Chef’s Kitchen

Each month we bring a guest chef into our Chef’s Kitchen column to give us a tip that elevates their cooking (and hopefully ours). They also provide a recipe that showcases their tip. Our guest chef this month is Executive Chef of Salish Lodge & Spa Roy Breiman.

A graduate of Le Cordon Rouge in Sausalito, California, Chef Roy has worked in top U.S. restaurants such as Restaurant Antoine at the Le Meridien in Newport Beach, California; Restaurant Maurice at the Le Meridien in New York City; and Meadowood, Napa Valley. His international experience has included the Michelin-starred Chantecler at the Hotel Negresco in Nice and Le Chateau Eza in Eze Village. He has spent time with many purveyors – from fish mongers in Hong Kong to truffle farmers in France – and appreciates the intricacies of carefully cultivated, lovingly-raised foods. Each part of a dish – product origins, freshness, aromas, presentation, flavors, – are equally important in creating a meal to savor.

Quick tips to ensure great presentation and texture, by Executive Chef Roy Breiman

Avoiding fruit oxidization (discoloring):
In a perfect world, the best way to use fruit is to prepare it then serve immediately. If you don't have the luxury of time and need to prepare fruits that oxidize (like pears and apples) in advance, you can avoid discoloring by holding the fruit in water and lemon juice for up to two hours ahead of serving time.

Thinly slice the fruit and marinate in water and lemon juice: 2 cups of water and a 1/2 to a whole lemon for four servings. Lime can also be used, but lemon is a better across-the-board accent. The lemon also adds a nice citrus touch to the fruit.

Blanching:
When blanching green beans, the water should be salted and rapidly boiling before the beans are added. Use about 3 tablespoons of salt to one quart of water. Salting the water allows the salt to cook into the beans. Use plenty of water. The beans should have room to tumble and roll. When they have reached the desired doneness, drop them in an ice bath. This retains the bright green color, making your dish more beautiful.



Salish Lodge & Spa
6501 Railroad Avenue SE
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-1109
1-800-2-SALISH (1-800-272-5474)
In Washington: 1-425-888-2556

www.salishlodge.com

Click here to see Roy's recipe

March/April 2007

  Return to the HOME PAGE       This online magazine is a production of Mixed Media.