CHEF MAURO CIVIERO X BOTTEGA AT EQ KUALA LUMPUR

Five Bottega-inspired recipes by Italian guest chef Mauro Civiero took centrestage at EQ Kuala Lumpur recently. As part of the collaboration between EQ and Bottega, the 57-year-old Milanese was central in a series of special events including a curated wine pairing dinner and a wine Masterclass.

Chef Mauro embarked on his culinary journey in 1982 after attending catering school. Upon completing stints in several Michelin-starred restaurants, including one in Heidelberg, Germany, Chef Mauro returned to Italy.

He then proffered his mastery at the Michelin-starred Casanova Grill, located at the Palace Hotel. The stint opened doors for him to other prestigious hotels including Florence Grand Hotel and the Porto Cervo Pitrizza in the breath-taking Emerald Coast of Sardinia.

In recognition of his culinary expertise, Chef Mauro Civiero was appointed a representative of Italian cuisine at The Westin Hotel in Tokyo; to promote the culinary traditions of his homeland. His career has also taken him to the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

For the media session at Bottega Lounge, Chef Mauro deftly prepared five recipes on the spot, to complement the Bottega wines selected by Sandro Bottega, president of Bottega SpA.

According to the chef, the recipes were chosen for their affinity with the Bottega wines showcased. “I’ve tweaked and adapted the recipes from the Bottega 100 Prosecco Recipes Gold Book, using my own expertise and to suit the local context.”

The first recipe he demonstrated was Amberjack Tartare, to complement Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC Spumante Brut.

Marinated with sun-dried tomatoes, capers and olives, then placed onto zucchini threads, the delicious Amberjack Tartare paired harmoniously with the bright citrusy notes of Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC Spumante Brut. We liked how the straw-yellow wine with its light floral aroma and balanced acidity offset the fish’s natural richness.

Next came Chef Mauro’s creation of Buffalo Mozzarella Emulsion with wild oregano, tomato jelly and basil. The soft almost mash-creamy texture was sublime; its delicate accents went like a dream with the dry, smooth Bottega Pinot Grigio Venezia DOC. We also detected refreshingly fruity aromas of pear and peach, with a subtle hint of almond finishing.

The blush pink Bottega Rose Gold Pinot Nero Spumante Brut Rosé was the wine of choice for the Venetian Style Crabmeat Salad with eggplant and parsley oil. 

This dish’s clean, pristine flavours proved winsome when savoured with the rosé’s elegant, supple structure and fresh acidity, characterised by faint floral-mixed berries notes.

My favourite was Rosé Veal with Mascarpone Tuna Mousse. The tender meat left an indelible impression when accompanied by the full-bodied ruby-red Bottega Rosso di Montalcino DOC. Pleasant nuances of cherries and plums, and well-rounded tannins made it a memorable tipple.

Sbrisolona, a traditional cake from Lombardy, rounded off our indulgent afternoon. 

Served alongside Bottega Manzoni Moscato Rosé Spumante (exuding a refined rose aroma, its ripe citrusy notes had a tinge of sage) and the lemon-yellow Bottega Limoncino (brimming with the aroma and flavour of ripe lemons), the crumbly shortbread-like almond cake was a befitting finale to the Italian affair at EQ Kuala Lumpur.

HOMAGE TO ITALIAN COOKING TRADITION AT CURATE

One Michelin starred chef Daniele Repetti (pix above) and his colleague chef Giorgio Gambelli were in Kuala Lumpur from 24 to 29 November, for the 3^rd Italian Cuisine Week organised by the Italian Trade Agency – Kuala Lumpur. Launched by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Economic Development, The Extraordinary Italian Taste effort was created to promote authentic Made In Italy food products and brands.

Now into its 3^rd year, the Homage to The Italian Tradition of Genuine Cooking opening showcase was held at Curate, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur.  In collaboration with the Curate team, Chef Daniele transformed raw, locally sourced materials using the values of Italian cuisine and traditions for the night’s wine and food pairing affair.

Our palate was tickled from the get-go with a plump oyster au naturel adorned with a honeydew ‘pearl’, pine nut, orange zest and microherbs. It was a delightfully refreshing teaser when savoured with the rich, sweet fortified Luretta Malmsey Malvasia Secca wine.

Nutritionist Dr Rolando Bolognino then espoused on the nutrients and goodness of each course throughout the evening, to highlight different good food and fine wine pairings.

Our starter: creamy Parmesan Cheese Terrine, Pickled Vegetables, Puffed Tapioca Chips and Balsamic Vinegar Gel was excellent when paired with the golden tipple. Hints of fresh herbs and ripe melon accents were discernible in the nectar-like wine.

A hearty dish of Tomato-filled Ravioli in Seafood Soup made a splash with us next. Bits of mussels lent depth to the lush savoury soup, making us wish for more. The heartwarming appeal of both the broth and generously filled ravioli was heightened by the zippy, fresh Castel Vento Sauvignon Blanc by Cantine Luretta.

Although the pared-down Saffron Cream Risotto with Beef Broth Sauce, Almonds and Deep-fried Artichokes was a tad underseasoned, the risotto nutty savouriness melded well the noticeably raspberry nuance of the supple Luretta Achab Pinot Noir.

Cooked slowly over low heat to break down the muscular veal cheeks, Chef Daniele shared how braising the cut ensured meltingly tender results. His Braised Veal Cheek with Creamy Potato with Rosemary, Poplar Mushrooms and Black Truffle formed a noteworthy partnership with Castel Vento Cabernet Sauvignon by Cantine Luretta, a tannic red redolent with intense blackcurrant and plum overtones.

Dinner was brought to a close with Bavarian White Chocolate Mousse with Amaretti Biscuit Crumble with Pineapple Sorbet complemented by the easy-to-drink, straw yellow Luretta Le Rane Malvasia Dolce. We love the flirtatious, ripe fruit notes and smooth suppleness of the white wine — just the necessary high to wrap up a convivial evening.

For more information on the Italian Trade Agency, visit https://www.ice.it/en/

CHEF FRANCISCO ARAYA HOLDS COURT AT THE LIBRARY

I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than being wined and dined at The Library of the Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur. The luncheon showcased award-winning chef Francisco Araya whose modern European cuisine - in this instance a coterie of his refined seafood specialities - left us landlubbers gasping in awe.

 

Guesting at The Library from 6 to 10 March, the dishy Shanghai-based Chilean proved to be a notable choice to kick-off the Ritz-Carlton's highly anticipated Guest Chef Dinner Series 2018. His impeccable credentials include his present Executive Chef position at NAPA Wine Bar & Kitchen, stints with Chile’s fine Alegre restaurant and Tokyo’s 81 Restaurant where he was awarded one Michelin star for his artful wizardry at melding Latin American, European and Asian influences.

An excellent San Feletto Prosecco Brut opened our lunch on high spirits. Crisp, bright and moderately dry, the Italian sparkling wine awash with delicate fruity, vanilla and nutty nuances boasts a long, satisfying finish. Truly a worthy choice to accompany the chef’s opening volley.

Araya's impressive wealth of experience drawn from Chef Ferran Adrià’s legendary three Michelin-starred restaurant El Bulli came to the fore from the get-go with his playful amuse-bouche: a triumvirate of Crispy Scallop and Herbs, Smoked Celeriac Hen Egg followed by Tomato Water with Shrimp & Watermelon, and a Beetroot Tartelette.

We were astounded by the various components of this stunning curtain-raiser. Starting with an impossibly thin, crispy savoury scallop skin dotted with dill cream, it was well-matched by a dainty coin of a tartlette anointed with a dollop of refreshing beetroot purée.

Served in a whole egg shell, the cloud-light celeriac mousse evoked spasms of shivery delight in us before we proceeded to slurp up every drop of the umami-rich tomato water. Tiny cubes of watermelon frolicked with a sweet, springy poached prawn for textural and flavour contrasts.

The pace picked up with a whole slippery Oyster crowned with Caviar and Cauliflower Cream. Flecks of fresh lime zest and sichimi (smoky, sweet ground red chilli and Japanese sansho pepper) bestowed fleeting yet discernible accents into the sumptuous dish. It was superbly paired with Vionta Albariño Blanca, a Spanish white brimming with complex tropical fruit notes and crisp acidity on the palate.

We then discovered warm gingery notes melding harmoniously with the inherent sweetness of the exquisite Scallop Ceviche. Supplemented by a chorus of clean, refreshing cilantro and green apple flavours, it came with Ventisquero Reserva Sauvignon Blanc - an on-point wine flaunting elegant citrus, pineapple and floral dimensions.

Chef Francisco's game-changing Arroz Verde or green rice held us spellbound with its luxuriant creaminess and lush oceanic sweetness. His secret? Using clam stock and spinach purée to render the plump short-grain arborio rice until the grains turned soft albeit nutty to the bite. Translucent carpaccio slices of Carabinero shrimp — deep-sea red shrimp  coveted for its robust flavour — and crispy fried prawn legs heightened the dish’s appeal.

We swooned as the delicious creation formed a winsome alliance with Vina Muriel Reserva Blanco Viura — a rich, straw gold Spanish white with whiffs of lime, floral and oak overtones.

Our gastronomic adventure continued with the otherworldly speciality of Shrimp with Yuba, Caramelised Onion & Dill hitting our palate on a meteoric scale flavour-wise. Sous vide in olive oil for half an hour, the tender, springy tiger prawn reclining on a silky soft sheet of yuba left us gobsmacked. The unctuous caramelised onion bits & savoury dill sauce were to-die-for, a perfect counterpoint to the dollop of celeriac puree hidden underneath the sheer skein of yuba and little wedges of baby radishes.

Crisp, mellow tropical fruitiness of the Ventisquero Reserva Chardonnay proved a spot-on match for the Japanese Orange Sea Bream with Calamari and Zucchini Blossom. Every element of the dish – from the fried zucchini flower stuffed with prawn mousse to the splash of squid ink sauce and intensely flavoured prawn bisque was so raveworthy and refined, we felt as if we had soared to heaven. Honestly, it took all our willpower to resist from licking the plate clean!

The dessert of Almond Financier with Pandan Ice Cream couldn’t eclipse the earlier show-stoppers. Decent though the little cakes were, their pairing with the quenelle of pandan flavoured ice cream and bits of raspberries barely made an impact with us. The saving grace was the surprisingly good Roustabout Late Harvest Viognier, a likeable tangy-sweet dessert wine with expressive of herbal-floral aromas.

Catch Chef Francisco Araya at The Library until 10 March from 7pm until 11pm. His mastery will be showcased in a seven-course dinner priced at RM350 nett per person with an option of wine pairing at RM500 nett per person. 

For reservations and enquiries, please call The Ritz-Carlton KL, tel: 03 2142 8000 or email:  dining@ritzcarlton.com.my.