Chef On a Shoestring

Chef Frank Falcinelli
Moomba
New York City

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Roasted Corn and Poblano Pepper Chowder
Sweet Garlic Roasted Codfish and Beefsteak Tomatoes
Vanilla Macerated Strawberries and Fresh Chantilly Cream Parfaitcolor=blue>

Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder

Ingredients
6 ears Corn
1 quart Milk
1 pint Heavy Cream
1 rib Celery, diced fine
1 each Onion, diced fine
1 each Carrot, diced fine
1 each Poblano Peppers, roasted
1 tablespoon Cilantro, cleaned
2 ounces Smoked Bacon, diced

Method: Coat the corn in the husks with just enough vegetable oil to coat, and then place in oven preheated to 350 degrees until the corn is roasted. A roasted corn aroma should be released in about 15 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool. Roast the poblano pepper in the same manner except when the pepper is done roasting, place it in an air tight container to cool. When cooled, proceed and then peel the pepper. Peel the corn from the husk and remove the silk, then clean the kernel from the cob with a knife making sure not to cut too close to the cob; just remove the sweet kernel.

In a non-reactive pot, place the bacon and the carrots, onion, celery and poblano pepper and sweat until the vegetables are translucent. Then add the cobs, milk, and cream as well as the cilantro. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Pull out and discard the cobs. In a blender, combine the cleaned corn and the cooked mixture until smooth. Season with sea salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Sweet Garlic Roasted Codfish and Summer Beefsteak Tomatoes

Ingredients

4 each Fresh Codfish boneless skinless 6 oz. file
1 head Fresh Garlic (remove hard ends)
6 ounces Arugula Leaves, cleaned
4 ounces Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Parsley, cleaned
1 tablespoon Basil, cleaned
2 each Beefsteak Tomatoes, washed and sliced

Method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean the ends from the garlic, coat with olive oil and roast until soft on the inside. Remove from the oven and peel the garlic so only the soft roasted insides are left. Work the cloves into a paste either in a food processor or with the back of a spoon in a bowl. Coat each filet of cod evenly on top and place the fish on an oiled cookie sheet (preferably Teflon).

Clean and core the tomatoes, slice very thin with a serated blade, and immediately place on chilled dinner plate.

Place the cod in the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Heat a saute pan to medium and add the olive oil and arugula, parsley, and basil. A little balsamic vinegar may be needed. Saute the greens until just melted and place in the middle of the tomatoes on the plate, and place thfish above the greens. Drizzle the plate with olive oil and serve.

Macerated Strawberries and Fresh Chantilly Cream Parfait

Ingredients

1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, stemmed
1 pint whipping cream, whipped
4 ounces sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Method: Stem and clean the berries and then quarter. Add 2 ounces of the sugar and the vanilla extract to the berries and allow to sit chilled. Whip the cream until it is fluffy and has stiff peaks. Place the berries evenly distributed in a chilled wine glass, top with whipped cream and chill until ready to serve.

*A definition of "macerate": To soak a food (usually fruit) in a liquid in order to infuse it with the liquid's flavor. A spirit such as brandy, rum, or a liquer is usually the macerating liquid. Chef Falcinelli would use one ounce of Grand Marinier instead of vanilla if he were to chose a spirit.color=blue>