HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton joins Coast Live to serve up a delicious summer pairing: a refreshing sauvignon blanc along with a fried shrimp po' boy for National Sandwich Month!
Here's what Chef Patrick had to say about today's selections on his Virginia Eats and Drinks blog:
CHEERS TO QUAFFS THAT QUENCH WITH OUR WINE FIND - MANU SAUVIGNON BLANC
Warmer weather means lighter and more refreshing eats and drinks.
A quaff that quenches is sauvignon blanc, a crisp white wine with origins in France, but also known for origins in New Zealand and the United States.
Today’s Wine Find is Manu Wine of New Zealand, a classic offering from Marlborough. It’s the house white at Cafe Stella in Norfolk, where you can also purchase bottles to take home to enjoy.
There are three simple ways to enjoy wine, the first starts with looking at the glass. With sauvignon blanc, it should be clear, with a light golden hue.
Swirl the glass to incorporate air and smell: there’s a subtle, clean aroma with hints of citrus and grass.
Swirl the glass again and take a small sip, holding it on the tongue and breathing in as you swallow. Look for a bright pop of grapefruit and other citrus fruits.
It’s a wonderful wine for the hottest parts of the year, but also when paired with foods like shellfish, broiled or grilled fish, broiled or grilled chicken, salads, and the like.
Be sure to take notes on your wine finds either in a notebook or on your smart device to help you remember the wines that wow.
Wine comes from Cafe Stella, CafeStellaRoasters.com.
BON APPETIT IN HONOR NATIONAL SANDWICH MONTH! CELEBRATE WITH OUR SHRIMP PO’ BOY.
It’s National Sandwich Month, and we have a great sandwich to celebrate.
Our Shrimp Po’ Boy is quick and easy to craft, and has great flavors.
The key to our Shrimp Po’ Boy is the homemade cocktail sauce, which you can enjoy in a classic incarnation or easily made creamy.
A po’ boy is a simple but delicious offering: a French roll or portion of a soft baguette is split and has a slathering of sauce on both halves. The classic sauce is remoulade, but we like our creamy cocktail sauce.
On the bottom half of the roll pile on lettuce, tomato, and pickle and fried shrimp. You can optionally add banana, jalapeño, or other slices of peppers; sliced onion; and more.
Here’s how to fry up the shrimp for the po’ boy:
- Whisk 1 cup beer, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Place 24 large peeled shrimp with tails removed in a bowl. Place the tip of a small knife in the back of each shrimp near the tail, cutting about halfway down, but being careful not to cut the shrimp completely in half. Open the shrimp from both sides to form a butterfly shape. Press slightly to flatten. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.
- Fill a large skillet with a half to three-quarter inches of peanut oil and heat over medium-high heat. The oil is hot enough when a pinch of flour tossed in the oil sizzles; the oil should not be smoking.
- Dip the shrimp in the batter, place in the skillet and fry until golden, 3 to 5 minutes Transfer the fried shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain Cook the shrimp in batches; do not crowd skillet. Drain the fried shrimp on paper towels. Use immediately.
Here’s how to make our cocktail sauce and creamy cocktail sauce:
- Whisk 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup chile sauce, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, 1/2 tablespoon Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha, and 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice together in a medium bowl until combined. Cover and chill for at least an hour before using.
- Make this a creamy cocktail sauce by combining with 1 cup sour cream and stirring well to incorporate.
- Make approximately 1 cup regular cocktail sauce and 2 cups creamy cocktail sauce.
More, VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com
EATS + DRINKS AND KUDOS: CONGRATS TO PACK BROTHERS FOR EXPANDING RESTAURANT PROPERTIES
Congratulations to Pack Brothers Hospitality for acquiring three regional iconic restaurants.
Randy and Brian pack already operated a handful of well-known restaurants, including Smithfield Station, before adding Decoy’s Seafood, River Stone Chophouse, and Vintage Tavern to their portfolio.
We recently visited Vintage Tavern to catch up with Executive Chef Kevin Hoofnagle, sommelier Charlie Rizzo, and mixologist Chandler Lacerte and sample some offerings.
Cocktails enjoyed were:
- Blood Orange Margarita - for the tequila lovers - Tequila, Blood Orange Liqueur, Cointreau, Orange Juice, Lime Juice.
- Longest Selling Cocktail at Vintage Tavern - Tavern Martini - Our Dirty Martini with your choice of Vodka or Gin with our hand-stuffed bacon and bleu cheese olives.
- Strawberry Orange Aperol Spritz - My twist on the all time party favorite Aperol Spritz. Strawberry Vodka, Orange Simple Syrup, Strawberry Puree and Champagne.
- Tavern Famous Burnt Honey Old Fashioned - A top selling old fashioned - Bourbon, Black Walnut Bitters, Housemade Burnt Honey Simple Syrup.
Dishes enjoyed were:
- Fried green tomatoes with house made pimento cheese and balsamic glaze
- Butter poached shrimp with garlic, thyme, and bacon
- Ham biscuit / house jam / pickled veggies / cheese and charcuterie
- Crab cakes over Cajun sorghum grain withandouille sausage, peppers, onions, celery, and remoulade
- Grilled pork chop over sautéed zucchini, squash, and red onion in an apple cider glaze
- Grilled Elk chop with bacon and bleu cheese mashed potatoes, sautéed rainbow carrots and vin cotto
- Sautéed flounder with heirloom tomato, rainbow carrots, and goat cheese risotto in a basil herb oil
A number of wines were also enjoyed from Charlie Rizzo.More, PackBrothersHospitality.com.
FOR MORE VIRGINIA EATS + DRINKS
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