With Champagne cocktails flowing and the sounds of a brass band ringing merrily through the halls of The Steeple on St. Francis, 40 young professionals and their dates gathered for the 11th annual Mobile Bay Magazine 40 Under 40 awards. It was an evening of mingling with friends, old and new, laughing, networking and sharing a family-style dinner.
Upon entering the The Steeple, a former church built in 1895 that was converted into a music hall and event space, explosions of silver and gold décor greeted guests while servers passed hors d’oeuvres and the wine flowed freely. A New Orleans-style second line by Blow House Brass Band led guests to the dinner table.
After a locally sourced dinner prepared by The Noble South (recipes below!), guests nibbled on MoonPies while swaying to an encore performance by Blow House with a confetti send-off.
The dinner was generously sponsored by Alabama Power, without whose support this event would not have been possible.
The 40 Under 40 awards seek to honor young professionals who have made a significant impact in their fields of business while at the same time giving back to the community with their time and talents. Each year, MB receives several hundred nominations, all of which are impressive beyond measure. The panel of judges has the difficult task of bringing the count down to just 40 to be honored with a special event and coverage in the magazine. Click here to meet this year’s class.
Cornbread-Stuffed Pork Loin with Satsuma Sauce
Cornbread Stuffing & Pork Loin:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
1 5-by-7-inch pan cooked cornbread, cooled and crumbled (any recipe will work)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup chopped parsley
1 pork loin
salt and pepper, to taste
cooking twine
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add crumbled cornbread, eggs, chicken stock and chopped parsley and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Remove silver skin from the outside of pork loin. Cut a slit down the length of the loin, going about 90 percent through. Open up the loin to lay flat. Using a meat mallet, pound the pork until it is of a similar thickness all over. Season with salt and pepper on the inside.
3. Place cornbread mixture longways down the middle of the loin. Roll the pork loin to enclose the stuffing and place cut side down in a large roasting pan.
4. Cut 10 12-inch strips of cooking twine. Slide the twine under the loin every 2 – 3 inches and tie tightly in a knot. Cut off and discard the loose ends. Cook loin until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes. Slice into 1-inch pieces and arrange on a serving platter, then drizzle on Satsuma Sauce, below, before serving. Serves 10
Satsuma Sauce
1 quart fresh-squeezed satsuma juice
1 quart chicken stock
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 whole star anise
1 bunch fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, chopped
pinch salt and pepper
2 ounces cold butter, cubed
1. Add satsuma juice to a large saucepan. Over medium-high heat, reduce the juice by half. Add chicken stock and continue to reduce again by half.
2. Add all remaining ingredients except butter. Continue to reduce until there are 2 cups of liquid remaining.
3. Strain out any solids and return liquid to pot. Add cold butter to hot sauce, whisking vigorously until combined. Use immediately. Makes 2 cups
Roasted Root-Vegetable Hash with Rosemary Vinaigrette
4 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
4 sweet potatoes, diced
2 turnips, diced
4 radishes, diced
4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rings
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Blanch all root vegetables in salted boiling water until tender, approximately 5 – 7 minutes. Drain and add all vegetables to a large roasting pan. Toss with olive oil and roast until browned and starting to crisp. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with scallions and Rosemary Vinaigrette, below, before serving. Serves 10
Rosemary Vinaigrette
1/2 cup picked rosemary leaves
1/4 cup Creole mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
pinch salt and pepper
1 cup olive oil
1. Add all ingredients to blender, except olive oil. Puree on low speed. Slowly add olive oil with blender running until vinaigrette thickens. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Makes 2 cups
Grilled Broccolini
3 bunches broccolini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 onions, sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Meyer lemons, peeled and segments removed
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1. Blanch the broccolini in salted, boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from water and place in an ice bath. Remove from ice bath and dry on a paper towel until ready to use.
2. Place oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add onions and cook on low, stirring constantly, until onions begin to brown but not burn, approximately 30 – 40 minutes. Keep warm or reheat before using.
3. Grill blanched broccolini on an outdoor grill or a griddle until charred on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and place on a platter. Top with caramelized onions, Meyer lemons and Parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 10
Delicata Squash with Pecan-Maple Beurre Noisette
4 delicata squash
1 pound butter
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans
pinch salt and pepper
1. Cut off ends of squash and use a butter knife to remove the seeds. Cut into 1-inch rings and set aside.
2. Put butter in a pot and cook on medium heat until golden brown but not burned. Once browned, remove from pan. Add vinegar, maple syrup, pecans, and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Hold at room temperature until serving.
3. Roast squash rings in a 400-degree oven until browned and tender but not mushy. Place on a platter and top with pecan brown butter sauce. Serve immediately. Serves 10
Green Curry Crab Salad
1/4 cup green curry paste
2 cups canola oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat, picked for shells
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups ice water
1. In a blender, combine green curry paste and canola oil. Blend until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Let sit for 10 minutes before using.
2. Place half the diced yellow onion in a large bowl. Top with the crabmeat, followed by the last of the diced onion. Pour the curry oil through a strainer directly onto the crab and onions, pressing to make sure all the oil gets through. add vinegar, followed by fish sauce, lime juice and salt. Top with ice water. Do not stir.
3. Place in fridge and allow to sit overnight. Stir only right before serving. Serves 8
