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Mediterranean flavours to make a Marc
TAKE THIS for starters. Western cuisine has a wide range of vegetarian fare. Surprised? Take this for main course. That it will soon be available in the city. Very soon. And have this for dessert. Marc Tormo, food consultant, who was in the city recently, is to introduce a new line of Mediterranean vegetarian cuisine, at the Bharath chain of hotels. His trained chefs will dish out a bright, sunny vegetarian menu for you to enjoy.
"Vegetarian food is healthy," said the dashing chef who promotes organic food. " There is a great variety of vegetarian food in Western cuisine and I am promoting exactly that." Specialising in coffees and teas, says Marc, " These beverages too, like vegetarian food, have a variety, and coffee shops can expand their beverages list and introduce, along with the famous filter coffee, caffe latte, French press, mocha shake, café afogatte and many more. Even as an alternative to regular soft drinks, one can try the Italian sodas, based on natural syrups made from real fruits. Plums, peaches, extracts of rose or hibiscus, can be mixed with soda, garnished with a dash of lemonade and you will discover an entirely new and fresh flavour. "
Settled at Auroville, the International township at Pondicherry, Marc Tormo has learnt Indian cooking from Gujarati architects, his flat mates, while "I teach Indian cooking to Europeans, I share Mediterranean cuisine with Indians."
"Olive oil holds the key to Mediterranean cooking. It is the healthiest oil and gives the cuisine a distinct flavour. Used generously in almost all Mediterranean cooking, Olive oil is added as dressing, or for the main cooking or at times as garnish. In Gazpacho, a cold soup and similar to the Indian `raita', Olive oil is stirred into a tomato consommé with red peppers, bread, shallots and salt. Blend, freeze, stir in olive oil for flavour and serve at the start of a meal." This can be followed with Bruchetta, which is a slice of toasted French bread with different fillings, be it tomatoes, dressed with olive oil, oregano and mozzarella cheese. Main course can be pastas with different sauces like Neapolitana. Lasagne or the popular Veg au gratin, where a colourful array of vegetables is sautéed, garnished with herbs, rolled into a cheesy sauce and baked. "Most of continental cooking is quick sautéing, braising or baking. For us cooking is not time consuming" says Marc and goes on to relate how his Gujarati tutors would begin dinner preparations at 3 o'clock in the afternoon to serve dinner by 8, whereas he would begin half an hour before dinner time.
Chop the vegetables, heat the pan. Sauté vegetables in olive oil. Mix in the cheese sauce and place it in the oven for a great au gratin, or for a paella, close to an Indian Biryani, which makes a perfect Sunday lunch. This is really a quick fix."
If olive oil is the base of Spanish, French and Italian cooking, it is the herbs that impart the cuisine its very, very distinct taste and smell. "Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Dill, Oregano are now all available in India and locally, here too. So continental cooking, as far as ingredients go,is not going to be an impossibility any more. Most Indian vegetables can be used in this cooking. Vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomatoes, aubergines, and olives tossed in butter or olive oil with herbs make great salads. Tzatzeki is a cooling soup made with yogurt, cucumber and a dash of olive oil.
With main course done, choose from desserts, and Marc shares a veg cake recipe. " Instead of eggs use albumin, available in a new product called, `floral gel'. Whip the gel with a little water and mix with the rest of the cake ingredients."
Patisserie and coffee make a great finish to a continental repast and with all that, Marc is set to make his mark in the city, by holding, quite literally, the olive branch. You can look forward to great coffee breaks and tasty tea times.
PRIYADARSSHINI SHARMA
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