Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/2355/-1/126/
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Eating My Words by Chef Daniel Orr
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A weekly Column by Chef Daniel Orr
Daniel Orr is Executive Chef at Kitchen Stadium, Santorini Restaurant, Famiglia and the Tapas Lounge and Rum bar at CuisinArt Resort & Spa and is working on “A Chef’s Diet” Cookbook and Cooking in Paradise.
Other people’s restaurants
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Chef Daniel Orr
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I’m a chef. It is my job and my passion to eat and drink. I can’t wait to try the new restaurant in town just the minute it opens; I talk about food when I’m not cooking or eating something; I can’t get enough of it.
The problem with this passion is that it started catching up with me. I hit 30 a long time ago – and as my grandpa used to say, this getting old is no good. So I started to eat smart and found that it isn’t as difficult as it sounds.
You can still go to restaurants and eat healthfully; it just takes a little extra cross-examination of the waitstaff (who knows, you might even make a new friend). Remember, just because you go out to dinner doesn’t mean you have to eat everything on the menu. Eating out is like eating at home. It’s making the right choices, eating healthfully but making sure to have fun, too.
First of all, you don’t have to eat the whole basket of crusty bread. Have once slice or pass it up completely. You know it makes you full, so save room for the fun stuff that the chef has put his heart into. Split an appetizer with your dinner companion, don’t order fried foods as a first course, and choose light, small appetizers. Actually, appetizers are usually the most interesting part of a menu – why not have two appetizers instead of a main course? Some of my favorite appetizers are carpaccios, tartares and crudos, all made of raw or marinated fish. These are wonderfully rich and meaty and make a great light main course. Start with a salad and you’re all set. Another option is to split the main course, as most restaurants serve huge portions (up to 12 ounces of protein when you really only need 4). There’s plenty to feed two.
Finally, most restaurants can do a fruit plate. If a pastry chef cares about his clients he will put something on his carte for those on the zone. If you are celebrating, or even if you’re just aching to enjoy a sweet, split a dessert. If you know you are eating out in the evening, take time during the day to plan ahead. Eat lean and save up for your splurge. But don’t skip meals; they keep your engine running (and help you stay strong-willed when the chocolate mousse gets passed around at dinner). Enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine. It’s full of antioxidants and some believe wine will help stave off hunger and the danger of making a complete glutton of yourself.
By consciously thinking about your food choices throughout the day you can enjoy dinner in other people’s restaurants. Take advantage of the opportunity for you and your dinner partner to try different dishes and talk and laugh and get a little silly. Sharing food and time together with family and friends in restaurants gives you time to relax and de-stress. You don’t have to do the shopping or the dishes, the chef’s variety and skill will keep your palate happy, and maybe you’ll be inspired to try new healthful recipes at home. Don’t forget to keep eating smaller portions of animal proteins, starches and fats; remember that these are what get you! (And chefs are masters at hiding the stuff in the most unlikely places.)
Here is the recipe for a wonderful soup from a friend’s restaurant in my neighborhood back in Manhattan. It’s simple and makes a great starter or meal in itself to present to family and friends. You’ll have dishes to do, it’s true, but you’ll be sharing the pleasures of the table with people you love – the point of it all, after all.
Yellow Lentil Bisque
Makes about 2 quarts
Beans are full of fiber and have great nutritional value. You can add any type of fish or seafood to this soup as a garnish and really make it into meal. Just serve it with a small bowl of greens and a slice of good whole-grain bread. Any type of bean can be used; I like lentils because they cook so fast. If you’re in a real hurry, try canned beans.
Recipes are guidelines, so adapt them to your own taste. Remember – have fun – and don’t be afraid of flavor!
1 pound red or yellow lentils
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 toes garlic, minced
8 plum tomatoes, diced and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 Spanish onion, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons Regime Blend (see recipe) (NEED ALTERNATIVE)
4 tablespoons curry powder or Mellow Yellow (see recipe) (NEED ALTERNATIVE)
4 tablespoons Aux Poivres spice (see recipe) (NEED ALTERNATIVE)
1½ quarts water
salt, black pepper and Tabasco
½ cup labne or thick yogurt (IS THIS A GARNISH OR IS IT ADDED TO SOUP?)
cilantro, green onions and/or pita chips to garnish
Rinse the lentils in cold water. In a pan big enough to hold all ingredients, sauté the garlic, vegetables and spices in the olive oil; do not brown. Add the lentils, cover with water and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until vegetables and lentils are cooked and tender and purée the mixture with a stationary or hand-held blender. For a smoother soup, pass it through a fine chinoise or sieve.
Adjust thickness with additional water or vegetable stock as needed, and season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Garnish and serve in warm bowls.
I’d love to hear from you. I am collecting recipes and stories for future articles and books and would love to include your favorite family recipes and food memories from the kitchen, the garden or the sea. You can reach me at
dorr@cuisinart.aior stop me on the road if you see the CuisinArt Chef Mobile.