Guest Chef - Mesa Grill
DINING & ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE - JANUARY 2008
Guest Chef - Mesa Grill
Michael Chiarlanza at Mesa Grill
Bahamians are accustomed to spicy cooking, but even the most hardened were nervous when the Mesa Grill restaurant opened at The Cove, Atlantis, last spring. "Their perception was, it's going to be crazy hot," ays chef Michael Chiarlanza.
Atlantis has one of only three Mesa Grills-the others are in New York and Las Vegas. All are devoted to US celebrity chef Bobby Flay's modern take on southwestern American cuisine. Even Chiarlanza admits that he's still learing about the array of chiles and peppers used in Flay's recipes.
There are ancho, cascabel, quadijillo, pasilla, chipotle and New Mexican peppers, he explains, each with its characteristic heat, flavour and uses. Instead of heat, the emphasis is on a cocentration of flavour, and a balance between opposites. "Like sweetness and vinegar. Or where there's spice, there's something creamy to cool it."
To prove his point Chiarlanza presents a slick of caramelized dark brown sauce. "We serve this with pork," e says, adding nonchalantly that six bottles of Jack Daniels are used to make it.
Chiarlanza loves the hurly-burly of cooking, an attribute he shares with his boss. "With Bobby, it's all about the food," says Chiarlanza.
A chef's chef
Flay is a nationaly syndicated TV star who, on shows like Iron Chef and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, challenges other cooks to ego-bruising tests of skill. But Chiarlanza says of his boss's visits to Mesa Grill, "They're not nerve-racking, though I do get nervous. When I frst went to work for him he told me, 'You wear a white coat, I wear a white coat-I've got your back.' He's very supportive."
Born in Philadelphia, Chiarlanza started working around food at an early age with his grandfather, who owned a catering company.
After high school he entered the culinary programme at New Jersey's Atlantic County College in 1992, before working for a buffet supply company, then as head cook at a bar and grill and finally sous chef at a "basic but high-end Italian restaurant."
Frm there, he moved as a sous chef to the Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa, where he eventually transferred to the then newly opened Bobby Flay Steak. Flay obviously saw star potential.
"Everyone knew he was going to open in The Bahamas," says Chiarlanza, so when he sat me down and asked if I was interested, there really wasn't a lot to think about.
"Bobby wants all his cooks to taste, and use their judgement," says the affable chef.
Do the same when you try these favourites from the Mesa Grill. Be as boldas Bobby Flay and Michael Chiarlanza.
Grilled rib-eye steak with chipotle-honey glaze and roasted pepper relish
(serves four)
Chipotle-honey glaze
1?2 cup honey
1 tbsp chipotle purée
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp kosher salt
Whisk togethr ingredients in a small bowl.
Roasted pepper relish
2 roasted red peppers, julienned
2 roasted poblano peppers, julienned
3 cloves roasted garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp finel chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Garlic chips
1?2 cup canola oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin crosswise
Salt
Heatoil in a small sautée pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic slices in batches and fry until lightly golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt.
Grilled rib-eye
4 rib-eyes (4-16 oz)
Canola oil
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Cilantro sprigs
Heat grill to high or preheat broiler. Brush the steaks with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. If broiling, cook until golden brown on the first side, 5- minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue cooking to medium-rare, 6-7 minutes longer. If grilling, cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4-5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue grilling for 5-6 minutes longer.
During the last minute of coking, liberally brush the top of steaks with the chipotle-honey glaze. Remove from heat and brush with more of the glaze. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top each steak with a large dollop of the roasted pepper relish and sprinkle with the garlic hips. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.
Creamy green chile rice
(serves four)
11?2 cups heavy cream
11?2 cups long grain white rice
23?4 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 roasted poblano chile, finely diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1?4 cp finely chopped fresh cilantro
Place heavy cream in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Reduce to medium and simmer until reduced by half.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rice and season with salt.Bring to a boil again, stir, place a lid on the pan, reduce heat to medium and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes.
Remove rice from heat and let sit for 5 minutes with the lid on. Remove lid and fluff with a fork. Return the rice tothe stove over medium heat, add the reduced cream and salt and pepper. Stir in the poblano, green onion and cilantro and transfer to a bowl.
Pineapple tequila sherbet with tropical fruit salad
(serves eight)
Sherbet
1 ripe pineapple,
13?4 cups simplesyrup
1?4 cup tequila (use Agave only!)
1?2 cup heavy cream
1?4 tsp kosher salt
Peel pineapple, chop (don't core). Puree in blender with simple syrup. Put through a China cap strainer. Add tequila, salt and cream and process in an ice cream machine. Freee.
Tropical fruit salad
(Use a combination of fruit that will give colour and textural contrast)
Papaya or mango, peeled and cubed
Kiwi fruit, peeled and cubed
Asian pear, peeled and cubed
Strawberries, cubed (optional)
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bea
Pinch of salt
Juice from 1?2 lemon
11?2 tbsp sugar
Toss the fruit in a bowl with other ingredients and let macerate for at least 10 minutes. (Or it can be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated). Top with sherbet.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-Mail: Click here
Internet: https://
Disclaimer:
Information in editorial and listings is subject to change at any time.