New Todd English Restaurant

Opens at Beau Rivage in Biloxi 

Chef Todd English is known for his big, bold and rustic flavors. His latest "Olives" restaurant is now open at Beau Rivage in Biloxi.*

by Lynn Grisard Fullman

Folks are eating well these days along the Mississippi Gulf Coast thanks to the addition of newly opened restaurants at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. A shining star among the additions came in mid-December 2006 when noted chef Todd English opened his sixth Olives restaurant at the upscale resort.

Twice a James Beard Award winner, English opened his first Olives in 1989 in Charlestown, MA. 

Olives joins BR Prime steakhouse, contemporary Asian restaurant Jia and four others at Beau Rivage. "The best chefs in the Southeast are here and they are ready to create an experience at Beau Rivage like no other," says George Goldhoff, Beau Rivage's vice president of food and beverage.

Bold and Rustic Flavors

"I am thrilled to open my sixth Olives restaurant in Biloxi," English said. "I am moved by the passion and spirit of the people of this region in the aftermath of Katrina, and I am eager to share with them my own passions for good food, good wine and a comfortable atmosphere in which to enjoy them."

English,  named Bon Appetit's magazine's "Restaurateur of the Year" in 2001, is known for serving big, bold and rustic flavors. At Olives, patrons will choose from a range of Mediterranean dishes. Among them are flatbread pizza, homemade pastas, rotisserie dishes, seafood and meats.

One Olives' classics is butternut squash tortelli with brown butter and sage (see the reprint of the recipe below!)

Mike Odom, a native of Lafayette, La., oversees the kitchen at Olives. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Odom in 2000 joined the team at Olives in Washington, D.C. With Odom at the helm, you can expect a southern fusion with Olives traditional recipes.

Olives opens nightly at 5 p.m. The final seating is at 10:15. For reservations, which are highly recommended, call 228-386-7737.

Web resources include: www.beaurivage.com and www.toddenglish.com.

Recipe for Olives' Tortelli of Butternut Squash

Here is Todd English's recipe for Tortelli of Butternut Squash with brown butter and sage. This recipe serves eight people.

Savory Tortelli of Butternut Squash is an Olives' specialty.*

Butternut Squash Filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 to 6 cups diced and peeled butternut squash (about 1 large or 2 small)

1/2 cup ground amaretti cookies

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat and add the butternut squash. Cook until squash is just starting to caramelize and becomes golden brown - about 10 minutes. Add water to cover and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer squash to a food processor with a fitted blade. Add amaretti, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Brown Butter 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

grated Parmesan for serving

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to foam and brown, about 4 minutes. Add sage, salt and pepper.

Dough

2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

semolina for sprinkling

Flour a large cutting board. Place 2 cups of flour and salt on board and make a wide well in it. Place eggs and egg yolks in well. With a fork, follow perimeter of well, bringing in small amounts of flour and continuing all the way around, until gradually most of the flour is absorbed. If necessary, add up to 1/2 cup of the remaining flour.

Divide dough into 2 pieces. Put dough through a pasta machine, folding into halves each time and then reinserting 15 to 20 times, to knead it. Continue until pasta is paper-thin. Lay out sheets of dough and cut them into 4-inch squares; you should have about 40 to 42 squares.

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling on one corner of each square. Fold over the filled portion, press down around filling and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and sprinkled with semolina flour.

Bring large pot of water (salted if desired) to a boil over high heat. Add tortelli and cook until they are tender, about 3 minutes. Toss with brown butter and Parmesan and serve immediately.

A professional writer based in Birmingham, AL, Lynn Grisard Fullman has written six books, and countless newspaper and magazine articles. She has won numerous awards for her writing.

*Photos on this page are by and used with the permission of Milton Fullman. All rights reserved. Please do not copy or link to these photos. Thank you.