S & S Dugout: The Delicious Dive That Could...

In every town, often where you least expect it, lives the pulsating heart that gives that town its spirit. Amid the hustle and bustle of rural mayhem, tucked quietly on the corner of Post Road and Center Street (3449 Post Rd), lives the S & S Dugout, the little greasy spoon that "can." While other big and bossy diners of Fairfield County toot their whistles and snub their noses at those of us longing for charm and wicked Roast Beef sandwiches, (and not necessarily in that order!) S & S gives us that tiny extra push over the proverbial suburban mountain. S & S Dugout of Southport delivers with tasty breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare that oozes with taste, not pretension.

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Entertaining: Shrimp, Mango & Jalapeno Lettuce Cups

Need a menu item for your New Year's Eve party? Why not try these elegant and easy to prepare lettuce cups filled with shrimp and mango? They have a great subtle kick, and can be made with slightly un-ripe mangoes so you don't have to drive all over town looking for the perfect fruit.  

Here is the real beauty of this dish. You can prepare almost all of this recipe ahead of time so you can actually enjoy the party instead of slaving away in the kitchen while your guests party on without you.

Check out my directions for pre-prepping below:

Shrimp with Lime, Mango and Jalapeno in Lettuce Cups

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Chef Talk: LeFarm's Bill Taibe-Slow Roasted Pork Belly

For Chef Bill Taibe of LeFarm, a holiday is not a holiday without a little pork belly. Here is his amazingly decadent yet simple preparation for Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Apple Pulp, Fresh Horseradish Root & Arugula. I'm already drooling...

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What Are Your Holiday & New Years Food Traditions?

Everybody has food traditions around Christmas, Hanukah (now past), and boozy New Years Eve. When I was a kid, Christmas meant a trip to Chinatown for "1000 year old eggs," peking duck, and glassy eyed whole fish. Hanukah aways meant Nana's latkes (recipe below).  It was always all about the food. 

Our contributors will be posting their holiday food traditions below, but we want to hear from you!

• What do you cook or eat during the holidays?

• What are your favorite recipes or traditions?

• Have you experienced a holiday food disaster? 

Post your comments below....

Chef Talk: Osetra's Chef David Nivens-Lobster Spaghettini

Don't you always wonder what chefs make when they leave their throng of paying diners, kick back, and cook for themselves? Enquiring minds wanted to know, so CTbites asked top local chefs to share a holiday dish from their at home recipe box. This might be something they serve to their family at the end of the day or food that simply defines the season.

We will be featuring these recipes throughout the month of December. We hope you try some of these meals in your home. You can be guaranteed they're good! 

Enjoy this delicious simple pasta entree from Chef David Nivens of SONO's Osetra. 

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Traditional & Modern Spanish Mix @ Meigas in Norwalk

Parrilada del Mar - Grilled lobster, scallops, shrimp, mussels, fish, baby squid; sate fennel, lime juice and extra virgin olive oil Photograph by Judith PszenicaI am a sucker for drinks with a kick so when I heard that Meigas, an authentic Spanish restaurant in East Norwalk, was serving up jalapeno martinis alongside their tapas, it jumped to the top of my “Gotta Get To” list.  For those unfamiliar with Meigas, it is has been around since the 80's (also under the name Meson Galacia). Some may recall (either with fondness or not) the elaborate Nuevo foam and emulsions that graced their plates in recent years. However, the menu shifted in late 2008, when Carlos Hernandez took over the helm bringing with him a return to more traditional Spanish tapas with a modern flair. 

Eager to get my hands on this jalepeno martini and to get to the bottom of Meigas' uneven reviews, my friend and I headed over for lunch last Saturday.

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Cookies Part 1: Give the Gift of Homemade Cookie Dough

Who doesn't appreciate a tin of cookies around the holidays? Well we've got some great tried and true recipes for cookies of all shapes and flavors. But before you pop these Coconut-lime Snowballs, Chocolate, Pecan and Orange Biscotti, Dark Chocolate Chewy Cherry Cookies, Lemon Snickerdoodles, or Chewy Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies in the oven....why not gift without the heat? A gift of uncooked cookie dough allows the recipient the freedom to enjoy his or her cookies whenever desired. Plus YOUR gift won't go stale while your mail carrier or teacher attempts to consume the other 10 tins they received.

Just wrap your dough in parchment, wax paper, or plastic wrap, and let your giftee know that it might be a good idea to get this parcel into the fridge as soon as possible. (Cooking instructions are helpful as well). For those of you who just want to bake up some delicious cookies, here are the recipes mentioned above.

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Shopping Guide: Green Foodie Finds for the Holidays

Analiese Paik, Founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide is constantly scouring the farm stands and markets of Fairfield County for great green foodie finds. She has come up with a list of wonderful local products just right for the holidays. Happy shopping!  

Holy smoke!: The Willie Bird whole smoked turkey, formerly available exclusively through Williams-Sonoma’s catalog, is now available at Palmer’s Market in Darien. You can thank Richard the butcher for bringing in this famous all-natural, vegetarian fed bird from Sonoma, CA to grace your holiday table. Save yourself the shipping and head to Palmer’s Market at 264 Heights Road in Darien, just off exit 10 on I95 across from the Noroton Heights train station. They also have fresh Long Island duck!

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The Dinners at the Farm 2010 Schedule is Up!!

Dinners at the Farm is back! For those of you who missed this wonderful culinary event in 2009, check out our write-up from last August and order yourself some tickets for the upcoming season. This is truly one of CT's most unique dining experiences.  

For those of you new to the "farm dinner" concept, Dinners at the Farm is a series of benefit dinners that recreate a sense of connection to farming, cooking and eating. Plus you get to reconnect under the stars in a beautiful candlelit tent while eating a spectacular multi course meal. 

If you purchase tickets before May 1st, you will receive a special pre-season rate of $100 each. After May 1st tickets go back to $150. It's a great holiday gift!

We'll be there on August 28th. Support your local farming community and join us.

Order tickets on the Dinners at the Farm web site. 

Butternut Squash Chevre Ravioli in Sage Butter

Sure the cold weather brings fewer local fruits and vegetables, but have no fear, there's one versatile fruit (yes, it's a fruit) that you can count on in any season. I'm talking about the formidable squash, specifically the Butternut Squash that keeps us nourished with Vitamins A & C throughout the Fall and Winter months.

This recipe for Butternut Squash Chevre Ravioli in Sage Butter falls into the category of elegant comfort food. You could include this dish in a dinner party menu or serve 'em up for a weeknight family dinner. The goat cheese and browned sage butter add nuance to your more standard squash ravioli and the result is remarkably delicious.

These little pasta pockets look complicated but they are actually quite simple to construct if you follow my step-by-step video with added tips and tricks. 

Butternut squash chevre ravioli in sage butter

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