Utah Valley University's culinary program began decades ago and ha snow grown to include restaurants and full catering services. So, if you enjoy fine dining in Utah, you are likely enjoying the work of a UVU grad.
The program's reputation is founded on small class sizes and a focus on individual attention and development, but its success has come from the ability of its students and instructors to create delectable dishes that win customer loyalty and national competitions.
Chef Todd Leonard, who won the title of national Chef of the Year in 2018, joined The PLACE with one of his recipes that you will love!
Smoked Tomato Parmesan Risotto
1/2 each yellow onion -- small diced
1 each garlic clove -- minced
2 each roma tomato -- smoked and diced
2 cups arborio rice -- (or par cooked barley)
1/4 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock -- hot
1/4 pound butter -- softened
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon kosher salt -- to taste
1/2 tablespoon ground pepper -- to taste
In a sauce pan heat the chicken stock
In another sauce pan sweat the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of butter.
When the onions start to brown add the diced smoked tomatoes and simmer for a minnute.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine and simmer reduce until demi sec. Add the arborio rice some salt and pepper and stir well
Add hot chicken stock in small amounts to the rice and stir regularly until the rice has soaked up all the stock.
Add more stock and repeat this process untill all the stock is incorporated and rice softens and soaks up al the liquid.
Turn off the heat and add the cheese and butter to cream the risotto.
Serve quickly for best results in texture.
Lemon Dill Sauce
2 cups Bechamel sauce
2 cups Heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 each shallots -- minced
8 tablespoons fresh dill -- chopped, you will reserve half to finish sauce
2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons lemon zest -- minced fine
Salt, white pepper and lemon juice to taste
Sweat the Shallot and Dill together with 1 tablespoon butter and then add the white wine.
Add the lemon zest and reduceby half.
Add the cream and then the bechamel and stir to blend.
simmer sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, taste and season with salt, white pepper and lemon juice.
Strain sauce through a fine chinoise.
Add 2 more tablespoons of freshly chopped dill.
Poaching Liquid - for Fish or Mousseline
40 ounces Fish Stock
4 ounces White wine
1 cup Mirpoix
8 grams Garlic (2 Tbsp.)
8 grams Shallots (2 Tbsp.)
1 Bay leaf
4 Peppercorns
3 sprigs Thyme
4 ounces Tomato scrap
4 ounces Fish bones
1 ounce Parsley stems and herbs
6 grams Salt (1 Tbsp.)
3 grams Pepper (1/2 Tbsp.)
3 grams Pit seasoning (1/2 Tbsp.)
Sweat the mirpoix, garlic and shallots with some butter, add in the white wine and reduce.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer.
Remove from heat and add in Mousseline or fish to poach.
Add poaching liquid to other sauces as well. Poach between 160-180 degrees F.
For more information please visit: uvu.edu.
