The Red Wedge Salad
2 lb. Baby Beets,
2 ea. Heads Radicchio
1 lb. Fresh Raw Anchovies, gutted and clean, but whole
1 cup. Lemon Juice
1 cup White Wine Vinegar after the shallots have turned pink
1 oz. (+) Coarse Flaked Sea Salt
1 oz. Garlic, sliced paper thin (a'la Goodfellas)
1 oz. Shallots, sliced paper thin and marinated in white wine vinegar
2 cups Manzanita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bnch Italian Parsley Leaves
1 tsp. (+) Chile Flakes
Cracked pepper,
4 oz. Red Wine or Malt Vinegar
Two days before serving, cover cleaned anchovies with the vinegar, lemon juice and salt and refrigerate overnight in a glass or stainless steel casserole, covered with plastic wrap. Remove Anchovies from refrigerator and peal filets off of the bone, using your thumb, from head to tail. Lay filets in a clean casserole, skin up, sprinkled liberally with garlic, marinated shallots, parsley, chile flakes and cover with the olive oil. Ideally, let marinate 1 day or more before using. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator. Oil and salt the beets and bake at 350 in a covered casserole with ¼ inch of water for 30-45 minutes or until easily pierced by a fork. Wipe them clean of any skin, quarter and set aside in their water. This can also be done a couple days ahead. To make dressing, combine the vinegar with the anchovy marinade oil and enough beet liquid to turn the dressing red. Season to taste. Quarter the Radicchio heads into four wedges each, toss in the dressing so it gets into all the grooves, and put one wedge per plate, sprinkle beats and anchovies all around the wedge and top with cracked black pepper. Serve with an Anchor Steam Oktoberfest.
"Eat Local Month" in San Francisco
October 1-31, 2008.
Mission: "Eat Local SF" is a collaboration of the public, private, and non-profit sectors to enhance awareness of the importance of supporting local food producers, farms, stores and restaurants. Our goal is simple - to proactively educate consumers about the economic, environmental, health and flavor benefits of purchasing locally based foods.
Definition: "Local" foods mean anything produced or sourced within a 150 mile radius of San Francisco ( 250 for institutional)
About Daniel Scherotter:
Drawn to cooking while getting his Philosophy degree at The College of William and Mary in Virginia, Scherotter started his formal training at La Academia Italiana della Cucina in Bologna and in a number of that city's famed trattorie and ristoranti, and continued at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, graduating with honors. Scherotter interned for Gary Danko, at the Ritz Carlton, and worked for the likes of Bruce Hill at Oritalia, Craig Stoll at Palio d'Asti, Tony Gulisano at Marina Central, and Jody Denton and Reed Hearon at Lulu before running Puccini and Pinetti for the Kimpton Group, all in San Francisco. Scherotter came back to Palio as Executive Chef in 1999, becoming a full partner in 2004 only to finish buying out Gianni Fassio in 2006. Scherotter brought with him not only an appreciation for the lavish table of Emilia Romagna, but also an affinity for the exotic fusion of Sicily, where in 2003 he married his wife, Nina, in a secret civil ceremony set in a castle outside Cefalù, the setting for Cinema Paradiso. Chef Dan (as he's known to the conoscenti in the financial district) decided to elope while on a business trip researching one of Italy's most mysterious and gastronomically intriguing regions. If there is a goal to his cooking, it would be to take the diner back to the old country for the evening, using local ingredients and traditional Italian technique.
Scherotter, a 39 year old California native, currently resides in San Francisco. When he's not cooking at Palio, this seasoned, three star chef consults on the latest trends for multinational food companies, is helping the SFUSD develop their Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, writes menus for fellow restaurateurs and enjoys Gin Martinis, Latin American literature, Puccini Opera and Improvisational Jazz. Chef Dan returns to Italy yearly for inspiration, education, good eats and old fashioned techniques. Now that he's married, he's started working on his first book, The Bachelor's Guide to Cooking, and serves as the President of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, promoting and protecting the entire industry.
