The catchphrase, “chefs are the new rock stars,” has been tossed around for way too many years now. But with his skinny jeans, striped tees, tattoos and cropped hair, Hugh Acheson really does look a lot like the front man of a punk band.
Earlier this year, television audiences caught a glimpse of Acheson’s crazy-cool but caring personality on “Top Chef Masters,” the Bravo TV spin-off that features established chefs competing for charities.
Acheson didn’t win. But he did make a big enough impression with his droll one-liners (“I’ve got youth and panache and one eyebrow on my side.”) to become a guest judge on Bravo’s “Just Desserts.” And he’ll judge on “Top Chef” season 9 — which premieres Nov. 2 and promises another round of “Hugh Said It” clips.
Of course, around here, we know Acheson as the chef/partner of beloved restaurants, Five and Ten and the National in Athens, and Empire State South in Atlanta, as well as Food and Wine’s “Best New Chef” 2002 and a five-time James Beard nominee for “Best Chef Southeast.”
Recently, Acheson was in the kitchen at his home in Athens, sharing a few recipes from his new cookbook, “A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter, $35).
Asked to explain the concept of the book, he raised his trademark unibrow and twirled a pair of long, stiletto-slender tweezer tongs.
“It's really simple,” Acheson declared. “The whole book is meant to say that food is something approachable. I’m tired of food being this precious commodity only made by people in white coats.”
Acheson counts singer Michael Stipe among his longtime fans and friends. And R.E.M. manager, Bertis Downs, a Five and Ten regular since opening night in 2000, penned a thoughtful intro to “A New Turn in the South,” placing the restaurant in the context of “the ever-growing sense of community in Athens.”
In his own intro, Acheson writes, “I’m from Ontario, Canada and have spent almost a third of my life cooking food inspired by the Southern United States. To me this a happily strange situation.”
Acheson said he believes being Canadian has given him an outsider’s perspective on Southern cooking that’s translated to more adventurous recipes with more distinctive flavors.
“If I read an old recipe or see something on the menu at a meat-and-three place, like, say, smothered pork chops, I immediately match up things in different ways,” Acheson said. “My mind goes to seasonal things, like mushrooms, as opposed to white gravy. I want to make it better and lighter and fresher.”
Athens photographer Rinne Allen contributed to the bright, freewheeling design of the cookbook, which includes Acheson’s quirky sketches and smart takes on Southern cooking covered in 120 recipes — from libations and snacks to seasonal vegetables and salads and fish and meat dishes.
No doubt, his upcoming book tour and judge role on “Top Chef” will give Acheson an even higher profile, but he doesn’t like the term, “celebrity chef.”
“I have no idea what that means,” Acheson said. “I’ve always been good at putting myself out there and explaining to people why I’m excited about stuff. I’m a jackass, too. I think that personality came out in ‘Top Chef Masters’ just because there was nobody else on the show trying to get at the levity of the situation.”
As far as the future, Acheson expects to stay busy, as usual, but remain rooted in Athens.
“I think we’ll have another restaurant concept or two in the next few years,” he said. “We’re starting to work on a new book, which should be fun, but is a lot of work.
“Right now, I’m figuring out how to balance it all. At the end of the day, I have my wife, Mary, and two daughters, Beatrice and Clementine, and we have awesome people to work with here, and that’s what’s important.”
Recipes
These easygoing recipes from chef Hugh Acheson’s new cookbook “A New Turn in the South” feature fresh versions of some of his favorite dishes.
Styling: Hugh Acheson Photos: Renee Brock
Recipes: “A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen” by Hugh Acheson (Clarkson Potter, $35).
Medjool Dates Stuffed With Parmigiano-Reggiano and Celery
Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
This snackie takes the richness of the dates and counters it with the sharpness of Parmigiano-Reggiano and the crunch of celery. It’s a great match as the sweetness finds a nice savory foil to dance with.
8 medjool dates, slit lengthwise and pitted
1 stalk celery, peeled and cut on the bias 1/4-inch thick and 1-inch long
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
Pinch of sea salt
2-ounce piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
1 teaspoon good balsamic vinegar
In a small bowl, combine the celery, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and salt. Toss well and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Grab about 1 1/2 tablespoon of the stuffing between your thumb and forefinger and place a date in your other hand, with the open area facing out. Place the stuffing in the date and gently close your hand around the date to secure the filling.
To serve: Place the stuffed dates on a small platter and drizzle with a touch of balsamic vinegar and the remaining olive oil.
Per serving: 172 calories (percent of calories from fat, 56), 6 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 11 milligrams cholesterol, 303 milligrams sodium.
Local Lettuces With Feta, Radishes and Dill Pickle Vinaigrette
Hands on: 5 minutes Total time: 5 minutes
Serves 6
Acheson likes to make this simple salad with the lettuces that appear in farmer’s markets in the fall, such as lolla rossa, baby gem, and red and green oak leaf. All these lettuces need is a little feta cheese and vinaigrette.
1 pound small lettuces, cleaned and cut to bite size
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup Dill Pickle Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
12 radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
In a large salad bowl, add the lettuces and sprinkle with the salt. Add 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette and toss well with your hands. Add the sliced radishes and crumbled feta cheese and toss again. Serve immediately.
Per serving (with dressing): 100 calories (percent of calories from fat, 72), 2 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 6 milligrams cholesterol, 172 milligrams sodium.
Dill Pickle Vinaigrette
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 10 minutes
Makes 1 cup
This vinaigrette variation gets a fun flavor punch from chopped dill pickles and fresh dill.
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped dill pickle
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
In a blender, combine the minced shallot, mustard, chopped pickle and cider vinegar. Blend on low speed. As soon as the pickle is pureed, approximately 15 seconds, add the olive oil in a slow stream. Once all of the oil has been incorporated, turn off the blender, then stir in the dill and salt. Pour the vinaigrette into a quart-size Mason jar and set aside. Any extra dressing will stay fresh a good ten days in the fridge.
Per 2-tablespoon serving: 135 calories (percent of calories from fat, 88), trace protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 14 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 120 milligrams sodium
Smothered Pork Chops With Chanterelles
Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 45 minutes
Serves 4
As we have become more health-aware in the past few decades, many have tweaked what smothering means. For this recipe, the pork chops are smothered in a new gravy composed of a lighter saute of mushrooms with a touch of butter and lots of herbs.
4 6-ounce pork chops, bone in
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup cleaned and sliced chanterelles
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 400.
Heat a large fry pan (large enough to comfortably fit the pork chops) over medium-high heat. Lay out the pork chops onto a large plate and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and all the pepper. Add the olive oil to the heated fry pan. When the oil is almost smoking, carefully add the chops and allow them to brown. Remove the chops from the fry pan and place them on a roasting rack over a roasting pan. Place the chops in the oven. The chops will need about 7-10 minutes in the oven to reach the desired internal temperature of 145 degrees.
While the pork chops are finishing in the oven, place a large saucepot over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When the butter begins to bubble and froth, add the chanterelles and cook for 5 minutes and then add the flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chicken stock by pouring it slowly while whisking continuously to prevent clumping. Turn down the heat to low and cook the stock down by half to thicken the mushroom jus into a gravy. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the thyme and remove from the heat. Whisk in the creme fraiche and lemon juice and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Check the chops by using an accurate meat thermometer (in the center of the thickest chop closest to the bone) to determine the temperature. Allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
To serve: Place the chops onto a large rimmed platter and pour the chanterelle gravy over the top.
Per serving: 345 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 29 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 21 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 19 milligrams cholesterol, 544 milligrams sodium.
About the Author
