Chef Miller incorporates years of culinary training with family traditions to create delicious meals that help you to reconnect with what simple, wonderfully prepared food truly is.
ON GOOD MEALS
What does it take to create a flavorful and delicious meal this spring?
“Less is more,” says Executive Chef Tony Miller, of Latitude 41 restaurant at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel.
“Go to your local farmer’s market or grocery store and pick out some great vegetables and do as little to them as possible. For example, asparagus is very simply prepared with a small pat of butter and about 2 tablespoons of water for roughly 6-7 spears. Cook them down for about 2-3 minutes or until just tender and drain off excess liquid. Serve with tuna or salmon and a tasty salad tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and you have a great springtime dinner that doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare,” explains Chef Miller.
Chef Miller incorporates years of culinary training with family traditions to create delicious meals that help you to reconnect with what simple, wonderfully prepared food truly is.
“At Latitude 41 restaurant, we are driven by a simple passion for food at its best…tantalizing our guests’ taste buds with the exciting natural taste of food,” says Miller. “I believe it’s important to give the natural flavor of ingredients a voice.”
Growing up in a family of chefs, one of Chef Tony’s most memorable experiences was being in the family’s garden picking and eating fresh fruit. “Citrus is a great and simple way of adding flavor to salads, seafood or poultry dishes.”
Chef Tony’s cooking do’s and don’t for spring:
[] Do stay in the season and stay regional. It’s easy to go out of season to try to get fresh ingredients that have traveled thousands of miles to get to your plate. There’s no substitute for freshness.
[] Do use lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Mandarin oranges, petite mesclun greens, jumbo asparagus, and berries are starting to hit produce stands. Fresh fruit cooked down with just a light amount of sugar and a touch of crème fraiche makes a wonderful dessert. Broccoli rabe lightly sautéed in olive oil with a few sprinkles of red chili flakes, olive oil, halved grapes, honey, and a small pat of butter makes a fantastic accompaniment to a nice double cut pork chop.
[] Don’t be afraid to try new ingredients. A couple of spices or aromatics in addition to a great piece of meat on a pasta dish will go a long way to producing a wonderful dish.
[] Don’t forget to ask the experts – talk to the grocer or the butcher at your local farmer’s market or grocery story to get the facts on what’s fresh or in season, and they may tell you about new ingredients or fruits you have never tried before.
This spring, you can eat well, and enjoy tasty food that helps you to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Latitude 41, located at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel in Colombus Ohio, is the arrival of a new cuisine based on the best, freshest ingredients crafted from seasonal local fare.
For more information on Tony Miller, visit www.latitude41restaurant.com/2007/tonymiller.htm.
For more information on The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel , visit www.renaissancecolumbus.com.
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