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EVOLVED TRADITION AND INSPIRATION

All of the dishes in this chapter fall into one of two categories. In the first, we try to capture the essence of a traditional Greek dish, then express the tradition in an evolved way. With my new approach, the conceptualization of these dishes is grounded in the guests’ ability to make the connection between the traditional and the evolved, both on the palate and in the mind. In the second category, we follow inspiration and journey beyond the traditional definitions of Greek cuisine. We continue to work with the ingredients common in Greek cuisine in these dishes, but allow ourselves to expand on techniques, unusual flavor combinations, and presentation to allow for the exploration of the soul of Greece.

In every one of the dishes in this chapter and at Anthos, I bring both a cerebral and a theatrical element. I want the cerebral part of the experience to develop quickly, but in two distinct phases: first a reaction to the theater involved in the presentation, and the second when the guest is actually eating the dish.

When you see, taste, and compare these dishes to the more traditional dishes earlier in the book, you will find that they are far more refined and elegant, not just in the preparation and presentation, but also on the palate. The original dishes are firmly rooted in my heart. They have taught, guided, and challenged me as my parents did and still do. The newer dishes are like my children: the next generation. They are reflections of lessons learned and traditions honored. They pay homage to the Greek blood that flows in my veins and the pride I carry in the crusade to show the culinary world the glory of Greece.

Note: For the recipes in this chapter, it will be helpful to have on hand some tools and equipment more commonly found in restaurant kitchens, such as a chinoise and a tamis sieve.

POACHED HALIBUT WITH CYPRIOT SHELLFISH SALAD, CUCUMBER-YOGURT BROTH & CAVIAR

SERVES 4

When I was honored to be asked by Michael Batterberry to prepare the fish course for the thirtieth anniversary of Food Arts magazine at the Plaza Hotel, I wanted to do something progressive yet firmly rooted in Greek cuisine.

The light dish that I came up with plays off the cucumber salad you saw earlier in this book (page 24). In that traditional dish, I have always loved the summer brightness of the cucumbers, the briny undertones of the olives, the piquant salinity of the feta, and the way the vinaigrette unifies them as one. So, in creating this dish, we first focused on the ingredients. The goal: to capture each element in a new, unique, and more refined manner while always paying homage to the simple, rustic roots. Once we had captured the soul of the ingredients, we could reflect on them, adding unexpected textures to showcase the underlying lightness that was to define the completed work.

To begin, we juice the cucumbers and emulsify the juices with sheep’s milk yogurt to emulate the flavor of the feta, which gives us a richly textured broth. We do see just a hint of the feta, but here it is dehydrated, bringing in a texture that serves to intensify that sharp, salty-briny flavor. Then we added a new element: the fish. The flaky white flesh of the delicately poached whitefish crumbles into the cool, milky broth with just a hint of green. Suddenly, this evolves into a very sophisticated dish.

The bold, aggressive flavors are still here, but they’re more subdued. The fresh, the light, and the bold mesh together to create a unified final product that lets me express each of the elements on the palate, one by one.

When you look back on that original cucumber salad—especially if you tasted the two salads side by side—you’d see the thought process involved in evolving this dish. The cucumber salad played a creative role: it was the inspiration.

FOR THE CUCUMBER-YOGURT BROTH

½ English cucumber, about three quarters of the peel removed

1 cup sheep’s milk