Chef On a Shoestring

Chef Michael Otsuka
Thalia Restaurant

Menu:color=blue>
Green Bean Salad with Summer Tomatoes and Endives
Grilled Shrimp Served with Grilled and Chilled Mediterranean Vegetable Couscous
Sauteed Strawberries with a Corn Meal Crust

Ingredients:

2 Cups Blue Lake green beans (blanched tender and shocked in ice water)
2 Large ripe tomatoes (peeled and sliced into six even slices each)
2 Small heads of endives
1/4 Cup pine nuts, toasted
1 Shallot (finely chopped)
1/2 bunch chives (or scallions) chopped
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup Parmesan, Grated
1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar reduced to 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Place pine nuts and oil in a blender and process until very fine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, spread a thin layer of parmesan cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees until golden (about 8 to 10 minutes). Cool and break into large chips.

On four chilled salad plates, place three slices of tomatoes each. In a salad bowl toss the endives, shallot, beans, and chives with the pine nut oil and season to taste.
Divide the salad onto the center of each plate and drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining oil. Drizzle each plate with balsamic essence and garnish with the Parmesan chips.
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Grilled Shrimp Served with Grilled and Chilled Mediterranean Vegetable Couscous

Ingredients:
3 Medium zucchinis, sliced 1/2 inch thick, grilled and diced
1 Large onion, peeled, sliced 1/2 inch thick, grilled and diced
3 Garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
1 Japanese eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick, grilled and diced
1 Red bell pepper, finely diced
2 Ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground or substitute ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seed, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon Cheyenne pepper
1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil (1/4 Cup used for grilling the vegetables)
1 12 oz can of chick peas, rinsed and drained
4 Tablespoons of tomato paste
1 Box of couscous
16 medium sized shrimp

Method:
Sauce and Vegeables:color=blue>
In a 3 quart capacity sauce pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute the slivered garlic until golden. Add half of the cumin, half of the coriander, 1/2 teaspoon Cheyenne pepper, tomatoes, and the tomato paste. Lower heat and cook gently, stirring often to mature tomato flavor for about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and the chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Add all the grilled vegetables (make sure that all the vegetables are slightly charred and tender). Adjust seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add parsley. Chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Couscous:color=blue>
Place two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan and saute the fennel (diced) until tender and lightly colored. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper and half of the cumin and coriander. Scrape fennel into a large metal bowl, add red peppers, couscous, and mix well. Cover couscous with 1.5 parts hot tap water, stir, cover, and leave at room temperature. After 10 minutes fluff couscous with a fork.

Shrimp:color=blue>
Clean and remove veins from shrimp. Grill for approximately two minutes on each side.

To Serve:
Place four-inch diameter circle molds (optional) on large dinner plates and fill two third with couscous. Cover each with the grilled vegetable and shrimp. Sprinkle each plate rim with a little of ground cumin, coriander, and Cheyenne. Serve immediately.

Sauteed Summer Strawberries with a Corn Meal Crust

Ingredients:
8 Ounces sweet, unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 egg whites
4 Ounces granulated sugar
2 Ounces white corn meal
5 Ounces all-purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Quart fresh strawberries, washed, stems removed, and cut into
bite size pieces
2 Ounces Sweet, unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon balsamic syrup
2 Ounces pistachios, toasted and crushed

Method:
Corn meal crust:color>
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter on medium speed, add sugar and beat until very smooth. Add egg whites and continue mixing until very smooth. Sift corn meal, salt, and flour together. Turn speed to low and incorporate all the dry ingredients. Turn off mixer as soon as it becomes smooth again. Place mixture in pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe 1/2 inch deep into four 3 1/2 inch buttered tart shells. Bake until golden in color and dry inside, about 18 to 24 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Strawberries:color>
Heat two ounces butter in a 10-inch saute pan until light brown. Raise flame to high and add strawberries and sugar at once. Saute for about 1 minute and add balsamic syrup. Remove to a salad bowl.

To Serve:color>
On four dessert plates, place one corn meal dish eac and spoon one quarter of the strawberries over each. Garnish with crushed pistachios, a grind of fresh black pepper, and a dusting of powdered sugar.