Greg Rannells
The four-bedroom McCarthy home is neatly tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac on the edge of a private golf course in Sunset Hills. The first floor of the 4,000-squarefoot home is completely open, with high ceilings and tall windows; the living room flows into the dining room, the sunroom, and the kitchen, creating a perfect setting for a party.
And because Sue and Larry McCarthy love to party, they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bid on a package deal at St. Louis Magazine’s FEVER Fall Fashion Show last year. What they won was the opportunity to host six guests for dinner prepared by nationally recognized chef Gerard Craft of Niche, paired by sommelier Daniel Kaveney, and featured in this magazine. They were enticed by the promise of good food, good wine, and, most important, good company.
Mr. McCarthy, a vintage-car enthusiast, and Mrs. McCarthy, owner of Women’s Closet Exchange and Web-based Hollywhirl Fashion Boutique, invited their two daughters and their husbands, Laura and Jon Maurice and Diana and Scott Ford, and two family friends, Chasley and Carlos Flores, to the Thursday-night dinner.
“We’re very busy, so we’re racing in 50 different directions, and I thought, ‘What a nice occasion for us to sit and enjoy each other’s company without the grandchildren,’” says Mrs. McCarthy. “We’re good friends, all of us—we’re best friends.”
Before everyone arrives, Mrs. McCarthy checks the table setting, including large metallic platters, wine and water glasses, and silverware on a patterned gray-satin tablecloth. The lavender, eggshell, and deep-orange floral centerpiece, created by Jeana Reisinger of Living Art and illuminated by small white votive candles, brings the scene to life.
The classy, eclectic setting is characteristic of Mrs. McCarthy’s own style, which she sums up as: “I’m not a go–to–Pottery Barn kinda gal.” The McCarthys have lived here only five years, but their home is fully decorated with art and furniture found on Mrs. McCarthy’s many trips abroad.
She motions toward an Italian mirror inscribed with her monogram. “It took them six weeks to make it,” she says. “Then I looked for two years to buy the piece to go under it.” She points out the delicate wooden hutch.
“I don’t buy things that match,” Mrs. McCarthy admits with a smile. “And it might take me forever to finish my house, but I still want what I want.”
Gerard Craft arrives in his signature striped apron with a dozen or more labeled plastic containers, a bus tub of frying pans, and a crew of two—a sous chef and a server. They begin to make the kitchen their own. Mrs. McCarthy, meanwhile, favors the photographer and Mr. Kaveney (who have already become quite comfortable in the house) with tales of stray balls from the golf course in their backyard. Mr. McCarthy pops open a Budweiser. The whole room stops. “Anyone want a beer?” he asks, looking guilty.
As the guests trickle in, Mr. Craft reads off his list of ingredients to his assistant. Whoops.
“Sue, do you have any olive oil?” inquires Mr. Craft, smiling. “I usually keep a stash in my car, but I think I ran out.” Mrs. McCarthy opens her cabinets and drawers, offering the chef anything he needs.
Once all the guests have arrived, they move outside to the patio, where Mr. McCarthy and the kids discuss everything from Texas to Cardinals manager Tony La Russa to honeymoons. Between stories and jokes, they toast and thank the hosts with a California brut rosé.
As the sun sets, the McCarthy crew and company move on to dinner. The first course is a promising vegetable risotto paired with a merlot wine, which, says Mr. Kaveney, has the strength to stand up to the creaminess of the appetizer. Course after course, the oohs and aahs continue from the diners, who eventually offer Mr. Craft a position as their personal chef in exchange for one of Mr. McCarthy’s vintage rides. Mr. Craft was game; Mr. McCarthy, on the other hand, was not.
Menu
Escolar Crudo – paired with Champagne Vegetable Risotto – paired with Brut Rosé Pan-Roasted Scallops with Cauliflower Purée, Romanesco, Guanciale, and Rhubarb Roasted Pork Loin with Asparagus, Watercress, and Scrapple – paired with Merlot Whatchamacallit Semifreddo – paired with Dolce Dessert Wine
Recipes
Scallops with Cauliflower Purée, Romanesco, Guanciale, and Rhubarb
1 head cauliflower
2 cups milk
2 stalks rhubarb, thinly sliced
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
16 slices of guanciale (available from Volpi Foods, volpifoods.com)
4 heads baby romanesco, quartered (available at Whole Foods, wholefoods.com)
16 morels, cleaned and halved
16 scallops (U10 size), with nerve removed
Regular olive oil
Quality extra-virgin olive oil (available at Extra Virgin, an Olive Ovation, extravirginoo.com)
Canola oil
Sugar, salt, and pepper
In a small pot, cook onions and rhubarb with 3 tablespoons of regular olive oil until onions are translucent. Add white wine and cook until liquid is almost completely reduced. Purée and add good-quality extra-virgin olive oil and a little sugar to taste.
In a medium-sized pot, simmer cauliflower and milk together until tender. Strain milk and reserve. Purée cauliflower and add milk to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt to taste. Keep warm.
Place guanciale on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 400-degree oven until crisp.
In a hot pan, sauté romanesco and morels until romanesco is tender. Add guanciale and season to taste.
Season scallops with salt and pepper on both sides, and place in a hot sauté pan with 3 tablespoons canola oil. When one side is golden, flip each scallop and brown other side. Scallops are done when they have just begun to firm. If scallops are very large, they may need to be placed in a 450-degree oven until done.
Place a puddle of cauliflower purée on a plate, and put guanciale, romanesco, and morels on top. Put a few dots of rhubarb sauce on plate, and top it all with two scallops.
Vegetable Risotto
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups Carolina Gold Rice (available from Anson Mills, ansonmills.com)
1 gallon water, nearly boiling
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons mascarpone
Salt to taste
1/2 pound ramp tops, cleaned and blanched
1/4 cup cream, slightly warmed
30 radishes, well-cleaned
30 baby carrots, peeled and cleaned
30 sunchokes, peeled and cleaned
Good-quality olive oil to finish
In a sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of canola oil. Add radishes and toss in pan. Place pan in a 400-degree oven until radishes are bite-tender. Upon removing, season with salt.
Repeat this step with carrots and sunchokes.
In a blender, combine blanched ramp tops and warm cream, and purée until smooth.
In a wide-surfaced, heavy-based pot, add oil and turn heat to medium. Add onions and garlic to pot, and cook until onions are translucent (do not allow to brown). Add rice and cook for 2 minutes. Raise heat to high and add white wine. Allow rice to absorb wine, and then cover with hot water. Simmer water for 3 minutes before stirring. On low simmer, cook rice while continuing to add just enough water to cover. Continually taste so that you know when rice is properly cooked through. Rice is ready when it has a “bite” but does not leave grit in your mouth. At this point, add puréed ramps, mascarpone, and Parmesan cheese. Cook until risotto is a loose, creamy consistency, and season with salt to taste. If risotto is too thick, just add a little more water to thin it out.
After plating risotto, drizzle it with a very good olive oil.
Escolar Crudo
12 ounces pristine quality escolar, diced small (available at Bob’s Seafood, 314-993-4844)
12 ounces Fuyu persimmons, diced small
1 preserved lemon (available at Zamouri Spices, zamourispices.com)
1 large parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup water
Rice cracker balls and dried kombu (available at Asian grocery stores)
Chili oil, optional
In a saucepan, add parsnips, cream, and water, and simmer on high until parsnips are tender. Stir pan occasionally to avoid burning. When tender, strain liquid and reserve. Place parsnips in a blender with a little of the liquid and purée. Add liquid as needed to achieve a silky texture.
In a bowl, toss together escolar, persimmon, and preserved lemon. Add salt to taste.
To serve: On a plate, add a spoonful of parsnip purée, then top with a spoonful of escolar mixture. Garnish plate with rice cracker balls and dried kombu. If you care for a little heat, add a drop of chili oil.
Whatchamacallit Semifreddo
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
8 large egg yolks
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup PB Krispies (recipe follows)
Place egg yolks into bowl of an electric mixer. Whip on high speed. Bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook until syrup reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Carefully drizzle into whipping egg yolks. Continue to whip on high until bowl is cool. Whip in peanut butter until combined. Fold in heavy cream and PB Krispies. Scrape mixture into shallow glass baking dish, and freeze for 4 to 6 hours.
To serve: Scoop into bowls and sprinkle with additional PB Krispies.
PB Krispies
2 1/4 cups puffed rice cereal
1/4 cup milk chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Melt chocolate, butter, and peanut butter in a double boiler. Fold cereal into melted mixture. Place in a large zip-lock bag with powdered sugar and cocoa, and shake until all pieces are coated. (There should be no visible sugar or cocoa left in bag.) Pour onto a sheet tray, and freeze until needed.
