Food

If you are what you eat, then it could be said that chefs are what they cook. Whether it be peas, apricots, or sea urchin, the answers are as varied as the chefs themselves. William Ledeuil, the head chef at Ze Kitchen Galerie in Paris, talks about lemongrass.

Why is lemongrass your

favourite ingredient?
Because it brings to mind freshness, healthy cooking, and aromas.

What’s your favourite memory associated with the product?
The amazing broths I tasted in Thailand, that were made with lemongrass.

When is the ingredient in season?
In Paris, it can be found all year round in the city’s Chinatown district.

What’s the best way to cook the ingredient?
I use it in almost all my recipes — to season broths and add a fragrant touch, in the cooking of vegetables with olive oil, to make a gravy, to add flavour to fish, to season a seafood sauce or for seasoning and making condiments.

What other ingredients can it be paired with?
It can be paired with any ingredient. Lemongrass adds flavour. It seasons and brings depth to the ingredients it’s paired with.

Can you share with us any tips for cooking this ingredient?
Here’s a tip: crush the stick before using it to infuse a broth, cut the lemongrass into thin diagonal slices for taste. But, don’t grill it.