Afuera Hay Más: Nelson’s recipe

Name: Afuera Hay Más: Nelson’s recipe
Total time: 120 s
Yield: 1
Ingredients: Cucumber; Fresh sea urchin; Cucumber; Egg whites; Olive oil; Garlic; Lulo juice; Greek yogurt; Sirop (half water/sugar); Jalapeños; Rocoto; Sunflower oil; Vinegar; Gelatine leaves; Water; Sea lettuce; Codium

23 Sep 2024

Nelson Freitas

Chef

Difficulty

Challenging

Total Time

2H 0MIN

Ingredients

Cucumber: 1

Fresh sea urchin: 1

Cucumber: 2.6 oz/75g

Egg whites: 1

Olive oil: 1.4 oz/40g

Garlic: 3/4 tsp/2g

Salt

Lulo juice: 0.3 oz/10 ml

Greek yogurt: 3.5 oz/100g

Sirop (half water/sugar): 1.8 oz/50g

Jalapeños: 3.5 oz/100g

Rocoto: 3.5 oz/100g

Sunflower oil: 6.8 oz/200ml

Vinegar: 3.4 oz/100ml

Salt

Gelatine leaves : 2

Albumin

Water: 1.8 oz/50g

Mashua morada cream

Sea lettuce: 1.8 oz/50g

Codium: 1.8 oz/50g

Learn to make the dish Nelson Freitas presents to Virgilio Martínez in the S.Pellegrino documentary, Afuera Hay Más—A Young Chef’s Journey.

How to make Nelson Freitas’ dish from Afuera Hay Más

01.

For the cucumber mayo

Blend 2.6 oz/75g cucumber, one egg white, garlic, salt, and lulo juice. Then add the olive oil slowly to make an emulsion. Season and keep in the fridge.

02.

For the compressed cucumber

Cut the cucumber without any seeds into triangles and put them in the sea urchin water to absorb some flavor.

03.

Preparing the sea urchin

Open the sea urchin carefully with scissors from the top and delicately remove all the water and leave the tongues attached.

04.

For the mashua morada ice cream

Blend Greek yogurt and sirop and freeze in a pacojet container.

05.

For the rocoto and jalapeño foam

Prepare a base mixing the jalapeño, rocoto, oil, vinegar, and salt.

Mix 200g of the base with gelatine leaves, albumin, 50g water and the mashua morada cream and put in a siphon. Reserve in the fridge.

06.

Plating

Create a round shape with the sea lettuce and codium. Put the cleaned sea urchin on top of the seaweed. Display the cucumber mayo in the center of the sea urchin tongues. Put three compressed cucumber triangles on top of the mayo. Make a quenelle with the ice cream and cover everything with the foam. Decorate with seasonal flowers.

Nelson Freitas

23 Sep 2024

Peru

Modern Fine Dining

The Chef

Born in Viana do Castelo in northern Portugal, Freitas realized early on that his aspirations set him apart from his peers—his passion lay not in football but in cooking. He pursued culinary studies in Viana do Castelo and Coimbra, establishing a foundation to propel him into fine dining. Early internships at Michelin-starred establishments, such as Relais de la Poste in Magescq, France, and Vila Joya in Albufeira, Portugal, provided formative experiences. Under Dieter Koschina's and Matteo Ferrantino's mentorship, Freitas was introduced to the intricacies of haute cuisine.

Freitas’ professional career gained momentum when he secured his first role at Serge Vieira’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Cantal, France. He fondly remembers this time as a transformative chapter guided by a chef he greatly admired. Freitas continued to expand his international repertoire, working at Purnell’s in Birmingham, UK, and later as Sous Chef at Lisbon’s Fifty Seconds by Martin Berasategui, a Michelin-starred destination. These roles honed his skills and shaped his distinctive culinary style.

Known for his inventive presentations and bold flavor combinations, Freitas reimagines classic dishes through a modern lens while honoring his Portuguese roots. This signature approach gained international recognition at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, where the young chef competed against other top chefs worldwide. His winning dish—crispy red mullet with sea urchin and homemade black garlic—championed his homeland and captivated a panel of esteemed judges, including Pia León and Hélène Darroze.

As part of his S.Pellegrino prize, Freitas collaborated with renowned chef Virgilio Martínez at Central in Lima, Peru. This mentorship, documented in the S.Pellegrino film Afuera Hay Más—A Young Chef’s Journey, offered transformative insights. Martínez, whose restaurant Central ranks among the world’s best, guided Freitas in exploring the interplay of creativity, precision, and sustainability. Immersed in Peru’s vibrant culinary scene, Freitas deepened his commitment to responsible cooking practices and crafting dishes that reflect local ecosystems.

Today, Freitas is a trailblazer in Portuguese cuisine, advancing its global prominence through his talent, creativity, and dedication. Positioned as an inspiring force in international gastronomy, he continues to shape the future of modern dining.

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