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A visit to Medford and Bistro 5

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:15 PM +0000

Most people don't think of Medford as being a culinary destination, but that just adds to the hidden gem appeal of Medford businesses. There is a Modern Pastry location, so those in Medford do not have to endure the North End crowds in order to get great cannoli. If you live in New England and cook Japanese food, then you probably know about Ebisuya Japanese Market, which is a great place to get Japanese ingredients and imports, such as Japanese candy and magazines.

(Patricia Alvarado Núñez/WGBH)
And there is Bistro 5, an Italian restaurant owned by Chef Vittorio Ettore. Right off of the West Medford stop on the Lowell Line, this restaurant truly feels like stepping into another place and time. The lush gold and red colors and fabrics create a very moody and intimate experience perfect for enjoying the food of Tuscany. The ambience and food make you feel a bit like you're at Carnival, but without the crowds, floats, and parties.

(Patricia Alvarado Núñez/WGBH)
Like most Americans, I love Italian food. When I speak to people about Neighborhood Kitchens and ask for restaurant suggestions for our show, the most recommended type of cuisine is Italian. I prepare Italian food often, grow lots of basil and tomatoes, and keep lots of good olive oil, pasta, garlic, and vinegar on hand to quickly prepare delicious Italian-style meals - imagine my excitement at traveling to West Medford to learn how to cook Tuscan food with Chef Ettore!

(Patricia Alvarado Núñez/WGBH)
I loved his tips for making risotto and biscotti. These are items that I make at home, but I learned about the heritage of these dishes and how to make them better from Chef Ettore. For instance, while I have made biscotti, at Bistro 5 I learned how to made cantucci, a drier form of biscotti enjoyed in Tuscany. I am also used to enjoying my biscotti with espresso, but this time I enjoyed it as a lovely dessert by dipping it in a sweet glass of vin santo.

Chef Ettore, a chef with a joyful passion for life and food, truly knows how to include people in the process of cooking great cuisine. Along with Bistro 5, Chef Ettore owns A Tavola in Winchester just north of West Medford. In Winchester, Chef Ettore runs a “Seed to Plate” program at Ambrose Elementary School. He has a garden at the Sandborn House Historical and Cultural Center where he teaches 4^th and 5^th

(Patricia Alvarado Núñez/WGBH)
grade students how to plant, harvest, cook with, and compost ingredients. The program culminates with a meal prepared by Chef Ettore and the students and shared with the teachers, parents, and students using ingredients grown throughout the year. It is obvious that Chef Ettore wants to pass on to the younger generation a passion for food, from eating it to growing and sourcing it, just as his family and community did for him while growing up in Tuscany. Those of us who participate in his “Seed to Plate” program and visit his restaurants are reaping the rewards.

Pho Le's Vietnamese Crepes - Banh Xeo
Mon, 13 May 2013 23:25 PM +0000
Here's a gluten-free take on the ever popular crepe, served at Pho Le as an appetizer. Wrap it up in lettuce and dip in the special sauce that has a lime kick.

Banh Xeo (Vietnamese crepe)

Ingredients

Rice batter
1 egg
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups water
1 tsp Tumeric powder
2 cups rice flour

Filling
¼ lb Pork shoulder or pork belly
¼ lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups bean sprouts

Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp garlic chili sauce

Garnish
Romaine lettuce
5 Thai basil leaves
5 mint leaves
5 Perilla leaves
Sliced cucumber
Chopped carrot
Chopped Daikon radish

Directions
In a large bowl break 1 egg and add 1 cup of coconut milk, 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix. Add 2 cups of rice flour and whisk very well. Refrigerate batter for a few hours.

Slice pork belly into thin slices. Prepare the shrimp by removing the tails, peeling and deveining them. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, lengthwise.

Add vegetable oil to a pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add a few pieces of pork and shrimp. Be sure to keep the two meats separated in the pan, adding the pork to one side and the shrimp to the other. Do not put them all together in the middle of the pan.

Pour enough rice batter in the pan to fill the bottom, as if you were making an omelet. Swirl the pan to make sure the rice batter fills the bottom.

Steam a handful of bean sprouts in boiling water for 10 seconds, just to soften. Add the bean sprouts to one side of the pan. Add vegetable oil around the side of the dish to make the crepe shell crispy. Be sure to add the oil to the side and not directly on top of the crepe. Cover, lower the heat, and let cook for a minute.

After a minute, remove the cover and fold one side of the crepe over on the other. Remove from pan and serve to plate.

Preparing the Dipping Sauce
In a small bowl add two tablespoons of fish sauce, one tablespoon of lime juice, two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of water and one teaspoon of garlic chili sauce and mix thoroughly.

Serving
Garnish a plate with a large leaf of romaine lettuce, 2 leaves of Thai basil, 2 mint leaves and 1 piece of perilla leaf. Cut a single serving slice of the crepe and place it in the middle of the leaf garnish. Add sliced cucumber, chopped carrot and Daikon radish. Roll it all up in the leafy garnish and serve with the dipping sauce.

Chef Duyen Le shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Pho Le's Vietnamese Mango Salad - Goi Xoai

Sun, 12 May 2013 07:07 AM +0000
One of the most popular salads sold at Pho Le is made with very firm, green mangoes marinated in a garlicky, pungent fish sauce.

Goi Xoai (Green Mango Aalad)

Ingredients

Salad
1 green mango
¼ lb peeled and deveined shrimp
5 Vietnamese coriander leaves
1 tbsp fried shallots
Chopped peanuts

Fish Sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
Thai chili pepper

Directions

Preparing the Fish sauce

Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of garlic chili sauce, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in a small bowl and mix well.

Cut very small, thin slices of Thai chili pepper (very hot) and add to the fish sauce. Mix well.

Preparing the Salad

Peel the green mango and use a grater to slice into a large bowl. The mango should be very firm and not soft.

Steam the shrimp and remove the tails. Cut the pieces in half, lengthwise and add to bowl with mango. Chop Vietnamese coriander and add to bowl. Add a teaspoon of the fried shallots and 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce and mix together by hand.

Serving

Plate the salad and sprinkle some chopped peanut over top.

Chef Duyen Le shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Learn to Make Tofu Xao Sa Ot

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:19 AM +0000

Watch Neighborhood Kitchens 205: Recipe Tofu Xao Sa Ot . See more Neighborhood Kitchens.

Pho Le owner Duyen Le teaches Margarita a favorite way to work with tofu, called Tofu Xao Sa Ot.

A Visit to Fields Corner and Pho Le

Mon, 06 May 2013 17:05 PM +0000

Pho Le, owner Duyen Le (Patricia Alvarado/WGBH)

Fields Corner in Dorchester really is the destination for Vietnamese cuisine in the greater Boston area. This neighborhood offers the widest and most concentrated selection of Vietnamese food throughout Boston, from places where Banh Mi is ordered at a counter to more formal restaurant experiences with table service. There are also Asian markets where all the ingredients for a Vietnamese meal can be found, including freshly baked baguettes, freshly caught fish, exotic fruits and vegetables, and the more esoteric banana flower fruit. I loved exploring the neighborhood with my terrific tour guide Pham Nam, the director of the community development corporation Viet-AID.

After our market visit, Nam took me to the Vietnamese American Community Center, which opened in Dorchester 11 years ago through the help of Viet-AID. It is the first Vietnamese American community center in the United States. The well-maintained facility houses classes for children and adults, including instruction in business, the Vietnamese language, ballroom dancing, and preschool. When I stopped by the community center the after-school program was in session. I was most taken by the fact that while the majority of children receiving after-school homework assistance or reading books from the center's library were of Vietnamese descent, it was still a multicultural group of children from the community. While one of Viet-AID's missions is to strengthen the Vietnamese community and preserve Vietnamese culture in the greater Boston area, another core value is to bolster the Fields Corner community as a whole by providing services and a safe space for all members of the Fields Corner community.

Nam also showed me evidence of the community's development efforts through the many newly constructed and under-construction buildings in the area. One newly renovated building holds the restaurant Pho Le. There are several Pho Le locations in the greater Boston area, including restaurants in Allston and Cambridge, but I must admit that my favorite Pho Le location is the one in Fields Corner. The interior and exterior are colorful and new and there are large windows with light pouring through them. The Pho Le designated parking lot across the street is also a big plus. At Pho Le, owner Duyen Le, a true gentleman, showed me how to make four of his recipes, three of which we feature on our show.

He taught me how to make a Vietnamese crepe with shrimp and pork called Banh Xeo, which is an example of the French influence on Vietnamese cuisine. The proper way to eat Banh Xeo is to roll the crepe up in a lettuce leaf with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables. It is a complete meal in one roll-up. Ever since my visit with Le I have been wrapping everything in lettuce leaves. Sliced sausages, chana masala, croquettes, you name it, I have wrapped it in a lettuce leaf in my home. Nothing beats that fresh crunch at a meal when biting though the leaf and rib of a big leaf of romaine, red leaf, or Boston lettuce to find layers of savory flavor within.

Obviously, Pho Le's namesake pho, or noodle soup, is extremely popular. The broths at Pho Le are out of this world. They are so flavorful, yet light and clear. There is a choice of ga (chicken) or bo (beef) broth for your pho and it is no small process to produce these broths. During my visit Le shared how to make the chicken broth, but he would not reveal his beef broth recipe. Every morning Le arrives very early to his Allston location and makes the broths from scratch. He then delivers them to his other locations before they start serving for the day. Talk about top secret! It's no wonder people keep coming back for his pho again and again, he makes his delicious broth recipes impossible to crack and produce at home.

Tres Gatos' Lamb Bocadillo with Chimichurri Sauce on Potato Rolls

Sun, 05 May 2013 00:59 AM +0000
Tres Gatos brings the flavors of Spain's tapas to Jamaica Plain. This recipe is Chef Sanchez's own take on the humble but popular bocadillo.

Lamb Bocadillo with Chimichurri Sauce on Potato Rolls

Make the potato rolls in advance so that when you are ready to grill your meat and shallots, the rolls can be cut open and ready to quickly grill before filling and serving.

Potato Rolls

2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
2 oz. plus 1 Tbs. warm water
1 oz. melted butter
2 eggs
8.5 oz. potato, riced
1 Tbs. kosher salt
22 oz. all-purpose flour
Sea salt and pepper (To taste)

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the yeast, a small pinch of sugar, and a splash of warm water. Whisk together to help the yeast dissolve, then let stand for ten minutes until the mixture is foamy and roughly double in size.

In the same bowl add the potato, 1 egg, and sugar. Use a spoon to incorporate the ingredients together. Add warmed butter and continue to mix.

Add a pinch of salt and all of the flour.

Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook and turn on lowest speed. Add the water slowly down the side of the bowl. Let the machine knead the dough for about 3 minutes, until the dough comes together.

Cover dough with a cloth and let rise in a warm area for two hours or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and place on a slightly floured work surface. With a bench scraper, portion your dough evenly into 2 oz. portions for 12 rolls.

Flour your hand and roll the dough for a few seconds to shape into rolls.

Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Brush with one whole beaten egg and season with coarse sea salt and pepper.

Let sit for 2 hours.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 16 minutes.

Makes 12 rolls

For Lamb Patties
1 lb. ground lamb
Pinch rosemary
2 Tbs. chorizo oil
1/4 c. sherry vinegar

Shape ground lamb into four 4-oz. patties. Season patties on both sides and around edges with rosemary.

Add chorizo oil to hot griddle or frying pan and cook patties for 5-6 minutes (for medium-rare), flipping halfway through.

Chimichurri Sauce
6 white anchovies
1 jalapeno with seeds
2 shallots
1 cup parsley
1 cup cilantro
1 cup fresh chives
1/2 cup fresh oregano
6 garlic cloves
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. water

In a food processor add the 6 anchovies, shallots, jalapeno, herbs, and 6 buds of garlic.

Pour in a drizzle of anchovy oil, then olive oil, and then the water. Start by pulsing, then turn on and blend for one minute.

Season with salt and pepper and blend again to desired consistency.

Fried Shallots
3 shallots
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Slice the shallots on a mandolin slicer.

Mix together salt, ground ginger, and flour. Mix in shallots, pulling apart the rings, and coat well with flour.

Shake flour-coated shallots through sifter to remove excess flour.

Fry in 350 degree vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil. Salt to taste immediately after.

To Serve
While lamb is cooking, slice baked potato rolls in half and grill in the chorizo oil.

Place cooked lamb patties on the grilled rolls. Add chimichurri sauce and top with fried shallots.

Chef Marcos Sanchez shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

A Visit to Tres Gatos in Jamaica Plain

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:06 AM +0000

There are only a few Boston neighborhoods other than Jamaica Plain that have such diverse people and offerings of things to do. There are parks to visit, including Jamaica Pond, Franklin Park, and the Arnold Arboretum. Although we shot this episode in the winter, these are some of my favorite places to visit in the spring and summer. And what better thing to do on a warm day than go for ice cream at the original J.P. Licks. Right near J.P. Licks on Centre Street is a natural foods market, a kitchen supply store, a yoga studio, bistros, cafes, and so many cute, creative, and distinctive businesses. One such place is Tres Gatos.

Part music shop, part book store, and part tapas restaurant, Tres Gatos is a unique treasure. I don't know of another place in Boston where one can purchase a Charles Mingus record, an Alabama Shakes CD, and David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, all while enjoying churros and chocolate. Sales of CDs, records, and paper books have been down for the past decade, but Tres Gatos owner David Doyle, like so many other book and music enthusiasts, believes that there is still a market for these types of shops. I, too, miss the feeling of community when visiting independently-owned book and music stores. Purchasing books, music, and movies online is void of the pleasure of browsing items in person and talking to store owners and managers about what they recommend for a good read and listen. Doyle has come up with an excellent solution for making a music and book store profitable in the digital age: hire an amazing chef and open up a lovely and intimate tapas restaurant in the same location.

Chef Marcos Sanchez makes wonderful small plates that pack a wallop of flavor. In the kitchen we started with his favorite dish on Tres Gatos's menu: lamb bocadillo with chimichurri sauce. This bocadillo, or small sandwich, is made up of a delicious lamb patty pan-fried in chorizo oil with a vibrant green fresh herb chimichurri sauce on an amazing housemade potato roll (I had three rolls while we were taping) topped with Hawaiian red salt. Chef Sanchez then adds some crunch and onion rings to his Spanish-style burger. Tiny fried shallot rings complete our little dish. Chef Sanchez admitted to me that he has this lamb bocadillo dish every night either before or after closing the restaurant. That's probably because the bocadillo is a lot faster to make than his delectable crispy confit of chicken and artichoke mousse.

While visiting JP I also had the opportunity to get an insider's tour of the Latin Quarter on Centre Street. Alberto Vasallo, owner of the newspaper El Mundo, was nice enough to take me for a Cuban sandwich at a neighborhood institution, Oriental de Cuba. The cafe's walls are lined with pictures of Cuba, famous patrons, and the many people from the community who frequent the restaurant. After we ate our sandwiches and had some cafe con leche, we headed to a local barbershop. I realized I hadn't been inside a barbershop since I went with my father as a child. Just as salons are destinations for women to discuss the news and exchange a bit of gossip, so are barbershops for men. Alberto introduced me to some of the barbers and made me feel at home, but I definitely noticed that the customers and hair-and-beard-styling barbers got a little shy with a woman coming for a visit. I will not soon forget my truly unique and diverse day in JP.

Sevan Bakery's Birds Nest Baklava

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:01 AM +0000

Birds Nest Baklava

Baklava is a a world famous, melt-in-your-mouth dessert. Try making this sweet pastry, a mass of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts, baked and drenched with sugar water.

Ingredients
Phyllo dough
Pistachio nuts
Melted butter

Directions

Roll two sheets of phyllo dough tightly together around the end of a cooking spoon. Push the ends together, remove from spoon and fold in a circle to resemble a bird’s nest.

Butter the rolled phyllo “nests” thoroughly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Bring sugar water to slow boil.

Blend pistachio nuts in food processor. Do not blend too fine. Leave some pistachio chunks to add flavor.

Remove baked phyllo from oven. Color should be golden brown.

Spoon sugar water over baked phyllo.

Sprinkle handfuls of chopped pistachios over each phyllo.

Let stand and cool for 3 or 4 minutes.

Serve with coffee or tea.

Sevan Bakery, is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. The Chavushian family shared this recipe with us when the bakery was featured on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Sevan Bakery's Karniyarik and Bulgar Pilaf with Vermicelli

Thu, 02 May 2013 07:24 AM +0000

Karniyarik and Bulgar Pilaf with Vermicelli (Baked Eggplant stuffed with ground meat)

Karniyarik is an eggplant that we sautee. We cut it and fill it with ground beef, sautéed onions, a little salt and pepper. Then we throw it in the oven and there you go, you have a dinner.

Ingredients

2 eggplants
ground beef
onion
bulgur wheat
vermicelli
olive oil
Tomato paste
1 tomato
1 green pepper
salt & pepper

Directions

Melt a half stick of butter in large cooking pot.

Crush 3 balls of vermicelli into small pieces and add to pot. Stir until golden brown.

Add 2 cups of bulgur wheat. Add water to cover ingredients.

Add olive oil and a touch of salt.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Sauteing

Add grapeseed oil to pan and heat. Stir in onions and sautee until golden brown.

Add ground beef and cook until brown. Cover and keep heating on low flame.

Frying the eggplant
Slice the skin off the eggplants in three strips on and clean the edges

Drop in large pot of grapeseed oil.

Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side and then flip. When the striped area turns golden brown, the eggplant is done.

Cut the eggplant down the middle to split open. The inside should be soft.

Add salt and olive oil to the inside of the eggplant.

Fill eggplants with the beef and onion mixture.

Mix tomato paste and water and pour mixture inside eggplant. Pour excess tomato paste mixture on tray around eggplants.

Add a small slice of tomato and green pepper to top of eggplant.

Cook eggplant at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

To Serve

Place eggplant on plate and add finished bulgur and vermicelli to compliment.

Serves: 2

Sevan Bakery, is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. The Chavushian family shared this recipe with us when the bakery was featured on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Sevan Bakery's Boregs (Cheese Turnovers)

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 09:37 AM +0000

Margarita learns to make the traditional Armenian pastry called Boregs.

Boregs (Cheese Turnover)

Chef Nuran Chavusian shows us this recipe for this simple but flavorful Armenian delight that is good for every occasion.

Ingredients

Imported French Feta cheese – 1 bowl
Dill – 1 bowl
1 Egg
Yukfa dough
Grapeseed oil (for frying)

Directions

Crack the egg and add to the bowl of feta.

Add in dill and mix.

Cut yufka dough into 2” strips.

Add a fork-full amount of the feta/dill mixture to the dough and fold side-to-side in small triangles as if folding a flag.

Dab a small amount of water to the tip of the dough and fold over to seal pocket shut. After folding your boregs, place them in a pan and cover with a towel as you prepare the rest of the boregs. It is important to keep the dough moist.

Frying

Frying temp must be just right. If you fry while the oil is too hot, you’ll burn the outside while the inside remains raw and the cheese will come out. To test, take a boreg and slightly dip it in the oil. If the oil starts bubbling around it, then the temperature is right.

Fry until the boregs turn golden brown.

Once fried, remove and place on towel to cool.

Outer shell should be crispy.

Sevan Bakery, is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. The Chavushian family shared this recipe with us when the bakery was featured on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Watertown's Little Armenia and Sevan Bakery

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:04 PM +0000

It was only a matter of time before we visited Watertown for some Armenian culture. This neighborhood has so much Armenian culture to explore, including three Armenian churches and an Armenian school in such a small area! If you head a bit west from Coolidge Corner in Watertown, be sure to check out the Armenian Library and Museum of America. It is a gem of a museum that is privately funded and contains artifacts from Armenia, including textiles, metalwork, jewelry, books from hundreds of years ago, and a permanent exhibit on the Armenian genocide. I was also lucky enough to catch the current Yousef Karsh exhibit that includes gorgeous portraits of historical figures such as Mother Theresa, Winston Churchill, and Ernest Hemingway.

Almost immediately after the first Neighborhood Kitchens episode premiered, one of our viewers recommended we head over to Coolidge Square for Armenian cuisine. However, we had trouble finding an Armenian restaurant to feature. Then it dawned on us: why don't we explore one of Coolidge Square's wonderful Armenian markets? Thus, this episode of Neighborhood Kitchens is truly unique as it is the first time we are learning recipes and exploring the inner workings of a market instead of a restaurant.

Listen to Margarita talk about her visit to Watertown on Morning Edition

Sevan Bakery has the feeling of an Old World European neighborhood market. Inside there is always at least one member of the Chavushian family - mother Margrit, father Kaprel, and brothers Nuran and Murat. It makes sense as this is truly a labor of love for the Chavushians. The father purchased the market in 1985 after arriving in Massachusetts from Turkey in1979. Having little knowledge of running a food market, he compiled his family recipes and introduced them to the market. He still works at Sevan Bakery, but his sons have taken over the running of the business with their mother continuing to work several shifts behind the counter. "The big boss is my mother,” says Nuran with a smile.

People from all over the neighborhood come in looking for specialty items, spices, olives, nuts, and, of course, the wonderful prepared foods. Positioned right behind the cash register, Nuran can see who enters, who is browsing the aisles, and who needs assistance selecting from the delicious assortment of feta cheeses from around the world, baklava, and other spreads and baked good behind the glass display case. However, the most striking element of his vantage point is the large window behind the cash register, where Nuran, a man with boundless energy and a wicked sense of humor (essential traits when you have a family business that's open fort welve hours a day, six days a week), can look outside and see who's coming and going down Mt. Auburn Street. He's waving and smiling at people he knows and if he doesn't know you yet he's fairly confident he will meet you soon.

I learned so much about the different eats offered at Sevan Bakery. From Armenian string cheese to what makes a Bulgarian feta (a great choice to eat sliced with tomato, basil, and some balsamic vinegar) different than a French feta (a subtler flavor perfect for making boregs). It wasn't until I visited Nuran that I learned that theTurkish and Armenian dish imam bayildi literally means, “imam fainted.” Legend has it that the imam of the village tried this stuffed eggplant dish and passed out because it tasted so good. Or did you know that karniyarik, which we make on the show, means stomach? Because, well, you are again stuffing a “stomach-shaped” eggplant. Even the popular lahmejune, or Armenian pizza, means “meat with dough.” I felt like the more food I ate, the more I would be able to converse in Armenian!

Sevan Bakery is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. It is such a treat to stop in to see what each one offers and get a taste of an old world European neighborhood market, especially with owners like the Chavushians happy to answer your questions and actively preserving the heritage of the cuisine.

Meet Chef Rich Garcia

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:56 PM +0000
Born in Central America to a Guatemalan father and an American mother, Chef Richard García discovered his passion for food at a young age while watching Julia Child on TV. García launched his career as a chef in downtown Boston before heading south to cook in some of Miami’s hippest kitchens.

His growing love for the restaurant industry compelled him to enlist in the Marines and enroll in the U.S. Army Food Service School at Fort Lee, Virginia. Here he received his formal education in culinary arts. After his deployment, Chef García served as a personal chef for high-ranking military officials in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and other American bases.

At 25 years old, he returned to Massachusetts and became Corporate Executive Chef of Culinary Operations for Stoneforge Restaurants  and oversaw culinary development of its four locations. Then he was recruited to the U.S. Virgin Islands where his culinary work led the Virgin Islands Daily News to name his cuisine the most creative in the territory.

In his kitchens, Chef Richard García sources seasonal ingredients many times directly from local farmers, ranchers and fisherman, not only to provide customers with the highest quality food experience, but also to contribute to the regional economy.

His dedication to sustainability extends beyond the kitchen as Chef García was a key proponent in a pioneer real-time traceability system known as Trace & Trust, a program developed by a few New England fishermen in collaboration with a few local chefs to allow both restaurants and their customers to track seafood from the boat to the plate.

Chef García has been invited to cook and speak at dozens of food related events including the prestigious James Beard House in New York City (three times), WGBH Food & Wine Festival, Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival, Nantucket Food & Wine Festival, and many others. He received a StarChefs.com Rising Star Award and his work has appeared in the Boston Herald, Oprah Magazine, and Food & Wine Magazine.   He regularly collaborates with the New England Aquarium on promoting underutilized fish species

Away from the kitchen Chef García has earned the reputation of a philanthropist, donating his time and abilities to raise money toward ending childhood hunger and promoting culinary education. In the past he has worked with organizations such as Share Our Strength and the Rodman Ride for Kids and has participated in Celebrity Chef Poker Tournaments in support of the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation.

Today he’s the executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, where he oversees all culinary operations and continues his mission of creatively cooking up ocean-friendly globally influenced seafood.

Episode premieres on Saturday, April 20,2013 at 4PM on WGBH Channel 2.

Q&A with Chef Rich Garcia

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:55 PM +0000
Executive Chef Rich Garcia oversees all culinary operations at the Renaissance Hotel in South Boston. He is known for his commitment to spreading the word about ocean-friendly seafood, fishing and the state of the oceans. Chef Garcia was interviewed by series producer Patricia Alvarado Núñez. Below are excerpts from the interview.

NK: When did you discover your passion for cooking?
RG: I discovered my passion for cooking I think as a kid. The first thing I ever made with my mom was a quiche. And I think I was six years old. And saw Julia Child making a quiche on TV and I said, 'Wow that's cool, I want to do that.' And I asked my mom to do it and she thought I was a little nuts but she let me do it. And I think just from a kid, I really enjoyed watching food--you know, I didn't watch too many cartoons, I guess. But the passion for cooking really didn't come in until a couple years after I had already been in the industry. When I saw the impact food could have on people and the experience you could create with a person through your food--that's really when food started to become a passion.

NK: You are known for your innovative cuisine and for being an advocate for ocean-friendly seafood.
RG: We have so many challenges with our local fisheries that I wanted to essentially save the American fishery, so to speak. And I wanted to help you be able to understand what's going on with the fishermen and the fish that's in our waters. But also help you understand that we're not running out of fish.

We're running out of certain species, but there are so many species that are in abundance out there that we can use to replace the popular fish. That had really become my mission in the last couple years to really focus on under-utilized species of fish that we can keep our fishermen fishing. We can keep and economy going, 'cause it's not just the fisherman, it's also the guy that sells the ice and the guy that sells the gas, and so on. So we can keep an economy going strong. We can keep people fishing. But we can also help revive a species that might be struggling. So it's really about helping people and saving people.

NK: What is happening with New England’s fish supply?
RG: What happened really is that we have been really focused on fishing for a certain number of species. I mean, I can count on one hand the species that Americans eat. So if you can imagine the last 50 years of only targeting, you know, 5 species here in New England. Then we've started to deplete essentially the inventory of certain fish. So for example, cod. You know, we're having a tough time measuring how many cod are out there. Now this is the challenge with fish. Fish move. So the places that we counted cod last year, it's no guarantee that those cod are gonna be in the same place this year. So that's the first challenge that we've had. But science has given us good evidence that there just aren't that many cod out there anymore. Um, even the proof from the, the Gloucester fish, fish auctions. At one point not long ago, they were selling over a million pounds of fish a week. Today if you go to the Gloucester auction, it might sell 30 thousand pounds in one day. So we're not even close to that million pounds a week any more. So there's definitely something going on in the ocean. Something that we need to fix quickly.

NK: How do we solve this issue?
RG: What's happened here is that we have not been able to market other species of seafood properly to people, so that you can go to the supermarket and say, 'Well, I'd like to buy pollock today. I'd like to buy hake. Or I'd like to buy skate wing.' So now the challenge is getting the fishermen to see the value in what's been called 'trash fish' for so long. So the fishermen don't see a value in going out to catch it because you and I don't want to go to the store and buy it. So what we need to do is start to get out there and ask for these fish by name. We need to go to the restaurants. And you need to ask your, your server to...you know, 'Do you have pollock? Do you have hake?' Now chances are today the answer's gonna be 'No.' But a good chef listens to what his guests want. So that's Step 1. Step 2 is also bringing these fish into your home. So if that person at home go out and buy pollock, redfish, hake, skate wing, dogfish, they create a demand for it, then fishermen are gonna want to go out and fish for it. And now we're gonna be targeting another species that's not in danger. And we're gonna allow those species that have some struggles to rebuild their stocks. And eventually it's just this cycle that continues.

NK: Where do you find inspiration for your cooking?
RG: Being across the street from the fish pier is awesome. A lot of times, you might be coming up with a new menu or we've got a guest who's come in and wants something special. And you kinda get writer's block sometimes. And, and for me sometimes, I just go across the street and walk into my buddy's place and just have the opportunity to look around, taste things, fresh and alive and just really see what's there--it's huge inspiration. But just being here on the seaport and being around all this water, and seeing the fishing boats come in. I mean, that's inspiration every day when I'm walking down the street to the hotel. Seeing that fishing boat offloading their product and knowing that many chefs around the country are gonna be waiting 5-7 days to get that fish. And I can just walk over and bring it back in 2 hours. I mean, that's, that's pretty lucky I think. I love it.

Neighborhood Kitchens visits Boston's Fish Pier with Ocean-Friendly Chef Rich Garcia

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:44 AM +0000
There are many transportation options, but this time I decided to travel by water taxi to South Boston, which allowed me to see Boston from a completely different point of view.

It’s hard to imagine that South Boston was once a remote peninsula with only iron foundries, machine shops shipyards, and refineries…connected to nearby Dorchester by just a narrow stretch of land. Today this area is one of Boston's fastest growing neighborhoods…home to a $850 million 516,000 square foot Convention Center, award-winning Institute for Contemporary Art building, the World Trade Center, Bank of America Pavilion, several major hotels, parks and over 50 restaurants.

I met Executive Chef Rich García at the Renaissance Hotel, where he oversees all culinary operations. Chef García is known locally and nationally for being an advocate for ocean-friendly species. He travels the country talking and learning about overfishing, the importance of giving a break to some species as cod and haddock, and introducing what he calls “trash fish” or underutilized species of fish to menus.

I was excited to meet Chef García and learn about South Boston’s evolving history and how and why he sources locally harvest products. He took me across the street from the hotel to Boston’s historic Fish Pier, which opened in 1914 and is the oldest continuously operating fish pier in the country. He introduced me to Jared Auerbach, owner of Red’s Best, a local seafood distributor whose innovative logistics technology streamlines, tracks and accelerates seafood transactions, reducing costs and transport time between fishermen and consumers.

Inside Red’s Best warehouse I experienced all kind of fish and shellfish and learned about pollock and dogfish, two species of fish that are less utilized, but equally delicious. I also tasted ocean fresh raw scallops, and for the first time sea urchin.   Sushi delicious!

Back at Chef García’s kitchen we prepared three fabulously tasty recipes: Taylor Bay scallops with ceviche sauce, local pollock with bacon & seaweed consommé, turnip puree and pickled mushrooms, and Chef García’s famous “trash fish” minestrone…all made with ocean-friendly seafood choices.

Working on this episode intrigued and excited me to cook at home using locally caught sustainable seafood species. Hope you find inspiration on Chef García’s recipes too!

Hasta pronto!!

Chef Rich Garcia's Trash Fish Minestrone Soup

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:16 PM +0000

This minestrone soup is Chef Rich Garcia's take on a classic comfort food. It uses "trash fish," the less marketable or more unusual types of seafood.

Ingredients

8 oz. dried Maine yellow-eyed beans, soaked overnight (any dried white bean will work)
8 oz. Maine lobster
8 oz. dogfish filets, boneless/skinless, cut into 1"x1" chunks
8 oz. Gulf of Maine pollock filets, boneless/skinless, cut into 1"x1" chunks
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 quarts lobster stock (or substitute with high quality fish stock)
1/2 cup winter squash, diced (butternut, red kuri, or other)
1 white potato cut into 1/2” cubes
6 oz. kale, rough chopped
1/2 cup shredded Savoy cabbage
Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and sugar (To taste)
15 oz. canned plum tomatoes drained and chopped
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Cook the soaked beans in water until they are just tender. Set aside.

Cook the Maine lobster and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Using a large, heavy soup pot, fry the bacon in the olive oil. Add the chopped celery, onion, and carrots, stirring and cooking until the vegetables start to soften. Pour in 1-1/2 quarts of lobster stock and bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the dogfish and pollock. Then add squash, potato, kale, and cabbage. Season to taste with sea salt, fresh pepper, and sugar.

Reduce heat and simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes, adding plum tomatoes about halfway through the cooking time.

When ready to serve, bring the soup to just under a boil and stir in the beans, lobster, and remainder of lobster stock. Transfer to soup bowls and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of fresh Parmesan cheese on top.

Serves: 12

Rich Garcia is executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Chef Rich Garcia's Taylor Bay Scallops with Ceviche Sauce

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:55 PM +0000

This simple, quick, and sure-to-please appetizer combines fresh local scallops with a refreshing ceviche sauce.

Ingredients

2 tsp. garlic
2 tsp. peeled ginger
4 tsp. chopped jalapeño
1 bunch cilantro
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 cup lemon juice
8 tsp. lime juice
6 raw scallops, shucked & cleaned
2 Tbs. micro celery

Directions

Prepare Ceviche Sauce
With a mortar and pestle, pound garlic until mashed.

Add ginger and continue pounding.

Add jalapeño and continue pounding.

Add cilantro and salt. Keep pounding.

When it is a coarse paste, add some soy sauce and some fresh lemon juice and lime juice.

Prepare Scallops
Remove scallops from shell if necessary. (Optional: Clean the shells, soak them in bleach, and place them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to preserve them.)

Slice scallops into thin (approximately quarter-inch wide) pieces and fan them vertically on a plate or the cleaned shell.

Pour approximately three tablespoons of the ceviche sauce over them and add some micro celery for garnish.

Serves: 6

Rich Garcia is executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Chef Rich Garcia's Local Pollock with Bacon & Seaweed Consomm�

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:34 PM +0000

Chef Rich Garcia first showed us this recipe for a delicious and hearty meal made of local pollock, a versatile white fish that is popular around the world. To complement the fish and the smoky flavor of the bacon and seaweed consommé, he adds sweet pickled mushrooms and a warm turnip purée.

Ingredients

For Bacon & Seaweed Consommé
2 3"x5" pieces konbu seaweed
6 cups spring water
1/2 lb. applewood smoked slab bacon

For Pickled Wild Mushrooms
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup wild mushrooms

For Turnip Purée
1 large turnip
Salt (to taste)
Water (enough to cover turnip in pot)
Butter (to taste)

For Pollock
4 5-oz. pollock filets
Salt and pepper
2 cups Wondra flour
2 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Prepare Bacon and Seaweed Consommé
Rinse the konbu seaweed in water, then rip it into strips and place it in a pot over medium heat, with enough water to cover it thoroughly.

Cut the bacon into approximately 2" squares and add to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook. After 5 minutes, remove konbu from the pot. Let the bacon continue to cook for 30-45 minutes.

Remove the bacon from the pot, then put the liquid in the refrigerator for a few hours, or until the fat has solidified. Remove and discard the layer of fat. The remaining liquid is the consommé.

Prepare Pickled Wild Mushrooms
Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a pot and stir until combined. Bring to a boil. Pour into bowl of mushrooms and let sit for 45 minutes.

Prepare Turnip Purée
Peel and chop the turnip and place in a pot with salt.

Cover with water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a high simmer and cook until the turnips offer little resistance, if any.

Drain and mash the turnip (put into a blender for smoother texture) and season with more salt and butter. Serve warm.

Prepare Pollock
Sprinkle salt and pepper on pollock filets.

Coat skin side of filets with Wondra flour. Add a thin layer of olive oil to hot pan, then place the pollock filet in, flour-side down. Do not touch it; let it sit and cook. Sear the fish for 4-5 minutes in a hot pan, or until it is roughly 80% cooked through.

To Serve
Place a small mound of turnip purée in bowl (or plate with rounded edges that will not let the consommé spill over). Place the cooked fish on top and garnish with the pickled mushrooms. Pour a few tablespoons of warm consommé onto the plate over the fish.

Serves: 4

Rich Garcia is executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Flour Bakery's Lemon and Ginger Mousse

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:19 PM +0000

This light and tangy lemon and ginger mousse reflects Chef Joanne Chang's Taiwanese heritage, and serves as the perfect complement to her pork and chive dumplings and scallion pancakes.

This is a complicated recipe, so we suggested you read the whole thing before you begin.

Ingredients

For Lemon Curd
1 cup lemon juice (about 6 to 7 lemons)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

For Ginger Mousse
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
3-inch knob of fresh unpeeled ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. dried ground ginger
2-1/2 cups lemon curd (recipe above)
1/2 cup candied crystallized ginger, chopped for garnish

Directions

Prepare Lemon Curd
In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, combine the lemon juice and butter, place over medium-high heat, and heat to just under a boil. It should take 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium, heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the sugar until combined.

Gradually whisk a little of lemon-juice mixture into the sugar-egg mixture. Continue whisking the hot liquid into the sugar-egg mixture, a little at a time, until all of it has been incorporated. When all of the hot liquid has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat.

Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan frequently to prevent the eggs from scrambling, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon thickly. To test, draw your finger along the back of the spoon; the curd should hold the trail for a second or two before it fills.

Remove the curd from the heat, and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. You should have about 2 1/2 cups. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or until cold. (The curd can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

Prepare Ginger Mousse
Place heavy cream, chopped fresh ginger, and ground ginger in a large saucepan and bring to just under a boil. Turn off heat, and let cream sit for about an hour to infuse with the ginger.

Remove from heat and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight (or up to 4 days).

When you are ready to serve the mousse, use a sieve or strainer to strain the cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Whip cream in a medium bowl or in a stand mixer using medium speed until it holds a stiff peak.

Fold in the lemon curd, using a spatula to cut down the middle of mixture and turning the mixing bowl one-quarter rotation. Repeat until evenly folded. Do not over mix. Divide into serving bowls and top with candied ginger.

Serves 6 to 8

Chef Joanne Chang is the chef and owner of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery. She shared this recipe with us when she was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Myers + Chang's Scallion Pancakes

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:36 PM +0000

Scallion pancakes are a simple, yet popular, Chinese snack. A side of soy dipping sauce adds the perfect finish to these crispy and flaky treats.

Ingredients

For Scallion Pancakes
1 bunch (8 to 9) scallions, washed and minced
1/4 cup sesame oil
1-1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 lb. store-bought pizza dough
All-purpose flour, as needed
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

For Soy Dipping Sauce
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sriracha chili paste
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbs. ginger, finely minced
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1 scallion, washed, trimmed, and minced

Directions

Prepare Scallion Pancakes
In a small bowl, mix the minced scallions with sesame oil and the salt.

Cut the dough in thirds.

On a well-floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough to a thin 10-by-5-inch rectangle.

Spread the scallion mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around the edge. Starting at a long side, roll up each piece of dough jelly-roll style (long side to long side) and pinch to seal. Coil each roll of dough into a circle and tuck the end under the coil.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for about 2 hours to allow the dough to proof and relax cover. (At this point pancakes may be stored in an airtight container overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, you may store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week. Remove from freezer and let defrost in fridge overnight before using.)

Generously flour a work surface. Press dough round into a flat circle, deflating any pockets and squishing the scallions gently into the dough. With a rolling pin, slowly and carefully roll out each dough coil into a 10-inch round. It is easier if you start in the center and roll outward. Flour the dough and work surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. (It's okay if some of the scallion mixture comes out.)

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle a bit of flour onto the oil and when it sizzles it is ready to go. Fry one pancake at a time over medium-high heat, turning once, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Poke holes to deflate any air pockets that form while cooking.

Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt onto each pancake.

Prepare Soy Dipping Sauce
Place all ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk until sugar is dissolved. May be made up to a week in advance and stored in fridge in an airtight container.

Cut the scallion pancakes into sixths and serve with the soy dipping sauce.

Serves: 3

Chef Joanne Chang is the chef and owner of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery. She shared this recipe with us when she was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Myers + Chang's Pork and Chive Dumplings

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:08 PM +0000

These dumplings are one of the most popular menu items at Myers + Chang. Chef Joanne learned this recipe from her mother, and used to make hundreds of dumplings at a time when she was growing up.

Ingredients

For Dumplings
6-8 large napa cabbage leaves
1-2 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 bunch garlic chives
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
1 pkg. round dumpling wrappers
2-3 Tbs. cooking oil (Chef Joanne uses canola)
3/4 cup water

For Dumpling Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. black Chiangking vinegar
2 tsp. sriracha chili sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. chopped ginger

Directions

Prepare Dumplings
Slice the cabbage thinly, place in a large bowl, and salt generously with about 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mince garlic chives.

Mix together pork, ginger, garlic chives, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

Squeeze cabbage to take out all of the water, add to pork mixture, and mix well.

Place the dumpling wrapper on a flat surface. Dip your finger in water and use to dab water all around the edge of the wrapper. Put small spoonful of filling in center of wrapper. Pinch in the middle to create taco-like shape. Make two inward pleats at each end of the dumpling on the side of the wrapper facing away from you. The end result should resemble a small couch. (If you don’t want to cook them immediately, you can freeze them as long as you wrap them tightly.)

To cook dumplings, place oil in a large flat skillet (Chef Joanne recommends cast iron) and heat on high. Add dumplings and immediately turn heat down to medium-low. Cook, checking bottoms of dumplings, until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes).

Add about 1/4 cup water to pan and cover immediately (be careful as the water will can sputtering and steaming). Let cook for a few minutes and add another 1/4 cup of water when the water evaporates. Cover and cook again.  Add one final 1/4 cup of water and cover and cook again. Dumplings are done when the water totally evaporates and the bottoms are brown and crispy.

Serve with dumpling sauce.

Prepare Dumpling Sauce
Mix dumpling sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl. (May be made in advance.)

Makes: 50-60 dumplings

Chef Joanne Chang is the chef and owner of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery. She shared this recipe with us when she was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

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Meet Chef Rich Garcia

Q&A with Chef Rich Garcia

Neighborhood Kitchens visits Boston's Fish Pier with Ocean-Friendly Chef Rich Garcia

Chef Rich Garcia's Trash Fish Minestrone Soup

Chef Rich Garcia's Taylor Bay Scallops with Ceviche Sauce

Chef Rich Garcia's Local Pollock with Bacon & Seaweed Consomm�

Flour Bakery's Lemon and Ginger Mousse

Myers + Chang's Scallion Pancakes

Myers + Chang's Pork and Chive Dumplings