Lautrec restaurant lends French flair to Nemacolin

The huge and rare chandeliers that dangle in the lobby of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa will dazzle.

And that is what Brad Kelly intends to do for guests who dine at the tables of Lautrec, one of four fine dining restaurants at the massive complex in Farmington. He's aiming at their palates by coaxing the best flavors out of every ingredient that crosses his path.

Take the parsnip -- please. You won't give it back, not after he has, in his words, "melted" it with the humble onion, some cream, salt, white pepper, butter and stock for a pureed soup that will leave you wondering where this root vegetable has been all your life.

"It's a member of the parsley family," says Kelly, chef de cuisine of the French bistro-inspired restaurant.

"The flavor is so amazing, so clean. They sweeten after the first frost -- look, they smell like the holidays," he adds, offering a cut piece of the raw carrotlike vegetable too often relegated to grandma's chicken soup pot.

Parsnips can be braised or roasted in addition to being simmered, as Kelly prepares them for his Puree of Parsnip Soup. The creamy mixture is served with a ham-wrapped sauteed quail breast, baby shiitakes, truffle oil, fresh tarragon and "'batonettes" of lightly browned parsnip. A tableside shaving of fresh Italian white truffle almost gilds the lily.

Kelly, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University's acclaimed culinary program whose professional credentials include Philadelphia's Le Bec Fin and The Inn at Little Washington, is a fast worker and an even quicker explainer.

However, his latest mission is "slow cooking," a nationwide movement among culinarians to move away from flash-in-the-pan dishes to multicourse quality meals enjoyed at leisure with friends and family, a return to degustation in its highest sense.

Lautrec is one of 15 bars and lounges at Nemacolin. During the cold months, the golf courses and some of the recreational activities are closed, but folks who want to get away from it all can browse the art gallery, be pampered at the spa or wine bar and enjoy dinner theater.

Or, you can contemplate the parsnip by candlelight with a perfect wine to match.

Brad Kelly, chef de cuisine at Lautrec restaurant, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, Farmington, serves this soup with a flash-sauteed quail breast wrapped in country ham, sauteed baby shiitake mushroom caps and garnishes of parsnip rissole and grated white truffle. Rissole means "fried until crisp and brown" -- parsnips are cut into pieces just a bit larger than matchstick size and are sauteed until browned. At the restaurant, Kelly uses duck fat. The instructions for preparing the quail breast are included for cooks wanting to prepare a special seasonal first course. Fleur de sel and Maldon Tidman's sea salt -- gourmet salts used as finishing seasonings -- are available from specialty food stores or through the Internet.

Puree of Parsnip Soup

• 2 large parsnips
• Unsalted whole butter
• 1/4 of a Spanish onion, julienned (matchbook-size thin strips)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• Vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed

  For the parsnip rissole:

• Grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into "batonettes" (pieces a bit larger than julienne)

  For the quail breast (optional):

• 1 skinned and boned quail breast, halved
• Unsalted butter
• 2 baby shiitake mushroom caps
• 2 thinly sliced small strips of country ham

  To finish the soup:

• Unsalted butter
• Minced fresh parsley
• Truffle oil (optional)
• Fleur de sel or Maldon Tidman's sea salt
• Fresh tarragon sprig
• Italian white truffle, freshly shaved

To prepare the soup: Peel the large parsnips and cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick "coins."

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, season with salt and white pepper and cook slowly until the onion is translucent. Add the parsnips and cook over low heat until they can be mashed using the back of a spoon.

Barely cover the vegetable mixture with stock; simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve -- a conical sieve is best. Turn into a blender container and blend until smooth. Add the heated cream, salt and white pepper. Blend until incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon butter and blend to add shine to the mixture. Strain again. Set aside but keep warm.

To prepare the parsnip rissole: Heat a small amount of grapeseed oil in a small saute pan. Add the parsnip batonettes and caramelize them slowly over medium heat, until browned. Set the pan aside.

To prepare the quail breast: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the breast halves with salt and white pepper. Heat a small amount of butter in a small saute pan. Add the shiitake mushroom caps and saute; at the same time, sear the meat on both sides until medium-rare -- this should take only about 2 minutes total. Remove the quail pieces to a work surface and wrap each with a ham strip.

To finish the soup: Add 1 tablespoon butter to the saute pan containing the mushrooms. Add the parsnip batonettes and sprinkle them with a little parsley. Return the quail breast to the pan and place it in the oven to warm slightly. Meanwhile, warm 2 small serving bowls.

Divide the parsnip rissole between the bowls. Top each with a ham-wrapped quail breast half and a sauteed shiitake mushroom cap. Gently pour in a small amount of soup from the side to about halfway up the quail breast. Season with a few drops of truffle oil, if desired, and a gentle sprinkle of salt. Top with tarragon sprigs and freshly shaved white truffle, if desired.

Makes at least 2 servings.

Additional Information:

Details

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, kicks off a 12-day celebration of the holidays starting Friday. Live entertainment and activities for all ages are planned. Lautrec will be hosting wine dinners on Jan. 6 and Feb. 3. Details: (724) 329-8555, (800) 422-2736, www.nemacolin.com