MANY SIDES
C ol or of
Addison at The Grand Del Mar, San Diego
This salmon dish is accented with
miso-roasted eggplant, pistachios and
lemon purée.
Because consumers eat with their eyes, turn side dishes
into colorful works of tantalizing art.
By Jody Shee
The National Culinary Review | September 2011
34
BLASÉ just doesn’t do much for the
appetite. Who would serve a guest a plate
with halibut and a side of lily-white mashed
potatoes? No one.
second fiddle, and stir up your imagination
by noting the ideas your colleagues have
dreamed up.
Bradley, director/executive chef of Addison
at The Grand Del Mar, San Diego.
Sauces and garnishes could dress up an
otherwise bland presentation, but more
pigment in the sides also lends more flavor,
and flavor/color balance is the culinary goal
anyway. Eliminate the idea that sides play
Vegetables are the most natural side choice,
with the benefit that the color changes with
the season. But even at that, some chefs
don’t just let the vegetable speak for itself.
“I let nature guide 90% of my food, and
the other 10% is technique,” says William
He freely candies, braises and purées
vegetables. Part of his “paint set” includes
squid ink, as in his squid ink ravioli, with
pea purée in the middle for a bold contrast.
Saffron also shines in his saffron-marinated
mussels that turn out bright orange and are
topped with purple garlic flowers.
