101 bar and restaurant Recipes – Reykjavik, Iceland

Chef Gunnvant of 101 bar and restaurant in Reykjavik, Iceland shares his recipes for a delicious three-course menu, which Barman Einar Valur pairs with the 101 Naughty cocktail.

Reykjavik, Iceland is red hot these days and 101 bar restaurant has a chef and bar team that are as trendy as the destination. Edward F. Nesta and I stayed at 101 hotel in April 2007, where the 101 bar and restaurant drew a fashionable crowd like bees to honey.

We had dinner at the restaurant during our stay and met with Chef Gunnvant who described the Reykjavik culinary scene. "The food culture has changed very quickly in the last 20 years, as Icelanders are quick to adopt new ideas. There are so few people (population 290,000 in Iceland, 115,000 in Reykjavik the capital), things that happen slowly elsewhere move quickly here in Iceland. The Icelanders want their food spicy, and like Indian and Thai food. When it comes to Iceland cuisine trends, all trends from Europe and the United States come to Iceland. What's happening in London comes here quickly. The seafood is wonderful; it is our best product, and the fish tastes really fresh. What is caught in the morning is being cooked for lunch. Until around 7 years ago, the Icelandic people only exported cod, but now it is very popular here, as is haddock, halibut and monkfish. Before I opened the restaurant here in 2003, I worked at Við Tjörnina where the chef, Rúnar Marvinsson, was a pioneer in teaching people how to eat different types of seafood." 

Chef Gunnvant has Indian roots and loves spicy food, which comes across in his recipes at 101 bar and restaurant which features modern Icelandic and international cuisine with Indian influences. He has perfected adding "just the right amount" of spice in his recipes to add interest and appeal to an international audience. When not in the kitchen cooking, he likes to go trout fishing, which of course, he cooks when he gets home. In the case of an especially good catch, the trout will be on the menu for the lucky guests at 101 bar and restaurant.

The Menu

Sautéed Cod Roe with Leeks, Capers, and White Wine
Grilled Fillet of Lamb with Salsa Verde, Baked Red Onion, and Fondant Potatoes
Mango "Skyr" Mousse with 30-year old Sherry
101 Naughty

Sautéed Cod Roe with Leeks, Capers, and White Wine

Ingredients:   

Preparation: Wrap approximately 200 grams (7 ounces) cod roe in cling film (plastic wrap) and boil at low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the water, and chill in refrigerator. Remove the wrap and slice the roe. Baste with garlic oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Sauté for 1 minute on each side. Swirl finely chopped leeks and a few capers in the pan, add 1 tablespoon dry white wine, and 3 tablespoons fish stock. Simmer for 1.5 minutes, turn off heat, and add a pinch of butter and mix.

Grilled Fillet of Lamb with Salsa Verde, Baked Red Onion, and Fondant Potatoes

Salsa Verde Ingredients:   

Puree the ingredients in a food processor.

Fondant Preparation: Sauté peeled potatoes in a pan until golden brown. Put the potatoes into a metal pan in the oven; add enough vegetable stock to partially cover the potatoes. Bake at 180° C (350° F) for about 15 minutes.

Baked Red Onions Preparation: Slice and quarter the red onion. Bake with a little olive oil until tender.

Grilled Lamb Preparation: Season the fillet of lamb with salt, black pepper, and thyme. Grill for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Bake at 180° C (350° F) until cooked.

Mango "Skyr" Mousse with 30-year old Sherry

Beat together the egg yolks, sugar, and milk, in a steel bowl over hot water, until the mixture starts to thicken. Soak 4 sheets of gelatin in cold water for approximately 3 minutes. Remove the sheets and squeeze out most of the water. Stir the softened gelatin sheets into the warm egg mixture. Mix the skyr with the mango purée. Mix the egg mixture with the skyr and mango mixture. Whip the cream and then mix all of the mixtures together with a spatula. Pour into serving bowls and refrigerate for at least 5 hours. Dip the bowls into hot water for a second and carefully tip the mousse onto a plate to unmold. Decorate with fruit and a dash of sherry on top.

* Skyr is a very healthy, fat-free Icelandic soured dairy product that is thicker than yogurt. Available at some Whole Foods stores in the United States.

101 bar and restaurant located in the ultra-hip, boutique, 101 hotel, has a very creative cocktail menu to match Chef Gunnvant culinary menu. During our dinner at 101 bar and restaurant, we tried the very tasty 101 Naughty, their signature house drink, and convinced Barman Einar Valur to share his recipe with us.

101 Naughty   

Add Absolut Peppar, apricot brandy, apple juice and orange juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake hard and strain into a chilled martini glass. Shake the Sprite and spray it over the cocktail. Garnish with a flambéed orange zest.

Please read other articles on 101 hotel in the Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, and Chefs' Recipes (Icelandic) sections.

101 bar and restaurant
101 hotel
Hverfisgata 10
IS-101 Reykjavik
Iceland
Telephone:      +354-580-0101
Fax:                 +354-580-0100
Email:             101hotel@101hotel.is
www.101hotel.is  

Please read other articles on Iceland in the Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Chefs' Recipes, Spas, Fashion, and Adventures sections.

For information on Iceland, please visit the website: Icelandic Tourist Board: www.IcelandTouristBoard.com.

For information on Icelandair, please visit the website: Icelandair: www.icelandair.com.

For information on Hertz, please visit the website: www.Hertz.com.

© June 2007. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com All rights reserved.