Without a doubt, when people come to visit Dallas, I am always asked “where do you go for good BBQ?”
In Texas, that’s a loaded question. There are many options, but if you throw in an Iron Chef, you know it’s gonna be good. But when you stack on a pile of burgers, craft cocktails and a cool patio at an upscale Texas roadhouse, then you got the ideal recipe for a killer BBQ joint. And did I mention a plate of pork done three ways? Yes, that just made it even better.
Appropriately coined Hickory, Chef Kent Rathbun has created the perfect pairing of burgers and bbq in a 6,500 square foot space on the Tollway in Plano. For those who can’t make up their mind what they are in the mood for (much like myself), I recently enjoyed the opportunity to sample several items from the menu at Hickory with Chef. Having him give the back story on the backbone of each dish gave a new level to each bite as well as the chance to try dishes I would have never ordered on my own.
Sides were pretty dang tasty too with comfort favorites with that funky twist you come to expect from any of Chef Rathbun’s concepts. With Granny Smith apple coleslaw, burnt end baked beans, salted baked potato salad, buttermilk onion rings, and waffle-cut Maytag blue cheese fries. And don’t worry, there’s a big plate of mac n cheese for you made in the skillet, so you know it’s good and hot. While I don’t care much for pickles, don’t miss your chance to crunch into any of the bread and butter or spicy dills…After snacking on these crispy-made cucumbers gone ripe, I may rethink my pickle problems.
As much as I enjoyed the meal, the real stand out for me as a beet and goat cheese salad. That’s right…until tonight I didn’t eat beets either, but when I took that first bite, the combination of beets and basil with the tanginess of goat cheese is exactly what summer is supposed to taste like. (And lucky for us, Chef Rathbun shares his recipe for this summer salad!)
PrintHickory’s Beet and Goat Cheese Salad by Chef Kent Rathbun
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 each lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
FOR THE BEET OIL
- 2 ounces red beets, peeled
- 4 ounces olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE BASIL OIL
- 8 each basil leaves
- 8 each spinach leaves, washed
- 4 ounces olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE SALAD
- 4 pounds assorted baby beets, washed, roasted,
- peeled and quartered
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces lemon buttermilk dressing , see recipe
- 12 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons purple micro basil,
- 4 ounces watercress, washed and dried
- 2 ounces beet oil, see recipe
- 2 ounces basil oil, see recipe
Instructions
FOR THE DRESSING:
- In a mixing bowl mix buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and cracked black pepper. Set aside.
FOR THE BEET OIL:
- In a blender, blend together beets, olive oil and kosher salt until smooth. Store in squeeze bottle.
FOR THE BASIL OIL:
- In a blender, blend together basil leaves, spinach leaves, olive oil and kosher salt until smooth.
FOR THE SALAD:
- In a mixing bowl mix assorted beets with olive oil and kosher salt and set aside.
- Arrange the beets evenly on 8 salad plates. Using a spoon, drizzle the buttermilk dressing over the beets and around the plate.
- Cut 1 1 1/2 ounce wheel of the herbed goat cheese log. Place in the center of the plate and garnish with purple micro basil.
- In a small mixing bowl dress the watercress with a small amount of beet oil and basil oil.
- Sprinkle the top of the salad with the watercress.
- Finish the salad by garnishing the plates with small drops of beet and basil oil around the salad on the plate.
- Serve.
While you won’t have room for dessert, but if you insist on finishing your meal with a sweet treat, you’ll have several unique options to let your taste buds roll in like the banana lemon tart and skillet cobbler. And white you enjoy every last morsel, you can all discuss how what you’ll eat the next time you need Hickory.
Hickory
8100 Dallas Parkway
Plano, Texas
website
If I ever make it to Dallas, I totally want to go there. The food looks amazing.
Wow – that food looks amazing and I can’t wait to try out that salad recipes! I’m drooling all over my keyboard after looking at this delicious food!
That looks fantastic! I can’t believe how incredible that food looks. Yum!
You’ve got me here starving now. I could go for a burger right now too. I think we’ll have burgers for dinner now. I hope to get back to Texas one day to visit here.
I wasn’t hungry before but now I am starving! That food looks incredible and the recipe is on my list of things to make now!
I love trying new foods and eateries. These dishes look and sound so darn good!
These sounds absolutely delicious! I must have some. Thanks for a recipe idea to try!
Wow- that sounds SO good! I have wanted to go to Texas for a while… I keep collecting places I need to see and eat. I think it’s going to take a while to get to it all- but Hickory is on the list!
Wow your courses look delicious! That salad sounds good to me too!
We are a long way from Texas, but I would love to visit Hickory. The food looks so amazing!
This all looks like an amazing place to grab dinner!! Burgers are one of my favorites for dinner.
What a delicious-looking meal! My mouth is watering!
This food looks so delicious. I love trying new recipes. I will have to try this on the weekend.
I love to BBQ. I have never tried to use Hickory before. I will have to try this recipe. I am sure my family will love it.
That’s almost good enough to make me wish I was still stationed in the south! Great combinations of flavors!
Ohhhhhhhhhh all of this food look tasty. I love some good BBQ the next time Im in town I will have to check this place out.