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Signature Recipes

Classic Virginia Food: Our Signature Recipes

From our kitchen to yours, try our finest flavors and most exquisite dishes. To the right are culinary creations from The Homestead’s restaurants and cafés. Remember to use fresh and local ingredients.

  • Sweet Potato Fondant, Cracklings and Jicama Slaw

    Serves Four Guests

    Hickory Barbecued Duckling

    • Ingredients & Method

      For the Barbecued Duckling:

      2 pieces Sonoma duck legs, trimmed
      1 cup ketchup
      1 cup brown chicken stock
      3 tablespoons cider vinegar
      2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
      2 tablespoons mesquite smoke flavoring
      2 tablespoons garlic, minced
      2 tablespoons cayenne powder
      4 tablespoons smoked paprika
      4 tablespoons brown sugar
      4 pieces chipotle chilies, dried
      1 cup sweet Vidalia onions, diced
      1 teaspoon ground cumin

      Pre-heat a large braising pan and add the olive oil, allow to get hot. Then add the duck legs and sear until golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain extra fat. Add the onions, garlic and allow to caramelize. Then add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Place the duck legs back into the sauce and allow to simmer for 2 hours. Remove the duck legs and strain the sauce. Allow the duck legs to cool in the sauce and then remove and shred. Reserve the duck and sauce separately.

       

      For the Sweet Potatoes:

      8 ounces sweet potato cut into 2-ounce rounds
      4 cups brown chicken stock

      Pre-heat an oven to 300°F. Place potatoes in a shallow pan, cover with stock and slow cook until tender. Reserve.

       

      For the Slaw:

      1 cup julienne jicama
      1 cup julienne cabbage
      1 cup frisee, cleaned
      ¼ cup chives, batons
      ¼ cup red onions, julienne
      ¼ cup cilantro cress
      ¼ cup chervil sprigs
      ¼ cup Bull’s Blood (Egri Bikavér)
      ¼ cup julienne yellow peppers
      ¼ cup julienne red peppers
      2 ounces barbecue dressing
      1 ounce duck cracklings
      Freshly cracked pepper

      Combine in medium mixing bowl and toss together. Season to taste and reserve.

       

      To Plate:

      4 pieces sweet potato chips
      4 pieces sweet potato fondant
      8 ounces barbecue duck slaw
      8 pieces sliced duck breast
      10 gr pop corn shoot
      3 ounces barbecue vinaigrette                   
      Freshly cracked pepper

      Place one sweet potato fondant in the center of the plate and top with the jicama slaw. Then top with two slices of duck breast and garnish with sweet potato chip and pop corn shoots. Then drizzle with barbecue vinaigrette and freshly ground pepper.

  • Yellow Lentils, White Balsamic Vinaigrette

    Serves Four Guests

    Atlantic Salmon Confit

    • Ingredients & Method

      For the Salmon Confit:

      4–7-ounce darns of salmon fillet
      2 vanilla beans, split
      1 quart extra-virgin olive oil

      Preheat oven to warm, approximately 125°F. Place olive oil in a medium pan together with the vanilla and salmon fillets. The olive oil should cover the fish entirely. Place in the oven and cook slowly for approximately 30-40 minutes. Reserve.

       

      For the Lentils:

      8 ounces smoked bacon, diced small
      1 pound yellow lentils, par boiled
      3 ounces carrots, diced small
      3 ounces celery, diced small
      3 ounces onion, diced small
      1 tablespoon unsalted butter
      1 tablespoon chopped parsley
      ½ cup chicken broth
      1 teaspoon ground cumin
      sea salt
      freshly ground pepper

      Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan. Add the bacon and allow to render until crisp. Drain extra oil from pan and add the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté until translucent and add the lentils. Sauté until the flavors marry and add the cumin. Then add the chicken stock, butter and parsley. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and season with freshly ground pepper to taste. Reserve.

       

      For the White Balsamic Dressing:

      ½ cup white balsamic vinegar, reduced
      1 cup vanilla olive oil from cooking the salmon
      1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
      1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
      1 tablespoon honey
      sea salt
      freshly cracked pepper

      Combine the honey and vinegar reduction in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil forming an emulsion. Add remaining ingredients and season with freshly cracked pepper to taste. Reserve.

       

      To Plate:

      Arrange the lentils in equal portions in the middle of four plates. Drain the extra oil from the salmon and place on top of the lentils. Drizzle the dressing over the salmon and garnish with a few sprigs of herbs.