Chef Likes Food Real, Flavorful

By Sharon Haddock Deseret Morning News

LEHI — Almost quoting the pirate captain from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Market Street Grill chef Ty Fredrickson says recipes are meant to be “guidelines rather than actual rules.”

He starts with fresh fish or live clams, adds a little roasted garlic here and there, leaves out the iodine, deglazes his pans with white wine and creates wonderfully, fresh and flavorful entrees.

“We try to let the food be what it is,” said Fredrickson as he shared tips with those enrolled in a cooking class at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. “We use real stuff, real garlic, real lemon (not a garlic salt, garlic powder or bottled lemon juice).”

Fredrickson suggests buyers ask their butcher or fish-market vendor where, how and when the fish were caught and delivered.

“If they don’t know, you might want to shop somewhere else,” he said.

Seafood used at the Market Street Grill comes in on a dayboat, is frozen and transported the same day. Anything that arrives in Utah from the ocean not frozen is suspect, he said. “Ask them, is it line- cut? Did it come off a dayboat?”

Clams need to be alive up until they’re put in a pot. If they close when tapped or take a few minutes to pop open after hitting the boiling water, they’re fresh.

Farm-raised salmon is as good or better than wild salmon, Fredrickson said. “No cat food is made from farm salmon,” he said.

Fredrickson said five percent of the world’s halibut is consumed in Utah. It’s the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 top seller at the Market Street Grill, but cooks at home tend to overcook and dry it out after paying top dollar for it, he said.

“Leave the skin on, the flavor’s in there,” he said. “Cook it in a nonstick pan with no oils, add pepper and salt, cook it five seconds per side to seal in the flavor. Then you can grill it — three minutes each side — but turn it as little as possible. Brush it with olive oil at the end.”

Vegetables like asparagus and broccoli look and taste best if they’re blanched rather than cooked. (Put it in boiling water for 45 seconds and then immerse in ice water.)

Parsley is cheap and can be used to add flavor, color and garnish to almost any dish.

Fredrickson said he became a cook “out of self-defense” after the Amana Radar Ranges came on the market. He went to school to get a chemical engineering degree but found cooking fit in better with his personality and attention span. For recipes of his, go to: www.ksl.com.

Some of his tips:

— Use salt without iodine such as Kosher salt or sea salt.

— Use unsalted butter for cooking

— Use freshly cracked pepper rather than ground, “hot” pepper.

— Yellow mustard is for hot dogs and hamburgers, not for cooking.

— Never use extra virgin olive oil for cooking, the flashpoint is too low.

— Canola oil works well for cooking fish.

— Remember, food continues to cook after it’s removed from heat; take that into consideration.

— “Roast” whole garlic cloves in canola oil and save them in a jar in the fridge until needed.

— Core tomatoes and shake out seeds and juice before using.

— Don’t work pasta by heating and reheating — cook it once, reheat once by blanching.

— Never wash good knives in the dishwasher, it warps the blades.

— Avoid using a food processor, it takes away character by making everything the same size and texture.

— Slow-thaw foods in the refrigerator to avoid water and flavor loss.

— Lemon juice acids help “cook” food, so it should be added at the end.

— Cutting into cooking food lets flavor and juices escape

POACHED SALMON

2 8-oz. salmon filets

4 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

1 lemon, cut in half

Place the water in a wide, shallow pan. Add the salt. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and then add the juice as well as the lemon to the poaching water. Bring the liquid to a low boil, add the salmon and cook at a low boil for 7 minutes, or until done. Remove the salmon from the poaching liquid and serve with Cucumber Dill Sauce. Serves 2.

CUCUMBER DILL SAUCE

3 large cucumbers

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Peel and seed the cucumbers and puree. Squeeze out juice. Mix together the sour cream and mayonnaise. Add pureed cucumbers. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 3 cups.

SHRIMP SCAMPI

12 large shrimp, cleaned and deveined

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Heinz 57 Steak Sauce

1/4 cup beef gravy or 2 tablespoons dry gravy mix with 1/4 cup water

1/4 cup soft butter

1 teaspoon black pepper, cracked

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat, place one tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook on one side for 2 minutes. Add garlic, turn shrimp over and cook for one minute. Add steak sauce and beef gravy and cook for one minute. Add basil, pepper, parsley and butter and cook for 30 seconds.

Serve over hot cooked pasta or rice with garlic toast. Serves 2.

STEAMED NEW ZEALAND COCKLES & PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MUSSELS

1 1/2 lbs. fresh New Zealand cockles

1 1/2 lbs. Prince Edward Island mussels

1 cup dry white wine

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 shallot, chopped finely

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley

1/2 lemon

In a heavy, large saute pan, over medium high heat, place 1/2 of the butter, the shallots and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds. Add cockles, half of the wine and half of the water. Cook for an additional 1 1/2 minutes. Add the mussels and the rest of the wine and water, add the lemon, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining butter and parsley. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Serve with sourdough bread. Serves 2.

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com

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