Brian Jardim goes to cooking school
Published:Thursday | January 28, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
Montego Bay businessman Brian Jardim (left), takes lessons from his new executive chef Louis Bailey in the Seafood Market kitchen at the Rainforest Seafood headquarters in Montego Freeport.
WESTERN BUREAU:
Owner of the Caribbean's largest supplier of premium quality seafood, Montego Bay businessman Brian Jardim, remembers cooking 'one' meal in the kitchen while in college - corn beef and cabbage.
His sense of selecting quality foods has increased tremendously, but 25 years later, his prowess in the kitchen hasn't.
It took The Gleaner's food team to bring Jardim back to a stove, and from all indications, he is set to become a master of this newly discovered feat.
Now a 'student' of executive chef Louis Bailey who earned the reputation 'Air Jamaica's Flying Chef', Jardim has not only employed the maestro to create more magic with his Seafood Market menu, but show him a thing or two.
Now fully grounded, Bailey joined the Rainforest team three weeks ago and already there is transformation in the food offerings at the intimate eatery/seafood centre where Montegonians purchase and enjoy the comprehensive range of the finest quality seafood products.
With over 400 references of fish, shrimp and assorted shell fish sourced from all over the world, Brian Jardim is having a field day!
Brian's Escoveitched shrimp with pickled vegetables
Brian's escoveitched butterfly shrimp, one of the many dishes available at his Seafood Market.
Shrimp - 16-20 (s/o) 4-6 shrimp per serving (optional)
4 oz onion (julienne)
4 oz cho-cho (julienne)
4 oz carrot (julienne)
2 Scotch bonnet peppers - deseeded and chopped
Pimento seeds
2 cups olive oil
1 cup white cane vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Butterfly Shrimp and season to taste.
Sauté julienne vegetables, vinegar and simmer then add pimento seed, salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté Shrimp then place vegetables in the centre of plate, arrange as desired and serve.
Pimento cornmeal crusted Snapper with oven roasted vegetables
Cornmeal snapper served on a bed of cooked vegetables.
4 oz silver snapper fillets
4 oz zucchini cubed
4 oz yellow squash (cubed)
4 oz red onion (cubed)
4 oz yellow pepper (cubed)
Salt and pepper - to taste
1/2 cup cornmeal
4 oz pimento (grind)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oil
3 large eggs
Method
1. Marinate snapper fillets, let it sit (can be overnight).
2. Dust marinated fish with flour, pimento, egg mixture, and then cornmeal.
3. Season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Put desired oil in sauté pan and cook vegetables until tender.
5. With remaining oil pan fry snapper until golden brown. Place fried fish in the oven for 10 minutes.
Place vegetables in the centre of the plate place fish on top.
Garnish as desired.
Chef Bailey's couscous with curry Salmon kebab
Salmon kebab served on couscous and baked potatoes at the Seafood Market in Montego Freeport recently.
4 oz salmon (diced)
1 pack red couscous
4 oz red pepper (diced)
4 oz yellow pepper diced
4 oz red onion (diced)
4 oz scallion (diced)
3 gloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup sour cream
8 oz curry powder
Salt pepper-to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
Method
1. Steep Couscous with 11/2 cups of boiling water,
2. Cover and let cook. Cool then add lemon juice and oil then flake with a fork.
3. Add the other diced ingredients and stir together.
4. Marinate dice Salmon with salt and pepper sour cream curry powder and put to grill.
Arrange as desired on plate.
Rainforest Seafood's Seafood Market introduced wines to its menu on Monday, January 19 and The Gleaner's food team was first to sample the new addition.
Salmon prepared with love and attention by executive chef Louis Bailey and his student Brian Jardim. - photos by Janet Silvera
Businessman Brian Jardim cooking up several storms in the Seafood Market kitchen.
Fruits in season at Rainforest Seafood's Seafood Market.