Welcome to another tasty edition of Chefs Share, where each month we bring you a home chef-friendly recipe from one of Miami’s culinary stars. If you’ve never worked in a professional kitchen before, don’t worry – these recipes don’t require any formal experience, and the ingredients can be found at your local specialty store or supermarket.
This month’s recipe comes to us from chef Aaron Janus of Constellation Culinary Group, which provides dining experiences for events, cultural centers, professional settings and restaurants, including Verde (786.345.5697), located in the Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami.
(Verde at PAMM)
Aaron Janus
“The approach I take when creating seasonal menus at Verde is based on the South Florida seasonal vegetable calendar,” said Janus. “After being in the business for many years and dealing with high-volume properties, it’s refreshing to create menus that are based on what’s in season at its peak, local and fresh, rather than needing to get ingredients from other parts of the world.”
Because of the area’s often scorching heat, getting locally grown produce during the summertime can be especially challenging, which is why Janus told the Biscayne Times that he’s become more conscious of crafting menus that showcase seasonal ingredients. He believes the rising cost of products and goods and the overuse of fertilizers and insecticides is impacting sustainability, the environment and the quality of the food that we’re getting.
“For the last five months, I have been getting locally grown produce from French Farms, a farm in the Redlands. The farmer’s name is Chris and he has an amazing product that lasts longer than any product I’ve gotten from major distributors,” shared Janus. “And the flavor is much more intense – from his spicy lettuce, mix of wild arugula and mustard greens to beautiful purple radishes, and now some amazing heirloom tomatoes. Nowhere in my career have I received a better product than what I’m getting from the French Farms.”
Verde plans to forge more relationships with local vendors in the months to come, but for now he’s sharing with us the secrets of his Miami Benedict. Make sure to read the entire recipe before you get started to avoid any surprises along the way. Enjoy!
VERDE MIAMI BENEDICT
Serving Yield: 1
INGREDIENTS
- 1 mojo pork croquette
- 2 sliced dill pickles
- 2 poached eggs
- 2 fluid ounces Dijon fonduta (fondue)
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon micro cilantro
- 1 wedge lime
- 2 1/2 ounces Arcadian lettuce mix
- 1/2 fluid ounce preserved lemon vinaigrette
PREPARATION
- Bake croquette 15 minutes at 350º F, then fry until golden brown; strain excess grease and season with salt.
- Place fried croquette on plate and top with dill pickle slices and then poached eggs.
- Pour fonduta over the top; garnish with the Aleppo pepper and micro cilantro.
- Dress Arcadian lettuce mix with preserved lemon vinaigrette and arrange on plate next to Benedict.
- Serve with a lime wedge.
Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world. Her feature articles have appeared in print publications, travel guidebooks and websites in the U.S. and Europe.