Published: October 20, 2009 02:41 pm      

CHEF'S CHOICE: Trio of chefs create Smoke on the Water

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One chef is considered a trendsetter by many local sushi lovers, the other two are winning acclaim at many local cooking competitions.

Together, the trio will be preparing a unique gourmet feast featuring fresh seafood flown in from New England and Hawaii just in time for dinner Wednesday at the Aquarium of Niagara.

Jokes aside about just how fresh the fish really is — or whether those swimming nearby will be offended, the meal is expected to showcase the aquarium as a premiere location for such celebrations and other catered events.

Mike Andrzejewski, owner of the Sea Bar restaurants in Amherst and downtown Buffalo, will join brothers JJ and Kevin Richert to create a five-course dinner paired with select wines for those who attend the event.

Along with a main course of creamy lobster bread pudding and 40-hour beef short, the dinner will feature a third course of striped bass, which will be one of Andrzejewski’s contributions.

“The striped bass is going to come fresh from Maine,” he said. “Personally it’s my favorite cooked fish. It has a pure, ocean flavor and great texture.”

Andrzejewski should know. His sushi, offered at both Sea Bar restaurants, expands the limits known to area sushi fans, featuring fresh fish flown in from Hawaii and unusual sushi items such as a “beef on weck” roll or a “BLT handroll.”

One local food critic called him an “uber chef,” and fans of his food seem to agree, judging by their attendance at his busy restaurants.

His friends, the Richerts, have some acclaim of their own. Fresh from winning a gold medal at the Taste of Buffalo and JJ’s win in a Nickel City Chef competition, the pair, like Andrzejewski, are always seeking to expand their culinary horizons. The brothers’ creative menus, featuring handmade pastas and inventive, relaxed fine dining, also include a tiny, unique amuse-bouche sent out to every diner, compliments of the chef.

The Richerts’ Web site description of themselves is that they “work very hard at playing and play very hard at working.”

“They are wild, high energy guys, and I’m really looking forward to working with them,” Andrzejewski said. “They really get excited about what they’re doing.”

The dinner at the aquarium will be the first in a series of unusual meals the trio plans to create in unique settings.

The menu for the evening include: a sake and sushi bar, pan seared scallop with smoked lobster consommé; a “Sacred Garden” salad; crusted striped bass with sweet potato gnocchi with fava and guanchali beans; the 40 hour beef short ribs and lobster bread pudding with shellfish-butter emulsion; and a chocolate bourbon nut torte with butter popcorn ice cream.

When asked to share a recipe with Niagara Gazette readers, Andrzejewski decided upon a dish that was neither sushi or on the menu at the aquarium dinner, but rather provide home chefs a chance to taste some of his favorite flavors.

“This recipe kind of transforms what we do into something you can do at home without too much trouble,” he said.

The recipe is below.



Panko Crusted Striped Bass

with Warm Sesame Noodles



4 pieces striped bass or halibut or snapper about 5-6 oz. (or any fresh fish )

2 eggs beaten

1 cup flour

1 cup panko Japanese bread crumbs

1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

1 box of angel hair pasta or somen noodles



Sesame Sauce



1/2 cup soy

1/4 cup sesame oil

1tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon hot sauce

Fine chopped scallion

Grated ginger

Blend all ingredients and gently warm. Do not boil.



To prepare the dish:

Season fish with salt and pepper, dredge in flour. Dip in eggs to coat well, the dredge in panko. This can be done several hours in advance.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a sauté or frying pan to about 350 degrees, not smoking.

Fry fish until golden and crisp. Hold in warm oven.

Prepare angel hair or somen noodles (thin japanese noodles made from wheat flour) as directed on package.

Gently heat cooked noodles in sesame sauce, when warm divide noodles into four large bowls .Drizzle remaining sauce around. Place crispy fish on top and serve.



IF YOU GO

• WHAT: Smoke on the Water, a five-course gourmet dinner

• WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday

• WHERE: Aquarium of Niagara

• MORE INFO: The dinner is $110 per person. Reservations can be made by calling Torches Restaurant in Kenmore at 447-7915 or SeaBarCity at 332-2928