Chefs’ tips and tricks

BY TOM FIRTH | PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

talian cuisine is enjoyed the world over for good reason. But good Italian-style dining can come from anywhere, and from chefs who aren’t of Italian heritage. Many recipes can have that distinctive Italian approach, but incorporate flavours or techniques that aren’t quite traditional.

For our March issue, which always focuses on everything Italian, we spoke with six chefs from Calgary and Edmonton, who might not have an Italian pedigree but who make great Italian dishes.

What we found from the chefs was a near-unanimous support for selecting the freshest, most authentic ingredients, and also a focus on keeping it simple. Which is really what good food is all about. I

Thipp Xaykasem, executive chef of Allora in Calgary’s Aspen Woods community, talks of a simple concept for the restaurant; quality, local, house-made or imported ingredients directly from Italy— providing that authentic and traditional Italian experience their customers crave. What Chef Thipp likes most about Italian cuisine is, “The simplicity. There is nothing fancy or intricate when it comes down to the characteristics that tie a dish together. However, this can also make the creation of Italian dishes tricky. Simple ingredients with the emphasis on fresh and local can really come to life if executed correctly.”

For making dishes at home, chef recommends having different qualities of olive oils, one for cooking and one of higher quality for drizzling, garnishing or dipping bread into. For cooking pasta, the water to pasta ratio should be 4 to 1 – also, the water should taste like the ocean—heavily salted. Lastly, he says, “Have fun and enjoy yourself when cooking. Italian cooking is all about fun, delicious meals, and bringing the family together. The more people, the better.”

Chef Thipp’s Signature Roasted Tomato Sauce is a phenomenal base for pasta, pizzas, and other dishes.

Allora’s Signature Roasted Tomato Sauce Serves 6–8

425 g onion, medium dice ½ + ⅓ cup (200 mL) olive oil 50 g garlic, rough chop 1 tsp (4 g) dried oregano 1 tsp (4 g) granulated onion 1 tsp (4 g) granulated garlic 2 tsp (10 g) smoked paprika 1 tsp (5 g) chilli flakes ¾ cup (182 mL) tomato paste 3–960 g cans pureed San Marzano tomato 2 tsp (8 g) fresh basil 3 Tbs +1 tsp (50 mL) red wine vinegar To taste salt and ground pepper

1. In a saucepot, sweat onions in olive oil on medium heat. Season with pinch of salt, add garlic and spices, sweating for 1-2 more minutes. 2. Add tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, transfer to an oven safe pan. 3. Add fresh basil to the top of the sauce. Cover with parchment paper then cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 2 hours at 350º F (sauce will reduce significantly). Remove from oven. Let cool for about 15 minutes. 4. Remove aluminum foil carefully, discard parchment and basil. Puree with hand blender to your desired consistency. 5. Season with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Medi Tatoub, Head Chef at Vivo, with two locations in Edmonton (Edmonton West and Sherwood Park) is no stranger to traditional, family style Italian dining. Vivo focuses on quality ingredients, locally sourced wherever possible, fresh pasta, and cooking from scratch.

For kitchen “must-have’s” when making Italian cuisine, Chef Tatoub recommends, “A very good EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) from Italy or other Mediterranean countries, fresh basil, garlic, good quality marinara sauce from quality tomatoes, fresh pasta, (and for cheese) Parmigiana Reggiano or Grano Padano.” But in the end, “quality ingredients speak for themselves.” A favourite dish is the Seafood Linguine that reminds him of a favourite restaurant from his childhood in Morocco. “They had fresh sardines, langoustine, mussels, clams, you name it, and the taste of the fresh seafood was always amazing, which stuck in my head,” he says. So, when I was making the menu, I wanted to recreate the same flavours in my seafood linguine with its light yet full-flavoured sauce.”

Chef Medi’s Seafood Linguine Serves 4–6

6 L water 600 g dry linguine pasta 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tiny fresh chilies, sliced or pinch of chili flakes 1∕3 cup (80 mL) olive oil 16 mussels, fresh or frozen 16 clams or store bought cans 1 cup clam juice, store bought 16 medium prawns, peeled and de-veined 12 baby Nova Scotia scallops Handful Italian parsley, freshly chopped ½ lemon wedge 3 filets of anchovies (optional) ½ cup (120 mL) white wine (optional) To taste salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil with 4 Tbs salt and cook linguine until al dente. 2. Meanwhile, in a deep skillet or frying pan, fry garlic and chili in olive oil over medium heat; do not brown. 3. Add mussels and clams, which will begin to open within minutes. Discard any that do not open. 4. Increase heat to high and add white wine and clam juice. Reduce by half. (The rapid boiling will create an emulsion between the liquid and the olive oil, an essential element in the texture of the finished sauce). 5. Add prawns and cook for 1 minute. 6. Finally, add scallops and cook for 1 minute. Season, but be careful of adding too much salt—mussel juice can be very salty. 7. Drain pasta well but do not rinse. Return to pot and pour seafood and sauce over. Add parsley and toss together. Adjusting seasoning. 8. Arrange pasta and seafood with lemon and anchovies (if desired) in a large bowl and serve immediately.

For Chef Sonny Sung, Corporate Chef of the Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group (with 6 Edmonton locations as well as Buco Pizzeria + Vino Bar, Bistecca Italian Steak House, and Caffè Sorrentino’s), “Italian food is about enhancing good ingredients at their peak. So many great dishes, from pizza margherita to spaghetti carbonara, are about a handful of ingredients with classic flavour combinations—chocolate and hazelnuts, tomato and basil, or melon and prosciutto.”

Chef Sung has several recommendations for essential ingredients for Italian cuisine, Parmigiano Reggiano—a cheese of incomparable flavour, texture and richness. When fresh, ripe tomatoes aren’t available use good quality canned tomatoes.

“I suggest La Molisana tomatoes, grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Onions and garlic—white onions for cooking and red onions for salads because they are milder. When selecting garlic, the bulbs should be big, plump, and firm. Try black garlic for an intense, unique flavour experience.”

As for any tips for the home cook, “less is more when it comes to Italian cooking. Use quality ingredients. Good tomatoes from Italy, Parmigiano-Reggiano, EVOO, fresh garlic. That’s all you need for the best Italian dish!”

For a flavourful, yet simple side (or even as a main), try Chef Medi’s Truffle Potato Gnocchi.

Truffle Potato Gnocchi Serves 4–6

750 g russet potatoes Olive oil, to drizzle and for sautéing 28 g shaved black truffle 1 Tbs (15 mL) truffle oil 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated 1 pinch grated nutmeg 1 cup 00 flour (more if required) 2 Tbs sea salt Garlic cloves (to taste)

1. Pre-heat oven to 375˚ F. 2. Wash potatoes in cold water and place on oven tray. Drizzle olive oil over top. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until soft. Remove and cool completely. Peel, then mash in a food mill. 3. Place potatoes, truffle, truffle oil, cheese, and nutmeg in a stainless-steel mixing bowl, add flour and knead gently until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, smooth, and a little sticky, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Don’t overmix it, or the gnocchi will be tough; the dough should feel very delicate. 4. After kneading, cover with a kitchen towel and let ingredients rest for 20 minutes. 5. Divide the potatoes into 3 balls with the palms of both hands, and roll the dough on a floured surface into a rope about 2 cm in diameter 6. With a sharp knife, cut the rope crosswise every 2 cm into cubes and sprinkle them with a little more flour. 7. Fill a pot with 3 L of water and bring to a boil. Add salt and gnocchi. Once gnocchi begin to float to the surface, remove immediately. 8. Add garlic and olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat and add gnocchi. Toss until golden brown on both sides.Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

As the Executive Chef for three restaurants : Annabelle’s Kitchen, as well as Blink and Bar Annabelle, Chris Dewling is a busy man. Though only open a short time, Annabelle’s Kitchen in Calgary’s Garrison Woods community, has a focus on homemade Italian food that is approachable and well priced, starring pasta made fresh in-house, with great pizza, and appetizers.

Chef ’s favourite dish at Annabelle’s is a classic pepperoni and mushroom pizza, though made with a mushroom duxelle and feta cheese on top for a stand-out expression, but he cheerfully acknowledges his love of a wintertime classic (it’s still winter, right?) of ravioli with squash and brown butter.

As for sourcing the best ingredients, Chef Dewling points out, “Calgary is the home of many great Italian markets. They have a fantastic selection of cured meats, Italian cheeses, flours, canned tomatoes, etc. to help with any meal or occasion you are planning.”

Though for the home cook he says, “A basic motto for Italian cooking is to keep recipes simplistic and saucy, while not cheaping out on the ingredients. And don’t forget to open that bottle of Brunello!” Hear hear!

Chef Dewling’s Eggplant Parmesan is pure comfort food and easier to make than you might expect!

Eggplant Parmesan Serves 4–6

300 g shallots, sliced thin ⅔ cup (150 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1.2 Kg red cherry tomatoes To taste salt 1.5 Kg (about 4 medium) eggplants, sliced 1 cm thick 45 g Kosher salt, for curing 800 g fresh mozzarella, grated 300 g Grana Padano or Parmesan, grated Fresh basil, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and grease a 9” square baking dish. 2. Start tomato fondue by sweating the sliced shallots in olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes then add whole

cherry tomatoes. Simmer on low heat until the tomatoes burst open. Simmer for another 10 minutes and adjust seasoning. Puree in blender and set aside. 3. While making the fondue, salt the sliced eggplant for 30 minutes over a wire rack. Rinse well and dry on a clean cloth. 4. In the greased dish, begin layering as follows: I cup tomato fondue, eggplant slices, slightly overlapping, ⅓ of the grated mozzarella, and 50 g of the Parmesan. Repeat 3 times. 5. Bake for 25 minutes. Add 150 g of the remaining Parmesan on top and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve with the remaining tomato fondue and some fresh torn basil.

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Chef Jenny Chan has a simple concept for Calgary’s Vero Bistro. Vero, in Italian, means “true,” and the bistro strives to bring to customers the true heart of Italian and Spanish cuisine.

With annual trips to Europe, Chef Jenny hones her skills from great chefs, but also spends time in local markets to learn about new and traditional ingredients.

One thing Chef Jenny loves about Italy is, “That it is so regional. Each region can be so different from the next, even from town to town. For example, Bolognese from Bologna, Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma, balsamic from Modena, white truffles from Alba. I also love how the ingredients are so fresh; all Italian recipes are about enhancing food. Italian food is simple and very honest.”

As for a favourite dish at Vero, “it would have to be our seafood platter,” explains Chef Jenny. “Coming from Hong Kong, I grew up eating fresh seafood and shopping at the local fish markets on the pier—and I love(d) it so much.”

More recently, she’s visited regions such as Bologna and Piedmont learning techniques and ingredients from notable chefs, including pasta making from a Nona that worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant for 20 years.

For the home chef, Chef Jenny recommends, “Working at La Dolce Vita before I opened Vero,Franco—the owner—would always tell me,“good ingredients make great food”… (this is) what I think when I’m creating my menus.” But also, “buy fresh herbs like rosemary, Italian parsley, and basil, never dried, and use whole unpeeled garlic versus garlic from a jar,” and “never rinse or oil cooked pasta.” Who doesn’t love the richness and belly warming effect of perfectly made risotto? Try Chef Jenny’s Risotto Acquerello as an accompaniment to grilled proteins.

Risotto Acquerello Serves 4–6

1 shallot, fine chop 60 g butter 100 g dried porcini, from Alba if available 100 g frozen porcini ⅓ cup (80 mL) dry white wine, non-aromatic 320 g risotto rice (Chef Jenny uses Carnaroli) 1.2 L vegetable stock or water To taste salt and pepper 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, shredded Basil oil (optional) White truffle paste from Alba (optional)

1. Put shallots into a pan with 20 g of butter and sauté over low heat for 15 minutes, so the shallots become translucent but not browned. Add porcini mushroom and dried porcini. 2. Deglaze with white wine over a very low heat, evaporate the alcohol, and add the rice. Start adding the hot broth, little by little until the rice is cooked but still al dente. When the rice has absorbed all the broth, add remaining butter and cheese. 3. Season with salt and Reggiano shavings. 4. Drizzle over a bit of basil oil or top with a teaspoon of white truffle paste from Alba (optional).

Toshi Karino, chef and owner of Carino Bistro, built the concept around a simple idea. Italian food with a Japanese twist— blending a love of two distinct national cuisines.

As for bridging the two, Carino was the wine director at Calgary’s Teatro for many years before striking out on his own with his own restaurants.

Currently, at Carino, chef Karino raves about the Wagyu meat sauce and the agedashi mozzarella, but also shares what he loves about Italian food,

“It’s not too complicated,” though Karino offers a single tip for home cooks, “don’t overcook the garlic.”

Chef Toshi’s signature take on Cioppino, is a fusion of a fish stew with Japanese influences.

Carino’s Sweet and Hot Tomato Cioppino Serves 4

50 g chopped onion Olive oil 15 g chopped garlic 1 440 g can diced tomatoes 50 g sugar 10 g Japanese Ichimi spice (ground red chili pepper) 1 Italian sausage, casing removed and chopped To taste salt and paprika To taste chili flakes 1 cup (240 mL) dashi broth (buy dashi powder in Asian markets and sprinkle it in boiling water) 1¼ cups (300 mL) tonkotsu soup (buy ramen broth at any market) 1 cup (240 mL) tomato sauce 4 large prawns, head on 12 clams 12 mussels 4 scallops 4 king crab, meat only 200 g white fish Ramen, boiled egg, char-siu pork (optional)

1. Cook onion in a little olive oil until brown. Add garlic (do not brown), add tomatoes and sugar, bring to simmer stirring constantly. Add Ichimi and cook 30 minutes, add a little water. Do not let burn. 2. In a Dutch oven, heat a little olive oil over medium high heat. Add sausage, let brown then add vegetables from step 1. Add pinch of salt and chili flakes, cook 3–5 minutes, don’t let brown, and lower heat. Add dashi broth, tonkotsu soup, zucchini, and tomato sauce. Bring just to boil, then lower heat. Add prawns, cook 2 minutes then add rest of seafood. 3. Cover Dutch oven with the lid and cook a few minutes until the clams and mussels have opened and the flesh looks plump. 4. Add salt and paprika to taste, bring to boil, and add cooked ramen, egg, char-siu.

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