Aubergine dinner

What’s so special about this pan-fried Austalian rack of lamb, braised veal cheek, pan-seared French duck foie gras in port wine jus served with potato gnocchi,  decorated with the signature Aubergine milk foam, and seasoned with sea salt from France? Its balsamic vegetable stew of zucchini, lentils, shiitake and button mushrooms livened up with pumpkin as colorant had a sprinkling of psyllium fiber.

I heard about the psyllium plant only this June, from two friends who seemed to have shrunk in size after just months of not seeing them. Turns out they both have started regularly taking psyllium fiber.

Psyllium flourishes in India and the Middle East and has been popular in the UK, Australia and the US. According to a friend, doctors in the UAE prescribe it to their patients as part of their daily diet. The plant’s husk has long been recognized for its superior fiber count in comparison to other grains. As per a study conducted by a BFAD-certified laboratory, psyllium has up to 14x more natural fiber than oatmeal and cereal .

In the recently concluded C-Lium High-Fiber Cook-off, two things that I like came together with psyllium fiber and Aubergine Restaurant Patisserie,  a place I got to visit once when it was newly opened. Hosted by the very smart actor and restaurateur Rachel Alejandro of The Sexy Chef Cafe, the event featured Aubergine executive chef Stefan Langenhan and sous chef Samuel Linder together with Filipino celebrity chef Tristan Encarnacion whipping up healthy high-fiber gourmet meals using C-Lium Fibre. (Left photo) Dr. Eliseo T. Banaynal, a Fellow of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center Natural Product Research Institute in Seoul, Korea and Medical Director of Pascual Laboratories, Philippine distributor of the C-Lium Fibre brand, shares the benefits of psyllium fiber with the media. Made of 100%  imported psyllium fiber, C-Lium helps:

assist in removing waste and toxins from the colon and intestines

promote regular bowel movement

act as natural fat absorber which aids weight and blood sugar management (controls diabetes)

lower cholesterol levels which may reduce the risk of heart disease

C-lium Fibre has no additives, preservatives, no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. It is cholesterol, yeast and gluten-free.

The day’s special dishes were prepared at Aubergine’s famous “show” kitchen. On a regular day or evening, guests enjoy the view of ISCAHM senior students (for whom Aubergine was built as a training facility for internship)  and their professional chef instructors synchronistically creating delicious kitchen magic!

Known for promoting well-being with its innovative array of healthful choices that use only the freshest seasonal ingredients, Aubergine let Chef Stefan (left) show guests how to prepare a gorgeous breakfast dish made of poached quail egg, truffled parsley mousse cream,  parma ham, sauce hollandaise and baked tomato stuffed with scrambled egg, toasted whole grain bread and smoked salmon. If breakfasts were always like this, I promise to eat my breakfast everyday!

 

Chef Samuel (who came from the same hotel I worked for, Burj Al Arab in Dubai)  is shown here working our Aubergine lunch with admirable precision. The meal consisted of perfectly grilled lobster, scallops and norwegian salmon in orange beurre blanc. The risotto with which it was served was not of typical arborio rice but of barley-green pea. Served with crisp asparagus spears, the vegetable risotto cooked al dente in garlic and butter tasted just as creamy. I couldn’t stop thinking and talking about it to a foodie friend that I went back with her a few days later

“Research also indicates that psyllium incorporated into food products is more effective at reducing blood glucose response than use of a soluble-fiber supplement that is separate from the food … As a thickener, it is used in ice cream and frozen desserts.” (Source: Wikipedia)  (Photo) Sherbet that tasted like real guava made for a very refreshing palate cleanser in between the breakfast/lunch/dinner-in-one-sitting! A colorful dessert of fresh fruit salad with pistachio ice cream and hazelnut crumble, iced tea and fruit juice were also fortified with psyllium fiber.

See the amount of food I have to deal with because of work? Although as a personal habit (and policy) I take only a few bites and not totally wipe my plates clean, through the years all the fats, cholesterol and sugar I get to consume could still take a toll on my health. My friends have taken psyllium in powder form mixed in orange juice. I, the masochist  more “courageous” one, take the husk format (imagining that this is closest to nature) and mix it with just water. One caveat: you must drink it right away before it quickly turns into gel*! Each time, it leaves me with a feeling of fullness — it takes over an hour before I get hungry. For those on the go, C-Lium is just one clean pop away in capsule form. I get my supply at the local mall drugstores.

Lastly, this is a natural product but as with anything, moderation is key

*hydrocolloid - a substance that forms a gel with water (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)

Also see plantago-seed mucilage.

www.cliumfibre.com

Photos courtesy of Campaigns & Grey

Aubergine Restaurant Patisserie
32nd and 5th Building
5th Avenue cor. 32nd Street
Fort Bonifacio 1634Taguig City, Philippines
Tel: +(63) (02) 856 9888

More on Aubergine food in this post.In the news:

Aubergine makes it to Asia’s Top 20 2009-2010 Miele Guide.