March Cooking Class: Be Our Guest

Put our chef to the test. Johnson Tan is said to be among the best in 417-land, and he's the chef at this month's cooking class.

(page 1 of 5)

Chef Johnson Tan says he thinks his restaurant, Ocean Zen, serves the best food in Springfield. Sounds like a big claim for a 25-year-old, but the restaurant does come highly lauded. In 2006, Ocean Zen was voted Best New Restaurant by 417 Magazine readers, and business has been so successful that the restaurant is upgrading locations and using the old space to launch the upscale Five Spice China Grill, a “sort of P.F. Chang’s-type restaurant,” Johnson says. He and his brother, front-of-house manager Jon Tan, will co-own both establishments and are moving Ocean Zen to Battlefield Road, where they revamped the former Tony Roma’s. All is planned to be open and running March 15.

Course 1

Sweet Thai chili-glazed shrimp

Along with peppercorn-crusted seared rare ahi tuna and island-style slow-roasted barbecue pork tenderloin appetizers.

Serves 4.

Paired with IV J’s Viognier from Catie’s Corner Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, California.

For the shrimp:

1 pound 21–25 count Mexican white shrimp*
1 cup Thai chili vinaigrette
1 mango, sliced thin
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 red onion, julienned
4 corn tortillas, cut into 6 pieces each
(* Can be found at most stores, but any kind of shrimp will work.)

For Thai chili vinaigrette:

1 cup sweet chili sauce*
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
(*Available at East East market.)

For the pork:

6 ounces pork tenderloin, marinated in
hoisin sauce and soy sauce
12 sweet potato chips
2 ounces teriyaki sauce
1 pineapple, diced small
1 tomato, diced small
1 red onion, diced small
Sesame seeds

For the ahi tuna:

6 ounces sushi-grade ahi tuna
1 pineapple, diced small
1 tomato, diced small
1 red onion, diced small
4 wonton crisps
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Fresh ground pink, white and black peppercorns

To prepare vinaigrette:

Mix ingredients in a bowl.

To prepare shrimp:

Marinate shrimp in Thai chili vinaigrette for 24 hours. Grill and chill. Fry the tortilla chips in a 350°F fryer until crispy. Mix the mango, cilantro, red bell peppers and red onions together. Assemble by placing shrimp on top of tortilla chips, and garnish with mango salad.

To prepare ahi tuna:

Encrust the tuna with ground peppercorns, and sear rare (10 seconds each side on pan. Slice the tuna 1⁄8-inch thick. Place the tuna on top of the wonton chips. Place the salsa on top of the tuna, and garnish with cilantro.

To prepare the pork:

Grill and oven broil pork tenderloin until done (7-8 minutes on medium temperature), and cut into 1⁄4-inch slices. Mix pineapple, tomatoes and red onions together. Place pork on top of sweet potato. Glaze with teriyaki sauce. Place salsa on top of the pork, and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

PHOTO BY EDWARD BIAMONTE

 

Subscribe to 417 Magazine

This site is a member of the City & Regional Magazine Association Online Network
Alabama Birmingham Magazine California Alameda Magazine Diablo Magazine Marin Magazine Oakland Magazine Palm Springs Life Sacramento Magazine San Diego Magazine Connecticut Greenwich Magazine New Canaan Darien Magazine Westport Magazine atHome in Fairfield County Magazine	Delaware Delaware Today Florida Gulfshore Life Sarasota Magazine Georgia Atlanta Magazine Hawaii Honolulu Magazine Illinois Chicago Magazine Indiana Evansville Living Indianapolis Monthly Louisiana New Orleans Magazine	Maine Bangor Metro Minnesota Minnesota Monthly Michigan DBusiness Magazine Grand Rapids Magazine Hour Detroit Detroit Home Magazine Traverse Magazine Missouri St. Louis Magazine 417 Magazine New York Buffalo Spree Hudson Valley Magazine Westchester Magazine	Ohio Cincinnati Magazine Ohio Magazine Pennsylvania Main Line Today Rhode Island Rhode Island Monthly Tennessee Memphis Magazine Nashville Lifestyles Texas Texas Monthly Washington DC Washingtonian Wisconsin Madison Magazine