Undying Passion

Well, I didn't advance in my food blog competition, but I won't offer any theories or make any excuses; it was a great learning experience that made me realize how much I enjoy writing about food and want to continue doing so, with this blog as well as new ventures in the future. Even after rejection we must press on with the things that we believe in and are passionate about. After all, Colonel Sanders spent a year and half on the road, sleeping in his car, before he struck a deal to open the first KFC.

At risk of brushing off the failure like I never really cared, I have to say that I am a bit relieved that I don't have have to stress out while jumping through hoops to form my writing or my food into a mold as dictated by someone else. I fret tirelessly over my specials as it is, and though we all need to work out of our comfort zone to improve, I don't want the focus to stray away from what's the true point of this blog: the food.

That relief payed off in spades, because once I sat down on Sunday night to work out this week's special the lack of constraints opened the flood gate of ideas, and along with the concepts in my notebook, I laid out three quarters of the specials from now until Thanksgiving! And for that, I am thankful.

I had written this idea off for this year since summer in Seattle was just a fizzle and salads don't make great statements for food blog competitions, but I guess the stars aligned just so to allow it to happen, and I'm all the happier for it. I had the thought written down to pair a stuffed calamari with a hearty salad for quite some time now but it was overshadowed by too many other seafood dishes that played better with the summer season, but now with the warm temperatures predicted for this week this one seemed fitting.

I've been wanting to make a chorizo vinaigrette, probably because I like the notion of taking something that is seemingly healthy like a salad and desecrating it with something like sausage. So instead of simply adding sausage to the salad I brewed a rich stock by simmering fresh chorizo sausage from the local Cascioppo Brothers meat company. Once cooled I blended it with champagne vinegar, shallots, garlic and extra virgin olive oil as well as the ingredients that flavor the sausage like smoked paprika, black pepper, fresh oregano and a touch of ground arbol chile.

To balance such a rich dressing I went with contrasting flavors by using baby arugula and radicchio for bitterness and crunch, which I then countered with freshly julienned green apple and ripe tomatoes. To give it more depth I roasted radishes, which changes their texture and softens their bite.

I initially thought of stuffing calamari tubes with the chorizo, like a play on sausage itself, but I chose to use the filling to bridge the flavors instead; kind of like working from the inside out. I knew from one of our brunch items (and past specials) how well the classic combination of chorizo and manchego cheese go together, so I made a base by sauteing onions, garlic and celery that I then cooled before incorporating finely grated manchego cheese and the cooked, chopped calamari tentacles.

Not to leave anything to waste (and taking every opportunity to add flavor) I used the leaves from the radishes that I roasted to make a delicious pesto by chopping them with whole almonds, fresh garlic and olive oil that is not only very functional by holding the calamari in place, but also gives a suprising hidden burst of flavor.

If there's a last chance of selling a summery style cocktail I think that this week is it; besides, last week's Tropical Iced Tea sold so well I think that our customers are about as ready to give up the thought of summer as I am ready to give up pork!!

This one has a classic southwestern flavor with sweet prickly pear puree (which is actually a type of catus) combined with the tart juice of passion fruit in place of the lime juice that typically balances the sweetness of the common mojito, an since these flavor combinations work so well together I bypassed the mint and just added a splash of club soda to lighten it up enough to drink more than just one!

With Love,

Cheffrey

Welcome to My World

Lately I have been making a real effort to bring my cooking to the next level. As with anything, you can never really grow unless you push yourself outside of your comfort zone while casting aside all fears of failure, rejection or disappointment. For a chef this means a constant struggle to learn new techniques, combine ingredients and the everlasting reinvention of yourself. The task can be a grind, but in the end it's like climbing a mountain and looking back every now and then, amazed to see how far you've come.

I've been spending a lot of time at the funky downtown Seattle Public Library checking out books by famous chefs and obscure authors alike, building a new base to draw inspiration from now that I am a executive chef on my own. I mostly seek out books that I can use to enhance my current style, but I also make a point to check out at least two books each time that will help fill the gaps of my culinary weak points, the most intriguing of which to me right now is the cuisine of India.

In studying books of the more popular cuisines of Asia I obviously came across a lot of Indian references, due to the common geography, though I always ignorantly separated the two. Despite some similar ingredients and shared borders, India is a world apart. Sure, I have toyed around with curry powders, but the true gem of the food is the personal touch of toasting and blending of your own spice mixtures. With that in mind, I decided to tackle a dish that many Americans are now familiar with: Chicken Masala.

My version is similar to what is more commonly known as Chicken Tikka Masala, but tikka refers to "chunks" of meat, typically in the style of a stew, whereas I wanted to use perfect portions of the whole thigh. Since there is no standard recipe for tikka masala I drew from a combination of recipes from some credible sources and even a show on the Cooking Channel (the Spice Goddess herself), along with, of course, some interpretation of my own.

Indian food is all about building flavors. They are simple looking dishes that are comprised of many ingredients; a case in point that the sum is truly greater than its parts. I first softly cooked onions and sliced garlic in a healthy portion of ghee, or clarified butter, before adding my own version of spice mixture with peppercorns, bay leaves, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves known as garam masala or "warm spice mix". I continued with the traditional flavors by adding fenugreek seed, paprika and tomatoes that I simmered in stock before finishing with a little smoky spice from chipotle powder.

To askew the flavors with my own twist I finished the sauce with a good dose of cocoa powder that automatically seemed a natural companion to the warm spices of the garam masala ingredients, giving it even more complexity and depth of flavor than it had before. I strained the blended sauce to refine and smooth its presence on the palate before using it to slowly stew meticulously prepared chicken thighs in the oven until they were perfectly cooked and moist.

Many recipes called for the sauce to be enriched with coconut milk, but I opted instead to pull it aside and combine it with the classic accompaniment of basmati rice by first adding the milk to the cooking liquid, giving it a rich flavor without it becoming mushy, and then tossing in finely grated, unsweetened coconut meat to order.

Traditionally speaking the dish is complete, but I found that it was in need of some added texture and flavor, so I came up with these little fritters made in the style of falafel, but instead of dried chickpeas I used spilt peas pureed with onions and garlic and omitted the usual spices that are already in the sauce and added plenty of fresh mint instead. The mint compliments both the traditional spices and the cocoa that is in the sauce as well as the finely shaved bittersweet chocolate that acts as a final note to the dish.

Many people mistakenly think that a rich and spicy dish requires a very bold red wine to cut through it, like a hearty steak, but actually the best pairing is found at the other end of the spectrum with an off dry or semi-sweet white wine like our half bottle of Kiona Late Harvest Riesling, which happens to be one of my favorite styles of wine. The natural stone fruit flavors compliment the spices of the masala while the sweetness helps tame the heat from the chile, but if you're looking for a truly unique pairing, then I have concocted just the thing for you... 

In the same way that I peruse the farmer's market or specialty stores I was surveying the bar supply for interesting combinations when I came across several bottles that, as I spoke them in my head, reminded me of the popular Long Island Iced Tea drink, and then I knew that I was onto something.

Keeping with the typical tall (or "Long") aspect of the cocktail I filled a pint glass with ice and poured over equal parts of guava rum, vanilla vodka and mango tequila that is then topped off with a Jamaican style ginger beer and a little club soda to cut down on the sweetness.
Please allow me to introduce you to the Tropical Iced Tea!!!

Taste buds - You're welcome!!

With Love,

Cheffrey

A Taste for Writing

When I started this blog a year and a half ago my sole intention was to use it as another way to reach people and gain exposure for my restaurant by introducing them to the exciting specials that I prepare every week. Throughout an epic recession I use this medium to entice nervous customers from their shells with high caliber food at very reasonable prices, and slowly but surely I have piqued their interest. Since then it has grown into something even greater than that.

Writing isn't new to me - I've enjoyed scribbling prose and poetry since high school - but the long hours and creative thirst of a young and budding chef overshadowed (almost) every extracurricular activity, until eleven years into my career when I realized that I was able to combine both talents and use my words to convey every ounce of passion that goes into each special, as well as the constant struggle to grow as a chef and make each week better than the last.

Now I have a loyal following; not just readers, but regular customers... because unlike most food blogs on the Internet they can they read about my creations and then actually come in to try them!

For my first Foodbuzz challenge I needed a dish that exemplified me as a chef in terms of flavor and creativity, but in the end I simply kept true to my blog and the food that I've been doing all along...

This dish is a partial throwback to the early days of my career when I was starting out in New York City, when the Asian/Latino Fusion was king, and like any other fashion has dictated, there is always a comeback... (like the Korean taco!)

The pairing makes sense due to the similar ingredients and general spice level that both cultures use, but I wanted to take it a step further, and as I have been studying Indian dishes lately I realized that they too share a common ground.

So I started with the notion of making tamales with some blue cornmeal that I found at Whole Foods that had the same fine consistency of masa harina which is used to make traditional tortillas and tamales. Once cooked the muted color of the cornmeal transforms into a striking purple (there is not true blue color in food). I decided that some duck confit woud make an excellent filling if I used a little huitlacoche, or "corn truffle" to moisten it, and since I was going to go that far I might as well keep pushing the envelope and try out those cans of black truffle peelings that I have been holding on to! What I ended up with was some of the most earthy, robust tamales that I have ever tasted!!

I wanted to counter the soft and mushy texture that is the result of well prepared tamales, so I salted thick slices of local eggplant to help relieve it of its bitterness and excessive moisture, allowing me to quickly saute diced chunks of it along with a little red bell pepper, scallions and fresh cilantro. To finish the mixture I made an interesting paste by combining cooked ginger, garlic and scallion with hot and sweet curry powders, and rounded it all out with a touch of soy sauce for that fifth dimension of taste - umami.

To bring the two worlds together I needed a sauce, or in this case, sauces. The first is a simple creme fraiche that I made by letting heavy cream sit out overnight with a little buttermilk so the healthy bacteria can naturally thicken it; a throwback to the first time I ever had plain tamales that were served in a pool of sour cream. The second sauce was a little more intricate: I simmered dried ancho chiles with tomatoes, red bell pepper, onions, brown sugar and vinegar until thick and sweet before chilling and pureeing, creating an exciting variation on the traditional chutney.

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As an added bonus I fancy myself as a sort of mixologist by supplementing my lack of bartending knowledge with culinary know-how, coming up with quirky cocktails like this one...

After the success of the Cinnamon Pear Martini I decided to try another sorbet-integrated cocktail after having some beautiful plums leftover from brunch that I couldn't let go to waste!!

Since they already had the perfect balance of sweet and tart all I had to do was puree them with a little corn syrup to help keep a smooth texture before straining the mixture and churning it in the ice cream machine. Once set, I scooped a nice ball into a martini glass and topped it off with a portion of Pikesville rye whiskey that was shaken with a touch of sweet vermouth and a couple of dashes of Peychaud bitters to help round it out.

Even though my menu is based on the idea of American comfort food, this country has become even more of a melting pot than when that metaphore was first coined over 200 years ago, allowing me to draw from more cuisines as inspiration and introduce those flavors to my customers and, hopefully, creating a whole new sense of  word "comfort".

With Love,

Cheffrey

Pudd'nhead Wilson

Despite all of my research and preparation, there are times when a wonderful flavor combination is born out of sheer luck, or destiny, depending on your inclination...

I was experimenting with the notion that the finely strained liquid from freshly juiced corn kernels will thicken on its own into a silky smooth, custard-like pudding that is so rich you would swear that it was made with eggs and cream due to the natural starch in the corn. While playing around with this technique I snacked on a slice of nectarine leftover from brunch, and with the fresh corn pudding still lingering in my mouth I inadvertently stumbled upon this great culinary symbiosis of flavor.

To build a dish out of this discovery I needed to focus on balancing the flavors of those naturally sweet ingredients and work in some components with complimenting characteristics. I then remembered an idea I had using pink peppercorns as a crust for pork tenderloin, which, despite not actually being a relation to the common black peppercorn used on most food, has the same fruity flavor without all of the spiciness, lending to a perfect bridge between the meat, the corn and the nectarines.

Even though mustard greens have been a longtime favorite of mine due to my exposure of Southern cuisine, I found that they work especially well here due to their slightly bitter leaves and peppery notes, and like any good Southern greens I fortified them with some pork fat via a little ground pancetta along with a splash of white wine to help wilt them down and bring a little brightness to the dish.

As I sliced off the overcooked end-pieces in order to serve only the juiciest portions of meat, I couldn't help but sample them myself again and again; the peppercorns with the meat, the meat with the freshness of the corn pudding... it's hard to believe that despite the teaspoon of minced pancetta in the greens this dish is actually very healthy!!

By the way, if you didin't already know, the title is a reference to my surname that also adorns the title to Mark Twain's lesser known but wonderful novel of the same name ;)

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As promised I have been working on more variations of traditional cocktails like margaritas, mojitos and sparkling drinks, but it seems that the rain that we've been having has washed away any hopes for new takes on sangria....

The preparation for this one is simple; I used Pama liqueur, an ingredient that I am already comfortable with after showcasing it in a past special (that ended up a menu item), which naturally lends itself to becoming a margarita already since it is made by blending pomegranate juice with premium vodka and a touch of tequila.

To really drive home the margarita aspect I mixed in a majority of Hornitos Plata tequila along with a traditional touch of fresh lime juice to help keep it balanced.

With Love,

Cheffrey

Pudd'nhead Wilson

Despite all of my research and preparation, there are times when a wonderful flavor combination is born out of sheer luck, or destiny, depending on your inclination...

I was experimenting with the notion that the finely strained liquid from freshly juiced corn kernels will thicken on its own into a silky smooth, custard-like pudding that is so rich you would swear that it was made with eggs and cream due to the natural starch in the corn. While playing around with this technique I snacked on a slice of nectarine leftover from brunch, and with the fresh corn pudding still lingering in my mouth I inadvertently stumbled upon this great culinary symbiosis of flavor.

To build a dish out of this discovery I needed to focus on balancing the flavors of those naturally sweet ingredients and work in some components with complimenting characteristics. I then remembered an idea I had using pink peppercorns as a crust for pork tenderloin, which, despite not actually being a relation to the common black peppercorn used on most food, has the same fruity flavor without all of the spiciness, lending to a perfect bridge between the meat, the corn and the nectarines.

Even though mustard greens have been a longtime favorite of mine due to my exposure of Southern cuisine, I found that they work especially well here due to their slightly bitter leaves and peppery notes, and like any good Southern greens I fortified them with some pork fat via a little ground pancetta along with a splash of white wine to help wilt them down and bring a little brightness to the dish.

As I sliced off the overcooked end-pieces in order to serve only the juiciest portions of meat, I couldn't help but sample them myself again and again; the peppercorns with the meat, the meat with the freshness of the corn pudding... it's hard to believe that despite the teaspoon of minced pancetta in the greens this dish is actually very healthy!!

By the way, if you didin't already know, the title is a reference to my surname that also adorns the title to Mark Twain's lesser known but wonderful novel of the same name ;)

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

As promised I have been working on more variations of traditional cocktails like margaritas, mojitos and sparkling drinks, but it seems that the rain that we've been having has washed away any hopes for new takes on sangria....

The preparation for this one is simple; I used Pama liqueur, an ingredient that I am already comfortable with after showcasing it in a past special (that ended up a menu item), which naturally lends itself to becoming a margarita already since it is made by blending pomegranate juice with premium vodka and a touch of tequila.

To really drive home the margarita aspect I mixed in a majority of Hornitos Plata tequila along with a traditional touch of fresh lime juice to help keep it balanced.

With Love,

Cheffrey

Family Fun

There's a little known secret where I cook a special meal for me and my staff every Friday night; partly as a sort of treat for the finish of our (usually) busiest night of the week, but mostly because I don't want to make five or six different plates for each person, but also since I am tired of the food I cook day in and day out I end up making something interesting for myself, and it would be selfish of me to exclude the others.

The concept is nothing new to the restaurant industry; it is known as "family meal" because it is a communal meal shared by everyone at the restaurant at the same time much like a family does, but with ironic undertones because we tend to spend more of our time with these people than our actual families. It usually consists of the leftover trimmings to menu items and ingredients "on their way out", which means not fit to sell to customers but good enough to give away to employees...

But for us it's something different; while I often use leftovers, it is only because they are compelling ingredients. I love the challenge of converting a dish that I methodically thought out (and wrote about here) into something completely different as a morale booster, and even though it's added work, it's a footnote of my week that I adore.

Lately I have been using it as an opportunity to tryout new techniques and combinations like with the Semolina Chicken 'N' Dumplings and Whole Wheat Noodles with Crispy Pork Belly, mostly for my own validation, unless I want to try and read through the usual chef kiss-assing that they mistakenly think is what I am looking for. It was after one of these nights that I perfected my Tamarind Barbecue Sauce for this week's special.

I've been playing around with the hybrid American and Asian concept of bbq sauce, and I finally settled on a base of ginger, garlic and scallions sauteed in sesame oil while tamarind pulp softened in hot water that was pureed and strained before being mixed with soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and ketchup (a bbq sauce staple, that's why).

When testing I tried this sauce with roasted pork shoulder but I knew that the sweet and sour intensity would work best with a more robust meat like beef, so I braised cubes of the chuck section in an already rich beef stock made from the leftover bones from the bone marrow butter that finishes our New York Strip Steak, saved for just this sort of occasion.

True to my original test I used a contrast of flavor by using freshly sliced avocado that acted as a sort of fulcrum between the sweet and sourness of the tamarind bbq sauce with my bright, crunchy pickled vegetables like treviso, golden beets, carrots, radishes, goat-horn chiles, red onions - and a little twist with sliced green grapes - that were infused with the flavors of pink peppercorns, Schezuan peppercorns and allspice berries.

I initially made sandwiches with the ciabatta rolls that we use for the Lamb Burger on the menu, but I decided on using little steamed buns and separating the components across one of our bamboo plates, allowing the diner to assemble their own little bites as an entree or be able to share with the others at their table by their own tastes without dictating how I think they should enjoy it.

There's been a phenomenon here on Capitol Hill for about a year now that I've heard lovingly referred to as "Gay Crack", which is any cocktail containing Firefly sweet-tea vodka. Due to my roots I have an affinity to sweet tea as it is, but I haven't been able to come up with my own use of the liquor... until now.

Since tea and mint go so well together, I realized that I could use the sweet tea vodka to boost that Kentucky favorite, the Mint Julep, by first muddling fresh mint sprigs in ice before adding a 2-to-1 ratio of Firefly to Bourbon with a little simple syrup and topping it off with a splash of club soda to help lighten it up (versus practically pure liquor...).

Ahhh, a drink that would make dad proud!!

With Love,

Cheffrey