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Keep spring meal prep simple
What does it take to create a flavorful and delicious meal this
spring? According to executive chef Tony Miller of Latitude 41
restaurant at The Columbus hotel in Ohio, “do as little as
possible.”
“Less is more. Go to your local farmer’s market or
grocery store and
pick out some
great vegetables
and do as little to
them as possible.
For example, asparagus
is very
simply prepared
with a small pat of butter and
about 2 tablespoons of water for
roughly 6-7 spears,” Miller said.
“Cook them down for about 2-3
minutes or until just tender and
drain off excess liquid. Serve with
tuna or salmon and a tasty salad
tossed with lemon juice, olive oil,
salt and pepper and you have a
great springtime dinner that
doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare.”
Miller incorporates years of
culinary training with family traditions
to create delicious meals
that help you to reconnect with
what simple, wonderfully prepared
food truly is.
“At Latitude 41 restaurant, we
are driven by a simple passion for
food at its best ... tantalizing our
guests’ taste buds with the exciting
natural taste of food,” says
Miller. “I believe it’s important to
give the natural flavor of ingredients
a voice.”
Growing up in a family of chefs,
one of Miller’s most memorable
experiences was being in the family’s
garden picking and eating
fresh fruit. “Citrus is a great and
simple way of adding flavor to
salads, seafood or poultry
dishes,” he said.
Chef Tony’s cooking do(s) and
don’t(s) for spring
• Do stay in the season and stay
regional. It’s easy to go out of season
to try to get fresh ingredients
that have traveled thousands of
miles to get to your plate. There’s
no substitute for freshness.
• Do use lots of fresh fruits and
vegetables. Mandarin oranges,
petite mesclun greens, jumbo asparagus,
and berries are starting
to hit produce stands. Fresh fruit
cooked down with just a light
amount of sugar and a touch of
crème fraiche makes a wonderful
dessert. Broccoli rabe lightly
sautéed in olive oil with a few
sprinkles of red chili flakes, olive
oil, halved grapes, honey, and a
small pat of butter makes a fantastic
accompaniment to a nice
double cut pork chop.
• Don’t be afraid to try new ingredients.
A couple of spices or
aromatics in addition to a great
piece of meat on a pasta dish will
go a long way to producing a
wonderful dish.
• Don’t forget to ask the experts - talk to the grocer or the
butcher at your local farmer’s
market or grocery story to get
the facts on what’s fresh or in
season, and they may tell you
about new ingredients or
fruits you have never tried before.
This spring, you can eat
well, and enjoy tasty food that
helps you to maintain a balanced
and healthy lifestyle.
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