LoveMercedes

Chef Patrick Lassaque

Azul
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
500 Brickell Key Drive
Miami, FL 33131
305.913.8288

Executive pastry chef Patrick Lassaque's sweet career is a virtual Orient Express, journeying through illustrious restaurants in Paris, Nice and Monaco, followed by transcontinental hops to Cancun, Southern California and now Miami. He speaks fluent English, French and Spanish, which translates well to his latest posting at the global Azul in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The dramatic interior, with its picturesque views of Biscayne Bay, is a stylish setting for Lassaque's gorgeous and delicious desserts. The cuisine here defies traditional labels; it is a wild ride through Latin, Asian, Caribbean and classic French influences.

When it comes to dessert, Lassaque gravitates toward his Southern French roots while mixing in elements from other cultures. His globetrotting has taught him to focus on each country's indigenous ingredients, something that also pleases the locals. "That's my challenge," he says. "I don't want to do the same thing from country to country." At Azul, his desserts range from a simple apple tart to a chocolate tower of almond macaroon, orange caramel, milk chocolate mousse and hazelnut ice cream.

There is a whisper of the Mediterranean in Lassaque's recipe for milk chocolate sabayon with nut crunch, apricots and cherries. He likes acidity balanced with sweetness and a merging of rustic and classic elements. Without question, it's a singular showstopper, and several of the steps can be made a day or two in advance.

Meet Chef Patrick Lassaque
Friday, August 27th at 2pm
Gulfstream Park
Hallendale, FL

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Milk Chocolate Sabayon with Nut Crunch, Apricots and Cherries

Serves 4-6

Macadamia-Pistachio Crunch
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons macadamia nuts
3 tablespoons pistachio nuts
3 tablespoons salted peanuts

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter and 1 cup brown sugar. In a mixer using a paddle, combine the eggs and 1/2 cup brown sugar with vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients together (cake flour, baking powder and all the nuts).
3. Combine all ingredients and pour onto a nonstick or greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Roughly cut into 6 squares and reserve.

Milk Chocolate Sabayon
9 tablespoons heavy cream
4 ounces milk chocolate
2 tablespoons sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon water

1. Whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.
2. In a small metal bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the sugar and pour it into a small bowl with the egg yolks, whipping quickly with a whisk and forming a sabayon. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon.
4. Spoon half of the melted chocolate into the whipped cream; the other half of the chocolate into the sabayon. Finally, mix both the sabayon and the chocolate-cream mixture together by swirling it gently. Do not thoroughly blend together. Pour into a non-stick or greased brownie pan, cover and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

Roasted Spiced Apricot
6 fresh apricots, sliced in half, seeds discarded
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Toss all ingredients together. Place neatly on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes. When cooked, keep at room temperature (or refrigerate for up to 2 days).

Orange-Almond Tuile
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons orange juice
5 tablespoons chopped almonds
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients, except for the flour, until they are well incorporated. Slowly mix in the flour. On a nonstick or greased sheet pan, place spoonfuls a couple of inches apart. The shape should resemble an oval tablespoon. Bake 10-12 minutes, until light brown in color.
3. Lay a rolling pin or empty wine bottle (on its side) on a work surface. As soon as the sheet pan is out of the oven, remove each soft Tuile, one at a time, and carefully drape each one over the rolling pin or wine bottle so that the shape will be curved. They harden quickly, so work fast. Store in an airtight container.

Vanilla-Cherry Sauce
1/2 pound bing cherries, pitted and pureed in a food processor
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 sheet of gelatin¹, bloomed in cold water until soft

1. In a saucepot over medium heat, combine cherry puree, vanilla bean and 1/2 tablespoon sugar. When hot, add the rest of the sugar and the softened gelatin. Allow the mixture to come to a boil; immediately pour the liquid into another pot and cool it down by placing in the refrigerator. Can be made 2 days in advance.

Assembly
On a white or clear plate, place the macadamia-pistachio crunch in the center. Top it with a generous spoonful of the frozen milk-chocolate sabayon, then the tuile, curved side up. Rest the roasted apricot on top, inside the curve. Pour the sauce around the plate and serve.

¹Not as readily available as granulated gelatin is leaf (or sheet) gelatin, which comes in packages of paper-thin sheets. Four sheets of leaf gelatin equal one package of powdered gelatin. Leaf gelatin must be soaked longer than granulated gelatin and is therefore not as popular. This product is often called for in jelled European dessert recipes. It can be found in some gourmet and bakery supply shops. – Source Epicurious.com