The Seehund German Pub & Restaurant in downtown New London may have only opened its doors in April, but it's already taking its place among Connecticut's fine dining destinations.

On Sept. 19 Mark Vecchitto of Niantic, the restaurant's executive chef, won first place at the fourth annual Connecticut Chefs Challenge held at the Lincoln Culinary Institute in Shelton. The event was a benefit for Optimus Health Care, Inc., a nonprofit network of clinics offering affordable health care in underserved communities.

The participants were asked to make a signature dish, which was judged by a panel of professional chefs. The decisions were based on a lengthy list of criteria including taste, originality and presentation.

Vecchitto won best in show for his pan-seared Stonington scallops over sautéed Brussels sprouts with Taso (Cajun style) ham on top of a fire-roasted Fuji apple risotto, finished with a cider reduction drizzle.

It may seem odd that scallops would be a signature dish at a German restaurant, but The Seehund is anything but a strictly traditional German restaurant, and the apples and Brussels sprouts in the dish are both a big part of German cuisine, notes Vecchitto. Also, it's served as a special in the restaurant over spaetzel (German macaroni) rather than risotto.

Most of the competing chefs in the Challenge were from Fairfield County, and Vecchitto says he didn't think he had a chance of winning.

"A couple of these guys I went up against were fantastic; their plates were beautiful. When they called my name (I thought), 'Wow, I did it. Holy cow!'"

RETURNING TO GERMAN ROOTS IN NEW LONDON

How The Seehund came to New London is as interesting as the cuisine.

Kyle Hurst, the restaurant's owner, grew up in Oregon with a German/Polish mother who cooked dishes passed down through the generations, including German classics such as his great-grandmother's sauerbraten.

"My mother had a box of 3-by-5 index cards, food stained, and who knows how old," Hurst says. "A couple years back for her birthday, my father took that huge box of cards and put them into a three-ring binder - he made a recipe book. When I started doing this venture, it was easy for him to print up a second book for me."

Hurst worked in the restaurant business all through high school and college while studying to become a marine biologist - his career for the next 10 years. His work took him to Hawaii for five years, Alaska for one year, and the Mystic Aquarium for the past five years, which is what brought him to Connecticut.

A resident of Stonington, Hurst says, "I absolutely fell in love with the area. It's gorgeous in southeastern Connecticut on the water."

Hurst was intrigued with the food culture in the area. He decided to make a major career change and recreate the homecooking of his childhood by opening a German restaurant.

Vecchitto came to The Seehund after working at Mystic Market, Latitude 41 - where he was the banquet chef for Mystic Seaport - and Aspen Restaurant in Old Saybrook (all under the same ownership).

When Hurst presented Vecchitto with his family recipes of strictly German food, he was a little apprehensive.

"I've been a classically French-trained chef for over 32 years and I've never done German food - I've done Italian, Asian, a lot of Southwestern and fusion cooking. I didn't think German food would fly in New London. Boy, was I wrong. You know, when you go in depth and check it out, you discover that it's comfort food, extremely tasty - what you sit down and eat with your family."

Vecchitto explains that he's updated the dishes and given them a new twist.

"I took rouladen (rolled beef) which is similar to the Italians' braciole. It comes with brown gravy with some sour cream in it. It seemed really plain so I kicked it up a little bit, made it pleasing to the eye.

"It's stuffed with bacon, onion, pickle and whole grain mustard and braised in red wine. I take finely shredded purple cabbage and fennel and add apple cider vinegar and Asian mirin as a dressing and place it on top. It's served with suppengrun (celery, carrots and leeks) and herbed spaetzle. It looks great and tastes fantastic."

Vecchitto points out that almost everything served at the restaurant is made on the premises.

"All our stuffed cabbages, appetizers, entrees, pretzel rolls are made from scratch," he says. "We make the spaetzle, a staple of German cooking, daily here. It's a chore; we need more people in the kitchen, but at least we're giving people a quality, in-house-made product; something that a German grandmother would make."

Hurst says he's very happy to have his first restaurant situated in New London.

"New London Main Street and other organizations have been very welcoming and there are so many amazing events - New London food strolls, Taste of Mystic - that don't exist on the West Coast where I'm from," he says. "There are so many chain restaurants in comparison to all the independently run restaurants on the East Coast; you can eat in a different restaurant every day of the week here."

About Vecchitto, Hurst says, "I really lucked out finding him. I really did. I don't know what I did to deserve that.

"While this win will certainly be great for our restaurant." Hurst adds, "the publicity for the quality of fare available in New London will benefit the city as a whole."

APPLE PAN SCALLOPS

Serves 3

2 cups cooked risotto

1 1/2 cup steamed Brussels sprouts

1 pound Stonington scallops

1 cup diced cooked apples (or substitute apple pie filling)

1/2 cup chicken stock

4 slices Taso ham or chopped cooked bacon (reserve the drippings for the Brussels sprouts)

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

1 shallot, diced

1 quart apple cider reduced to 1/3 cup

Mix apples with risotto and keep hot, you can add chicken stock or water to the risotto to keep it loose.

In a sauté pan, heat butter and bacon drippings with some of the stock; add shallots and bacon and cook until shallots are opaque. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until everything is bubbling hot.

In a separate sauté pan, heat until scorching hot, add oil, and sear the scallops until they crust on one side. Then turn them over, turn off the heat, and start plating.

On each plate, place your risotto and apple mixture and top with the Brussels sprouts and then crown it with the scallops. With a spoon, drizzle the cider reduction over the scallops and serve.