AW Stories of the Month

 

SUMPTOUS SIDES FOR FOURTH OF JULY
South Florida Top Toques Share Recipes

 

In celebration of Independence Day, South Florida’s best chefs are sharing their recipes for sumptuous side dishes which will round out any Fourth of July cookout.  From Latin-inspired corn on the cob to red, white and blue escabeche, these recipes are certain to add ‘sparks’ to festivities.  Following is a sampling of some of the innovative sides from Miami’s hottest restaurants.

 

Kokoriko Natural Rotisserie

Open since April 2012, Kokoriko Natural Rotisserie, a fast-casual dining concept specializing in rotisserie chicken by culinary mastermind, Chef Richard Sandoval, has quickly positioned itself as the area’s go-to hotspot for affordable, high quality food. Traditionally sold by street vendors in Mexico, Sandoval’s corn on the cob with creamy chipotle sauce and fresh cheese pays homage to his heritage and serves as an ideal holiday side dish. Kokoriko Natural Rotisserie is located at 1111 SW 1^st Avenue in downtown Miami. Telephone: (305) 372-2594; www.kokorikorotisserie.com

 

Corn on the Cob with Creamy Chipotle Sauce and Fresh Cheese

Executive Chef Richard Sandoval

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

 

Corn on the Cob:

4 ears of corn; shucked

1 gallon water

Kosher salt

½ cup chipotle aioli (Recipe below)

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chile powder

1 lime; cut into 8 wedges

 

Creamy Chipotle Sauce:

2 cups mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. chipotle puree

(Note: Can use canned chipotles in adobo & puree in the blender; they’re spicy so use to your desired taste)

1 Tbsp. honey

Juice of ½ lime

 

Directions:

 

Corn on the Cob:

In a large pot, add the water and bring to a rapid boil.  Add enough salt to the water to give the water the taste of seawater.  Drop the corn into the boiling water and cook for approximately 6-7 minutes, or until the corn is tender.  Remove from heat and drain.  Brush each corn cob with the chipotle aioli and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chile powder.  Serve on a skewer with lime wedges.

 

Creamy Chipotle Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined; reserve in refrigerator till needed.

 

 

Rusty Pelican

 

The new Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne, which recently completed a $9 million renovation and debuted a new small plates menu, is a coveted destination for July 4 celebrations.  Not only is it the perfect spot for sunsets, the waterfront dining destination boasts Miami’s best  downtown skyline views – and a wonderful perch for watching fireworks.  A patriotic side dish for July 4 is the rainbow cauliflower escabeche – which in addition to being light and refreshing, just happens to be red, white and blue.  Rusty Pelican is located at 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway on Key Biscayne.  Telephone:  (305) 361-3818; www.therustypelican.com

 

Rainbow Cauliflower Escabeche

Executive Chef Michael Gilligan

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Marinade:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

 

Slaw:

1 cup of 3″ julienne-cut peeled jicama
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
1 head of yellow cauliflower
1 head of purple cauliflower
1 head of green cauliflower

 

Directions:

Cut the cauliflowers into florets, blanch and shock in an ice bath. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Before serving, mix the slaw and marinade together and let sit for at least one hour in the refrigerator.

 

 

Meat Market

Meat Market is South Beach’s sexy and sizzling contemporary steakhouse, featuring an array of prime meats, seafood and crudo offerings.  Chef Sean Brasel replaces French fries with delectable sides like gouda tater tots. Meat Market is located at 915 Lincoln Road on South Beach. Telephone: (305) 532-0088; www.meatmarketmiami.com

 

Gouda Tater Tots
Chef/Owner Sean Brasel
Serves 4

Ingredients:

3          Large russet potatoes
3oz      Smoked cheddar cheese
3oz      Gouda cheese, shredded
1tsp     Salt
¼ tsp   Ground black pepper
 Vegetable oil
 Cornstarch for dredging

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roast the potatoes, with their skin on, for 25 minutes (they should still be hard in the middle).  While still hot, carefully peel potatoes and shred on a box grater into a bowl; cool slightly.  Once potatoes are warm, mix in the cheese and season with the salt and pepper.  Form into ½ ounce cylinders, 1½ inches tall and 1 inch round; reserve in the fridge.  Heat oil to 350 degrees in a large pot and just before serving, cover the tater tots in cornstarch and carefully drop in oil.  Fry until golden brown; serve immediately.

 

The Dutch

 

One of 2011’s hottest restaurant openings, The Dutch at W South Beach Hotel & Residences serves up roots-inspired American cuisine from acclaimed chef/co-owner Andrew Carmellini.  Add a spicy twist to traditional coleslaw with Carmellini’s famed Anthony’s Slaw.  The Dutch is located in the W South Beach Hotel & Residences, 2201 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, Florida, 33139. http://www.the/Telephone:  (305) 938-3111; www.thedutchmiami.com

Anthony’s Slaw

Chef Andrew Carmellini

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

Slaw:

1 medium head green cabbage (about 3½ pounds)

2 or 3 small carrots, peeled

1 medium red onion, quartered and sliced thin

6 pickled jalapeños

 

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

¼ teaspoon ground celery seed

½ cup juice from pickled jalapeños

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

 

To Finish the Dish:

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

 

Directions:

Slaw:

Using a large knife, slice the cabbage into quarters. Cut away the thick core on the inside of each quarter. Then slice each quarter right through the layers, so you end up with thin ribbons. Pile the sliced cabbage in a large bowl.  Slice the carrots as thin as possible (some people like to shred them, which you can do, but I like slicing better – the bigger pieces make for better eating.) Add the carrots and red onions to the bowl.  Cut the ends off the jalapeños; slice each jalapeño lengthwise, cut away the core, and remove the seeds. Then slice each jalapeño crosswise into small thin pieces. Add them to the bowl.

 

Dressing:

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, celery seed, jalapeño juice, mustard, Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Whisk all the ingredients together until they form a smooth liquid.  Season the slaw with the salt and pepper, mixing it in with your hands. Then pour the dressing over the slaw right away, and mix everything together well with your hands, so all of the vegetables are coated. (Don’t season the slaw with the salt and pepper too early: the salt will start to draw the liquid out of the cabbage, so that it goes limp and the sharpness gets pulled out.) Serve the coleslaw immediately. You don’t want to keep this around too long; it’s a same-day, serve-it-right-away recipe.

 

 

Wynwood Kitchen & Bar

 

Edgy street art meets Global-Latino cuisine at Wynwood Kitchen & Bar. Floor-to-ceiling murals and sculptures serve as the perfect backdrop for Chef Miguel Aguilar’s Latin-inspired small plates. This July 4^th, abandon jarred picante sauce for Aguilar’s tomatillo salsa, perfect for chips and a great dipping sauce for grilled meats.  Wynwood Kitchen & Bar is located at 2550 N.W. 2nd Avenue, in Wynwood.  Telephone: (305) 722-8959; www.wynwoodkitchenandbar.com            

 

Tomatillo Salsa

Chef Miguel Aguilar

Serves 8 to 12

Ingredients:

 

2½ lbs.            tomatillo, cleaned and small dice

2½ oz. jalapeño, seeded and veins removed

5 lbs. red onion, small dice

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

juice of 2 limes

salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions:

 

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Gotham Steak

 

Gotham Steak, the glamorous, two level restaurant created by Michelin and James Beard award-winning chef Alfred Portale, is a creative reinterpretation, in both cuisine and design, of a traditional steakhouse. Located in the lobby of Miami Beach’s historic Fontainebleau Hotel, Gotham Steak offers a variety of dining options including specialty cuts of tender, dry-aged prime beef, seafood and poultry. Architectural design highlights include a brilliant chandelier of hand-blown glass, an open exhibition style kitchen and a two-level, glass-enclosed wine tower offering more than 1,500 vintages from around the world. Slow roasted heirloom tomatoes are the perfect complement to any summer dish, and are a delicious, crowd pleasing side. Gotham Steak is located in the lobby of Fontainebleau Miami Beach at 4441 Collins Avenue on Miami Beach. Telephone: (305) 674-4780; www.fontainebleau.com/gothamsteak.

                               

Slow Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

 

2 ea. Heirloom tomatoes cut in ½

2 tsp. Fresh chopped thyme

2 Tbs. Virgin olive oil

Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste

Sugar just to balance the flavor of the tomato, be sure not to make this overly sweet

 

Directions:

 

Take the heirloom tomatoes that are cut in ½ and lay them onto a sheet pan with the flesh side up; season with sea salt, add a touch of sugar to balance, cracked black pepper, fresh chopped thyme and virgin olive oil. Place the tomatoes in a 225 degree pre-heated oven for 1 hour if you have convection oven or until the exposed flesh is almost dry to the touch and the tomato itself is plump; serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

BLT Steak at The Betsy

 

Celebrated chef Laurent Tourondel’s modern American steakhouse at the historic Betsy Hotel on South Beach’s iconic Ocean Drive gives South Florida diners a taste of Tourondel’s award-winning signature style, in a sophisticated yet relaxed beachfront setting. The 2007 Restaurateur of the Year’s South Beach venture showcases prime cuts of USDA Prime, Certified Black Angus and American Wagyu beef, each naturally aged for maximum tenderness and flavor and served finished with herb butter in a cast-iron pan, as well as a variety of fresh fish selections imbued with Tourondel’s French flair and overall finesse. Poached green beans pair perfectly with grilled meats and fish, great for summer. BLT Steak is located at The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive on South Beach.  BLT Steak is open seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Telephone: (305) 673-0044; www.thebetsyhotel.com

 

 

Poached Green Beans with Garlic Chips

Chef Laurent Tourondel

Serves 2

Ingredients:

 

Garlic Chips:

2 large garlic cloves sliced paper-thin

Vegetable Oil for frying

Salt

 

Haricot Vert:

12 oz.  (¾ lb.) Haricot Vert or Green Beans, stems trimmed

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

½ tablespoon minced garlic

Salt & Pepper

 

Directions:

 

Blanch the Garlic

Place the sliced garlic in a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once the water reaches a boil, drain the garlic slices in a strainer and rinse under cold water. Return the garlic slices to the pot and repeat this process three times, using cold water each time. Once the garlic is blanched, pat the garlic slices dry on a bed of paper towels.

 

Fry the Chips

Fill a deep heavy pot or deep fryer with 3 inches of the vegetable oil.  Heat the oil to 300°F.  Fry the garlic in the oil for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chips are light golden brown.  Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Season with salt and set aside.

 

Blanch the Beans

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the beans and cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender but not too soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water; drain well.

 

Sauté the Beans

In a large sauté pan set over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to foam.  Add the garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the garlic is lightly toasted.  Add the blanched beans and season with salt and pepper.  Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the beans are warmed through.

 

To Serve

Place in a serving platter and sprinkle with the garlic chips. 

 

 

 

 

 

Stéphane’s

 

Boca Raton’s chic new restaurant and lounge, Stéphane’s, is slated to open its doors July 2012. Owner and seasoned restaurateur, Stéphane Lang-Willar, and executive chef, John Belleme, have crafted a contemporary, moderately priced menu of French and American cuisine. Diners can expect fresh, sustainable seafood as well as antibiotic-free meat from animals humanely raised on 100% vegetarian diets. Simply delicious and easy to cook, grilled asparagus is the perfect side dish to add a little green to any summer meal. Stéphane’s is located at 2006 NW Executive Center Circle, off of Glades Road, in Boca Raton. Telephone: (561) 893-8838; www.stephanesrestaurant.com

 

Grilled Asparagus
Executive Chef John Belleme

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. Medium Asparagus
1 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. minced Thyme (optional)
Cracked Black Pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Hand break asparagus by holding firmly between index finger and thumb with both hands and bend until asparagus snaps at woody end; throw away woody ends. Carefully peel asparagus to the end, starting just below the flower. Toss the asparagus with ½ oz. olive oil and sea salt (optional: add thyme); gently place on grill. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side; continue to roll asparagus as it cooks. Place cooked asparagus on serving dish and drizzle remaining olive oil on asparagus (optional: add cracked black pepper). Enjoy!

 

Media Contacts:

Brustman Carrino Public Relations
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