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Savory Success:
Chef Chris Scarduzio marks the Perrier empire with simplicity & panache
Chris Scarduzio was only a kid when he started cooking for his family. Reaching up to
grab ingredients off the counter, he remembers how much a part of growing up cooking
was. “Food was always the main focus,” he remembers. “I would rush home from school
to help my mother and grandmother in the kitchen. They were always arguing about
seasoning for one dish or another.”
But the family kitchen was just the beginning of Scarduzio’s culinary career. A fateful turn
of events at Germantown Country Club brought the unseasoned chef an amazing
opportunity. Trying for years to secure a position at Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, he was
repeatedly turned down. “Georges Perrier [owner of Le Bec-Fin and Brasserie Perrier] came
in for lunch one day. I made him a simple omelette with tomato and basil. He was so
impressed, he offered me a job on the spot.”
Now Executive Chef at Mia, another Perrier venture, Scarduzio relishes the constant
excitement. However hectic the restaurant world gets, his motivation remains his family.
“I have a wife and three children,” he says. “They love the kitchen environment.”
Scarduzio is currently working on a new restaurant in Philadelphia called Table 31. An
enormous 21,000-square-foot facility housed in Comcast Tower, it’s sure to be another
culinary success. With or without an omelette.
Cavatelli Pasta with Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Butter
and Crispy Pancetta
serves four
ingredients:
1 lb. cavatelli pasta, dried
For spicy sun-dried tomato butter:
10 Roma tomatoes, fresh, cut in halves
4 shallots, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 jalapeño pepper
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb. butter, unsalted |
For sun-dried tomato pesto:
1 bay leaf
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, pre-soaked in water
2 cloves garlic
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
For pancetta:
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, diced
2 Tbsp shallots, diced
1/2 clove of garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes |
For pasta:
Cook in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
For spicy sun-dried tomato butter:
In a large sauce pan, heat Roma tomatoes, shallots, celery, jalapeño pepper, garlic, tomato paste, basil
and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Boil for ten minutes. Drain boiled mixture through a
colander. Mix into butter. Set aside.
For sun-dried tomato pesto:
In a blender, incorporate sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper until
mixture becomes a paste. Set aside.
For pancetta and to finish:
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat until crispy. Add shallots and garlic. Add reserved tomato
butter and bring to a boil. Add sun-dried tomato pesto and a red pepper flakes. Mix in cooked pasta and
toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
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