Page 18 - Leisure Living Magazine: Holiday 2020 Edition

Halibut Veracruz
Ingredients:
3 - tbsp olive oil
1 - julienned yellow onion
6 - cloves thinly sliced garlic
4 - Roma tomatoes, concasse’d and diced
2 - medium jalapeños, seeded and diced
1 1⁄2 cups - Chardonnay
3 tbsp. - unsalted butter
2 - medium carrots, obliqued
3 – 8 oz. halibut filets
1 tsp. – kosher salt
4 tbsp. – chopped cilantro (leaves, no stems) 1⁄2 cup – diced Spanish olives
1⁄4 cup – olive juice
2 – avocados, peeled and sliced
3 tsp. – fresh lime juice
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat.
3. Add onion and garlic. Cook until opaque (about 3 minutes).
4. Add tomatoes and jalapeños.
5. Deglaze with white wine.
6. Continue cooking until the wine is reduced by two thirds (about 7 minutes).
7. Season halibut filets with kosher salt.
8. While the sauce is reducing, add butter to a separate pan over medium heat.
9. Add the halibut to the pan, skin side down and cook until the skin is crispy.
10. Flip the halibut and transfer to a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes.
11. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in olives and olive juice.
Plating:
Divide 1⁄2 of the sauce equally among 3 dinner plates. Place the halibut on the plate skin side down. Top with the remaining sauce, fresh fanned avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Chef Jackson
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knife as his weapon, and the kind of knife he uses can tell you a lot about him.
I understand that you have been training staff, installing new kitchen equipment, and cre- ating a “made from scratch” menu to be released very soon. Can you share details as to your expectations of staff...how the equipment will benefit the kitchen...and perhaps some of the new menu items?
Crosswinds Restaurant and Bar has been serv- ing good food for the past ten years, but they have never had a formal chef in the kitchen. In order to realize my vision for a new Crosswinds menu, I had to bring in some new pieces of cooking equipment, and the results will be well worth it. I’ve carefully looked at each piece of equipment and the workstations, and I have designed my menu so that all of the stations are balanced.
We also have some great people in our kitch- en. I do have high expectations. There is no “I” in team, and I need them to be successful, just like Tom Brady needs his offensive line. Our new menu is heavily influenced by my southern back- ground and also my love of Italian cuisine. We have some exciting dishes in store that we can’t wait for you to try! I don’t want to give too much away, but we’ll have several very unique pasta dishes, a delicious hand-cut steak, a pork chop that complements our large bourbon selection, and more!
What type of special menu and cocktail items can patrons look forward to at Crosswinds during the holidays?
I love cooking during the holidays, and I have several features in mind for the season. One of my favorite dishes to serve during that time is porchetta with mushroom risotto. I’m also plan- ning on offering prime rib this winter as well. Our mixologists also will have a great seasonal craft cocktail menu, in addition to our huge whiskey list and our great selection of amari.
What, in your opinion sets dining at Crosswinds at another level compared to other area eateries?
Our attention to detail definitely sets us apart—the cleanliness of the entire restaurant, the amazing service, and of course our new menu offerings. We’re going to be serving food that many people in our area haven’t seen yet, and although we won’t have white linen tablecloths in our dining rooms, our food will look and taste that way.
18 |LeisureLiving Holiday 2020
Can you run through what might be a typical day as Chef Jackson at Crosswinds?
Every day is different, and that’s what keeps it interesting. Typically, I come in between 9am and 10am. First, I’ll check our walk-ins and check-in any orders for the day. Then, I’ll go through the prep list with the staff and review our specials and features with them. Next, we start food prep. Finally once service begins, typically I’ll oversee
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