Chef Jeff Buerhaus is the Executive Chef and owner of Walter’s in downtown Portland and a graduate of the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach. He trained under Mark Millitello, renowned owner of Mark’s restaurants in South Florida where he developed his new world cuisine with Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asian influences.

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Chef Jeff will be cooking at the Grand Tasting at Harvest on the Harbor in Portland, ME, Oct. 21-23, 2010. The more and more chef interviews I have, the more excited I get about Norm and I attending. It’s going to be such a wonderful event.

We’ll do the interview questions first and then the “Forbidden Shrimp” Recipe.

Maralyn: Chef, do you have a favorite recipe? I know that is a difficult question to have a favorite, but sometimes there is one that is special to you.

Chef Jeff: My current favorite recipe is our “Forbidden Shrimp.”  It’s an interesting twist on traditional seafood.

Maralyn: Do you have any favorite spices?

Chef Jeff: I really enjoy working with Thai curries and Indian curries, such as vindaloo and house curry mixes.  Because they are bold and complex in flavor, it is really fun to incorporate in dishes that might not commonly call for them. As a chef always working to develop new flavors, these spices provide good inspiration.

Maralyn: Do you have a favorite utensil to use in the kitchen?

Chef Jeff: Besides my chef knife that will do 99 percent of everything I need, I love my immersion blender.  It can take 5 gallons of ingredients and create a silky smooth consistency in a matter of just a few minutes.

Maralyn: Do you have any tips for those desiring to become a chef?

Chef Jeff: I always tell someone interested in becoming a chef to work a couple of jobs in the field before signing up for culinary school.  It’s really the only way to truly know if it is what you want to do, and it definitely opens your eyes as to what to expect from being a chef.  Experienced chefs know that it is not just as it’s portrayed on today’s popular television shows.

Maralyn: What is your favorite station to work, appetizers, hotline, pastry, etc.?

Chef Jeff: One of my favorite stations is the hot appetizer station, because you get to create many small plates as opposed to maybe just a few on the hot line. Also, the appetizers are often part of a customer’s first impressions of the restaurant, so I like making sure they are perfect.

Walter’s Forbidden Shrimp” by Chef/Ower Jeff Buerhaus

Ingredients:

4  jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Forbidden Rice:

½ cup Chinese black rice, cooked

1/8 cup edamame cooked, chilled and smashed

1/8 cup Shimeji mushrooms

1 ounce sweet Chinese sausauge, thinely sliced on bias

1 shallot, thinly sliced

3 basil leaves, torn

Korean BBQ Sauce:

1 knob minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoon minced cilantro

1 tablespoon Chinese red pepper paste

1 stalk scallion sliced

1 tablespoon soy

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine all in Robo Coup and drizzle in 1/4 cup canola oil until well incorporated.

Method:

In hot black skillet with 1 tablespoon oil, sear seasoned shrimp for 2-3 minutes on both sies till done.

In hot black skillet or wok with 2 tablespoons oil, add Shemiji mushrooms, shallot and Chinese sausage and saute 1-2 minutes.

Add rice and toss.

Add basil leaves and stir-fry till hot.

Serve Hot Forbidden Rice on plate, top with cooked shrimp and drizzle Korean BBQ around shrimp.

Garnish with sliced scallions.

Thank you Chef Jeff. You can learn more about Jeff Buerhaus of Walter’s at:

http://www.waltersportland.com/ or come see him in action at Harvest on the Harbor.

If you want to check out more details for Harvest on the Harbor go tohttp://www.harvestontheharbor.com/. Norm and I hope to meet you there.

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