Foodie Friday: Caroline’s Table

DENTON, Md. – At Caroline’s Table, you won’t leave hungry, or without trying something new.

“We try to spoil people. We come in, work really hard, and try to put out the best food that we can on a regular basis,” said Chef Adam Flood. “I’m always trying to add as much flavor as I can to everything.”

Sustainable and Scrumptious

And that flavor, was abound, when the Foodie Friday team visited. Chef Flood is also interested in sustainability. As he prepares the team a snakehead dish, the Chef explains that it’s a tasty – yet invasive – species.

“The stigma of ugly, gross fish has gone away, and the purveyors have just gotten more of it. So, it’s easier to find, which is awesome,” said Chef Flood. “It’s a firm, white fish that kind of has a taste of rockfish and a monkfish texture.”

“Always finish with herbs.”

The fish is crusted in almonds and herbs, before being roasted in the oven for about ten minutes. While the fish roasts, Chef Flood prepares its accoutrements: fried wild rice featuring English peas, and an almond oyster sauce. The dish is finished with a ponzu vinaigrette and chives. “Always finish with herbs,” quips Chef Flood.

“I use aromatics, like fennel and garlic, and spring onions,” said Chef Flood. “We toast almonds, and we make our own almond milk. Then we sweat some onions and garlic in a pan, add sherry alcohol. Then, we add our oysters, and we puree it all up together.”

Rich Indulgence

Chef Flood also prepares a seared lamb rillette: an indulgence that basically flavors itself.

“We braise the lamb, we shred it up, I reduce the braising liquid, and then mix it back into it, and then it sets up. Then, we wrap it in caul fat, and sear it,” said Chef Flood. “The fat will render out. So, we don’t need a lot of extra fat in the pan.”

The lamb rillette is complimented by a red pepper Israeli couscous, and dotted with a mint chocolate puree.

In addition, the Chef serves up a bowl of crab bisque, made from soft shells. It’s garnished with generous chunks of jumbo lump crab meat, dressed with chorizo vinaigrette, and served with home made sourdough bread.

“Just lovely”

“Sitting down at this table, the first thing you notice is the vibrancy with all of the colors, and all the different variations,” said Foodie Friday host Hannah Cechini as they prepared to dig in.

Diving a spoon into the crab bisque, “It’s very reminiscent of a classic lobster bisque, in terms of the flavor and texture,” Hannah said. Obviously, “It’s so creamy and smooth and velvety. The chunks of crab that are in there just elevate the whole thing.”

Foodie Photog Mike couldn’t agree more. “That is a fantastic, rich, buttery texture and flavor, right off the bat… The pairing of the sourdough with the bisque just adds that nice, sour note to what is already very rich,” he said. “That’s just lovely.”

Delicate Yet Vibrant

Moving onto the snakehead, the Foodie team couldn’t help but notice the delicate, yet vibrant flavors throughout the dish.

“The fish is really flaky and delicate, and the fried wild rice has a lot of umami going on. Overall, it’s just a really nice, bright citrussy note that comes in over top of everything,” Hannah said. “You can taste the oysters in [the sauce]. But, again, it’s not overpowering. It’s really, really well-balanced, it’s kind of like a delicate flavor that compliments all of the other intricate little flavors going on in here.”

“I’ve always been a fan of wild rice because of the texture, but adding the chives and peas adds a lot of interesting crunch and texture,” Mike added about the wild rice.

A Lesson on Balance

Hannah says the lamb rillette is a lesson on balancing flavor and texture.

“The lamb itself is such a deep, rich, delicious flavor. You can really taste how all of the fat from the caul that it was wrapped in, before it went into the oven, has soaked into the meat,” they said. “The red peppers that the couscous has been incorporated into, have such a nice, bright citrussy note to it. The little bit of feta that chef has kind of hidden under the lamb just adds to that brightness. You’re mostly getting the mint [in the vinaigrette]. And then, any chocolate that’s coming through has just the rich, cocoa-y notes. It’s a really nice compliment to all of the other flavors that are happening in this dish.”

Ending on a Sweet Note

Finally, the Foodie team ends things on a sweet note: a strawberry bundt cake, topped with ice cream, freeze dried strawberry dust, and chocolate vinaigrette.

“This is amazing. The flavor is like a little strawberry bomb,” Hannah reveled. “When you put it all together, it’s almost like eating a strawberry liquor chocolate out of a chocolate box. The cake itself is just so light, airy, and delicate.”

Caroline’s Table

Caroline’s Table is located at 406 Market Street, Denton, Md. You can call them at 410-490-4495. If you go to check it out, tell the team that you saw them on Foodie Friday.