Matthew Cappellini, executive chef
El Tapeo
2100 Spring Road
Le Meridien Chicago
Oakbrook Center
Oak Brook
(630) 828-2044
www.eltapeorestaurant.com/
Sautéed Spring Onion
Makes enough for 4 dishes
Ingredients:
4 spring onions
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil blend.
salt and white pepper, to taste
Directions:
Start a large pot of boiling salted water. Trim off any bad pieces of the onion, and cut down to about 5 inches long from the end of onion. Once water boiling, blanch onions till tender, about 45 secs or until soft. Remove from water and shock in a cold ice bath. Once chilled, cut in half lengthwise. Start a small sauté pan with oil in it. Add onion cut side down and start to sear. Once good color has developed, turn over and add garlic, also seasoning with salt and pepper. Sauté until garlic is browned slightly and remove onions from pan. Discard pan with hot oil. Serve onto dish.
Brandied Morels
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients:
1/4 cup bacon, cut into strips
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup morels, fresh or rehydrated dried
1 oz brandy
1 oz butter, unsalted
salt and white pepper, to taste
Directions:
In small sauté pan, render bacon. When bacon is about 3/4 all the way cooked, add the morels and garlic. Sauté until garlic is slightly browned. Add brandy to deglaze being careful when adding over open flame. When brandy is almost reduced, remove from heat and add butter. Season with salt and white pepper as needed.
Corn Puree
Makes roughly 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 oz olive oil
1 cup chopped onion, white
1 tsp garlic, chopped
2.5 cups corn, fresh, kernels only
5 oz butter, whole, unsalted
4 oz heavy whipping cream
salt, to taste
Directions:
Using sauce pan, heat olive oil and sweat onion and garlic until translucent. Do not brown garlic or onion. Add corn and sweat till soft, again to do not color. Once soft, add to blender with the cream and butter. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt as needed. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and cool.
Scallops – pan saute 4 scallops in a bit of oil and then add butter on medium heat – baste scallops with the butter. Then plate with all other elements of dish.
