Tony Conte
The Oval Room | Washington
DC
Born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, Tony
Conte followed his passion to The Culinary Institute of America
in Hyde Park. He spent the early part of his career honing his skills
close to home at Sole e Luna Ristorante in Westport and
then advanced to the position of Executive Sous Chef for the
Greenwich Country Club and the Belmont Country Club in
Belmont, Massachusetts.
During his tenure, the restaurant earned Connecticut
Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant 2002” and Taste
of Nation’s “Golden Fork Award” Best Food in Show
2001. Conte joined Jean Georges in 2003 where he was responsible
for menu innovation, research and development, product management,
assessment and culinary training, as well as purchasing and food
costs. As Executive Sous Chef of Jean Georges, Conte worked
closely with Vongerichten and adopted the concept of simplicity
from his mentor.
At The Oval Room, Conte applies the refined
sensibility of his mentor in his daring and well-composed dishes,
matching unlikely ingredients like horseradish and beetroot in his
Baby Beet Salad for a successful burst of clean flavor.
Roasted Baby Beets with Passion
Fruit Gelée, Horseradish and Ice Wine Mignonette
Chef Tony Conte of The Oval Room – Washington, D.C.
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Beets:
- 8 baby red beets
- 8 baby yellow beets
- 8 baby candy stripe beets
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon water
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
Mignonette:
- 8 shallots, minced
- 1 red Thai chili
- 2 Tablespoons thyme, chopped
- ½ cup Minus 8 ice wine vinegar
- 3 ounces red wine vinegar
- 2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and white pepper
Passion Fruit Gelée:
- 16 sheets gelatin
- 1 kilogram passion fruit purée
Garnish:
- Horseradish, cleaned, peeled and grated, to taste
- Micro arugula
For the Beets:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scrub beets and place each variety
in a different pan. Mix thyme, sage, vinegar, olive oil, water,
salt and pepper. Pour one third of the mixture over each kind of
beet. Roast the beets for 35 - 45 minutes. Allow the beets to cool,
then peel and quarter them keeping them separate.
For the Mignonette:
Combine the shallots, chili, thyme and vinegars. Marinate for 30
minutes. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Reserve at room temperature
until ready to plate.
For the Passion Fruit Gelée:
Bloom the gelatin sheets in ice water. Bring the passion fruit purée
to a boil and whisk in the gelatin. Pour it in a half sheet pan
and chill in the refrigerator until completely set. Once set, finely
dice and reserve in the refrigerator.
To Assemble and Serve:
Divide the beets evenly among 4 plates, such that each plate has
24 beet pieces, 8 of each color. Drizzle the mignonette around the
plate and make three small piles of passion gelée. Garnish
with the horseradish and micro arugula.
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