“My current culinary style reflects a desire to get back to honest, ingredient-driven cuisine. All of the current innovations in technique and equipment are amazing, but in my opinion all of the science and technology have taken away from the soul and magic of a spectacular meal.”
That statement sums up Executive Chef Bernard McDonough’s approach to the food he creates at Hotel Matilda, a distinctive boutique hotel in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The city’s preserved Spanish-era architecture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage recognition, and McDonough’s cooking aims to complement that sense of place by focusing on straightforward, flavorful cooking.
“Every chef develops a definitive voice, and that voice evolves through new ideas, experiences, ingredients and exposure,” McDonough explains. “I’ve also grown to deeply appreciate simple, rustic cuisine and street food. The flavors, textures and ingredients of everyday food have always inspired me to reinterpret familiar dishes.”
Seared sea scallops with huitlacoche-leek fondue and jamón serrano Serves 6
For the scallops:
6 U-10 diver scallops
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
Sea salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Pat scallops dry and season liberally with sea salt and cracked black pepper. In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil until golden. Add the scallops and sear until well browned on one side, about 3–4 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
For the jamón serrano:
2 ounces jamón serrano
Dry the jamón on an ungreased baking sheet in a 200°F oven until brittle. Pulse briefly in a food processor or chop by hand into a coarse powder to use as a crunchy garnish.
For the sherry vinegar syrup:
6 ounces sherry vinegar
1 ounce wildflower honey
1 large pinch cracked black pepper
In a small saucepan over medium heat, reduce the sherry vinegar to about 1 ounce. Stir in the honey and cracked black pepper and set aside to cool slightly; it will thicken to a syrup.
For the huitlacoche-leek fondue:
4 ounces huitlacoche, cleaned
2 large leeks (white part only), cleaned and julienned
5 ounces butter
1 cup water
½ cup dry white wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Sauté the huitlacoche in 1 ounce of butter for 4–5 minutes, then transfer to an ungreased baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. In a saucepot, combine water and white wine with a pinch of salt and the leeks; simmer until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Over very low heat, slowly whisk in the remaining butter, 1 ounce at a time, until fully incorporated. Finely chop the roasted huitlacoche and fold it into the leek-butter mixture just before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
PRESENTATION: Drizzle a ring of sherry vinegar syrup around the plate. Twist a portion of the fondue into the center with a fork, place a seared scallop on top, and finish with a sprinkle of crispy jamón serrano.
Pork chop al pastor with stone-ground grits, jalapeño and caramelized onion relish Serves 6
6 center-cut bone-in rib pork chops
Al pastor marinade (recipe follows)
Toss the pork chops with the al pastor marinade in a sealed bag and refrigerate for 1 hour. Grill over mesquite coals to desired doneness, basting once on each side with the remaining marinade while cooking.
For the al pastor marinade:
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons achiote
3 cloves garlic
Juice of 2 limes
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sriracha
½ cup grapeseed oil
Combine the pineapple, achiote, garlic, lime juice, brown sugar, salt, pepper and sriracha in a blender and process until smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil to emulsify the marinade.
For the grits:
1 cup coarse-ground grits
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup grated sharp white Cheddar
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Bring the chicken stock and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the grits, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the grits are tender and have absorbed the liquid. Stir in the grated Cheddar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the jalapeño-onion relish:
4 large green jalapeños
1 large white onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
1 cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1 tablespoon salt
Combine the rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, peppercorns, pickling spice and salt in a non-reactive saucepan and reduce slowly until syrupy. Strain and reserve the syrup. In a skillet with olive oil over low heat, slowly caramelize the white onion. Roast the jalapeños directly over a flame until the skins are blistered; remove, cover and let steam, then peel, seed and finely dice. Mix the caramelized white onion, diced jalapeños, raw red onion, cilantro stems and the reserved syrup to finish the relish.
PRESENTATION: Spoon a portion of grits onto each plate, top with a grilled pork chop, and serve with the jalapeño-onion relish alongside.
Mexican chocolate pâté with vanilla bean cream Serves 6
For the chocolate pâté:
4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
6 ounces unrefined sugar
8 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 quart cream
Zest of 1 orange
1 pasilla chile, seeds removed and torn
4 whole cloves
2 pieces star anise
Combine the cream, orange zest, pasilla chile, cloves and star anise and gently simmer over very low heat until fragrant. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and strain the hot spiced cream over it. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks, whole eggs and sugar vigorously until light and frothy. Temper half of the chocolate-cream mixture into the egg mixture slowly, then combine and cook over a double boiler for about 15 minutes, whisking continuously, until set. Strain into small cups and chill until firm.
For the vanilla bean cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ vanilla bean
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine the cream, scraped vanilla seeds and cinnamon, then whip until soft peaks form.
For the garnish:
Muscovado sugar
Mint sprigs
PRESENTATION: Remove the pâté from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving to take the chill off. Top each portion with a generous dollop of vanilla bean cream and finish with a sprinkle of muscovado sugar and a fresh mint sprig.