If you’ve driven down 12 South recently, you’ve likely caught a glimpse of the decidedly modern, glass-clad Emery Wood Fired.
The nearly 4,000 square-foot open-air dining concept opened its doors this fall, featuring new American cuisine with a focus on wood-fired seasonal vegetables, pizzas, seafood, and meat, as well as house made pastas and a stellar cocktail program.
“We wanted to bring a modern/elevated concept to the 12 South neighborhood,” says owner Steve Sargent. “We had been playing with the idea of the Emery Wood Fired concept for a while now. This space presented itself and everything just made sense.”
You don’t have to have a wood-fired oven at home (Emery’s heats to a whopping 800 degrees and burns local hickory) to create this satisfyingly smoky onion dip—perfect for snacking on cool November afternoons. Whether you share it with friends while watching a game or serve it as a starter to your Thanksgiving feast, Sargent says, “it goes great with your favorite beer or a crisp white wine.” (Emery Wood Fired, 2500 12th Ave. S. 615-739-5813; emerynashville.com)
Charred Onion Dip
Courtesy of Executive Chef Sean Williams
- 1 shallot (quartered and sliced thin)
- 1 leek (quartered and sliced thin)
- 2 scallions (sliced thin)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 bulb garlic (microplaned)
- 2/3 cup mayo
- 2 ⁄3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 sprig thyme (picked and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- Preheat oven broiler to the high setting. Combine the shallot, leek, scallion, and oil in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mix out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
- Using the broiler, roast the mixture until the top is thoroughly charred, being careful not to cook too long.
- Place the hot mixture into a bowl and mix with the garlic. Wrap the bowl with plastic and let sit until cooled.
- Combine the cooled onion mixture with all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until fully combined.
- Serve with your favorite chip, bread, or vegetable.