Tag Archives: fish

July 2017 Full Moon Dinner – Thai One On

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Sorry for the late post!  We have been working very hard in what is the busiest July I can remember, which is great, of course, but also comes at a cost: less time for the beach, friends, music, exercise, and obviously, blog posts.

We did still have time enough to throw together a Full Moon Dinner, and it was our most popular ever, with 70 guests.  Since I had just gone to Thailand and Vietnam to visit some family and had brought back authentic spices and ingredients, it seemed fitting to share that with our guests, especially since there are no real Thai or Vietnamese restaurants in the Virgin Islands, at least that I know of.  To keep the experience even more authentic, and to make it (a little) easier on ourselves, we decided to make the dinner family-style, since most meals in Thailand and Vietnam are served this way.  I guess that’s why I always want my girlfriend to split entrees with me when we go out.  I like variety.

Courses came out one after the other, and since we were in the kitchen getting things out in a hurry, I completely forgot to take any pictures of anything.  So, to fill whatever visual cravings you might have, I am going to post some pictures from my trip instead.  The trip inspired me to connect with more of my roots and family, and was an opportunity to show my son another side of the world.

We paired up with Southern Glazer’s and brought in a few different Sierra Nevada Beers as well as some Suntory Whiskey for the event.

Here is the menu we designed for July 10th, 2017:

Great print job!
We added on to this menu

In addition to the Curry Trio (Massaman, Panang, and Green), Green Papaya Salad with fresh, local Papaya, Spicy Beef Salad, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Fish Cakes, Son-in-Law Eggs, Sticky Rice, Jasmine Rice, and Teas, we also had some some Bun (Rice Noodles), Tom Ka Soup, and array of sauces and pickled vegetables.  We also finished with a Thai Iced Tea Popsicle.

All of the food was born of the idea that we wanted to treat folks to an experience as close to what they would get in Southeast Asia as possible.  The extremely hot weather certainly helped us achieve our goal!

Here are some of the places, faces, and flavors that helped this idea come to fruition…

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‘Pon de River!

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The mountains above Chiang Mai

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Chatuchak Market

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Reclining Buddha

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Heart to the sky

 

Our journey to us first to Bangkok, where my son and I met up with many members of our family.  It was his first time meeting my father’s side, since we live so far away.  From there, we headed to Chiang Mai to spend some time connecting with even more family (28 members in all made it to this part of the visit).

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Lyric, Hua, and Nick enjoying lunch

 

A quick few days in Vietnam took us from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to Halong Bay, and back to Ho Chi Minh.

Dragon Fruit plays center stage
Turmeric & Ginger
Stinky Durian
Coconuts, iced down for your pleasure

With markets all over the place, it was hard to resist filling our suitcases with fantastic flavors.  We definitely did not bring back any fresh fruits or vegetables, as per the USDA regulations.  Wouldn’t want to risk losing our Global Entry statuses, after all.

Prawns
Dragon Fruit
Pho and Fresh Herbs
Whole Fish with Chili
Northern Thai Family
Mangosteen
Seafood Soup
VERY large pile of noodles

 

Throughout, it was an amazing trip filled with new experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.  Dreaming about going back as soon as possible and spending even more time there.

I hope that our guests enjoyed the evening and got the feeling that they were transported to another locale for just a few hours.

August’s Full Moon Dinner was another amazing time.  Stay tuned for the next update, soon come.

 

May 2017 Full Moon Dinner – Kickin’ Ash: Smoked and Grilled

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The May Full Moon represents, in many ways, a fresh start.  It’s called the “Flower Moon”, “Milk Moon”, or “Planting Moon”.  For those of us in the service industry on St. John, it usually marks a period when High Season comes to a close, and we are finally slow enough to take a rare break before Wedding Season and Carnival start kicking in.  For many people in the States, it constitutes the end of the school year, the approach of Memorial Day and summer, and weekends outdoors with the family.

To that end, we wanted to do a dinner that was a tribute to the beginning of BBQ Season.  What better way than to build our own Grill Pit for the occasion?  The talented Chef Ben Lewis spearheaded our project from head to toe, with the assistance of Chefs Vince Alterio and Pat Ryan, and got the entire thing sketched, sourced, and built in less than a week’s time!  Our space just got a Redneck Upgrade in a very cool way.

Gardener Mathew Gibney and Chef Ben Lewis
Firing up The Beast!

 

We collaborated with Glazer’s Premier, who hooked us up with Hess Wines for this event.  Take a look at the menu and pairings:

Folks were actually texting us about how excited they were for this dinner, especially the meat portions!  Let’s take a look at the courses in detail.

Course 1: Full Nest Syndrome

Grilled Quail / Chorizo-Date Stuffing / Sweet Potato / Smoked Pepper Sauce

We decided to build this plate like the bird was sitting in an actual nest, so we threaded and fried the Sweet Potato, perched it on a plate that was dusted with Moringa Powder, and accented it with our Smoked Pepper Sauce.  The Quail was par-grilled on our new toy and finished in the oven prior to plating.  Sekhem, Mathew’s son, was thrilled to help stoke the fires!

Young Master Gibney
Marking off the Quail
Salt-Crusted Driftwood from Salt Pond
Quail Plate (angle1)
Quail Plate (angle 2)
Quail Plate (angle 3)

 

 

Course 2: Day and Night

Day: Morbier / Quail Egg / Lardon / Grilled Brioche

Night: Morbier Fondue / Short Rib Skewer

Here, the goal was to create a dish that used the same ingredient in two different ways.  We chose Morbier because of it’s duality.

From Wikipedia: “Traditionally, the cheese consists of a layer of morning milk and a layer of evening milk. When making Comté (cheese), cheesemakers would end the day with leftover curd that was not enough for an entire cheese. Thus, they would press the remaining evening curd into a mold, and spread ash over it to protect it overnight. The following morning, the cheese would be topped up with morning milk.”

The Quail Egg was a simple sunny side execution, and the Lardon was Apple Wood Smoked Bacon that was grilled and then thick cut.  The Fondue was actually more of a Mornay, but we weren’t splitting hairs that day.  We did a 13 hour Sous Vide on the Short Rib prior to slicing and skewering, and dusted it with Smoked Paprika.

Breakfast for Dinner!
Cheesy Sauce, Aerial View
All pretty in a row

 

Course 3: Dust in the Wind

Smoked Wahoo / Lime Ash / Windy Level Greens

Fairly straight-forward and clean flavors dominated this plate.  Even though the Wahoo was smoked, we brightened it up and made it into a salad with Radish and Preserved Lemon, then stuffed it into Baby Romaine from our garden, tied with Lemongrass.

There were two types of Lime Ash on the plate.  One was rich and dark, made from the rinds, with almost a roasted coffee feel.  The other was dehydrated Lime Juice, which added the tart, citrus notes.

We finished the plate with Charred Tomato, Preserved Lemon, Green Goddess Dressing, and Nasturtium Petals.

Artsy-Fartsy Salad

 

Course 4: Table Top Luau

Al Pastor Roast Pork / Taro / Charred Pineapple

Chef Ben Lewis really wanted to take charge of this main dish, so we gave him free reign to cook the pork as he envisioned.  Marinated slices of Pork Shoulder were layered and skewered, wrapped, then set in a water bath for 18 hours.  After chilling it to retain it’s shape, they were then wedged in between Pineapple tops and bottoms, brushed with a spicy balsamic reduction, charred, and roasted to bring back to temperature.  We served these standing up, surrounded by a nest of Grilled Pineapple, Fresh Thyme, and Chicharrones.

Side dishes to complete the Luau feel were Taro for Caribbean Poi, Forbidden Black Rice, a Jalapeno Bread Panzanella, and a Roasted Beet “Poke”.  We gave each communal table a knife and designated one of the patrons to be the carver.  I think having guests participate in the action gave every table more of a family feel and some easy talking points.

Stand up and be counted!
Caribbean Poi
That pork has a loud bark
Black Rice / Banana Leaf
Chef Pat’s first FMD 🙂
Panzanella
Beet Poke

 

Course 5: Go Nuts, Go Bananas

Grilled Banana Bread Tamale / Cinnamon Ice Cream / Smoked Pecans

Usually by the time dessert comes around at our dinners, our guests are full and happy.  So we have gotten into the habit of reducing our portion sizes a bit with the hope that no one leaves overstuffed.  We purposefully made our sweet treats more lightweight this time, especially considering that some of our dishes were on the heavier side of the palate.

Taking Banana Leaves from our garden, we softened them in hot water and rolled cigar-sized tamales.  After baking them, we set aside and grilled them to bring them back up to a nice, warm temperature, as well as add that light smokiness we were using as our central theme.  After pairing it with a small scoop of Cinnamon Ice Cream, Smoked Pecans, and Smoked Maple Syrup, we sent it out into the dining areas.

Oooh La La
Tamale Time
Simple yet elegant

 

Overall, guests seemed to be pretty thrilled with everything.  Our front of house team crushed it (AGAIN), and in the kitchen, we had a ton of fun.  So much so that we forgot to take a group photo!  C’est la vie, no?

Join us on Friday, June 9th for the next exciting edition of the Full Moon Dinner!  I Bahn Heh: Local Flavors and Ingredients (5 courses).  Call us at 340-777-5464 to reserve your space, or just say hi.  It can get lonely behind a computer screen all day…

After that, we are planning some really special treats for the 2017-2018 Full Moon program, including possible collaborations from some guest chefs!  Keep an eye out for the schedule of concepts, and we hope you’ll be able to experience one for yourself sometime soon.

Finding the Booty

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The tale of the Java Booty Rub dates back to the year 2010, when Chef Mat was busy working to create a signature hot sauce, and was confronted with the new regulations of the TSA that denied liquids over 3 oz. Still wanting to make sure that visitors were able to take home a memorable (and tasty) reminder of their stay on St. John, Java Booty Dry Rub was born.

The treasured Java Booty Rub

The treasured Java Booty Rub

Drawing inspiration from this Thai background and wanting to create a flavor profile that excited all parts of the tongue, Mat spent hours measuring and adjusting and a week of tasting to make it perfect. The end result is a smokey, earthy, sweet and spicy rub that works on any protein or vegetable and will please a wide audience of diners.

After gaining popularity during private diners, weddings, and other functions, there was a demand for Java Booty with locals and tourists alike. With that, the rub was packaged and offered at Starfish Market in the Marketplace, and most famously at St. John Spice in Wharfside Village, where about 100 pounds are sold annually. There are even diehard fans in the state that receive Java Booty by the pound in the mail.

So much flavor in this little cup!

So much flavor in this little cup!

Wondering what the secret is? We can’t give it all away, but the stars of the mix include coffee, smoked salt, coco powder, brown sugar, chili, paprika, cinnamon, and SECRETS! The current proprietary blend does contain semolina flour as an anti-caking agent, however a gluten-free mix is in the works!

To get your own taste of this treasure, book with us today and request it on your protein! Stuck stateside for awhile? Send a message directly to mat@stjohncatering.com and inquire about having some sent to your doorstep–just in time for summer grilling!

The Dish on Fish

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When traveling, it is only natural to want to try what is fresh and local.

Here on St. John, we are most proud to offer a selection of beautiful fish caught right from our Caribbean waters. We reach out to local fisherman who line catch the fish that is available during the season. Usually we will get in touch to see what they have brought in, and on occasion we can put in a request for a specific fish.

Mahi Mahi

Chef Mathayom breaking down a 45-pound fresh Mahi 

One of the most popular fish we serve is Mahi Mahi (also known as Dolphin Fish or Dorado) which is available year round. It is a gorgeous fish with a very mild flavor. It’s large moist flakes are firm but tender and it is slightly sweet. Because of it’s versatility, we use Mahi as a blank canvas–we can prepare it to your liking or use our creativity to create something unique and memorable.

Wahoo

Chef Tyler displaying a beautiful fresh Wahoo

In the winter months we are able to get a mild, firm, nearly steak-like fish called Wahoo. It has a mild flavor profile and large circular flakes. This fish is best served grilled or seared about medium rare. It is a fish that can be easily overcooked, so leave it to our talented chefs to perfectly prepare it for you.

 Yellowfin Tuna

A perfectly seared Yellowfin Tuna appetizer with avocado mousse

A favorite world wide is Yellowfin (or Ahi) Tuna. This sushi grade fish is a deep red color with a mild-medium flavor and is very firm. It is absolutely delicious raw in a tartare, or seared rare. Tuna is also really wonderful grilled with a dry rub. We are also sometimes able to get in smaller tuna known as Skipjack or Blackfin. Tuna isn’t as common as Mahi but we will do our best to secure one for your event.

Caribbean Lobster

Caribbean Lobster tail entree

Caribbean (or Rock) Lobster is a treat much unlike Maine Lobster. Unlike lobster from the Northeast, Caribbean Lobster do not have claws so their meat is all in the tail. The flavor and consistency is different too. It is more of a texture like shrimp and a sweetness like crab. While this is pretty hard to procure locally, we do come across it from time to time and would be happy to include in on your menu if it is in the kitchen.

Conch

Last but not least is local Conch. This is a rare find as it is a local West Indian favorite so it is usually snatched up, but when we are able to get our hands on some it is a fantastic choice. It is a sweet, white meat that is great as a ceviche, or pounded thin and lightly sauteed. In fact, it can be served most ways : baked, broiled, grilled, fried, poached, steamed, even smoked. Not only is it a wonderful treat, the mollusk’s shell is gorgeous and quite the souvenir!

 

When planning your next event, be sure to ask our staff what type of fish is in season or put in a request for “fresh fish” and leave the rest to us–you won’t be disappointed!