| Courier Journal special
I was recently relaxing in a friend’s back yard with an after dinner drink when our hostess came out the back door carrying a platter with a platter that looked like pizza for a moment under the fairy lights. But no, it was watermelon wedges drizzled with something creamy and white, sprinkled with macadamia nuts, and sprinkled with mint.
It was wonderful.
And it was a delicious surprise that pretty blew me away.
It took seconds immediately, although I wasn’t even remotely hungry.
What was this miracle and how did it come about?
Joe Merchanthouse is a chef we are fortunate to be able to call a friend, and that was his doing. The story came out: when a teenager visited Italy, he was struck by an “epiphany of food”.
After dinner in a restaurant on a warm summer evening, the waiter brought a large bowl of cherries for dessert.
“It was the easiest, but most delicious, twist on the dessert,” said Joe. “It was light and healthy and it was from the tree we were sitting under. I’ve never seen anything like it from the Midwest where it’s like cheesecake and chocolate or whatever, it’s harder. So I was blown away by how good normal food can be, like untouched food. It was kind of a revelation. So it stayed with me and that was always part of my view of food.
You might like: I had a bucket list dinner at Grant Achatz’s Alinea restaurant in Chicago. So how was it?
The story reminded me of my own similar food awakening. The last night my husband and I spent in Rome on our first trip to Europe we plowed through Fettuccine Alfredo. There was no way we could eat another bite. Then the waiter brought a bowl of tiny strawberries with lemon and sugar and insisted we give it a try. I couldn’t stop when I took that first, perfect bite, and I never forgot about it.
The watermelon dish was created when Joe was eating for an event in a pop-up series called Un. prepared[Wine]d in the days before COVID. This version, which he served at the Waterfront Botanical Gardens event, had walnuts, feta and basil. That sounds great too, but I can’t wait to get back to the mint and yogurt he made for us recently.
Joe’s approach inspired me to experiment with fruit when I was preparing a picnic lunch recently. A 40 year old balsamic vinegar gift from a friend who had just returned from Italy seemed meant for fresh berries, so I built a dessert-in-a-jar.
In one word (OK, in two)? Summer perfection.
Are you ready to try these fruity desserts? There is really nothing to it. Remember that these are less recipes than templates. So, think of them as starting points and play around with your favorite flavor.
Plus, nobody says they have to limit themselves to dessert. My husband’s actual one word review of the berry dish he had for breakfast when I asked how it was?
“Path.”
You might like: How to refine your summer salads. Tip: Try fresh produce from the Louisville farmers’ markets
So what can and should we do with fruit now while we have access to so much fresh? If you’re into cooking your fruit, the Fat Lamb’s Chef Dallas McGarity said you can’t go wrong with a classic dish.
“When I think of fruit desserts, I can’t help but think of a crisp. I like the freshness of berries with the sweetness of peaches and cinnamon adds that touch of something that brings it all together, ”he said. “It’s also gluten-free if you buy the right oats. It’s easy and pretty healthy as a dessert.”
Say dana! Send your Dish restaurant to Dana McMahan at thecjdish@gmail.com.
Watermelon Dessert ‘Pizza’
Courtesy Chef Joe Merchanthouse
Cut the chilled watermelon into wedges and arrange on a platter
Grate some lime and stir into a fairly thin and runny vanilla yogurt (Joe suggests Chobani). Drizzle over the melon.
Roughly chop the macadamia nuts and cover the wedges with them
Chiffonade fresh mint leaves and sprinkle over everything.
Berry-balsamic-basil dessert glass
Courier Journal Food Columnist Dana McMahan
Layer fresh blackberries in a glass (or container of your choice)
Pour vanilla cream fraicheche over it
Drizzle with salted honey
Sprinkle with fresh basil chiffonade
Layer fresh, sliced strawberries
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar
Repeat to the top of the glass and garnish with basil leaves
Peach, blueberry and cinnamon crisps
Courtesy Chef Dallas McGarity, The Fat Lamb. 6 servings
- 1 pound fresh peaches (peeled and chopped)
- 1 pound of fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 2 pinches of kosher salt
- 1 cup old fashioned oats (preferably Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
- 4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
Preheat oven to 350F. Toss the fruit with 1/2 cup of sugar, lemon juice and zest, cornstarch, and a pinch of kosher salt. Transfer to a 2 liter baking dish or large cast iron pan.
Mix the oatmeal, cinnamon, almond flour, ginger, pinch of salt and remaining sugar in a bowl. Work the chilled butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until crumbly.
Spread the oat mixture on the fruits and bake until the juice is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.
Serve warm with ice.
