Chefs from three of Falls Church’s most popular restaurants share their recipes, giving News-Press readers the chance to cook like the pros in their very own kitchen.
Pizzeria Orso Chef Bertrand Chemel’s Cannellini Bean Bruschetta
Pizzeria Orso, 400 S. Maple Ave. • 703-226-3460 • pizzeriaorso.com
Ingredients (serves 6):
• 6 slices sourdough or rustic bread, 1/2 inch thick
• 2 cups dry cannellini beans (soaked in water overnight at room temp)
• 1 butternut squash
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 fresh or dry bay leaves
• 1/4 small onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 sprig oregano
• truffle oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 sage leaves
• salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Peel the onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
2. Slice the onion, carrot, celery into 1/8 of inch. Cut the garlic into four pieces.
3. Warm up 3 Tbsp of olive oil in medium sauce pan, slowly cook onion, carrot, celery for about 8 minutes, add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, oregano, garlic and beans.
4. Cover with water 3 times the volume of the soaked beans.
5. Cook slowly until beans are tender, season with salt to taste. Strain the beans, reserve the liquid for the puree.
6. Take 1/3 of the cooked beans and place into a food processor or a blender.
7. Puree beans by adding some of the cooking liquid into the beans, blend at full speed, season with salt and truffle oil to taste. Puree should be the consistency of peanut butter.
8. Combine the creamy bean puree into the rest of the cooked beans then set them aside.
9. Peel butternut squash. With a mandolin, make fine slices of butternut squash.
10. In a medium sautee pan at medium heat, warm up 3 Tbsp of olive oil and fry sage leaves, pan sear the butternut squash, both sides for about 2 minutes each side.
11. Grill the sourdough bread, spread the beans, place the butternut squash on the beans, season the squash with fresh black pepper.
12. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
2941 Restaurant Pastry Chef Caitlin Dysart’s Pear Pavlova
2941 Restaurant, 2941 Fairview Park Drive • 703-270-1500 • 2941.com
Ingredients (serves 8):
For Brown Sugar Meringue:
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of black pepper
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Poached Pears:
• 4 Bartlett pears
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
For the Brown Sugar Meringue:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using either standing or hand-held mixer, whisk egg whites, salt, pepper and brown sugar on low speed until combined. Raise speed to medium and beat until soft peaks form, about 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Gradually add the sugar to the egg whites while whisking. Beat the meringue until stiff peaks form.
4. Whisk in vanilla and vinegar.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
6. Using a large spoon, transfer meringue to the cookie sheet in spoonfuls. Leave 3 inches between each spoonful of meringue. Using the back of a smaller spoon, create and indentation in each meringue; the meringue should be cloud-shaped.
For the Poached Pears:
1. Peel the pears and slice in half.
2. Combine water, red wine, sugar and cinnamon stick in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Carefully place pear halves into the water.
3. Cook pears in the simmering water until tender and easily pierced with a knife. Remove pears from the hot liquid; cool the two separately. Once cool, store the pears in the liquid. The pears can be kept, refrigerated, up to four days.
Assembly:
1. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid.
2. Use a melon baller or small spoon to core pears.
3. Place a meringue in a bowl and top with half a pear.
4. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Dogwood Tavern Chef Will Sullivan’s Bayou Crab Dip
Dogwood Tavern, 132 W. Broad St. • 703-237-8333 • dogwoodtavern.com
Ingredients:
• 12 oz. of crab meat
• 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 12 oz. of cream cheese
• 6 oz. sour cream
• 1/4 parmesan cheese
• 1/4 Tbsp. horseradish
• 1/4 Tbsp. Colman’s dry mustard powder
• 1/4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 Tbsp. Old Bay
• 1/4 Tbsp. salt
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients except for crab and scallions very well.
2. Fold crab and scallions into the mixture until fully combined.
3. Serve with toasted baguette or crackers.
