Chicken Parmesan by Chef Rubia Zablon, H&S Chef Of The Month
H&S Chef Of The Month
Chef Rubia Zablon
Nationality: Kenyan
Interview With H&S Magazine
Who Is Rubia Zablon?
A professional and passionate chef with twelve years of experience, the brand ambassador for the Swiss education group (Culinary Academy) and the chef/owner of Charrd Grill Company that has a BBQ themed online restaurant and product line of sauces and seasonings.
Type Of Cuisine?
Afro-fusion, it’s a merge between the continental cuisine and our local/African food. It gives me a good platform to be creative and introduce a new experience of our food culture to the world.
What Inspired You To Become A Chef?
The passion I had for the industry.
What Is The Biggest Challenge You Have Faced In The Culinary Industry?
The biggest challenge I have experienced whilst working, was dealing with diverse cultures, beliefs and mindsets of different people. Working worldwide, language barrier was a challenge too, like whilst working with a celebrity cruise line based in Miami, Florida.
What’s Your Biggest Achievement In The Culinary Industry?
Starting my own company and nurturing upcoming chefs.
When It comes To Cooking, What Is More Important To You, The Technique, The Ingredients Or The Creativity?
All the three aspects are important and work concurrently with each other, however, if you understand the nature of your ingredients well, this will definitely come in handy in what technique you will use and
also help in the creativity as well.
Recipe Of The Week: Chicken Parmesan With Roasted Potatoes & Sautéed Spring Vegetables
Ingredients:
• 1 medium chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
• Fresh rosemary herbs
• Salt (pinch)
• Crushed black pepper
• Tomato stew
• Assorted sweet peppers
• 2 medium potatoes
• 4 medium size fresh tomatoes
• 1 bunch, fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bunch Parsley
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 piece zucchini
• Onions (chopped)
• Cooking oil
• Garlic (chopped)
Preparation
Make a simple marinade of soy sauce, finely chopped onions and garlic, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast in the marinade and keep if for at least an hour for it to infuse in the breast. Wash all the vegetables and cut the assorted peppers, zucchini and potatoes in to dices. For the tomato stew, boil and remove the top skin from the tomatoes, then chop them roughly. In a cooking pot, sauté the chopped onions in oil, then add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, sugar, then add little water and simmer till it reduces to a thick sauce. Season to taste. Grill or pan fry the chicken breast till it browns evenly, put it in the oven till it’s almost done then pour the thick tomato sauce on the chicken breast, add the grated Parmesan cheese, the chopped parsley and basil on top, then bake in the oven until the cheese to melts. Deep-fry the potatoes then sauté the peppers & potatoes in cooking oil, then season with salt and pepper & add the fresh shredded basil.
Plating
On a plate, place the vegetables and potato as the base and the chicken breast on top.