Inspired Ideas for Fall Menus

Georgia Harvest Trout

Yield: 12 servings.
1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional for sautéing
6 whole large sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Mayan), thinly sliced
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
12 (8 oz. each) Butterfly Style Clear•Cuts® Boneless Rainbow Trout Fillets
¾ cup chopped pecans
as needed for garnish, chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 12-14 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir in balsamic vinegar and rosemary; cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes or until flavors have blended. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired; keep warm.

In another large sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add trout, skin-side up, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until trout turns opaque, about 2-3 minutes.

To serve, top trout with onion mixture and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. pecans. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

PHOTO: Clear Springs

Louisiana-Style Creamed Onions

Yield: 6 servings.
2 lb. boiler white onions, peeled
1 quart chicken broth
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
¼ tsp. paprika
1 ½ cups light cream
to taste, sea salt
¼ cup diced cold butter
2 Tbsp. grated Reggiano Parmesan
to taste, Creole-style mustard
¼ cup toasted panko bread crumbs
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Place onions in medium saucepan. Add broth and salt. Bring onions to a boil; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Drain and reserve the onions and the cooking liquid.

In a saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour, Cajun seasoning and paprika; cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. On medium heat, whisk in the cream; cook for 5 additional minutes stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken and start to bubble; remove from stove.

Season with salt. Add the butter and cheese; whisk until incorporated. Add mustard. Add some of the reserved liquid for flavor and to thin the sauce to desired consistency. Fold the onions into the sauce; place in a heat-proof dish. Top with the bread crumbs and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

PHOTO: National Onion Association

Long Grain and Wild Rice Salad

Yield: 23 servings.
1 package Zatarain’s Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix
12 cups hot water (180°F to 190°F)
2 cups medium green apples, sliced
1 cup almonds, toasted
¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup vinaigrette dressing

To hotel pan, add 12 cups of hot water, 2 oz. butter or margarine (optional) and contents of seasoning and rice packages. Stir thoroughly; cover tightly with foil or other style cover. Place into oven preheated to 400°F and bake for 35-40 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Do not over-cook. When rice is cooked remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Let rice cool completely and refrigerate. In a large bowl, toss together green apples, walnuts, feta cheese and vinaigrette.

PHOTO: McCormick For Chefs

Authentic Carolina Gold Pulled Pork

Yield: 1 sandwich.
15 cups cooked pulled pork meat
5 cups Cattlemen’s® Carolina Tangy Gold Barbecue Sauce
6 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring
12 soft sandwich buns, split
3 cups coleslaw
5 dozen pickle chips

Combine pork, barbecue sauce, vinegar, pepper flakes and smoke flavoring. Refrigerate until needed for service.

For each sandwich: Heat 1 cup pork mixture, place on bun and top with ¼ cup coleslaw and 5 pickle chips.

PHOTO: French's Foodservice

Anytime Sausage, Egg, Cheese and Biscuit Casserole

From: Chef Jodi Hortze, The Griddle Café, Hollywood, CA.

Yield: 12 servings.
4 fully cooked chicken-apple sausages
12 large eggs (1 lb., 5 oz. frozen or liquid whole egg product)
1¼ cups milk
½ tsp. seasoned salt
½ tsp. white pepper
1 cup biscuit mix
2½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup chopped green onions
1 large avocado, pitted and cut into 12 slices

Heat oven to 350°F. Cut sausages lengthwise in quarters, then thinly slice crosswise. In a large skillet, cook sausage pieces until heated throughout and slightly browned. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat eggs thoroughly. Whisk in milk, salt and white pepper. Whisk in biscuit mix until almost smooth.

Into a spray-coated 10” x 12”baking pan, sprinkle cheese, green onions and sausage. Pour egg mixture over ingredients. Bake 45-50 minutes or until puffed, browned, knife inserted near center comes out clean and internal temperature has reached a minimum of 160°F. Cut pan 4 x 3. Top each portion with avocado slice before serving. Serve immediately.

Note: Do not let uncooked egg mixture remain at room temperature for longer than one hour, including preparation and service time.

PHOTO: American Egg Board

Cherry Hardwood Smoked Bacon & Duck Tamales

From: Chef Jon Young. Yield: 12 servings.

Duck Meat and Spices:
4 qts. chicken stock
6 duck legs ( 2 lb. average)
2 lb. Jones Cherry Hardwood Smoked Bacon
¼ cup corn oil
¼ cup rendered bacon fat (from the 2 lb. bacon above)
3 Tbsp. garlic powder
1½ Tbsp. ground cumin
4 Tbsp. dark chili powder
½ Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. table salt

Masa and Spices:
2 lb. bag corn masa
3 Tbsp. sea salt
½ Tbsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. dark chili powder
3 Tbsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 cups corn oil
24 corn shucks (husks)
1 bunch fresh chives

For the duck: Bring chicken stock to a boil and cook duck legs for 40-60 minutes. Allow legs to cook slightly; reserve stock for the masa. Cut bacon strips into 2” pieces and then render (not too crispy).

Reserve rendered bacon fat. Reserve 1 cup cooked bacon for garnish. Remove skin from duck legs and discard; pull off duck meat and shred it.

Mix ¼ cup corn oil, ¼ cup rendered bacon fat and duck spices (garlic powder through table salt) in sauté pan and warm over low heat (do not cook). Pour warmed mixture over duck and remaining bacon in a medium bowl; toss until completely coated. Refrigerate duck mixture until ready to fill tamales.

For the masa: Bring reserved duck stock to warm temperature over low heat; do not boil. Place masa in a separate large bowl and mix in masa spices (sea salt through garlic powder) until fully incorporated. Add 2 cups corn oil and begin to slowly work in 2 qt. stock, about 1 cup at a time, working mixture by hand to make the dough. If mixture is too dry, continue to add broth 1 cup at a time until it is spreadable like thick peanut butter. If it is too thin, add more masa.

Soak corn shucks in warm water for 1 hour or until soft. Carefully separate and pat shucks with paper towel. Fill each with ½ cup masa mixture. Cover bottom 2/3 of each shuck, leaving uncovered the top 1/3 and ½” along one side. Lay shucks out on a sheet pan or cutting board as you go. Evenly cover masa with about 2-3 Tbsp. of seasoned bacon and duck mixture. Starting on the side where masa goes to the edge, roll tamales all the way to the opposite side and fold empty part over the top like an envelope, leaving tamales’ flap-side folded under (you may flatten tamales, if desired, at this point).

Cook tamales fold-side down, packed horizontally in a steamer, maintaining about 3 cups of water for 45-90 minutes, or until masa is just firm and not raw. Do not allow water to boil away. When done, remove tamales and cool on sheet pan or serve immediately. Chill or freeze finished tamales in plastic wrap for later use (may be reheated in a steamer or microwave).

Blanch 1 bunch of fresh chives, then use as ribbons for tying around each tamale.

To serve: Sprinkle each plate with reserved crushed bacon. Add 2 tamales and garnish with salsa or relish of choice.

PHOTO: Jones Dairy Farm