Down-under Dining

I always enjoy meeting new chefs when they come to the Mid-Valley. Troy McNeill, the new sous chef at Salúte in Yuba City, was born and raised “Down Under” in Australia.

Sure enough, I was greeted with a cheerful “G’day, mate” as I walked in the front door of the restaurant. The Aussie clichés ended there, however, for McNeill wasn’t swinging a machete and there wasn’t a single crocodile in sight.

Instead, my eyes focused on two beautiful fillets of orange roughy in the kitchen. Immediately, my tastebuds began to get excited. As an American might say, “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.”

McNeill was raised about two hours from the city of Melbourne on Australia’s southern coast. He is one of 10 children, who all had their assigned chores. To get out of doing chores he didn’t like, he volunteered to cook - and a chef was born.

Not only did he cook dinner, but he also made sack lunches for all of his brothers and sisters. I asked him why he still cooks even though he doesn’t have to do chores anymore.

“I just really love to cook, and no matter where I cook, it’s still cooking,” he said. “I love cooking because it brings a smile to people’s faces, and it is what I do best. It is what I do.”

In fact, McNeill has been cooking professionally since he was 20 years old. Most chefs have a specialty, and he puts a special focus on his sauces.

“I love to prepare sauces that have that wonderful French accent,” he explained. “You can use the best cut of meat, cook it just perfectly, but unless you use just the right sauce to highlight the meat, it always comes up lacking.”

Before serving, McNeill nestled the fillets ever so gently on a bed of fresh veggies that made for a beautiful presentation.

Not only was the orange roughy cooked to perfection, the sauce that he used to influence his dish was incredible.

You can taste for yourself at Salúte, where McNeill will be glad to give you a warm Aussie welcome, or you can tap into your own adventurous spirit and give his recipe a “go of it” on your own. Either way, it’ll be a very g’day.

Troy McNeill’s "Old Aussie Orange Roughy”

Sauce

• 2 shallots

• 1/3 cup white wine

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 basil leaves

Putting it together

• Finely chop shallots

• Sauté in half teaspoon butter for two minutes on medium heat.

• Add wine and completely reduce liquid.

• Add cream and reduce by one-third.

• Add chopped basil leaves and salt to taste.

• Purée the mix.

• Just before serving, whisk in one teaspoon butter.

Vegetables

• 2 carrots

• 2 zucchini

Putting it together

• Using a culinary mandolin, make four- to six-inch spaghetti-like shaped veggies.

• Sauté carrots first in 1 teaspoon butter, pinch of sugar, pinch of salt and a dash of water for two to three minutes, season.

Fish

• Six to eight ounces orange roughy fillets

Putting it together

• In a non-stick fry pan, add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil.

• Heat oil until almost smoking, season fish with salt and pepper.

• Place fillets in pan and fry, one minute on each side, then place in 450-degree oven for two minutes.

Arrangement

Put zucchini/carrot mix in the center of the plate and spread a little. Rest the fish on the bed of zucchini/carrot mix, then place sauce on the top of the fish.

Don’t forget - a free, full-color recipe card of Troy McNeill’s “Old Aussie Orange Roughy” is available today in the lobbies of the Appeal-Democrat in Marysville and Yuba City.

Your Neighbors’ Favorite Recipe returns June 6 featuring Beth Sylver and Pamela Satchell of Loma Rica and their recipe for Cornish Game Hens with Pomegranate Sauce.

Until then, hope to see you in your neighbors’ kitchen.

Contact Food editor Michael E. Reed at 749-4720 or mreed@appealdemocrat.com