Kentucky Chef Sara Bradley elevates the European delicacy by giving it a Southern twist.
by Courtney Shepherd
With influence hailing from its European origin, frog legs, a delectably versatile dish, has found its way into the hearts of American Southerners.
Sara Bradley, a chef known for serving up delicious, Southern-inspired foods with her own modern twist, has championed the delicacy at her restaurant Freight House in Paducah, Kentucky.
Here, you can experience bold takes on some of your favorite Southern meals, all from Bradley’s kitchen.
“Top Chef: Kentucky” and “Top Chef: Season 20 World All Stars” runner-up, Bradley utilizes an innovative, but grounded, culinary approach. Her expertise has earned her a loyal and enthusiastic clientele. As a huge fan of the Bluegrass State, Bradley draws from her love of its notable flavors with the goal of providing the most unique dining experience in western Kentucky.
A nod to the Paducah tradition, started by the long-standing restaurant Jeremiah’s, which closed in 2009, Bradley serves a variation of her famous frog legs Jeremiah-style. This inspired dish is fire-grilled, with roasted garlic butter and urfa biber chiles, all plated impeccably on a piece of grilled Texas toast.
But Bradley features other mouth-watering variations at Freight House as well. One must-try variation features frog legs with a spring pea ragout, olives and chive blossoms, along with white bean puree and muffuletta relish. Another, called “Sara’s Nashville Hot Frog Legs,” is made with herbed buttermilk and served with house-made sweet pickles and Hawaiian bread.
With such a variety of rich, bold flavors in each dish, it will be hard to decide between the three. But one thing’s for sure, if you find yourself in Paducah, Kentucky, stop by Freight House and order yourself some Frog Legs before they hop off the menu.
