Lifestyle Mirror

More often than not, the palate—like language—is strongly determined by its owner's origins. Kurt Gutenbrunner—author of the new cookbook, Neue Cusine: The Elegant Tastes of Vienna, and chef of New York’s Viennese hot spots Wallsé, Blaue Gans, Café Kristall, and the Neue Galerie’s Cafe Sabarsky—is certainly no exception to the rule.

“Growing up in Austria, the food that we had was the food that we grew ourselves,” says Gutenbrunner of his childhood in Wallsee, a small village along the Danube River roughly 75 miles outside of Vienna. “I keep that in mind with the food that I serve today and always use the freshest, best quality ingredients from local farms.”

While he and his family weren’t farmers in the strict sense, Gutenbrunner grew up raising rabbits and pigs, cultivating beets and horseradish, making jams and syrups, and pickling vegetables according to the seasons. These fundamental flavors, and the strong cultural traditions they evoke, remain ever-present in Gutenbrunner’s recipes—even as they challenge the usual misconception of heaviness associated with the fare.

“Austrian cuisine uses fresh herbs and vegetables to highlight the flavors of dishes. Unlike many of the other cuisines that New York City is known for, Austrian cuisine—at least in my restaurants—remains authentic to its origins,” he says. “I keep things balanced and light.”

For a taste of chef’s experience along the Danube, Gutenbrunner offers Lifestyle Mirror a recipe for spring pea soup with pineapple mint, straight from Neue Cuisine—a compendium of far more than just recipes from his restaurants. “I worked hard to be sure that my book includes not only my recipes, but also highlights of Austrian culture and art,” he says. With Gutenbrunner’s deep connection to his heritage, a fully communicated experience would seem unavoidable. —Sasha Levine (@sashalevine)

Spring Pea Soup With Pineapple Mint
From Neue Cuisine

8 Servings
8 cups vegetable stock
3 cups sheled peas (1 pound)
1 bunch of mint (about 1 ½ ounces), preferably pineapple mint, stems discarded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Fresh lemon juice

In a large pot fitted with a colander, bring the boiling stock to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add half of the peas to the stock and cook until tender, roughly five minutes. Add the mint leaves and cook briefly for about one minute. Remove the colander from the stock, letting the stock drain back into the pot, and immediately pour the peas and mint into ice water to cool as quickly as possible, one to two minutes; drain.

Working in batches, use a blender to purée the cooked peas and mint with the remaining peas and stock. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Transfer to a large saucepan and warm over high heat until hot. Serve immediately.