Flavor Tijuana

Clever Caesar

Chef Omar Huerta showcases Mexican culinary creativity at Playa.

THROCKMORTON AVENUE’S NEWEST restaurant is striking for a number of reasons. Playa’s modern indoor-outdoor space features both a colossal mural by Zio Ziegler and, from the kitchen, a blend of technique, ingredients and presentation that highlight the malleability of Mexican cuisine. At the helm is chef Omar Huerta. A native of Jalisco, Mexico, Huerta was inspired watching his parents create recipes in their kitchen and then offer them on the menu at their restaurant, Los Compadres. He also credits veteran chefs Chris Fernandez (Oliveto, Poggio, Stars) and Chris Whaley (Picco, Zero-Zero) as mentors who helped him develop skills and techniques in Italian and California-Mediterranean cuisine. His prior training has included work at top Bay Area restaurants including Comal, Terrapin Crossroads, Zero-Zero, Picco and Marzano; most recently he’s served as chef de cuisine at Presidio Social Club and Credo in San Francisco. Here, Huerta shares his take on the Caesar salad, a dish reportedly created in 1924 by Tijuana restaurateur Caesar Cardini when a Fourth of July rush depleted the kitchen’s supplies. “What’s great about being a part of the team at Playa is having the opportunity to work with successful restaurateurs and the freedom to create a menu that I’ve always dreamed of,” Huerta says. playamv.com KASIA PAWLOWSKA

RECIPE

Tijuana Caesar

SERVES 2

Ingredients

4 egg yolks K teaspoon Dijon mustard O teaspoon chopped garlic N cup red wine vinegar 1K teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons lemon juice O cup Parmesan cheese, shredded 2 ice cubes 2 teaspoons water 1 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper 6 anchovy fillets 2 teaspoons black pepper K cup blends oil 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 cups rice oil 6 ounces fresh masa (for chochoyotes, or corn masa dumplings) K pinch arbol chile powder 1 pinch guajillo chile powder 1 pinch smoked paprika 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 unpeeled cucumber 1 romaine heart 6 leaves epazote (Mexican herb)

To Prepare

For Caesar dressing 1 Blend egg yolks, Dijon mustard, garlic, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, K cup of the Parmesan, ice cubes, water, coarseground pepper and 3 of the anchovies. 2 Very gradually add blends oil and EVOO to mixture. 3 Mince and chop remaining anchovies and add. 4 Adjust salt and pepper to taste. For chochoyotes 1 Heat rice oil to 350° F. 2 Roll 7–8 little balls of masa and make them flat by pushing with your finger to make it look like a shell. 3 Dip and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until crispy. 4 Mix the arbol, guajillo, paprika and salt and add the chochoyotes (masa dumplings); mix well and remove the chochoyotes from seasoning mixture. For salad 1 Thinly slice cucumber lengthwise on a mandolin. 2 Placing the cucumber slices across a sushi mat; ensure each slice overlaps slightly. 3 Place trimmed romaine hearts on top of the cucumber and dress leaves with approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons of Caesar dressing. 4 Using the sushi mat, begin to roll the leaves inside the cucumber slices until the salad resembles a thick sushi roll approximately 3 inches in diameter. 5 Cut the roll into 4 or 5 round pieces, add more dressing, the rest of the Parmesan cheese, and the chochoyotes on top and finish with julienned epazote.