2 tablespoons salsa on top of the tuna. Add an orange supreme, place an orange twist on top or on the glass, then sprinkle on micro greens or celery leaves and a thin slice of radish for bite.
Recipe by Chef Anthony Lamas. Chef's Tip: The pineapple salsa is great over grilled chicken, salmon, and fish and will hold in the refrigerator for 1 day. Wait to add the cilantro until right before serving since it will lose some of its flavor once added to the rest of the ingredients.
* regular or low sodium soy sauce may be substituted.
Alternatively, the ceviche may be presented in spoons, as pictured in the text, for tray passed appetizers or tasting.
One unique aspect of Southern Heat, is the window into the farms and the people behind them that supply the kitchens of Seviche and others who desire locally grown and raised fresh produce, meat, poultry and eggs. Included are necessary ingredients for the Southern Pantry such as Benton’s Bacon, Newsom’s Country Hams, Carolina Gold Rice, Sea Island Red Peas, Ambrosia Farm heirloom tomatoes and vegetables, Duncan Farms eggs, Weisenberger Mills stone-ground grits, and Bourbon Barrel Foods sorghum, Bluegrass Soy Sauce, and bourbon-smoked spices.
Nuevo Latino Shrimp & Grits | Chef Anthony Lamas, Southern Heat
Chef Lamas has also included an essential list of ingredients for the Latin pantry which is very helpful for home cooks who want to spice up and expand their repertoire to include more Latin flavors. Southern Heat authors Gwen Pratesi and Chef Lamas have poured their passion into this outstanding cookbook and made Lamas’ beloved recipes accessible to home cooks and chefs alike. Published by The Taunton Press, the official release date for Southern Heat is November 3rd, but you can preorder your copy today and turn the heat up in your kitchen!
Alice D'Antoni Phillips
Do you know how green I am now??? Well, Kermit doesn’t even count…yes, I”m more green!!! Great post! xo
Kami
I can’t stop my mouth from watering over all your pictures! Fabulous post. I would be honored if you checked out our conference and affiliate program. We need talented bloggers like you! http://www.foodbloggingconference.com/become-an-affiliate/