chef ROBERTO CORTEZ
Roberto Cortez
Inspired by the great chefs of Europe and ultimately studied under, Chef Roberto Cortez has emerged as a rising star in the culinary world. Influenced by his travels to every part of the globe, Chef Cortez has cultivated a culinary experience transcending all others. Steeped in the strict traditional techniques of Ecole Lenotre, Le Cordon Bleu, and Bellouet Conseil, Roberto Cortez's masterpieces span from the traditional Rillettes De Canard to his eclectic Lobster Enchiladas with Chile-Lobster Sauce.
The native Texan began his career as sous chef at the famed Fonda San Miguel in Austin, then moved on as a personal chef to the stars, including Eddie Murphy, Dan Akroyd, Antonio Banderez, Mellini Griffith, and Gina Gershin among others, in Los Angeles. Next was a move north to Seattle as personal chef to Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen, where Roberto headed kitchens on land, sea, and air.
Longing to focus on the small, exclusive dining "experiences" he's known for, Chef Cortez returned to Los Angeles in 2001.
Recently Roberto has been commissioned to create a menu like no other for the, just opened, Couchez, Santa Barbara, in the old Andria's building on State Street near the beach front.....this author was recently at the restaurant for an intimate experience/tasting and must say the evening was a one of those artful culinary moments one never forgets and never stops talking about! Check the spot out.
From the simplest soup to the most difficult pastry, each ingredient is at the peak of the moment. Treated with the strictest guidelines to create an amazing taste sensation, Chef Cortez describes his service as "personal and intimate with a high emphasis on detail", delivering a food experience specially designed for each person. Please delight in the eclectic cuisine of Chef Roberto Cortez! and Enjoy!
Rare and possibly obtainable spices and herbs......Roberto has his very private connections round the world!
Below a sampling of Roberto's art.....please scroll down for show recipes .......if you dare!
Show Recipes
Beef Short Ribs
in Hot Black Truffle Mousse with Hazelnut Farro and Artichokes in Herbes De Provence Puree.....
INGREDIENTS:
Short Ribs:
3 Tbs. grapeseed oil
3 lb. beef short ribs, boneless
2 cups onions, large dice
1 cup carrots, large dice
2 garlic cloves, skin on, lightly crushed
1 cup button mushrooms
3 Australian peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 thyme branches
3 cups dark chicken jus
1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbs. aged sherry vinegar
Artichokes:
4 artichokes, leaves peeled, cleaned, hearts only, submerged in 3 cups water with juice of l lemon
1 1/2 cups olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
3 Tbs. garlic, sliced thin
4 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary branches
1 bay leaf
10 fennel seeds
5 Sarawak white peppercorns
1 lemon
1 cup Sauvignon Blanc Wine
2 cups white chicken stock, warm
Herbs de Provence Puree:
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
1 tsp. oregano, dried
1 tsp. marjoram, dried
1 Tbs. fresh thyme, leaves only
1 tsp. rosemary oil
reserved basil liquid
special salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Hazelnut-Farro:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. butter
3 Tbsp. onion, brunoise
1 cup farro
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Hot Black Truffle Mousse:
200 grams cream
100 grams milk
10 grams black truffles, roughly chopped
1 drop black truffle oil
1 egg white
Special salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Parmesan Tuille:
Fleur de sel
Artisinal hazelnut oil
METHOD:
For the Beef Short Ribs:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium deep skillet over medium heat. Dry the short ribs and season with salt and pepper. Brown evenly on all sides, about 15-20 min. Remove the short ribs and add onion, carrots, garlic and mushrooms.
Cook vegetable for 15 min. or until browned and caramelized. Add back the short ribs, thyme, bay and peppercorns. Add the sherry vinegar, dark chicken jus and chicken stock. The liquid should not cover the ribs. Bring to a simmer and move to the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours and turn ribs over. Continue to cook for another 1 1/2 hrs. Remove ribs from oven. Strain veg. and liquid into a medium saucepan. Skim off the fat, bring to simmer and reduce to 1 cup. Add short ribs to the braising liquid and blaze ribs all over. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and aged sherry vinegar. Keep covered and warm.
For the Artichokes:
Heat 1 cup of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 3 min. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the fennel seeds and artichokes, stem side up in one single layer.
Sprinkle with salt and cover. Simmer for 12 min. Pour the sauvignon blanc, chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, and bay leaf over the artichokes and bring to a simmer. Place cheesecloth and a small plate on tip to keep the artichokes completely submerged. Cook for 10-15 min. or until the hearts are just tender. Remove the saucepan off the heat. Have an ice bath ready and place the saucepan in the ice bath. Cool the artichokes and liquid completely. remove the artichokes and place in a glass or plastic bowl. Strain the liquid over the artichokes, cover and refrigerate until needed.
For the Herbes de Provence Puree:
Pour boiling salted water over the basil leaves and steep for 20 sec. Immediately plunge in ice water to stop the cooking. Squeeze excess lizuid and set aside. Do the same with the thyme leaves. Place basil, oregano, margoram, thyme, and fennel seeds in a blender with a couple of Tbsp. of the basil lizuid. Make a smooth puree and drizzle in the rosemary oil. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
For the Farro
Combine the stock and water in a pot and keep hot. In a medium saucepan, add the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 min. or until translucent. Add the farro and stir for 4 min. to slightly toast the farro. Add the stock mixture 1 cup at a time. Stir occasionally and reduce liquid to 1 Tbsp. Add another 1 cup of stock mixture. Continue till farro is al dente (approx. 4 1/2 cups). Season and spread farro on a baking sheet to cool. Refrigerate overnight.
Hot Black Truffle Mousse:
Bring the milk, cream and truffle shavings to a boil over midium heat. Remove from heat and add the truffle juice and truffle oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 min. Strain the liquid and season. Add the egg whites, mix well and pour into a siphon. Keep warm until needed.
For the Presentation:
Place a rib with 2 Tbls. of braising liquid on a plate. Place 1/4 cup of farro next to the rib, top with artichokes in puree. Drizzle with hazelnut oil and top with hot truffle mousse.
Foie Gras
with Duck Skin-Cocoa Stirfry, Date Puree and Chinese Brown Cardamom Syrup and Hot Scallion Bread
INGREDIENTS:
Foie Gras:
2 lb. foie gras lobe, soaked in milk for 24 hrs., large veins removed.
2 tsp. Australian black pepper
1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
Fleu de sel
Duck Confit:
2 lbs. duck legs, thighs attached
60 g kosher salt
4 bay leaves
20 g black peppercorns, freshly crushed
20 g shallots, sliced thin
8 thyme sprigs
10 g garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 ltr. duck fat
Date Puree:
100 g dates
50 g water
220 g sugar
Chinese Brown Cardamom syrup:
120 g sugar
10 g glucose
12 g lime juice
8 g Chinese brown cardamom pods, crushed
110 g cream
30 g butter
3 g salt
Duck Skin-Cocoa Stirfry:
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 Tbsp. duck skin, cracklings. 1/2 in. squares
1 Tbsp. Marcona almonds, toasted
2 Tbls. leeks, blanched
1 Tbsp. duck confit, shredded
12 Tbsp. cocoa nibs, crushed
1/4 cup gold potatoes, 14 in. dice
1 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 tsp. sesame oil
Hot Scallion Bread:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water
1 cup scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
METHOD:
For the Duck Confit:
Place the duck legs in a glass container, skin side down. Sprinkle with 20 g of salt and pepper. Place thyme, bay, shallots, garlic on each duck leg. Stack the legs on top of each other, flesh to slesh. Make sure salt covers all sides of the duck legs. Place a weight on top of the duck legs (a large 28 oz. can will do). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-18 hrs. Remove the ducks from the refrigerator. Rinse the ducks with cold water, removing the salt, pepper and aromatics. Pat dry with a paper towel. In a medium saucepan, preferably cast iron, add the duck fat over medium heat. Add 4 crushed garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 4 thyme sprigs and 5 peppercorns. Lay the duck legs in the fat, skin side down. Bring the duck fat to a slight boil and reduce to a simmer. Remove any impurities that rise to the top. Simmer for 3-4 hrs. or until the skin falls off the bone. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Remove the duck legs and place in a glass bowl. Strain the duck fat back over the legs. Refrigerate for up to a month.
For the Chinese Brown Cardamom Syrup:
Combine sugar and glucose in small saucepan. Melt the sugars slowly than add the crushed Chinese brown cardamom. Slowly bring to a caramel (first foam stage). Deglaze with the lime juice, butter, then the salt. Re-boil and add the cream slowly. Set aside and cover for 30 min. to infuse the cardamom. Strain out the cardamom and discard. Keep warm until needed.
For the Date Puree:
Boil the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan. Add the dates, cover and set aside for 15 min. Pour the contents in a food processor and puree until you have a smooth textured puree. Strain through a medium mesh sieve and set aside.
For the Scallion Cakes:
Put the flour in a bowl. Add the water stirring with a fork until the dough holds together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover with plastic, and set aside for 30 min. Divide dough into 20 pieces, shape into balls and cover with plastic again. Working with 1 ball at a time, roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a 3" round. Brush with a thin film of shortening. Sprinkle with a little sesame oil, some scallions, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Roll dough into a cylinder, coil it into a circle, and tuck end underneath. Roll out slightly to even out the dough, set aside covered with plastic wrap. At this point the dough can be cut into desired sized rounds and kept in plastic. Repeat with remaining dough. Heat 2 Tbsp. veg. oil and cook 2 min. each side or until golden. Serve immediately.
For the Foie Gras:
Slice the foie gras into 1 1/2 inch pieces and score one side. Dry the scored side with a paper towel. Top with fresh cracked Australian pepper and set aside. Place 1 tsp. of grapeseed oil in a heavy saute pan and place over medium high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the foie gras scored side down and cook for 1 min. Turn the foie gras over and cook for another 30-40 sec. Remove from heat and top with Fleur de Sel. Plate immediately.
To Complete the Dish:
Place 1 Tbsp. date puree on a plate. Follow with 2 Tbsp. cardamom syrup. Add 1/2 cup duck skin-cocoa stirfry. Top with the foie gras and 2-3 pieces of hot scallion bread. Serve immediately
Lemon Curd Amchur Mousse
with Tarte Sucre, Lucknow Fennel Tomatoes, Vanilla Cream and French Olive Oil.....
INGREDIENTS:
METHOD:
