Asian Beef Short Rib
japanese eggplant, red miso soup, baby bok choy
Serves 4
4 ea. 7 oz. pieces of braised short rib
8 oz. tamarind sauce (recipe below)
4 heads baby bok choy, quartered and blanched
2 cups red miso soup (recipe below)
4 ea. japanese eggplant (recipe for marinade is below)
15 ea. baby carrots, raw, quartered
1 cup tempura rice flour mix (recipe below)
¼ cup togarashi spice mix (recipe below)
chili oil and chive sticks to garnish
Glaze short rib pieces with tamarind sauce and broil in the oven, turning every 4 minutes and re brushing both sides until it is hot throughout and the sauce forms a sticky glaze on the outside. Warm baby bok choy in the red mis soup. Do not boil. Just slowly simmer till hot. In another hot pan with a small amount of oil, sauté the marinated japanese eggplant till soft throughout and light brown carmalization occurs. Mix tempura rice flour in a bowl with small amounts of water until a good consistency is reached. This should adequately coat the back of a spoon. Mix the baby carrots in and drop in the fryer at 350 degrees. Once crispy, remove the carrots and sprinkle with the togarshi spice mix. Put the eggplant down in the bottom of a bowl with the bok choy on top, the short rib on top of that, and garnished with the tempura carrots. Pour the miso soup around the plate and sprinkle with chives and chili oil.
Tamarind Sauce Recipe
½ oz. tamarind
1 ea. star anise
4 oz. chicken stock
6 oz. demi
½ clove garlic
½ tsp. ginger, chopped
1 T brown sugar
1.5 T Soy
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
4 oz. white wine
Salt to taste
Pour in pot and simmer for 45 min. Strain through a chinos and season to taste.
Eggplant Marinade Recipe
3 oz. honey
3 oz. soy
3 oz. sushi vin.
1 Tbs. Togarashi
1 cup blend oil
Mix and pour over eggplant. Should do about 3# of eggplant.
Miso Soup Recipe
3 cups Water
1/2 cup Dashi
3 oz. Red Miso
Bring water to a boil. Add dashi and miso. Let sit for 2 min. Strain through coffee filter.
Tempura Mix Recipe
1 part Togarashi spice mix (see recipe)
8 parts Rice Flour
Mix and add water to achieve desired consistency to order.
Togarashi Spice Mix Recipe
1 part Togarashi
1 part Sea Salt
2 parts Sugar
Mix |
J Chastain
Executive Chef
The Second Floor
As an adolescent 15-year old working as a restaurant waiter, J Chastain discovered right away that he was better suited in the kitchen with talented, zealous chefs instead of in the dining room. From that moment on, Chastain never left working in the kitchen.
Chastain has both the education and experience of an accomplished chef. With a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Restaurant Management from The University of North Texas and an Associates degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, Chastain confidently leads the massive kitchen at The Second Floor at the Westin Galleria. He believes in his natural instincts and determination in the kitchen, stating, “If I set a task for myself, I see it through to its completion, often better than anyone expected it to be done. My drive and sense of accomplishment give me the confidence to achieve my goals every day.”
Chastain has worked under some of the country’s most lauded and accomplished chefs, such as Certified Master Chef, Edward Janos, with whom Chastain first worked for two years in Denver, CO. Next in Dallas, TX, Chastain worked at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, an award-winning, five-star restaurant known for its superior cuisine and service. Lastly, he spent two years working for Stephen Pyles, the first chef in the Southwest to win a “James Beard Award” for “Best Chef” and the first Texan inducted into Who’s Who of Food and Wine in America. His mastery of culinary skills and experience under one of the best chefs in America make him an unshakable force in the kitchen.
Chastain spends most of his time at work, doing everything from scheduling to menu development. He demands a lot from himself saying that when it comes to his work, he is always “striving for quality, drive, and resourcefulness.” Though it happens rarely, when he’s outside the restaurant, Chastain loves drinking great beer and wine, restoring old cars and off-road biking. |
