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May 11, 2009 - Issue 172 |
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The
Dishrag Newsletter
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1. Twitter, Facebook, and Digg the Word About StarChefs! You can never have too much of a good thing, which is why we've made it possible for you to significantly up your StarChefs intake, AND for you to share the goodness with your friends. Create an account on any social network site to share or link to our content, and take advantage of the new "SHARE" link on each page to make info swapping easy. http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/social_networking_starchefs/html/index.shtml | |||||
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2. Napa Sonoma Rising Stars: Bios, Interviews, and Recipes From an exceptional strictly vegetarian restaurant to a sustainable hamburger joint, we're proud of our outstanding and diverse group of Napa Sonoma Rising Stars and want to show the world what makes them the cream of the crop. Read their bios and interviews to find out about their backgrounds, where they've worked, what trends they see on the rise, and what cooking and business tips they have for other chefs and industry professionals. And check out their recipes for their dishes that clinched it! http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2009/napa_sonoma/index.shtml | |||||
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3. What to Eat and Where to Stay in Napa Sonoma Of course, you know what to drink in Napa Sonoma, but do you know what to eat? Explore the Northern California wine region that our newest group of Rising Stars hails from, with our hand-picked list of the area's top 30 restaurants and the dishes that can't be missed at each one. As part of your Wine Country itinerary, we also list a range of hotels and lodging that provide a place for you to sleep off your epicurean hangover. http://www.starchefs.com/features/travel/napa_sonoma/html/index.shtml | |||||
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4. Results from our Champagne Survey Do you ever wonder what the statistics really are for luxury items like Champagne, foie gras, and truffles given our current economic state? Well, we did. Here's all you need to know about where Champagne stands in the minds of restaurant professionals including: factors that influence buying, the number of Champagnes on a wine list, and how Champagnes are being used in wine pairings. http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/champagne_survey/html/index.shtml | |||||
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5. Featured Chef: Yoshihiro Narisawa of Les Creations de Narisawa - Tokyo, Japan Trained in Europe under the likes of Robuchon, Girardet, and Bocuse, Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa is one of very few Japanese-born chefs modernizing Japanese cuisine in Tokyo's fine dining scene. Read his interview to find out more about his unorthodox French-inspired approach to Japanese cuisine, and check out his recipe for Pigeon Caramelized with Trehalose, which employs a clever technique to keep the pigeon rare on the inside and crispy on the outside. http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/yoshihiro_narisawa/html/index.shtml | |||||
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6. Featured Video: Chef Jason Wilson of Crush - Seattle, WA At Seattle's Crush, Rising Star chef Jason Wilson serves only the finest of Pacific oysters, kampachi, and hamachi. But while the seafood may be the freshest a chef can get, the accompaniments are what make them shine. Watch the video as Chef Wilson prepares a Champagne sorbet, cucumber vinaigrette, and a parsnip puree using his trusty Vita-Prep blender. http://www.starchefs.com/vita_mix/html/videos.shtml | |||||
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7. Check Out the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award Winners The culinary stars shone brightly at the 19th annual James Beard Foundation Awards, held Monday, May 4th at the Hudson Theatre in New York City. This year the foundation honored women in food. Here's the list of winners, plus a behind-the-scenes photo gallery. http://www.starchefs.com/james_beard/2009/html/winners.shtml | |||||
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8. Heading to the NRA Show? Take a Look at our Chicago Travel Feature Make the most of your excursion to Chicago, by following our restaurant and dish recommendations to help navigate your restaurant hopping throughout this culinary mecca of a city. And, we've graciously removed the added stress of deciding where to stay by providing a list of hotel suggestions. http://www.starchefs.com/features/travel/chicago_II/html/index.shtml | |||||
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9. Top 10 Jobs from StarChefs JobFinder Working Chef Great Career Opportunity to Lead Our Kitchen Team ClementsCatering Inc. Kentucky http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253520&positionid= Master Cook - Blossom Experienced Cooks Needed CityCenter Las Vegas Nevada http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253550&positionid= Sous Chef Seeking Sous Chef with Management Experience The Old Fashioned Wisconsin http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253540&positionid= Assistant Kitchen Manager and Sous Chef Positions Kitchen Manager Training Program Hillstone Restaurant Group Multiple Locations http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253501&positionid= Pastry Chef & Chocolatier Pastry Chef for Upscale Chocolaterie and Patisserie Aroa Fine Chocolate LLC Massachusetts http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253500&positionid= Lead Cook Kitchen Leader Needed at Five Star Hotel Kiawah Island Golf Resort South Carolina http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253480&positionid= Line Cook/Sous Chef Join our Fine Dining Team in our Boutique Hotel Alden Hotel/*17 Restaurant Texas http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253461&positionid= Director of Operations Experienced F&B Director for Multi-Unit Restaurant Group Kentucky http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253560&positionid= Baker - Pastry Shop Skilled Bakers Wanted CityCenter Las Vegas Nevada http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253551&positionid= Line Cooks Come Join the Team at Aquavit or August Townhouse Restaurant Group New York http://www.starchefsjobfinder.com/js-jobinfo.php?s=-1&t=j&v=253422&positionid= | ||||||
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10. Featured Chef to Know: Chef Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate - Chicago, IL Mindy Segal Chef/Owner of Hot Chocolate 1747 N Damen Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 Phone: (773) 489-1747 Restaurant Facts Seats: 65 Tasting Menu: No Kitchen Staff: 15 Chef Facts Cuisine: American Born: 1967 Began Career: 1989 Culinary School: Kendall College, Chicago, IL Grad Year: 1989 Stages: Chicago, IL: St Tropez Work History: Chicago, IL: Charlie Trotters, Marche, Ambria, Spago, mk, Mia Francesca Mentors: Charlie Trotter, Michael Kornick Protégées: Kate Neuman, Mark Steuer Awards: 2008 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef Nominee; 2005 StarChefs.com Rising Star Pastry Chef Chicago Affiliations: Slow Food, Chefs Collaborative Notable Dishes: Honeycrisp Apple Tartlet with Smoky Apple and Cider Ice Cream; Blueberry Coffee Cake, Sweet Corn Ice Cream Napoleon, Corn Nut Tuile, Caramel Corn, Blueberry-Merlot Reduction. Fast Facts Restaurant Recs: Song Dong Tofu House for dol sop bi bim bop; La Islas Marias for langoustines. Kitchen Tool: Spoon because if you ain't eatin' your food, who is? Interview Question: Where do you anticipate being, career-wise, in 5 years? Flavor Combos: Strawberry, rhubarb, vanilla and fresh licorice root; bananas, barley malt, hot fudge and butterscotch; fresh mint, white chocolate with a surprise of really bittersweet chocolate; milk chocolate, coffee and cocoa nibs; milk chocolate and ginger. Favorite Cookbooks: Dessert by the Yard by Sherry Yard; Chocolate Obsessions by Michael Recchiuti; Pure Desserts by Alice Medrich Chef to Cook for You: Anthony Bourdain. He is so kooky and crazy and he has traveled so much and seen so many cuisines. I think it would just be blast! Culinary Travel: I am dying to go to Oaxaca, Mexico | |||||
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11. Recipe for Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Basquaise Vegetables, "Beluga" Couscous, Preserved Lemon, and Crispy Caperberries from Chef Les Goodman of Dry Creek Kitchen - Healdsburg, CA Adapted by StarChefs.com May 2009 Yield: 8 Servings INGREDIENTS Basquaise Vegetables: 1 red bell pepper, small dice 1 yellow bell pepper, small dice 1 zucchini, small dice 1 yellow squash, small dice ½ eggplant, small dice 1 carrot, small dice 3 ounces extra virgin olive oil 1 sweet onion, small dice 7 cloves garlic, sliced 3 Roma tomatoes, small dice ½ small sprig rosemary ¼ teaspoon ground bay leaf ¼ cup white wine 1 teaspoon saffron ¼ cup clam juice 3 ounces tomato juice or V8 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt "Beluga" Couscous: 2 ¾ cups chicken stock 1 tablespoon salt 2 ¼ cups Israeli couscous Squid ink, to taste Sea Bass: 8 8-ounce sea bass Neutral oil 8 ounces butter 8 small cloves garlic, crushed 8 sprigs thyme To Assemble and Serve: 32 to 40 Kalamata olives, halved Basil oil 1 preserved lemon, julienne 24 fried caperberries METHOD For the Basquaise Vegetables: Individually sauté the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant, and carrots in a pan with the olive oil. Set each aside as you finish and let the excess oil drain. In a rondeau, brown the onions and garlic with the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, and bay leaf and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes until almost dry. Deglaze with the white wine, add the saffron and reduce the liquid until almost dry. Add the clam juice and tomato juice; bring the mixture to a boil, then add all the sautéed vegetables, add the salt and pepper (adding more to taste if necessary) and remove from the heat. Transfer the vegetables to a hotel pan and refrigerate. For the "Beluga" Couscous: Bring the chicken stock and salt to a boil; add the couscous. Cover with plastic wrap and let steam in a warm area for about 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender. While still warm, add the squid ink in small increments until each individual grain is lightly coated with the ink. (Each brand of squid ink is different. Your final result should be a grayish black to resemble caviar.) For the Sea Bass: Cook the sea bass fillets individually. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. In a nonstick pan, sear the bass on one side in a small amount of oil until golden brown. Flip it over and let it cook on the opposite side for a minute, and then add 2 tablespoons butter, the crushed garlic, and thyme to baste the fish. Cook until medium. Remove from the pan and let rest for a minute before plating and serving. To Assemble and Serve: Add the olives to the basquaise vegetables. If necessary, warm the vegetables in a small sauce pot, and warm the couscous with a little olive oil in a separate small sauce pot. Plate the couscous, then scatter the basquaise vegetables around the perimeter of the couscous, drizzle with the basil oil, and top with the sea bass. Garnish with the preserved lemon and fried caperberries. | ||||||
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