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HoustonChronicle @HoustonChron STARFLF AVVOROR Houston Chronicle | Section D 77 We dnesday, August 17,2016 HoustonChronicle.com and Chron.com

VEGETARIAN Relish fresh flavors? Make a chutney

By Visi R. Tilak

One of the bestthingsabout coming home after school in southern India was the arrayofamazing snacks my mother made for me on difer- entdays: green chutney and tomato chutney tea sand- wiches; crudités of seasonal vegetables with atangyyogurt dip; acrunchy saladwithfried goodies, potatoes and onions, dressed with alovely cilantro chutney;chapati flatbreads rolled in cheese and asweet and tangyrelish. After Igrewupand moved several thousand miles away, my method of shunning loneliness and banish- ing ahomesickfeeling wastothrowtogether aquickchutney or relishand use it as adip with pita, torti- lla chipsorsomestore-bought baby-cut carrots and celery sticks.Itwould sometimes morph into aspreadfor a grilled cheese sandwichorbe- come the topping for amix of chopped veggies. Occasionally Iwould spreadthe chutney on achapati or tortilla, throw in some vegetables and cheese and makeawrapout of it.It would makeafabulous ac- companimentfor those quiet With opening times when Ijustwanted to look throughphoto booksor of posh Le Colonial, readold letters and cards. Le Gradually, thosechutneys NicoleRouthier’s career Colonial’s (a blended texture)and relish- comesfull circle—awin BunThit Nuong es (distinct textures)evolved. Istated playing around with forHouston diners diferentcombinations of the main ingredients alongside what wasavailable locallyand seasonally. My yogurt-based raita contained avocado,an uncommon ingredientinthe Indian dishes of my youth, or Vietnamese chef acombination of red onion, carrot and jalapeño. During graduateschool days,Iusedwhateveringre- dientwas the cheapest. As Chutney continues on D5 gets back to roots

By Greg Morago to have afamily.” Routhier respected her ICOLE mother’s wishes for her Routhier young adult life,spent didn’t play studying in Belgium and with paper France,before moving to dolls. Butshe NewYorkin1979. Onlyaf- haNdagrand time with pa- ter her mother died in 1980 per playthingsofadiferent did Routhier consider in- kind. As achild growing up dulging her curiosity about in Saigon, shecut out life as achef.Insteadof pictures of food from playing make-believe magazines —appe- with pictures of tizers, entrees, des- PROFILE food, though, she serts —and placed gotbusybuilding a them in her school legitimate culinary notebook.When she career. daydreamed about a And thatcareer has life in food, she’dtakeout come full circle in the most her manylittle cutouts and unlikelyofplaces —Hous- arrangethem as if shewere ton —withthe opening setting atable. of the newLeColonial “I knewatanearly age restaurantatRiver Oaks Iwanted to do something District. Routhier,you see, with food,” Routhier says. collaborated on the French/ Butarestaurantlife,let Vietnamese menuofthe alone acareer as achef, original Le Colonial that wassomething her mother opened to greatfanfare Julie Soefer photos discouragedher from in NewYorkin1993. It’s Nicole Routhier, aHoustoncookinginstructorand seeking:“Shesaid it is not still goingstrong today. In author of “The FoodsofVietnam,” has joined the agood business if youwant Routhier continues on D4 team at thenew Le Colonial restaurant. Dixie D. Vereen Spicy,Sweet and Sour Pineapple-Jalapeño Relish. Recipe,pageD5

GARDEN VARIETY LIGHTER FARE Spread the Dressing up love around greenbeans FreshHerbYogurt Cheese Clementine oranges and is justthe ticket forbounty feta lend asweet-tart zing of summer herbs. Page D3 to salad. Page D3 D4 | Wednesday, August 17, 2016 | Houston Chronicle | HoustonChronicle.com and chron.com xx FROM THE COVER

Julie Soefer photos Nicole Routheir has guided the new Le Colonial in creating a menu of authentic Vietnamese food in a lighter, cleaner and wholly authentic presentation. Routhier returns to Le Colonial fold in Houston Routhier from page D1 stitute of America at Hyde Vietnamese Park, N.Y. The school told fact, the Le Colonial that her she needed at least Cabbage Salad Routhier helped launch six months of commercial with Pulled led to another success- kitchen experience in ad- Chicken and ful opening in Chicago in dition to references. Texas Pink 1996. “I was young and stu- So when the restau- pid. I quit my job,” says Grapefruit rant’s partners were Routhier, who at the time (Goi Ga) flirting with the idea of was working in the tour- opening a restaurant in ism industry, “and started Courtesy of Nicole Routhier Houston, they decided knocking on doors, Makes 4 to 6 servings as a to find Routhier — who asking for jobs.” One of starter or light entrée had since gone on to the doors she knocked on become a Vietnamese wasaNew Yo rk cooking VINAIGRETTE food expert and cooking school. She begged for a 2 Thai chili peppers, finely instructor — and include shot, saying she’d do any- chopped her in the high-profile thing in the kitchen, even 3 garlic cloves, finely launch. Routhier had wash dishes. The school chopped left New Yo rk in 1997 to was closed for the sum- 2 tablespoons sugar move to Houston for her mer. But a kind stafer 1 tablespoon rice vinegar husband’s job. And even gave her a list of places 3 tablespoons fresh lime though it had been more looking for culinary help, Cari Tom (Texas Gulf shrimp sautéed with bamboo shoots, snap peas and juice than 20 years since she and after many phone zucchini in a fragrant green curry sauce) is served at Le Colonial, a new 3 tablespoons brainstormed for the first calls (once she told them restaurant at River Oaks District. Vietnamese fish sauce, Le Colonial, Routhier she had no experience preferably Three Crabs agreed to join the team she often heard a click), cuisine in New Yo rk. brand as a partner and culinary a gourmet deli gave her a Routhier, whose mother 2 tablespoons canola oil director. chance. was a fine Vietnamese Freshly ground black “It came out of the She immediately went cook, ofered to cook for pepper blue,” Routhier says, to work making sand- him. 1 medium red onion, explaining how Le wiches, soups and salads Days later, he called to sliced paper-thin, rinsed Colonial founder Rick — working of recipe take her up on the ofer. under cold water, and Wahlstedt and partner Joe cards provided by the She thought she’d make blotted dry King reconnected with owner, who later provided him just a few dishes. No, her and persuaded her glowing references for her Claiborne had in mind a SALAD to sign on. After all, a lot CIA application. “little banquet” to be pre- 8 ounces chicken tenders has changed in the two “When I started I was pared at his home in the 3 tablespoons roasted decades since the Chicago so nervous, but I couldn’t Hamptons. So she lugged unsalted peanuts outpost debuted. let my fear show,” she all her stuf to his home 4 cups very finely But it made sense, the says. “But I did it. I dis- and cooked up a storm, shredded white partners say. In the now covered, gee, I had it in which Claiborne happily cabbage 59-year-old Routhier they me.” consumed along with his 1 cup very finely shredded found a local talisman That hard work got friend, Jacques Pépin. red cabbage and a reason to go back to her into school in 1982; When the story came 1 cup shredded carrot the future. she graduated in 1985, out, she was immediately 1 large pink grapefruit, “Houston was on our which turned out to be a bombarded with ofers, skin and pith trimmed agenda for a number of watershed year. A week which led to a contract of, fruit sectioned reasons,” King says. “A nd before her graduation, with the prestigious Stew- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, it was natural for us to the New Yo rk Times art, Tabori and Chang for Le Colonial ofers Goi Ga (red and green cabbage coarsely chopped go back to where it all published a story about her first cookbook, the salad with pulled chicken, Texas pink grapefruit, ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves began.” Routhier’s mastery of seminal “The Foods of herbs and chili garlic vinaigrette). Recipe at right. Where it began for Vietnamese cooking. And Vietnam,” published in Instructions: Make the Routhier was certainly the praise came from 1989. The book won the vinaigrette: Combine the not as glamorous as the the highest source in the Julia Child Award for Best the grandfather of the that she added to Goi chilies, garlic, sugar, vinegar, posh restaurant that foodie realm, none other American Cookbook from restaurant with a lounge,” Ga (a salad of cabbage, lime juice, fish sauce, oil and opened last week after than Craig Claiborne, the the International Associa- Wahlstedt says. That pulled chicken, aromatic black pepper in a bowl. a string of A-list private newspaper’s food editor. tion of Culinary Profes- same concept is at play herbs and chili garlic Stir to dissolve the sugar, parties. No, Routhier’s While Routhier sionals. at River Oaks District, vinaigrette), and the Gulf then mix in the onion. Set introduction to the food was still in school she Her second book, where Le Colonial’s shrimp employed in Cari aside. world began in a bit of had written a letter to “Cooking Under Wraps,” main dining room is on Tom (a sauté of shrimp, Poach the chicken: Bring entry-level frenzy when Claiborne, who had later won the IACP award the ground floor and the bamboo shoots, snap peas a pot of salted water (1 she decided she wanted to bemoaned the lack of for Best Single Subject in lounge is upstairs. and zucchini in a green tablespoon salt to 1 quart enroll at the Culinary In- authentic Vietnamese 1994. Her third cookbook, Routhier left New Yo rk curry sauce). water) to a boil. 1996’s “Nicole Routhier’s in 1997 with her husband, Routhier recognizes Slide in the chicken Fruit Cookbook,” was Anthony Laudin, whose that haute Vietnamese tenders and immediately a James Beard Award work in health care may be a hard sell in a turn of the heat. nominee for Best Single information technology city with an abundance of Cover the pan, and let Subject cookbook. brought them to Houston. good, authentic Vietnam- the tenders poach gently The acclaim from Since then, she spent her ese food. The Vietnamese until their juices run clear “The Foods of Vietnam” time teaching cooking community, she says, is when pierced with the tip changed Routhier’s life. classes and workshops at naturally going to be the of a paring knife, about 10 It also led to her hire as Central Market and Sur most skeptical about Le minutes. consulting chef for Le la Table. She was almost Colonial’s menu. “I say Drain, and refresh the Colonial’s 1993 debut in ready to retire when Le you have to give us a try. chicken under cold running New Yo rk. Founder Wahl- Colonial came calling. Yo u have to see what water. Blot dry with paper stedt, who had worked at “At this point in my life, we’re doing.” towels. downtown hotspot Indo- I wanted to be invested in She’s very proud of Using a fork or your chine, recalled the instant something meaningful,” what she’s doing. And fingers, pull the chicken meat popularity of Le Colonial. she says. She accepted the completely committed to into fine shreds. Set aside. Not only was it tagged as ofer to become a partner the success of the brand Place the peanuts in a dry the uptown Indochine, it and guide the new Le Co- she helped launch so skillet over moderate heat was a game-changer in lonial — working with ex- many years ago. Her new and cook, stirring constantly the city’s restaurant scene. ecutive chef Dan Nguyen job is probably the cap until the nuts turn golden The concept of fine dining — to create a menu of au- on a career that almost brown, about 5 minutes. on the ground floor and a thentic Vietnamese food wasn’t. Cool, then coarsely chop by lounge on the second floor but done in a presentation “Physically, hand. Set aside. was unusual for its time. that was lighter, cleaner emotionally, it’s the In a large mixing bowl, “To put the bar on the and wholly authentic. hardest work you can do,” combine the chicken, second floor was unheard “I’m not into foam, she says of her restaurant cabbages, carrot, grapefruit of,” Wahlstedt says. “We sous vide or deconstruc- life that went from make- sections, mint, cilantro and were told, ‘Nobody’s go- tion,” Routhier says. “It believe to a real-life fairy half of the peanuts. ing to want to go there.’” has to be honest from the tale. “But we do what we Drizzle with the But they came (the pan to the plate.” do because we love it.” vinaigrette and toss well. Barry Dillers, the Uma She also wanted Transfer the salad to a Canh Chua (tangy tamarind broth with shrimp and Thurmans, the Lee to work in some lo- serving platter and sprinkle pineapple) is served at Le Colonial, a new restaurant Radziwills), and Le cal flavors, such as the [email protected] with the remaining chopped at River Oaks District. Colonial was a hit. “It was Texas pink grapefruit twitter.com/gregmorago peanuts. Serve well chilled.