Chef's form around the World-ICEX Competition

 
 





 

Video of Event

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfJvw07C1fQ&list=PL9Vifd4YLOLIbdNuF8TpqIFsUQksA8Xl4I

Veideo of the dish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-HOA1ohzew

3 Star Approved "Summer Rabbit"

This is from International Competition in Spain

New look from demo

Smoked Extra Virgin Oil Poached 55° C Rack of Rabbit, Belly Sandwich with 

a Raisin Sausage, Almond Leek Puree, Liver Blood Sausage Stuffed Shallots.

Served as a trial dish to Chef Martin Berasategui  (who has 7 Michelin Star total) for up coming video Demo and he loved the combination of flavor and textures. I am missing my friend meat glue for the belly sandwich but very happy with overall look, and great flavors.

Tasy Eats of the Past

Lamb of my Life

Shellbark Goats "Cheese Cake" and Roots

Kona Kompachi Curdo

Foie "61" Truffle Madeline

BBQ King Salmon Toro and Prawn Cake

Duck and Orange

Cuban Skirt Steak

Lamb Spear Ribs

Chistorra

Txistorra (Chistorra) is a typical sausage for the Basque country in the North of Spain. It is a fast-cured sausage made of pork, garlic, salt and paprika (which gives it the traditional bright red color). It stuffed into a lamb casing and is an average length of 40 cm and sometime can reach 1 meter. Their are a couple other types, Birika (means lung in Basque) its made with lungs rather than meat. The other is called Chistorra de leon made with a large percentage of beef. Chistorra is best enjoyed sauteed, grilled, or baked. 

Torta del Casar

Torta del Casar is a jewel of a cheese form Extremadura region of Spain. It is made with  raw sheep’s milk. The cheese has a special bitterness that comes for a wild thistle called Cardoon, which is used to curdle the milk. It is aged for 60 days, which allow the cheese to have the distinct creamy texture. This is one of the most protected cheese in Spain. It can only be produced form the milk of the Merino and Entrefina sheep, which have low yields of milk. It takes the milk of 20 sheep to make one 2.2 pound wheel of Torta del Casar. It is normally best enjoyed by letting it sit out at room temperature for at least 1 hour, then slicing the top off and spreading on bread.The top is saved to later be used to cover the cheese once again. The origins is said to be from 1271, it is truely an ancient cheese.

Pomme Souffle

I have been work at Sergi Arola Gastro in Madrid, Spain a 2 Michlin Star resturant for alomost two months now. As the stand-in Chef de Partie on the meat station, one of my pick-ups in a Pomme Souffle dish. It has been a true test of following instruction, intuition, and patients (which i have very little of). But here is what I have found to be the trick.... Good Luck.

Ingredients

Potatoes, fairly new HIGH Starch

Evoo

Grapeseed/Sunflower oil

Salt

Tools

Two rondeau

Spider

2 Hotel Pans, one for drying and one for finished product

Paper Towels

1 Medium Bowl, for potatoes that don’t puff

Thermometer

Tons of Patients (not optional)

Pour 50/50 of the oils into rondeau, about 2 inches worth. Begin heating.

Key to success

-Very Sharp Knife

-Shape Potatoes in One straight motion, once shaped, slice on Madeline to about 3 mm or 1/4 inch.

-Dry potatoes on sheets of paper towels, spread out flat

-Dry in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes

-One oil at 120°C to start, add the potatoes one by one quickly so they don’t stick to each other. As soon as the slices are in begin moving, and keep the oil at 120°C. Once the potatoes being to bubble, some may even souffle, wait a bit longer. Total process may take between 8-10  minutes. It all depends on the potato, so be patient. Once they are all mostly bubbling try a couple in the hotter oil. If they puff, add to oil and quickly remove to crisp later. 

In about 160°C slowly crisp and color the souffle and season. Most of them will re-puff, but a few will not.

The Power of Jamon

 Embutidos are as important to Spain’s food culture as cream and butter are to France. All over Spain different types of embutidos are produces, but for me the best and most celebrated are in the regions where the Black Iberian pig in grow. The Iberian breed, also know as Pata Nerga, is one of the world’s top breed for size, conformation, and most important is flavor. Iberian pigs are grown in the south and southwestern parts of spain. In the Iberian world the top breeder,  allow their pig to feed in open fields, where the terrane is sloped for exercises. To make the animal move around so food at top of hill and water at bottom. Also, these priced animals can have an “up-grade”, during the seasons, these Iberian hogs feast on acorns. This now changes the market name to Iberico Bellota, normally for two seasons. Their many producer of Jamon in Spain, but the best is a company who takes it to the next level is  In Salamanca. There is a small city called Guijuelo, which is know for having the best quality Bellota Jamon. Joselito is the top producer of Jamon in the area, its the finest Jamon i have ever had. Most producers are aging their ham for about 2 to 3 year. At Joselito every ham is aged a minimum 4 to 5 years. He markets this Jamon as wine, every year during the winter holidays he releases his Gran Reserva. These Jamons are aged between 6 up to 9 years. He told me the better the quality the animal is at slaughter the longer it can age. He sell to the top restaurant almost all over the world. Truly an experience to have been in his plant. During our vist we enjoyed a 6 and 7 year Jamon. These ham range between 200 to over a 1000 euros. This is truly the best Jamon, the Packaging is also top quality.