FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Park Hyatt, Dubai, Traiteur, Chef Franck Detrait

Dec 1, 2010
2010 / December 2010

Franck Detrait is a lady-killer. I say this in the most positive way possible. The debonair French chef, just 29 years old, had my table of seven swooning. Well, all except for our one male counterpart, but I think even he’d admit Detrait is beyond charming.

Chef de cuisine at Traiteur, the fine-dining venue at Park Hyatt Dubai, Detrait draws inspiration from his mother’s roots in Provence and his father’s family history in Bourguignon. With experience that includes stints working with culinary mainstays including Guy Pommelet, Bernard Fiemeyer and Jean-François Rouquette, Detrait has developed a style he calls “revisited traditional,” combining international flavors with new techniques.


Pan-fried codfish, mashed green peas, morels and purple shiso Serves 4

For the fish:

4 4-ounce portions codfish
Olive oil, for cooking
Butter, for cooking
Salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan. Add the fish, skin side down, and cook until it turns a golden color. Turn fish and continue cooking to desired doneness.

For the pea purée:

1 pound green peas
Chicken stock, as necessary
1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
Olive oil, for cooking
Salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and season with salt. Cook until the onion becomes translucent. Add the green peas and cook for 2-1/2 minutes. Add chicken stock and continue cooking until the peas are soft. Strain the pea mixture, reserving the liquid. If necessary, use reserved stock to blend the peas to a purée consistency. Season to taste.

For the morels:

½ pound dehydrated morel mushrooms
Olive oil, for cooking
Thyme, to taste
Garlic, to taste
Red wine, for deglazing
Beef stock, as necessary

Rehydrate the morels in warm water. Remove from water and press to squeeze out excess moisture. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, thyme and garlic. Deglaze with red wine. Reduce by half. Add the beef stock and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft.

For the foam:

2 cups water
4 red onions, sliced
2 lemons, peeled and sectioned
Thyme, to taste
Soya lecithin, as necessary
Butter, as necessary
Salt, to taste

Combine the water, onion, lemon and thyme in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking until the liquid takes on a pink tone. Strain. Add butter, salt and soya lecithin. Use a hand-held mixer to bring to a foam. Keep warm until ready to plate.

 

For the garnish:

Beef stock, as necessary
1 packet purple shiso

Presentation: Spoon some green pea purée onto each plate. Top the purée with a piece of fish. Arrange the morels on top of the fish. Finish with a drop of beef stock and the foam. Garnish with purple shiso leaves.


Pan-fried lamb filet panisse and sun-dried tomatoes Serves 4

For the lamb:

4 7-ounce lamb filets
Garlic, to taste
Thyme, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil and butter, for cooking

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Sear the lamb on both sides. Add butter, garlic and thyme and continue cooking to desired doneness.

For the panisse:

0.2 kilograms chickpea flour
1 quart water
Salt, to taste
Olive oil, as needed
15 dried chickpeas

Combine the chickpea flour, water and salt (to taste) in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture into a food processor and blend, adding olive oil as necessary, until it is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a tray and refrigerate until ready to cook. Soak the dried chickpeas in water. When ready to plate, remove the panisse from the refrigerator and cut it into batons. Deep-fry the batons at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until they are golden and crispy.

For the sun-dried tomatoes:

1 plum tomato
Olive oil, as necessary
Garlic, to taste
Thyme, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Blanch the tomato in boiling water. Transfer to ice water. Let cool and peel. Cut the tomato into four pieces, removing the seeds. Place the tomato slices on a tray. Season the tomato with olive oil, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper. Set aside the tray to dry at room temperature for several hours.

For the sauce:

Lamb stock, as necessary

For the garnish:

Green shiso, as necessary

Presentation: Place a lamb filet on each plate. Glaze with warm lamb stock. Arrange a piece of panisse on each side of the plate. Add a few chickpeas. Top with sun-dried tomato and green shiso.


Tuna tartar with mango gazpacho and crunchy vegetables Serves 4

For the tuna:

4 2-ounce pieces red tuna, diced
Combawa oil, as necessary
Soy sauce, as necessary

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to plate.

For the mango gazpacho:

1 mango, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons yogurt
6 tablespoons mango juice
6 tablespoons mango vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste

For the crunchy vegetables:

1 carrot, julienned
1 piece fennel, julienned
1 cucumber, julienned
1 green apple, julienned
1 lemon, peeled and sectioned
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 stalk broccoli, blanched and chopped
Lemon juice, as necessary
Combawa oil
Salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to plate.

For the garnish:

4 edible flowers

Presentation: Use a ring mold to arrange a portion of the tuna tartar in the center of each of four plates. Spoon the crunchy vegetables onto the tartar. Dress the plate with mango gazpacho. Garnish with an edible flower.

Introducing

FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

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