Chef Michael Simpson is a purist at heart. A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 1980, Simpson moved to Kaua‘i with a refined repertoire of French culinary technique. “That’s all I knew when I came here,”
Chef Michael Simpson is a purist at heart.
A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 1980, Simpson moved to Kaua‘i with a refined repertoire of French culinary technique.
“That’s all I knew when I came here,” he said.
Having spent nearly 20 years on the island, with a 10-year hiatus to the Mainland from 1989 to 1999, Simpson has worked in enough venues to know that fusion cooking is not his style.
“I call it con-fusion,” he said. “At the CCA, it was French or nothing.”
That said, the South Shore chef and owner of Chicolini, a private chef service, Simpson embraces the varied ingredients of the islands. He developed the organic spice blends for Joanna Carolan’s Aloha Spices, as well as the recipes in a small cookbook published by Banana Patch Press.
This Saturday at the Kaua‘i Museum’s inaugural Cooking Club kick-off, Simpson will be presenting a food demo using the spices.
“I’ll make a tropical salsa to serve with grilled beef, chicken and fish,” he said.
He’ll also make a coconut sauce. Both recipes are from the Aloha Spice Company Cookbook. Cooking Club is slotted for the third Saturday every month and will feature a local chef and local fare.
Simpson praises the spice blends for their stout flavors. “I like a lot of assertiveness. My philosophy is, if you’re going to use spices, then use them.”
“I’m not one for wimpy flavors,” he added.
With over three decades as a chef, Simpson still leans toward traditional cooking, though. “If you do a chutney, do one an Indian would recognize,” Simpson said. “I think a lot of chefs go astray looking for something new, when the original is staring them right in the face.”
There is more to cooking than the visual appeal. “The question is, do the flavors complement each other?” he said.
“It’s easier to cook traditionally,” Simpson said. “The Italians do things in a certain way — why put ginger in a pesto?”
Simpson said that while there are many facets to the cooking process, “It all begins with the produce.”
“Phil Sheldon (Sheldonia Farms) in Oma‘o is who I try to get my produce from,” he said. “It’s all organic. It’s still breathing when he gives it to you.”
Simpson said he buys his organic chicken from Foodland. “It’s so plump,” he said. “I always imagine that this is how chicken should taste.”
To learn more about Chicolini call Chef Simpson at 216-9523.
To present as a Cooking Club chef for the Kaua‘i Museum call Linda Shimoda at 245-6931 ext. 26.
A Simpson recipe
“Here’s a recipe for a great soup that is unusual and fulfilling,” said Chef Michael Simpson. “It’s one I make with a special picada of pears and squash. The picada is close to a Spanish romesco.”
Simpson uses smoky paprika in his version instead of the usual Hungarian style.
Olla Gitana Valencian
Gypsy Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions diced
4 cloves garlic sliced
4 cups chicken stock
a healthy pinch of saffron threads — preferably Iranian
2 cups diced peeled squash — butternut has the highest yield
3 cans garbonzo beans — only one of them drained
3 14 oz cans organic diced tomatoes
4 firm pears — peeled, cored and diced
salt and black pepper
Romesco sauce to taste
Sauté the onions in the olive oil till just turning color, add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add everything except the pears and simmer for an hour. Add the pears and seasoning then simmer an additional 15 minutes till the pears are soft but not falling apart.
To serve stir in a spoonful of romesco sauce to the bowl of soup and enjoy.
Romesco sauce
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced baguette with crust removed
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 head peeled garlic with woody stem end removed
1/4 cup toasted almonds
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 roasted red bell peppers blackened over an open flame, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 generous tablespoon smoky paprika (Costco carries it)
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper (Don’t be lazy, grind your own.
Soak the bread in the vinegar till quite soft and partially wring it out. Put the bread, garlic and the almonds in a food processor and spin it till smooth- very smooth.
Add the tomato paste, bell peppers, paprika and cayenne and process further.
With the motor running slowly drizzle in the olive oil- too fast and you’ll make a mess of things. If it grows too thick add a little warm water to loosen it up.
Finish by adding the salt and pepper.
With foccacia or warmed baguette there’s nothing better — and it’s without eggs.
Keep it around. The sauce will last refrigerated for weeks. If it separates you needn’t worry, just stir to combine.
