Sourcing Locally with Chef William Dissen

Mountain Valley Culinary Ambassador Chef William Dissen takes sourcing seriously. That's why at his three restaurants, Haymaker in Charlotte, The Market Place in Asheville and Billy D’s Fried Chicken at the NC Zoo, he and his team source local ingredients whenever possible. Luckily, beautiful North Carolina offers a lot of inspiration.

Chef Dissen shared with us a few recipes that showcase some of the great local ingredients that make his North Carolina home special, including a Southern Fritto Misto Platter, highlighting seasonal vegetables, served with a Ramp Aioli and a Wild Violet Vodka Spritz.  

Southern Fritto Misto Platter with Tempura Shrimp & Vegetables and Ramp Aioli  

Tempura Shrimp & Vegetables 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup cornstarch 
• 1 1/2 cups Mountain Valley Sparkling Water 
• Kosher Salt - to taste 
• Black Pepper, ground - to taste 
• Sliced Vegetables (i.e. cooked sweet potatoes & broccoli, spring onions, onion rings, wild ramps, mushrooms, etc.) 
• Shrimp, peeled & deveined (about 10 for each person)   

Directions: 

• In a medium size bowl, add the cornstarch and flour. Using a whisk; gently whisk in the Mountain Valley Sparkling Water until the tempura batter has the consistency of crepe batter. It should not be too thick; it should be light and airy. 
• Preheat a medium-sized pot with vegetable, or canola oil to 350F.   
• Dip the vegetables and shrimp one by one into the tempura batter and then gently place into the fryer oil. Fry each until the tempura is crispy, about 2-3 minutes.   
• Use a slotted spoon or "spider" to remove the tempura from the oil and place onto a plate or tray lined with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.  

Ramp Aioli 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Duke's Mayonnaise 
• 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice 
• 3 ramps with leaves and bulbs separated 
• Kosher Salt - to taste 
• Black Pepper, ground - to taste 

Directions:

• Slice the ramp bulbs and leaves, and separate. 
• Sauté the ramp bulbs until tender and allow to cool completely. 
• In a small pot, bring water to a boil and quickly blanch the ramp leaves. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to "shock" the leaves.  Once cooled, remove them from the water and wring out the excess water and chop. 
• Place the ramp leaves into a blender and puree until smooth. 
• Place the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sautéed ramp leaves, ramp puree, and salt and pepper into a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Reserve in the refrigerator until needed - lasts up to 1 week with refrigeration. 

Wild Violet Vodka Spritz  

Ingredients:  

• 2 oz. Vodka 
• 2 oz. Violet Simple Syrup 
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice 
• 2 oz. Mountain Valley Sparkling Key Lime Water 
• Ice 

Directions: 

• Place the vodka, violet syrup, lemon juice and ice into a drink shaker, and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. 
• Place more ice into a Tom Collins Glass and strain the cocktail into the glass.   
• Top the cocktail with the Mountain Valley Sparkling Key Lime Water and garnish with a lemon wedge and wild violets.  Enjoy!