It was one of those rare occasions when a young chef dazzles with the refinement and skills one would expect from someone older and more experienced.
Chef Cara Davis, a young Filipino-Canadian chef shared her recipes of select dishes from all over Europe, inspired by her trips and her forays in the kitchens of premier restaurants under the tutelage of renowned chefs.
Try your hands on these recipes and go on a culinary journey yourself right in your very own kitchen.
Salmorejo Soup
This classic dish uses a blend of herbs used in traditional French cuisine.
8 plum tomatoes, cored and halved
½ clove garlic
½ piece small yellow onion, sliced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 day old baguette, (8 ounces) cut into large cubes
¼ – ½ cup water
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Garnish:
3 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
150 grams jamon serrano (cured ham), oven baked until crisp
rustic bread
olive oil
In a blender, add the mixture of tomatoes, garlic, onion, vinegar, bread cubes, water, a pinch of salt, pepper and olive oil. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add water if you find the soup too thick or add bread if it is too thin. Season with salt and pepper.
This soup can be eaten as is or garnished with chopped hard boiled egg and crispy jamon serrano chips. Serve with rustic bread and a drizzle of olive oil to finish.
Serves: 6-8
St. Peter’s Fish with Beurre Blanc
This fish is easy to cook because it is not easily overcooked. It is perfect with the velvety and tangy sauce.
Beurre Blanc Sauce:
1 pound cold unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
calamansi juice, to taste
1 piece St. Peter’s fish fillet, skin removed
salt, to taste
Prepare beurre blanc sauce. Cut the butter into ½-inch cubes and chill. Heat the wine, vinegar and shallots in a saucepan until the liquid boils, then simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Once mixture has reduced to 2 tablespoons, lower the heat, and add the chilled cubes of butter, one or two at a time, while whisking rapidly. Remove pan from the heat while whisking in the last few cubes of butter. The finished sauce should be thick and smooth. Add calamansi juice for acidity, if desired. Season with salt. Keep warm. Strain the shallots, if desired.
Dry fish with paper towel. Season with salt on both sides. In a sauté pan, sear fish on both sides until golden brown and crispy. Serve with the beurre blanc sauce.
Serves: 2
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