European
New Chef at the Grand Hotel Continental
Oct 4th
Chef Luca Ciaffarafà
More then a welcome it is a “welcome back” which the Grand Hotel Continental is planning on December 1st 2008, when the cuisine of the Sapordivino Restaurant will be placed into the trusted hands of Chef Luca Ciaffarafà.
Infact, Chef Ciaffarafà has work for the past Royal Demeure Hotel Group in the years from 1993 – 2004, managing the kitchen of the past Park Hotel Siena and actively participating in the opening and start up of the Grand Hotel Continental.
The Tuscan origin of Ciaffarafà is reflected in his interpretation and expression he give to his cuisine. At the base of all is a great respect and dedication to what the tuscan territory has to offer. His expertise in cuisine is extended to a wide range of arguments, being a professional sommelier, pastry chef, certified ice cream maker and mastering an infinite amount of subjects such as sugar based decorations, ice sculptures and monumental cakes, extra virgin olive oil taster, fruit and vegetable décor.
One may truly consider Chef Ciaffarafà has highly professional chef and gastronomic expert.
Among his professional experiences, he has worked in Austria, Monte Carlo, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Great Britain.
The future plans for the Sapordivino Restaurant of the Grand Hotel Continental will focus on rediscovering the typical and regional recipes, adapted to the modern cuisine and with dedication to the details of presentation. Emphasis will be placed on the selection of the single ingredients, the use of spices, fresh herbs and salts. Menùs will respect the seasonal products further to offering specifics on organic produce. Suggestions for vegetarians and any dietary intolerances will be attentively created.
Some example of dishes: “Necci” – chestnut crepes – filled with tuscan raw ham and Pecorino – sheep cheese, Black cabbage millefeuille with lard from Chianti, “Gnudi” – spinach and ricotta dumpling- with wild tender herbs and crisp sage, Wild boar stew with olives,
The Restaurant Sapordivino will present a dynamic menu for lunches and dinners, offer the possibility to create a special and private moment in the beautiful wine cellar with a tasting menu to match selected wines and furthermore, the magnificent function rooms of the Grand Hotel Continental will host cocktails, business lunches, gala dinners, wedding reception.
Fagottini di Cinta Senese alla piastra con mostarda del Chianti
(Grilled Sienese pork filled parcels with Chianti chutney and apple vinegar)
| Ingredients (3 people): | Method: |
| Melagre del Chianti – Chianti Apple vinegar or balsamic vinegar gr 9Extra virgin olive oil 60gr Red/Yellow peppers gr 90 Orange marmellade gr 45 Mixed flour gr 450 – rye, white, spelt and chestnut Eggs n4 Lemon juice gr 50 Parmesan cheese gr 15 Pork meet gr 300 Milk gr 60 Butter gr 30 Sugar gr 30 Minced celery, carrot and onion gr 50 Chilli pepper Spices: mace, cinnamon, horseradish |
For the parcels: mix the flour, eggs, lemon juice and oil into a smooth doughFor the chutney: cut the peppers into small dices, springle with sugar and putt to a side for 12 hours. Put the pepper in a pot with the orange marmellade, chilli pepper and spice and stir when needed until they are cooked.For the filling: cut in small pieces the pork meat, stir fry in a pan with the celery, carrot and onion until cooked. Grind all the ingredients with the parmesan cheese.Make a besciamelle with milk, butter and flour (15 gr.). Add to the filling.
Roll out the dough thinly, form the parcels with the filling. Boil in water fro 2 min and then brill grill with a little oil. Lay out the parcels on the plate with a spoon of the Chianti chutney. Décor with drops of Melagre of the Chianti or balsamic vinegar. |
For more information contact Barbara3@rogers.com
Fashionable foodies love the UK
Aug 22nd
Langdon Hall, Cambridge
Our most memorable vacation meals are often found close to home and
Cambridge’s Langdon Hall is no exception. A
revered dining venue and vacation destination, the Hall is celebrated for
its culinary excellence. Five Diamond awarded Chef Jonathan Gushue is
famous
for making each meal a miniature masterpiece, demonstrating his passion for
French-inspired cuisine. How does one go back to reality after this five
star treatment? Try making his Cucumber Gazpacho and Lettuce Gazpacho
recipes at home.
Cucumber Gazpacho
| Ingredients: | Method: |
| 300mL vegetable stock (or water if desired) 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped 200mL 35% cream 100g fresh horseradish, grated 1 tbsp tarragon (chopped) 1 tbsp chervil (chopped) 1 tbsp basil (chopped) 1 tbsp chive (chopped) 150g mascarpone 2 tbsp creamed horseradish Salt, white pepper, and lemon juice to taste |
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pass through a strainer and season with salt, white pepper and lemon juice. This is best made 24 hours in advance so the flavours can develop.Serve very cold. |
Lettuce Gazpacho
| Ingredients: | Method: |
| 2 heads romaine lettuce, dark green tops removed 5 shallots, sliced 1 fennel bulb, core and outer layer removed, sliced 1 celery heart with leaves, chopped 1 bunch chervil 300mL garlic aioli (see below) Sea salt (such as Maldon)Aioli Ingredients: 6 egg yolks |
For the aioli – In a large bowl, whisk first four ingredients until smooth. Then slowly drizzle in oils white continuing to whisk until mixture thickens into a mayonnaise. Season with salt, white pepper, and more lemon juice if needed.For the gazpacho – Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pass through a strainer and season with salt. Add more aioli if necessary. Serve very cold. |
For more information contact Barbara3@rogers.com
From the kitchen of the famous Grand Hotel Quisisana Capri
Aug 9th
Great chefs: Stefano Mazzone
Born in 1975, native of Treviso, Sicilian parents.
Chef of the famous Grand Hotel Quisisana, Capri, Italy
He started his career with Gualtiero Marchesi and after only two months experience, became Chef de partie for appetizers. Mr. Marchesi educated him to think of the dish and paper, to design it according to a certain style and then turn into realty, with a rigid discipline, an absolute rigour to maintain the same level of quality, through hours of painstaking work.
No genius, but great determination, knowledge, experimentation and a bit of creativity, so that, according to Mazzone, allows the extra step to be an innovator, to
do something unique. This severity sounds pretty amazing from a chef so open minded, with intuitions, sometimes born of constraints, such as prosaic request of a grilled fish, then comes with a grilled mackerel in tomato vinaigrette
After the “military service” with Marchesi, Mazzone learnt how to cultivate, as Sicilian, the being Mediterranean, the fun in the kitchen from a Teutonic by Heinz Beck, “one with a kitchen so colorful and vivid to seem of a chef South of France, chaotic and volcanic, but the best marketing manager between chefs, an example of how to talk to the customer even after the dinner, as not to miss the opportunities of the market, through a clear business plan.”
Professional periods in Sicily, where he gave excitement to his cuisine. He arrived at the Grand Hotel Quisisana in 2007 in a new and challenging adventure, that faced with the ease of the veteran.
The apparent simplicity conceals peaks of flavor that are the result of analysis, study, experimentation, innovation, such as when the bones of the bird, be it a pigeon or a partridge are cooked on the bottom, on the grill, slowly to avoid burning, and focus on taking a note smoked flavor that enhances the sauce making it completely new.
Tastes, texture, even the temperatures tend to be warm “as the body temperature, natural, non-invasive”, are recognizable, clean, touch the memory of smells and tastes that everyone has, at a deep level as it has evolved palate and trained, and at the surface, to their immediate pleasure.
Grilled Mackerel with cherry tomatoes and Oregon flavoured mayonnaise
| Ingredients (4 persons) 4 Mackerels of approx. 250/300 gr. Each 1 kg cherry tomatoes 1 red onion 300 wild Oregon 2 egg yolk 300g olive oil 2 lt. Mineral water 30 g wine vinegar Salt Instruments Mixer Siphon |
MethodMackerel: cut the fish but leaving the tail and remove the fish bones with a little pincher. Tomatoes: soak in salted boiling water for 10 seconds and immediately make cold, peel them in quarters and wash seeds and gelatines. Peel the onion and cut in little slices.Mayonnaise: clean the oregon and wash it quickly with water. Place it for few seconds in boiling mineral water and immediately make cold. Fill a little can and mix with a high speed mixer. Whip the yolks with salt and olive oil; when the mayonnaise is done add mineral water until the sauce becomes semi-liquid. Add the oregon that has been previously winnowed and fill it in a Siphon. Load a cartridge for the cream and keep in the refrigerator for few hours.Plate assembling: Add the onion to the tomatoes, add salt, olive oil and vinegar, leave it for few minutes. Cook the Mackerel on a very hot grill, place the tomatoes well dry from their juice in the plate in ring-shape. Place the mayonnaise and on the top, one mackerel. Garnish with salt, oregon and little oregon flowers, olive oil. |
For more information contact Barbara3@rogers.com
