Food
Continental creations
These delicious yet easy to prepare dishes courtesy Café Zoe will lend a modern touch to your Navroz spread
Bombay born and Switzerland trained chef Viraf Patel is as well-known for his culinary expertise as for his ability to set up a number of successful new restaurants. In 2010 he founded Urban Spoon Hospitality, a turnkey/full service restaurant consultancy company. Believing in honest cooking with fresh ingredients, the chef respects the culinary artisans of yesteryears while inculcating a very modern approach into his creations. Two years ago he, along with two partners, opened Café Zoe in Bombay.
Patel shares some recipes from Café Zoe’s repertoire with Parsiana’s readers.
Viraf Patel with Cafe Zoe partners Jeremie Horowitz and Tarini Mohinder
Interior of Cafe Zoe
BEETROOT RISOTTO
For the beetroots
Large beetroots (2)
Coarse sea salt (to taste)
Olive oil (50 ml)
Red wine vinegar (30 ml)
For the soffritto
Aborio rice (200 g)
Vegetable stock (500 ml)
Leeks (50 g — diced)
Garlic (50 g)
Olive oil (50 ml)
White wine (60 ml)
For the risotto
Soffritto (resulting quantity)
Beetroot purée (resulting quantity)
Beetroot bits (resulting quantity)
Cold butter (100 g)
Parmegiano Reggiano cheese (100 g)
Sea salt (to taste)
Wash and pat dry the beets. Make gashes with a sharp knife and drizzle with sea salt, olive oil and vinegar. Wrap with foil and roast in an oven for 1½ hours at 180°C. Peel when cooked. Dice half of one beetroot; roughly cut the remaining and purée. Set aside.
In a large pan, add the olive oil, leeks and garlic, followed immediately by the raw Arborio rice. When the grains of rice begin to get translucent, add the white wine and allow it to get absorbed, stirring constantly. Add the stock ladle by ladle and allow the rice to cook while it soaks up the liquid. Finally, add the beetroot bits and purée, cooking gently for a few minutes. Add the Parmegiano Reggiano cheese, quickly followed by the cold butter. Season with salt to taste.
Plate the risotto, sprinkle some more cheese on top and enjoy hot.
For the beetroots
Large beetroots (2)
Coarse sea salt (to taste)
Olive oil (50 ml)
Red wine vinegar (30 ml)
For the soffritto
Aborio rice (200 g)
Vegetable stock (500 ml)
Leeks (50 g — diced)
Garlic (50 g)
Olive oil (50 ml)
White wine (60 ml)
For the risotto
Soffritto (resulting quantity)
Beetroot purée (resulting quantity)
Beetroot bits (resulting quantity)
Cold butter (100 g)
Parmegiano Reggiano cheese (100 g)
Sea salt (to taste)
Wash and pat dry the beets. Make gashes with a sharp knife and drizzle with sea salt, olive oil and vinegar. Wrap with foil and roast in an oven for 1½ hours at 180°C. Peel when cooked. Dice half of one beetroot; roughly cut the remaining and purée. Set aside.
In a large pan, add the olive oil, leeks and garlic, followed immediately by the raw Arborio rice. When the grains of rice begin to get translucent, add the white wine and allow it to get absorbed, stirring constantly. Add the stock ladle by ladle and allow the rice to cook while it soaks up the liquid. Finally, add the beetroot bits and purée, cooking gently for a few minutes. Add the Parmegiano Reggiano cheese, quickly followed by the cold butter. Season with salt to taste.
Plate the risotto, sprinkle some more cheese on top and enjoy hot.
MUSHROOM TEA
Makes 4 cups
Dry shiitake mushrooms (100 g)
Fresh button mushrooms (100 g)
Leeks (80 g)
Garlic (30 g)
White onions (50 g)
Parsley with stalks (a few sprigs)
Black pepper (5 g — whole)
Salt (to taste)
Water (2 ltrs)
Wash and cut the mushrooms and leeks into large pieces. Peel and quarter the onions. In a large stockpot, bring all the ingredients (except the dry shiitake mushrooms) to a gentle boil. Turn down the heat after 20 minutes and simmer. Drop in the shiitake mushrooms and set on a very low flame, so that there are no bubbles (this prevents the stock from getting cloudy). When the soup has reduced to about half, strain and remove all the ingredients (they may be used in other preparations if you like). Season the soup with salt to taste. Serve hot with tiny bits of the shiitake mushrooms and chopped parsley.
Makes 4 cups
Dry shiitake mushrooms (100 g)
Fresh button mushrooms (100 g)
Leeks (80 g)
Garlic (30 g)
White onions (50 g)
Parsley with stalks (a few sprigs)
Black pepper (5 g — whole)
Salt (to taste)
Water (2 ltrs)
Wash and cut the mushrooms and leeks into large pieces. Peel and quarter the onions. In a large stockpot, bring all the ingredients (except the dry shiitake mushrooms) to a gentle boil. Turn down the heat after 20 minutes and simmer. Drop in the shiitake mushrooms and set on a very low flame, so that there are no bubbles (this prevents the stock from getting cloudy). When the soup has reduced to about half, strain and remove all the ingredients (they may be used in other preparations if you like). Season the soup with salt to taste. Serve hot with tiny bits of the shiitake mushrooms and chopped parsley.
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SMOKED SALMON
Large eggs (3)
Coarse sea salt (to taste)
Butter (50 g)
Fresh cream (30 ml)
Milk (30 ml)
Smoked salmon (30 g)
Chives (a handful)
Break the eggs into a cold pan and whisk them with a fork, adding the cream, butter and milk. Place the pan on very gentle heat (the only skill you really need for this recipe is patience and attention).
Stir the eggs constantly. When they begin to coagulate, toss in the smoked salmon. This allows the flavor of the salmon to infuse with the eggs just enough not to overpower them. Sprinkle in the salt and the chives. Serve warm with a nice bagel.
Large eggs (3)
Coarse sea salt (to taste)
Butter (50 g)
Fresh cream (30 ml)
Milk (30 ml)
Smoked salmon (30 g)
Chives (a handful)
Break the eggs into a cold pan and whisk them with a fork, adding the cream, butter and milk. Place the pan on very gentle heat (the only skill you really need for this recipe is patience and attention).
Stir the eggs constantly. When they begin to coagulate, toss in the smoked salmon. This allows the flavor of the salmon to infuse with the eggs just enough not to overpower them. Sprinkle in the salt and the chives. Serve warm with a nice bagel.
PUMPKIN RISOTTOArborio rice (150 g)
Leeks (50 g)
Garlic (20 g)
Vegetable stock (300 ml)
Pumpkin (150 g)
Olive oil (50 ml)
Thyme (a few sprigs)
Salt (to taste)
Butter (50 g)
Parmesan cheese (50 g — grated)
Cut the pumpkin into large pieces, drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and thyme sprigs and place in the oven at 170°C for about half-an-hour until soft and slightly caramelized.
In a large pan, add the remaining olive oil and sauté the leeks and garlic. Do not allow them to take on color. Add the Arborio rice and cook until the grains are clear and resemble little glass beads. At this stage start adding the vegetable stock, ladle by ladle, (using up about half of the stock) allowing the rice to soak it up each time, stirring at all times to ensure the rice does not stick to the pan or burn. When cooked al dente (with a bite to it), remove from the heat and cool immediately.
Purée the cooked pumpkin, reserving some to be cut into small bits.
In a pan, place the remaining stock, the cooked rice, pumpkin purée and bits. Bring to a boil. Stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Season to taste.
Serve immediately, while it is still smooth and a tad runny.
CORDON BLUEPork slices (4 — cut out of the loin)
Cooked ham slices (2)
Gruyere cheese (2 pieces)
Smoked paprika powder
Panko bread crumbs (100 g)
Eggs (2)
Flour (40 g)
Clarified butter (50 g)
Flatten the slices of pork with a mallet or the base of a heavy pan. Season them with salt and smoked paprika powder. Place the ham on one slice of pork, with a piece of cheese on top. Fold the ham so that the cheese is held within. Place another slice of pork on top and pat the two together with the mallet to seal them. Repeat the process to create another portion of the cordon bleu.
In separate plates place the flour, lightly beaten eggs and panko crumbs. Coat each portion of the cordon bleu well with the flour, followed by the egg and then the panko.
Pour the clarified butter into a shallow pan and fry the cordon bleu portions on low heat. The pork will cook in about five minutes on each side, the panko will turn a light brown and the cheese within will melt.
Serve with some veggies on the side.
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