FLAVORS
brûlée. “Oatmeal is healthy to eat, and it’s
something that people would not expect
to see in a dessert,” he says. “Oatmeal
is my base, and what fruit is in season
dresses the plate.”
He admits that the traditional crème
brûlée is smooth and creamy, but his
oatmeal version has a slightly different
mouthfeel. “The oats give the brûlée a
chewy texture with a nutty flavor,” he says,
“but I add a few tablespoons of crème
fraîche to achieve some creaminess
to get the traditionally crème brûlée
mouthfeel. Usually, oatmeal is tight, but
this presentation is much looser.”
Guillas prefers to use Irish steel-cut oats
rather than rolled oats because of the
enhanced nutty taste and perceived health
benefits. He says the steel-cut oats will
increase the cooking time by half, but the
extra time is worth the wait.
During the oats’ cooking process, he adds
sun-dried blueberries and chopped sun-dried pears, chopped hazelnuts, maple
syrup and crème fraîche (this brûlée
version does not need to be cooked in
the oven or chilled in the cooler). After the
brûlée has finished cooking, a tablespoon
of turbinado sugar is spread evenly over
the top of each oatmeal-filled ramekin,
which is then caramelized to a mahogany-brown color with a blow torch. Finally, the
brûlée is garnished with an apple/fig salad.
“When put together, the dish looks exactly
like a traditional crème brûlée,” Guillas says.
“This recipe is particularly exciting to children
because they initally think they are eating a
sweet treat, but come to realize it’s a sweet
and healthy treat. Chefs always think about
what adults would eat, and think children will
only want cookies and ice cream for dessert.”
Guillas’ brûlée is priced at $6.75, with food
costs at 20-25%.
SIMPLE AND SMART
Sometimes the simplest foods are the
smartest ones to serve. Take, for example,
the Belgian waffle dessert that chef/owner
Alan Carlson of Italian Colors Restaurant in
Oakland, Calif., makes using a 17-year-old
sourdough starter. “People are ordering it
because they are so familiar with what a
waffle is and what it represents,” he says. “The
smell of a waffle cooking is so recognizable.
It’s a comfort food that reminds people of
being at home with their family in the kitchen.”
He came up with the idea of serving the
sourdough waffle after preparing it for
fellow chefs. “I get together with chefs in
the Bay Area the first Monday of every
month, when we cook for one another. I
John Valls
whipped up a batch of the waffles, and
everyone loved them and said I should have
them on my menu,” Carlson says. “I honestly
didn’t think they’d sell, but I can’t keep up
with the orders. I sell about a dozen every
night, with more on the weekends.”
Buttermilk panna cotta with huckleberry
compote and granola at Paley’s Place
follows a traditional panna cotta recipe/
method, but Lauren Fortgang substitutes
buttermilk or yogurt for part of the cream,
to add tanginess.
The 7½-inch by ½-inch-thick waffle is
divided into four squares and topped with
vanilla-bean gelato, fresh fruit and caramel
sauce. “The dessert is reminiscent of being
served a scoop of ice cream in a waffle
cone,” Carlson explains. “But the sourdough
makes the waffle extremely airy and fluffy, so
the dessert is much lighter than a traditional
flat and crunchy waffle cone packed with ice
cream. Plus, the way the waffle is baked into
four squares, it’s a great sharing dessert for
two people or a party of four.”
Carlson says the dessert gives a wow
factor to dinner because it makes the meal
memorable. “I just imagine guests telling
their friends, ‘Hey, I had a waffle for dessert
that tasted like eating a waffle cone with ice
cream,’” he says. “It’s a good promotional
