Vegetables Root Vegetables Carrot Carrot Aguachile with Trout Roe Be the first to rate & review! Claudette Zepeda uses fresh carrot juice as the base for this aguachile, which is complemented by fresh ginger, spicy habanero, and scallions to amp up the flavor of the juice. Thin strips of carrot and cucumber are mixed and topped with salty smoked roe, thinly sliced red onion, and roasted cashews for a dish with deep layers of flavor and complex textures. For a vegan alternative, replace the trout roe with 1 bunch of roasted or grilled carrots. By Claudette Zepeda Claudette Zepeda Claudette Zepeda is an award-winning Mexican-American chef from San Diego known for her bold culinary style. She was the executive chef and creative force behind the critically acclaimed regional Mexican restaurant, El Jardin. Claudette competed on Top Chef Mexico Season 2 and Top Chef Season 15.Experience: Claudette Zepeda's distinctive culinary style was born out of a life lived on the border of two worlds and two food traditions, Tijuana and San Diego. She first came into prominence working under celebrated chef/restauranteur Javier Plascencia, a master of Baja Mediterranean cuisine and a native of Tijuana. Claudette describes her time at his restaurant, Bracero Cocina de Raiz, as attending "Caesar Academy" and that "it was a practice of discipline and perfection."When she partnered with Johan Engman's Rise & Shine Restaurant Group to open the upscale El Jardin Cantina in 2018, Claudette put her stamp on regional Mexican cooking. She designed a menu that paid homage to the women in her family who taught her how to cook and the ones she's met through her travels who keep Mexico's culinary traditions alive. Esquire named El Jardin one of the best new restaurants of 2018. In 2019, it was included on the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list.Claudette's work has also been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Forbes, Thrillist, Munchies, and San Diego Magazine, among others. She parted ways with El Jardin in 2019 and became the consulting executive chef of VAGA at Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas in 2020. In addition to appearances on shows like Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, Claudette devotes her time to helping women break out of generational poverty. She founded Viva La Vida in 2019, establishing micro-businesses with single mothers throughout Mexico so they can support their families by exporting their heirloom ingredients to the U.S. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 15, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 (1/2-ounce) habanero chile, stemmed 3 medium scallions (about 2 ounces), trimmed 1 cup store-bought carrot juice 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) ½ teaspoon fine sea salt 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 medium lime) 2 small multicolored carrots (about 2 ounces), scrubbed 2 medium (about 4-ounce) Persian cucumbers ½ cup smoked trout roe ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (from 1 small [5-ounce] onion) 3 tablespoons roasted cashews, roughly crushed Directions Cut habanero in half lengthwise. If desired, remove seeds. Set aside 1 habanero half. Reserve remaining habanero half for another use. Using a knife, separate white and light green parts of scallions from dark green parts. Thinly slice dark green parts on a sharp diagonal, and set aside. Combine carrot juice, ginger, salt, habanero half, and white and light green scallion parts in a blender; process until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into an airtight container, pressing solids in strainer to extract liquid; discard solids. Add lemon and lime juices, and stir to combine. Cover carrot broth, and refrigerate until ready to use or up to 12 hours. Fill a large bowl with ice water, and set aside. Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, thinly slice carrots lengthwise. (You'll have about 1/2 cup loosely packed slices.) Transfer carrot slices to ice water to shock. Thinly slice cucumbers lengthwise using mandoline. (You'll have about 1/2 cup loosely packed slices.) Transfer to bowl with carrots in ice water to shock. Let carrots and cucumbers stand 30 seconds. Remove from ice water, and transfer to a large bowl. Add refrigerated carrot broth, and toss lightly to coat. Place reserved dark green scallion parts in ice water, and let stand 30 seconds. Remove from water. Divide carrot broth mixture evenly among 4 shallow bowls, or spoon into 1 large bowl. Dollop roe evenly around carrot and cucumber slices. Sprinkle evenly with dark green scallion parts, onion, and cashews. Serve immediately. Make Ahead Carrot broth can be made up to 12 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Note Smoked trout roe is available online at paramountcaviar.com. Suggested Pairing Juicy, tart Sauvignon Blanc: Craggy Range Marlborough Rate it Print