When chefs visualize their ideal home kitchen, it’s a sure bet they dream about cooking equipment that’s sleek, high-tech, and guarantees them perfect results every time.
So when Miele, the German maker of ultra-modern home appliances, asked Antonio’s chef Tony Boy Escalante to participate in their series of culinary workshops, it wasn’t a total surprise when the normally demo-shy chef said yes.
“It’s not my forte to do cooking demos,” Escalante says, but when the chance came to cook his food in the Miele showroom, his interest was piqued, along with that of his contemporaries.
Miele’s ongoing Masters Series has enlisted five of the Philippines’ best chefs: the series started last March with chef Jessie Sincioco of Enchante, followed by husband-and-wife team Roland and Jackie Laudico of Bistro Filipino. (Still to come is Gaita Fores in October.)
Chef Escalante was the most recent guest; his Tagaytay eatery Antonio’s was voted one of the Top 8 best restaurants in Asia by The Miele Guide, the brand’s independent annual guide to Asia’s best restaurants and chefs.
Nine years ago Tony Boy had the cojones to open a fine-dining restaurant in a secluded barangay in Cavite. Not only was the setting of quaint Pinoy homestead overlooking garden and pond stellar, the food was sublime. Now that Antonio’s is well established and consistently been reaping accolades, Escalante admits he’s getting bored. “I don’t cook as much,” he explains, so a lot of ideas have started simmering in his head: “I want to do private dinners for clients who call, I’m thinking of doing a food truck, and I bought a property in Calatagan where the waves are high.” He talks about eventually turning it into a resort destination. “Because if you’re not a member of Hamilo Coast or Punta Fuego, where would you go?”
For his cooking demo, Escalante chose Chateaubriand (a classic steak recipe using the center cut of beef tenderloin) “because it’s so easy but very impressive if you have guests at home.” He gave it his own spin, however, by enrobing it in a salt-cardamom crust, then finishing it in Miele’s 90-cm oven, which is so wide you can apparently roast a whole suckling pig in it. As it was, it fit three Chateaubriand pans with room to spare.
With the help of his right-hand man in the kitchen, Ricky Sison, and pastry chef Tonette, Escalante made sidings of spinach casserole and baked potato to accompany the Chateaubriand using the 60-cm. Miele oven. Both ovens have a function called Moisture Plus, which pipes in steam at certain stages while you bake or roast. According to Miele brand manager Vanessa Ordinario, this special feature makes bread dough rise better, gives loaves a glistening crust, “and your cochinillo will emerge tender with perfectly crisp skin.”
Unlike ordinary stoves, the Miele oven and steamer have automatic programs that practically guarantee perfect cooking times, temperatures and results. On a touch screen, you select the type of food to be cooked and enter information such as weight, quantity and desired doneness. Messages even appear on the display reminding you to turn or baste the food.
Escalante also raved about both ovens’ wireless probes, which measure the core temperature of your roasts so there’s no danger of overcooking and drying out your meat. Like his resulting Chateaubriand, you’ll have perfectly browned meat on the outside that’s tender and juicy inside.
For his appetizer the chef quickly banged fresh scallops in Miele’s built-in steamer before laying them on slices of watermelon and sprinkling with coriander — the result was a beautifully refreshing dish with contrasting textures and flavors.
Tony Boy prepared soup and dessert the old-fashioned way — on the stovetop. Sison ran his wild mushroom cappuccino mixture through a handheld processor but left rustic bits of wonderfully earthy morel for us to chew on. For dessert, the chef poached sweet pears in Riesling, serving it with a cardamom panna cotta.
While Twinings provided the Green Lemon and Passion Fruit iced teas that went with the meal, even the post-dessert coffees were drawn from the Miele coffeemaker set into the wall next to the two ovens.
“Miele is idiot-proof,” Escalante says. “The oven is just so perfect. It just shows you what you can do with good equipment.”
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For its fourth and final run, the Miele Masters Series will feature chef Gaita Fores of Cibo and Pepato in October. The culinary workshop is open to interested participants with a minimal joining fee. For more information, call Miele distributor Focus Global at 634-8587 and look for Vanessa or Jeelai. The Miele showroom is on Pioneer corner Reliance Sts. in Mandaluyong City.
Steamed Scallops, Watermelon-Coriander
Ingredients:
Scallops (around 2 per person)
Watermelon, seeded
Sorel, mizuna and arugula leaves
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp chopped coriander
5 tbsps lemon juice
Procedure:
Blot moisture from the scallops. It’s a good rule of thumb to always take out moisture from seafood or fish before cooking.
Cut watermelon into 1/2-inch-thick round slices slightly larger than the scallops.
Steam scallops just until they turn white and opaque.
Plate scallops on top of the watermelon and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Artfully top with salad leaves and drizzle all ingredients with lemon juice, olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
Mushroom Cappuccino Soup
Ingredients:
1 white onion, medium-sized
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsps unsalted butter
salt and pepper
Assorted mushrooms (shiitake, button, Portobello and morel), cut coarsely
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock (if none, can use chicken cubes)
1/2 liter cream
chives, minced, to garnish
Procedure:
If the morel mushrooms are dried, soak them in white wine overnight.
Sauté onion and garlic with unsalted butter and olive oil, then add mushrooms.
Pour in white wine, add chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes to reduce.
Add cream, salt and pepper.
Run the mixture through a food processor or blender.
Pour into cups and top with steamed-milk foam, if desired. Garnish with chives.