Carolina on Our Minds_FW

THIS IS HOW THE SOUTH SAYS SUMMER: A WOODEN DOCK OVER THE WATER, PLENTY OF ICE-COLD BEER, AND AN EPIC LOW-COUNTRY SEAFOOD BOIL CHOCK-FULL OF FRESH BLUE CRAB. GRAB A CLAW AND DIG IN.

BY JULIA HEFFELFINGER PHOTOGRAPHS BY EVA KOLENKO

Joe Kindred gets the party started by tossing fresh blue crabs into a big, simmering pot of Frogmore stew.

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Active 2 hr; Total 2 hr 30 min Serves 8 to 10

says Joe Kindred as he reaches across a butcher-paper-lined table to pluck a bright, steaming specimen from the heap. The chef and co-owner of Kindred in Davidson, North Carolina, should know: He grew up catching crabs off his grandfather’s dock on the coast, where meals on hot summer nights stretched on for hours. August was always the time for Frogmore stew, an epic one-pot seafood feast also known as a low-country boil.

For Joe, the spread of sweet corn, tender potatoes and plump local seafood marks the season’s peak. It’s such a cherished tradition, he even served it at his wedding to Katy Kindred.

The duo, who met working at restaurants in Chicago and spent time at San Francisco hot spots Quince and Delfina, made a name for themselves when they opened Kindred in Joe’s hometown in 2015. Katy handles the wine and design, and Joe oversees the kitchen, turning out inspired takes on classics; it was his pillowy milk bread that first put the place on the map. But this summer the Kindreds have trained their attention on seafood with Hello, Sailor, a modern take on the Southern-style fish camp. In the ’40s and ’50s, these rustic, family-owned restaurants were the centers of social life in the North Carolina foothills, popping up along the water to serve overflowing plates of fried fish and hushpuppies. Now, only a handful remain. “The tradition is dying,” says Katy. “Hello, Sailor is our celebration of that history.”

Located on the massive “inland sea” of Lake Norman, just a 30-minute drive from Charlotte, the new restaurant mixes old-school details like wood paneling with breezy pastel accents. The food walks the same line between vintage and contemporary. For his hushpuppies, Joe uses cornmeal made with an heirloom corn called Jimmy Red from South Carolina’s Geechie Boy Mill. The butter alongside gets a hit of local honey and citrusy yuzu kosho. “We want Hello, Sailor to feel like a party,” he says, “with the kind of food you can dig into.”

And nothing says party more than Frogmore stew, which is why, to fête the opening, the Kindreds gathered friends, family and staff for a get-your-hands-dirty feast. While Katy laid out butcher paper on the long table, Joe tossed local crab and shrimp into a fragrant broth, spiked with beer, fennel, thyme and Old Bay. His delicious version swaps out the traditional kielbasa for spicy chorizo, and he serves it all with a silky Old Bay aioli. Bottles of chilled rosé made the rounds while the Kindreds’ older kids, Alba and Luca, raced around the lawn of their friend’s lakefront house. As the table filled with shrimp shells and corncobs, Joe brought out watermelon with pink peppercorns, sumac and whipped feta (p. 106), and a crunchy bean salad (p. 103). Fish camps might be fading away, but in North Carolina there will always be sweltering August nights, more guests than you counted on, and enough Frogmore stew to remind them why they came.

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Joe Kindred’s deeply flavorful fish stock is what sets this recipe apart from a traditional lowcountry boil. Pile some of the seafood into a shallow bowl and ladle the strained cooking liquid over the top for a more refined stew, or save the stock to make the best seafood chowder of your life the next day.

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 celery ribs, coarsely chopped, plus light green leaves for garnish 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped 1½ heads of garlic (26 cloves), crushed 1 large fennel bulb, chopped 1 large white onion, chopped Kosher salt and pepper 1 small bunch of thyme 2 Tbsp. fennel seeds One 28-oz. can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes 4 qts. chicken stock or lowsodium broth Two 12-oz. bottles lager or pilsner One 5-lb. whole tilefish or snapper—filleted and skinned, fillets cut into thirds and head and bones reserved (ask your fishmonger to do this; see Note) 2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning 1¾ lbs. small new potatoes 4 0 littleneck clams (3½ lbs.)

1 lb. Spanish chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick 4 ears of corn, shucked and cut into thirds 8 live large blue crabs (see Note) 4 0 extra-large shell-on shrimp (2 lbs.)

Cilantro and parsley leaves, for garnish Old Bay Aioli (p. 103), lemon wedges, hot sauce and melted salted butter, for serving

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1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, chopped fennel and onion, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 20 minutes. Add the thyme and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook over moderately high heat, breaking them up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until the tomato liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the stock, beer, fish head and bones, Old Bay and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Strain the fish stock through a fine sieve set over a very large pot, pressing on the solids; discard the solids. Season generously with salt. Bring the stock to a boil over high heat, add the potatoes and cook until barely tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

Add the clams and chorizo, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the corn, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and add to the stew. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crabs, cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Finally, add the shrimp, cover and cook until all of the seafood is cooked through and the potatoes and corn are tender, about 5 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the seafood, potatoes and corn to 2 large platters. Alternatively, spread the seafood on a paper-lined table. Garnish with celery leaves, cilantro leaves and parsley leaves and serve immediately with the Old Bay aioli, lemon wedges, hot sauce and melted butter. Reserve the fish stock for another use.

NOTE If you can’t get a 5-pound

snapper, use 2 smaller snappers. As an alternative to live blue crabs, use 2 pounds of frozen cooked king crab legs and add with the shrimp in Step 2.

Also, if making this recipe in a large turkey fryer pot, add the perforated insert after your fish stock has finished simmering and skip the straining process.

BEER Malty, full-flavored ale:

The Duck-Rabbit Amber Ale. F O L L O W U S @ F O O DA N D W I N E

Katy and daughter Alba, above, shell fava beans for a salad, while Joe preps the Frogmore stew, right. Watermelon salad (p. 106) and flaky biscuits (p. 106) round out the meal.

food stylist: simon andrews; prop stylist: natasha kolenko

Frogmore Stew with Old Bay Aioli

Old Bay Aioli Total 5 min; Makes 1½ cups 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 large egg yolk 1 garlic clove 1¼ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning 1 cup canola oil Kosher salt

In a food processor, pulse the lemon juice, egg yolk, garlic, Old Bay and ¼ cup of cold water until the garlic is finely chopped. With the machine on, slowly drizzle in the oil until the aioli is emulsified, about 2 minutes. Season the Old Bay aioli with salt. Transfer to a medium bowl and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The aioli can be

refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Summer Bean Salad with Potlikker Vinaigrette Active 1 hr 30 min; Total 3 hr Serves 8 to 10

Potlikker, as it’s called in the South, is the savory, starchy, über-flavorful liquid left over after cooking beans or greens.

Here, Joe whisks it into a vinaigrette, but you can also use it in soups or pasta sauces.

2 qts. chicken stock or lowsodium broth 1/3 cup plus ¼ cup extravirgin olive oil, plus more for brushing Kosher salt and black pepper One 2-oz. piece of country ham (optional) ½ tsp. crushed red pepper

1 lb. thawed frozen lima beans 5 ears of corn, shucked 1 lb. haricots verts, trimmed and halved crosswise 3 lbs. fresh fava beans, shelled (3½ cups) ¼ cup Champagne vinegar 4 radishes, cut into thin wedges 2 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped ¼ cup packed chopped dill ¼ cup packed chopped parsley leaves

1. In a large pot, combine the stock with 1/3 cup of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Add the ham, if using, and the crushed red pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the lima beans, remove from the heat and let cool in the cooking liquid for 1 hour. Set a fine sieve over a large bowl and strain the beans; discard the ham. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking liquid. Save the remaining liquid for another use.

2. Meanwhile, light a grill and oil the grate. Brush the corn with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Grill the corn over moderate heat, turning, until lightly charred, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let cool slightly, then cut the kernels from the cob. Add the corn to the bowl with the lima beans. continued on p. 106

A creamy, paprika-laced crab dip (p. 106), above, is ready for guests to dive into while sipping a sunny gin cocktail garnished with mint and cucumber.

Gin-and-Honey Spritzer

Total: 10 min plus cooling; Makes 1 drink

This colorful bean salad is easy to make ahead; it gets even more delicious as it sits.

In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup honey and ½ cup water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the honey.

Transfer the honey syrup to a small heatproof jar and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. In a collins glass, mix 1½ oz. dry gin, preferably Cardinal, with 1 oz. soda water, ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice and ½ oz. of the honey syrup. Add ice and garnish with thinly sliced English cucumber and a small mint sprig; serve immediately. Use the remaining honey syrup for more cocktails. MAKE AHEAD The honey syrup can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

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summer bean salad, p. 103

marinated watermelon with whipped feta, p. 106

frogmore stew, p. 100 buttermilk biscuits, p. 106

old bay aioli, p. 103

Who needs a platter? Serve the seafood and vegetables on butcher paper and let everyone dive in.

Just make sure to set out empty bowls for shells—and plenty of napkins.

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summer bean salad

continued

3. Prepare an ice bath. In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the haricots verts until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the ice bath to cool, then pat dry and add to the bowl with the lima beans and corn.

1/3 cup lightly packed basil leaves, torn

4. Return the water in the pot to a boil and blanch the fava beans until tender, 2 minutes.

Drain and transfer to the ice bath to cool. Drain. Squeeze the favas from their skins and add to the bowl with the other vegetables; discard the skins.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar with the shallot, ginger and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the marinade with kosher salt. Place the watermelon in a large resealable bag and pour in the marinade.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil with the vinegar and the reserved ¾ cup of cooking liquid. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper. Gently fold the radishes, tomatoes, dill, parsley and vinaigrette into the vegetables and season with salt and black pepper; serve.

2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the pink and black peppercorns over moderately high heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool, then grind to a powder.

Transfer to a small bowl and mix with the sumac and cayenne.

MAKE AHEAD The salad can be

refrigerated overnight and served at room temperature.

Add the haricots verts and tomatoes just before serving.

WINE Crisp Txakoli rosé from

Spain: 2016 Ameztoi Rubentis.

Marinated Watermelon with Whipped Feta page 101 Active 30 min; Total 55 min Serves 8 to 10

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat all of the ingredients through the pepper on low speed until smooth. Using a spatula, gently fold in the crab.

Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish and bake until heated through and the edges are bubbling, 20 minutes. Garnish with more benne seeds and serve with crackers and crudités.

1/3 cup lightly packed mint leaves, torn 1/3 cup lightly packed tarragon leaves, chopped Flaky sea salt

MAKE AHEAD The unbaked

crab dip can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

3. In a food processor, puree the feta until smooth. With the machine on, drizzle in the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil.

4. Spread the whipped feta on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, remove the watermelon from the marinade and arrange on the feta. Drizzle with some of the marinade and generously sprinkle with the spices. Garnish with the herbs and sea salt; serve.

Deviled Crab Dip page 103 Active 20 min; Total 40 min Serves 8 to 10

WINE Flinty Sauvignon Blanc:

2016 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre.

Buttermilk Biscuits with Salty Sorghum Butter page 101 Active 30 min; Total 50 min Makes 10

For his ultralight biscuits, Joe sifts the flour before measuring it out. He recommends using a soft flour like White Lily for a finer, more delicate crumb.

BISCUITS

5½ cups sifted White Lily brand all-purpose flour (see Note) or 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. baking powder

SORGHUM BUTTER

1 small shallot, minced

¼ cup packed tarragon leaves, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

½ cup packed parsley leaves, chopped

½ tsp. flaky sea salt, plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp. toasted benne or sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp. sorghum syrup (see Note)

1 Tbsp. pink peppercorns 1½ tsp. black peppercorns 1 tsp. sumac

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest plus 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice 2 tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. smoked paprika ¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. cayenne

1 lb. lump crabmeat, picked over

1 lb. feta cheese, preferably Greek

Saltine crackers and crudités, for serving

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ghum syrup are available at some specialty food shops and on amazon.com.

MAKE AHEAD The sorghum

Grandfather’s Pickles

1/3 cup crème fraîche

One 5-lb. seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 4-by-1-inch rectangles

NOTE White Lily flour and sor-

2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

2 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar

Kosher salt

4. Meanwhile, make the sorghum butter In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the softened butter with the ½ teaspoon of sea salt at high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. With the machine on, drizzle in the sorghum syrup until incorporated. Scrape the sorghum butter into small ramekins and garnish with more sea salt.

Serve with the warm biscuits.

butter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. extravirgin olive oil

3. Using a floured 2½-inch round or square biscuit cutter, stamp out the biscuits as closely together as possible.

Gently press the scraps together and stamp out more biscuits. Arrange the biscuits on a large baking sheet about ½ inch apart and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until risen and golden brown; rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking.

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

Steeping watermelon in a savory, acidic marinade draws out the juices from the fruit and intensifies its flavor.

One 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated

rubber spatula and working from the edge of the bowl, fold the dry ingredients into the buttermilk. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and gather into a round. Fold the dough in half, then flatten into a 1½-inch-thick round. Repeat this process 9 more times.

1½ cups cold buttermilk

page 101 Total 10 min plus 2 hr pickling Makes 1 qt

These tangy North Carolina– style pickles don’t use any sugar. The extra acidity makes them the perfect accompaniment for a juicy lamb or beef burger loaded with cheese.

1. Make the biscuits Preheat the oven to 500°. In a large bowl, whisk the sifted flour with the baking powder and salt.

Add the butter and, using your fingers, pinch it into the flour, making thin flakes. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

1 English cucumber, sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick, preferably on a mandoline

2. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk. Using a

½ cup apple cider vinegar

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½ small onion, thinly sliced 1 oil-packed Calabrian chile, drained and thinly sliced, or ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

2 Tbsp. kosher salt

continued on p. 108

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After dinner, the group heads down to the dock for a slice of stone fruit pie à la mode (p. 108), right, and a sunset dip in Lake Norman.

from p. 106

grandfather ’ s pickles

continued

Pack the cucumber, onion and Calabrian chile into a 1-quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar with the salt and 1 cup of water until the salt dissolves. Pour the brine over the cucumbers, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Drain the pickles before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The pickles in their brine can

be refrigerated for up to 1 week. For longer storage, sterilize the 1-quart jar before continuing with the recipe.

Stone Fruit and Hibiscus Pie page 107 Active 2 hr; Total 4 hr plus cooling Makes one 9-inch pie

“I love stone fruit, but it benefits from a little acidity,” says Joe Kindred. “The hibiscus adds a jolt of tartness and cuts through the fruit’s sweetness.” Bonus: The tea also intensifies the pie’s deep plummy color.

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 cup plus 2 tsp. granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling Kosher salt 2 sticks plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled 1/3

cup ice water

3 Tbsp. hibiscus tea leaves (from 5 tea bags) 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped 3 plums (about 1 lb.)—peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges 3 nectarines (about 1 lb.)—peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

1 tsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger

Sweet Tea Madeleines

1 large egg beaten with 1 tsp. kosher salt

Active 25 min; Total 55 min plus cooling Makes 22

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Joe pulses black tea leaves with sugar for these crispy-edged madeleines, giving them a beautiful speckled look and a mild, floral flavor. These are best fresh out of the oven, but they still have a great black tea flavor and a good chewy crumb when eaten the next day.

1. In a food processor, pulse 2¾ cups of the flour with 2 teaspoons of the granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add 2 sticks of the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-size pieces remaining. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and press into 2 equal disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Ease one of the rounds into a 9-inch metal pie plate and trim the overhang to 1 inch. Wrap the crust in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Transfer the other dough round to the prepared baking sheet.

Using a pastry or pizza cutter and a ruler as a guide, cut ten 1-inch strips. Wrap the baking sheet in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar with the hibiscus tea leaves and vanilla bean seeds until the tea is finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with all of the stone fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the tapioca, honey and orange liqueur. Gently fold the mixture into the fruit along with the brown sugar, ginger and the remaining ¼ cup of flour until incorporated.

5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fruit to the chilled pie shell and carefully pour the juices over the pie until the liquid reaches the rim. Scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over the fruit. Arrange the dough strips across the pie in a lattice pattern, pressing them into the crust and trimming the overhang to ½ inch. Fold the overhanging dough over itself and crimp decoratively. Brush the egg wash all over the crust. Sprinkle with more granulated sugar.

1 Tbsp. orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

6. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set the pie on it. Bake for 20 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375° and bake for about 55 minutes more, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is deep golden; rotate the pie twice during baking.

Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

¼ cup light brown sugar

MAKE AHEAD The pie can be made up to

3 peaches (about 1 lb.)—peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca 1 Tbsp. honey

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2 days ahead and kept at room temperature.

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6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing 2/3 cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp. baking powder 1/3 cup granulated sugar 4 tsp. crushed black tea leaves (from 4 tea bags) 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped 2 large eggs 1 Tbsp. honey ½ tsp. kosher salt 1 Tbsp. whole milk at room temperature Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and position racks in the upper and lower thirds.

Grease 22 madeleine molds and set on 2 large rimmed baking sheets.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder. In a food processor, pulse the granulated sugar with the black tea leaves and vanilla bean seeds until the tea leaves are finely chopped. Scrape into a large bowl and whisk in the eggs, honey and salt until smooth. Whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the milk and the 6 tablespoons of melted butter until incorporated.

3. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the batter into the prepared madeleine molds, filling them three-quarters of the way to the top.

Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until cold, about 20 minutes.

4. Bake the madeleines for about 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed; rotate the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Let cool slightly in the molds, then loosen with the tip of a small knife and transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The madeleines can be

stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.

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