West Hartford

Chef Frederic Kieffer

The countryside west of Paris set the stage for Frederic Kieffer to discover his true passion for cooking. After summers working in local restaurants, he enrolled in the well- known L’Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise, where he was classically trained in French cuisine.

His stateside career began in the kitchen of Tentation Caterers, running The Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. The feathers in his toque blanche only multiplied, as Chef Frederic re-opened the Windows of the World with famed restaurateur Joseph Baum, and eventually served as opening chef for celebrity hot spot Man Ray, l’escale at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel, and Gaia in Greenwich, Conn. It was at Gaia (“Goddess of Mother Earth”) that farm-to-table became his cooking philosophy. He continues to present alluring menus at l’escale and Artisan at West Hartford’s Delamar Southport Hotel.

This episode allows Chef Frederic to highlight his garden, with almost every vegetable being harvested just a mere 24 hours before preparation. The beet soup amuse-bouche makes way for the salad course - a convergence of two seasons through late summer green tomatoes and early fall delicata squash. A nutty, flaky blackfish takes center stage with chard and rutabaga, and the meal culminates with a fluffy potted cheesecake with tomato marmalade and peach marinade.

 RECIPES

Beet Soup

1. Wash the red beets, bake them at 325 for 1.5 hour or until tender (depending on the size)

2. When manageable peel the beets, cube them, keep them on the side.

3. in a sauce pan render one diced onion with a little bit of butter until translucent.

4. Add the cubed beets, deglaze with the red wine vinegar, reduce by half, cover with the vegetable stock (or water), season with salt.

5. Simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Blend with a blender, check the seasoning and pass through a fine chinois.

7. this soup can be served cold or hot.

8. For the season yogurt

9. Use preferably a plain greek style yogurt or goat milk yogurt, season the yogurt with salt pepper, chopped mint and chopped dill.

10. Place one soup spoon of the yogurt on the soup.

11. Enjoy right away

Garlic-rosemary roasted fingerling potatoes

1. Wash the fingerling potatoes.

2. Cook the fingerling potatoes in salted water until tender bot not over cooked.

3. Drain the potatoes, cool them at room temperature.

4. When manageable, with palm of your hand lightly press down each potatoes on a cutting board until they flattened and the skin crack on the side.

5. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

6. Over medium-high heat use a large skillet and butter to saute the potatoes, get them light brown on each side then add the fresh garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs over.

7. Place the potatoes in the oven at 325 for about 10-12 minutes.

8. Enjoy right away

Lamb herb crust

1. I preferably use Japanese breadcrumbs (aka Panko breadcrumbs)

2. Wash and pick the fresh Italian parsley leaves, peel the fresh garlic Place the breadcrumbs in a food processor, while processing add the garlic then the parsley leaves, continue processing until the breadcrumbs turn green in color.

3. Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper.

4. Keep aside.

5. Season the rack of lamb with salt and pepper. in a skillet over medium-high heat sear the rack of lamb.

6. Cool the rack of lamb at room temperature.

7. When warm lightly brush Dijon mustard on the rack of lamb (meat only). Place the herb bread crumb on a flat baking pan then roll the rack in it, pushing it down lightly so the breadcrumbs stick to the meat.

8. Bake the rack of lamb for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size and the desired cooking temperature.

9. Do not forget to let the rack rest for 10 minutes before cutting it.