Anyone looking for metropolitan gastronomy will find it at the FG Restaurant. Located near the busy waterways of the harbour in Rotterdam, globetrotter François Geurds shows us how restaurateurs should be spoiling their guests today. The energy in his restaurant is similar to that which you might experience in a metropolitan city. Literally every single detail in this restaurant has been well considered, and as you enter the restaurant, it feels as if you are making your way straight through the kitchen. Nothing here is left to coincidence: the footwear in the kitchen, the efficiency and panache of the hospitality team as they pour the aperitifs; it is not far off a live show. They have even added a champion barista to offer top-quality service to every guest, from start to finish. The best way to describe the cuisine here, is worldly, where intricate techniques are not meant to impress, yet make the most of each and every ingredient. In short, it is modern indulgence in its purest from.
Soak the veal tongue and the veal cheeks (cleaned and trimmed) separately in a brine with 8% salt, for 24 hours. Rinse well, then vacuum pack the tongue with a generous amount of olive oil, and cook sous vide for 8 hours in warm water at 65°C/150°F. Stew the veal cheeks in the veal jus, leave to cool in the liquid and pull off the meat in thin strips. Clean the scallops, cut into thin slices, season with salt and pepper and store in the fridge. Sweat the coral with the razor clams in olive oil, deglaze with the fond blanc and simmer for a few minutes. Pass the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, add the milk and reduce to the desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper and thicken à la minute into a foam with the cold butter. Cut the chicory julienne and fry on a high heat with a little olive oil. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar and season to taste. Spoon some of the stewed veal cheeks on the plate and dress with the chicory. Cover with slices of pata negra and place the raw scallops against it. Place slices of the veal tongue on the other side of the plate and garnish with caviar. Generously cover with the foam.
Rinse the sweetbreads and soak in brine for 24 hours. Rinse again well, and vacuum pack. Cook sous vide in warm water at 65°C/150°F for 6 hours. Peel the new potatoes and cook sous vide with some olive oil. Leave the potatoes to steam dry and mix with milk and a generous helping of cold knobs of butter. Thicken well using the Epoisses and season to taste if necessary. Cook the vitelotte potatoes with the skins, then peel and mix the potato into a smooth puree with some of the potato water. Spread a thin layer onto a silicon mat and put into the oven at 70°C/160°F to dry. Remove and break into pieces. Turn the chervil root, vacuum pack with a good quantity of olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook in a combi-steamer at 100°C/210°F. Cut the sweetbreads into cubes, coat lightly with flour and fry in sizzling butter until crunchy and golden brown. Spoon some puree into a dish and press the sweetbreads and chervil root into it. Push in toast, dried fennel and the crisps here and there, and garnish with the Atsina cress and pieces of oyster leaves.
Soak the washed neck of veal in brine (8%) for 24 hours (preferably overnight). Rinse well the next day and vacuum pack. Cook sous vide in warm water for 8 hours at 65°C/150°F. Cool and cut into thin slices using a meat slicer. Rub with a little olive oil and use a charcoal grill for good grill marks. Vacuum pack half of the cauliflower with a generous amount of olive oil and cook in a combisteamer at 100°C/210°F. Remove from the vacuum pack and process in a blender until smooth. Cut part of the cauliflower into small florets and fry in beurre noisette until golden brown. Draw a stripe of the creamed cauliflower on the plate and place slices of the neck of veal on top. Cover with the fried cauliflower florets, sourdough croutons and dried cauliflower. Cut the anchovies into strips and place in between the cauliflower. Grate some nutmeg and raw cauliflower over the dish at the table, and finish with a spoonful of beurre noisette.
