Featured Chef - Phillip Frankland Lee

Culinary Student
The California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA)
Pasadena, CA

The California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA), the sunny Pasadena location for the Le Cordon Bleu program, hosted the most recent National Honey Board (NHB) student recipe competition.  Twenty-two students from beginning to advanced skill levels accepted the challenge to win one of three scholarship prizes.  Competition rules required the students to complete four servings of a recipe for any menu segment—with each portion containing a minimum of 1 Tablespoon of honey—in 90 minutes.  Student recipes were evaluated equally on presentation, taste (honey identity), execution and technique.

At the moment of reckoning, the three judges—two Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors and a representative from the National Honey Board—needed extra time to consider an array of remarkable flavor combinations and professional presentations.  Because of the skill, artistry and essence of honey demonstrated in two recipes, the judges awarded two top prizes of $1000 each.  The second place prize went to a recipe of striking simplicity and wonderfully subtle flavors.

Student Phillip Frankland Lee took the first place prize of $1000.

Honeyed "Surf and Turf"

Honey Buttered Scallop and Ribeye, Warm Mushroom and Frisée Salad, Tempura Honey Comb

Prep
Cube fresh honeycomb (1/4-inch) and place on plate covered in plastic wrap and place in freezer.

Season and sear 1 fresh sea scallop (muscle removed) and set aside.

Season and sear 1 Rib-eye steak (center Cut) and set aside.

Toss 2oz. Shimeji mushrooms in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast on a sheet pan in 350° oven until golden. Remove and set aside.

Clean 1 head frisée (clean away outer green and white stem, shock in ice water to remove bitterness). Set aside.

Bring 2 Tablespoons olive oil and to smoking point in a small sauté pan, add 1oz sliced shallots, and cook 2 minutes, over mid heat until they start to color.  Add 3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar and 5 Tablespoons honey, and cook an additional 1-1/2 minutes.  Remove one-half contents from pot and set aside.  To remaining contents in the pot, add 1/2-cup chicken stock and let simmer until sauce consistency is reached.

To reserved shallot mixture, add 8 Tablespoons butter (room temperature) and mix until fully incorporated.  Season with salt.

Make salad dressing with 1 Tablespoon honey, 5 Tablespoons white wine vinegar.  Whisk in olive oil to emulsify.

Make tempura batter for croutons, whisk together 1/2-cup flour, 1/4-cup corn starch, 1 egg white, soda water to thin (batter should be thick enough to coat your finger).

To assemble and plate.
In a warm sauté pan, melt one-half butter mixture.  Add ribeye, and baste with a spoon until hot (45 seconds.  In another pan, repeat the process with the scallop.

In a medium hot sauté pan, melt plain butter and add the roasted mushrooms. Season to taste, and sauté until warmed through.

Toss frisée with salad dressing.

For croutons, remove honeycomb from freezer and dip into tempura batter. Fry in 350° oil until golden brown.

Slice Cherry tomatoes in half.

Follow pictured plating design.