Cutting Edge Cuisine

Vegetarian Times, March, 2001

These savory selections from the New England Culinary Institute kick off the first of four Cutting Edge Cuisine sections in 2001.

New England Culinary Institute (NECI) was founded in 1980. Drawing upon the clinical experience of the medical school, the progressive education tradition and the European apprenticeship system, the institute's educational programs feature hands-on learning in real-life situations, with no more than seven students to each chef/instructor. The institute has grown from 7 to 700 students with two campuses--in Montpelier and Essex (just outside of Burlington), Vermont--and is recognized the world over for producing sought-after chefs and other culinary professionals.

Also known for fine dining and catering, New England Culinary Institute operates twelve diverse food service outlets and restaurants, including La Brioche, Chef's Table, Main Street Bar & Grill, Butler's at The Inn At Essex and the popular NECI Commons in Burlington, where students learn their craft. Over a half million meals are served each year in these facilities.

An accredited, degree-granting post secondary institution, NECI offers an Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Culinary Arts, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Food and Beverage Management, a Certificate in Basic Cooking and a host of Continuing Education and nonprofessional cooking programs.

For more information, contact NECI at 802-223-6324 or info@neci.edu.

Gateaux or Puff Pastry, Flageolet Bean Puree and Tofu Duxelle

--James Lampley, New England Culinary Institute

Serves 2

Bean Puree

2 cups flageolet beans
6 cups vegetable stock
3 bay leaves, sachet
3 sprigs thyme, sachet
20 black peppercorns, sachet
1/2 oz. parsley stems, sachet
8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 cup Vitasoy Soymilk

Soak beans overnight. Rinse and add to Fagor Pressure Cooker with 4 cups water. Cook 4 to 7 minutes then remove and strain. While beans are cooking, make your sachet by wrapping the bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and parsley stems in cheesecloth. Cover sachet in 1 cup vegetable stock and simmer. Puree cooked beans in a food processor. Cover with remaining vegetable stock, add contents of sachet and garlic and puree. Add soymilk to achieve a smooth consistency and season with salt and pepper.

Tofu Duxelle

2 Tbs. peanut oil
1/2 shallot, minced
1 portabello mushroom, julienned
5 Eden Baby Shiitake Mushrooms, julienned
1 oz. Nasoya Firm Tofu, julienned
1/4 oz. thyme
1/4 oz. parsley
2 Tbs. white wine
Lemon juice, to taste

Add peanut oil to a large skillet and heat over high heat. Reduce heat and saute shallots by slowly heating, then add mushrooms and tofu. Once the mushrooms begin to soften, add herbs and wine. Finish with lemon juice.

Puff Pastry

1 1/2 lbs. organic bread flour
1/2 lb. organic whole wheat flour
4 oz. Spectrum Organic Shortening
2 1/4 cups cold water
5 Tbs. salt
2 lbs. Spectrum Organic Shortening
4 oz. (1/2 cup) organic bread flour
2 sheets parchment paper

Combine first five ingredients and knead 10 minutes. Rest for one hour in refrigerator. Combine shortening and 1/2 cup flour to make a fat block. Mix fat block in a machine mixer until smooth and form into a flat rectangle. Leave fat block at room temperature. Remove dough from fridge and roll out to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Place fat block in center of dough. Fold all sides of dough over fat block. Roll dough into a rectangle again. Fold in thirds as you would a business letter. Rest dough in fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out dough and fold dough into thirds again. Repeat resting and folding process four more times. When finished, roll out dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400 [degrees] F. Place another piece of parchment over dough and place another baking sheet on top to weight down. This will make puff pastry thin and crisp instead of puff. Cook until golden brown, 10 minutes. With a 4-inch ring mold, cut 4 rounds out of puff pastry.

Red Pepper Oil

1 red bell pepper
1 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Grill the pepper, then peel, seed and roughly chop. Add pepper and oil to blender and puree. Strain through cheesecloth and season with salt and pepper.

Saffron Oil

1 tsp. saffron
1 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add saffron and oil in a blender until chopped fine. Place in a small saucepan over medium heat to let color from saffron bloom. Remove from heat and strain through fine cheesecloth. Season to taste with salt.

Parsley Oil

1/2 bunch parsley
1/8 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add parsley and oil to blender and puree. Strain through fine cheesecloth and season with salt.

To assemble, drizzle red pepper, saffron and parsley oils onto each plate. Place one puff pastry round in center of each plate. Spread bean puree on puff pastry. Put a generous amount of tofu duxelle on top of bean puree and cover with a second puff pastry round.

Wine recommendation: Frey Zinfandel

Sesame Tempeh with Lemongrass and Cashews

--Sam Jacobson, New England Culinary Institute

Serves 6

1 lb. tempeh, cut in half horizontally
4 Tbs. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Eden Shake Sesame, to taste
Eden Sea Vegetable Seasoning, to taste
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 stalk lemongrass, sliced very thin
1 leek, dark green removed, chiffonade
1 lb. Eden Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
4 cups coconut milk
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 head fennel, diced
3 Tbs. Eden Miso Genmai
1 Tbs. sambal olek
2 cups snow peas, halved lengthwise
1 cup cashews, lightly toasted
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (reserve a few
  sprigs)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbs. sesame oil
Eden Organic Tamari, to taste