Special recipe

Robert's Recipes

Dhaka Sheraton has recently appointed an Executive Chef, Robert Conte. His experience goes back to more than 12 years of offering his services around the globe, particularly in many parts of the US, Asia and the Middle East. Prior to holding his post in Sheraton, he had been the Executive Chef at the Chedi Hotel, Muscat Oman. This week bring the taste of Sheraton home. Let Robert show you how!

Fruit cup
In a mixing glass, add
50 ml Orange juice
50 ml Pineapple juice
50 ml Apple juice
Ice cubes 4/5
Add grenadine
Stir well
Pour into a highball glass.
Finish with lemonade/ soda water
Garnish with wedge of orange and pineapple. Serve chilled.

Cumin crusted rack of lamb
Curried potato, poached tomato and natural jus
(Serves Two)

Ingredients:
Two, four bone rack of lamb cleaned of its fat
300 grams of potato cut into “strings” or very fine slices
Two tomatoes peeled, seeded and left in pedal shapes
400 grams, spinach, washed and stemmed
Three cloves ,whole crushed garlic
Tow onions, minced
150 ml ,olive oil
5 fresh thyme sprigs
300ml,vegetable stock
2 teaspoons, curry powder
5 tablespoons, cumin powder

Procedure:
For the tomatoes:
1) Place the tomatoes in the olive oil with the thyme, garlic and onion.
2) Over low heat, slow cook the tomatoes until soft for, about one hour.
3) Once cooked, drain off the excess oil and keep warm.

For the potatoes:
1) Over low heat, place the curry powder in a medium saucepot and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
2) Add the stock and bring to a soft boil. Add the potatoes and cook until Al Dente.
3) Once cooked, drain off excess moisture and keep warm
In the meantime…
1) Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper and roll the loin portions in the cumin powder.
2) In a hot skillet, sear the lamb on all sides and place in a 150ºc oven and cook to desired temperature.
3) Once cooked, allow the lamb to rest about 5 to 8 minutes before slicing.
4) While the lamb is resting, sauté the spinach in a sauté pan with a bit of oil and season with salt and pepper.
5) Arrange the spinach in the centre of the plate and place the tomatoes on top of the spinach. Arrange the potatoes around the spinach and tomatoes in a tight circle and arrange the sliced lamb on top of the tomatoes.
6) Finally, drizzle a bit of the lamb sauce around the potatoes and serve immediately.

Chilled Sweet Lobster with Cucumber and Citrus
(Serves Two)
Two fresh lobster tails, poached
Three to five leaves, fresh lettuce
Eight orange segments
Six green beans, cooked, cooled and cut on a bias
Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe)
Cucumber gelee (recipe)
20 grams, minced spring onion

Procedure:
1) In a small bowl, season the vegetables with salt, pepper and a bit of the citrus vinaigrette.
2) Next, slice the lobster tail into 6 equal sections and arrange it on top of the cucumber gelee. Arrange the vegetables in a decorative fashion around the lobster and finish by drizzling the vanilla oil over the salad.
3) Serve at once.
Cucumber Gelee:
One cucumber, seeded
Enough water to blend
Two gelatin leaves
Salt, pepper and sugar, to taste
One sprig, fresh thyme or two tablespoons dried thyme

Procedure:
1) Peel the seeds out from the cucumber and rough cut into small pieces. Place in a blender and add enough water to spin the blade.
2) Place mixture in a pan and add the seasonings. Over moderate heat, bring the mixture up to 60º calcium strain. Cool the mixture completely.
3) When the cucumber mixture is cooled, add the gelatin leaves and wait for 5 minutes until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, heat it over moderate heat until the gelatin is melted completely. Using a mold, pour the mixture into the mold (shape of your choice) and chill until the gelatin sets up and becomes semi-firm.
Citrus Vinaigrette:
The juice of two oranges
The juice of one lemon
The juice of one lime
One piece of star anise
Three sprigs, fresh tarragon
Two sprigs, fresh thyme
Sugar, to taste
White balsamic vinegar (or champagne vinegar if white balsamic is not available).
Vegetable oil

Procedure:
1) Heat all the ingredients (except the oil and vinegar) over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool completely.
2) After cooled, stain the mixture and with a hand blender, incorporate the oil until it begins to turn pale in colour and thicken slightly. Add a few drops of the vinegar and mix again. Adjust the seasoning with sugar and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Vanilla Oil
· 5 tablespoons, vegetable oil
· 2-3 drops, vanilla extract

Procedure
1) Combine the ingredients together and heat to 50* Celsius.
2) Allow to cool completely before using.
3) Adjust the taste with sugar if necessary.

Photo: Tanvir Ahmed
Special thanks to Dhaka Sheraton

Hotel Sheraton updates

The month of Ramadan can be deceptively ambiguous for some. For instance, from a rather unobservant eye it is a time to abstain from food and drink from dawn till dusk, and basically stay pious and upright. Ambiguous as it may be, the phrase “from dawn till dusk” needs some highlighting. While steering clear from any potential gustatory temptations is the “key”, all that nicety takes the backseat with the onset of evening. That is when the food fest starts...

For a man who loves good food, and gets paid for it instead of the other way around, the month, for me, has been rather generous on both the wallet and the stomach. Somehow filling up the “Eating Out” column (and simultaneously, my stomach, more commonly labeled as “the bottomless pit” by friends and colleagues alike!) Has still not taken its toll. In any case, just when you would think that the flow of culinary delights was going to subside, Hotel Sheraton came by with its iftar arrangement.

This time around, Bithika Restaurant in Sheraton is up with its usual iftar buffet. Apart from the conventional items like 'piyaju', 'beguni' and halim, there is an assortment of western and continental food like breaded fish and an array of curries. The curry line includes various chicken, beef and mutton dishes prepared in different styles. In the main course, some of the items are offered on a rotational basis, that is to say, some of the dishes are changed from day to day to break the monotony.

The desserts are also worth a look (and taste). In sync with the spirit of Ramadan, a large part of the dessert items are done in Mughlai style, and this means, you can find laccha semai, shahi tukra and the likes. A lot of emphasis has also been given to healthy eating. So a large variety of fruits have been incorporated into the buffet menu.

Md. Dipu Chowdhury, the F&B Services Manager, stated: “What sets Sheraton apart from the other hotels and restaurants is its quality of food. We strive to give the customers the best, and they respond well to the quality.”

Moving away from the iftar items, here are some snippets of Sheraton updates, which you can make a use of throughout October and early November:

The Hotel would be introducing a new Italian set menu in its café, Bistro. While Bistro already prides itself on catering to connoisseurs of Italian delicacies, there will be a range of new items for the customers. Pastas, cannelloni and other items would be available in its traditional form with a tinge of contemporary tastes and flavours. The Executive Chef, Robert Conte, prefers to describe them as “traditional with a pulse”.

A new menu would also grace the Hotel's other restaurant, Vintage. The items would be more inclined towards higher-end dining, with an eclectic menu that would include seafood and steaks among other items.

Furthermore, Robert Conte has recently been appointed as the Executive Chef. His experience goes back to more than 12 years of offering his services around the globe, particularly in many parts of the US, Asia and the Middle East. Prior to holding his post in Sheraton, he had been the Executive Chef at the Chedi Hotel, Muscat Oman.

By Shahmuddin Ahmed Siddiky

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