Story by Sandy Lang
Photographs by Patrick O’Brien

 

Chef Michael O’Shaughnessy brings a Johns Island harvest straight to the Cassique kitchen.

It’s midmorning, and Cassique Executive Chef Michael O’Shaughnessy’s phone buzzes. “That’s one of the farmers now. He’s got arugula.”

Chef Mike gets texts like this weekly from Johns Island farmers—it’s like a fresh-produce hotline. And because he commutes across Johns Island, O’Shaughnessy often replies, “Don’t waste the gas. I’ll swing by and pick it up.”

The busy chef loves seeing what’s growing when he stops at fields and markets on his way to Cassique. O’Shaughnessy might inspect the planted rows and walk-in storage at John Warren’s farm, Spade & Clover Gardens, or pick up an order for fresh basil, lettuces, melons, or ginger. Other days, he’ll grab extra eggs and confirm an order for duck or hams at Storey Farms. He might also join his sous chefs at the open-air market at Rosebank Farms, where tables and bins are piled high with seasonal produce grown by longtime farmer Sidi Limehouse.

With all this freshness and variety just down the road, O’Shaughnessy knows he’s lucky. He has been cooking at Cassique since 2008 and values the relationships he has built with his farming neighbors.

“I talk with chefs from other parts of the country and they are amazed by what we have here,” he says. Alongside aged steaks, specialty cuts, and just-caught seafood, locally grown produce takes center stage on the clubhouse menus. Chef Mike and his team are constantly experimenting with new ingredients and techniques—incorporating fresh turmeric into a risotto, brewing squash-based vinegar for a seasonal vinaigrette (a hit with diners), and cracking into the orange-gold yolks of Storey Farms’ brown eggs whenever they can.

“We keep our ingredients as local and regional as possible to reflect what’s going on outside,” O’Shaughnessy explains. In summer, that means light, bright flavors featuring tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn. Cooler months inspire heartier, warming dishes. For example, the chef describes an autumnal variation of one of the fish dishes: “A beautiful piece of halibut resting on fall vegetables—baby turnips, potatoes, carrots, and kale. Then the server pours a light fish broth made with seasonal spices and herbs, and you’ll take in all these fantastic fall aromas.”

The Cassique kitchen keeps the dishes coming, full of freshness and flavor, thanks to the bounty of nearby farms.

Rosebank Farms

The elder statesman of farming on Johns Island sits in his truck with his rescue dog, Rufus, beside him. “He’s as old as me,” Sidi Limehouse says with a smile, referring to his beagle mix with red-brown fur.

At eighty-six, Limehouse no longer handles the heavy labor of farm work, but he actively oversees operations at Rosebank Farms, which has approximately one hundred acres in production. “As long as you keep on trucking, you keep on living,” he quips. He usually starts the morning with a crew meeting, followed by slow drives along the fields to monitor progress and troubleshoot issues. Today, the crew of seven is watering strawberry rows, repairing equipment, and harvesting beans and winter squash.

“This is some of the same land I grew up on, but with different owners,” Limehouse notes. Born in 1938, he spent his childhood on the 1,685-acre Mullet Hall Plantation on Briar’s Creek, which his father purchased for twelve thousand dollars in 1942. The family raised cattle and potatoes there. (After his father’s death, portions of the property were conveyed to Charleston County for a park and sold to The Beach Company.) “Johns Island wasn’t like it is now,” he recalls. “They planted a lot of cabbage and Irish potatoes when I was young. Then the tomatoes came, and they did well with those.”

A font of farming knowledge and colorful stories, Limehouse has spent most of his life farming. He has also taken on roles in the South Carolina legislature, managed hunt clubs, and led conservation efforts. 

Since founding Rosebank Farms in the 1980s, Limehouse has made farming his priority. The hallmark of Rosebank is its quality and the variety of its Johns Island-grown produce. A partial harvest list includes tomatoes, eggplants, peas, beans, muscadine grapes, blackberries, numerous types and sizes of squash and pumpkins, green and gold bar zucchini, lettuces and greens, broccoli, onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, and the highly coveted fruit of more than two hundred fig trees. 

Chef Mike describes the Rosebank Farms Market, located just off Betsy Kerrison Parkway, as essential to Cassique for year-round ingredients and inspiration. He eagerly anticipates the arrival of ripe muscadines and the return of fig season. Along with neighboring farms, the chef says, “Rosebank is just such a staple in our world. It’s a huge, huge asset.”

Spade & Clover

“We pretty much grow what’s easy to grow,” says farmer John Warren, describing some of the vegetables he cultivates at Spade & Clover Gardens on Johns Island.

He’s modest. Ginger, fennel, basil, turmeric, okra, sweet potatoes, mustard greens, Thai eggplants, African jelly melons, turnips, broccoli, Southeast Asian winged beans, and winter squash are just a few of the crops he has planted, nurtured, and harvested. With a small crew to help in the fields, Warren has put about twelve acres into cultivation across three locations on the island—actively farming around four acres at a time.

Early on, he developed a relationship with Cassique and regularly supplies the kitchen with fennel flowers, arugula, green coriander “berries,” basil, turmeric, and, as he notes, “they really like mustard greens.”

It’s satisfying, hands-in-the-dirt work for forty-two-year-old Warren, a former New York City-based sculptor who returned to his home state of South Carolina in 2011. Seeking a lifestyle change, he and a friend began farming through a Lowcountry Local First incubator program on Johns Island. When his friend dropped out after about a year, Warren persisted.

The first several years were particularly challenging, he recalls, but the young farmer discovered that Johns Island offers excellent growing conditions. The soil is malleable and easy on tractors—not dense with clay or rocks—and is also high in phosphorus, “one of the nutrients that plants love.” These days, except during the hottest months of July and August, Warren consistently has produce to sell at markets, through CSA subscriptions, and to restaurants.

Cassique frequently showcases Spade & Clover’s specialty produce on its menus, including green coriander “berries” that remind Chef Mike of capers and “fairytale tiny” eggplants. O’Shaughnessy and Warren often talk about food and farming, and the chef appreciates Warren’s humble wit.

“He cracks me up,” says O’Shaughnessy of the easygoing farmer. “John tells me that if I don’t see what I need in the walk-in, I can go into the field and pick it myself.” (Sometimes, O’Shaughnessy does just that.)

Meanwhile, Warren envisions digging in this soil for decades to come. He donates produce to local residents in need through the Fields to Families program and has been planting perennials—citrus, blackberries, persimmons, and peaches—“to harvest when I’m older, when I retire.”

Storey Farms

From a handful of acres overlooking a stretch of tidal marsh and the Bohicket River, Jeremy Storey launched his farm plan—literally—by raising five hundred chicks in 2014. It was the start of Storey Farms. And when nearby farmer Sidi Limehouse mentioned he had 1,000 laying hens and had been considering exiting the egg business, Storey took over the care of those hens and their coops as well.

Committed to raising free-range chickens on an all-natural diet, free of antibiotics and hormones, Storey quickly gained a following. The farm-fresh brown eggs, packaged in paperboard cartons, became a popular item at Storey Farms Market on Betsy Kerrison Parkway and a key ingredient at Cassique, alongside Storey Farms meats. “His chickens are the best,” says Chef Mike. “It’s just a different quality, and the skin gets fantastically crispy.”

Storey’s expertise isn’t limited to farming; he also knows his way around a kitchen. Early in his career, he worked in Chicago restaurants as a cook and chef, including a stint in the front of the house at Alinea, a Michelin-starred modern cuisine restaurant. 

“I realized that I wasn’t truly as passionate about cooking as I was about farming,” he says.

Storey’s vision crystallized when he brought a pheasant he’d harvested on a hunt to the Alinea kitchen, then had the satisfaction of being at the table when it was served. “That was when I knew I wanted to do something where I’m providing the ingredients.”

He and his wife wanted to raise their family near the coast and were drawn to the storybook scenery of Johns Island and since those early days, Storey Farms has expanded to include hogs, sheep, goats, and ducks among its sustainably farmed offerings. The farm now produces approximately 1,300 brown eggs daily. 

Storey Farms delivers to Cassique weekly, often supplying five hundred eggs, several dozen whole chickens, fifty pounds of pork, and occasionally a whole hog. The farm and kitchen stay in regular contact through group texts, exchanging feedback, special orders, and custom butchery details.

“They’ll tell me they’re dry-aging a duck and let me know if there’s not enough fat—or too much,” Storey explains. “We may then try a different breed or adjust the feed.”

Storey understands and adjusts—another day in the life of this chef-turned-farmer.

Charred Onion Risotto with Local Kale, Fried Okra, and a Storey Farms Egg Yolk

Charred Onion Purée 

1 lb yellow onions, quartered with roots intact

5 oz unsalted butter

3/4 cup white wine

2 cups whole milk

4 sprigs thyme

Directions

Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking hot. Sear each cut side of the onion quarters until lightly charred. Transfer to a plate to cool. Chop two-thirds of the onions and add them to a medium saucepan, reserving the remaining one-third for later. Add the butter, milk, and wine to the saucepan. Bring to a light simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme to the saucepan, then remove from heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée on high until smooth.

Fried Okra

1/4 lb okra, thinly sliced at an angle

1 quart grapeseed or canola oil

Salt, to taste

Directions

Place the sliced okra into a medium saucepan. Pour in enough grapeseed or canola oil to fully cover the okra. Heat the oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 250°F. Continue stirring until the okra turns a light golden color. Note that the okra will continue to darken slightly after it is removed from the oil. Strain the okra and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Risotto

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice

5 cups water

1 cup charred onion purée

2 tablespoons minced charred onion

1 cup local kale, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 Storey Farms egg yolk

Fried okra (for garnish)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Once hot, add the rice, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat. Lightly toast the rice in the oil for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant but not browned. Gradually add the water, 1½ cups at a time, stirring continuously and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Once all the water has been absorbed and the rice is nearly al dente, stir in the charred onion purée and Parmesan. Cook until the rice reaches al dente—when the grains are tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Fold in the minced charred onion, kale, butter, and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. The consistency should be between thick and runny. (Think of it this way: risotto should move like your shoulders after the first sip of wine at the end of a long day—a short but marked shrug.) Spoon the risotto into a large bowl, creating a small divot in the center with the back of the spoon. Place the Storey Farms egg yolk in the center and garnish with fried okra, if desired.

 

Madeira-Brined Storey Farms Pork Chop with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and a Pole Bean Salad

Madeira Brine

12 oz water

12 oz Madeira wine

8 garlic cloves

10 bay leaves

3 oz salt

3 oz light brown sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool to room temperature. Place the pork chop in a resealable plastic bag or container, and pour the brine over it. Brine the pork chop for 24 hours, then remove it from the brine and pat dry before cooking.

Marinated Beans

10 garlic cloves, sliced

2 oz (or 1 large) shallot, julienned

1 oz white anchovy, minced

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup champagne vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 lb assorted beans, 1/4-inch pieces

Salt, to taste

Directions

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic, shallot, chili flakes, and anchovies, stirring until lightly caramelized. Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the champagne vinegar, stirring to combine. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Add the raw, cut beans along with a pinch of salt, and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight to soften the beans and allow the flavors to infuse.

Pork Chop and Salad

1/4 cup grapeseed oil, divided

1 cup diced local sweet potato

1 cup diced carrot

2 cups marinated beans

1 lime, juiced

3/4 cup parsley leaves, torn

1/2 cup mint leaves, torn

1/2 tablespoon tarragon, chopped

1 Storey Farms bone-in pork chop (12-14 oz)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Remove the pork chop from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Allow the pork chop to come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking. Remove the marinated beans from the refrigerator to warm to room temperature. Heat a large cast-iron or stainless-steel pan over high heat until just smoking. Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Sear the pork chop for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked to a juicy medium temperature. Note: the brine provides sufficient salinity, but you may lightly season one side of the pork chop to help form a crust. Once cooked, remove the pork chop from the pan and allow it to rest for 8 minutes before serving. In a medium sauté pan, heat the remaining grapeseed oil over high heat until very hot. Add the sweet potato and carrot, sautéing until cooked and golden brown. Combine the roasted vegetables with the marinated beans, parsley, mint, tarragon, and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste. Plate the vegetable salad in a large bowl. Top with the roasted pork chop. Drizzle any excess marinade from the beans over the pork chop as a light sauce. 

 

Spade & Clover Arugula Salad with Persimmon Vinaigrette, Crispy Carolina Gold Rice, Easter Egg Radish, and Aged Gouda

Persimmon Vinaigrette

1 oz sliced shallot

10 oz water

8 oz ripe persimmon, chopped

1/2 tablespoon ground coriander

3 oz honey

10 oz apple cider vinegar

6 oz canola oil

2 oz extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the persimmon, shallot, and water. Simmer over low heat for 5–8 minutes, or until the persimmons have softened thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the honey, apple cider vinegar, coriander, and salt. Blend until smooth and uniform. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. With the blender running on high speed, slowly pour in the canola oil and extra virgin olive oil until fully emulsified.

Crispy Carolina Gold Rice

1/2 cup Carolina Gold rice

6 cups water

Salt, to taste

1 quart grapeseed or canola oil

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and season with salt. Add the rice, stir once, and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until tender in the center. Strain the rice and allow it to cool. Spread the rice in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip the rice over and return it to the oven for an additional 7 minutes. Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350°F. Fry the rice in small batches for 60–80 seconds, or until crispy and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Salad

4 cups washed local arugula

3 Easter egg radishes, cut into slivers

2 tablespoons crispy Carolina Gold rice

1/3 cup persimmon vinaigrette

1/4 cup aged Gouda, shaved 

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the arugula with the persimmon vinaigrette. Gently toss to coat the greens, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer the dressed greens to a large serving bowl. Garnish with the shaved aged Gouda, crispy Carolina Gold rice, and slivered radishes.