Lion’s paw scallop cevice and Progreso-style octopus with a touch of oregano and max chili, accompanied by purée of avocado with garlic and black chili oil.
Ingredients | Ceviche
3 oz. cooked octopus
2 oz. Lion’s paw scallop- raw and removed from shell
3 tbs. lime juice
¼ cup finely sliced red onion
1 tsp. finely chopped habanero chili
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro
½ tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients | Avocado purée
1 medium-sized ripe avocado
1 ½ tbs. cream
1 tsp. lime juice
½ tsp. finely chopped garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients | Yucatan black chile oil (Optional)
1 ½ tbs. olive oil
½ tbs. Yucatan black chile paste
Ingredients | Garnish
2 big leaves of epazote (Mexican herb) or oregano
2 dried max chilis or other small, dried chili
1 tbs. oil for frying
Directions
Mix all ceviche ingredients in a medium bowl and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl mash the avocado and pass through a sieve so that it becomes a fine purée. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
In a blender mix the oil with the Yucatan black chili paste for 30 seconds until well blended.
For the garnish, use a mold to serve the ceviche as shown in the photo, decorating it with a chip and frisée lettuce if desired. To one side, make a line of black chili oil, and on the other side place a mound of avocado purée. Serve with chips.
Sommelier recommendation for wine pairing:
Dopff, Au Moulin, Gewürztraminer, Alsace, 2009
This wine has sweet and acid notes, creating the perfect balance to the spicy flavors and seafood in the dish.
Ceviche de garra de león y pulpo estilo Progreso con un toque de orégano, chile mash acompañado de puré de aguacate al ajo, y aceite de recado negro.
Ingredientes | Ceviche
80 g de pulpo cocido
50 g de callo de hacha garra de león
40 ml de jugo de limón
30 g de cebolla morada fileteada
10 g de chile habanero picado
20 g de ajo picado
20 g de cilantro fileteado
5 g de orégano
2 tortillas de maíz para totopos
Sal y pimienta al gusto
Ingredientes | Puré de aguacate
1 aguacate de tamaño mediano
20 ml de crema ‘lincott’
5 ml de jugo de limón
5 g de ajo
Sal y pimienta al gusto
Ingredientes | Aceite de recado negro
20ml de aceite de olivo
10 gm de pasta de recado negro de Yucatán
Ingredientes | Decoración
2 hoja grande de epazote
2 chile mash seco
10 ml de aceite para freír
Preparación
En un recipiente mezclar todos los ingredientes del ceviche y dejar reposar por 30 min, reservando la lechuga frisée.
Para el puré: en un recipiente triturar el aguacate y luego pasar por un colador fino para que se haga puré, agregar el resto de los ingredientes y mezclar y reservar.
Para el aceite de recado negro: licuar el aceite con el recado en la licuadora por 30 seg.
Decoración: con ayuda de un molde servir el ceviche estilo ‘montadito’ (como se observa en la foto), decorando con un totopo y la lechuga frisée, a lado colocar un pincelazo de aceite de recado negro, del otro extremo, un manchón de puré de aguacate. servir con totopos aparte.
Recomendación del Sommelier:
Dopff, Au Moulin, Gewürztraminer, Alsace, 2009
Este vino tiene notas dulces y ácidas para crear un balance con los sabores especiados y el marisco de este platillo.
By Yenny Gaona
Out of 12 contestants who fought for a pass to the grand finale of the 2011-2012 “Mexico Chef of the Year” Xavier Pérez Stone of Quintana Roo took first place in this tough competition, held on November 29th and 30th at the Universidad Tecnológica of the Riviera Maya (UTRM).
Xavier Pérez Stone
Eva García Cuervo, national director of the competition, mentioned that now in its third year, it has been more difficult than ever to choose the winner, as each year the competing chefs have better results in the kitchen.
The competition consists of providing the chefs their Mexican cuisine ingredients just as they enter the kitchen; therefore each chef must be agile and creative in order to achieve a new dish that places them as a finalist in each of the seven semifinals.
On this occasion, Enrique Olvera, president of the judging panel, indicated that the panel was very strict in qualifying the way that each chef made optimal use of the raw products.
Xavier Pérez Stone, chef of restaurant Cocina de Autor at Grand Velas Riviera Maya resort, first created an appetizer made of lionfish with pumpkin and a small amount of orange. He then prepared a main course of venison and achiote, and finally presented a dessert of chocolate with spices.
The winner indicated that after winning second place in the 2009-2010 Mexico Chef of the Year competition, he was provided with better professional opportunities and was motivated to continue to do his best day after day.
Next year Xavier Pérez Stone will participate in the grand finale of the competition, to be held in June in the Centro Banamex in Mexico City.
His goal: to win first place as a representative of the Riviera Maya during the grand finale.
Del 29 de agosto al 2 de septiembre se llevó a cabo el Concurso Tlaxcalli de Panadería Artesanal 2011, dentro del Abastur en la Ciudad de México, evento que reunió a los más destacados creadores de artesanías con pan. Precisamente uno de estos personajes fue el chef panadero Josué Olvera Guillén, quien junto con su asistente Arlín Betuel Uitzil, obtuvieron el segundo lugar y dejaron en alto el nombre de Grand Velas Riviera Maya.
Chef Patrick Louis, Corporate Executive Chef of Velas Resorts and Director of Food and Beverages of Grand Velas Riviera Maya, emphasizes the decision to consolidate the criterion of the group’s restaurants, thereby continuing to maintain the high quality standards that have earned Velas Resorts various awards and, most importantly, the preference of its guests.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
by Manuel Calderon de la Barca
In attempting to define the great Chef Louis, character and personality are the most appropriate words; two qualities that distinguish him and are reflected in his culinary work. Switzerland, Germany, England, Canada and his native France, birthplace of the famous “haute cuisine,” are some of the locales where he has developed his talent, and each has contributed to his vast knowledge of the culinary arts.
His passion has carried him beyond the limits of cuisine, guiding him to a solid career in hospitality administration. Currently he is the Executive Chef of the Grand Velas Corporation and Director of Food and Beverages of Grand Velas Riviera Maya, where he has contributed greatly and made very important advances. In the year 2000 he was named Best Manager of Food and Beverages in Latin America, out of over 3,600 hotels. After the opening of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, where he worked until July 2004, he spent three years in Paris managing his own restaurant, where he shared the concept of Mexican fusion cuisine with the French community.
With over 10 years in Mexico, Chef Louis has been able to experiment with many new spices and colors, which he has gracefully incorporated into his unique style.
He has now returned to confront his latest challenge at Grand Velas: to remain at the forefront of gastronomic trends. This is no simple task, when we refer to the management of restaurants with worldwide renown at All-Inclusive resorts. A shining example of Chef Louis’ grand success is the distinction of the Gourmand List, which names Grand Velas Restaurants Cocina de Autor and Frida among the 50 Best Restaurants in Mexico, a feat made all the more admirable due to the fact that they are the only two on the list that belong to an All-Inclusive resort. The AAA Four Diamond recognition of the three specialty restaurants at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Frida, Lucca and Piaf also illustrates his talents.
About the recognitions of excellence, Patrick Louis poses the question: What makes us different? Why has the cuisine at Velas Resorts been recognized? It is very simple. We have a firm commitment to quality. From the moment the guest arrives at the hotel and the moment they enter our restaurants they feel indulged. The concierge recommends where to dine and what ambiance is best if they are with family or on business. We truly value each small detail. We aspire to surprise the guest from the beginning, with their aperitif and appetizers. We then focus our greatest efforts on the main courses, desserts, wines and beverages to make their visit perfect and cause them to return and try something new, something that surely will surprise them again and exceed their expectations”.
With respect to the culinary tour at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, a unique experience in the area, with five gourmet specialty restaurants, he stresses, “It is an authentic gastronomic journey. Each restaurant has its own exclusive chef who designs the menu according to the latest culinary trends. Each space is tastefully decorated and is enhanced by live music, a which is very important in making the atmosphere favorable for seducing the senses.”
He adds, “Cocina de Autor, for example, is a place you must visit when you come to the Riviera Maya. It is the signature restaurant of our resort, where Basque-Spanish recipes are fused with molecular gastronomy in an exclusive menu created by acclaimed chefs Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza.”
In closure, Patrick Louis assures that the standardization of the Grand Velas brand will continue to position Velas Resorts restaurants at the forefront of gastronomy in Mexico and Latin America and that they will remain on par with any restaurant in the world. “We seek to imprint this seal on our resorts, so that guests find the same quality standards in each property of the group: avant-garde cuisine, the highest-quality ingredients and a commitment to competing at an extremely high level. Without this, everything would begin to collapse and we would rest on our laurels, thinking we are the best. There is always someone to measure ourselves against, with whom we can have healthy competition, and we will be at the level of any great hotel in the world” states the Grand Velas Executive Chef.
About Grand Velas Riviera Maya: www.rivieramaya.grandvelas.com
Mexican most important festivities are around the corner ‘Independence day’ and we thought of many ways to celebrate online with our dear friends… Could not come up with something more ‘suitable’ than sharing the recipe of Sangrita, the perfect complement for Tequila ~like no other; and you know we do love Tequila!
So, friends, we propose a toast for Mexico and the beauty of its natural scenarios, the folklore and traditions passed along generations, and most of all: the colorful hearts that build this country day by day! Viva Mexico!
Please allow us to share this article about Sangrita written by Beth, our star blogger friend of omgyummy.wordpress.com (originally shared on Cinco de Mayo) after her visit to Grand Velas Riviera Maya. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Extract taken from omgyummy.com blog
Since last August when we returned from our decadent and surreal vacation at The Grand Velas Resort in Playa del Carmen Yucatan Peninsula Mexico, I’ve been plotting to write a post about sangrita. Cinco de Mayo seemed like the perfect excuse. Yes, I meant to type SangriTa. A discovery we made in the pool bar one lovely afternoon…
Our favorite pool bar under the thatch roof hut
Pool bartender extraordinaire, José, was generously pouring our afternoon tequila shots, when he asked: Would you like some sangrita? I heard the question as: Would you like some sangria, which for me, compared to shots of tequila, well, there is no comparison so I quickly said thanks, but no thanks. He stood firm. You really should try this sangrita if you like the tequila. It’s how we drink our tequila in the Yucatan – it’s called Completo. Ok – well José had not steered us wrong on the tequila so far so this was an easy leap of faith, especially after the first shot.
To enjoy, you need two shot glasses, one filled with sangrita, one with tequila. You take a sip of sangrita, then a sip of tequila. It’s a little slice of tequila heaven – refreshing like a great bloody mary at brunch. Hmmm…tequila at Mother’s Day brunch. I like that idea.
I tried a couple of different versions with @DormantChef as the tester. His favorite version was this:
Sangrita
Makes about 1 3/4 cups. Can be doubled.
1 cup bloody mary mix (any brand you prefer)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (store-bought could work)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 of a serrano pepper, rough chopped (I left the seeds in)
fresh ground pepper to taste
2 or 3 splashes of Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
Add first 4 ingredients to blender and liquefy for a few seconds. Taste and then add ground pepper and worcestershire to taste.
The idea is to provide a complement, a balance to the tequila. The best recipe is the one that your palate enjoys with the tequila you are serving.
We enjoyed so many aspects of our trip to The Grand Velas in the Yucatan Peninsula but this unexpected drink discovery at the pool bar was one of our most memorable highlights of the vacation. Thanks José!
Read the full story: omgyummy.com
To celebrate Mexico’s Independence, during the month of September Frida restaurant will hold the “Mexico de Mis Recuerdos” festival. Meaning “The Mexico of My Memories”, this festival will feature a special menu created by Chef Daniel Garcia, paying tribute to the culinary corners where Mexican cuisine evolved as the history of our country was written.
First was the Festival of Mexican Cuisine, Las Rutas de México, for the Bicentennial celebrations in Grand Velas Riviera Maya. Now, motivated by the festivities celebrating our independence, we embark upon a new gastronomic adventure to honor the most traditional restaurants of México City. These establishments honor the history of our country and have in fact helped to create part of our identity as Mexicans.
Mexican Chef Daniel Garcia will be the one to recreate the textures, colors and flavors of these institutions, flavored with a bit of history. The tour will take us through the ancient streets of the city center that house some of the most notorious eating establishments. We begin by visiting República de Guatemala Street to have a little taste of the historic Café Tacuba, which has served its delights to many celebrities, artists and political figures since 1912, and which provided the wedding banquet of the great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and the writer Guadalupe Marín.
We continue down Venustiano Carranza Street to stop in one of the oldest restaurants in the city, El Gallo de Oro. Since its origin as a cantina, it promoted the importation by boat of olive oil, capers, Sevillian olives and European cheeses that caught the attention of intellectuals of the likes of Manuel Acuña and Justo Sierra. A few steps away we are drawn inside a historic 14th century mansion that received license number 1 in 1860: La Hostería de Santo Domingo. Considered a colonial monument of Mexico City, it shelters within its walls the evidence of all of the events that transpired during its evolution.
A stop at the Salón Corona is obligatory, a mystic place that has existed for 80 years, and we end our tour through the historic city center at the Restaurante Prendes, to savor the 100 years of gastronomic presence that filled the mouths of those who used to tell stories: Diego Rivera and the teacher Justo Sierra, who discussed philosophy, and David Alfaro Siqueiros who spoke of politics. It is said that the same owner attended to them and that he still remembers personally serving his oysters on the half shell to Trotsky and his tender white fish to the famous General Lázaro Cárdenas.
To keep the taste of our history on our palate we will visit a restaurant that evokes sentiments of art, architecture, gastronomy and the history that has been made since the century when Hernán Cortés founded his hacienda here, and that now brings us to new heights with its exceptional Mexican cuisine. We will revive as well one of the few survivors of the Golden Age of the Zona Rosa; La Fonda del Refugio, who over the course of 57 years has preserved tradition through the flavors of Mexican recipes from the old days. We will then be transported to the south end of the city where a place inspired by the colonial atmosphere of the state of Puebla can be found, and which keeps the traditions of Pre-hispanic cuisine alive: La Fonda de Santa Clara.
Finally we will rediscover ourselves in the flavors of the Antiguo Restaurante San Ángel Inn, a hacienda that was once a Carmelite monastery, converted into a pulque production center, and then became a hotel and restaurant of grand tradition. On this culinary journey through different parts of the great metropolis known as the city of hope, another chapter of history will have to be written in the book of our memories, one that will bring us to new heights of pleasure. This event is an expression of our Mexico that we now have the satisfaction of presenting to you, in each of the dishes on our menu full of customs and legendary traditions.
For restaurant reservations:
Contact: conciergerm@grandvelas.com
Call: 011-52-9848774400 ext. 8137
Or complete the electronic reservation form
by Manuel Calderon de la Barca
Chef Patrick Louis, Corporate Executive Chef of Velas Resorts and Director of Food and Beverages of Grand Velas Riviera Maya, emphasizes the decision to consolidate the criterion of the group’s restaurants, thereby continuing to maintain the high quality standards that have earned Velas Resorts various awards and, most importantly, the preference of its guests.
In attempting to define the great Chef Louis, character and personality are the most appropriate words; two qualities that distinguish him and are reflected in his culinary work. Switzerland, Germany, England, Canada and his native France, birthplace of the famous “haute cuisine,” are some of the locales where he has developed his talent, and each has contributed to his vast knowledge of the culinary arts.
His passion has carried him beyond the limits of cuisine, guiding him to a solid career in hospitality administration. Currently he is the Executive Chef of the Grand Velas Corporation and Director of Food and Beverages of Grand Velas Riviera Maya, where he has contributed greatly and made very important advances. In the year 2000 he was named Best Manager of Food and Beverages in Latin America, out of over 3,600 hotels. After the opening of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, where he worked until July 2004, he spent three years in Paris managing his own restaurant, where he shared the concept of Mexican fusion cuisine with the French community.
With over 10 years in Mexico, Chef Louis has been able to experiment with many new spices and colors, which he has gracefully incorporated into his unique style.
He has now returned to confront his latest challenge at Grand Velas: to remain at the forefront of gastronomic trends. This is no simple task, when we refer to the management of restaurants with worldwide renown at All-Inclusive resorts. A shining example of Chef Louis’ grand success is the distinction of the Gourmand List, which names Grand Velas Restaurants Cocina de Autor and Frida among the 50 Best Restaurants in Mexico, a feat made all the more admirable due to the fact that they are the only two on the list that belong to an All-Inclusive resort. The AAA Four Diamond recognition of the three specialty restaurants at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Frida, Lucca and Piaf also illustrates his talents.
About the recognitions of excellence, Patrick Louis poses the question: What makes us different? Why has the cuisine at Velas Resorts been recognized? It is very simple. We have a firm commitment to quality. From the moment the guest arrives at the hotel and the moment they enter our restaurants they feel indulged. The concierge recommends where to dine and what ambiance is best if they are with family or on business. We truly value each small detail. We aspire to surprise the guest from the beginning, with their aperitif and appetizers. We then focus our greatest efforts on the main courses, desserts, wines and beverages to make their visit perfect and cause them to return and try something new, something that surely will surprise them again and exceed their expectations”.
With respect to the culinary tour at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, a unique experience in the area, with five gourmet specialty restaurants, he stresses, “It is an authentic gastronomic journey. Each restaurant has its own exclusive chef who designs the menu according to the latest culinary trends. Each space is tastefully decorated and is enhanced by live music, a which is very important in making the atmosphere favorable for seducing the senses.”
He adds, “Cocina de Autor, for example, is a place you must visit when you come to the Riviera Maya. It is the signature restaurant of our resort, where Basque-Spanish recipes are fused with molecular gastronomy in an exclusive menu created by acclaimed chefs Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza.”
In closure, Patrick Louis assures that the standardization of the Grand Velas brand will continue to position Velas Resorts restaurants at the forefront of gastronomy in Mexico and Latin America and that they will remain on par with any restaurant in the world. “We seek to imprint this seal on our resorts, so that guests find the same quality standards in each property of the group: avant-garde cuisine, the highest-quality ingredients and a commitment to competing at an extremely high level. Without this, everything would begin to collapse and we would rest on our laurels, thinking we are the best. There is always someone to measure ourselves against, with whom we can have healthy competition, and we will be at the level of any great hotel in the world” states the Grand Velas Executive Chef.
by Manuel Calderon de la Barca
The two Grand Velas Riviera Maya restaurants, Cocina de Autor in 8th place and Frida in 42nd place, are the only two dining establishments on the prestigious list found at an All-Inclusive resort.
After conducting much in-depth research and deploying a considerable amount of effort and recourses, Bancomer financial institution published their list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Mexico for 2011, which features two Velas Resorts restaurants: Cocina de Autor in 8th place and Frida in 42nd place, both located at Grand Velas Riviera Maya.
This list reflects the consensus of an expert team of gourmands, who visited each restaurant a minimum of six times over the course of a year, conducting their research outside of commercial or individual interests.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The organizers declared that it was necessary “to complete this duty so that people have the opportunity to consult a reliable document produced in Mexico.”
Among the list of restaurants, Cocina de Autor and Frida are the only ones found at an All-Inclusive resort, making the recognition of the gastronomic quality they offer all the more admirable.
by Manuel Calderón de la Barca
When you think of All Inclusive hotels, you may wonder what they offer: the service, the accommodations, the amenities- but one of the most important factors is the food. It turns out that it is very common that after visiting the restaurants at the majority of these hotels, you are left with the feeling of having paid for something that simply did not meet your expectations. It can easily be said that it is difficult to find an All Inclusive with world-class cuisine, rich in flavor and variety, created by acclaimed chefs such as those found in the best restaurants in New York, Paris or Rome.
Grand Velas Riviera Maya breaks the mold with an authentic culinary tour of five gourmet restaurants, each with a uniquely talented chef. To begin the gastronomic event Piaf and its menu of French haute cuisine await, created by Chef Michel Mustiere. Here the ambience and aromas of Paris are invoked through lamb filet in thyme sauce, ratatouille and authentic French onion soup with Gruyere. The final sweet touch is a tulip of almonds on a bed of pineapple with saffron.
At Lucca, the whole family can enjoy the cuisine of Italy, with its authentic flavors of the Mediterranean. Menu samplings include fresh fish, seafood and pastas, such as linguini with lobster and cream of clam and shrimp with marjoram and toasted almonds. For dessert, bittersweet chocolate ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and cinnamon and basil granita.
The journey continues to the distant lands of the East with Sen Lin. Duck marinated in ten spices with plum sauce, seafood soup with coconut and warm lobster slices in masago sauce are just a few of the ways to enjoy the intensity of the flavors of Asia.
The Mexican cuisine of Frida is another station on this tour, where homage is paid to traditional dishes with a gourmet brushstroke, turning them into works of art. At this family restaurant you must try the lamb crusted in bread and oregano in birria reduction, the red snapper filet in squash flower sauce with huitlacoche, or corn truffle, and at the meal’s end, a chocolate mousse with mole poblano, amaranth and pumpkin-seed crisp, and rum caramel sauce sauce.
At Cocina de Autor, the signature restaurant of the resort, talented Basque chefs Bruno Oteiza and Mikel Alonso join forces to create sensations and emotions through cuisine filled with energy and creativity. As they say, their dishes are “created according to the whims of nature”. Menu items include venison with transparencies, bronzed sculpted sea bass and fresh tuna. Tapioca with coconut, chocolate with beeswax, and passion fruit biscuits crown this Spanish flavor adventure. Tour the world of artful and exotic cuisine. Enjoy these gourmet creations, on the only culinary tour in the area.
Contact us: www.rivieramaya.grandvelas.com
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Tue, 24 Jan 2012
