Chefs' secrets
Guest Chef Theatre teaches how to cook restaurant-style food at home
By Eileen Mitchell - CONTRIBUTOR

In a flash of unfounded confidence, you offered to host a swanky dinner party. What were you thinking? The last meal you prepared involved a can opener and tin of tuna.

What's a greenhorn chef to do?

Well, let's see. You can watch Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network until your brain feels like it's about to morph into a pound of butter. You can desperately devour books like "The Zuni Caf Cookbook" by Judy Rogers or "Sweet Seasons: Fabulous Restaurant Desserts Made Simple" by Richard Leach.

Or you can get thee to an expert, recommends Karen Hughes, proprietor of the East Bay's Purple Orchid Inn. Although renowned as a bed and breakfast resort and spa nestled in Livermore's wine country, the Purple Orchid Inn also offers a quarterly event sure to attract anyone with an interest in cooking: the Guest Chef Theatre.

Now in its second year, Guest Chef Theatre features celebrated guest chefs who narrate their way through the serving of a six-course meal. Held in the inn's tranquil olive orchard, guests have to pinch themselves to remember they're not in Tuscany, while enjoying an elaborate buffet meal following an appetizer reception. Under the setting sun, guests wine and dine at tables of eight as the host chefs socialize and visit each table. They discuss how each course was made, share cooking tips and suggestions, and are happy to answer questions and impart their expertise. Guests are also treated to a chair massage, a souvenir photo autographed by the evening's chefs, and expertly paired wine from a local vineyard. Certified executive chef Joe Rodrigues, of Dublin's Valley Catering, oversees Guest Chef Theatre to ensure each event is a culinary adventure that combines education with entertainment.

"The chefs talk about what they've prepared and share anecdotes about their profession," says Hughes. "They try to demystify the professional culinary experience. We've all been to chef and winemaker dinners. By the time you've heard another lecture on the chemistry of wine, you're ready to fall asleep. Here we offer a fun, interactive event. We want to empower people to create great, healthy, creative meals."

Guests Al and Donna Griego of Livermore agree that advice from past functions has proved helpful. "Each time we pick up simple tips, like adding olive oil and basil to our pork, which makes it nice and juicy. The chefs show that cooking can be fun."

May's Guest Chef Theatre, "April Showers Bring May Flowers," featured Asian fusion cuisine prepared by Chef Mike Yakura of Jianna Restaurant in San Francisco.

"There are ways people can prepare an at-home meal guaranteed to amaze their guests," he says. His first tip?

An attitude adjustment.

"If you're too stressed out to enjoy your guests, if all you're going to do is dwell on the one souffl that didn't rise, your party is guaranteed to be a failure," he says. "If you can laugh about the souffl over a bottle of wine, your guests will remember the laughter, not the fallen souffl."

Second to attitude is the next most important thing: the menu.

Often the novice cook doesn't realize that the menu serves as the blueprint for the evening. It dictates the shopping list, wines to be served, sometimes even the decorations. A successful menu is one in which a unifying theme combines courses that complement each other.

Chef Paul Bernhardt is another frequent host of Guest Chef Theatre. As the instructor of the Culinary Arts Program at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, he agrees a restaurant-quality dinner is a lot simpler than people think. And it begins with the quality ingredients found at markets such as Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley and Andronico's in Danville, the stomping grounds of local chefs.

"There are so many great products that you can buy. Ready-made marinades, salad dressings, infused oils and vinegars. Restaurants buy the best quality products available. If you want to emulate a restaurant meal, you need to have a similar approach."

Rodrigues of Valley Catering agrees, adding that there is no substitute for fresh. Take herbs, for instance.

"The quality of your meal is determined by whether you use fresh versus dried," he says. "Even how you chop herbs can make a difference. I'll chop basil three different ways. As a result, I'll get three different textures and almost even three different flavors."

If you absolutely have to use dried, Rodrigues suggests pinching them between your fingers before sprinkling them on the food. "That way, you'll get the most flavor out of the herb."

Also offered at many high-end shops are prepared foods. Guest Chef Theatre chefs understand that most people work long hours and while they want to entertain, they're intimidated by the prospect of toiling over a hot stove. Those days are long past.

"Take advantage of the high-end supermarkets where the butchery is done for you. You can buy a beautiful piece of fish ready to grill, oysters already opened, meats cut just the way you want them, food already prepped or pre-cut." Bernhard says. This removes a tremendous burden from the novice chef. "Then it's just a matter of seasoning and applying the correct amount of heat."

He warns that the home chef has a tendency to overcook. "People don't realize how quickly foods cook, especially fish. The reason their food doesn't taste like the pros is because they've overcooked and under-seasoned."

Yakura agrees, adding that most chefs develop an innate sense of timing, something the novice cook often lacks. "Don't try to cook everything at once and make it all come together at the same time," he advises. "Stagger everything. Pace yourself, otherwise you have chaos."

Don't forget to add texture," Rodrigues contributes. "If you just use sauted onions, that's okay, but if you combine green scallion, chopped chive and red onion, that will add a burst of flavor. Same with a roasted tomato, sun-dried tomato and a cold, fresh tomato. Marry different textures."

Another chef scheduled for October's Guest Chef Theatre is Chef Joe Marra, of Giuseppe's restaurant in San Ramon. "When you saut, use a high heat," he suggests. "The key is to get that flavor out of the dish real quick and serve it right away. Otherwise, it loses flavor as it sits there. Chefs cook with high heat gas-powered stoves. We heat the pans quite a bit before adding ingredients and what that does is release the flavors. High heat will cook the outside and help retain the flavor of the food inside." "That," he emphasizes, "is the art of sauting.

And don't think too big. "It's wise to keep it at 3 courses, 4 maximum," Bernhard recommends. "The biggest mistake people make is that they make portions too big. Guests can't enjoy each course because they're too stuffed."

Which can be tragic when it comes time for everyone's favorite, dessert.

Especially if that dessert happens to be the Vanilla Panna Cotta that was served at the recent Guest Chef Theatre. But if you're short on time, dessert can always be purchased at an upscale specialty shop. Bernhardt favors Grace Baking and Katrina Rozelle Pastries, both in Oakland, and Delices Desserts in Walnut Creek.

"You don't even have to buy the whole cake," he says. "They sell individual servings that you can simply set on a plate and dribble sauce over."

Full service wine shops, such as the Wine Steward on Main Street in Pleasanton, also feature experts who are happy to review your menu and offer guidelines on wine selection.

Perhaps the most important advice comes from Hughes, who wants Guest Chef Theatre patrons to realize that the food experience is a journey, not a destination. "Dining is the gathering of friends and family and fellowship," she says. "It's everything that you feel when you're all together. And when you're able to share that, that is the experience."

VANILLA PANNA COTTA

Mike Yakura created all of the following recipes for Jianna Restaurant. He recommends this dessert because it's fairly simple, can be made ahead of time (even the day before), and is very versatile.

Whatever fruit is in season, especially berries, matches well with the panna cotta. You can even change the flavor by using different extracts or spices.

2 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped (you can substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, but it's not quite the same)

7 ounces sugar

31/4 cups buttermilk

5 gelatin sheets (3 sheets equal 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated gelatin)

1 cup strawberries, raspberries or blueberries (can be mixed together)

Put the cream, vanilla bean and sugar in a pot, and bring to a boil. As soon as it comes up to a boil, remove it from the heat. Soak the gelatin in cold water. Add the softened gelatin and buttermilk to the cream and whisk well. CONTRIBUTOR

Don't forget to remove the bean from the cream. Put the mixture in small 2-4 ounce paper cups, store in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. After it's set, push down gently on the top of the panna to remove the custard from the edges, invert the cup and pop it out into your hand. (Put it on the plate before eating it.)

If it doesn't want to come out of the cup, submerge the bottom of the cup (bottom only) into warm water for 3 seconds. This will melt the top of the panna and release it from the inside of the cup.

Cut strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lime juice to the fruit. Mix in a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Top your panna cotta with the fruit mixture. Keep this dessert clean and simple -- it wants to be that way.

Yields approximately 12 3-ounce servings

Per Serving: 289 Calories; 17g Fat; 4g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 64mg Cholesterol; 113mg Sodium.

PORK BRINE

This is Jianna's standard pork brine recipe. You can use it with loin, tenderloin, chops, ribs, etc. Brines are basically made of sugar, salt and water. You can add spices, fruit, herbs such as orange and cinnamon, lemon, rosemary, lemongrass and fennel. The important thing is to keep it simple and focus on one or two flavors.

1 quart water

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup kosher salt

1 bay leaf

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Put all of the ingredients into a stock pot and bring the liquid to a boil. The sugar and salt should be completely dissolved. Cool the brine in the refrigerator. Place the pork loin in a pot or a deep baking dish, completely cover the pork with the brine and let stand for at least 2 hours but no longer than 8 hours.

Yields 2 quarts for 4 pounds of pork

Per Serving: 662 Calories; 1g Fat; 3g Protein; 174g Carbohydrate; 19g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol

"CHINESE BAR-B-QUE" SAUCE

If you prefer your sauce sweeter, add two tablespoons of honey. For a tangier sauce, add one tablespoon of ketchup and a tablespoon of white vinegar. Use this recipe as a "foundation." It's not meant to be literal. Add and subtract ingredients as needed to suit your palate and your dish.

1 white onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

5 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons chopped ginger

2 fresno chilies, chopped (jalapeos are fine)

2 lemongrass stalks, chopped (optional)

2 cups red wine

2 cups mirin

4 quarts chicken stock

1/2 cup white sugar

3 cups chopped tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup molasses

1 tablespoon sambal

Saut all vegetables in a large stock pot with 2 tablespoons of canola oil until they are limp. Add the wine and mirin (mirin really is the key to this sauce.

If you cannot find it at the market, use rice vinegar and adjust with a little more sugar) and deglaze the pot.

Reduce the wine until 1/4 of the liquid remains. Add the chicken stock, sugar, tomatoes, bay leaf, molasses and sambal to the pot.

Bring the sauce to a slow boil and simmer for three hours. Strain the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. If you like your sauce sweeter, add two tablespoons of honey.

If you like your sauce tangier, add one tablespoon of ketchup and a tablespoon of white vinegar.

Yields 6 cups for 8 servings

Per Serving: 204 Calories; 1g Fat; 3g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 4349mg Sodium.

THAI SNAPPER MARINADE

Jianna's uses this marinade with blue nose bass fillets. They keep the skin on and sear the fish on a plancha (a Mexican flat iron skillet with sides), so the skin gets nice and crispy. You can use a heavy bottomed pan at home. There is no salt or vinegar in the marinade, so you can marinate the fish for a long time -- actually the longer the better. This marinade is best for "big flake" fish such as halibut, bass or mahi. Don't use this on salmon or trout as it will break down the fish and make it mushy.

1/4 cup sesame oil

1 cup canola oil

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/4 cup miso paste (optional)

For the fish:

3 whole fish or 6 fillets

Salt and pepper

Lemon and lime slices

Sliced white onion

Cilantro sprigs

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Marinade your fish for at least 2 hours or overnight. This marinade works well for fillets, whole fish and steaks. Season the fish with salt and pepper and stuff the belly with some lime and lemon wheels, sliced white onion and some cilantro sprigs. Wrap the fish in a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper, then wrap it in a sheet of foil and seal both ends. Roast the fish in a 350 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.

Yields enough for 3 whole fish or 6 fillets.

Per Serving: 439 Calories; 47g Fat; 2g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 422mg Sodium.