By: Catherine Pergolis
Do you ever wonder what fall looks like in the South? Chef Jason Santos from Buttermilk & Bourbon explained that his favorite fall dish to bon is a New Orleans inspired restaurant with small plates native to the city. This comforting, one-pot dish includes celery root, sassafras, green peppercorns and bourbon. Chef explained that the restaurant strives for meal combinations that you wouldn’t normally purchase at the store, thus oxtail and dumplings. The oxtail is seared and then braised with red wine until the meat falls off the bone. Next, a stew is created with celery root, cremini mushrooms, jalapeno, chicken stock, garlic, brandy, bourbon, green peppercorns, and Worcester-shire and placed into a crock with the shredded oxtail meat. Later, Chef makes sassafras dumplings, which have an herbal and funky flavor. Chef explained that sassafras and bourbon are two of the most common flavors seen in dishes across New Orleans. The hearty feel of this dish represents New England while the underlying flavors convey the original Southern cuisine. This specific dish is new to the menu for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Paired with a chardon-nay or a pinot noir, this buttery and heavy dish will evoke the essence of New England winters while allowing you to sample flavors from the South.
Photo credit by Rocco Capano
