Trip to Baltimore

I had a great trip to Baltimore for a family catering job hosted at my parents house on November, 16th, 2007. The people were terrific and the food was fun to do. My brother-in-law was recruited to help (pictured, left). He also took a bunch of pictures, which I did not have time to do. The only food picture we didn't get was of course one, the soup/amuse bouche course of Lobster Bisque served in a demi-tasse with a side spoonful of pear chutney.

Lobster Bisque with Pear Chutney, Basil and Spiced Oil

St. Vincent Brut NV

Hearts of Palm and Lobster Salad with Sous Vide Asparagaus and Shiitake Mushrooms

L'Uvaggio Vermentino 2006

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Seared Sea Scallop with Apple Sauce, Swiss Chard and Rosemay Emulsion

Wellington Roussane 2004

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Curried Black Bass with Broccoli Puree and Carrot-Cumin Cream

Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc 2006

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Veal Sweetbreads with Pistachio Puree, Butternut Ravioli and Red Wine Mignonette

Ten Mile Broken Road 2005

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Caramelized Duck Breast with Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Ginger-Braised Cabbage

Jewel Firma 2004 ...

Roasted Lamb with Braised Fennel, Onion Three Ways (Roasted Cippolini, Fried Onion Rings and Red Onion Confit), Pomegranate Reduction and Mustard

Castle Rock Mendocino 2005

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Spiced Creme Brulee

Coffee Service

"Celebration of Life" dinner September 8th, 2007

"Celebration of Life dinner" @ the CVI...

In late august I was asked by the Culinary Vegetable Institute to be the chef (menu and food) for a dinner of six people, three doctors and spouses, who gather annually to celebrate life. The dinner took place in the small dining room at the CVI. Here is what I prepared for them:

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Amuse course: Sweet Corn Shooter with Butternut Squash Confit, Curry Oil and Micro Chives

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Course one: Heirloom Tomatoes with Frisee, Tempura Baby Orange Cauliflower and Wasabi Creme Fraiche

In the photograph on the left, you can see white sheets of paper I use to map out the plating for each course. These read a little like a recipe in that they list ingredients, garnishes and particular instructions in addition to a hand drawing of the food. This is chef Greg Bastien assisting.

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Course Two: Sauteed Trumpet Royale Mushrooms with Vanilla Bean Oil, Carmellini Beans, Parsley Coulis, Petite French Breakfast Radishes and Baby Tatsoi

(Carmellini Beans, named by the Chef's Garden for Andrew Carmellini, are tiny haricots verts)

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Course Three: Seared Sea Scallop with Purple Potato Mousseline, Reggiano Parmesan, Balsamic Reduction, Potato Crisp, Anise Hyssop and Micro Oregano

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Course Four: Seared Tuna with Baby Dragon Carrots in Szechuan Glaze, Braised Exotic Baby Kale, Pickled Baby Red Onions, Fennel Pollen and Petite Bronze Fennel

(I seasoned the tuna with taragashi, grains of paradise and fennel pollen before searing.)

Here is Greg helping plate the tuna. Notice the wine glasses

in from of him. We tried a taste of the wines course by course.

Course Five: Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Fraise du Bois, Balsamic Syrup, Mint Salsa Verde, Coriander Tuille, and Grains of Paradise. (Grains of Paradise are a unique spice from the Congo, I believe. They have two tastes: one, very much like black pepper; and a second, distinctly floral. I have a pepper mill full of these and use them like pepper, but achieve more flavor dimension). I served a watermelon palate cleaner between the tuna and the dessert courses. The guests were a lot of fun. I really enjoy interacting with small groups.

Harvard Business School Club Dinner September 15th, 2007

A "recent" event at the CVI..

My last post was largely pictures from a dinner for which I was merely an assisting hand. With post this, however, I return to my own food. In late August I was asked by the my friends at the Chef's Garden and Culinary Vegetable Institute to write a menu and execute a dinner for forty-two. They had a somewhat limited budget, but required as much attention and care as any other group contracting the CVI. I limited the menu to four courses with three passed hors d'oeuvres and a little palate cleanser between the main course and the dessert. My guests were members of the Harvard Business School Club from the east side of Cleveland. I had two assistants for this dinner, Chef Greg Bastien and a local culinary student. Also, local chef and friend Jeff Fisher helped with much of the prep. The menu follows. It should go without saying that all the vegetable products were from the farm.

This is the first of three passed starters. It's a shooter of sweet corn puree, topped with chili oil and micro arugula.

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This sweet potato tempura with chives and tentsuyu (the traditional tempura dipping sauce) was another of the passed hors d'oeuvres.

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I made a paste of pureed edamame with wasabi, put it on mini toasts and topped it with flying fish roe. Micro bulls blood (a beet) adds color and flavor.

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Soup Course (course one): cauliflower and saffron soup garnished with parsley coulis, paprika oil, tagarashi, arugula chiffonade and micro burgundy amaranth.

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Salad Course (course two): heirloom tomatoes with mixed baby greens, with sherry wine vinaigrette and spicy sesame cracker. Chef Greg is on the left. Thanks, Greg!

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Main Course (course three): Sesame Roasted Salmon with melted leeks, olive oil crushed fingerling potatoes, dragon carrot-red wine reduction, mustard emulsion and red malabar spinach. The culinary student just finished making an adjustment to the garnish.

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Intermezzo, palate cleanser: Watermelon with lemon citronette, micro lemon balm and balsamic reduction.

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Dessert Course (course four): cinnamon and star anise apple crepe with crumble garnish, goat cheese creme anglaise, micro cinnamon basil and sweet aztec.

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Here's a close-up of the crepe.

It was a fun day. Not overly long and rewarding. The guests were very pleased.