Rusty's Surf & Turf Restaurant on Hatteras IslandPosts

I was in the kitchen early today roasting duck. The duck empanadas from a couple of weeks ago were a hit, so I’m making them again with a few tweaks. This time, we’re pairing them with a delicious guajillo-tamarind glaze and some curtido. I’m also picking up crab meat today, so expect crab cakes, along with swordfish and New York strip on the specials menu!

Sorry, I have no photos this morning.

When I first returned to Hatteras island from culinary training in Philadelphia, long before Rusty Surf and Turf, I landed at a spot called South Shore Grill. One night, I decided to share one of my favorite dishes as a special: beef bourguignon, a French farmhouse dish I love. It’s braised beef with pearl onions, beef marrow, and a rich red wine broth—comfort food with a fancy edge.
That evening a regular customer asked to see me, so I stepped into the dining room, which I’ve never enjoyed. He leaned in and said, “We don’t go for that chefy, saucy sauce stuff around here.” Ouch. That night, I sold maybe one plate—maybe none.
The next day, I rebranded it. I told the servers to pitch it as “tender beef with red wine gravy.” Same dish, different name. Sure enough, that same customer called me out again. This time, he grinned and said, “That was the best damn gravy I’ve ever had!” we also sold out.
It was a lightbulb moment: know your audience. I learned to balance the line between intriguing and familiar—what I call “optimally different.”
Tonight, I’m serving that same tender beef with red wine gravy as a special. Bon appétit!

This evening's menu features Crispy Brussels sprouts with candied pork belly, a grilled New York strip with a Peruvian-inspired chimichurri, and pan-seared Swordfish with a tropical mango and papaya salsa.

At its heart, cassoulet is about combining white beans usually haricot or flageolet with a variety of meats, simmered low and slow to meld flavors.

Historically, it might include confit duck or goose (preserved in fat, a regional specialty), pork in various forms (sausage, shoulder, or rind), lamb, or even game in leaner times. The beans, creamy and tender after long cooking, act as a canvas, absorbing the rich, savory depth of the meats.

Today I did a version with duck, pork shank, pork belly, and andouille sausage as an example of this flexibility.

The finished product is so delicious I will probably make another batch for mother's Day.