Todd Stein
MK | Chicago
Todd Stein sealed his fate in
fifth grade (circa 1979), after a day-long internship at a restaurant
kitchen. Right then, he knew he was hungry for more. Years later
and three weeks into his culinary studies at Kendall College, he
accepted an apprenticeship under chef Keith Korn at Chicago’s
Gordon Restaurant. Chef Korn introduced him to Chef Michael
Kornick, who in turn, became his primary mentor. Stein worked with
Kornick on the opening of mk. He then relocated to Cleveland
and opened three successful restaurants there - Piccolo Mondo,
Sans Souci and Vivo. Stein’s shared philosophy
with Kornick brought him back to Chicago and the kitchen of mk,
where he was recently named Executive Chef. Stein’s cooking
at mk is marked by a mix of sophistication and approachability,
and respect for his ingredients and his customers is at the core
of his philosophy on food and dining.
Grilled Baby Octopus with Grilled Frisee
and Saffron Aioli
Chef Todd Stein of mk - Chicago, IL
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Octopus:
- 4 whole baby octopus
- 2 (750-milliliter) bottles red wine
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 wine corks
Octopus Marinade (after cooking):
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Aioli:
- 2 egg yolks
- 14 ounces canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron, bloomed in warm water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Frisee:
- 2 heads of frisee, cleaned with dark top removed
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method:
For Octopus:
To clean octopus, split each one in half length wise, remove the
beak in the center and the eyes just above.
In a medium to large sauce pot, bring wine, vegetables and herbs
to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Add the corks and then
the octopus. Cook for 45 minutes or until tender
Remove from liquid and cool. Once cooled, marinate the octopus
and then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
For Aioli:
Whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in oil to begin
creating the emulsion. Whisk in lemon juice and then saffron and
a touch of water. Continue adding oil until completely emulsified
To Assemble:
Prepare and heat grill. Place marinated octopus on grill and cook
on all sides for 4 minutes.
Lightly oil and season frisee. Grill frisee for 2 minutes, until
slightly wilted.
On a 10-inch plate, place frisee in the middle and drizzle aioli
around the perimeter.
Place grilled octopus on top of frisee and serve.
Wine Pairing:
Nora Albariño, Rais Baixas, Spain 2004
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