JOIN USMy passion for food surfaced at a very young age. After graduating from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), I joined The Grand and The Oberoi in Delhi where I got the opportunity to get trained under quality chefs.
I am a thorough planner and a die-hard food aficionado, and wield my knives as easily as my wit and charm. I was an intern at The Grosvenor Hotel, Dubai before working with Ramada Group of Hotels in Delhi, Varanasi and Mumbai. Since 2011, I have been in the capital city and have launched a couple of restaurants with different cuisines and concepts, both as a chef and consultant.
I have the distinction of working in some of the most challenging kitchens across the world, as my culinary journey has taken me across leading hotel chains in India. As the chef at Niche - Lounge & Bistro,
I am responsible for firing up my culinary experiences.
Blending different styles, essences, ingredients, presentations and preparation techniques from around the world, I present my patrons with progressive world cuisine.
I am sharing the recipe for French Onion Soup Rings which is an assembly of different textures of onions.
French Onion Soup Rings
For onion rings:
Onion, big size: 1
Tempura flour: 15 gms
Cheese stock: 70 ml
Cornflour: 10 gms
Salt to taste
Methocel : 10 gms
Method:
Make a tempura batter with the above ingredients
Cut the onion slice to make big onion rings
nMake a slurry with
methocel and water
Dip the onion rings in a slurry and then in the
batter and deep fry in oil to achieve golden brown colour.
French Onion Soup:
Red onions: 60 gms
Butter: 15 gms
Red wine: 20 ml
Bay leaf: 1 leaf
Salt to taste
Black pepper: 4 gms
Cheese stock: 25 ml
Method:
Melt the butter and add the sliced onions to it along with bay leaf
Add salt and pepper and add red wine and reduce it so that the wine can be evaporated.
Add cheese stock and reduce it.
Make a fine concentrate of the soup and make a sauce consistency.
Confit Onions:
Unsalted butter: 100 gms
Baby onions: 50 gms
Bay leaf: 1
Cloves: 3 gms
Method:
Cook the onions in butter for 30 min so that it gets cooked and still crunchy.
Chive Powder:
Chives fresh: 15 gms
Grapeseed oil: 50 ml
Maltodextrin: 30 gms
Method:
Mix chopped chives with oil and vacuum it and cook sous vide at 55 degrees for 35 minutes.
Chill the oil in a freezer for 30 min. Further and strain for use.
Mix the oil with maltodextrin slowly and whisk it with a whisker to form a powder consistency.
Assembly:
In a deep plate, put the onion sauce at the centre.
Add six pieces of onion rings on the soup base.
Place the confit onion
on the sides of the onion rings
Garnish with some fresh chives and chive powder.
Serve hot.
Arvind Kumar Bharti
As told to Shweta Sharma