This Week's Recipe By: Chef Ben Diaz, MCFECornish Sea Bass with Tempura Fried Sun chokes and Taro Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1
ea 8 oz Cornish sea bass, skin on 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. lime zest 2 oz. miso 1
c. water TT salt/ pepper Tempura Sun chokes: 1 ea. Sun choke, cleaned and cut into rings 2
oz. cornstarch 2 oz. flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 c. soda water TT salt/ pepper Taro Vinaigrettes: ½
c. brewed taro 1 oz. Dijon mustard 3 oz canola oil 1 oz. sugar TT salt/pepper Directions: first
in a none reactive container add the lime zest, Water and Miso. Mix well and add sea bass, let marinade for 3 hours. Next
season with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper, sear over medium high heat on both sides, making sure to crisp the skin.
Next in a small mixing bowl add cornstarch, baking soda, flour and slowly pour in the soda water until a uniform batter is
formed, season to taste. Batter the sun choke rounds and deep fry at 350 degrees for about 3 to 5 min. or until golden brown.
Add the brewed taro, Dijon and sugar into a small blender, know while the blender is on low slowly start adding the canola
oil until evenly incorporated, season to taste. For assembly place sun choke on bottom of bowl topped with Cornish bass and
drizzle vinaigrette around the bowl.
This week's Recipe By: Chef Ben Diaz, MCFEPassion Fruit Glazed Kona Kampachi with Matignon Vegetables and Parmesan Crisp Ingredients: 1 ea. 6 oz Kona Kampachi 6 oz passion fruit puree 2
tbsp butter TT salt/ pepper Matignon Vegetables: 2 oz bacon, diced ¼ ea onion,
diced ¼ ea carrot, diced ¼ ea celery, diced 2 oz porto 5 oz chicken stock 1 tsp.
thyme TT salt/ pepper Parmesan Crisp: 3 oz parmesan ½ tsp parsley **Garnish:
Edible Orchid, Chives Directions: First mix the parmesan with parsley and arrange on a silt pad,
bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 min, or until golden brown, now will crisp is still hot place into a cocktail glass to form
a cylinder shape, hold for later, now in a saute pan render down the bacon and add the vegetables, saute until aromatice and
add the porto to deglaze now after it has reduced add the chicken stock slowly until it forms a stuffing like consistency.
Finish with thyme and season to taste. Now in a sauce pot add the passion fruit and butter, reduce by half. Season the kampachi
and sear to medium. Glaze with the passion fruit. In a center bowl add the parmesan crisp and top with matignon vegetables,
place kampachi on top and garnish with chives and orchids.
This Week's Recipe By: Chef Ben Diaz, MCFE King Crab En Croute with Porcini Duxelle a top Matignon vegetables served with Bay Shrimp Blanc Ingredients: 10
oz Phillips king crab meat ½ c porcini mushrooms 1 ea shallot, minced 3 oz sauvignon blanc 1
tsp garlic, chopped 1 tsp parsley, chopped TT Kosher Salt/ pepper ½ ea puff pastry sheet 1
ea egg 1 oz. clarified butter Vegetables: 4 oz, apple smoked bacon, small diced ½
ea. Eggplant, diced ½ green zucchini, diced ½ yellow squash, diced 1 ea onion, diced ½
ea carrot, diced ½ c sauvignon blanc TT Kosher Salt/ pepper 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp rosemary Sauce: 1
tsp garlic 1 c bay shrimp 1 oz lemon juice ½ c sauvignon blanc 3 oz butter TT Kosher
Salt/ pepper 1 tsp parsley, chopped Directions: -in a small saute pan add the mushrooms,
garlic, shallots and saute until soft add the wine and render down to a paste and mix with the crab. Place small amounts of
the mixture onto the puff pastry (cut into 4X4 squares) roll close and seal with egg wash and brush with clarified butter.
Let sit fro 5 min before baking at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 min. for the matignon vegetables, render the bacon until all fat
has release and bacon is crispy. Add the vegetables and saute, deglaze with wine add season to taste, puree the mixture in
robot coup or with handheld emersion blender and finish with fresh herbs. In a small sauce pot add the shrimp and saute until
soft, add the garlic and cook until aromatic. Deglaze with wine and add lemon juice, mount with butter. Season to taste and
finish with fresh chopped parsley. On a square plates place the matignon vegetables into 3 mounds and cut the pastry on a
bias and arrange three tiers on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the sauce around the plate.
8:58 pm est
Discovering Produce By: Chef Ben Diaz, MCFEProduce is
the term given to farmed products that are sold for retail, generally limited to fruits and vegetables. The term “Produce”
refers to foods that are fresh and generally grown in the same state or territory from which they are harvested. Produce is
the main product sold by grocery stores, farmers and markets; many markets use codes to determine the quality and grade of
produce one good example is the codes used by grocery store called Price Look-Up which are: 3 or 4 produce is conventionally
grown with the use of pesticides and/or fertilizers. 9 produce is grown organically without pesticides. 8 GMO produce, contains
genetically modified material. Although most produce can be available all year round it is always best to buy produce when
its in season for that’s when it is at its best and is often cheaper to buy. The seasons go as follows: Spring:
Typical fruits are mango, apricots, pineapple and strawberries. Spring vegetables are delicate cabbages, peas,
baby lettuces, baby spinach, and watercress. Other types include rhubarb, potatoes, asparagus, artichokes and avocados. Summer:
These types include berries such as raspberries and blackberries as well as stone fruits like peaches, nectarines
and summer vegetables include eggplant, beets, tomatoes and zucchini. Fall: Produce include figs,
pomegranate, apples and grapes. Vegetables include various types of cabbages like cauliflower, collards, broccoli and endive.
Root vegetables include turnips, ginger, garlic, yams and parsnips. Winter Squash include butternut, pumpkin and acorns as
well as corn and peas. Winter: Fruits include oranges, lemons, grapefruit and clementines. Vegetables
include harder cabbages like kale, raddicchio, leeks and Brussels sprouts. Also seasonal root vegetables include radishes,
rutabaga and turnips and include some winter squash. Fruits and Vegetables can be found in all shapes, sizes, colors and
dimensions. there is hundreds of thousands of type of produce and millions of hybrids one great example of this is the Avocado
although the Hass Avocado might be the most popular its only one choice that consumer have from about over 600 types and hybrids
of Avocadoes. As technology grows so does the market for these unique types of produce. The best way to purchase the freshest
produce is to be aware of the seasons and the small but noticeable signs, always check for bright shinny skin with no bruises,
produce must be firm not hard or soft, if your buying melons or fruit look for the natural stem disconnection it should be
smooth with no apparent tampering as to say no human interaction just a natural cut that is an indication that the product
is just right. The smell should be light and fresh with no stench or hint of pesticides or vinegars. Weather it be fruit or
vegetables produce has long been the stable for any household and that is not likely to change by any means regardless of
science and biological interference.
Professional Culinarian By: Chef Ben Diaz, MCFE-A professional is defined as someone who takes pride in their profession threw practice and determination
of one's craft. To be a professional culinarian one must first learn the foundations of their craft, ie: handling ingredients
and equipment as well as benchmark techniques and standard recipes. Next, one must apply these basic foundational techniques
and skills in order to advance their profession as well as their own culinary careers. Chef's take responsibility over
foods and managing all operations of a kitchen, taking responsibility for the quality of the food and profitability of their
respected establishment. Chef's are sometimes called artists, sometimes craftsman's, ans sometime managers. The one
thing that all chefs have in common are their standards for high quality food and service. No matter what industry your in
all professions are diverse; the culinary industry is no different. A true culinary professional is an artist, a visionary,
a businessperson, a scientist, and among it all a chef is a cultural explorer. Acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary
to succeed in this industry is an endless lifelong journey. A Culinary professionals responsibility is fourfold; to him/her,
to co-workers, to the industry, and to their guest. Professionalism means abusive language, harassment, ethnic slurs,
and profanity do not have a place in a kitchen. A professional will take time to create courtesy, respect, discipline,
and teamwork this is what builds self- esteem and pride among fellow culinarians. Culinary professionals are fully committed
to providing excellent service; service implies more than bringing food to a paying customer. Every employee in the kitchen
from the Executive Chef to the dishwasher, has a stake in keeping the customer happy. The key to success is open communication
between the chef and staff, this is an important aspect of good service and a dedicated professional. Cooking is a verry well
respected profession, just as doctors, lawyers, and teachers are professionals. The path to becoming a professional chef is
long and weary, it involves formal education, certifications, continuing education, professional development, establishing
a professional network and the will to want to learn and expand your understanding of even the basis of basic preparations.
Today, there are more than 800 culinary schools in the US alone; these is great news for chefs because increasingly employers
are looking for job applicants who have culinary degrees. Formal training is a great starting point for any professional chef,
but it is not necessarily needed, if a chef is determined enough and strives to learn and better themselves then they are
on the right path to being a professional, not just any professional a culinary professional.</body>
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