Germán Martitegui
AUTONOMOUS CITY OF BUENOS AIRES
A chef with a 35-year career. A disciple of the great Francis Mallmann in his early days, he is today one of the most prolific chefs in Argentina and Latin America, one who has made innovation his banner. He is the owner of some of Argentina’s most successful and iconic restaurants. “Tegui”, his most recent restaurant, was among the most acclaimed in world fine dining. Over its 12 years, until it closed during the 2020 pandemic, it stood out for revaluing Argentine products by reinterpreting classic recipes.
In 2021 he began a new adventure and a change of life: Germán, his children and his restaurants became vegetarian. “Marti”, his new restaurant, is built around a large bar with the kitchen at its centre, affordable prices far from fine dining, and a strong connection with the planet’s sustainability challenges and the future of food.
A researcher of his country’s culinary history, since 2016 he has led “Proyecto Tierras”, which consists of journeys through every region of Argentina in search of products, stories and artisans. From 2020, “Proyecto Tierras” became a TV programme that brought this knowledge into every Argentine home. A judge on every edition of MasterChef Argentina, he uses his popularity to carry his message and ideas to millions of people.
TEGUI Casa Restaurant · Buenos Aires
Recipe · Germán Martitegui: Salsify · peanut
- Peanuts — 300 g
- Sesame oil — 5 g
- Fine salt — 3 g
- Carrot — 140 g
- Vinegar — 200 ml
- Sugar — 100 g
- Fine salt — 2 g
METHOD
Clean the salsify in plenty of water and submerge it in equal parts olive and sunflower oil. Confit for 1 hour, drain and finish on the grill.
For the peanut paste, toast the peanuts for 10 minutes at 160 degrees. Once toasted, process all the ingredients into a smooth paste.
For the pickled carrot, cut the carrot into julienne. In a pot, heat water, vinegar and sugar. Once it comes to the boil, pour it over the carrots.
For the fried shallot, clean and peel the shallot. Cut into julienne, coat in cassava starch and fry in oil at 180 degrees until golden.
For the candied orange, peel the orange and remove the white pith so it does not add bitterness. Cut the peel into julienne, blanch it 3 times and set aside. In a pot, heat sugar and water; when it comes to the boil, cook the peel for 3 minutes. Remove and keep cold.
To assemble the dish, spread the peanut sauce, then the escarole salad, the pickled carrot and candied orange, the salsify, the fried shallot and, to finish, a sophisticated Merken Ahumado Patagónico by Argentine Delights.
Recipe · Germán Martitegui: Pak choi · corn · blue cheese
- Pak choi — 500 g
- Olive oil — 100 g
- Sunflower oil — 100 g
- Corn on the cob — 250 g
- Water — 2 l
- Butter — 300 g
- Salt — 10 g
METHOD
For the pak choi, wash it in plenty of water and cut it in half. Submerge it in equal parts olive oil and sunflower oil. Confit at 75 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oil and finish on the grill until golden.
For the corn broth, shuck the corn and keep the bare cobs. In a pot, simmer the water and the cobs over the lowest heat until reduced by half. Strain and, with a hand blender, emulsify with the butter while hot.
For the egg, heat water in a pot at low temperature until it reaches 65 degrees, and cook the egg from room temperature for 23 minutes. Remove from the pot and transfer to a bowl of ice. To regenerate it, place the egg in boiling water for 30 seconds.
To plate, pour in the corn broth, add the pak choi, the crumbled blue cheese, the slow-cooked egg and, over it, Cristales de Sal Marina Atlántica Natural de Península Valdés con Trufa Negra by Argentine Delights, taking the dish to another level.