Friday, May 15, 2009

Press Trip to Norway

Interview with Chef Anthony Miller and Jean Lowrie-Chin on Smile Jamaica Show.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Mark DeKrines Norwegian Saltfish Recipe

Breaded Norwegian Saltfish Wonton Raviolis with Okra Fries

Ingredients

2 pounds of saltfish

½ green bell pepper

½ red bell pepper

½ medium yellow onion

1 bunch fresh cilantro

2 each scotch bonnet peppers

2 pegs chopped garlic

2 ounces of good cooking oil

2 dozen large fresh okra

cornmeal for breading

salt and pepper to taste

oil for frying

24 won ton skins

eggs and milk for a wash

flour for breading station

panko breadcrumbs

oil for frying

2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

8 pegs of garlic, thinly sliced

1 bunch of fresh basil

3 ounces of white wine

½ medium yellow onion

salt and pepper to taste

½ ounce of good olive oil

Method

Soak saltfish for 8 hours in cold water

De-bone the saltfish and chop into small dices.

Fine dice the bell peppers and onions.

Chop the cilantro and scotch bonnet (remove seeds).

Saute the vegetable in the cooking oil.

Add garlic, saltfish and scotch bonnet.

Finish with cilantro and season if desired (set aside to cool).

Wash and trim the okras, and quarter them lengthwise.

Season and dredge in cornmeal.

Fry in 350 degree oil, until just brown on edges.

Dice the onion and saute in the olive oil.

Add the sliced garlic and saute another minute.

Deglaze with wine and reduce by half.

Add the tomatoes and whole basil leaves.

Simmer for 15 minutes (remove basil before serving).

Place a scoop of the saltfish in the middle of a won ton skin (1/4 ounce).

Brush the edges with egg wash.

Place another skin over the first and crimp the edges sealed.

Flour the raviolis, dip in wash and bread with panko crumbs.

Fry the raviolis in 350 degree oil, until golden brown.

Christopher Channer's Norwegian Saltfish Recipe

Jerk Norwegian Saltfish served with Banana Salsa

Ingredients
8.8 oz Norwegian Saltfish
¼ cup jerk seasoning
2 oz red sweet pepper
2 oz green sweet pepper
1 oz onion
2 pak choy leaves
2 oz slice tomato
1 sweet potato slice thinly
salt as needed
pepper as needed
oil as needed
1 small pot with boiling water

Method

Cut all vegetables in to a chiffonade (stacked, rolled and cut into long thin strips)
Marinate Saltfish that has been soaked cold water for 24 hours, in jerk seasoning for 8 minutes
Brush with oil and grill for 2 min on each side
Cook vegetables for 3 seconds and serve all items at once.
Fried sweet potato to a golden brown
Grill tomato and serve

Banana Salsa

1 fine dice ripe banana
1 basil leaf
½ oz fine dice onion
½ oz fine dice red sweet pepper
½ fl oz lime juice
salt as needed
pepper as needed

Method

Combine all items and let marinate for 20 mins
Season and serve at room temperature.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Virginia Burke's Norwegian Saltfish Recipe

Red Curried Norwegian Saltfish with Yoghurt Sauce

Ingredients
Yoghurt Sauce
1 cup yoghurt,
1 tbsp. lime or lemon juice,
½ (half) tsp. zest of lime or lemon
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1 tbsp. onion, minced
¼ (quarter) cup tomato, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley
A dash of salt & pepper to taste
A dash of Angostura Bitters (optional)

Fish
4 X 6oz. pre-soaked Norwegian Saltfish fillets
1 Tbsp. Garam Masala or West Indian Curry Powder
1 tsp. salt (optional)

Red Curry Sauce
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. coconut or regular cooking oil (as needed)
1 tbsp. Garam Masala or West Indian Curry
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 star anise (remove before serving)
1 tsp. hot (scotch bonnet) pepper (optional)
1 large red sweet pepper, coarsely chopped (fresh or roasted)
¼ (quarter) cup white wine (rose will do)
2 tbsp. tomato paste
½ (half) cup fish or vegetable stock

Method

Pre-soak saltfish for 48 hrs. Remove skin & bones (if necessary), cut into 4 chops (fillets), rub with Garam Masala & salt (optional) and refrigerate for half an hour.
Make the yoghurt sauce by combining all ingredients, refrigerate.
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet. Sear presentation side of fish first,
for 2-3 min. over med high heat. Flip over and cook 2 more minutes until golden. Ensure fish is hot all the way through. Remove and reserve in a warm place.
Add a little more oil to skillet. Put on low heat, brown off Garam Masala (making sure not to burn), add onions and garlic cooking until soft. Add star anise, hot pepper and red sweet pepper. Cook gently for 2 - 3 minutes.
Deglaze pan with ¼ cup wine, by stirring constantly and scraping any bits stuck on base of the pan. Add in tomato paste mixed with the stock, and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes until reduced slightly. Check seasoning to see if you need any salt or additional pepper.
(The fish can be heated through with the sauce if desired or served separately.)

Serve fish with red curry and a generous dollop of yogurt sauce. Calalloo (or spinach) and rice would be great accompaniments. Serves 4.

Garam Masala – which means “mixed spices” is made up of: cardamom, cumin, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, dried hot pepper or cayenne. West Indian Curry, which is made from most of these ingredients, usually includes turmeric, which gives it a strong yellow colour.

Oji Jaja's Norwegian Saltfish Recipe

Thyme Scented Norwegian Saltfish served on poached breadfruit and sautéed callaloo
Drizzled with a saffron cream sauce and roasted red pepper coulis

Ingredients
1 lb saltfish (Soaked for 24 hours in cold water, dried and portioned into four)
1 ea Breadfruit (Quartered and Sliced)
4 oz Celery (Diced)
2 Tbsp Garlic (Chopped)
2 Tbsp Ginger (Chopped)
1 bunch Callaloo Leaves (Shredded)
1 cup Coconut Cream
1 ea Roasted Red Bell Pepper
3 ea Pimento Berries
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Grass
1 ea Scotch Bonnet Pepper
3 ea Whole Cloves
2 ea Bay Leaves
1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves (Chopped)

Method

In a sauté pan heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil and sauté celery, garlic, ginger, onion, bay leaves, cloves and pimento. Cook until vegetables become tender.

Add coconut cream, lemon grass, scotch bonnet pepper, breadfruit and simmer until breadfruit is tender.
Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a sauté pan
Place fish and thyme in pan flesh side down and sear until golden brown.
Once colour is achieved remove from pan and store warm.
In a sauce pan, combine coconut cream and saffron strands; simmer until sauce thickens, season with salt and keep warm.

In a blender, combine olive oil and roasted red bell peppers; puree until sauce thickens.
Remove from blender and store in a cool place.
Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a sauté pan and add onion, 2 each pimento, 1 tbsp garlic, tomato and callaloo. Cook until callaloo becomes tender without losing colour.
On a white plate, place 4 slices of breadfruit in the middle of the plate, then spoon a little of the callaloo on top of the breadfruit, then top it with the seared cod.
Spoon some of the saffron sauce around the plate.
Drizzle some of the roasted pepper sauce over the fish and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Jose Riquelme's exciting Norwegian Saltfish recipe

Norwegian Saltfish Roulade
Stuffed with Lobster Forcemeat
served on potato cake accompanied with
coconut sauce

Ingredients

1 lb salt fish
1 tin ackee
1 tin coconut milk
6 oz heavy cream
1 lb lobster
1 tbs garlic
1 tbs cilantro
1 tbs coriander
1 tbs fennel
1 tbs parsley
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbs onions
2 oz tomatoes
1 oz escallions
1 tbs thyme
8 oz carrots
8 oz okra
1 tbs ginger
4 oz olive oil
1 tsp salt & pepper (ea.)
1 lb irish potatoes

Method
Remove skin from salt fish; soak for 4 hours in cold water, then remove all bones.
Marinate salt fish with all herbs and spices.
Chop lobster and season.

Slice the potatoes thin and make into a cake
Drain ackee and set aside
Cook carrots and okra, set aside
Make forcemeat (stuffing) from ackee and lobster
Put into salt fish and make roulade
Poach (simmer) for 15 minutes in coconut milk and heavy cream.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

DOUBLE FIRST PLACE WINNERS FOR SEAFOOD FROM NORWAY CULINARY CHALLENGE 2009!

DOUBLE FIRST PLACE WINNERS FOR CULINARY CHALLENGE 2009

Kingston, Jamaica, February 17, 2009: Chef Colin Hylton of Guilt Trip and Chef Anthony Miller of Couples Swept Away shared first place honours at the inaugural ‘Seafood from Norway,Culinary Challenge 2009’, held this morning, February 17. Svein Wara, Marketing Manager of the Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC), presented both chefs with prize trips to Norway.
The Culinary Challenge, which was held at the Alhambra Inn, Kingston, and presented by the Norwegian seafood industry, saw eleven of the island’s leading chefs presenting innovative gourmet saltfish recipes.

Mr. Wara said that the standard of dishes presented by each participant was extremely high. “Judges Stephanie Scott, Barbara Ellington, and Dr. Heather Little-White and I had a difficult time selecting the ultimate winners,” said Wara. “After serious consideration of the creativity/originality, taste/flavour and presentation of each dish, Chefs Colin Hylton and Anthony Miller were awarded joint first place, with a close third place going to Debe Ann Chen.”

The joint first place winners also received a medal and a trophy and will take up their grand prize of an all-expense paid trip to Norway in April this year, plus a cash prize of US$1,000 each. Third place winner, Debe Ann Chen, received the bronze medal and a cash prize of US$250. All eleven participants received Wisynco gift baskets and Certificates of Participation.

Colin Hylton’s winning recipe was ‘Run Down Codfish Pasta. His yearning for smells, bold colours, unusual textures and exotic flavours to rule his world led him from the sedentary life of accounting. His desire to create unique and dining experiences for both locals and tourists gave birth to the Guilt Trip restaurant and patisserie.

Anthony Miller’s top recipe was Sugar Cane Skewered Salt fish with Sweet Potato Escoveitch and Wilted Spinach. He has been Executive Chef at Couples Swept Away Negril since November 2008. Since his arrival in Jamaica in 2002, Anthony worked for four years with SuperClubs at Grande Lido Negril, Hedonism II and Grand Lido Braco. He has been Chairman of Education of the Culinary Federation of Jamaica since September 2007.

The other excellent finalists from various top hotels, restaurant and caterers were:

Jose Riquelme - Sunset Resorts
Mark Dekrines - Courtleigh Hotel
Christopher Channer - Courtleigh Hotel
Richard Pinnock - Jamaica Pegasus
Damian Coburn - Sandals Montego Bay
Virginia Burke - Walkerswood
Oji Jaja - Jaja’s Culinary Service
Sue-Ann Montague - Shasuz Catering

The participants and their recipes will all be featured in a booklet planned for release by NSEC later this year.