On the Menu with John Chesnut

Award-winning Executive Chef John Chesnut has made quite an impact in the three-plus years he has been in the kitchen at CRAVE Catering, Minneapolis, MN. The company, a member of ICA, ILEA, and NACE, and Chesnut, have been instrumental in propelling CRAVE to awards and accolades such as a 2016 ICA CATIE (Best Food Trend Incorporation); 2015 ILEA awards for Best Menu Innovation and Best Off-premise Catered Event, and a 2014 award from NACE, also for Best Catered Off-premise Event. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with an accomplished team of special event and culinary experts at CRAVE Catering for the past three years,” Chesnut recently enthused. “CRAVE Catering sets itself apart by being chef driven, flexible, and trendsetting. I ensure our guest’s expectations are consistently exceeded by transcending the catering ‘norms,’ reinventing flavors as well as presentations in each of our customized menus.”

This past October, Chesnut and a few key team members were asked to participate in a chef showcase at the Radisson Blu in downtown Minneapolis. The event offered a mix of restaurants, quick serve, grocers, caterers, K–12 cuisine, and cookbook authors representing the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, each paired with a different commodity board or product, and each tasked with creating a recipe incorporating that product. Paired with the National Watermelon Promotion Board, Chesnut created the surprisingly effervescent and wonderful Sparkling Watermelon appetizer.

Sparkling Watermelon

Recipe courtesy Chef John Chesnut, Crave Catering, Minneapolis, MN

For the watermelon juice

Ingredients

Half of a large seedless red watermelon, 3 to 4 pounds needed

Method

1. Remove all rind and peel from the flesh of the watermelon; reserve the rind to make the pickles.

2. Cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes. Reserve as many of the nicer pieces for carbonated watermelon (recipe follows).

3. Purée the remaining watermelon in batches in a blender. Strain the puréed watermelon through a chinois with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Allow to strain for 2 hours. Keep chilled in an airtight container.

For the lemon sage oil

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

10 lemons

2 bunches sage, leaves only – blanched

1 bunch of basil, leaves and stems – blanched

1 bunch of parsley, leaves and stems – blanched

2 cups extra virgin olive oil, chilled

Method

1. Zest the lemons using a microplane grater. Place the zest, blanched herbs, and chilled oil into a pre-chilled Vitamix blender jar.

2. Blend ingredients thoroughly but do not allow the blender jar to become warm.

3. Strain the oil through a chinois with 4 layers of cheesecloth. The oil may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

For the carbonated watermelon

Ingredients

Cubes reserved from making juice

Method

1. In a chilled siphon, place the refrigerated watermelon cubes, no more than 30, in a quart size siphon, or 15 in a pint.

2. After tightly closing the lid on the siphon, charge it with CO2 soda chargers (3 chargers for a quart, 2 for a pint). Refrigerate the siphon until service for at least 20 minutes.

For the watermelon sauce

Ingredients

2 cups watermelon juice

½ cup lime juice

1/8 tsp xanthum gum (0.3 grams)

1 T lemon sage oil

1 tsp kosher salt

Method
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the watermelon juice, lime juice, and xanthum gum.

2. Whisk in the lemon sage oil until the xanthum gum is completely dissolved. Season with the salt.

For the pickled watermelon rind

Ingredients

Rind from ¼ of large red watermelon (half of the rind left from making the juice)

1 cup rice wine vinegar

¾ cup sugar

1 T kosher salt

Method

1. Remove and discard any flesh as well as the green peel from the rind.

2. Use a small channel zester or knife to make 1-1/2 inch “julienne” strips of the rind.

3. Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and ½ cup of water to a boil. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the rind and cool to room temperature.

For the crispy sage

Ingredients

Sage leaves, enough for one per bite

Canola oil

Method

1. Heat the canola oil to 325º in a pan (or small deep fryer).

2. Carefully add individual pieces of sage to the hot oil, making sure to turn and stir them. Frying process should take no more than 20 seconds.

3. Remove and drain excess oil over paper. This can be held in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

To finish

Ingredients

Carbonated watermelon

Pickled watermelon rind

Watermelon sauce

Lemon sage oil

Black salt – large flake

Feta – mild, drained

Crispy sage

Method

1. In your vessel of choice or tasting spoon (recommended), place 2 teaspoons of watermelon sauce, top with three strips of pickled watermelon rind.

2. Working quickly but carefully, release pressure on the siphon, and place a single cube of carbonated watermelon onto the previous ingredients.

4. Add 5 to 6 drops of lemon sage oil over and around the melon cube. Add a few flakes of black salt onto the cube.

5. Using a microplane or fine sifter, grate or press a small amount of drained, mild feta over the cube. Garnish with a piece of the crispy sage.