Montgomery County, Maryland is about to get a new resident celebrity chef — Sam DeMarco “aka Chef Sammy D” — as the Culinary Director for The Comus Inn in Dickerson, MD.
Born in Brooklyn, Chef Sammy D opened his first restaurant in 1994, a late-night dining hot spot aptly called First, which quickly earned him nicknames such as New York’s “Chef to the Chefs” and the “King of Comfort Food”.
A decade later, Chef Sammy has traveled around the world, and had restaurants at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, The Bellagio in Las Vegas, and The Kimpton Hotel in Amsterdam. As Chef Sammy continued to grow in fame, his celebrity status was cemented in 2014 with his own show on The Travel Channel called “Chow Masters”.
“My philosophy to food is pretty straight forward,” said Chef Sammy. “It’s really about taking nostalgic classics and elevating them. I pull from different ethnic and cultural flavors, and it’s always rooted by local ingredients.”
Owner, Doug Yurechko, has big plans for The Comus Inn including a completely remodeled world-class chef led restaurant, a craft beer garden, and a unique marketplace. All of their food and beverage offerings will be created with a focus on a local approach.
“First and foremost, Comus Inn will be a community recreation and entertainment destination that encourages its visitors (and their four-legged friends) to hang out and leisurely enjoy their day in good company,” said Doug Yurechko. He plans to offer a variety of activities, amenities, games, and special events for all age groups throughout the 5.26-acre property at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain.
As a gift, Chef Sammy has shared a video demonstration and recipe that Montgomery County residents can make at home using ingredients from nearby farms including Butler’s Orchard, Rock Hill Orchard and Homestead Farm.
Roasted Asparagus Sunny Side Up Crostini with Shaved Parmesan Cheese
By Chef Sam DeMarco “Aka Chef Sammy D.” @The Comus Inn
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
25 peeled large organic asparagus spears
4 large organic cage free eggs
4 slices country/sour dough batard/French loaf
8 ounces Parmesan Reggiano cheese (shavings)
1 1/2 cups cold pressed olive oil
2 organic lemons
2 ounces fresh chives
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Equipment
12” nonstick sauté pan
Peeler
Pepper mill
Zester
Method
- Have all ingredients and equipment prepped and ready to go.
- Pan roast the asparagus using 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a medium to high heat. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the asparagus. Once tender, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in griddle pan. Toast 4 slices of country bread until golden brown on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Fry 4 eggs, sunny side up in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the whites are cooked and the yolk has heated through but remains runny. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Finely chop approximately 2 ounces of fresh chives. And set aside.
Building the Plate
- Position four plates on the counter in an assembly-like fashion. Warm them in the oven, if you wish.
- Place one slice of toasted bread on each of the plates.
- Place 5 pieces of pan roasted asparagus on top of each slice of toasted bread.
- Next top each bundle of asparagus with a sunny side up egg.
- Drizzle the cooking oil from the fried egg pan over each assembled plate.
- Generously top each plate with 2 ounces of shaved Parmesan Reggiano cheese.
- Finish plate with a dusting of lemon zest, fresh chopped chives and a fresh squeezed quarter of lemon per plate.
Discover more foodie finds in Montgomery County, Maryland. Find your next favorite restaurant on MoCo Eats or explore local breweries and wineries along the Tastemakers Trail.
