The Charlottesville 29

It’s James Beard Foundation’s Local Dish.  Throughout September and October, six area restaurants are among top spots around the country that the James Beard Foundation has accepted to create a dish that conveys their local cuisine.  One dollar from the sale of each dish will go towards the educational efforts of the James Beard Foundation.  We’re featuring the Charlottesville restaurants’ dishes here on The Charlottesville 29, and next up is Fossett’s Restaurant at Keswick Hall.

Chef Aaron Cross, who joined Fossett’s last year, has created a Slow Cooked “Best of What’s Around” Beef with roasted corn risotto, crispy radish salad, and fortified braising jus ($30).   Cross calls it the “best of what’s to braise,” as the cut of beef he’s using will depend on what’s available — either bottom round, shank, or chuck. Cross explains:

The corn I’ve stockpiled up on from the Local Food Hub and its coming from Rockbridge.  I would love to be romantic and say that in the spirit of Jefferson its all Golden Bantam, but I’ve seen silver queen, bi-color, peaches-and-cream, and a couple other types come through. I’ve pickled, roasted, and frozen all that I can because it mostly likely won’t continue to keep rolling in past the next couple of weeks. The greens for the salad on top are a Manakintowne Farms mix of shoots and sprouts and bolstered by some shaved Keswick radishes and finished with a fresh herb crumble and the reduced braising jus.