José Andrés

A leader of the latest culinary revolution, Chef José Andrés is bringing tapas to every plate.

Specialty: Spanish cuisine

José Andrés is credited with single-handedly bringing Spanish cuisine and tapas-style dishes to the forefront of American palates. Born in Spain, the chef trained under Ferran Adrià at the world-renowned El Bulli, near Barcelona, before coming to the United States.

Since settling in the Washington, D.C., area, Andrés has created numerous restaurants, including Jaleo, which specializes in tapas and small plates. Although the plates may be petite, their flavor packs a punch, earning Jaleo and Andrés a reputation as "the leader of the local tapas pack" from the Washington Post.

Thanks to THINKfoodGROUP, the creative group he’s founded, Chef Andrés continues to ignite passion within the restaurant scene and push the boundaries of Spanish cuisine in America, whether at Jaleo or establishments like minibar by josé andrés.

A sort of culinary exhibition, minibar by josé andrés serves a mere six diners at a time, but lavishes them with more than 30 courses in a sitting. Hailed as "a shrine to avant garde cooking" by the New York Times, the tiny restaurant is considered one of the best in the nation’s capital region.

With this type of acclaim, it’s no surprise that Andrés was named 2003’s Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region by the James Beard Foundation, as well as Chef of the Year 2004 by Bon Appétit. A year later, Andrés published his first cookbook, an ode to Spanish cooking and the art of tapas, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America.

In January 2008 came the debut of Made in Spain, a television series hosted by Andrés. The 26-episode series follows Andrés as he enthusiastically crisscrosses the globe, starting each episode in his home kitchen in Washington, D.C., preparing authentic Spanish dishes, and later moving to the regions in Spain from which the recipes originated. A companion cookbook, MADE IN SPAIN: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen was released in November 2008.

Fun fact: Chef Andrés has competed on Iron Chef America, winning Battle Goat against Bobby Flay in April 2007.

Recipes:

Croquetas de Pollo
Gazpacho
Pollo al Chilindrón

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Gazpacho

This soup is a summertime staple in my house. I keep a big pitcher of it in my refrigerator so I’m always ready to pour a few cups on a hot day for friends and family. If you want to be original, try using ripe yellow and green tomatoes from your local farmers’ markets.

Serves: 6 Edit

Yields: up to 8

Oven Temp: 450

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1  cucumber , peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1  green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 3 pound(s) ripe plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 clove(s) garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup(s) sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup(s) oloroso sherry
• 3/4 cup(s) spanish extra-virgin olive oil

For the garnish:

• 2 slice(s) rustic bread, 1-inch thick
• 1/4 cup(s) spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2  cucumber, diced
• 1/2  green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2  red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• Sea salt to taste

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Directions

1. To Make Soup:
   Combine the cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, sherry, olive oil and 2 cups of water in a food processor or blender. Puree the ingredients until everything is well blended into a thick pink liquid. Pour the gazpacho through a medium-hole strainer into a pitcher. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
2. For Garnish:
   Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and toss in a mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Set the croutons aside to cool.
3. To Serve:
   Pour the chilled soup into cups or bowls. Top with croutons, cucumbers and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

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Pollo al Chilindron

Chilindron is a wonderful vegetable stew that comes from Aragon, where they grow astonishing vegetables in the fertile land near the Ebro River.

Serves: 4 Edit

Ingredients

1/4 cup(s) spanish extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoon(s) spanish extra-virgin olive oil 4  chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks separated Salt to taste 4 cup(s) diced spanish onions 1 cup(s) diced green bell peppers 1 cup(s) diced red bell peppers 2 tablespoon(s) minced garlic 1 cup(s) dry white wine 1 cup(s) thinly sliced and diced jamon serrona 1/2 teaspoon(s) sweet pimenton 2 cup(s) plain canned tomato sauce 1 sprig(s) fresh rosemary 1  bay leaf 2 cup(s) flat mineral or filtered water Directions Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-quart pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt then, working in batches, brown them on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a platter and set aside. Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil to the same pot, and when the oil is hot, add the onions and peppers. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the vegetables are dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the onions start to burn. Add the garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Then add the white wine and cook until it evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the jamón and browned chicken pieces, as well as any juices that have collected, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the pimentón, tomato sauce, rosemary, bay leaf and the water and simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until the meat starts to fall off the bone. Season to taste with salt before serving.  ************************************************************************************** Croquetas de Pollo
Ingredients 1/4 pound(s) unsalted butter 1/2  spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped about 1/2 cup 2 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour 4 cup(s) whole milk 10 ounce(s) chicken, boiled and shredded Salt 1 pinch(s) nutmeg 2 large eggs, beaten 1 cup(s) breadcrumbs 2 cup(s) spanish extra-virgin olive oil Directions Heat the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the flour and continue stirring vigorously. Cook for 5 minutes until the flour is cooked through and golden brown. Pour the milk into the flour mixture and cook, stirring continuously, for about 2 minutes, until you have a thick béchamel sauce. Add the chicken, and sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg. Cook for another 2 minutes. You should now have a thick mixture that you can mold in your hands. Carefully pick up a bit of the mixture and try to ball it with your hands. It shouldn’t be too sticky. If it does stick to your hands, allow the mixture to cook a little longer. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet to cool. Take a spoon of the mixture and roll in your hands to make a small cylinder, about the size of a wine cork. Roll the cylinder in the remaining 1 cup flour, then in the eggs, and then in the breadcrumbs and set aside on another cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture until you have about 36 croquetas. In a small deep frying pan, heat the olive oil to 375 degrees (measured with a candy thermometer). Working in small batches, add the croquetas, making sure they are covered completely in oil. Fry until golden, about 1 minute, then transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to let drain. Be sure to allow the oil to return to 375 degrees F on the candy thermometer between batches. Season with salt and serve hot.
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Watch and Learn from the Best: José Andrés Takes Us to El Bulli Restaurant in Spain José Andrés Takes Us to La Boqueria Jose Andrés Takes Us to the Alcarria Region and the City of Toledo, Spain José Andrés Takes Us to the Penedés Region and Montserrat in Spain José Andrés Visits Castilla de La Mancha José Andrés Makes a Manchego Cheese Salad and Visits the Campo de Criptana Region in Spain José Andrés Makes Monkfish and Visits El Muelle Restaurant in Spain José Andrés Makes an Anchovy and Clementine Salad José Andrés Makes Chipirones con Cebolla Caramelizada José Andrés Makes Chicken Empanadas José Andrés Makes Peppers Stuffed with Cheese José Andrés Makes Seared Tuna José Andrés Makes Tortitas de Aceite

Govind Armstrong

 

Specialty: New American cuisine

       In a gutsy move that would influence his career for years to come, Govind Armstrong convinced Wolfgang Puck to give him a job at Spago, his flagship restaurant. It was only 1982. Armstrong was 13 years old, and it was his first job.
       
      Spago, the eatery that launched a thousand imitators, was perhaps the birthplace of Californian cuisine, and Puck’s lessons weren’t forgotten by young Armstrong. Even today, chef Armstrong’s cooking bears the hallmarks of high-quality seasonal ingredients.
       
      After Spago, Armstrong worked his way through some of the country’s best restaurants, including the famed City Restaurant, Nancy Silverton’s Campanile, Joachim Splichal’s Pinot Hollywood, and Postrio, another Wolfgang Puck establishment. In between these stints, the young chef traveled Europe, learning from the best, including Juan Mari Arzak at his eponymous Arzak in Spain.
      
       Shortly after returning to the United States, Armstrong opened a restaurant in Beverly Hills with friend Ben Ford. Chadwick, named for the leading pioneer in organic farming, championed green growing principles: Dishes included produce grown from its own garden.
     
      Table 8, Armstrong’s next restaurant, was opened in 2003 after the closing of the short-lived Chadwick. Keeping the same organic and seasonal principles, Table 8 also incorporates small plates, allowing Armstrong to fully showcase his California cuisine.

      With a smaller selection focused on quality, Table 8’s well-honed menu puts the spotlight on straightforward flavors. This high standard is reflected in the cocktail menu as well, where seasonal favorites include a pomegranate martini. In 2006, Armstrong opened a second Table 8 location in Miami.

       Building on the success of Table 8, Chef Armstrong released his first cookbook in 2007, Small Bites, Big Nights.
His latest venture has reinvented the Los Angeles Table 8 location into a new eatery, 8oz Burger Bar, giving burgers a haute-cuisine makeover in a casual atmosphere.


Fun fact:   
         Armstrong owns and rides a vintage BMW motorcycle.

Cathal Armstrong

Cathal Armstrong

    This Dublin native values the local farmland he uses to make tasty dishes at his restaurants in Virginia.

Specialty: American regional cuisine

Born into a family with a passion for food and travel, Cathal Armstrong grew up in Dublin, Ireland, where he spent his days in the family’s fruit and vegetable garden. Through the Armstrong family’s travel business, young Cathal was exposed to different cultures and cuisines throughout Europe.

At the age of seven, Armstrong began an annual summer student exchange with a French family. These summers were spent amidst truffle farms, peasant food, and local vineyards. The chef developed strong values for fresh ingredients, humane animal care, and concern for the land.

After working in various Irish kitchens, Armstrong met his wife and business partner, Meshelle. The two moved to Virginia to create Restaurant Eve, where the farmland and atmosphere would be similar to “home.” The goal at Eve is to create straightforward, ingredient-based food.

In 2006, the Armstrongs, with their business partners, opened Eamonn’s: A Dublin Chipper, which is, naturally, a fish-and-chips shop, as well as PX, the hip speakeasy lounge upstairs. Most recently, Cathal and Meshelle restored The Majestic in Old Town Alexandria, featuring Virginia-inspired fare.

 

Armstrong was a James Beard Foundation Best Mid-Atlantic Chef nominee in 2007 and 2008. He was also honored as one of “10 Best New Chefs” by Food & Wine magazine and StarChefs Rising Star in 2006.

Fun Fact: Cathal can speak four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Irish.

Recipes:

Bouillabaisse

Carbonara

Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter Poached Maine Lobster with Baby Carrots

Cathal Armstrong's Bouillabaisse

With mussels, clams, and white fish, chef Cathal Armstrong's take on this classic French stew is rich and hearty.

INGREDIENTS
For Bouillabaisse:
1 head fennel, medium diced
2 leeks, medium diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons saffron
1/2 cup olive oil
12 clams, washed
12 mussels, washed
3 pounds assorted white fish (e.g., rockfish, cod, monkfish), cut in large chunks
3 cups fish stock
1 lemon for juice (as garnish)
1 bay leaf (as garnish)


For Rouille:
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette, crust removed)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


PREPARATION

Bouillabaisse
1. Cook vegetables in olive oil until tender.
2. Add fish stock and bay leaf.
3. Add clams and cook until they open.
4. Add mussels and rest of fish and cook until done, approximately 6 minutes.
5. Garnish with lemon juice.
Rouille
1. Pour water over bread crumbs in a bowl.
2. Mash garlic to a paste with sea salt and cayenne.
3. Add moistened bread crumbs and mash into garlic paste.
4. Add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring vigorously with pestle until combined well.

If croutons are desired for dipping and as a side, slice a baguette, brush with olive oil, and toast in oven.

Cathal Armstrong's Classic Fettuccine Carbonara

Cathal Armstrong's classic carbonara sauce, with eggs, bacon, milk, and Parmesan, makes the ultimate comfort food .

 

SERVINGS
4 to 6


INGREDIENTS
1/2 white onion, diced
8 ounces bacon, diced
1 pint whole milk
3 egg yolks
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
2 ounces peas (optional)
1 pound fresh fettuccine
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley


PREPARATION

1. In a pan, sweat bacon till crisp and then remove. Sweat onion till slightly translucent, then add bacon.
2. In a separate pot, cook peas; set aside. Bring water to a boil in large pot; cook fettuccine till it's al dente. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix whole milk, egg yolks, and Parmesan. Add to bacon and onion mixture. Bring together as a sauce, and then add peas and fettuccine.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with parsley.

Armstrong's Butter Poached Maine Lobster

Favored by chef Cathal Armstrong, Kerrygold butter takes center stage with its rich and creamy taste.

4 Servings


INGREDIENTS
For the Lobster:
4 each 1 1/2 pound lobsters
1/2 pound baby carrots, peeled
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 gallon water
2 ounces distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter (salted or unsalted)
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

For the Butter-Poaching Liquid:
3 tablespoons water
1 pound Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter, cut in cubes (salted or unsalted)

For the Sauce:
1 stalk celery, rough chopped
2 shallots, rough chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, rough chopped
2 carrots, rough chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sprig tarragon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 ounces Pure Irish Kerrygold Butter (salted or unsalted)


PREPARATION


For the Lobster
1. Put water in large stock pot with vinegar and bring to a boil.
2. Remove tails and claws from lobsters, set aside heads for now, and poach tails in boiling water for 2 minutes, and claws for a further 5 minutes.
3. While lobsters are still warm, remove meat from shell, split tails lengthwise, and remove any vein. Clean claw meat and dice about the same size as carrots. Save shells for sauce.
4. Put in refrigerator and reserve until ready to serve.
5. Cut baby carrots into pieces 1/2-inch in length.
6. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and season with salt. Add three parts sugar for each part salt and bring to boil over high heat.
7. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, but still have tooth-feel.
8. Run under cold water to cool. Place in refrigerator and reserve until ready to serve.

For the Sauce
1. Clean lobster heads by removing gills and discarding.
2. Sweat rough chopped vegetables in 2 ounces butter over medium-low heat until tender.
3. Add tomato paste and lobster shells and cover with water.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook over a medium-low heat for 45 minutes.
5. Add herbs and cook a further 10 minutes.
6. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve, return to heat, and reduce to 1/2 cup. Reserve concentrated stock.

For the Poaching Liquid
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 tablespoons water to a boil and whisk in cubes of butter one by one over a medium heat until completely incorporated.
2. Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, sweat ginger in 1 tablespoon butter until tender.
3. Add carrots and concentrated lobster stock.
4. Bring stock to a boil and stir in remaining 4 ounces butter.
5. Add claw meat and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, lower temperature, and keep warm.
6. Add lobster tails to butter-poaching liquid and poach until hot. Be careful not to overcook lobster or it will be tough.
7. Divide carrot-ginger mixture between four bowls and place two lobster tails on top.