Cutting-Edge Cuisine: the first edition of Cutting-Edge Cuisine for 2004 visits the Texas Culinary Academy for a healthy mix of traditional and contemporary Texas cuisine

The Texas Culinary Academy (TCA) located in Austin, Texas, the live music capital of the country, makes music of its own when aspiring culinarians come together with a talented faculty that offers more than 400 years of combined industry experience.

Along with a true passion for the culinary field, the instructors at TCA blend classical French cuisine with American inventiveness in a fast-paced, 15-month period. The TCA's affiliation to the world famous Le Cordon Bleu curriculum offers students practical hands-on approaches to innovative methods and classical techniques. During the course of the program, students will be introduced to more than 25 international cuisines combined with a cress-cultural spirit, as well as some Texas flair.

In addition to the resources of a 52,000-square-foot facility, students also get practical experience in TCA's own fine-dining restaurant, VENTANA. The objective is for students at TCA to learn what works in both the front and back of the house, as well as how it all works together.

The students who developed the following recipes are at various places in the curriculum and participated in the Vegetarian Times Cutting-Edge Cuisine section as a course of independent study under the mentorship of Chef Gregory Ritter.

For more information on the Texas Culinary Academy, visit www.txca.com or call (888) 5LE-CHEF.

The Chefs

Chef Greg Ritter

Brandi Jones

Shirley Allen

Diane Hessenthaler

Sandra Steifer

LAYERED TOFU WITH SWISS
CHARD AND KAMUT

Serves 4

1 lb. Nasoya Extra-Firm Tofu
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbs. Eden Extra Virgin Spanish Olive 0il
2 Tbs. chopped onion
2 Tbs. capers
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 Tbs. sherry
2 Tbs. chopped mixed olives
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Kamut
1 bunch chives
1 clove garlic, sliced
4 cups packed Swiss chard leaves, torn
2 Tbs. water

1. Place tofu on a flat work surface, slice it
horizontally into 3 uniform layers and season
well with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over
medium heat. Add onion, and cook until soft. Add
capers and tomatoes, tossing to coat. Add sherry, and
reduce until alcohol burns off, or about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

3. Preheat oven to 300F.

4. Place chopped olives on 1 layer of tofu. Place
cooled tomato mixture on another layer, and
restack layers, placing plain layer on top. Transfer
tofu to a cookie sheet, and brush with olive oil.
Bake for about 30 minutes, remove from heat
and set aside.

5. Meanwhile, make kamut, following package
directions. When cooked, toss with chives,
1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Remove
from heat, and set aside.

6. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a
skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and saute
until golden. Add chard and 2 tablespoons water,
cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat
and place on serving dish alongside equal portions
layered tofu and kamut.

WINE SUGGESTION

Frey 2002 Chardonnay

BLACK WALNUT PROFITEROLES
WITH HERBED YOGURT
CHEESE AND MOLASSES

Yield: 2 dozen

Profiteroles

1 7/8 cups water
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) butter
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch granulated sugar
1 1/8 cups Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White
  Pastry Flour, sifted
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups finely chopped black walnuts
Molasses, for garnish

Herbed Yogurt Cheese

32 oz. pkg. Stonyfield Farm Plain Yogurt
8 oz. cream cheese, optional
3 Tbs. chopped chives
3 Tbs. chopped parsley
3 Tbs. chopped chervil

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet
with parchment paper, and set aside.

2. To make Profiteroles: Combine water, butter,
salt and sugar in a saucepan, and heat over
medium heat until butter has melted and water
boils. Stir flour into water until mixture is almost
smooth. Continue to cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Remove from heat.

3. Scrape mixture from saucepan, and put into
bowl of all electric mixer. Using paddle attachment,
beat mixture on low speed until it cools,
about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, fully
incorporating each egg before adding next. Stop
mixer, and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Fold in black walnuts by hand. Fill a pastry
bag, and pipe circular shapes about 1 1/2 inches
wide x 1 inch tall onto baking sheet. Bake for 20
minutes, or until browned. Remove from oven,
and set aside.

4. To make Herbed Yogurt Cheese: Line a
colander with several layers of cheesecloth.
Spoon yogurt into colander, and allow it to
drain at least 6 hours or overnight.

5. Beat cream cheese, if using, with a mixer
until softened, and add to yogurt. Fold in
herbs, and adjust seasoning, if desired. Cut
profiteroles in half horizontally, spoon cheese
mixture onto bottom half and replace top.
Garnish with drizzles of molasses.

WINE SUGGESTION

Frey 2001 Pinot Noir

QUINOA AND CHIVE HUSH
PUPPIES WITH CHIPOTLE
MAYONNAISE

Yield: 1 dozen

Chipotle Mayonnaise

2 chipotles in adobe sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground
  black pepper to taste

Hush Puppies

1 1/2 cups cooked Bob's Red Mill Quinoa
  (1/2 cup uncooked)
5 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal
1 Tbs. Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 large egg, well-beaten
1 1/4 cups Meyenberg Goat Milk
5 Tbs. minced onion
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
5 Tbs. minced chives
2 tsp. salt

1. To make Chipotle Mayonnaise: Put all ingredients
in a food processor or blender, and
process until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oil in a deep saucepan to 350F.

3. To make Hush Puppies: Rinse quinoa in a fine
strainer under cold running water until water
runs clear. Place 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water in
a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook,
covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and
set aside to cool.

4. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and
salt in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl,
combine egg, milk, onion and cayenne pepper.
Pour into dry mixture, and stir until a stiff batter
forms. Gently fold in cooked quinoa and chives
until just combined.

5. Pat dough into small patties about  1 1/2 to 2
inches round, and carefully spoon into hot oil.
Cook for about 2 minutes, or until hush puppies
float to surface and turn golden blown and
crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil,
and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining
batter. Season with salt, if desired. Serve
immediately with Chipotle Mayonnaise.