Culinary Heritage

Local Alleghany Trout

Fresh, local trout has been a popular menu item at Omni Homestead for more than a century. Allegheny Mountain Trout has been a guest favorite at this hotel for generations and is still served today in the hotel’s Dining Room. While the dish has been updated over the years, it currently features Sautéed Allegheny Mountain Trout Almondine and is served with marble potatoes, haricots verts, macerated grapes and brown butter sauce. The trout is sourced from the Virginia Trout Company, located less than an hour away from the resort, just outside of Monterey, Virginia in Highland County. The partnership between The Homestead and the Virginia Trout Company is one of the longest-running between the resort and local food purveyors. The recipe was featured in Former Executive Chef Albert Schnarwyler’s 1989 book, Dining at The Homestead.

A different variation from the Mountain Trout, this Local Alleghany Trout Recipe is a Chef's Favorite!

Local Alleghany Trout with Butternut Squash Puree

Butternut Puree
Ingredients:

• ½ pound of butternut squash
• ½ stick of butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Vegetable stock, as needed

Directions:

• In a small saucepan, bring water lightly seasoned with salt to a boil. Add chopped squash and cook until very soft and tender when tested with a fork.
• Remove and strain away all water, add butter and let melt. Using a blender, run until very smooth while using the vegetable stock to find a soft consistency. Final product should be slightly runny.
• Reserve for final dish.

Crispy Pan-Seared Trout
Ingredients:

• 4 cleaned, trout filets
• 4 tbsp of flour
• Roasted Winter Vegetables (see recipe below)
• Butternut Puree
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp of butter
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Flour and season your trout lightly on both sides and reserve for next step.
• In a heavy bottom sauté pan, add oil and butter heating over high heat till butter starts to brown. Gently add trout skin-side down and cook on high heat until skin has become crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Flip trout and finish for one minute, just to cook trough. Remove and place on towel to absorb extra butter.

Using vegetable and puree, plate with trout and serve individually or family-style. Enjoy!

Homestead Donuts

Homestead Donuts are made fresh every day using a recipe that has been around since 1902. The bakers at the Homestead churn out 1,000 donuts a day, and can make up to 2,000 donuts on a busy day. Additionally, 10 to 15 pounds of donuts are used for the donut bread pudding every week.

Sticky Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup of pumpkin pack puree
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• ¾ cup of whole milk
• 3 cups of granulated sugar
• 3 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp of baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp of ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp of ground cloves
• 1 pipette
• Favorite bourbon

Directions:

• In a small bowl, mix puree, eggs, oil, milk and sugar until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, ensuring they are well combined.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three stages, mixing well each time.
• Using desired baking mold, lightly grease and coat evenly. Fill each of the molds 2/3 of the way.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 325F until cake springs back to the touch. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the mold used.
• Before serving, mix a small about of milk and powder sugar to get a thick consistency.
• Glaze cakes with flat icing
• Serve with favorite ice cream and shot of favorite bourbon

Omni Homestead Resort's Blueberry Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup cold, salted butter, cut into cubs
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup fresh or frozen blueberries (not thawed)

Instructions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, flour through sugar. Cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture either with a pastry cutter or your fingers.
3. In a liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, vanilla extract and egg. Whisk together. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until combined. Gently add in the blueberries.
4. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and sprinkle some flour over the dough if needed. Transfer dough to your floured work surface. It will be sticky, add just enough flour to be able to pat it into a 1-inch-tall circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Set each wedge onto the prepared baking sheet.
5. Transfer scones to the fridge, and let chill for 30-60 minutes, or covered overnight. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F while the scones chill. Just before baking, brush the extra heavy cream over each scone, and sprinkle with coarse sprinkling sugar.
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown at the edges and on the tops.