Culinary Creativity: Chef Matthew Barros--Part 2

(Check out my Introduction to the Culinary Creativity series.)
(Read Part 1 of my Interview with Chef Matthew Barros.)

Where do you get your ideas for new recipes/dishes? What is your process of creating a new recipe or dish? Do other members of your staff assist with creating ideas for new recipes/dishes?
When creating dishes the first two things in my head are; what is the main ingredient going to be, and what is it I want to accomplish in the final dish? By doing these two simple steps I just built my building blocks for what is soon to come. It is very necessary to have focus when doing so. If not, I find myself experimenting with too many ingredients that don’t mix; so having structure and staying on track is key.

Next I go to brainstorming and get to the basics; what do I know about this item and have I ever worked with it before? Now if I have, I start there and if I am unaware of the product I must go to the books and do as much research to find out what the best way to prepare it is, what the best flavors are, and how to get the textures to coincide with them. This is where it can get a little difficult, however crucial, to train myself to know my ingredients well so I can mix and match at will, and to know all that I can about the products I have at hand, because there is no point of putting in all the time and effort into creating a dish if you cannot properly cook your product to its fullest potential or have all of your elements come together as one when the final dish is finally plated.

As chefs we need to always be thinking a few steps ahead and be aware of whether or not our actions make sense on the final dish. Does it have what I want, and does it show who I am when it is done? Now truthfully I am very blessed to be working with both Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers; mainly because since day one they have always had my back and have always been there for me to bounce questions and ideas off to them, in which they always guide me in the right direction both for my own knowledge and for the restaurant. Whenever an idea comes to mind I can run it by them, and they will let me know right off the bat what they like and what they don’t like; so, as explained before, they help build structure and focus for me to create new things.

How do you test new recipes/dishes? Relate an unusual or interesting anecdote about the creation of one of your dishes.
The next step for me is to get on the line and try out the recipes. After the first trial I’ll taste to see if what I really wanted to stand out is still the main feature, and that every other element in the dish complements each other, to make the final product work without being unbalanced.

For example, we recently put together a wok-charred baby octopus dish with grilled corn, slathered in sriracha butter. As I thought about the baby octopus, I knew right away I wanted the dish to remain simple. I know octopus can take on heavy flavors well, so started with a quick blanch in a flavorful fish fumet, made a blistered corn sambal with roasted red bell peppers, and made my sriracha butter. I started by trying the octopus on the grill, but didn’t like that, so I went to the wok, which would guarantee far more heat than the grill. I then grilled the corn, on the cob, and mixed the grilled corn with the sambal sriracha butter. After that all gelled, it was time to work on the plating. Once I have found what I like I'll run it by Joanne and Christopher to see what their thoughts are, to check that they like the direction that I’m going in or if it even fits in what we are doing in the restaurant.

Do you ever experience “writer’s block,” an inability to be creative, and if so, how do you deal with it?
When creating new dishes there is always a point of difficulty in answering questions such as: did the dish came out the way I intended it to, will the price point fit into the menu we have, and, most importantly, is it who we are? I find it very easy to mix and match flavors and textures, but the trick with creativity is, does what you’re doing make sense, and are your clients going to understand?

As said before I love simplicity, however, as chefs some of the simplest dishes are the hardest to make. If I just have 5 ingredients to work with, it may seem easy but experimenting to get all 5 ingredients cooked perfectly with the right technique, seasoning, and flavor all pulled together as one is sometimes difficult. Another issue you could run into is when you have everything going for you, and that one last aspect to finish the dish does not come to you. At this point it takes large amounts of time to go back to the books to research, re-plan, maybe take one thing out and add two completely new items, but still trying to keep it in the same direction as you started from can get frustrating. At these times there is nothing else to do other than trial and error. It is fun but can take time. When I am in a slump on paper, my favorite way to get out of the slump is to just cook and cook until I am back on track. After all, that’s really what it’s all about in the end; the creativity truly comes from the cooking.

Da Vinci: Lobster Gelato

(Photo courtesy of Melissa Ostrow)

Da Vinci Ristorante’s Chef Shingara “Peppino” Singh has just created a very unique summer hybrid: Lobster Gelato. Available by special request only during the month of September, Chef Peppino has daringly combined two special summer treats—lobster and ice cream—to produce Lobster Gelato: fresh Maine lobster with milk, heavy cream, vanilla and sugar, sprinkled with a butterscotch-honey-mango sauce and delicately served in a chilled lobster tail.

Chef Peppino has long experimented successfully with distinctive gelato flavors, including serving his signature Beef Carpaccio with celery sorbetti and shaved parmiggiano and his creamy gorgonzola gelato served on top of a poached pear. Other savory gelato flavors have included arugula and basil.

This lobster gelato certainly sounds intriguing to me, as do Chef Peppino's other exotic gelato flavors. And if you want to try to make your own lobster gelato, here is Chef Peppino's recipe.

Lobster Gelato

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 cup lobster glazed
1 cup lobster meat
1 vanilla bean

Method
Boil vanilla bean with cream and milk and strain after. Add everything and put in ice cream machine and grain.

Sauce
2 cup honey
1 lb butter
5 lobster body
1 cup mango pulp
1 cup chopped mango

Method
Cook the lobster body with butter than reduce and strain. Mix all ingredients and add one pinch of salt.

For serving:
Put the sauce on the plate. Scoop the ice cream inside of the lobster tail and garnish with the sauce and fresh mint.

Da Vinci Ristorante
162 Columbus Avenue
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-350-0007

Culinary Creativity: Chef Matthew Barros--Part 1

(Check out my Introduction to the Culinary Creativity series.)

Chef Matthew Barros is the Executive Chef for Myers+Chang, an Asian restaurant in the South End owned by Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers. The restaurant is "... inspired by Taiwanese soul food and Southeast Asian street food, all done with a great deal of care. It is a personal, sometimes loose interpretation, to be sure, but our criteria are simple: everything we make must be fresh, delicious, and addictive. We are passionate about sharing our love of this food with you." I have enjoyed numerous meals there, especially their weekend Dim Sum, and you can read some of my reviews here.

Chef Barros began his culinary career at the young age of 13, at the bottom, as a dishwasher. By the time he was 16, he had joined the cook line. He continue his training at the Culinary Institute of America and interned at The Grand Floridian Hotel and Resort in Orlando, Florida. He spent a few years working in restaurants in Florida before coming home to Massachusetts. He then started as the opening Sous Chef for Myers+Chang, eventually moving to the position of Executive Chef for Myers+Chang.

How important is culinary creativity to you? Why is it important?
What is culinary creativity? To me, it is what drives me every day, whether at work or wherever else I find myself. As a chef I have the power to present myself through the dishes that I create. Not only do I think it is crucial to be creative, but I also believe it is one of the hardest tasks I have at hand every day. We are all creative beings, but so many people have that fear of failure that keeps them from even trying to create.

Creativity to me is also important because it sets the tone of the restaurant. We as chefs spend every day finding and using the best and local produce daily, changing the menu seasonally, featuring highlights on the menu to bring new people into the restaurant, and keeping customers guessing what’s in store for them the next time they come into the restaurant. Each of these little factors plays a major role in creating a strong restaurant, and keeps the diners coming back for the food. Letting yourself be creative also plays a large role for your staff as well, with new dishes coming and going as daily specials or menu items I have the opportunity to teach my staff new things, as well as keeping the moral of the place high and never repetitive.

What are your most significant inspirations for your culinary creativity? What makes those matters so inspiring?
Inspiration is different from person to person, for me almost anything can be inspirational. Not to sound cliché, but I would truly have to say that my biggest influence is life; every moment I live through, every observation I make, and every realization I come to is where I learn and take little bits of knowledge with me into my food. Other straightforward inspirations would be reading, eating/cooking food, or just watching TV.

The most beneficial way for me to create is usually at home after work relaxing, without 15 projects running through my mind is, when I’m most at ease and can cruise through notes from the past and start to apply them to what I’m doing now, and in return I show my creative side and put my own personal touch on food. One of my favorite mentors once said to me “Don’t be afraid to open yourself to greater creativity because when you do, not only is that the real you, but greater changes will follow.”

I have about 5 little 5-star notebooks dating back from 2002 in Miami. Now these I keep very close to me, but I also have a large file cabinet at home with random recipes i have collected from other restaurants that i have worked at in the past, some are from independent places, and some are from the hotel scene where I have great recipes and plans when doing a party anywhere from 20-2000 people. I do add everyday to this collection depending on if there are ideas I would love to try which is one section in my files or recipes i know from doing separated from restaurant to restaurant mainly so I don't get confused with the styles of cooking that I have done so far in life. As an upcoming chef or truthfully anyone in this industry needs to write this stuff down there is no way any human being I personally think can remember from day to day what they do or even experiment with without having the basics on paper!!! I sometimes bounce back and forth, sometimes I'll have a notebook in my back pocket to put things in or if not the go on scrap paper and on my day off I'll clean them up and add to the files!!!

Part 2 of this Interview will be posted tomorrow.

More Vermont Wines

At the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, and a couple other spots, I tasted wines from a number of Vermont wineries. I have already raved about the wines of Boyden Valley Winery and now it is time to highlight some of the other Vermont wines I enjoyed. I tried to concentrate on wines made from Vermont grapes, and not grapes imported from elsewhere.

Honora Winery: This winery did not have any wines available that were produced from Vermont grapes, but they are working towards that goal. Their 200 acre vineyard is located in the Green Mountains of West Halifax. The vineyards contains mostly cold-weather grapes such as LaCrescent, Frontenac, Marechal Foch and Marcette. They have also planted some Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Noir.

They are currently importing grapes from California and Washington, with plans to import from other wine regions as well. Their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($11.99), made from California grapes, was a pleasant, easy drinking wine with some nice, red fruit flavors and a touch of spice.

Lincoln Peak Vineyard: This winery only makes wines from grapes grown in Vermont, on their small, twelve acre vineyard, located in New Haven. They grow about twenty different grapes, including Frontenac, Marquette, St. Croix, LaCrescent, Swenson White, and Prairie Star.

I really enjoyed two of their wines. First, the 2008 Starlight ($11.99), was a rose made from Sabrevois and St. Croix grapes. It had a nice strawberry smell and a pale pink color. It was dry, more like an Old World rose, with subtle red fruit flavors. A pleasant wine, perfect for summer. The second was the 2008 Black Willow ($14.99), a white wine made from Louise Swenson and Frontenac Gris grapes. This was a very aromatic wine, with alluring floral and perfume notes. On the palate, it was dry and crisp with floral tastes and subtle fruit flavors. This is a winery you should check out if you visit Vermont.

Charlotte Village Winery: The grapes for the wines produced by this winery come from the Lodi region of California.

East Shore Vineyard: This winery is located in Grand Isle, overlooking Lake Champlain. They have about five acres of grape vineyards, and with plans to double their size. They grow cold-weather grapes such as LaCrescent, Frontenac, Marquette, Louise Swenson and Prairie Star. But the only wines they currently have available, a Traminette and Cabernet Franc, are made from grapes of the Finger Lakes region of New York. Wines made from their own grapes will be released in the near future.

Eden Ice Cider Company: This company, located in West Charleston, was formed in 2007 by Albert and Eleanor Leger. They just produce apple ice cider, made from traditional and heirloom varieties of apples in Vermont. The cider is made from 100% apple, without any added sugar or flavorings. About 50% of the apples used are cider apples rather than dessert ones, giving more tartness to the cider. It takes over 8 pounds of apples to make a 375ml ($25) bottle.

Currently, they just sell the Calville Blend, which is made from apples including, MacIntosh, Empire, Russets, Calville Blanc and Ashmead's Kernel. It has an alcohol content of 10% and 15% residual sugar. The cider is not overly sweet, and does have a rich apple flavor with bits of honey and almost caramel notes. I enjoyed it though it was not impressive. I am curious though about their new product, which should be released in November, called Northern Spy. This will be a "single-varietal ice cider" which will be aged in French oak. Northern Spy is an "antique variety of apple that was one of the three most popular in America at the end of the 19th century. It has a sweetly tart flavor that is superbly enhanced by the oak."

Neshobe River Winery: This is a winery with attitide, located in Brandon. They have a small vineyard and also import grapes from California and the Finger Lakes. Currently, they do not sell any wines made just with Vermont grapes. Their 2007 Purple Haze ($15-a tribute to Jimi Hendrix) is made with Vermont grown Frontenac, but also Merlot and Cabernet Franc which is grown elsewhere.

Snow Farm Winery: After breakfast at the Farmer's Diner, I stopped at the shops of the Quechee Gorge Village which had a tasting table for the wines of Snow Farm. I was most impressed with their dessert wines. I did enjoy their 2008 American Traminette ($17.95) but felt it was too pricey for its quality. The 2007 Estate Vignoles ($25/375ml) is a late harvest dessert wine with a complex melange of flavors, including apricot, orange, honey and almond. Plus, it was not overly sweet. The 2007 Estate Vidal Ice Wine ($45/375ml) is sweeter, though a bit more complex and with a lengthy finish. Though the ice wine is the better wine, I think the Vignoles is a better value.

Shelburne Vineyard: I actually visit this winery and the tasting room was packed on the day I visited. The winery, located in Shelburne, was established in 1998. They have three vineyards, including one which is certified organic, and they grow grapes including Cayuga, LaCrescent, Louise Swenson, Marquette, St Croix, Riesling, Traminette, Vidal, Vignoles, and Zweigelt.

They also use grapes grown in New York and Quebec. Several of their white wines use Chardonnay, which is grown elsewhere. Interestingly, they have two wines, the Whimsey Meadow Rose and MuMondo, which use a blend of grapes from Vermont, New York and Quebec, all in the same wine. Their wines were generally good, though I was hoping for more wines produced just from Vermont grapes.

Bistro 5: Heirloom Tomato Dinner

Fresh, heirloom tomatoes such as Brandywine, Green Zebra, Speckled Roman, and Organic Peach. Intriguing names, as well as intriguing tastes. The Organic Peach, above in the lower right hand corner, was new to me and it actually had a very slight fuzz on the skin.

Chef Vittorio Ettore of Bistro 5 in Medford (one of my favorite restaurants) is currently showcasing heirloom tomatoes this month in special dinners. You can opt for a Three Course Menu for $45 with Wine Pairing for an additional $18. Or select the Five Course Menu for $65 with Wine Pairing for an additional $22.

(And as a special discount for my readers, if you tell the restaurant that you saw my post about this dinner, you will receive 10% off your bill.)

Chef Ettore invited me to check out the new Heirloom Tomato dinner and it was an amazing meal. Please note that the menu is subject to change throughout the month, depending upon the availability of ingredients. So you may not get the exact dishes that I did, but I am sure they will be qualitatively similar.

The dinner began with Gazpacho accompanied by Yellow Brandywine sorbet, Jalapeño pasta & Scallop ceviche. At first, these different ingredients might seem to clash. Who would pair such items together on the same plate? Yet they meshed quite well, making this the most creative dish of the evening as well as one of the most delicious.

The sorbet was quite refreshing with a strong tomato flavor. There were plenty of thinly sliced pieces of tender scallop amidst the pasta, with just hints of spice from the jalapeno. The gazpacho itself was thinner in texture than other gazpachos I have had, almost a broth rather than the thicker and more full bodied soups you might be used to. But it certainly did not lack in flavor, and actually was a much lighter dish because of it. A nice way to begin a five course meal. The gazpacho burst with fresh tomato flavor, as well as hints of other veggies. Overall, this was a clean, fresh and tasty dish. Highly recommended.

The second course was Evoo Fried Green Tomatoes, with Green Zebra Tomatoes, Buffalo mozzarella & Opal basil pesto. Opal basil is also known as purple-leaf basil, due to the purply-red color of its leaves. The tomato had a very light, fried coating (maybe panko?), and the flavor of the tender tomato was enhanced by the crisp coating. The creamy mozzarella and pesto enhanced the dish, creating a great mix of flavors. I craved for more of the fried tomatoes so I knew this was another delicious course.

We moved onto a heartier course next, Braised Rabbit with Smoked Speckled Roman Tomato, Shaved parmigiano & Prosciutto. This was more of a rustic and wild dish, with lots of smoky and salty flavors, yet neither overwhelmed. The plentiful pieces of rabbit were very tender, blending well with the rest of the ingredients. The tomatoes were more in the background in this dish, yet they still stood out on their own with their smoky flavor.

Next up, Berkshire Pork Loin with Aussie Tomatoes, pickled ginger & Marinated eggplant. Again, the tomatoes took a back seat to the rest of the dish, yet they made a significant contribution to the flavor of the course. The pork was delicious, tender and with a touch of sweetness to it. Though I am not usually a fan of eggplant, this marinated eggplant was rather tasty.

We ended the evening with an Organic Peach Tomato Napoleon, with Basil yogurt gelato & Vanilla bean crème Anglaise. Another exceptional dish that really showcased the flavor of the tomato, though this tomato has some sweetness to it. From the delicate, crispy pastry layers to the creamy basil gelato, everything just worked well. That is even a bit of candied basil atop the gelato. It was a light dessert, perfect after the four previous courses.

The wine pairings were very good, especially the whites, a Chardonnay and Pinot Grigo, that accompanied the first two courses. Plus, service was impeccable. This was an excellent dinner, though I expected nothing less from this Chef. If you love tomatoes, or just good food, then I highly recommend you check out this special heirloom tomato dinner this month. And tell them the Passionate Foodie sent you.

Bistro 5

5 Playstead Road

Medford, MA

Phone: 781-395-7464