Breeze Ocean Kitchen Serves Views & Flavor

Beachside dining upped its game with Breeze Ocean Kitchen, Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa’s epicurean ode to the ocean. Seating 120 in true alfresco fashion, the chic open-air space is dotted with design elements that enhance, not detract, the views of Eau’s private stretch of beach, while technological wonders like the GPS-controlled slat roof shading a laidback lounge can open and close to protect from rain and glare. The central hub of the space, the ideal surf lookout/bar, features craft cocktails created by Food and Beverage Director Tito Rodriguez-Torres, and a tap tree highlighting some of Palm Beach County’s best craft beers.

   Part of the new dining experiences Executive Chef Josh Thomsen has enacted since joining the crew in 2015, Breeze Ocean Kitchen takes Floridian seafood favorites and infuses them with global flair—the spices and styles of the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia make for subtle, delicious surprises.

   “Breeze Ocean Kitchen offers one of Palm Beach County’s few oceanfront dining experiences, and certainly one of the most spectacular,” Chef Thomsen said. “We’ve created a stunning retreat that lets you relax with the sound of the waves, the ocean breeze in your hair, while indulging in a menu with bright flavors, such as our Cubano Tacos, Ceviche, and Mojo Florida Pink Shrimp Skewers. Sit back and enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail, local draft beer or ‘spiked’ milkshake.”

   Open daily for lunch and cocktails (11 a.m.-5 p.m.), and evening tapas and cocktails (5-7 p.m.), Ocean Breeze Kitchen is certain to be the it oceanfront dining destination. For more information, visit eaupalmbeach.com/explore/dining.

To celebrate this haute dining destination, Chef Thomsen has shared a few recipes with us: Cubano Tacos and Grouper Ceviche; and their backstory.

Cubano Tacos

A Cuban sandwich is a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich that was often made in cafes catering to Cuban workers in the early Cuban immigrant communities of Florida: Key West and Tampa. Later on, Cuban exiles and expatriates brought it to Miami where it is also still very popular. Here is our fresh take “food truck style”.

Ingredients:

• 3.5 pounds pork shoulder  
• 1 cup orange juice  
• 1/2 cup lime juice  
• 1/3 cup tamarind paste liquid  
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt  
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano  
• 1 teaspoon cumin  
• dash ground pepper  

Method:

To make the tamarind liquid, mix 3 tbsp of tamarind paste with 1/4 cup of boiled water. Using the back of a spoon or a fork, mash the paste into the water until you get most of the tamarind pulp distributed in the water. Strain and reserve this liquid. 

   In a large bowl big enough for the pork shoulder stir the orange juice, lime juice, tamarind liquid, garlic and all the spices. Cut your pork shoulder into 3 large chunks, trimming off as much of the excess fat. Place your pork into the bowl with the marinade and briefly massage the orange marinade over each side and piece of the pork. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. 

Once your pork is marinated, preheat your oven to 350º and pat dry all the pieces of pork. In a Dutch oven, brown all the pieces on each side. Cover the pot and cook the pork in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the pieces are fork tender and begin to fall apart if you pull at them gently. More fat will have drained from the pork and you can remove some of this, but you’ll want to leave in most to keep the shredded pork moist. 

   Place your Dutch oven over the stovetop and on low heat start shredding the pork. You can add some of the reserved marinade liquid to the pork as you shred it. 

Serve the pulled pork with warm corn tortillas, chopped cilantro, fresh lime wedges, shredded Swiss cheese and pickles. 

Grouper Ceviche

Raw seafood is cooked by the citrus juice! Now don’t wrinkle your nose! You would never know the seafood was not cooked prior to serving. Make sure to always use the freshest ingredients and dice the fish into uniform pieces, so they cook evenly in the citrus juice. You may substitute many types of seafood like scallops, halibut, red snapper, flounder, or swordfish.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless grouper fillets, cut into 1/4-inch dice 
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice 
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced 
• 1/2 cup finely diced red bell peppers 
• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow bell peppers 
• 1/2 thinly sliced small red onion 
• 1 minced small garlic clove 
• Pinch of ground cumin 
• Pinch of crushed red pepper 
• Salt 
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

In a large bowl, toss the diced fish with the lime juice, lemon juice, jalapeño, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper and season with salt. 

    Refrigerate the grouper ceviche for 30 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and extra-virgin olive oil and serve freshly crisp chips of your choice.

Photos courtest of Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa