Recipe: Cold, Hot and Sweet Trio

We have 3 scratch-made custom courses, starting with a Snapper Ceviche you'll want to try, then Nashville Hot Chicken, fried fresh from a buttermilk brine *and* we'll also show you the secrets to the classic dessert Crème Brûlée. These recipes were from Chef Matthew Zappoli, Creative Culinary Director for Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa- and they're dishes direct from the menu at The Rez, the Hard Rock's 'American grill with southern soul'.

Click here to see Chef Matthew's previous appearance and recipes for bolognese, lasagna and fettucine.

Click here for a printer-friendly version of the recipes below. If you make any of them, let us know how they turn out! 

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Snapper Ceviche 

Ingredients

• snapper filet, diced into ¼ inch cubes
• 1 ½ oz celery
• 1 oz fish scraps
• 2 cups lime juice
• ¼ oz fresh ginger, peeled
• ¾ oz red onion, diced, plus extra for serving
• ¼ oz cilantro stems,
• 2 tbsp aji amarillo paste
• cilantro, chopped
• salt, pinch
• pickled red onions (see recipe below)
• micro cilantro, for garnish
• tortilla chips or cancha corn (optional, for serving)

Directions

1. Dice snapper filet into ¼ inch cubes.
2. Combine celery, fish scraps, lime juice, peeled ginger, red onion, cilantro stems, and aji amarillo in a blender.
3. Blend well until smooth.
4. Strain over diced snapper filet to marinate.
5. Allow diced snapper to marinate in ‘Leche de Tigre’ for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on desired doneness.
6. After marination, add chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and a pinch of salt.
7. Spoon ceviche into the center of a bowl and top with pickled red onions (see recipe below) & micro cilantro.
8. Serve with tortilla chips or cancha corn, if desired.

Pickled Red Onions 

Ingredients

• ½ cup white vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp pickling spice
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup red onions, sliced

Directions

1. Combine white vinegar, water, pickling spice, kosher salt, and sugar in a pot.
2. Bring mixture to boil.
3. Strain over sliced red onions.
4. Cover lightly and allow to cool.

Nashville Hot Chicken 

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, divided
• 4 cups buttermilk
• 2 tbsp pickle juice
• 1 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• all-purpose flour (for initial dredging) + 2 lbs flour (for seasoned flour dip)
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 ¼ oz Old Bay seasoning
• 1 oz ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ oz chicken powder
• 1 oz Lawry's seasoned salt
• Nashville hot sauce, for tossing cooked chicken (quantity as needed)
• Texas toast, for serving
• pickle slices, for garnish
• favorite Southern side! (optional)

Directions

1. Divide chicken into desired size pieces.
2. Combine 2 cups buttermilk, pickle juice, 1 tbsp Louisiana style hot sauce, and kosher salt in bowl. Whisk well.
3. Pour mixture over chicken pieces and marinate overnight.
4. Next day, remove chicken from brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
5. Dredge chicken in plain all-purpose flour.
6. Dip chicken pieces into wet mixture of egg whites and remaining 2 cups buttermilk.
7. Dredge chicken pieces in dry mixtures of all-purpose flour, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, chicken powder and seasoned salt.
8. Deep-fry chicken at 300–325 °F for 12–15 minutes until it reaches internal temperature of 165 °F.
9. Toss chicken with Nashville hot sauce, and serve on Texas toast.
10. Garnish with pickle slices and serve with your selected Southern side dish.

Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée 

Makes 6 

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp Maldon salt
• 1 qt heavy cream
• 8 egg yolks
• turbinado sugar, for topping
• chocolate cream, for garnish (optional)
• sugar cookie, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Boil sugar and water to create a caramel.
2. Whisk in salt.
3. Slowly whisk in heavy cream.
4. Strain mixture, then allow to cool.
5. Whisk in egg yolks.
6. Portion the mixture into 6 dishes and bake in a water bath at 300–325 °F until set.
7. Top the set crème brûlée with turbinado sugar and use a blow torch to caramelize it evenly.
8. Garnish with chocolate cream and sugar cookie if desired.

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