New flavors, old favorites

There are a few ways to become a chef. One option is to attend a culinary institute and then look for a position to practice your newfound knowledge. Another is to just start working at restaurants and work your way up.

That’s how Chef Lindsey Mason attained the position of executive chef at Cristiano Ristorante in Houma. He admits to having aspirations of becoming a chef since junior high. Starting out as a dishwasher at a local restaurant during high school, he worked his way up in six months to a cooking position. Upon graduation, Chef Mason turned down art scholarships to continue the pursuit of his dream of becoming a certified executive chef.

His style of cuisine showcases fresh ingredients with clean flavors that lean toward the Caribbean by utilizing tropical fruits paired with fish.

When a dish conjures up wonderful times gone by for someone then it’s comfort food. When asked about his favorite meal, Mason replied a Rueben sandwich. He always gets one on his birthday and even wants to travel to New York’s Carnegie Deli to try their version of the sandwich. This might seem a bit strange having grown up in Thibodaux, but his grandmother is Jewish and he has fond memories of her making Rueben’s for the family: comfort food!

Chef Mason’s culinary philosophy is educating palates by introducing new ingredients combined with established favorites. On a current menu, he added a touch of Thai curry paste to a butternut squash and porcini mushroom soup and even paired vanilla in a risotto with a bourbon glazed duck breast. He also has a garden at the restaurant to grow herbs, micro greens and some heirloom vegetables to use in his creations.

Melon and Crab Salad

Ingredients:

3-4 slices of cucumber

1/2 cup pea shoots

1/4 cup watermelon (cubed)

1 – 5 oz. crabmeat, picked for shells

1 tsp. macadamia nuts, chopped

Squeeze of lemon

Salt and pepper

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Directions:

Shave cucumber with peeler lengthwise then grill lightly and season with salt and pepper. Lie flat on parchment. Line a ring mold with cucumber. In a small bowl toss pea shots, watermelon, crabmeat and macadamia nuts with EVOO, salt and pepper and lemon. Place in ring mold. Drizzle with basil infused olive oil and crushed macadamia nuts.

Ingredients for Basil Infused Oil:

2 cups pan basil picked

3 cups vegetable oil, frozen

Directions:

Blanch half basil in boiling water in large pot for 15 seconds. Remove, drain, and pat dry on paper towels then in to frozen oil to shock. Repeat with other half. Puree in food processor for 3 minutes. Be careful not to warm the oil.

Let sit 24 hours before straining.

Crab cakes

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks

1 whole egg

1 cup yellow bell pepper

1 tsp. thyme

2 tsps. cracked black pepper

3 zest of lemon

1.5 cup Italian bread crumbs

2 lbs. lump crab meat (picked)

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat (picked)

1 cup Bruschetta mix

Directions:

Pick crab meat; set aside. Whisk eggs lightly, then add all other ingredients and fold in crabmeat last. Form into 4 oz. patties then let firm in cooler for 1 hour. In a small sauté pan heat ? Tbsp. butter until slightly brown then add crab cake. Cook for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve over baby field greens and drizzle with your favorite flavored olive oil.

Short Ribs

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. pomace oil

2 – 1 lb. packages short ribs

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp. garlic

1 carrot

1 onion

3 sticks celery

6 jalapeños (deseeded)

750 ml. red wine

5 cup Demi

1 pt. fresh strawberries

Directions:

In small ovenproof braising pan, heat oil. Then season short ribs. Sear in half of the ribs, then the other half in the pan and remove to drain.

Chop carrots, garlic, celery and onion in a food processor and de-seed and half (long ways) jalapenos. Brown the vegetables in the pan. Add red wine, Demi glace and strawberries. Add ribs.

Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 4 hours. Allow to cool in the pan then remove any fat that has coagulated on the surface. Reheat and serve.

Scallop Carpaccio

Ingredients:

12 slices scallop.

1 Tbsp. lemon custard

5 each pickled blueberries

1 pinch micro greens

1 lemon wedge

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Thinly shave frozen scallop on meat slicer then season with a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of the custard on the side of plate and arrange blueberries. Toss micro greens with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place seasoned greens in the center of the plate.

Pickled blueberries:

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 pinch cinnamon

2 cloves

2 pt. blueberries

Mix sugar, vinegar, water, cinnamon and cloves, reduce by half, cool to room temp then pour over berries. Let pickle in fridge overnight.

Lemon custard:

2 tsps. finely grated lemon zest

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

3 oz. lemon juice

4 Tbsp. butter

Pinch salt

Water to thin

Over a double boil, beat yolks and sugar together. Stir in lemon juice, butter, and salt cook till thick. Strain. Stir in zest. Thin with water if needed.