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Andrea Reusing

Lantern is located at 423 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill NC 27516.

Brief Biography

Chef Andrea Reusing collaborates with small farms in her marriage of North Carolina ingredients and Asian flavors at her restaurant Lantern in Chapel Hill. Since opening in 2002 it has been named one of “America’s Top 50 Restaurants” and “best farm-to-table restaurants” by Gourmet, as one of “America’s 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences” by Food & Wine and as “Restaurant of the Year” in 2009 by The News & Observer. Reusing is the 2011 winner of the James Beard award for Best Chef: Southeast and serves on the boards of the Center of Environmental Farming Systems and Chefs Collaborative. She has written for Saveur, Domino, Fine Cooking, Gourmet.com and the News & Observer. Reusing's first book, Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes, was named one of 2011’s most notable cookbooks by the New York Times. She lives with her husband and their children in Chapel Hill.

Andrea on Local Food:
“Supporting local food is one of the few daily, tangible choices that we as individuals can make to create positive change in the world. Cooking with flavorful food grown near home - which was just called "cooking" until recently - has come to signify something rigorous and philosophical. Luckily,eating the right food at the right time of year is actually the simplest path to delicious meals.”

Andrea's Favorite Picnic Recipe

Pickled Carrots and Fennel with Dill and Coriander
¼ cup kosher salt
10 black peppercorns
10 coriander seeds
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
3 quarts (about 2 pounds) small baby carrots, any stems trimmed to ½ inch
5 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, fronds reserved, sliced lengthwise 1 inch thick
5 sprigs fresh dill
3 fresh New Mexico (Anaheim) chiles, sliced, seeds left intact

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the salt, peppercorns, coriander, and garlic. Let cool and then add the mixture to 2 quarts cold water. Layer the carrots, fennel, dill, and chiles in a crock or a large glass jar. Pour the brine over the vegetables, covering them completely. Put a small plate on top so that it keeps everything submerged. Store in a cool (65° to 70°F is ideal), dark room for about a week, checking every day or so and skimming off any mold or foam that rises to the top. The pickles are done when they are pleasantly sour and tangy but still firm. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Makes 5 quarts.

Andrea Reusing

Lantern is located at 423 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill NC 27516.

Read Andrea Reusing's Full Biography

Read Andrea Reusing's Full Biography

Read Andrea Reusing's Full Biography