Quail & Grit Cakes

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John Boulanger – Executive Chef of “Abundance Restaurant” in Myrtle Beach, SC

Ingredients

• 4 deboned whole Manchester quail
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp minced garlic 
• 2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms
• 3/4 lbs unsalted butter
• 1 qt heavy whipping cream
• 3 cup stone ground grits (uncooked)
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts 
• 2 dehydrated guajillo chiles
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• Sea salt
• Toasted ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 cup AP flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Procedure:

Mole sauce:

Toast cocoa powder, guajillo  chiles and peanuts until aromatic on low heat.
Add 4 cups chicken stock and palm sugar, reduce liquid by 1/2.
Remove from heat and purée in a blender until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stuffing

Add 2 tbs butter to pan and sauté mushrooms until tender.
Once mushrooms are tender add spinach, garlic and lightly wilt the spinach.
Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream then season with salt and pepper to desired taste.
Let mixture simmer on low heat until cream begins to thicken.
Take the pan contents and place into a blender then pulse until nice chunky but smooth consistency.
Once mixture is cool stuff the mixture into the chest cavity of the quail.

Grits

Place 1/2 pound butter, 3 cups heavy cream and 2 cups chicken stock into a pot and begin to simmer.
Add the grits into the simmering liquid stirring frequently on low simmer (do not allow the grits to boil).
When the grits begin to bloom and firm up fold in pecorino cheese allowing it to simmer for an additional amount of time while seasoning with salt.
Once desired consistency has been reached for the grits ( a velvety smooth but not mushy still a slight bit firm) remove from heat and chill until firm.
Once cook punch grits into a round cake.
Beat eggs until egg wash is made.
Take the grit cakes and dredge them in ap flour, then egg wash and finish in the breadcrumbs.
Lightly fry the grit cakes until golden brown and warm throughout.

Quail cook

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 

•  season quail with salt and pepper 
• Place oil in a sauté pan (preferably cast iron) and then add quail breast side down in the pan once pan has been heated over medium high heat
• Once quail begins to crisp and turn golden flip it over and place pan in the oven for 6-8 minutes
• Pull the pan out and the quail is ready to be served

Plate and enjoy.

Coconut Encrusted SC Mahi Mahi

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Jake Rowles – Executive Chef at “The Parsons Table” in Little River, SC

Ingredients

• COCONUT
• ENCRUSTED SC
• MAHI MAHI
• FLOUR
• EGG WASH
• COCONUT FLAKES

Procedure:

• SEAR 2 MIN EACH SIDE
• FINISH IN OVEN AT 350
• DEGREES 15 MIN

BERRY CITRUS GLAZE

• 1 CUP SC STRAWBERRY
• 1 CUP BLUEBERRY
• 1 CUP BLACKBERRY
• 1 CUP STRAWBERRY DAQUIRI
• 1 CUP ORANGE JUICE
• ½ SUGAR
• 1 TSP GROUND GINGER
• 1 TSP VANILLA
• 1 LIME ZESTED/ JUICED
• 1 LEMON ZESTED/ JUICED
• 1 ORANGE ZESTED JUICED

Local Carolina Shrimp Over Scallion Polenta Cake Topped With Blackberry Bacon Jam

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Shaun Baxter – Chef/Owner of Heirloom Bistro in Myrtle Beach, SC

Yields 4 portions

Ingredients

• 12 LARGE SHRIMP
• BACON BLACKBERRY JAM
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider
• vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 pints of blackberry
• ¼ cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• SCALLION POLENTA CAKE
• 4 cups of water
• 2 cup polenta
• 1 bundle of scallions

Procedure:

BACON JAM

1. Dice bacon and sauté until crispy golden brown
2. Remove bacon grease and add diced onion and sauté until tender
3. Add honey, brown sugar, and blackberries. Cook until thick and gooey
4. Add water and cook until dry
5. Take ¾ of jam and purée until smooth then move to mixing bowl and add in the remaining ¼ of jam and fold together

POLENTA CAKE

1. Prepare grits the night before
2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add in 2 cups of polenta and stir constantly
3. Cook for 20 minutes until polenta is firm
4. add in scallions stir, then spread out on sheet tray and cool overnight
5. Cut into desired shaped dust with flour and fry in a scorching hot pan with oil

CAROLINA SHRIMP

1. Peel and devein shrimp
2. Throw in pan with hot oil and cook until plump and firm.

Broiled Grouper and Rice Pilaf

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serves 4

Broiled Grouper

Ingredients

• 4 Local Grouper Fillets
• 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika

Procedure: Fill medium sized pot with water, squeeze 1/2 a lemon, and season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer, then add fish until flaky and white.
While the fish are being poached, melt butter, add minced garlic, other half of lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
Remove fish from water, place them on a sheet pan. Brush the filets with the butter mixture, shake paprika, salt, & pepper on each, and broil on high until lightly browned. Remove from broiler and let rest for one minute.
Serve with Rice Pilaf or your favorite side.

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Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 carrots, medium diced
• 2 celery, medium diced
• 1 onion, medium diced
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 cup rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, or as needed
• Salt and pepper

Procedure: In medium pot, melt butter and add vegetables. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add orzo and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. Pour in chicken stock and rice, cover and cook on low until reduced and fully cooked. (You may have to add more stock in order for it to fully cook.) Serve with Broiled Grouper or as desired. 

Strawberry Maceration

for shortcake

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Ingredients

• 2 qts fresh strawberries, washed, diced small
• 1 cup sugar

Wash, remove stems, and small dice strawberries. 
Leave juices with the strawberries. 
Stir in 1 cup of sugar and let sugar and berries rest in fridge overnight. 

Use as desired.

Manhattan Oyster Chowder

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Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 dozen oysters, shucked with liquor reserved
• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Dash red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 114.1 ounce can Pomi chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Procedure:

In a medium sized Dutch oven, cook bacon over
medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp.
Remove bacon from pot and reserve. Add onion,
celery, red bell pepper and carrots and sauté until the
onion and celery are tender, about 10 minutes. Add
garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze
pot with white wine. Add red pepper flakes, bay leaf,
thyme, Pomi tomatoes, chicken stock and potatoes.

Strain oysters with a fine mesh sieve to ensure there
are no shell fragments. Add oyster liquor to the soup
(about 1/2 cup), but don’t add oysters yet. Simmer
soup until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 45
minutes. Add oysters and parsley and simmer until the
oysters begin to curl, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add bacon
bits and serve immediately.

Ritchie’s Shrimp and Grits

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Grits

Ingredients

• 1 c.  Stone ground grits 
• 2c. Water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 c cream
• 1 c shredded parmigiana cheese

Procedure:

Bring water and cream and salt to a boil slowly stir in grits. Cook for 30 to 35 mins cooking on medium low heat. Once cooked stir in cheese. Keep hot for plating.

Shrimp

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 green pepper cut in slices
• 1/4 red onion cut in slices
• 1/4 c white wine
• 4 ounces smoked sausage cut into half rounds
• 4 ounces cut white corn
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 24 each 24-32 shrimp

Procedure:

Melt butter over medium high heat sauté peppers and onions until onions are translucent. Add corn and sausage and heat for two minutes. Deglaze pan with wine and reduce slightly. Add shrimp and sauté until almost done and season with thyme, basil, pepper and salt.

For plating put a bed of grits on the plate and top with shrimp mixture and serve hot