FSR October 2022

NOW SERVING CHEFS & INGREDI ENT S

dients already in their wheelhouse—and their pantries. But sauces are only one part of the equation, and Vetter says several mari nades have continued to gain popular ity over the past several years. While most have a spicy component, some of the fanaticism around hot foods has waned recently. Rather than ratchet up the fire to an unbearable level, Vetter says chefs are opting to layer heat for a milder, more controlled burn. “I like flavors that I can experience all the way through, from start to fin ish,” he says, citing blends like peri-peri as an example. The South African chili (also known as pili-pili or bird’s-eye chili) is typically prepared into a sauce with garlic, onion, paprika, and lemon juice, though other ingredients like ginger can come into play, too. Hot honeys and chili crisp—an oil-based sauce infused with chilies and crunchy bits—are other items Vetter turns to when he wants to add a nuanced heat. On the opposite side of the spice spec trum, nut milks are also on the up-and up. Chef Rob Shaner, owner and execu tive chef at Chiago’s Robert et Fils, says these non-dairy milks add depth and fla vor, while also mitigating some kitchen costs by using what he already has on hand, similar to the thought behind Vet ter’s plus-one sauces. Last fall, Shaner used fermented pis tachios to make a milk, which was then applied to a duck dish. “It has a nice bite from the fermentation and a nice bal ance overall,” Shaner says. “There is a lot for me to explore just by trying out dif ferent nut milks.” He has also used nut milk in a Parisian gnocchi dish that fea tured North African flavors. One of the reasons Shaner relies on ingredients already in the pantry is because of the prevailing labor challenges. He says staffing shortages at his restau rant have been debilitating at times. Along this same vein, Shaner works to repurpose would-be food waste like vegetable scraps. For example, leftover asparagus trimmings can be transmuted into a full-bodied, spring-time sauce. “I made a white asparagus sauce that

FRANK’S REDHOT GARLIC BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS

ROBERT ET FILS’ HALF-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH JUS AND LEMON PRESERVES

M c CORMICK FOR CHEFS / ROBERT ET FILS

went over a fish crudo, and it was almost creamy in texture,” Shaner says. “The asparagus was fermented, and it brings with it a sort of richness that the aspar agus carries.” Shaner is also quite fond of a Viet namese caramel sauce, which he says has taken the place of fish sauce in his kitchen because it is more approachable for traditional Midwestern palates. By incorporating white soy sauce into the mix, he’s able to bring some of the funk iness and umami of the fish sauce with out making it too pungent. Though French cuisine isn’t known for its spiciness, Shaner has managed

to incorporate elements of heat into the Robert et Fils menu. The idea was sparked by a dining experience at a local John Manion restaurant, which had managed to add spice in an authen tic but not overpowering way. So the chef looked to the Caribbean island of Martinique, which is also a French ter ritory, and created a Creole-like sauce that uses scotch bonnet peppers to bring a fiery kick. “It has a little additional heat to it,” Shaner says. “I put fistfulls of herbs into it as well. I need that freshness. Those sorts of sauces are the ones I get really excited about right now.”

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