Passionate Chef of the Week August 1 2008

Heinz Klenner

You will find the beginning of this interview in the ProChef360 Weekly Wrap e-letter- if you would like to receive your personal copy of the e-letter please contact Chef Matthew J.G. matthew@prochef360.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began by asking Chef Heinz;

ProChef360- Were you destined to become a chef?

Chef Heinz- For as long as I can remember I always wanted to be in the kitchen working as a chef, growing up as a child I had a great passion for cooking.

ProChef360- Can you offer a few words of advice for the chefs of tomorrow?

Chef Heinz- Be focused, work hard, learn as much as you can from good experienced chefs and do not think anything will be given to you for free.

I dislike young chefs, who think they can cook because they went to USD 36,000 per year schools, and think they will be stars on TV without the necessary experience.

Last but certainly not least, do not take shortcuts.

ProChef360- What are you hobbies and spare time interests?

Chef Heinz- I enjoy like photography, skiing and sailing, in addition I am about to make my scuba diving license.

ProChef360- What do you eat for breakfast?

Chef Heinz- Usually just a coffee or two.

ProChef360- What were your favorite foods as a child?

Chef Heinz- I grew up in the Austrian countryside on a family owned winery, I enjoyed most foods and still do. My favorites from my childhood are old Austrian home-style classics like Tafelspitz (Boiled Beef) and Kaiserschmarrn (Caramelised Pancake).

ProChef360- If you had one wish, what would it be?

Chef Heinz- I would like to have my own small place where I grew up, something like a 40 seat restaurant- a place where I can cook as I want without having to worry about the financial aspects. This wish is more than likely feasible for the last part of my career.

The parting words- why don’t you leave the audience

with a sentence or two to ponder over?

Chef Heinz- I have met many great chefs over the course of my career so far; consequently I am grateful to have worked with them and learnt as much as I possibly could. The bottom line is that it is the experience which makes us qualified, valuable, and distinctive.

ProChef360- Thank you for your time Heinz. It is nice of you to share your views and opinions with the readers.

Chef Heinz would like to share the following recipes with us.

 

 

Gazpacho Jelly with Baby Mozzarella

Recipe by Heinz Klenner

4 servings

Ingredients

80 gr baby mozzarella

12 pcs cherry tomato

20 gr basil pesto

20 gr black olive tapenade

40 gr rocket leaves

40 gr red onion

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

80 ml balsamic vinegar

20 gr brown sugar

50 gr toasted Focaccia bread

Gazpacho Jelly (recipe)

50 gr vine tomato

1 clove garlic

20 gr red onion

20 gr ea red and green peppers

20 gr cucumber

20 ml olive oil

10 ml sherry vinegar

gelatine (take 8 sheets to the litre)

5 peeled almonds soaked in milk

Method

Day 1

Prepare a gazpacho with the mentioned ingredients, season to taste. Make sure to add the almonds and oil last, to ensure a smooth consistency is achieved

Dissolve the gelatine and add to the gazpacho- chill overnight in a shallow flat bottom rectangle dish

Marinate the halved baby mozzarella with the pesto, refrigerate overnight as well

Poach the cherry tomatoes in herb oil @ 70 degrees Celsius until the skin pops off (usually takes 45 minutes) drain and chill. Reduce the balsamic vinegar with the brown sugar to have paint like consistency and chill

Day 2

Cut the gazpacho jelly into stripes (see above photo) just to have enough space to arrange the baby mozzarella halves on top

Trim the toasted slice of Focaccia toast to size, spread with the tapenade, top off with rocket leaves and red onion rings

Garnish with the balsamic reduction using a paintbrush. Give a grind of black pepper

Lastly add the poached cherry tomatoes. (looks a lot better on the bunch)

 

 

Pan Fried Fillets of Red Snapper, Mussel Veloute, Sautéed Baby Spinach

Recipe by Heinz Klenner

4 servings

Ingredients 

4 fillets red snapper- 180 gr each

80 gr peeled mussels

60 gr carrots, diced

50 gr asparagus spears

40 gr kipfler (la ratte) potatoes, diced

50 gr peeled, deseeded cucumber, diced

60 ml cream

100 ml fish stock (seasoned)

80 gr baby spinach leaves

5 gr rice flour

butter

parsley

dill

saffron

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cut the snapper fillets into 8 pieces, score if necessary, season with salt and pepper

Pan fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, pad dry, set aside

Blanch the mussels, carrots, asparagus, and potatoes separately, chill

Bring the fish stock to the boil, add the cream and allow to reduce

Heat some butter in a pan, add the rice flour and pour in the boiling fish stock mixture to get a smooth veloute

Season the veloute with saffron, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, add the mussels, carrots, asparagus, and potatoes, bring it to simmer

Sauté the spinach with some butter, season with salt and pepper

To serve pour the veloute onto a deep plate, top with the sautéed spinach and the red snapper, garnish with some dill

Happy Cooking!!!

Passionate Chef of the Week- Graham Ash

You will find the beginning of this interview in the ProChef360 Weekly Wrap e-letter- if you would like to receive your personal copy of the e-letter please contact Chef Matthew J.G. matthew@prochef360.com.

  

I began by asking Chef Graham;

ProChef360- What inspires you?

Chef Graham- Many years ago, it was chasing accolades and awards. Now, it is all about keeping 130 men and women well fed and fed on time. I still get a buzz from eating out in nice restaurants or seeing a new recipe in a book or magazine.

ProChef360- What is your favorite music to play in the kitchen?

Chef Graham- Nothing too funky, or else I start dancing around the galley and become a safety hazard!

I like something easy to listen to now I am older….Steely Dan, Journey, that sort thing.

ProChef360- What has been the greatest influence on your career thus far?

Chef Graham- Becoming a development chef certainly knocks any inflated ego from a chef. You very quickly learn that it is NOT about what YOU want – but what the CUSTOMER wants. If the customer wants a plain bread and butter pudding, then give it to them; don’t mess around adding apricots and Grand Marnier.

Certainly there is a lesson to be learnt for all when writing menus.

ProChef360- Do you enjoy cooking at home when the opportunity presents itself?

Chef Graham- Absolutely – this is when I get to cook what I want to eat. Besides – working offshore is a 100% alcohol free zone.

When I am at home cooking for my wife, Karen, there is no pressure and I can relax with a nice glass of red.

Chef Graham- I work offshore on an oil rig in the North Sea for Universal Sodexho. I work 14 x 12 hour shifts, then have 14 days off.

I am employed as a night cook/ baker. Typically, this involves preparing a midnight meal, consisting of salads, 4 hot choices and hot and cold desserts. The rest of my shift is spent baking the bread, hot and cold desserts. A typical rig would have about 130 persons on board, with about 30 of them on night shift. All bread, cakes and pastries are baked fresh daily.

It is true, the guys (and girls) do like the old favourites like chicken curry, meat pie and roast beef. However we do offer more contemporary and healthy choices as well.

Not working with luxury ingredients is not a hurdle, but a challenge. You can still achieve high standards.

You will certainly be told, in no uncertain terms, if the food isn’t up to scratch. They are a discerning bunch offshore!

ProChef360- Can you offer a few words of advice for the chefs of tomorrow?

Chef Graham-  

When you are starting out – don’t be shy – ask as many questions as possible and write it all down, in a book, in your pocket – NOW. Trying to remember it all a week later on your days off, will be too late

It is not about the money (that will come later) it is about gaining knowledge and experience.

Finally piss people off on the way up, you never know who you may meet on the way down!

The parting words- why don’t you leave the audience

With a sentence or two to ponder over?

Chef Graham- Good food cooked and presented well, will always be well received. One thing I have learnt since working in the contract business is that you don’t need fillet steak and foie gras to produce a good meal.

ProChef360- Thank you for sharing your views and opinions with the readers Graham.

Chef Graham- Thank you for giving me the opportunity Matthew.

 

Blueberry Cheesecake

Makes 12 large cheesecakes

Recipe by- Graham Ash- Baker, Universal Sodexho (Remote Sites)

Ingredients

Make a standard cheesecake base using Digestive or Ginger biscuits and butter.

600g pasteurized eggs

560g sugar

1400g cream cheese

1 fresh vanilla pod

3 lemons- in juice and zest

20 gelatin leaves

1700ml Cream

Blueberries

Method

Whisk eggs and sugar together over a bain marie to a thick sabayon.

Dissolve soaked gelatin in cold water

Add to eggs

Cool mixture

Add softened cream cheese, seeds from the vanilla pod, lemon juice and zest,

Fold in semi-whipped cream

Fold in blueberries

Set into moulds and chill for a couple of hours.

Serve and garnish as required.

  

Sweet Round Bun

Recipe by- Graham Ash- Baker, Universal Sodexho (Remote Sites)

Ingredients

4000g doughnut or bun dough

500g sultanas

500g softened unsalted butter

575g granulated sugar

1:1 sugar syrup

 

Method

Mix together the sultanas, lemon juice, and sugar.

Roll out the dough to 1.5 cm thick.

Spread the softened butter over and sprinkle with the sultanas and sugar.  (see picture)

Starting from the end furtherest away from you, roll the dough towards you to form a ’sausage’ shape. (see picture)

Cut into units 4.5 cm long and arrange around the inside of the greased ring

Prove at 40*c with little steam.

Bake at 180*c for 14-16 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and brush with the sugar syrup and lots of granulated sugar.

 

Weekly Wrap e-letter- Volume 1- Issue 2

Question Time- Chef Indrajit Saha

This article is a result of a recent interaction with Chef Indrajit. You will find the beginning of this interview in the ProChef360 Weekly Wrap e-letter- if you would like to receive your personal copy of the e-letter please contact Chef Matthew J.G. matthew@prochef360.com.

I asked Chef Indrajit the following:

Question Number 1

ProChef360- What pursued you to become a professional chef?

Chef Indrajit- To be honest it was an accident that I ended up at catering school but once I went there from the first day I knew that I wanted to be a chef. Basically, I felt the comfortable with the whole atmosphere.

Question Number 2

ProChef360- How many different Countries have you worked in? Which one did you enjoy the most?

Chef Indrajit- India, Maldives, Caribbean, Africa and Dubai. I enjoyed the Maldives the best. I had plenty of time to concentrate on my cooking.

Question Number 3

ProChef360- What is your favorite ingredient you like to use in your cooking? Why?

Chef Indrajit- Well Matthew, I have 2, the first one is “Aubergine” -it absorbs lots of flavours and release also lot of flavors and the second is “Lemon” – a dash of it changes the whole nature of the dish.

Question Number 4

ProChef360- What is the latest cookbook you purchased?

Chef Indrajit- Nobu. I haven’t looked back since- I picked up many nice ideas to include in my own cooking.

Question Number 5

ProChef360- Any tips for chefs that are just beginning their career?

Chef Indrajit- Be honest and passionate to your career and yourself. It takes lot of hard and smart work to be chef. Do not only run for the money, it will come in time.

Question Number 6

ProChef360- As a professional chef what is the most intriguing fixation you have witnessed in the kitchen?

Chef Indrajit- As an expatriate in the daily life you hear people speaking different languages, however in the kitchen all of the various languages boil down in the cooking. So you hear people speaking their own individual language however we as chefs can easily grasp the meaning.

 The parting words- why don’t you leave the audience

with a sentence or two to ponder over?

Chef Indrajit- To all culinary professionals, if you drop something on the kitchen floor make sure that you do not forget to pick it up. It only takes few seconds; do not leave the kitchen dirty, it is your pride.

ProChef360- Thank you for sharing your views and opinions with the readers.

Chef Indrajit would like to share the following recipe with us.

 Duo of Duck

Ingredients

160 gm duck leg

30 gm duck fat

1 each bay leaf

4 each black peppercorn

3 gm rock salt

100 gm duck breast

 Salt and black pepper- to taste

Sauce

5 gm shallot

2 ml olive oil

60 ml orange juice

40 ml duck stock

1 star anise

3 ml raspberry vinegar

3 gm brown sugar

Dauphinoise Potato

100 gm potato

20 ml cream

1 egg

10 gr parmesan

Vegetables

1 leek

3 asparagus spears

3 baby corn

3 baby carrots

1 Yellow zucchini

30 ml clarified butter

3 orange segments

Deco

Deep fried thyme

Herb oil

Preparation Method

Sprinkle duck leg with rock salt, and place under refrigeration for a day. Wipe off the excess salt and pat dry with tissue. Heat the duck fat with bay leaf and peppercorn. Add the duck leg to the pan and allow to simmer. Place the pan in the pre-heated oven at 50*C and cook until the meat is tender (approximately 40 minutes). Marinate the duck breast with salt and black pepper. For the sauce, heat the olive oil, add the prepared shallot and star anise, cook until the shallot is translucent, add the orange juice and brown sugar, caramelise. Deglaze with the raspberry vinegar, add the duck stock. Allow to simmer until a sauce like consistency has been reached. Slice the potato. Heat the cream and temper yolks add the parmesan cheese. Dip the potatoes in the mixture and arrange in a tin lined with sliver foil. Bake at 210*C and place under refrigeration. Blanch the prepared vegetables and toss them in clarified butter and chopped herbs. Arrange the vegetables into a bouquet. Pan sear the duck breast and reheat the duck leg. Sprinkle the parmesan on Dauphinoise and put in the oven. Cook the yellow zucchini slices on the char grill.  Place 4 slices of zucchini in layers and put the Dauphinoise potato in the centre of the slices. Place the duck leg on the top of Dauphinoise place the vegetables bouquet on both the sides. Slice the breast and arrange as shown in the photo, arrange the orange segments, spoon the sauce around and garnish with deep fried thyme and herb oil.

Enjoy!!!

Weekly Wrap, e-letter, Question Time, Chef, Cookbook, Nobu, Cooking, Career, Maldives, India, Caribbean, Duck, Potato

Weekly Wrap Newsletter- Volume 1 Issue 1

Question Time- Chef Gilbert Steiner

Question Number 1

ProChef360- When did you realize that you wanted to be a professional chef?

Chef Gilbert- When I was in my teenage years many of my friends from school started out as chefs- I guess I followed them. Throughout my youth I seemed to spend a lot of time in the kitchen with both my mother and grandmother helping them prepare the meals. I remember it was during the Easter school vacation I discovered the kitchen world for the first time, in a small traditional Alsatian restaurant, for a week a chef / owner shared his culinary passion with me. The year after that I completed my regular school and began my apprenticeship…., I was 15 years old.

Question Number 2

ProChef360- Who inspired you the most as a young cook?

Chef Gilbert- During my days cooking in France, many names of great master chefs come to my mind- each of them with their own merits, however I would say that the ones that particularly stand out are Paul Bocuse and Joel Robuchon when they were at the heights of their careers.  Namely for the unique product research, its originality and creation. They managed to put the bases of modern cuisine into society, to this very day they are inspiring the future generations. In a nut shell I have a deep respect for both of them.

Question Number 3

ProChef360- What are 3 top traits that someone should have to succeed as a chef?

Chef Gilbert- Well I would say, passion, generosity and taste; as the major factors, creativity and curiosity to compliment.

Question Number 4

ProChef360- Currently you are working in China; previously you were based in the Maldives? Was it a difficult transition?

Chef Gilbert- Yes, I was in the majestic Maldives, for sure it’s a major change but I can adapt to change with relative easy. I received a very warm welcome upon my arrival in China which made the transition very straightforward. In addition the switch was simple due to the fact that I like to discover new things plus the fact that I am very open to new cultural experiences.

Question Number 5

ProChef360- What is your favorite cooking gadget?

Chef Gilbert- I will surprise you, it is a soup spoon, because of its multi-function, from tasting soup, adding sauces and dressings to the dishes and to dressing up the plates.

Question Number 6

ProChef360- How do you define “taste”?

Chef Gilbert- Difficult to say quickly and concisely… firstly taste is a combination of little touches that give great pleasures; it is often linked to childhood, what was known or lived.

I was lucky to have a grandmother and mother who cooked many fabulous dishes, this gives me many wonderful memories of taste.

Taste is one of the five senses in which we perceive flavors. It is an education and also a gratification to be able to gather around a table, sharing and enjoying a meal.

In conclusion, we can say that when something has taste it has nerves, personality and texture. In addition taste is a feeling of extreme quality.

The parting words- why don’t you leave the audience

with a sentence or two to ponder over?

Chef Gilbert- “Cooking is just like Love” you need to give a little every day to make it work and to feel good.

 ”A Chef is like a General” as chef you need to adapt, share, guide and motivate your team because a chef is nothing without his/ her kitchen brigade.

ProChef360- Thank you for sharing your views and opinions with the readers.

Roasted Pigeon with Baby Spring Vegetables

 

Recipe by Steiner Gilbert

Serving for 6 persons

Ingredients:

 3 pcs of pigeon

100 gm carrots

100 gm celery

6 baby turnips

80 gm butter

6 baby zucchini

10 gm shallots

5 gm garlic

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper- to taste

6 baby fennel

6 baby spring onion

5 ml olive oil

1/2 L brown stock

12 baby carrots

30 gm garlic

Deco:

6 star anise

10 gm white sesame seed

 Direction:

Roast the whole pigeon with a mirepoix of carrot and celery, add the garlic, cook until a nice brown color; cook in the oven 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the size of the pigeon), glaze during cooking time Peel and cook the baby spring vegetables in salted water, finish by glazing them with shallots, finish with butter and chopped parsley. When the pigeon is ready, take out and debone, deglaze mirepoix with brown stock, and reduce, Strain and set up glazed vegetables and jus.

Dish as per chef creativity.

Tropical Salmon Three Ways

Recipe by Steiner Gilbert

Serving for 6 persons

Ingredients:

600 gm Norway salmon

100 gm granulated sugar

100 gm fine salt

40gm lemongrass

20 gm Fennel seed

20 gm Coriander seed

10 gm star anise

20 gm cinnamon stick

50 gm shredded dehydrated coconut

20 ml Vodka

10 ml Malibu

1 pcs lemon- in juice

1 pcs lime- in juice

20 gm ginger

3 tomatoes

6 green asparagus

100 ml extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper- to taste

1/2 L of fish stock

100ml white wine

50 gm spring onions

Deco:

Reduced Balsamic vinegar

Ginger-Mango coulis

10 gm Shallots

5 gm Garlic

12 Lime leaves

Direction:

Cut the Salmon in 3/3, 2/3 keeps raw.

1. – 1/3 for Marinate Salmon Tartar:

Mix the granulated sugar, salt and the chopped lemongrass, the fennel, coriander seeds, star anise, cinnamon stick and shredded dehydrated coconut. Sprinkle a little salt on bottom, place salmon with skin down, cover upper part with rest of marinate mix, add Vodka and Malibu. Cover and keep refrigerated for 6 hrs.

After, when ready. Wash salt away under clear running water and dry for other 12 hrs.

2. – 2/3 for Salmon Carpaccio: with instead marinade

Mix lemon and lime juice, add chopped ginger, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper, finish with extra virgin olive oil. Peel Tomatoes and cut into a small dice; blanch the asparagus and cut in slices.

3. – 3/3 for Poached Salmon:

Poaching Bouillon: mix flavorful fish stock, with white wine, add half cut lemongrass, few slices of ginger, shallots, spring onion;

Poach slowly until the Salmon reaches 68 C° (or 154 F°)

Dish as per chef creativity.