76 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM fresh start rojalosaltos.com {food coloring} says. “Each dish is made to order. We care about what we do so we don’t take shortcuts.” Standouts include the duck, featuring both a smoked and dry-aged breast as well as a confit leg served with Swiss chard, carrot purée and plum compote; lobster toast with celery, Calabrian chili and crème fraîche; and handmade stuffed pastas like the ravioli carbonara filled with cheeses and a creamy egg yolk in the center. “Our dishes have the quality of a fine dining restaurant but it’s not stuffy,” Roberto explains. “We want our food to be approachable, This full-flavored sauce is a great accompaniment to duck, pork or beef. INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 1½ cups chopped carrots (3/4 pound) ½ cup white wine 1 fresh thyme sprig ½ teaspoon coriander seeds ½ teaspoon fennel seeds ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ cup chopped onions ½ cup heavy cream 1½ cups vegetable stock 2 ounces butter, room temperature kosher sal In a large pan, add olive oil and sauté the onions with the herbs and spices for about 8 CARROT PURÉE make it to 10 minutes on medium-high heat until translucent and tender. Add carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until carrots are a golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan by adding white wine. Bring it to a boil and let it reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable stock and cook for 15 minutes more. Add in heavy cream and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer everything into a blender. While the blender is running, add the butter and continue blending on high speed until smooth. Add salt to taste. but we also want to be a place where people can come and celebrate something special.” After 20 years in the restaurant business, Roberto is feeling good about his career and where his love of food has taken him. ”It’s almost like a dream. It still doesn’t feel real,” he says. “I love what I do. If you don’t, especially in this industry, you’re done. Trust yourself and never give up.”
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