Layers of Flavor

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Entertain like a chef with deep, rich flavors that will dazzle your guests. It’s easier than you think...

Born in Morocco to a Spanish mother and a Sicilian father, chef David Fhima was raised with an appreciation for delicious flavors, natural foods and good cooking. As the celebrated chef at FACES, in St. Paul, and Life Time Fitness, based in Minnesota, he is on a mission to show Americans that food that is good for you can also taste delicious. Butter, fat and even (raw, unprocessed) sugar are not "bad" foods, says Fhima: "It's all about eating whole, natural foods that have the least amount of processing possible," he believes. "Fat-free, synthetic foods aren't satisfying and leave your body craving real nutrients. When we eat foods that truly nourish us, we don't need to eat so much." He practices what he preaches in his restaurants, serving locally grown, organic vegetables and fruits, grass-fed beef and organic dairy in dishes rich with flavor.

Fhima is passionate about demystifying cooking and luring time-pressed takeout fans into the kitchen with recipes that use only a handful of ingredients, build on basic techniques, and layer flavors to encourage improvisation. In this menu he created for Cambria Style, he plays with the fall and winter flavors of pumpkin, figs and ginger, in recipes you can easily adjust by changing the seasonings and flavors. "It doesn't have to be complicated," says Fhima. "A great meal, ultimately, is about the experience of sharing it with family and friends."

CINNAMON, CLOVE AND PUMPKIN SOUP

You can serve this in small cups for just a taste at a cocktail party, or in bowls as a first course.  Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs. fresh organic pumpkin
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 6 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and seed the pumpkin and cut into 2-inch cubes. Simmer in a covered pot until pumpkin is soft, about 45 minutes.

2. Add milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer again.

3. When liquid is reduced by half, add honey, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 5 more minutes while mixing well.

4. Remove soup from stove and remove cinnamon stick. Using an immersion blender or blender, mix well. Once blended, pour through a chinois or sieve and set aside cloves. The soup should be thick yet runny.

5. Serve in individual bowls with a teaspoon of Crème Fraîche (see recipe on page 41) and a clove on top.

GOAT CHEESE, PECAN AND PUMPKIN BRÛLÉE

Sugar melting with butter and caramelizing gives the pumpkin a delicious brûlée flavor.  Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 slices peeled fresh pumpkin (slice lengthwise like a cantaloupe, then again in half, for slices about  3" long and 1/4" thick) 
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. raw sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed, cut in half and lightly toasted
• Cinnamon
• Goat cheese
• 12 pecans

1. Slice pumpkin as directed and sauté in butter on low heat. While sautéing, drizzle with the raw sugar and vanilla, and cook until caramelized and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Serve 2 pieces of pumpkin on each toast point; finish with a dusting of cinnamon, a pinch of goat cheese and a pecan.

TARTINE OF TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

This is like a French version of a mini pizza. Use the best quality organic tomatoes and fresh mozzarella you can find. Makes 5 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5  1/2-inch-thick slices of sourdough bread, toasted
• 2 vine-ripe tomatoes
• 10 small bocconcini (small, 1/2-inch-round balls of fresh mozzarella)
• Salt and pepper
• Virgin olive oil
• Balsamic Syrup (see recipe, below)

1. Top each slice of sourdough bread with 2 slices of tomato, 2 sliced bocconcini, a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of virgin olive oil.

2. Bake at 350° until cheese is golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of Balsamic Syrup (see recipe, below).

BALSAMIC SYRUP

Reducing balsamic vinegar into a syrup intensifies and sweetens its flavor. David Fhima likes to use it to decorate a plate or for a final garnish.

1. Take 1 cup of balsamic vinegar and cook over low heat until reduced by half. 2. Put in a squeeze bottle (such as a condiment dispenser) while still warm and chill overnight.

MOROCCAN POTATO AND CHORIZO PATTIES

Makes 8-10 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. white pepper
• 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1/4  and 2 cups panko (breadcrumbs)
• 1/4 cup dry-cured Spanish chorizo, cut in small (1/8 inch) cubes
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil

1. In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, salt, pepper, Gruyère, 1/4 cup panko crumbs, and chorizo. Form into small one-ounce patties (about two inches round and 1/4 inch thick) and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

2. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks and buttermilk. In a second bowl, add 2 cups panko crumbs. Dip the patties into the egg mixture and then in the panko crumbs, respectively, twice.

3. When all the patties are coated, bring olive oil to sizzling hot in a nonstick pan, then add the patties. Sear on each side until golden brown.

4. Serve with a dollop of Crème Fraîche (see recipe, below) or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Crème Fraîche can be the basis for a variety of toppings: Add vanilla and honey, and it can be icing for a cake. Add salt and pepper and it becomes sour cream; a dose of cocoa and it's chocolate cream. Or dip strawberries into it, as they do at Wimbledon, and then freeze to chill for a delicious dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix ingredients together well, cover tightly and let sit in a warm (not hot) spot for 48 hours. Stir it gently and then refrigerate it overnight. It should be thick, but still liquid, like yogurt or sour cream.

FIG RISOTTO

Makes 2-4 servings. Quantities can be doubled or multiplied.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp. good quality light olive oil
• 1/4 cup diced Vidalia onion
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5-7 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup good quality
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup organic whole milk
• 1 Tbsp. organic butter
• 1/2 tsp. raw honey
• 6-8 figs

1. Bring olive oil to a hot sizzle in a large sauté pan. Add Vidalia onions and sauté until caramelized.

2. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice with oil, not letting it burn. When the rice is lightly golden (2-3 minutes), deglaze the pan with wine.

3. Once the wine is almost evaporated, add 1 cup chicken stock and stir. Repeat this procedure 4 to 6 times, adding a cup of stock and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is almost fully cooked. (Taste test a few grains-it should be slightly crunchy and creamy.)

4. Add sea salt, pepper, Parmesan and milk, and simmer at very low heat while stirring occasionally.

5. In a separate pan, melt butter, then stir in honey and whole figs. When the figs are nicely coated and shiny, remove from heat and let cool. At this point, the risotto should be ready.

6. Plate risotto in a shallow bowl and add figs; the heat from the risotto will soften the figs, releasing their wonderful fragrance. Add a swirl of Ginger Beurre Blanc if desired (recipe below).

GINGER BEURRE BLANC

"People are afraid of sauces, but once you master this, it can become the model for all your sauces," says Fhima. "It's a classic French sauce, but depending on the ingredients and flavors you add, whether it's scallions, rosemary or tomatoes and garlic, it can be Asian, French or Italian, and you can serve it on chicken, fish, vegetables or even risotto. The beurre blanc should be used right away, or you can do what professional chefs do and refrigerate it. The butter will harden, but you can then heat up the sauce in a bain marie-or "bath" of hot water-by placing the sauce in a heatproof dish placed into a shallow pan filled with hot water. Whisk the sauce as you gently heat it over the stove, adding a little white wine if needed. Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 3 shallots, peeled, trimmed and chopped in half
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped or grated
• 8 oz. organic butter at room temperature, cut in 1/2-inch pats

1. Bring the white wine and vinegar to a boil, then add the shallots and ginger.

2. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the liquid has been reduced by half.

3. Whisk liquid, slowly adding butter a couple of pats at a time. Cook on the lowest heat setting and continue to whisk so as not to let the butter separate from the wine. This process is critical, but should only take about 5-8 minutes. Once all the butter has been whisked into the liquid, the sauce should be velvety soft and slightly thick. Serve immediately.