The Dish: Kelly Fields

“Going Back to New Orleans” is the title of a classic song by one of the Big Easy’s best, Dr John, but it’s also a fair description of Chef Kelly Fields’s life.

Raised in the low country of South Carolina, she took her talent for baking to New Orleans, then left for cooking school. She returned to become pastry chef under renowned Chef John Besh, only to be driven out by Hurricane Katrina.

But sure enough, after years in San Francisco, it was back to New Orleans. Last summer, she became chef and partner of “Willa Jean,” a bakery-restaurant. She also heads the pastry program for all of Besh’s restaurants.

Here are some of Fields’s signature dishes.

Hanger steak and panzanella

Makes 2 cups of rub, 10 5-6 oz steaks

Ingredients for dry powder mix:

½ cup black peppercorns
¼ cup fennel seeds
¼ cup coriander
1 T ground cumin
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T smoked paprika

Fresh ingredients

⅓ cup of minced garlic
2T chopped thyme
1 cups of olive oil

Directions

1. Toast peppercorns, coriander and fennel seeds on medium high heat until light brown and aromatic, no more than 3-5 minutes. Let the seeds cool for a few minutes and ground them, place in a medium steel mixing bowl.

2. Add cumin, garlic, onion and smoked paprika combine well. Mix in the 1 cups of olive oil ,fresh thyme, garlic and combine. should be a paste like texture. If needed add a bit more olive oil.

3. Cooking the steak - Rub hangers in harissa rub. Let rub soak in for 30 min before grilling. For rare steak cook until temperature reaches 125 degrees , for medium rare cook till temp reaches 135 degrees. For medium steak cook until temp is 145 degrees, For medium well 150 degrees and for well done, 160 degrees. When checking your steaks temp, place thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, for a correct temperature read.

Apricot-pecan panzanella

Ingredients

8 ounces french bread
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 each, medium sized heirloom tomatoes, (mix of color and varieties)
1/3 cup red onion, shaved on mandoline
3 each garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2/3 cup toasted pecan pieces
2 each fresh apricots (or peaches)
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Cut the bulk of the crust off of the bread, then cut (or tear) the bread into bite size pieces. Toss the bread in a bowl with just enough of the olive oil to coat the bread and a healthy pinch of salt.

2. Spread evenly onto a baking tray and toast until the bread is golden and dry. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

3. Clean and pit the fresh apricots (or peaches), and cut into 6 wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and grill on each side for about 45 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Clean and cut the tomatoes and toss together in a large bowl with the shaved red onion.In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice,shallots, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper until emulsified.

5. Drizzle over the tomatoes and toss thoroughly. Toss in cucumbers, fresh chopped herbs, grilled apricots, and toasted pecans.

6. Season to taste. Toss in toasted bread right before serving to keep some of the texture.

Mint and basil pesto

Ingredients

3 cups picked mint
3 cups picked basil
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup pecorino or parm
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces blended oil

Directions

1. Blanch basil in salted boiling water for 30 seconds and shock in an ice bath.Combine 1 cup of the mint and one cup of the basil together in a blender.

2. Add nuts, red pepper flakes and lemon juice, process on medium high speed, adding in enough oil for the herbs to blend in smooth.Repeat until all herbs are combined with the oil. Season to taste.

To serve all together

1. Make a big beautiful mound of the panzanella on a serving platter, and shingle the grilled hanger right over the top. Drizzle some pesto atop the steak and dollop around the salad as desired.

Stone fruit salad

Serves 6

Ingredients for Creole mustard dressing

1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Creole mustard
1 clove garlic clove
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 cup blended oil

Directions

1. Combine honey, mustard, garlic and vinegar in vita prep and blend smooth. Add oil to emulsify.

Ingredients for salad

2 ripe peaches
2 black plums
2 nectarines
10 cherries
1 head endive
1 cup arugula
3 each, assorted colors of baby beets
3 tablespoons toasted almonds
2 tablespoons Clemson blue cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the beets in salted boiling water and cook until fork tender. Remove from water, peel, andallow to cool. Slice once cool.

2. Wash and pit fruits. Slice the peaches and nectarines into 8ths,the plums into quarters and the cherries in half (removing the pits).

3. Trim the endive and place in a large bowl with arugula then toss with some of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper,and toss in fruits and beets just to bind.

4. Place salad onto serving platter and drizzle more vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle on toasted almonds, and chunks of blue cheese.

BBQ shrimp toast

Serves 6

Ingredients

10 each U-10 ct. shrimp. Peeled and de-veined
2 oz BBQ base (recipe below)
2 oz heavy cream
2 oz butter
½ Tbsp ground black pepper
1 loaf french bread
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 ounces burrata cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a sauté pan and let boil until shrimp are fully cooked. Remove shrimp from pan and place on serving dish.

2. Continue to reduce sauce until thickened and the color resembles melted milk chocolate.

3. Slice french bread on the bias for 2 thick thick pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and toast over medium high heat in a pan until golden and toasty.

4. Remove from heat and rub the bread on smashed garlic cloves. Line bread slices onto a baking sheet and spread burrata cheese evenly over each slice.

5. Place baking sheet into the oven and heat the bread for about 4 minutes, until the burrata is bubbly and melty.

6. Remove from oven and place a slice of the bread on a plate. Top cheese with shrimp and spoon sauce right over the top of the toast and shrimp.

Shrimp base

Ingredients

2 cups oyster liquor
2 cups shrimp heads
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons Creole seasoning (recipe below)
2 each whole clove
1/2 each bay leaf
1 each lemons juiced

Creole seasoning

Directions

1. Sautee the shrimp heads in olive oil until bright red. Add all remaining ingredients into pot and simmer. Reduce by half and drain through chinois.

Ingredients

1 tsp celery salt
3 tsp paprika
1 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until combined

Marinated crab claws

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound (shells removed from the meat) crab claws
½ cup EVOO
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons Yuzu juice
3 tablespoons minced shallot
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 each Serrano pepper, shaved
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped

Directions

1. In a large non-reactive bowl whisk together all the ingredients with exception of the crab. Add in the crab claws and toss to coat all of the claws. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Dirty water cocktail

Serves 1

Ingredients

1.5 ounces green or black mint tea
4 leaves fresh mint
1 ounce Bulleit bourbon
1 teaspoon lemon
3/4 teaspoon simple syrup
Gingeroo as needed

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients over ice and shake. Pour directly over ice without straining and top with Gingeroo.

Devil’s food cake

Serves 6

Ingredients

¾ cup plus 1 ½ teaspoons Cocoa powder, unsweetened
¾ cup cake flour
⅔ cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons, packed dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare desired cake pan by coating the bottom and sides evenly with butter.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons warm water together to form a paste; set it aside.

3. In another bowl, sift together the cake flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar and the butter on medium speed until they are well combined, with no pieces of butter visible.

5. Add the cocoa paste, making sure to use a spatula to get all of the cocoa paste into the mixer bowl. Once this is well combined, add the egg and egg yolk. scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

6. In three additions each, add the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, alternating with the flour mixture. Fill prepared cake pan three-quarters full.

7. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the cake springs back to the touch and a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Chocolate ganache

Ingredients

1.5 pounds Valrhona 70% dark chocolate
3 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Place a saucepan full of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over the hot water to melt. Stir often to melt evenly.

2. In a second pot, heat cream to a scald, remove from heat. Pour a third of the cream into the melted chocolate and whisk.

3. Carefully add the remaining cream in two stages, whisking until the ganache is smooth, shiny and incorporated. Set aside until the ganache cools and is thick.

*Depending on the type of chocolate you use, you may need to use a little more. Can be made the day before assembling cake.