:: chef’s seminar :: Deliciously Different -...
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SANTÉ holiday.2009 34 Different :: chef’s seminar :: The chef has owned and operated six successful restaurants, developed products for major food manufacturers, and cofounded the Research Chefs Association (RCA), an organization that coined the term culinology to describe the intersection of culinary art and the science of food. For more than 20 years, he has been on a mission to improve nutritional quality while optimizing flavor. At Crop Bistro—Schimoler’s upscale-casual Cleveland restaurant that opened in June 2007—the creative American cuisine coming out of his kitchen (and the rave reviews it’s garnered from critics and patrons) is a testament to his achievements. “What I do,” he explains, “is deconstruct the experience of enjoyment in order to make dishes high in ‘craveability’ without relying on fat, sugar, and salt.” Schimoler is motivated by a sense of obligation to address the dietary well-being of his guests and by the conviction that eventually the industry will be held accountable for what it serves. His approach combines the fundamentals of food science and the physiology of taste with the art and craft of cooking. Less Is More “Fat coats the palate, diminishing the perception of flavor,” Schimoler explains. “Reducing the quantity of fat in a dish brings other notes forward exponentially.” That’s why he avoids whole milk, heavy cream, and roux-based sauces and holds back on the butter. Instead he works with a variety of natural grain and vegetable starches, gums, stabilizers, and unconventional cooking methods. An extra benefit of allowing seasoning and accent ingredients to shine is that a little goes a long way, saving prep time and money. The resulting low-fat sauces, dressings, and housemade ice creams are exceptionally delicious, with the same voluptuous mouth-feel as their traditionally prepared counterparts. Schimoler makes a bright, bold orange vinaigrette for a roasted beet salad that brings out the natural sweetness of the slow-roasted root vegetable. He’s able to use 75 percent less oil by adding a cold-swelling starch to the mixture and by emulsifying the ingredients in a high-speed food processor rather than with a whisk. The bisque for his popular lobster latte is made with 2 percent milk thickened with “functional flour,” a starch product that replaces a traditional flour roux. He steams the liquid and then froths it using a hand blender. It has the requisite velvety creaminess, but the defining characteristics of the claw and knuckle meat are front and center. A garnish that looks like a dusting of chocolate shavings is actually portobello mushroom gills that have been dried and soaked in truffle oil, adding yet another dimension to the dish. The Element of Surprise Typically, even the most discerning diners never guess it’s curry, not sugar, boosting the sweetness of Schimoler’s apple-rhubarb crisp or that toasted fenugreek is the stand-in for maple syrup in his maple crème brûlée. “While trying to figure out how to make healthier food and lessen the impact of cutting back on fat, salt, and sugar, I discovered a concept I call ‘distractionary flavors,’” says the chef. “Introducing unusual and unlikely but synergistic and compatible elements distracts the brain, the nose, and the taste buds. With something else to think about, people don’t notice what’s missing. The effect is both physical and psychological.” This works so well that Schimoler’s peach pie requires no sweeteners of any kind. He roasts the fruit until it’s caramelized, capturing the juices, and seasons it with purple basil. “The response is always enthusiastic,” he says. “Nobody’s ever sent it back. But they notice something’s different and often ask what’s in it.” Ice cream made with 2 percent milk delivers a one-two punch courtesy of habañero powder and a mentholated “cold” sensate. PHOTOS: TRG STUDIOS Deliciously A recent report titled A Look into the Future of Eating from the consumer research company NPD Group foresees a growing preference for healthier foods and beverages in the next ten years. Steve Schimoler is way ahead of the curve.
Transcript of :: chef’s seminar :: Deliciously Different -...
santÉ hol iday.200934
Different: : chef’s seminar : :
The chef has owned and operated six successful restaurants, developed products for major food manufacturers, and cofounded the Research Chefs Association (RCA), an organization that coined the term culinology to describe the intersection of culinary art and the science of food. For more than 20 years, he has been on a mission to improve nutritional quality while optimizing flavor. At Crop Bistro—Schimoler’s upscale-casual Cleveland restaurant that opened in June 2007—the creative American cuisine coming out of his kitchen (and the rave reviews it’s garnered from critics and patrons) is a testament to his achievements. “What I do,” he explains, “is deconstruct the experience of enjoyment in order to make dishes high in ‘craveability’ without relying on fat, sugar, and salt.”
Schimoler is motivated by a sense of obligation to address the dietary well-being of his guests and by the conviction that eventually the industry will be held accountable for what it serves. His approach combines the fundamentals of food science and the physiology of taste with the art and craft of cooking.
Less Is More“Fat coats the palate, diminishing the perception of flavor,” Schimoler explains. “Reducing the quantity of fat in a dish brings other notes forward exponentially.” That’s why he avoids whole milk, heavy cream, and roux-based sauces and holds back on the butter. Instead he works with a variety of natural grain and vegetable starches, gums, stabilizers, and unconventional cooking methods. An extra benefit of allowing seasoning and accent ingredients to shine is that a little goes a long way, saving prep time and money. The resulting low-fat sauces, dressings,
and housemade ice creams are exceptionally delicious, with the same voluptuous mouth-feel as their traditionally prepared counterparts.
Schimoler makes a bright, bold orange vinaigrette for a roasted beet salad that brings out the natural sweetness of the slow-roasted root vegetable. He’s able to use 75 percent less oil by adding a cold-swelling starch to the mixture and by emulsifying the ingredients in a high-speed food processor rather than with a whisk. The bisque for his popular lobster latte is made with 2 percent milk thickened with “functional flour,” a starch product that replaces a traditional flour roux. He steams the liquid and then froths it using a hand blender. It has the requisite velvety creaminess, but the defining characteristics of the claw and knuckle meat are front and center. A garnish that looks like a dusting of chocolate shavings is actually portobello mushroom gills that have been dried and soaked in truffle oil, adding yet another dimension to the dish.
The Element of SurpriseTypically, even the most discerning diners never guess it’s curry, not sugar, boosting the sweetness of Schimoler’s apple-rhubarb crisp or that toasted fenugreek is the stand-in for maple syrup in his maple crème brûlée.
“While trying to figure out how to make healthier food and lessen the impact of cutting back on fat, salt, and sugar, I discovered a concept I call ‘distractionary flavors,’” says the chef. “Introducing unusual and unlikely but synergistic and compatible elements distracts the brain, the nose, and the taste buds. With something else to think about, people don’t notice what’s missing. The effect is both physical and psychological.”
This works so well that Schimoler’s peach pie requires no sweeteners of any kind. He roasts the fruit until it’s caramelized, capturing the juices, and seasons it with purple basil. “The response is always enthusiastic,” he says. “Nobody’s ever sent it back. But they notice something’s different and often ask what’s in it.”
Ice cream made with 2 percent milk delivers a one-two punch courtesy of habañero powder and a mentholated “cold” sensate.
Photos: tRG studios
D e l i c i o u s l y
A recent report titled A Look into the Future of Eating from the consumer research company NPd Group foresees a growing preference for healthier foods and beverages in the next ten years. steve schimoler is way ahead of the curve.
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Differentby Laura Taxel
schimoler’s “some Like It Hot” dessert combines warm flourless chocolate cake, lime sable and jalapeño ice cream, and mango coulis.
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The intriguing combination of spicy heat and amped-up chill grabs all the attention. Schimoler also discovered that there’s less need for salt when acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar, and sherry, which tend to amplify saltiness, are present in the right proportions. Coming up with these concepts and formulas is a process of exploration. “Anyone can do it,” he insists, “as long as they’re willing to experiment and practice.”
Cooking Up a RevolutionSchimoler demonstrates his recipe-building process while preparing a crème anglaise. Ingredient quantities are computed as ratios—proportional amounts for a total of 100 percent—and are measured by weight on an ultraprecise digital scale. Since egg yolks aren’t the primary coagulant, he uses half the usual number called for and whisks them with sugar, also cut by half, right in the pot over medium heat. He pours in 2 percent milk and a slurry of super� ne cornstarch designed to bloom at 185°F. Ready in less than � ve minutes, this crème anglaise has the same color, viscosity, sweetness, and satiny smoothness as a classic preparation. A few drops of blood orange extract provide an enticing aroma and a subtle yet intriguing fruitiness. This is a � ne accompaniment to a chocolate- or citrus-based dessert.
Although his methods are cutting edge, Schimoler is emphatic that culinology has little in common with the high-tech methods of molecular gastronomy. This approach, he insists, is not about creating edible “cellophane,” liquid popcorn, or puffed sauerkraut, and diners are never left wondering what they’re
eating. “There’s nothing � ashy or pretentious. You never see the innovation. You just experience its effects in your mouth.”
Flavor chemists on the industrial side of food production have long known about many of these techniques. Schimoler and his colleagues at RCA are hoping more chefs will see the value of applying them on a smaller scale. “The science of food as it relates to restaurant kitchens today,” Schimoler says, “is about creating food people want to eat again and again for all the right reasons: because it’s appealing, tastes good, makes them feel good, and is good for them.”
Laura Taxel writes about food and business for many publications. She’s the author of Cleveland Ethnic Eats.
“There’s nothing fl ashy or pretentious. You never see the innovation. You just experience its effects in your mouth.” —Steve Schimoler, chef/owner, Crop Bistro, Cleveland
Get ConnectedTo learn more about culinology and network with professionals who practice it, contact the Research Chefs Association by calling 404-252-3663 or visiting www.culinology.com.
Clockwise from top left: The bisque for Schimoler’s popular lobster latte is made with 2 percent milk. Steve Schimoler relaxes outside Crop Bistro in Cleveland. Bright, bold orange vinaigrette brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables in Schimoler’s roasted beet salad.
Proof in the Pudding Nutritional analysis software was used to compare Schimoler’s crème anglaise with a standard recipe made with heavy cream.
STANDARD SCHIMOLER’S
Fat 7g 1g
Saturated Fat 4g 0.5g
Cholesterol 80mg 30mg
Carbohydrates 9g 3g
Sugars 8g 3g
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