Chef With Humor

Sam DeMarco is a chef with humor when it comes to food.

He is well-known for his "cartoonish" approach to food, but critics say his food is no joke. He owns four restaurants in New York City: District, Merge, First and DeMarco's Room.

We asked him to take our Chef on a Shoestring challenge to create a three-course meal for four with $30. DeMarco prepared a tasty but easy to make meal that started with an appetizer of Potato Leek Soup with Oysters; a main dish of Poached Salmon with Spinach Citrus Salad; and a dessert of Pound Cake with Sauteed Fruit.

Terminology:

Leek: The leek looks like a giant scallion. It is related to both garlic and onion though its flavor is milder and more subtle. Many recipes generally use the white bulb part only, but you can use the whole leek. It can be chopped and used in salads, soups and many other dishes. Before you use it, you want to trim the rootlets and the leaf ends. You must wash leeks thoroughly to make sure you remove all the dirt and sand. The dirt easily gets trapped between the leaf layers.

Poaching: This is a technique that calls for cooking the food gently in liquid just below the boiling point. The liquid's surface should show some quivering movement. Poaching produces a delicate flavor in foods while imparting some of the liquid's flavor to the ingredients being poached.

Papaya: The papaya variety is native to North America. In the United States it is found most often in Hawaii and Florida. It is large and may weigh about 2 pounds. The pear-shaped fruit is juicy and silky smooth with an exotic sweet-tart flavor.

Mango: The mango tree is considered sacred in the land of its origin, India. It is cultivated in various regions of the world including Florida and California. The flesh is a brilliant golden orange, very juicy, sweet and tart.

RECIPES

Potato Leek Soup and Oyster
Serves 4

Potato Leek Soup Ingredients:
4 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bunch leeks (white parts only), diced (reserve the green leaves)
1 pint heavy cream
1 quart water
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 oysters

Green Leek Broth Ingredients:
1 bunch leeks, dice the green leaves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 quart water
Salt and pepper to taste

Method for Potato Leek Soup:

In soup pot, add olive oil. Turn heat to medium, add leeks and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes (be careful not to brown leeks). Add potato chunks and water. Bring soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then add heavy cream, salt and pepper and simmer for an additional ten minutes. Add soup to a blender, and strain through a china cap or fine sieve. If you blend right away, you will not need to reheat the soup according to Chef DeMarco.

Method for Green Leek Broth:

Boil salted water in pot. Add the cut green part of leeks to the salted water and cook for three minutes. Remove the leeks and put aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
In a blender add 1 tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper, the green leeks and 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Blend until smooth and strain. Serve potato leek soup warm in a bowl with a raw oyster and green leek broth on top.

Note: If potatoes are peeled and diced ahead of time, they should be kept in cold water to avoid discoloration.

Poached Salmon, Spinach and Citrus Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 pieces of salmon, 5 ounces each
2 pounds spinach, washed, stems trimmed
1 orange, segmented
1 grapefruit, segmented
1 lemon, segmented
1 lime, segmented
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 quart vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 head of garlic, roasted

Method for Salmon:
In a saucepot, heat vegetable oil to 120 degrees F on low to medium heat (use a kitchen thermometer to measure). The oil should be at a very low simmer. It should not be boiling. Add salmon, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes to medium heat. It should be firm to the touch.

Method for Roasted Garlic:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Take one bulb of garlic, split the garlic bulb in half. Brush the garlic with some olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil. Place in an oven-proof dish or on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. It should be very tender to the touch.

Method for Spinach Salad:
In a bowl: add spinach, roasted garlic, citrus segments, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Place spinach salad in center of plate, with piece of salmon on top.

Pound Cake With Sautéed Fruit
Serves 4

Ingredients for Pound Cake:
3/4 pound unsalted butter
3 cups flour
3 cups white granulated sugar
8 large eggs
2 pounds loaf pan

Fruit Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 small papaya, peeled and diced
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tablespoons tequila, optional (use 4 tablespoons of orange juice instead)
1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
juice of 1 lime

Method for Pound Cake:
In a large bowl with an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, add butter and sugar. Whisk until creamy. Add flour and eggs, and mix everything together well. In the loaf pan, add cake mixture and cook for 1 hour at 300 degrees F.

Method for Sautéed Fruit:
In a sauté pan, add sugar and half the butter. Add fruit and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tequila(optional), lime juice and remaining butter. Keep warm.

Place a slice of pound cake on a plate, with sautéed fruit on top.