Broken Crudite

Here is a reception display that we put together for a function that consisted of fresh vegetables and fruits displayed in a non-traditional manner. There was green asparagus, white asparagus, purple cauliflower, candy cane beets, heirloom tomatoes, fresh figs, grilled artichokes, baby carrots, dried root vegetable chips, and yellow watermelons to choose from. Each piece of fresh produce was displayed on a single plate to showcase the variety of colors. It was then arranged together on multi level tiers to resemble a traditional display. With our new facility, we needed to find better ways to showcase our ingredients and provide an experience rather than just a meal. This was a fun way to take a very standard idea to the next level but also keep it familiar.

How Many Salts are in your Kitchen???

One of my waitstaff asked me the other day why we had so many different salts in our kitchen and I realized that not everyone knew about the various types of salts that are out there. I then explained to him that each dish or cooking technique requires different approaches in seasoning and various types of salts provide the solution. Right now I can think of at least 5 salts used in our kitchen on a daily basis. First off is your multi-purpose kosher salt. The granules are large so they adhere to the surface of ingredients fairly well, the flavor is softened because of the plate like shape, and it contains no additives such as iodine. The second would be my favorite which is "Fleur de Sel" (flower of salt) which by definition is only the top layer of sea salt that is hand harvested before sinking to the bottom of the salt pans. The crystals are extremely small and melt fairly quickly once in contact with liquid. I prefer to use this salt as a finishing touch on desserts, high quality meats, or fresh fruits as a flavor enhancer especially since it's pretty expensive. Third would be the Himalayan pink rock salt which is mined and does not come from the ocean. I use this salt mainly for curing food such as fish or meats. The fourth would be a black Cyprus salt which is actually blended with a small amount of charcoal for coloring and detoxifying purposes. This one has an amazing visual appeal and looks on the table. The final would be our infusion salts which can range from anything we can think of. The latest has been a smoked hickory salt we made with our recently purchased handheld smoking gun. The beauty of infusions are that they can be anything that's laying around such as vanilla beans, citrus zest, truffle shavings, fresh herbs, or hard cheeses. If your only carrying around one type of salt in your kitchen then I would suggest getting to your local market and start experimenting.

Octopus

I've realized that some of the dishes and ingredients we prepare on a daily basis aren't that common to the average home chef or beginning culinary student. One of the simplest yet most intimidating ingredients to prepare is the octopus. Simply put, the octopus is either cooked really quick or really slow. I recently prepared a marinated octopus salad with kalamata olives and lemon that made me realize how foreign this could be to a first timer without basic cooking knowledge. It's an ingredient that is not that expensive if found in the right setting such as your local Chinese market or frozen gourmet market section. I like to remove the heads from the tentacles and cut away the black beak. I think that no matter what stage the octopus is in age, it's best to braise. A braise by definition is " a combination of cooking methods using both dry and moist heat; typically the food is seared in hot fat until golden brown and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid resulting in a particular flavor over an extended period of time and temperature". By braising the octopus it breaks down the muscle tissue and allows the texture to become quite tender. My salad started with onions, garlic, and tomatoes being sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. I then added the octopus and lightly cooked it until the color had become a vibrant pinkish color. I seasoned the broth with capers, tomatoes juice, vegetable stock, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and kalamata olives. After 90 minutes of lightly simmering, the octopus became very tender. From this point on it can be chilled and served in a salad with greens, skewered as a lollipop, or grilled as an antipasti. It's one of those ingredients that most people will consider a wow factor because it's not a common item seen on most menus. I would suggest that everyone try cooking this or taking on the challenge of learning the technique of properly braising. A braise can be a great technique to use when cooking cheap cuts of beef, poultry, or game meats.

Root Vegetable Mosaic

Here is the salad course that really became the show stopper, many guests would rather leave it untouched. The dish consisted of slowly roasted candy cane beets which were cut into cylinders with a piece of piping. We cut the celery root in batons and blanched them in boiling salt water. The kohlrabi was shaved raw and were topped with cubes of lightly cooked turnips. The carrots were strung and soaked in ice water to really give them a crisp exterior. The pistachio paint really packed some amazing flavors with the blended micro greens. We drizzled extra virgin olive oil and 25 year balsamic onto each plate as the dishes were served.

Roasted Chestnut Bisque with Pear Chutney and Creme Fraiche

Here is the first course from a dinner we hosted this past week. The soup was served table side from tureens by two waiters into garnished china. The roasted chestnut bisque was perfect for the winter season and made complete sense to start off the meal with these flavors. The chestnuts were caramelized with sunchokes to enhance the soup with not only body but an amazing nutty background. The soup was slowly simmered with dark chicken stock and heavy cream. After blending thoroughly until the soup was silky smooth it was served with a spiced pear chutney and house made creme fraiche. The creme fraiche sat on top of the oven for just over three days to give it that perfect tang. It feels nice to be cooking again.

A return to the blog

Sorry for the lack of blogging over the last few months, my new position in Chicago has kept me extremely busy while opening this property. The facility is amazing and everyday seems to get better with our service, food, and organization. We have been entertaining a multitude of high profile clients and creating some amazing things from a hospitality perspective. It's been quite an experience trying to not only produce in the kitchen but also in maintaining the facility with a much smaller staff. All those things we take for granted in a larger property start becoming those necessities really quick. I have been fortunate to find extremely talented individuals that are supporting me in this venture. My culinary staff is smaller but they are truly passionate about current trends, high quality ingredients, and focusing on the core fundamentals of good cooking. My front of the house leaders really keep me busy with the challenge of stepping it up each event and not relying on just my plating skills (thanks). Chicago is great and I cannot wait for the weather to warm up. We have two amazing patios that meant for entertaining. They overlook the downtown river area and have state of the art grills (they are begging for a whole roasted pig). I will follow this update with a few pictures from an event that we did this past week. It's nice to be back and once again, sorry for the delay.

Upcoming Function

Here is a reception menu that I've written for an upcoming function that will be focusing on some of the mainstream neighborhoods of Chicago at our new facility for about 250 people.

Wicker Park

Roasted Beets with Cambozola and Stone Ground Mustard Vinaigrette Spoons

Endive with Pancetta, Quail Egg, Avocado Puree

Deconstructed Potato Salad

Ice Chilled White Tomato Gazpacho

Chinatown

Bamboo Steamed Dim Sum - Pork Potstickers and Shumai

Chinese Stir Fry with Lo Mein Noodles, Assorted Vegetables, Jumbo Shrimp, Chicken Breast, Teriyaki Sauce, Red Chili Paste, Sesame Ginger

Little Italy

Deep Dish Pizza Tartlettes

Forks of Fresh Linguine Pasta with Hand Crushed Basil Pesto

Wooden Boards of Italian Cured Meats, Artisanal Cheeses, and Pickled Vegetables

Wrigleyville

Butter Poached Lobster Dogs on Bamboo

White Truffle Fries in Cones

Prime Rib Sliders with Roasted Tomato, Garlic Chips, Horseradish Crème

Bacon Parmesan Popcorn

Lakeshore Drive Clambake

Clambake filled Silver Dollar Rolls

Steamed Cherrystone Clams, Black Mussels, Walleye, Smoked Sausage

Fresh Corn, Baby Carrots, and Shallots

Gold Coast

Petite PB&J Cupcakes

Amaretto Tiramisu Shots

Strawberry Shortcakes

Coffee and Doughnuts

Hazelnut Chocolate Tortes

Chicago Deep Dish

After all the stress of packing, scheduling movers, final goodbyes, and relocating to the windy city; I'm back to begin a new chapter of my blog. I've been working downtown each day overlooking the fast pace of many day walkers in suits and tennis shoes, bridges rising and splitting for boats on the river, and a different type of mountain such as the Sears, Trump, and Hancock buildings. This is an amazing place and I'm happy to say that the locals aren't anywhere close to the street crime reputation they've been given. The cabs don't generously nudge you out of the cross-walks like in New York, the pan handlers actually take no for an answer, and the people are extremely friendly. Last night after many hours of apartment searching ($$$), we asked about of course the signature "deep dish pizza". We ended up at the famous Gino's for a pie and after the 45 minute cooking time, it arrived. A beautiful golden brown crust that wasn't too thick, airy underneath, and still carrying those favorite characteristics of doughy goodness underneath the tomato sauce. The sausage patty was handmade and had many hints of fennel and garlic. The cheese was stringy and every bite required you to wrap it around your fork (yes a fork and knife are required). I have to say that I'm very impressed with this style of pie and cannot say which version is my favorite. A slice of thin crust while walking down the streets of New York City or sitting down to a pie of deep dish in Chicago. Regardless, I'm happy to begin my culinary dining experience with this cherished local favorite. I'll make sure to keep everyone posted on what's next to come, maybe Rick Bayless or Graham Elliot (still need to hit the silver palm and get a 3 little pig sandwich.)

New Position

Today will be my final day at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort and I'm extremely sad to close this chapter in my life and begin anew. Living in Colorado has been an amazing experience and I've had the pleasure of creating and implementing my own style within this amazing property. I feel that I've put a huge amount of passion into this place and now the culinary team understands the true importance of "guest experience". I'm excited to see how they take it to the next level and will definitely keep tabs on all the talented individuals I've had the pleasure of working with. I'm now off to the windy city of Chicago as Executive Chef for a private facility downtown. The actual property is "meeting space only" and will focus on creating a "WOW" factor for every client that comes through the door. I will be working with a much smaller staff and challenging my creativity daily by taking each event to the limit. I'm positive that there will be many pictures to post on the blog from all the events I will be hosting and of course will keep updating the blog. Now it's time to start packing and begin the next chapter of our lives. Here is a photo of the historic building that's currently being renovated for our arrival. Only the rooftop and clock tower floors are going to be apart of this new project, how exciting!!!!

Black Mussels / Saffron Banana / Lemon Verbena

My favorite dish of the night was the starter course. Black mussels were steamed in white wine with shallots, butter, and lemon verbena until they had naturally opened. The broth was reduced down with the addition of honey, banana, and saffron. I added a dash of heavy cream and reduced the mixture by half. A few Tablespoons of butter were swirled in to finish the sauce and a pinch of salt. The color was amazing after straining the sauce and pouring over the mussels. I will most likely add some type of bread to really soak up that beautiful sauce at the bottom of the bowl.

Duck Breast / Blackberry Gastrique / Sweet Potato Fries

This is a duck breast that has been rendered down until the skin was extremely crispy and sliced thin. The sweet potato fries were lightly cooked until tender in boiling water and then fried at 350 degrees until golden brown. A salt infused with cracked pepper and fresh rosemary seasoned them to compliment the sweetness. A blackberry gastrique garnished the plate and gave the dish a unique fruity component to harmonize itself with the wine.

Caramel Apples / Foie Gras / Field Greens

Last night, we hosted a tasting for the upcoming wine dinner at the country and I was able to take some photos of the dishes in between descriptions. Here is the salad course that has a medallion of seared foie gras, tart green apples, caramel sauce, and field greens from our garden. I drizzled some of the fat after searing the foie gras to really give the caramel a fatty taste to enhance the richness of the wine. The green apples were a perfect crunch to the bitter leaves of red oak and baby romaine. Very happy with the finished dish and wine pairing.