Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [4]
At twenty-four, Stratta was named executive chef of Mary Elaine’s at the world-class Phoenician in Phoenix. The restaurant became a premier dining destination and established Stratta’s national reputation. Leading hotelier Steve Wynn selected Stratta to head the Renoir at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and he subsequently opened his namesake restaurant Alex at the Las Vegas Wynn. His sophisticated vegetarian tasting menus and his other signature dishes have garnered Mobil Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond, and top Zagat ratings. In addition, he has won James Beard Foundation awards as a top dining destination, America’s top hotel chef, and Best Chef: Southwest.
Chilled Provençal Vegetables in Jicama “Cannelloni” with Red Pepper Jus and Artichoke Sauté
Serves 8
Red Pepper Jus
5 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
To make the Red Pepper Jus: Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Juice the peppers in a vegetable juicer, or if unavailable, cut into quarters and add to a food processor or high-speed blender with a small amount of water added slowly until a “tomato juice” consistency, and then strain. Heat bell pepper juice in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup and then pour into a blender. Mix on low, slowly adding the oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and chill until needed.
Candied Orange Zest
2 cups fresh orange zest
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon aged sherry vinegar
Salt to taste
To make the Candied Orange Zest: Place orange zest in a shallow bowl of cold water. Blanch the zest three times, moving from cold water to boiling water and straining in between. In a saucepan, dissolve sugar in the lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Add blanched zest and simmer over low heat until zest is soft but not caramelized; remove from heat. Add vinegar and season with salt. Reserve zest in syrup for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Seasoned Olive Oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs thyme
3 teaspoons raw garlic purée (store‑bought tubes)
To make the Seasoned Olive Oil: Combine the oil, thyme, and garlic in a saucepan and heat until well blended, assuring that the “raw garlic” flavor is gone.
Stuffing
1 cup finely diced white onion
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 cup finely diced eggplant
1 cup finely diced zucchini
2 tablespoons dried currants, soaked in sherry vinegar until bloomed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons Candied Orange Zest (recipe above)
1 tablespoon chopped black olives
2 tablespoons diced tomato confit
1 tablespoon chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Per Me olive oil (or high‑quality extra virgin olive oil)
To make the Stuffing: Cook the onion, bell pepper, eggplant, and zucchini separately in 2 tablespoons each of the hot Seasoned Olive Oil. Drain separately on paper towels. Combine currants, pine nuts, Candied Orange Zest, olives, tomato confit, basil, salt, and pepper. Add drained vegetables and combine with the Per Me olive oil until it holds the consistency of paste.
“Cannelloni”
1 to 2 large jicama bulbs
2 cups Stuffing (recipe above)
To make the “Cannelloni”: Peel the jicama and, using a mandolin, cut 24 paper-thin slices that are 31/2 x 3 inches. Place slices lengthwise on a clean surface. Using a teaspoon, place a line of Stuffing across the bottom one-fourth of the square. Gently roll around the filling, tucking in the end and rolling into a tight cylinder (about 1/8 inch thick). If filling has fallen out of the rolls, restuff using the flat side of a small rubber spatula; this will give them a clean, consistent look. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until needed.
Artichokes
2 medium artichokes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
To make the Artichokes: To attain the artichoke hearts, cut off