Cerulean chef shares dishes from new spring menu

Visit Cerulean, and you’ll find more and more items on the new spring lunch and dinner menu! Executive Chef Alan Sternberg shares today’s recipes:

Asparagus: Kimchi Consommé, black lime, peasAsparagus:

• As needed Asparagus

1. Wash the asparagus under cold water. With a table knife or pallet knife, remove the leaves from the stock all the way up to the head of the asparagus.
2. Grab each piece at the bottom and toward the middle and bend them until they snap. Discard the bottom portion as it’s too fibrous to eat.
3. Grill or roast 1 piece of asparagus for every plate you are making.
4. Take a raw piece of asparagus and thinly slice it on a long bias for every plate you’re making.
5. When the grilled/cooked asparagus become tender but not limp, remove them from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Cut them at a bias by the head, roll them a quarter of the way over and continue cutting with a ¼ roll each time until you get to the end.  The shape doesn’t matter as much as them being bite sized.

Peas:

• As Needed English Peas in pods (can use frozen peas if English aren’t available)

1. Shuck the peas out of their pods.
2. Put a pot of water on high heat and bring to a boil. Add a good amount of salt until it tastes like the ocean.
3. Working quickly, drop the peas into the boiling salted water and allow them to turn bright green and tenderize a little. Do not over cook.  Strain them out of the water the second they look done.  Place them on a sheet tray in one layer and place in a cooler/refrigerator or dunk in an ice bath to cool them.

Black Lime:

• 4-8 limes

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Quickly dunk the limes in the boiling water to sterilize the skins.

Cool completely.

Place in an oven at around 170 degrees until completely dry.  Turn the limes 2-3 times a day.  They will get very dark and if you break one, the inside should be black and semi hollow.

Place a lime in a spice grinder and turn into a powder.

Kimchi Consommé:

• As Needed Kimchi (if you don’t make kimchi, store bought will work)

1. In a high speed blender, blend the kimchi into a smooth and even puree.
2. Line a strainer with a large coffee filter
3. Pour the blended kimchi into the filter lined strainer and place over a bowl.
4. The liquid will leak through the filter and will be extremely flavorful.
5. The liquid will yield about 30% the total volume of the kimchi so make sure there is enough for each place setting.

Assemble:

• Vinaigrette:
• 30 g Apple cider vinegar
• 30 g Olive oil

1. Place in a bottle and shake until combined. If the solution separates, just shake before using.

1. Place the cooked and cut asparagus in the bottom of a small bowl.
2. Combine the blanched peas and the shaved asparagus in a separate bowl and dress with the vinaigrette and season with salt. Taste and check for salt.  You don’t need a lot of the vinaigrette but want to season the vegetables.
3. Arrange the peas and shaved asparagus over the cooked asparagus.
4. Spoon two tablespoons of the kimchi consommé over the salad.
5. Sprinkle with the black lime powder. It can be overpowering so be cautious not to use too much.
6. Drizzle a little olive oil on the surface of the liquid and sprinkle with wild flowers

Hamachi with green almond, apple yuzu, rhubarb kosho

Hamachi:

1 ea  Hamachi side

Skin the Hamachi and remove the blood line.  Remove any bones by cutting them out and you should be left with a top loin and bottom loin.

Take both loins and split them in half long way so you’re left with 4 square-ish pieces.

Combine 2 parts kosher salt with 1 part granulated sugar and mix well in a bowl.  In a baking pan, cover the bottom with a thin layer of the salt sugar mix.  Lay all four pieces of fish on top of the salt.  Use all of the remaining salt sugar mix to cover the fish as best you can so the mix is on all sides.

Cure for 16 minutes and wash all of the salt sugar mix off under cold water.

Place the fish on top of a parchment lined tray and reserve in the cooler until ready to use.  If it’s going to be longer than a half hour, fill a sealable bag with crushed ice and place on top of the fish to keep it very chilled.Apple Yuzu:

328 g  Green Apple

296 g  English Cucumber

90 g  green yuzu kosho

87 g  Yuzu Juice

22 g  Dill

31 g  Honey

136 g  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 g  Xanthan

3 g  Asorbic Acid

.5 g  Malic Acid

12 g  Salt

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender except the olive oil.  Blend until completely smooth and liquefied.  Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the center of the vortex with the blender running to emulsify.  Chill until ready to serve.

Rhubarb Kosho:

338 g  Rhubarb (fine dice)

497 g  Fresno Pepper (seeded and fine dice)

82 g  Salt

2 ea  Lime zest

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let the mixture age at least a week under refrigeration.Garnish:

Green Apple (diced)

Celery leaf (center yellow leaves)

Green Almond (sliced as needed)

Olive Oil

Jalapeno (thin sliced and cut into quarters)Assemble:

Pre chill a plate to serve the crudo on.

Remove the fish from the cooler.  Flip it over so the skin side is up.  Using a long sharp knife (I use a sujihiki), slice the fish in on long motion at a bias to be left with a thin sheet of fish.  Sprinkle a little sea salt on each piece and drizzle with a little olive oil.

To assemble the plate, fold each piece of fish over slightly to build a little height.  Spoon the rhubarb kosho over the fish, place the sliced green almond, diced apple, jalapeno, and celery leaf over the fish.  Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle a tiny bit more salt over the whole thing.  When presenting the dish, pour the yuzu apple around the fish.

**Don’t forget about Industry Night where every Monday, hospitality workers get 50% discount on their food!

To learn more, visit:www.ceruleanrestaurant.com

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