Capa: Spanish and Basque Cuisine with a Dash of Modern by Liliane Opsomer

What do you get when you combine Spanish and Basque cuisine and add a dash of modern? Easy—you get Capa, the signature restaurant located on the 17th floor of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World. And, best of all, Fabrizio Schenardi, the Executive Chef of the resort, shared with me two of his recipes, one currently on the menu at Capa, and a second, seasonal recipe, that I successfully executed in preparation for the upcoming holidays.

But first let me tell you a bit more about Capa. The menu includes an amazing assortment of tapas, such as Medjool Dates stuffed with almonds and wrapped in bacon and perfectly paired with maple syrup and the sweet-sour flavor of tamarind.

Gambas are served with egg yolk and celery root chips, while the octopus small dish comes with Garbanzo beans seasoned with paprika. For the Coliflor dish see recipe below.

An unusual combination pairs chorizo-spicy deviled eggs with salmon roe on a bed of seaweed.

Pricy but absolutely amazing and great to share with a larger party is the jamón de Bellota. This dry-cured, acorn-fed black-hoof Iberico jamón is to die for. Check out the jamón proudly on display at the open kitchen.

My favorite small plate was the pork belly with rhubarb and hazelnuts.

For the big hunger, go for the 32-oz. Porterhouse from Creekstone Farms in Arkansas City, Kansas. If that sounds a bit overwhelming after all the tapas, there is the 16-oz. bone-in rib-eye, a prime cut hailing from the Demkota Ranch in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The 12-oz. Iberico Pork Chop imported from Chacinerias Diaz in the Spanish province of Salamaca is dry aged for 30 days. All three meats are wood-fired over oak.

If there is still room for dessert, go for the churros with chocolate and dulce de leche. If you prefer to end the evening with a nice glass of wine, I recommend the chef’s selection of artisan cheeses.

Talking about wine, the extensive list includes more than 50 wines from Spain. Capa made the list of top 100 wine restaurants in the United States by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

At Capa, Enjoy a Fabulous Meal and Fireworks

Capa’s overall feel is elegant with enough vibrant colors for it to feel chic yet hip. Feast your eyes on the stunning paper work of Dutch artist Peter Genetenaar floating on the restaurant’s ceiling.

Last but not least, the patio of the restaurant is a great place to start or end your meal with a signature cocktail or a glass of wine and enjoy the nightly fireworks over Walt Disney World.

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Recipes by Chef Fabrizio Schenardi

Roasted Pumpkin Bisque with Truffle Cream and Chives

Pumpkin
1 pumpkin
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut pumpkin into small manageable pieces and cut off pith and seeds. Place cut pumpkin, skin side up, in a large roasting pan. Add 1/4 inch water, and bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour or until tender. When cooled, cut away skin and set meat aside.

Bisque
1½ tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
3 cups roasted pumpkin
1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Garnish: freshly cut chives

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add onion; cook on medium heat until translucent. Add stock, pumpkin, potato, thyme, and nutmeg. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked and soft. Carefully puree soup with a hand blender or a regular blender. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Soup should be thick and coat the back of the spoon.

Truffle Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons white truffle oil
Salt

Whip cream until stiff peaks form; add truffle oil and salt.

Put soup in a bowl and add a tablespoon of the truffle cream. Garnish, if desired. I added a dash of nutmeg and finely chopped walnuts; don’t tell the chef!

Picture 9 (Roasted Pumpkin Bisque)

Coliflor (Fried Cauliflower with Poached Egg and Smoked Caper Dressing)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon green capers
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons smoked olive oil
Vegetable oil
1 small cauliflower head, broken up into small florets
Salt
1 egg
Freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, lightly pulse capers, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and smoked olive oil. (Dressing will not be smooth.)

Heat vegetable oil in a fryer or pan. Bring a 2-quart pot of water to a simmer.

Carefully drop cauliflower florets into oil using a basket. After a minute, cauliflower should be browning. Remove from fryer.

Toss cauliflower with a pinch of salt and half of the caper dressing. Crack egg into a small dish and gently drop into the simmering water. Stir water with a slotted spoon, being careful not to agitate the egg too much. After 2 minutes, using a slotted spoon, gently take the egg out of the water.

Arrange cauliflower on a plate, and place the poached egg in the center. Drizzle remaining caper dressing over cauliflower. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Liliane Opsomer is the coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids.

She visits the Orlando theme parks several times a year.