December, 2009

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Moon Turns Blue Just For Our Outer Banks New Year’s Eve Dinner!

Thursday, December 31st, 2009
blue moon new year eve outer banks

With clear skies, you'll be seeing this moon tonight in the Outer Banks from the Red Sky Cafe!

A full moon, the second one this month, comes in blue specially for our New Year’s Eve dinner in the Outer Banks. Okay – maybe the moon didnt just turn blue for our dinner (in actuality, every second full moon in the same month is called a blue moon).

According to Brazilian traditions, when a person wears blue during Reveillon (midnight on Dec 31st), it’s supposed to attract health & wellness.

How appropriate is that – we’re serving the most delicious food, prepared from scratch with fresh local ingredients (nothing is ever frozen at the Red Sky), and the moon decides to turn blue to bless our meal with a vouch of wellness for our diners! It’s a special touch on a night you cannot miss.

All jokes aside, 2009 was an exceptional year for the Red Sky and you are a major part of it. This year, despite the shaky economy, we saw an increase in restaurant and catering numbers, and that could not have happened without your support.

Thanks for dining with us, thanks for recommending our restaurant to your friends, thanks for reading (and commenting on) this blog, thanks for being part of our community on Facebook, and thanks for watching our videos!

We’re working on a ton of even cooler stuff for you on 2010 – we’ve got more videos, more cooking tips, and the best advice for your catering in the Outer Banks. Stay tuned!

Happy New Year!!

P.S – Here’s the truth about the blue moon:

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New Years Eve Dinner In The Outer Banks? Head For The Red Sky!

Sunday, December 27th, 2009
new year eve dinner in the outer banks with red sky cafe

new year eve dinner in the outer banks with red sky cafe

We know you’re probably still dealing with the amount of food you managed to eat (despite your vows otherwise). I know everybody here at the Red Sky still is ;)

But you should know that we’re having our traditional New Year’s Eve Dinner, and you’re absolutely invited to come – we promise not to tell anybody if you go for seconds… or thirds!

Chef Wes and the staff have put together a special menu with revisited classics that are sure to warm your spirit and completely satisfy your stomach.

What’s New Year Without Bubbles?

Here’s our late gift: every entree ordered by an adult (21 and over) gets a flute of Champagne!

We’ve already started taking reservations, and they’re going faster than we expected. Make yours now before it’s too late: give us a call at 252-261-8646

The NYE party starts at 5pm and we’re seating until 10pm. Here’s the menu:

Starters

Red Sky She-Crab Bisque or Soup du Jour
Cup…4 Bowl…8

The “Winter” House Salad

Mixed Field Greens, Julienne Carrots, Red Onions and Tomato Wedges
Dressed with a Honey Dijon Vinaigrette & Topped with Candied Pecans
11

Red Sky Spinach Salad

Wilted Baby Spinach, Bacon and Tomato Wedges
Dressed with a Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette & Topped with Fried Onions
12

Basil Marinated Calamari

Lightly dusted & fried with parmesan breading.
Served with house made marinara
11

Charred Raw Ahi

Local Tuna, Cast Iron Seared… Rare
With Seaweed Salad, Pickled Ginger & Wasabi Crème Fraîche
Finished with Honey Soy Drizzle
12

Pepper Seared Sea Scallops

Over baby spinach in a puddle of sweet red pepper cream
12

Sesame Fried Shrimp

With Asian slaw & peanut dipping sauce
14

Half Rack of Rosa’s Ribs

Dry rubbed and slow roasted to perfection
10

Entrees

New Year Fried Combo

Shrimp, Scallops & Oysters, Lightly dusted & fried in Red Sky sweet & spicy breading
Served with lemon and House Remoulade
30

Toasted Almond Ahi

Fire roasted Yellow Fin tuna, topped with almonds and cooked to your specifications
Finished with Amaretto cream
28

Peppered Duck

Brown sugar-cracked pepper, oven roasted ½ duckling,
Topped with a Port wine Demi & cranberry relish
30

Crab Stuffed Shrimp

Jumbo shrimp stuffed with local lump crab, served over wilted baby spinach
Finished with sauce hollandaise
29

Nuts & Berries Pork Osso Bucco

Slow roasted, pepper-seared pork shank
Served with whipped potatoes & mixed veggies
Finished with a peppercorn-cranberry Demi & toasted pecans
27

Rosa’s Ribs

Dry rubbed pork baby back ribs, slow roasted to perfection
24

Filet Mignon & Crab Topped Shrimp

8 or 10 oz beef tenderloin, wood fired to your specifications
Served with baked Crab Imperial Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp
Finished with a Dijon Hollandaise
32 or 38

Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breast

Herb seared breast of chicken over pasta tossed in a light Dijon cream
With baby spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms,
Finished with pine nuts
27

Caramelized Rib Eye & Jumbo Shrimp

14 oz marinated Rib eye, Seared and caramelized on wood fired stones
Topped with scallion butter and jumbo shrimp
38

Children’s Menu

Chicken Tenders, Small Filet of Beef,
Fried Fish Bites or Shrimp, Pasta du Jour with choice of Sauce
9

Complimentary Asiago, Artichoke Dip and Bread Served One per Table….

Seconds and So Forth … $5 a Plate

Chef Wes, Cindy and the Staff wish you a happy and prosperous year in 2010!!

Reach the Red Sky at 252-261-8646

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Merry Outer Banks Seafood Christmas!

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Take Santa Claus on an Outer Banks Journey with This Oyster Recipe

take Santa Claus on an Outer Banks journey with our Oyster recipe

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ready For An Unforgettable (And Unforgiven) Meal?

First of all, we’d like to say Thank You.

Less 4 months ago we started this project, collecting videos, recipes, and even planning cooking shows – a major online project that had never been done in the Outer Banks, and we had little idea of how you’d react to it.

Today, we have people that read our blog daily – that watches our outer banks catering videos and get inspired to plan their weddings – and even some that arrive at this blog looking for best man speech ideas!

And that is all thanks to you! We wish you the best Christmas ever – and may 2010 bring all your wishes true!

But it wouldnt be an original Red Sky Cafe Christmas without a killer recipe with some of our local specialties, and just like we added an unique Outer Banks flair to Thanksgiving, we’re going to make Christmas extra special by using some of the most delicate and misunderstood local ingredients: the Oyster!

This year, we invite you to serve..

Serve Santa a delicious Outer Banks Oyster pan roast!

Serve Santa a delicious Outer Banks Oyster pan roast!

Oyster Pan Roast With Pepper Croutons

Ingredients

FOR THE CROUTONS

4 cups French bread, cubed into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper, coarsely ground
1/2 teaspoon salt

FOR THE PAN ROAST

1/3 cup shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes, drained in a sieve
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
30 oysters, shucked, reserving the liquor
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions

1 Make the Croutons: In a saucepan toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, pepper and the salt and toast them in the middle of a preheated 350 F oven, tossing them occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until they are golden.

2 Make the Pan Roast: In a saucepan cook the shallot in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is softened. Stir in the flour, tomatoes, basil, Tabasco, paprika and cook the mixture, stirring, for 8 minutes. Add the reserved oyster liquor, strained through a fine sieve to remove any grit, stir in the half and half and the milk and heat the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring and being careful not to let it boil, until it is hot. Add the oysters and salt to taste and heat the pan roast until it is hot, being careful not to let it boil.

3 Divide the pan roast among 6 shallow bowls and garnish with the croutons and parsley.

It’s a Merry Outer Banks Seafood Christmas!

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Can You Save Money & Have A Tasteful Wedding Reception In The Outer Banks?

Monday, December 14th, 2009
Bridesmaids

bridesmaids in outer banks dream wedding

We’ve all been scared by the media about the recessive economy and now we see a major trend in trying to save money on everything, everywhere, at all time. Apparently, even the outer banks wedding industry is experiencing its ups and downs.

Dont get us wrong – we’re very thankful for a generous 09 wedding catering season, and 2010 is looking even better – but most of our clients are looking to make the most of their money, and that’s why we’ve come up with this list of tips to save money and still get the most of your Outer Banks wedding:

Choose the Right Reception Venue

The main factor that is going to determine the overall cost of the wedding reception is the venue that you choose.

While you can find gorgeous wedding venues like the Whalehead Club at a reasonable price, there are alternatives that can still give you the scenery without the big price tags.

Rent a beautiful oceanfront vacation property and have either the reception or the entire party there. You may even have both there if you can get some help to move things around from one party to the other.

Save big bucks on your wedding cake!

Save big bucks on your wedding cake!

Save Money On The Wedding Cake

Here’s a big tip that can reduce your wedding cake cost almost in half – forget the fondant. Go for butter cream or whipped icing – they’re much cheaper, look just as nice, and even taste better (personal opinion).

Hire A Wedding Planner

Most people do not even think twice about using a wedding planner because it sounds very expensive to do so. In reality, a wedding planner will help you find the most affordable prices out there.

When brides ask us for recommendations, we only refer them to local planners that have built a great reputation and a powerful network. Since they are familiar with most of the wedding people on the Outer Banks, they usually get deals that you would never be able to find.

A wedding planner may seem like just an extra wedding expense, but they more than pay for themselves in the amount of stress that they take off of you and your family.

Like these tips?

Our catering team has a ton of experience in the Outer Banks and are ready to help you plan the wedding of your dream with a reality budget. Sign up to download our award-winning Outer Banks wedding menus and give us a call!

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Cooking at home with Chef Wes – Sesame Noodle Salad

Friday, December 4th, 2009
Sesame noodle salad is a great companion for many proteins - including Outer Banks Seafood

Sesame noodle salad is a great companion for many proteins - including Outer Banks Seafood

This is another recipe that Chef Wes used on his first “Cooking Outer Banks Seafood” video.

Again, sorry for the delay posting the recipes.

This salad has been in the Red Sky menu for a long time because it’s a very fragrant, very appetizing recipe that goes along with a wide range of proteins – it works well for fish, chicken, and pork.

here it is:

Sesame Noodle Salad

(Makes enough for 8 or 10 servings)

2 lbs of cooked Linguini

1/2 cup of Julienne carrots

1/2 cup of Julienne cucumbers – peeled

1/4 cup of Julienne Red Onions

For the Sesame Marinade

1/2 cup of sesame oil

1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar (adds a cool zing to the dish)

1/3 cup of brown sugar

Dash of soy sauce

salt & pepper to taste

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