When a friend texted her one morning last February with congratulations for being named among semifinalists for Best Chef: Texas in the annual James Beard Awards, Laurie Williamson typed her response: “I don’t think this [text] was for me.” Then the friend forwarded a link to an online story naming all semifinalists. There, in alphabetical order, right after “Iliana de la Vega, El Naranjo Restaurant, Austin,” was “Laurie Williamson, Rancho Loma, Talpa, TX.”
Since Williamson opened the small dining room inside their renovated 1870s ranch home near the West Texas town of Coleman with husband Robert Williamson in 2003, Rancho Loma has quietly and gradually built a fervent following. Serving a five-course, fixed-menu dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings only, laid-back and lovely Rancho Loma keeps its tables booked with regulars from Abilene, San Angelo and Brownwood, along with repeat visitors from Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston.
As word spread, critics from Texas Monthly, Vogue, GQ, Travel + Leisure and Saveur praised the restaurant, and Eater.com named Rancho Loma in its most recent list of 38 essential places to dine in Texas. That this self-taught chef’s cooking would be noted on such a stage surprised no one — except Laurie herself, who recalls all that followed her disbelief.
“To be included on that list with such amazing chefs that I admire is still so surreal, and it’s been bittersweet,” says Laurie, who, with Robert, enjoyed a TV-film production career in Dallas prior to buying the ranch in 1998. “I am not sure that any of the nominees got to enjoy a James Beard bounce this year. Chefs and restaurants were not able to do much celebrating amid the coronavirus challenges. 2020 nominees were focused on how to survive, rewriting menus for takeout and trying to keep staff employed.”
Traffic flowing to the retreat about an hour south of Abilene didn’t slow much this year, as remote retreats gained greater appeal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ditto for the Williamsons’ second endeavor, Rancho Pizzeria, a casual-chic eatery opened in 2015 in one of the many vintage buildings they’ve restored in downtown Coleman. Those making the trip west often opt to stay at Rest, the five-room boutique inn the Williamsons opened at Rancho Loma in 2012. (They also own 410 Gallery, an art gallery showing Robert’s photography near the pizzeria. And last year they sold Rancho Loma Vineyards, the winery they opened in 2017.)
Fortified by the public’s continuing interest in Laurie’s cooking, the Rancho hospitality and the 1920s charm of the little oilfield town, the Williamsons moved forward with still another expansion. Black Cur Steak, the steakhouse they’ve been planning for a couple of years, opened in September in the space adjacent to Rancho Pizzeria. Laurie occasionally grilled steaks in a cast iron skillet in the pizzeria’s molten-hot oven, but demand for pizzas meant there wasn’t often space for those steaks. And with a dearth of places to eat a great slab of beef in that part of West Texas — the closest is Perini Ranch Steakhouse, 45 minutes northwest in Buffalo Gap — it seemed a good bet.
Their gamble proved smart, as crowds are turning up for Laurie’s sophisticated but approachable menu in a comfortably sexy, casual space notable for vintage tin ceiling tiles, rustic brick and concrete walls, banquettes and dark walnut tables that Robert made. Behind the bar, the enormous portrait of the family’s late dog Rio — a black mouth cur for whom the restaurant is named — watches over the room. The menu’s exquisite steaks — such as the bistro steak accompanied by perfectly crisp “fun” (curly) fries and Gorgonzola aioli; beef tenderloin au poivre with parsnip puree and crispy parsnip strips; and New York strip with sumptuous potato gratin — and other joys pair beautifully with a savvy selection of imported wines. For the vino, the Williamsons turned to friend Claude Alexander in Fredericksburg, whose Alexander Vineyards label is on numerous wines coming from throughout Europe.
Guests wanting to enjoy Laurie’s cooking at home can do so, as the chef shares a signature recipe from each of her three kitchens here. Enjoy them this winter, then make plans to head to Coleman to get in-person tastes with loads of style. Currently, the restaurants have greatly reduced dining room capacity and are following social distancing protocols, and masks are required for entering and when not at a table.
Rancho Loma, 2969 County Road 422, Talpa, 325-636-4556, rancholoma.com; Rancho Pizzeria, 414 S. Commercial Ave., Coleman, 325-726-9307, ranchopizzeria.com; Black Cur Steak, 414 S. Commercial Ave., Coleman, 325-625-1870; blackcursteak.com.
Sauteéd Ricotta Gnocchi With Bolognese
“This gnocchi is very pillowy inside with a crisp outside that holds up to the slow-cooked meat sauce. Both components of this dish are versatile,” chef Laurie Williamson says. “In summer, toss the gnocchi with pesto or fresh tomato sauce. In cooler weather, make a big batch of Bolognese for pasta or lasagna or simply spooned on polenta. The key to light-as-air gnocchi is in not overworking the dough.” Laurie’s wine recommendation: 2019 Dardano Speria Dolcetto.
2 pounds ricotta
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
3 eggs
2 tablespoons parsley, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Bolognese sauce (recipe follows)
Fresh grated Parmesan, for garnish
Finely chopped parsley, for garnish
Place ricotta in a colander and bowl in fridge to drain for at least 8 hours. Transfer to medium bowl and gently fold in 1 cup flour, eggs, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper until a soft dough forms. Add a little more flour if not holding together. Scoop small amount of dough onto heavily floured surface and roll into a “snake.” Cut the “snake” into 2-inch pieces; continue with remaining dough, and place on floured baking sheet.
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Slip as many gnocchi at a time as will float freely into rapidly simmering water, stirring gently with a wooden spoon. Cook until gnocchi rise to surface. Plunge into ice bath to stop cooking. Drain, dry and drizzle gnocchi with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. (Gnocchi can be stored in the refrigerator at this point for 3 days.)
To finish, heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and unsalted butter, add some gnocchi without crowding, and sauté until nicely colored. Gently flip and cook the other side. Add Bolognese sauce, and continue cooking until sauce is warmed. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and finely chopped parsley.
Makes 8 servings.
Bolognese sauce: Heat 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large pan, add 2 finely chopped onions, 4 finely chopped celery ribs, 3 finely chopped carrots and 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves, and sweat over medium-low heat until translucent. Pulse 1/4 pound bacon in food processor to chop; add to vegetables in pan. Add 1 pound ground veal and 1 pound ground pork and stir until browned. Stir in 2 cups tomato paste, 1 cup white wine, 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Bring to boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
SOURCE: Black Cur Steak
Goat Cheese Stuffed Piquillo Peppers
“This recipe is a play on the pimientos del piquillo rellenos de atún (tuna stuffed peppers) I had in a tiny restaurant on the southern edge of Puerto Rico,” Laurie says of the dish that’s never left the pizzeria menu. “It’s easy to make and great for parties — and any leftovers are terrific with eggs the next day.” Wine recommendation: 2018 Watson Vineyard Pinot Grigio.
8 piquillo peppers, drained
1 teaspoon flat leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 ounces goat cheese, room temp
4 ounces fontina or Monterey Jack cheese
White pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, grated
3 teaspoons olive oil
Salt flakes, to garnish
Balsamic vinegar, to garnish
Heat oven to 400 F.
Drain peppers on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a bowl, stir together parsley, thyme, goat cheese, fontina and pinch of white pepper until blended.
Stuff each pepper with cheese mix, place in skillet or ovenproof serving dish. Grate garlic clove over the peppers, then drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven for approximately 15 minutes or until warmed through. Finish with salt flakes and drizzle of good balsamic vinegar. Enjoy with crusty bread.
Makes 4 servings.
SOURCE: Rancho Pizzeria
Charred Radicchio With Gorgonzola and Seedy Love Sprinkle
“I am obsessed with bitter flavors, and I finally found a way to serve radicchio that people love. It’s bitter, charred, creamy, warm, cold and crunchy, and it’s easy to put together and holiday-ready,” Laurie says. “The love sprinkle is great on yogurt, too.” Wine recommendation: 2018 Dampt Vignerons Chablis.
2 heads radicchio
Splash or two of balsamic vinegar
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Gorgonzola dressing (recipe follows)
Seedy Love Sprinkle (recipe follows)
Shaved Gorgonzola, for garnish (tip: put in freezer first)
Parsley leaves, for garnish
To prepare, cut radicchio into 1-inch-thick slices, keeping the root end intact so that it holds together. (Reserve remaining radicchio for another use.) Drizzle radicchio with balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set grill pan over high heat. Sear radicchio on one side for approximately 2 minutes. Transfer to serving plate.
To assemble, on each plate, spoon some dressing and place radicchio, charred side up, atop. Cover with a handful of Seedy Love Sprinkle and garnish with shaved Gorgonzola and parsley leaves.
Gorgonzola dressing: Combine 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 ounces buttermilk, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 clove mashed garlic, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper, to taste, in blender and process till smooth. Chill until ready to use; will keep in fridge one week.
Seedy Love Sprinkle: Whisk 1 large egg white with 4 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon water and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt together in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup each sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and raw benne seeds or sesame seeds. Stir well to coat and allow to sit about 30 minutes to absorb egg white mixture. Spread seed mixture on a rimmed baking pan and bake at 325 F, stirring well every 10 minutes, until mixture is golden brown and crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool. Store in air tight container. Makes 4 cups.
Makes 4 servings.
SOURCE: Rancho Loma