South Africa represented in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef awards 2015

Twenty young talented chefs from all over the world will be cooking up a storm in the grand finale of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef awards for 2015. Digital editor Carina Claassens finds out more about Angelo Scirocco, the only South African finalist

On the 26th of June, during Expo Milan 2015, 20 young chefs from all over the world will gather to display their talent to an extraordinary jury of seven famous international chefs.

Angelo Scirocco, sous chef at Cape Town’s Chefs Warehouse and Canteen, will be representing the Africa and Middle East region, and his dish “Milk is Thicker than Water” is in its final stages of preparation. The Italian Sciroccos have been chefs for four generations and as a child Angelo spent a lot of time in the kitchen with his grandmothers.

Describing the dish he’ll be preparing at the finals, Angelo says: “It’s a dish with milk as the main component. It’s a combination of different ideas for courses that would include typical ingredients in each separate course. This dish has since progressed into a dessert.”

“This experience has opened new doors for me and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity,” he says.

See below for one of Angelo’s signature dishes:

ARTICHOKE AND FENNEL BARIGOULE WITH RAW YELLOWTAIL

Ingredients

• 400g fresh yellowtail
• 16 large globe artichokes
• 8 fennel bulbs with fronds
• 1 large red onion
• 500ml dry white wine
• 125ml white wine vinegar
• 5 juniper berries
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 lemons
• Salt
• 0.5g saffron
• 200ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Peel back the green outer layer of the artichokes. Then peel the fibrous stem until the soft stem is revealed and place artichokes into juice of 2 lemons.
2. Cut fennel bulb from the stem and add to the artichokes. Reserve stem and fronds.
3. Place wine, vinegar and spices in a large pot with the artichokes, fennel and 2 litres of water.
4. Bring to a slow simmer and gently poach for 20 minutes.
5. Remove fennel and artichokes and pat dry with a clean cloth. Add the saffron to the liquid and reduce to 250ml and allow to cool.
6. Add the juice of 2 lemons and the olive oil to the liquid to make a dressing.
7. Slice fennel stalks and red onion finely. Chop the fronds of the fennel.
8. Cut artichokes and fennel into quarters and add to the rest of the fennel fronds, stalks and onion.
9. Slice the yellowtail into thin sashimi slices with a sharp knife and lay onto a plate.
10. Place the artichoke mixture on top of the yellowtail and cover with the dressing.

This recipe serves 4 people