Foodie Chap With Chef Adam Sobel of Mina Test Kitchen

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - There is no better eating out adventure to experience in San Francisco right now than Mina Test Kitchen (MTK) - "Postcards from la Costiera". With Chef Adam Sobel at the helm, it's the latest series at MTK, an evolving and quarterly revolving restaurant in the heart of San Francisco's Marina/Cow Hollow neighborhood.

Previous incarnations include "Middle-Terranea" (chefs Mina & Sobel) and a collaboration with Ayesha Curry "International Smoke" with dishes every which way BBQ-ed and smoked.

Sobel's kitchen resume is impressive. After graduating from CIA in New York he headed to Las Vegas to work for a who's who of star chefs: Bradley Ogden, Guy Savoy and Rick Moonen. It was Chef Michael Mina who in 2013 enticed him to to San Francisco to take on the role of Executive Chef and Partner at RN74.

That same year Sobel was crowned the "King of Porc" at the prestigious Grand Cochon, an annual competition held in Aspen where top chefs from across the country are judged on dishes prepared from heritage pork breeds. In February 2014, Sobel was invited to serve as a guest judge on Food Network's cooking competition show, "Chopped," yup Chef Sobel had arrived.

At MTK a R&D lab of sorts, new concepts are explored, new food travel adventures played out on plates. My recent visit to MTK was a delicious voyage of discovery, taking me on a tasty trip in food through the coast of Italy. So many dishes to love but the Carciofi e Mortadella is a standout. Chef Adam kindly shared the recipe with us so you may explore this super sexy dish from Italy in your home kitchen.

Do yourself a favour and sign up soon for a seat at Mina Test Kitchen's "Postcards from la Costiera. Your multi course feast celebrating coastal eats: crudos, pastas, shellfish, whole fish & more. To be paired with killer cocktails and/or world class Italians wines and not to mention a round of limoncellos.

For now, enjoy my tasty talk with a super passionate chef, inspired by his roots and travels, Adam Sobel. If a culinary adventure is what you are seeking, leave the passport at home, bring an appetite and prepare for a super tasty journey - this one along Italy's mouthwatering culinary coast.

Ciao, Liam!

Chef Adam Sobel's
Carciofi e Mortadella
Serves 4
 
Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp garlic, sliced
• 4 Tbsp shallot sliced
• 3 Tbsp lemon zest
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• 3 Anchovy fillets
• 2 Tbsp Mint leaves torn
• 5 Tbsp fresh basil leaves torn
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 fresh bay leaved, bruised
• ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 ½ cup white wine
• 8 baby artichokes halved
• 2 heads garlic, cloves peeled
• 3 cups Sicilian Pistachio meats
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups water
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2 Tbsp Pistachio Oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt to taste for the black truffle vinaigrette
• 2 tablespoons white truffle oil*
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 3 ea egg yolks
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 Tbsp squid ink
• ¼ cup Black Truffle shavings
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (fleur de sel) or coarse salt
• Few grindings of black pepper
• 4 Tbsp shaved Pecorino Romano
• 2 Tbsp wild arugula tips
• ¼ pound thinly sliced Mortadella

Directions:

1. Crush anchovy filets in to the oil and develop a meaty aroma.
2. Add garlic, shallot, lemon zest and chili flake; season with just enough salt to pull the moisture out of the onions and garlic with out them getting any color.
3. When the onions and garlic are soft and the oil well flavored, tear all the herbs in a rustic manor being sure to release the essential oils as they are bruised. Mix these through the oil and then immediately add the liquids. This is a quick step and the herbs should not bubble when added to the oil, but rather gently infuse.
4. The addition of the liquid will cool down the cooking process, altering the cooking from solely an oil-based infusion to a solution now.
5. Let this all simmer away and gently reduce until the acidity balances and the liquid gets a little sweeter.
6. The finished product will be balanced on the palate and should be roughly 3 parts liquid mixture to 1 part oil.
7. Braise the artichokes in the liquid at a simmer for 50-55 minutes.
8. Reserve.
9. In a medium saucepot, heat ¾ cup Olive oil to just a hint of simmer and then reduce the heat to low, place cloves and simmer. Reserve.
10. In a small sauce pot, boil all ingredients until the pistachios are softened.
11. When soft to the touch, empty the contents into a blender.
12. Run on high, drizzling in the pistachio oil. When the contents are velvet smooth and completely homogeneous, use a small rubber spatula to maximize yield and pass through a fine mesh sieve.
13. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed with salt.
14. Cool over an ice bath and reserve covered.
15. Combine truffle juice, truffle, vinegar, salt, garlic confit and tamari in blender, blend on low speed.
16. Add the egg yolks and turn the blender up to 5.
17. Slowly emulsify in olive oil and truffle oil. Once emulsified add the squid ink and turn the blender to high for a few seconds, this is only to homogenize both the consistency and color.
18. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if needed.
19. Reserve.

To Plate:

1. On a small antipasti plate start by dropping down the truffle vinaigrette in a way where it gives a frame with which to plate the rest of the ingredients.
2. Using a squeeze bottle place four medium dots of pistachio butter on the plate. Score each slice of mortadella along a radius so that the sliced meat can be fabricated into a rosette shape with ease. Place four pieces of mortadella on the plate next to the pistachio butter.
3. On a transfer tray layout the 8 pieces of halved baby artichokes and brush with EVOO and season with Maldon salt. Using the pistachio butter and truffle vinaigrette to hold the artichokes in place; lean the chokes against the rosettes of mortadella.
4. Carefully scatter the cut pistachios over the mortadella and artichokes so that with each bite there is the texture of the nuts.
5. Place the cloves of garlic confit around the plate, some on the vinaigrette and some not. Shavings of pecorino, and the artichoke chips can garnish the plate, some in the folds of the mortadella and some on the artichokes.
6. Lightly dress the arugula with EVOO, place over the dish. To finish microplane the pistachios over the top, and add a few flakes of Maldon. Serve immediately.

 
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