SECRET INGREDIENTS
At;Django,;Formaro’s;French;restaurant;concept,;there’s;a;mushroom;au;poivre;sauce;on;a;faux
burger;that;“you’d;swear;was;loaded;with;meat.;There’s;so;much;flavor;that;I;love;the;thing,”
Formaro;says.;His;secret;ingredient;is;Liquid;Aminos,;a;hydrolyzed;vegetable;protein;that
he;believes;makes;anything;taste;beefier—even;beef;itself.;Adding;soy;sauce;achieves;a;similar
result, as does adding Marmite.
Figuring;out;how;to;make;tofu;gnocchi;in;place;of;his;full-fat;ricotta;version;presented;a;fun
challenge;for;Formaro.;By;putting;extra-firm;tofu;through;the;food;processor;and;using;“00”;flour,
he’s;created;a;new;personal;favorite.;“We;freeze;the;gnocchi;on;sheet;trays,;bag;it;up;into;single
orders,;then,;when;needed,;drop;in;salted;boiling;water.;Next,;we;put;them;in;a;pan;and;sear;on
one;side.;I;like;to;add;sauteed;mushroom;(for;umami),;plus;fennel,;garlic;and;onion;to;caramelize.
Then,;add;to;a;nice;tomato;sauce.”
Northern;Italy;inspired;cuisine;is;the;passion;of;Holly;Smith,;chef/owner;of;Cafe;Juanita;in
Kirkland,;Wash.;Such;items;on;her;menu;range;from;rabbit;braised;in;Arneis;with;chickpea;gnocchi,
porcini and housemade pancetta to saddle of lamb, Meyer lemon crema, lacinato kale gratinée,
anchovy crumb and preserved pineapple.
But;when;traditional;protein;isn’t;center-of-the-plate,;Smith;is;confident;that;a;number;of;other
creations—such;as;poached;Idaho;potatoes;with;trofie;pasta,;green;beans;and;pesto—will;more
than;satisfy.;“We’re;using;Yukons;versus;russets;for;this;recipe;now,;and;in;summer,;we’ll;be;sure
to;use;fresh;basil;leaves,”;she;says.;“This;legume-plus-starch;combo;is;a;complex;carb—like;rice
and;beans—providing;more;bang;for;your;buck,;energy-wise.”
SAYSEITAN
SEITAN, SOMETIMES CALLED
“WHEAT MEAT” or “mock duck,” is
a meat substitute made from gluten.
A host of recipes using seitan can
be easily accessed online, but a new
addition is a recipe for porcini-crusted
vegan “sweetbreads,” winner of the S.
Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef competition held in March at The Culinary
Institute of America at Greystone, St.
Helena, Calif. Kristen Thibeault, a
student at Le Cordon Blue College of
Culinary Arts in Boston, took first place.
Thibeault’s farm-to-table style focuses
on locally sourced and seasonally inspired
plant-based cuisine. “I believe vegan
food, done well, can stand up to any cuisine and sit side by side on the menus of
the world’s leading restaurants,” she says.
MUSHROOM MAVEN
When;porcini,;chanterelles;and;morels;are;in;season,;you;don’t;need;meat,;Smith;says.;To
provide even wider choices, her forager now also sells cultivated varieties, including abalone.
Tagliatelle;with;abalone;mushrooms,;marjoram;and;Parmigiano-Reggiano;is;sauteed;in;extra;virgin
olive;oil;and;butter.;“I;tend;to;cook;with;a;lot;of;butter,;and;this;combines;for;flavor;and;caramelization
to;get;good;color;on;the;cut;side,”;she;says.
“Then,;add;a;bit;of;marjoram,;and;move;the;mushrooms;to;the;side;of;the;pan,;add;shallots;and;garlic,
and;let;the;garlic;really;begin;to;cook;before;deglazing;with;Dolin;dry;vermouth.;Next,;I;add;vegetable
stock;or;our;poultry;broth;with;Parmesan;rinds;in;it.;Once;it;comes;down;to;sauce;consistency,;we’re
mounting;butter,;plus;a;dash;of;cayenne;pepper,;to;balance;the;dish.;Finally,;the;pasta;finishes;in;the;sauce.”
For;guests;seeking;a;vegan;entree;on;the;varied;menu,;servers;offer;crespelle.;“In;the;spring,
we;can;fill;with;shaved;raw;asparagus;salad;with;English;peas;and;a;morel;sauce.;The;crêpe;is;easy
to;prepare;and;a;good;jumping-off;point,”;Smith;says.
A;raw-kale;crudo;with;Moscato-pickled;apple;is;another;filling;for;the;crêpe,;served;with;parsnip;or
celeriac;crema.;“You;can;garnish;with;pomegranate;seeds;along;with;abalone;mushroom;to;beef;up;the
dish,”;Smith;says.;“Slice;the;mushrooms;in;half;and;put;three;caramelized;halves;up;against;the;crêpe.”
The recipe for seitan “sweetbreads,”
celeriac green apple puree, truffled wild
mushroom ragoût and apple fennel-frond
salad with macadamia nuts and apple
gastrique, is available by sending an email
to mterzie@saltcomm.com and requesting
the S. Pellegrino winning dish.
TAKE TWO, THEY’RE SMALL
San;Luis;Obispo,;Calif.,;welcomed;Luna;Red,;where;Shaun;Behrens;is;executive;chef,;three
years ago. “Since we’re a tapas restaurant, basically, everything is center-of-the-plate, because
they’re;small;plates,”;Behrens;says.
With;a;focus;on;nurturing;as;well;as;serving;guests,;there’s;an;emphasis;on;nutritional;health
and;wellbeing,;Behrens;says.;“Our;black;bean,;rice;and;California;avocado;bolinhos;has;been;on
the;menu;for;quite;a;few;months.;It’s;a;great;way;to;utilize;byproducts;of;a;kitchen,;from;leftover
rice;to;black;beans,;and;avocados;that;tend;to;brown;up.;Bolinhos;finished;with;a;squeeze;of;lime
and;paprika;salt;is;good;food,;and;kids;love;them.”
