In times like these, everyone can use a feel-good story — and we’ve got a great one for you that’s unfolding right now at one of Miami’s most anticipated restaurants — the South Florida outpost of Marcus Samuelsson’s iconic Red Rooster, located in the heart of Miami’s historic Overtown neighborhood on NW 2nd Avenue.
The grand opening of Samuelsson’s Red Rooster Overtown didn’t go quite as was expected pre-pandemic. Amidst widespread restaurant closures and social distancing efforts, the award-winning chef and his partners, Michael Simkins and Derek Fleming, have instead transformed the restaurant into a community food hub, lending the kitchen and space to Food Rescue US and World Central Kitchen — founded by celebrity chef and Nobel Peace Prize nominee José Andrés — to provide meals to South Floridians who have lost their jobs or have been otherwise impacted by the coronavirus.
Starting Friday, March 27, volunteers from Andrés’s foundation and Food Rescue US have been working alongside Red Rooster chefs to serve prepared and packaged meals every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from noon until 4 pm. The project aims to offer some relief to workers who have lost their jobs in the local restaurant industry, but anyone in need will receive a meal so long as there is food available. The initiative is also taking place at Red Rooster’s original Harlem location.
“We must fight food insecurity during this time of crisis which is why we are proud to open our brand new Red Rooster Overtown to work with incredible partners like World Central Kitchen and Food Rescue US to safely provide meals in this unprecedented time of need,” said Samuelsson, chef and co-owner of Red Rooster Overtown.
Samuelsson’s partner, Michael Simkins, has also contributed financially to the relief effort through the Simkins Family Foundation.
“We are proud that Overtown can be a beacon of hope for Miami, supporting workers and members of our local community who have been devastated by these overwhelming circumstances,” he said.
“We are excited to work with World Central Kitchen, Food Rescue US and our local operators at Grove Bay Hospitality to carry on the rich social justice history of this great community of Overtown,” added Red Rooster Overtown partner Derek Fleming.
The biggest challenge right now remains raising funds and resources to keep the operation going. Ellen Schmertz Bowen, who leads the Miami arm of Food Rescue US, is asking for donations from the community. Those interested in donating food and goods should email her at [email protected]. If you’d like to donate money to the Food Rescue US COVID-19 Response fund, you can do so here.
As we all practice social distancing due to COVID-19 lockdown, we have a lot of time in our hands to try new recipes. Some of us are occupying ourselves with sourdough starters, some of us are spending more time cooking. We have rounded up 11 recipes we have received from Miami restaurants and bars for you to try.
1. Stuffed Zucchini from Meraki Greek Bistro
Ingredients
8 medium round or white zucchini 1 pound of ground beef 1 onion, finely chopped 4 full spoons of chopped parsley 1/3 cup olive oil ½ cup Glacé rice ½ cup of water 2 medium potatoes, chopped in quarters 2 eggs Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cut the top off of the zucchini and carefully empty the insides. Chop all fresh herbs. Heat half of the oil in a large pan and cook on medium heat and add the onion. Add the ground meat and raise heat to medium-high using a wooden spoon to break down the meat and mix with the onion. Stir in the parsley, dill, rice, salt, and pepper (to taste) and lower the heat and stir for around 2-3 minutes or until all ingredients are mixed together. Add ½ cup water to the pan and let it boil until the liquid is absorbed all over, stirring so the ingredients don’t stick to the pan. Fill the zucchini with the meat mixture and close them with their “lids”. In the same pan, place the stuffed zucchinis upright and add pieces of potatoes around them to make sure they stay still. Then, add water to the pan to 2/3 to the top of the zucchinis along with salt and pepper (to taste). Lower the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer for about 40 minutes until soft. Remove the zucchinis from the pan and add them to an oven-safe serving container. Start beating the eggs, pour in the lemon juice, and continue to beat them. Warm the egg-lemon mix by adding a little bit of broth from the pan. Add the mixture to the pan and stir until it starts to boil. Pour it over the zucchini and serve.
2.Greek Stuffed Peppers from Meraki Greek Bistro
Photo credit: Meraki Greek Bistro
Ingredients 3 onions 2 potatoes 6 tomatoes 3 peppers 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ grams Glacé rice 2 ½ cups of water 2 tablespoons of minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste 1 small bunch parsley 1 small bunch spearmint 1/3 small bunch dill 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop onions, all fresh herbs and garlic (keep separate). Remove insides of the tomatoes. Remove insides of the peppers and place them on a cooking tray. Heat oil in a pan on high heat. Add onions, garlic and cook until golden. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add and sauté the rice for 3-4 minutes until it absorbs all the liquid. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and sauté. Add 1 ½ cups water and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and continue to stir. Add the filling removed from the tomatoes; add in the herbs (save a bit for serving) and continue to stir with no heat. Add the filling to the peppers with a spoon; whatever stuffing is left add it inside the tray. Add 1 cup of water inside the cooking tray. Sprinkle with olive oil, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes on 375. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 10-20 minutes until the liquids evaporate. Sprinkle with olive oil and the remaining fresh herbs and serve.
3.Linguine and Clams from Steve Martorano
Photo credit: Steve Martorano
Ingredients 25 littleneck clams (washed underwater) 1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 Large garlic cloves smashed 1 pinch Tutto Calabria red pepper flakes 1 pinch Tutto Calabria oregano 2 teaspoon coarse Italian parsley ¼ cup dry white Santa Margarita pinot grigio wine 5 ounces gentile linguine
Instructions In a medium-sized sauté pan heat oil with the smashed garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook ingredients until the garlic are golden brown but not burnt. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the 25 littleneck clams. Also, add in the Santa Margarita wine and cover the pan. It will begin to bubble. Next, add in the clam meat, along with coarsely chopped parsley, and oregano. Put on medium heat and in 5-6 minutes, shake the pan with the lid on. At this point, the shell of the clam should open. If not, disregard the clams with an unopened shell. Meanwhile, in salted boiling water cook the linguine until al dente (firm), remove from the water, and toss macaroni in with the littleneck clams and natural clam sauce. Finally, plate into a bowl and garnish with a touch of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley.
4. Pulpo a la Plancha (Grilled Octopus) from Quinto la Huella
Pulpo a la Plancha from Quinto la Huella
Ingredients:
1 Octopus of 3 pounds 6 medium potatoes 3 cups + 5 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 tbs paprika 2 tbs chives/ciboulette
Instructions
Cook the octopus. Separate the tentacles and set aside (the rest of the octopus is not used in this recipe). Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 cm thick slices. Place them in a saucepan and bathe them with 3 cups of olive oil, so that they are submerged. Bring them to very low heat (between 110 and 120 ° C) for approximately 30 minutes. When they are tender by pricking them with a toothpick or skewer, remove them and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and hot paprika, bathe them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil (to moisten the paprika) and take them to a strong oven (200 ° C) for a few minutes to heat and brown the paprika. As they bake, heat a skillet over high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the tentacles. Turn them over to cook them on all sides; when they are very golden brown and the crust begins to get crispy, they will be ready to serve. On each plate, place 3 or 4 potato slices; on top, a tentacle. Bathe with the last jet of extra virgin olive oil and finish with ciboulette or chopped parsley.
5. Volcan Dulce de Leche from Quinto la Huella
Volcan Dulce de Leche from Quinto la Huella
Ingredients:
1 egg 2 yolks 400 gr of Dulce de leche 2 tbs flour
Preparation: Beat the egg with the yolks to double its volume. Add the dulce de leche and mix until integrated. Finally add the flour twice, beating until the preparation is homogeneous. Evenly butter and flour (this is key to then easily unmold) six molds for custards or muffins of 100 ml capacity and fill them with the mixture almost to the edge. Heat the oven to moderate-strong temperature (200 ° C). Place the molds on a tray and cook for 8-10 minutes. The exact cooking time may vary depending on the oven; to find out if they are in their right place (cooked on the outside but liquid on the inside), take the mold out of the oven and, touching the surface, test if it’s soft but easily detaches from the edges. Unmold on the same plate in which it is going to be served and serve with banana ice cream
6. Sake glazed chicken wings from Zuma
Zuma
Ingredients:
Medium-sized chicken wings (flats only), Bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 5min), Sake, Mirin, Kosher Salt, Maldon Sea Salt, Lime
Instructions:
Cut off 1/4in of wing ends, slightly revealing bone. (This step is optional, reduces cooking time and makes eating a lot easier.) Start skewering the chicken! Each portion will contain 2 wings and 2 skewers. Keep each piece of chicken about an inch and a half away from each other on the skewer. Skewers should be pierced between the bone and skin. Spray or rub a generous amount of sake onto skewered wings. Season both sides of wings with a generous amount of salt. Place wings skin side down on an elevated rack, above the grill, on med-high heat. Cook skin side down until crispy and slightly blistered; about 6-7 minutes Flip wings meat side down. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Before serving spray mirin on both sides of chicken wings. Cook both sides for about a minute more. Be sure to keep skin crispy, blistered and golden brown. Honestly, a little char won’t hurt. Be sure to inform your guest to squeeze some lime and sprinkle some additional sea salt to taste before consuming.
7. Vegetarian Power Bowl from Moxie’s
Moxie’s
Ingredients
1 cup cooked rice (jasmine, white) 1 fl oz mayo 1 handful salad greens 1 tsp soy sauce 10 pieces sliced cucumber 1 each boiled egg 10 pieces edamame beans (peas) 10 pieces sautéed mushrooms 10 pieces tofu, 1” cubes 1 each radish, grated or sliced 10 sprigs pea shoots or cilantro ½ each avocado, sliced ½ tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Place the hot cooked rice into the bottom of the bowl. Cover rice with mayo (note: add a little sriracha hot sauce to mayo to give it a kick!). Toss greens with soy sauce, place greens atop rice. Place each item; cucumber, egg, beans, mushrooms, tofu, radish, pea shoots and avocado around the edge of bowl atop greens. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy. Add a little sriracha hot sauce to mayo to give it a kick! Drizzle the whole finished bowl with soy sauce to punch up the flavor. Interchange ingredients with what you like and have available in your fridge. For the soft boiled egg, cook for exactly 7 mins, cool in ice water then peel.
Cocktails
8. Big Boy Pastelito Cocktail Recipe from Sugar at EAST Miami
Big Boy Pastelito Cocktail from Sugar at EAST Miami
Ingredients 1 ½ oz reposado tequila ½ oz cointreaunuar ¾ oz lime juice 1 ½ guava puree ½ oz agave Mint
Preparation Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, mix well and enjoy!
9. Midnight Detox from Tea Room at EAST Miami
Midnight Detox by Tea Room at EAST Miami
Ingredients 1 oz tequila 1 oz mezcal ¾ lime juice ½ oz agave Cilantro, Jalapenos
Preparation Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, mix well and pour!
10. Mojito Recipe from Quinto la Huella
Mojito from Quinto la Huella
Ingredients For 1 Glass (350 ml) 1 tbs Sugar 1 tbs lime juice 1 tbs water ½ cup of spearmint 2/3 cup of ice cubes ¼ cup of rum ¼ soda water
Preparation Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, mix well garnish the cup with fresh fruit and enjoy!
11. Tokyo Drifter from Zuma
Instructions Muddle 2 shiso leaves and 4 -5 mint leaves in a tin shaker. Add 1.75oz sapphire gin, 0.25oz jack ruddy tonic, 1 oz lemon juice, 0.75 oz simple syrup. Fill shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Fine strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with lemon twist.
DiningOut Miami sits down with esteemed local chef and restaurateur, José Mendin of Pubbelly Global
The coronavirus has been detrimental to the restaurant industry. With the mandate to close all bars and restaurants, it was with heavy hearts that restaurant owners around the city laid off hundreds of dedicated employees. Over the next several weeks, we will be discussing the impact this has had on the industry, with owners, chefs, and staff who are in the thick of it. Today we’re talking to one of Miami’s most celebrated local chefs, Jose Mendin, to see how the virus has affected his businesses and employees. In such devastating times, he’s committed to helping as many as he can.
DiningOut (DO): How has the coronavirus affected Pubbelly Global? Jose Mendin (JM): Completely. Sales are down 85%. The most important thing for us right now is to continue supporting our employees for as long as we possibly can.
DO: What are you doing to help your employees in such trying times? JM: We are lucky enough to have some savings in our accounts, so we’ve committed to covering partial pay for all of our employees for the next 14 days. That’s going to help a little. We’ve also created a new platform for delivery that will help us continue to employ our staff. If you directly order on PubbellyGlobal.com, there is no service fee, no delivery fee and 10% off the bill with promo code PUBBELLYLOVE.
DO: Which of your restaurants has been hit the hardest? JM: La Placita, which is one of my restaurants outside of the Pubbelly Global umbrella, may not be able to survive this. It’s very fragile. I hope we can make it work.
DO: How has this terrible situation affected you personally? JM: I’m just very frustrated. I’ve been working 20 years in Miami to build what I’ve built. And to see it crumble down like this, it’s really heartbreaking. I feel very bad for all of my employees. They are my family.
DO: What are your thoughts on delivery services like Uber Eats? JM: There hasn’t been any commitment from them to help lower commission rates. They take around 30% of the sales. That’s a lot. But the movement is getting bigger to fight against these high commission rates. There are a lot of people not happy with this. This is a time of crisis. This is a time where everyone is helping each other. Purveyors are helping us with payments. Landlords are helping with rent. The government is helping with incentives and loans. (Uber Eats) has to do something. They haven’t done anything yet. And their sales are increasing incredibly because, as dine-in is closed, the only way to get food is through their application for a lot of these restaurants.
You can order Pubbelly Sushi for pickup or delivery directly from their website now,
DO: Has the timing of the virus been an extra issue to overcome? JM: Traditionally, the biggest month for us is March. It’s huge for our business. It’s when we make money, and then we have to save for the summer because it’s our slow season. But if we get to reopen in the summer and tourism has stopped, I don’t know what the end game is going to be. It’s very scary.
DO: Have the food supply chains been affected? Do you think they will? JM: That hasn’t stopped. I don’t think they will. Some delivery dates have been shifted, but I haven’t seen anyone say, “We’re closed. We’re not delivering anymore.”
DO: Do you have any long-term plans? JM: The biggest thing was creating our own platform for deliveries, and try to survive off of that for now. Hopefully, with the help of the landlords, we can keep the business running so we can keep some of our employees. Honestly, we’re not even thinking about any profit, we’re just thinking about staying afloat to support our staff.
DO: What can the public and Pubbelly fans do to help? JM: We need as much help as possible. Order for pickup or delivery directly through the restaurant. If a restaurant doesn’t have its own delivery service, try to not use UberEats and Postmates just because they’re convenient. Only use these 3rd party applications if you cannot or do not feel comfortable picking up your order in person. You can order Pubbelly Sushi for pickup or delivery directly from our website.
As told to Christie Galeano-DeMott
Pubbelly staff members weigh in on the impact this has had on their lives.
Pubbelly Miami Beach team
While staff members are each suffering in their own unique way, a common thread among them is how fortunate they feel to be working with Pubbelly Global. “I have been a part of the amazing Pubbelly Sushi team for almost 3 years now. What makes our team so special is that the company is like one big family and no one is left behind,” says Mario Castillo from the Miami Beach team.
“Everything happens for a reason, so I just stay positive and hope for the best”, says Camila Corvetto from the Aventura team. “My managers, Alberto and Veronica, have been very helpful and positive during this rough time. They always ask if I need anything and what they can do for me. I appreciate them a lot. Alberto has offered me to do delivery for Pubbelly Sushi and been trying to help people as much as he can. My job has changed in the past few days because there are no customers at the restaurant. I have been working way less and not making as much money as I did. What makes our Pubbelly sushi team very special is the communication we have. We are a family. We always care for each other. I’ve never been this happy at work before. I enjoy my team a lot.” Another team member, Julian Arias Estrada chimes in. “Pubbelly Sushi listened to the concerns of its employees–even the new hires like me–who have been a part of this family for only 8 months. The management has been trying to help us by assigning as many hours as they could. They care about the health of the employees and their families. It might sound a little cheesy, but these little things make me feel like a part of the Pubbelly Sushi family and working for this company special.”
We don’t think this sounds cheesy at all; in fact, stories like this one keep us connected during a time of isolation. Have an inspiring story you would like to share? Please contact us anytime at [email protected]
It wasn’t always a life goal for Ilkay Suuctugu to be a chef, but once she stepped foot in the kitchen, there was no going back. Born and raised in Turkey, Suuctugu studied Culinary Science and Hospitality Management before moving to America to work as a Prep Cook for the Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort, Golf & Marina. She barely knew English then, but by 2010, after a lot of hard work and talent in the kitchen, she had worked her way up to Banquet Chef, where she was executing large-scale events at that same property.
Fast-forward to 2019, when Suuctugu’s skill and determination led to her appointment as Sous Chef at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, as well as Sous Chef of Tropicale at The Miami Beach EDITION, and later, Executive Sous Chef of all The Miami Beach EDITION’s food and beverage outlets. In between, she assisted with the opening of The Bodrum EDITION (Turkey) and The Times Square EDITION (NYC), was named Global Chef of the Year 2018 for all Marriott International properties and was even selected to present as part of an Executive Tasting Panel for Marriott Chairman Bill Marriott and CEO Arne Sorenson.
Today, Suuctugu reigns as Executive Chef of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Matador Room. And while we still have her here in the Magic City, we sat down with the rising star—because a star is exactly what she is—to find out more about her life in the kitchen. Here’s what she had to say:
DO: “What inspired you to become a chef? Do you remember the moment you decided to make it a career?” IS: “Becoming a chef was not my plan. However, when I landed in a kitchen, I felt at home and found my comfort zone. With each day that passed, my passion for cooking grew. It was then that I decided to pursue a career in the culinary world.”
“Coming from Turkey, what was the biggest challenge you faced in becoming a chef in the United States?” “Being from a different background, the language barrier was the biggest challenge. Also, as a new cook, I had to learn different techniques and cooking methods I didn’t know before.”
“Do you have a favorite dish on the menu at Matador Room? If so, what is it?” “My favorite dish on the menu is the Crispy Octopus with a toasted seed yogurt dressing. It reminds me of home!”
“What’s the one kitchen tool you can’t live without, and why?” “My Chef’s Knife is one of my most precious kitchen tools, as each recipe requires a specific cut in order to be executed properly.”
“What is your absolute favorite thing about helming the kitchen at Matador Room?” “It means so much to me to be able to inspire and motivate my team and share my knowledge with them. My hope is that, by working together, they all become better chefs.”
“What advice do you have for other female chefs trying to get where you are today?” “I say this to any female chef: You should speak up and have your voice heard! Don’t be shy or compare yourself to others. Let people see who you truly are and what you are capable of. Although kitchens are mostly run by men, we as women shouldn’t be scared to show our skills, accomplish our goals, and be successful, too.”
An entrepreneurial spirit fuels her life as a baker, educator, and writer
It was Pamela Wasabi’s diagnosis of a thyroid condition at just 19 years old, along with her eventual pregnancy, that paved the way for her current life path. After ignoring her thyroid condition for years, once she became pregnant with her daughter, she realized she had to take action. Never good in the kitchen—admitting she was actually banned from the kitchen by her mother—Wasabi learned to cook out of necessity.
In an effort to provide her daughter with a healthy entry into the world, Wasabi studied everything she could about wholesome cooking and baking. The phrase, “To control your health, you have to control your ingredients and to control your ingredients, you have to cook your own food,” stuck with her. Her new mantra, intense studying, and practice in the kitchen led to her founding Pamela Wasabi Bakery, a wholesale bakery of plant-based and gluten-free desserts that quickly grew in popularity and is now distributed throughout three counties in South Florida.
She’s also the author of Nourished: The Plant-Based Path to Health and Happiness, which explores people’s relationships with food and the environment. Wasabi is currently working on her second title, Returning to the Wild Woman, which expands on women’s food challenges and body-image issues.
She sat down to chat with DiningOut Magazine about her childhood in Colombia, her path to founding the bakery, and her mentor, an iconic name in Miami’s restaurant industry:
DO: What inspired you to take this particular culinary path? Wasabi: I did not have a good relationship with the kitchen or what cooking was about. Where I grew up in Colombia, eating meat was a priority but I never liked meat, not even the smell of it. Then there was the thyroid disorder diagnosis and eventually, after living in the United States for nearly twelve years, I got pregnant. Doctors told me because of my condition, I couldn’t have a natural childbirth, so I started looking for answers and came across a nutrition school. Learning to cook and bake for myself revolutionized my life; it helped rid me of my condition. I immediately saw a shift in the way I related to food, what I was thinking about, and the food itself. The condition was a wake-up call to take care of myself. Our relationship with food has to be about communication, quality, and how we see ourselves. We have to take care of ourselves because ultimately, no one else is going to be there for us; it’s our own responsibility.
What was the journey like from cooking at home to ultimately owning the bakery? It was my way out, a way to survive. I used to work in fashion, and eventually quit and got myself a job in a coffee shop, and later got hired as a cook. I became Chef de Cuisine of Jugo Fresh but after a while was let go, so I began meal prepping as a private chef. Unfortunately, the fast pace brought back my thyroid condition and I realized in order to heal I needed to slow down. I evaluated what my next step would be and how I could have control of my own career. I thought, perhaps I could do wholesale, and I created a menu and offered my goods to Panther Coffee. I made brownies, cookies, and muffins, and Panther said they wanted to try the cookie and they loved it. They started carrying my cookie and the rest was knocking on doors, one cookie at a time, and it grew organically from there. I grew and I healed as well. That led to me being invited to participate in the Seed Food and Wine Festival, where I was prepping food in Ken Lyon’s kitchen. I got acquainted with Ken, which led to me asking if I could use his kitchen to prep for a catering gig. He eventually became my mentor and has been supporting me for the past eight years.
In the eight years since you began working with Ken, how has your business grown, and where can people find your products? Panther Coffee now carries my vegan and gluten-free cookies, muffins, and cupcakes at all their Miami locations. Additionally, my products are in 50-60 locations around Miami. Love Life carried several of my desserts and is one of my top-selling locations, and Charlie’s Vegan Tacos also carries my desserts. I also created the menu for the new Japanese restaurant in The Standard Hotel, including Lava Bean Chocolate Cake, Lychee Cheesecake, and Almond Crumble. Additionally, MC Kitchen in the Design District carries my Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake, Apple Cobbler, and Trail Mix Bar. I like to use wholesome, exotic ingredients—charcoal salt in my Chocolate Chip Cookie, roasted pistachios and sea salt in my Lavender Cookie, and smoked salt and wild cherries in my Double Chocolate Chip Cookie.
How are you able to expand your menu to this size? It is a very organic process, and it’s about being creative and building relationships with restaurants whose concept I love, then mutually helping each other. The bakery has grown to carry about 11 cookies and brownies and has another 10-12 items including cheesecakes, fruitcakes, muffins, tiramisu, and cupcakes—a whole range of desserts. There’s one main baker, two baking assistants, and a driver for deliveries, so it’s essentially a five-person operation.
Read more about Pamela Wasabi Bakery and her latest ventures, writings, and philosophies at www.pamelawasabi.com.
In a large pot, boil pasta in water. Add coarse marine salt while pasta is boiling. Cook pasta according to box instructions. Toast pistachios in a hot pan for a few minutes, then set aside to cool. Peel the orange and put it in a blender with the toasted pistachios, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt to create a citrus pesto. Set aside.
In a sauté pan, add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add peeled garlic clove and cook until brown. Discard the garlic and add the shrimp. Cook for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the citrus pesto. Drain the linguine and toss in the pan with the citrus pesto and the shrimp until well coated. Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with crushed pink peppercorns.
For the potatoes: Peel, then boil potatoes until soft. While the potatoes are boiling, mix aji amarillo paste, butter, and salt in food processor until thoroughly combined. Once potatoes are fully cooked, drain and push though a sieve or ricer. Fold together puréed potatoes and mixture from the food processor.
For the barbecue: Blend all of the ingredients on high.
For the scallops: Pat raw scallops dry on an absorbent towel. Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat with 1-2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil; pan should be hot enough that smoke is beginning to rise from it. Season scallops with salt and white pepper to taste and place carefully into the sauté pan. Sear scallops until golden brown on each side (about 2 minutes per side). Serve with mashed potatoes and barbecue sauce.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 ounce unsalted butter and add the oyster mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until lightly browned. Add the corn, peppers, tarragon, and lobster meat. Sauté the mixture for 2 minutes or until hot. Remove from heat and add the baby arugula and mix together.
Season the scallops with kosher salt and pepper. In another sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the clarified butter. Once the pan is hot, add the scallops to the pan and cook until golden brown (approximately 2 minutes on each side). The scallops should be nicely browned and crisp on the outside and slightly opaque in the middle. (If you prefer the scallops cooked further, place in a hot oven until desired doneness.) Remove the scallops from the pan and place on a paper towel. Note: the scallops will leach liquid while resting. To plate, arrange the sweet corn and lobster mixture on a plate, place scallops on top of the mixture. In a small bowl, combine 1 ounce melted unsalted butter and caviar and lightly mix. Pour the caviar sauce on the plate around the corn and lobster mix. Garnish with micro-greens and serve.
1 tsp charred onion powder (thinly sliced onions, baked until black, then blended into a powder)
lime zest
mustard flowers (or other bitter greens)
Poaching Oil:
12 large portobello mushrooms
4 bottles rice bran oil
3 Fresno peppers, cut into fourths
1 small ginger bulb, peeled and diced
15 cloves of garlic
1 white onion, sliced
3 bay leaves
handful thyme sprigs
1 stalk lemongrass
2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
2 Tbsp coriander seed
zest from 3 lemons
Ponzu-Brown Butter Sauce:
4 oz brown butter
4 oz vegan ponzu
1 oz fresh lime juice
pinch of yuzu kosho
10 cracks of fresh black pepper
METHOD
For poaching oil: In a deep six-inch pan, combine all ingredients except mushrooms. Place the pan across two burners on very low heat. Clean the mushrooms and add to the pan, making sure the oil covers the mushrooms completely. Cook until mushrooms are tender inside (about 20-30 minutes, or when a skewer can go through the middle without resistance). Remove the mushrooms and store the oil. (Oil can be used two more times.)
For the sauce: In a small pot, combine all the ingredients and heat up. Serve hot, and stir well before serving.
To serve: Take two cooked mushrooms and slice at an angle. Fan the mushroom slices out on a plate, and pour 3 tablespoons of hot ponzu-brown butter sauce on top. Finish with some charred pearl onion layers, pickled chili slices, lime zest, and a sprinkle of charred onion powder. Garnish with mustard flowers.
