|
ANDREA CURTO-RANDAZZO
and FRANK RANDAZZO
Talula | Miami Beach, FL
Culinary couples are a regular occurrence in the restaurant
world, but there’s something magical about this star-crossed
Miami duo. Andrea and Frank first met while working in New
York’s Tribeca Grill and then again at the Heights in
South Florida. Now they’ve realized their dream of owning
and operating their own restaurant together. Talula is a cozy
neighborhood spot where locals and others in-the-know converge
for a fine meal any day of the week. Its eclectic menu is
inspired by Andrea’s and Frank’s shared Italian
heritage, as well as flavors from the Caribbean, Asia, and
the Americas.
Grilled Shrimp Tamale
Chefs Andrea Curto-Randazzo and Frank Randazzo of Talula
- Miami Beach, FL
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 6 Appetizer Servings
Ingredients:
Tamale:
- 1 poblano chili, roasted, peeled and diced small
- 16 jumbo shrimp (size 16/20), peeled and deveined
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1¼ cups heavy cream ¾ cup Masa Harina*
- Salt and white pepper
- 4 cornhusks
Sauce:
- ½ cup fava beans, blanched and peeled
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 stick butter, chilled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons chives, chopped
- ½ cup teardrop tomatoes, cut in half
*Masa harina is a specially prepared corn flour used to
make corn tortillas, tamales and other corn-based doughs. It
is available in many chain supermarkets and Latin groceries.
Method:
For tamale:
Place whole chili over high flame and turn until charred
and blistered on all sides. Immediately place pepper in a paper
or plastic bag to steam. Close bag and let sit for 10 minutes.
Remove pepper from bag and scrape the skin off with a knife.
Cut the pepper open and remove stem and seeds. Chop pepper into
small dice.
Marinate shrimp in garlic and parsley. Season 8 whole shrimp
with salt and pepper, then place on grill on high heat. Cook
for 2 minutes on each side. Roughly chop remaining 8 shrimp
and place in preheated sauté pan with a small amount
of butter over medium heat. Add corn and poblano chilis- sauté
until shrimp begin to cook. Add cream and chicken stock, reduce
slightly, add Masa Harina and stir over low heat until well
cooked, about two minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
For sauce:
While peppers are steaming, remove fava beans from pods. Bring
a saucepan filled with water to a boil, add beans and blanch
for 1 minute. Drain and immerse in ice water. Drain again and
slip the skin off each fava bean.
Place shallots, peppercorns, lemon juice, wine and bay leaf
in a saucepot and reduce by 3/4. Whisk in butter cubes over
high heat to emulsify. Strain through a chinois or a fine mesh
strainer. Stir in tomato paste, chopped chives, teardrop tomatoes
and fava beans. Season with salt and white pepper.
To serve:
Divide cooked tamale among 4 cornhusks, each placed on a serving
plate. Garnish with 2 grilled shrimp each and 2 Tablespoons
of sauce. Serve hot.
Interview
Cont'd
JJ: Is there a culinary
technique that you have either created or use in an unusual
way?
ACR: I like to go back
to traditional dishes to give me inspiration, then I invent.
We like to do creative but approachable food at the restaurant.
FR: Yucca- I peel, boil
and puree it until it turns to this pasty, milky texture.
Then I flatten it out to dry for 48 hours and fry it.
JJ: What advice/ tip
do you have for culinary students just getting started?
ACR: I would tell them
to watch fewer food shows and get real experience in the field.
I feel young people don’t have a grasp of how difficult
the reality is- the long hours and hard work.
FR: Work for the best
chef in the city or town you live in. They’re more likely
to simply cook the best food.
JJ: What is your best
food memory?
ACR: Sunday dinners,
with my family spending time together. My grandmother would
prepare antipasto, pasta, meat, fruit, nuts, etc. Also, a
9-course tasting meal at French Laundry when Frank proposed
to me.
FR: I remember a meal
with Andrea at Mesa Grill in NYC - good food and a fun time.
Also, eating my grandmother’s scungilli with red sauce
growing up.
JJ: Where do you see
yourself in 10 years?
ACR: Owning more than
1 restaurant, and continuing to be successful enough so we
have more personal time (for pedicures, tennis, etc.)!
FR: Enjoying the restaurant
business, and having more time for our family.
|
