Tempura fried cayucos abalone

Ingredients:

• 12 - 1 oz. piece Abalone steaks
• 1-cup Tempura batter
• 2 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1/4 cup Sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup Chopped parsley, washed & squeezed dry
• 1/2 gallon Peanut oil for frying Assorted Micro greens for garnish
• 2 cups Dipping sauce

For the Batter:

• 2 egg Yolks
• 2 cups Ice cold soda water
• 2 cups Sifted cake flour
• Pinch Baking soda
• Pinch Salt & Pepper

Preparation:

Combine egg yolks and soda water until just combined. Add flour, soda, salt and pepper all at once. Stir until just combined - should be very lumpy. Keep chilled until ready to use (make right before service and keep on ice).

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 1 cup Dashi stock
• 1/3 cup Mirin
• 1/3-cup Soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Saké
• 1/2 cup Grated Daikon radish
• 3 tsp. Grated ginger
• Combine & serve in 2 - 3 oz. portions.

For the Dashi Stock:

• 1 qt. Cold water
• 1 oz. Konbu (dried kelp)
• 1 oz. Dried Bonito flakes

Bring Konbu and water to a quick boil. Remove Konbu and shock with ¼ cup ice. Add Bonito flakes and bring to boil. Remove from heat immediately, let flakes settle (about 1 minute) and strain through cheesecloth. Chill.

For the Abalone:

Heat oil to 375º. Combine Panko, sesame seeds and parsley in a bowl wide enough to accommodate the abalone steaks.

Set up batter and breadcrumbs next to each other. Dip abalone into batter, drain and pass through breadcrumbs (do not pound or press - a light pass is all you need). Place on sheet paper on top of a sheet pan.

Deep fry for 30 - 40 seconds, turning very gently until golden brown. Drain on elevated meat rack on sheet pan. Assemble two to a plate with a bit of micro greens and dipping sauce.

Event Info:

Chef Pahk will be featured at the Napa Fresh Aire Festival which is August 28 - 30, 2009

Introducing a new kind of festival...a three-day healthy lifestyle festival, August 28-30, that focuses on total health, wellness and renewal, with programs and outdoor activities featuring over 60 leading authorities and 75 sessions devoted to personal well-being and eco-conscious living. Live longer/better! Highlights include special guest speaker Dr Andrew Weil, the world's foremost authority on health, healing and integrative medicine, offering details on reducing the risk of age-related disease; and Dan Buettner, National Geographic explorer and author, sharing tips from his book, THE BLUE ZONES: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest. Other esteemed speakers and presenters will contribute to this inspiring weekend of talks and activities, along with a concert by two-time Grammy® Award-winning "Wings" guitarist Laurence Juber, outdoor fitness programs and yoga classes, lessons on bio-dynamic food and wine, a free Wellness Area for sample treatments and demonstrations of health and healing modalities, and a free Expo featuring traditional and alternative spiritual health, fitness and recreation, and eco-conscious products and services. The Festival is hosted at the Westin Verasa, with expanded activities and programs for yoga, lunches, demos and more at the AVIA Hotel, Napa Valley Opera House, Oxbow Public Market, River Terrace Inn and Umpqua Bank.

For more information, please visit their website at www.napafreshairefest.com .

TICKET PRICES:

· $280 for a 3-Day Festival Pass, includes all programs (except the Fresh Aire Benefit Reception), keynote speakers and Juber concert.

· $140 for a Friday-Only Pass, includes the Friday program with keynote speaker Dan Buettner; or a Saturday-Only Pass, includes Saturday's program with Juber concert.

· Tickets for the Saturday evening Juber concert can also be purchased separately for $30 per person.

· The Benefit Reception is $80 per person.

· Special activity tickets also are available that feature special lunches, wine tasting, bike rides, kayaking and more.

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: register before July 19 and get a 3-Day Fresh Aire Pass for $225 (save $55), or a Friday only or Saturday only Pass for $125/each (save $15/each day).

For more ticket information, please visit napafreshairefest.com/registration.

And save the date for the second annual Napa Fresh Aire Festival, Apri1 30 - May 2, 2010!

Resort Information:
Peter Pahk, Executive Chef
Silverado Resort
1600 Atlas Peak Road
Napa CA 94558
Tel. 707-257-5429
Website: www.silveradoresort.com

About Peter Pahk, Executive Chef, Silverado Resort in Napa:
An O'ahu, Hawaii native, our Napa Valley Dining Executive Chef Pahk began his career as an apprentice in Waikiki. After receiving training in French cuisine at Michel's and JB's, he worked at local restaurants - Nick's Fishmarket and Rex and Eric's where he added gourmet seafood and Continental cuisine to his repertoire.

His formal education took place at Syracuse University, and at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York. Upon graduating from the CIA, Chef Pahk embarked upon his career with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in 1983. While there, he established an impressive following for his Asian-influenced California cuisine as Executive Chef at the Ritz Carlton - Atlanta and Marina Del Rey. He traveled extensively abroad to Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore, Korea, Australia and Mexico as a member of The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company's opening team. Domestically, he helped open hotels in Hawaii, Laguna Niguel, Pasadena, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Aspen, Kansas City and New Orleans.

In 1993, Chef Pahk was named "America's 2000," an award given to outstanding chefs in North America. In 1994 he was honored with an invitation to cook the New Year's Eve Dinner for the members of The James Beard Foundation in New York.

In 1997, after 15 years of service with The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, Chef Pahk joined the Silverado Resort in Napa Valley as the Executive Chef. This is a four diamond resort with two dining facilities plus the most sought out conference services and catering facility in Northern California. It also hosts 1,200 private members on 1,200 acres of golf and tennis activities.

Chef Pahk is a 4-time Napa Valley Mustard Festival Award winner. He received the People's Choice Award in 2005, 2006 and again in 2008. He also won the Critic's Choice Award in 2006.

There's always more to celebrate when Chef Pahk is around. On May 1st, 2008, his recipe for Venison Shabu Shabu won the Cervena Venison Dish of The Year 2008. It will be featured in The Grill at Silverado on the dinner menu under Alternative Cuisine.

He currently resides within the resort community of Silverado Resort with his wife Pat and three daughters Sarah, Emily and Noelle.