{"id":21994,"date":"2019-09-26T08:51:24","date_gmt":"2019-09-26T12:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/currents\/?p=11863"},"modified":"2024-05-21T15:54:04","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T19:54:04","slug":"chef-ricky-moore-talks-carolina-cooking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/chef-ricky-moore-talks-carolina-cooking\/","title":{"rendered":"Chef Ricky Moore Talks Carolina Cooking"},"content":{"rendered":"

North Carolina Sea Grant is partnering with the North Carolina Local Food Council to profile movers and shakers and tell stories about how and why local foods work. Read more about the NCLFC’s food champions here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Moore\u2019s menu includes sheepshead, spot and even star butterfish.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cWhen I opened up Saltbox, I wasn\u2019t trying to be trendy,\u201d says chef Ricky Moore of Durham.<\/p>\n

His small walk-up counter, Saltbox Seafood Joint, quickly became recognized as one of the top places to get fresh seafood in the Triangle. Now with a second location with inside seating, Moore has gained local and national acclaim for his use of North Carolina seafood and traditional recipes \u2014 but with modern twists.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Raised in New Bern, Moore thrives on local flavors that he now brings to his customers. \u201cI grew up eating seafood,\u201d says Moore. \u201cI felt like if I was going to do a seafood concept, and in the context that I wanted to do it, I didn\u2019t want it to be in a fine-dining setting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Served on trays and in paper baskets, his food is reminiscent of a fish-fry or road-side stand \u2014 and that\u2019s how he wants it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an everyday thing for these fishermen to get fish and provide this food,\u201d he says. \u201cI want to make it an everyday occasion to eat their food.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saltbox highlights the bounty of the North Carolina coast, cuisine that customers traditionally have found difficult to enjoy inland.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing that we have all of this coastline and all of these wonderful natural resources, why are they not showcased on menus?\u201d Moore says, adding that he draws inspiration from his time in France, where world-known recipes like bouillabaisse rely on locally caught seafood.<\/p>\n

He spotlights North Carolina\u2019s catch, even when the species are not as well known as some frequently appearing on menus. \u201cFlounder, shrimp and oyster,\u201d he says of common public perceptions and options. \u201cDone. That is seafood.\u201d<\/p>\n

But by including other N.C. species \u2014 like triggerfish, mullet, or sheepshead \u2014 on his menu, Moore is changing the narrative around local seafood. His efforts include persuading some customers to try an unfamiliar species, especially when it has an unflattering name or image.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to diminish the terminology and reputation of \u2018trash fish,\u2019\u201d Moore says. \u201cJust because it isn\u2019t mainstream doesn\u2019t make it lesser.\u201d<\/p>\n

To him, \u201cnative fish\u201d is the more appropriate term. His plan eased customers into expanding their palettes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understood and knew that it was going to take time to inspire and influence people to try some different things,\u201d Moore says.\u201cI have a standard menu, but also a try-me\u00a0<\/em>kind of dish, which is literally, \u2018Try this fish!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Barry Nash<\/a>, North Carolina Sea Grant\u2019s seafood specialist, appreciates Moore\u2019s effort to educate and encourage consumers.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy making his customers aware of the variety of seafood, he is helping them respond to fluctuations in availability of favorite species, sometimes due to weather or other changes,\u201d Nash says. \u201cAs they enjoy the \u2018catch of the day\u2019 they help to maintain the economic opportunities for North Carolina’s fishing communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over time, Moore has noticed that people are opting for those previously unfamiliar offerings. He credits that change to the level of trust he and his customers share. His small, personable locations allow more interaction with consumers, including opportunities to answer their questions about unfamiliar species and seasonality.<\/p>\n

In response, IndyWeek <\/em>readers named Moore “Best Chef in the Triangle” in June. That’s\u00a0overall<\/em>, not only for seafood.<\/p>\n

Moore is eager to share some of his personal favorites.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up eating bonefish, like croaker, spot and star butterfish,\u201d he says, adding that one of his beloved preparations is \u201cfried hard.\u201d This eastern-North Carolina cooking style includes a whole or butterflied fish, seasoned in cornmeal batter and fried in a cast iron skillet, bones and all.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you fry it so crispy,\u201d he says, \u201cit almost becomes like bacon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>To bring coastal Carolina cooking to the broader public, Moore published the Saltbox Seafood Joint Cookbook\u00a0<\/em>with University of North Carolina Press. Written with K.C. Hysmith, the book explains the basics of preparing seafood and how to make classic North Carolina recipes. More information and ordering instructions are\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cNorth Carolina has a culinary history that needs to be brought forward,\u201d Moore says.<\/p>\n

Read the latest on local seafood in Coastwatch<\/em> magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n


\nphotos by Baxter Miller<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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