The Roanoker - March 2014 - 8

R THe FLAvoR
delicious and nourishment for our body
and soul."
Many components of this dish can be prepped
ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to
eat. Garnishes could include fried wontons,
crisp nori or pea sprouts. - Chef Boni Webb

Seared Szechuan Crusted
Tuna with Soy Glaze

liz long

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Video

(serves 4)
¼ c. Szechuan peppercorns
4 3-oz. pieces sushi-grade tuna, each about 1
inch in diameter
Kosher Salt (to taste)
1 c. chicken stock
2 Tbl. soy sauce
2 Tbl. butter
Grind peppercorns with mortar and pestle
or in a spice grinder; press cracked peppercorn on all sides of each tuna piece and
sprinkle with salt.
Heat a sauté pan over high heat, lightly
coat it with vegetable oil, sear tuna on each
side for about 25 seconds, place pieces of
seared tuna on a cutting board to rest.
Add chicken stock to the pan and reduce to
a syrup consistency; turn off heat, swirl in soy
sauce, then butter, to achieve a glaze. Brush
all sides of tuna with glaze.

Chef Boni Webb learned much about cooking from female mentors, including her mother.

Fearless About Food
Chef Boni Webb brings traditional techniques and a love for all types
of cuisines to the kitchen at Alexander's in downtown Roanoke.
For Boni Webb, becoming a chef seemed to
be in her blood. Family members in her native Japan have been in the restaurant business for generations, so cooking is naturally
a part of her life.
She learned many traditional cooking techniques from her mother, who once owned a
restaurant called The Gavel in Roanoke. In
1984 when her mother sold the business to
move to Florida, Webb became a server at
Alexander's, a fine dining restaurant opened
by Bridget Meagher in 1979. A professionally trained chef, Meagher became a mentor
for Webb, who is now a chef and manager at
Alexander's.

8 MARCH/APRIL 2014

"I've been fortunate to have so many
mentors - especially women - in a maledominated field," Webb says.
Webb, Meagher and three other chefs
work together daily at Alexander's to create
meals that fuse different styles of cuisine.
They focus on simple, clean food and often
use family recipes and ingredients grown in
Meagher or Webb's own gardens.
When she's not cooking at the restaurant, Webb is likely to be found in her own
kitchen. And she wants people to know that
while a recipe may appear difficult, there's
no reason to fear food.
"Food is not intimidating," she says. "It's

Sesame Noodles
½ lb. Buckwheat soba noodles
2 Tbl. sesame oil
¼ c. low sodium soy sauce
3 Tbl. toasted sesame seeds
½ bunch scallions, cut on bias
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil; add soba
noodles and cook until tender, about 4 to 6
minutes. Drain (do not rinse). Immediately
add sesame oil and soy sauce and toss with
hot noodles. Let noodles come to room temperature, then add sesame seeds and freshly
sliced scallions.
To assemble dish: Slice tuna into ½ inch
slices with a sharp knife.
On your plate, make a nest of sesame soba
noodles with sliced tuna and a nice dollop of
wasabi aioli. Sunomono can be served on the
side as a condiment. -Jessica Wright

Find More recipes online
For Chef Boni Webb's recipes for Sunomono and
Wasabi Aioli, visit TheRoanoker.com/Flavor
The

R oanoker.com

http://theroanoker.com/the-flavor%3A-alexander%27s-chef-bonnie-webb-is-fearless-about-f/ http://www.TheRoanoker.com/Flavor http://www.THEROANOKER.COM

The Roanoker - March 2014

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