Chef Suvir Saran, Speaker at the Olive Oil Conference

New Delhi-born Top Chef Master Suvir Saran will be a speaker at the Olive Oil Conference in the Chicago area on July 19, 2016.  Saran is a celebrated chef, educator, cookbook writer and farmer who has long sought to redefine Indian cusine for the American palate. His cooking philosophy, American Masala, combines the best of Indian and American cooking.

Chef Suvir Saran is the Chairman of Asian Culinary Studies for the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and teaches at culinary centers nationwide. He has written best-selling cookbooks: Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes; American Masala: 125 New Classics from My Home Kitchen; and Masala Farm: Stories and Recipes from an Uncommon Life in the Country. In addition, Saran has made numerous appearances on national broadcasts including Bravo's Top Chef Masters.

Chef Suvir Saran was the executive chef and owner of the restaurant Devi in New York City. Devi was the first and only Indian restaurant in the United States to receive a Michelin star. Recently, he made headlines with the opening of his new restaurant Tapestry in the West Village in New York.

Saran also runs a farm, American Masala, in upstate New York, where he sources much of the ingredients for his restaurant. His fans can keep up to date on his farm on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/suvirsaran/timeline. 

Here is a recipe from his book Masala Farm: Stories and Recipes from an Uncommon Life in the Country.

Farro and Mushroom Burgers

Makes 10 patties

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup/125 g farro
• 1 lb/455 g red potatoes (about 3)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 6 tbsp/85 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb/455 g brown mushroom caps, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 5 to 8 tbsp/75 to 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp dry white wine, dry vermouth, or water
• 1/2 cup/50 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 cup/50 g panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Bring 2 1/4 cups/540 ml water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the farro, return to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low, cooking until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, fluff the farro with a fork, cover, and set aside.

2. While the farro cooks, boil the potatoes. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the potatoes, return the water to a boil, and cook until a paring knife easily slips into the center of the largest potato, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Once the potatoes are cool, peel them and place them in a large bowl.

3. Remove the needles and leaves from the rosemary and thyme branches, and place them in a large frying pan along with the butter and black pepper over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the herbs start cracking, after about 1 1/2 minutes, add the mushrooms and salt. Cook the mushrooms until they release their liquid and the pan is dry again, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the potatoes and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat in the frying pan. Add the shallots and cook until they are soft and just starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the wine (or vermouth or water) and stir to work in any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and scrape the shallots into the bowl with the mushrooms and potatoes. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano along with the farro. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the ingredients together.

4. Form the mixture into 10 patties. Place the panko in a shallow dish and press the top and bottom of each patty into the panko to evenly coat. Heat 1/4 cup/60 ml olive oil in a clean large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 5 patties and cook on each side until nicely browned and crusty, 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove the patties from the frying pan and place them on a plate. Repeat with the remaining patties, adding more oil between batches if necessary. Serve hot. 

Source: http://www.suvir.com/Recipes.html

Attendees of the upcoming Olive Oil Conference will have a chance to meet Suvir Saran who will conduct cooking demonstrations at the conference. He will discuss ways to increase the use of olive oil in the kitchen at restaurants and homes.

For more information and registering for the Olive Oil Conference, please visit:  www.OliveOilConference.com.

For more information on Chef Suvir Saran, visit: 
http://www.suvir.com/, https://www.facebook.com/suvirsaran, https://twitter.com/suvirsaran