IDEAS IN FOOD

Photo Shoot

We just finished up a photo shoot for MouCo Cheese. If you have been following along for a number of years you will have seen and heard us talk about MouCo.  They are a small cheese producer in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Their cheese, three varieties now, made a distinct impression on our palates and soon became a staple in our Colorado pantry.

Ingredients influence and guide the development of our cooking and MouCo cheeses were no exception.  We included the Camembert in picnic baskets and paired the ColoRouge with musk melon and licorice.  Robert, the cheese maker, really enjoyed our work with his cheese and eventually approached us to do a series of pictures for him.  How could we say no?  Last year we were sent a box of assorted cheeses: Camembert, ColoRouge, Blu.  The task, to create dishes around each and photograph both the naked cheese and it's various extrapolations.  What a pleasure.  We were familiar with the cheeses and we had a few ideas to begin with.  Take a fresh box of cheese, a new season and setting, (we had just relocated to Forest Hills) and we were able generate a series of shots which combined our newly felt freedom and the beauty of Robert's cheeses.

We submitted over forty pictures to be culled down to ten.  It was exciting to see what pictures were chosen and hear the comments on why others were close and why a few just fell flat.  That is learning.  When the pictures were selected we sent them along and lost contact with MouCo for a bit.  Until the summer when we received a shipment of cheese from Tomales Bay.  They had included some of Robert's cheese and a post card with one of the pictures we had taken.  What a rush.  As soon as I saw the card I picked up the phone to call Robert and tell him how cool it was to see the pictures in action.  Unfortunately he was out when I called and then I became caught up with other projects.

Happily,  Robert did not forget about us.  He dropped us an email wondering if we were interested in doing another round of photographs.  Of course we were.  Once again we were given the guidelines of being ourselves.  That is a wonderful place to be.  What is equally exciting is seeing how the cheeses had evolved in a year.  The flavors were more focused, the rinds beautiful, the veining in the Blu more consistent and the cheeses seemed just tastier.

We set about the process of making cheese-centric dishes by first sitting and eating the cheese.  With our full bellies we had a clearer picture of what we wanted to do.  It was interesting to see our own evolution in this process.  The food has more confidence and the pictures have a voice.  To compare the two shoots is interesting. The first year shows freedom and a pleasure to be creating. The most recent pictures seem to explode with restrained enthusiasm.  As I look at them the dishes want to jump off the plate to be eaten and shared. That is definitely progress.

Dr. Pepper, Pork and Kimchee

The plan was to work on a pork belly dish that is both brined and cooked with Dr. Pepper and harissa.  That careful planning went out the window on Saturday.  A fresh picnic shoulder grabbed our attention.  Pick me! Pick me! The thought resonated as we pondered ribs, roasts and tenderloins.  As I gave in to temptation and reached for the shoulder Aki surprised me with her firmly spoken, not quite a question,  "We are roasting it on the bone, right?"  I nodded. "Of course we are." I  have this tendency to disassemble and reassemble ingredients. Occasionally she likes to keep things simple. Not a problem.  One whole roasted hunk of porky goodness coming up.  After all, no restrictions were placed on what I would roast it with.

We returned home ravenously hungry and it was fortunate that we had some leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes in the the refrigerator.  A salad dressed with ponzu and a hunk of bread completed the impromptu feast.  With my hunger tamed, I was able to focus on that shoulder.  I seasoned it heavily with salt and put it in a roasting pan with a few cans of the real Dr. Pepper.  The oven was set at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and it happily provided a warm environment for our pork.  As I shut the oven door I lamented the fact that we did not have any harrisa on hand.  And then I remembered that we had recently purchased a large jar of kimchee.  When all else fails, adapt.  And the idea of pork, Dr. Pepper and kimchee somehow sounded even better than our original harissa version.  I did not want to roast the pork on the kimchee for the entire cooking time, so a hastily scrawled post-it note labeled "add kimchee to pork" adorned the oven door.

A slow roasted pork shoulder takes time.  It also ensures that the entire area will become rich with the heady scents of caramelizing pig.  When your nose gets that first hit of roast pork it is time to go back to the oven.  After a couple of hours I peeked into the oven and saw the Dr. Pepper was reducing.  I added some water to free up the developing fond.  At this point I also added the kimchee.  I used about a pint.  I should have used a half gallon.  That way I would have had more decadent pork infused kimchee to eat with my supper.  Once the spicy cabbage was added to the pan a new smell developed.  The Dr. Pepper and pork were a great combination.  The addition of the kimchee made it  sinful.  It created a whole new aroma of absolute deliciousness. 

I closed the oven door and my mind danced with visions and flavor profiles that were conjured up in my mind.  Then I settled in to wait. A slow roasted pork shoulder takes time.  Longer than you would hope with the scent of its lusciousness teasing your belly and making your mouth water.  Be patient.  A juicy, crackling pork shoulder is the reward for your endurance.  Occasionally I would slip my head into the oven, basting the pork with the blended juices, adding water if the pan started to dry.  This minding of the meat is important and it allowed me to watch the pork transform from soft pinkish-white meat to a crisp, dark mahogany roast.

When we were at the outer limits of our patience the shoulder appeared to be almost done.  We turned off the oven, propped the door open and left it to rest.  A half an hour later we pulled the pork from the oven.   It was a thing of beauty.  I quickly grabbed a plate and Aki picked up the camera.  I spooned the roasted kimchee onto the plate. It had reduced down to a decadent, gooey mass of cabbage flavored with chilis, Dr. Pepper and ham juice.  Then I placed the shoulder on top.  A few shots later and we were finally able to snap off the crackling skin, sink our teeth into the tender, juicy flesh and slather on the roasted kimchee.  A few crunchy leaves of romaine were on hand to balance the richness of the meat.  I may have eaten a leaf or two, Aki a few more. It was delicious.

Next time, I plan to brine the shoulder for a few days, and use twice as much kimchee than I think is necessary.  We may even try this with a pork roast, a thick loin wrapped and tied in a thin layer of bacon fat or lardo.  Or as is often the case, we will move on to new things.  Because while I can be patient in specific instances, my attention span is still short. The odds of quickly revisiting a successful idea are slim.  For now I've got some leftovers and I'm seriously contemplating Cuban sandwiches for lunch.

Hoisin Cucumber

When I think of Peking Duck I immediately start thinking of the the crispy skin complimented by the crunchy cucumber and the sweet and tangy Hoisin sauce.  Up until today we had yet to marry the cucumber and the Hoisin.  What we did was use a channel knife to score baby cucumbers and then we brushed the incisions with Hoisin sauce.  After that, we vacuum sealed the cucumber to compress it and hopefully draw in the flavors of the sauce.  Since we did not peel the entire vegetable, the seasoning would not have a chance to overpower the cucumbers delicate flavors.

Instead of pairing the Hoisin-infused cucumber with duck, we went for a decadent bit of lamb belly which had been marinated with a Chermoula spice rub and then braised.  We used our griddle to sear the outside of the belly for a crispy texture reminiscent of the Peking duck skin, which still left the interior moist and tender.  The lamb and cucumber needed a slight bridge to bring them together.  A spoonful of Hoisin flavored yogurt acted as a creamy medium to unite these two star ingredients.  A final grating of dried banana, to round things out, completed the dish. Inspired by a Chinese classic, this dish is something memorable and delicious all by itself.

Passionfruit Yogurt

While we have blended passionfruit and yogurt before, as a consomme, we have not utilized the creamy decadence of yogurt paired with the bracing fruitiness of passionfruit.

This is a simple preparation of Greek yogurt blended with a passionfruit reduction.  We seasoned it with a dash of cayenne and a pinch of salt. 

If I do not end up eating all of this yogurt we will be pairing it with a warm beet salad dish.  Time and my will power will tell.

White Chocolate and Yogurt Ice Cream

White chocolate is both sweet and rich.  It requires balance.  When we made our white chocolate consomme last year we tempered it with buttermilk to produce a broth which highlighted balanced decadence.  In some ways I believe white chocolate embodies overindulgence in the sweet world.  It is almost pure fat, actually fat and sugar, and was my favorite chocolate as a child.  These days our use of white chocolate ebbs and flows, mostly ebbing with the passage of time.

This week has been difficult, the guiding light being an autumnal dessert I have been working on.  The ice cream for the dessert needed to be both comforting and bracing.  Here is where I turned to white chocolate.  Yet, as I noted, its richness needed taming.  While buttermilk may have worked in the broth, its thin nature was not what I wanted in an ice cream.  Instead, I turned to non-fat Greek yogurt.  It is pre-drained which results in an extremely thick non-fat yogurt.  I also used a bit of half and half in the base and a pinch of salt to complete the ingredient list.

As for the process, I heated the half and half and salt together to just below a boil and slowly poured it over the chopped white chocolate and then stirred it to melt it and make it into a silken emulsion.  I then folded the drained yogurt into the white chocolate emulsion until it was completely incorporated, strained the mixture and let it chill.  When the mixture was cold I sent it for a spin in our ice cream maker.  While the base is delicious in its chilled state, it takes on a whole different nature when frozen as ice cream.

The ingredients:

250g half and half
4g salt
225g chopped white chocolate
300g non-fat Greek Yogurt

Passionfruit and Piave Vecchio

This dish came about by the random tasting I do in the kitchen.  At times I just taste ingredients in no particular order, kind of like raiding the fridge with no purpose in mind.  Yet, in randomly tasting ingredients I often trip across combinations and tastes which work surprisingly well together.

This small cheese course pairs smoked paprika dusted passionfruit pudding with Piave Vecchio cheese.  The brussel sprout leaves reinforce the earthy truffle notes of the cheese while similarly becoming accented by the passionfruit.

The initial tasting started with the passionfruit pudding and the smoked paprika.  The Piave Vecchio came next and the brussel sprout leaves completed the dish. 

Cocktails and the Beach

At the beach cocktail hour starts a little earlier and lasts a bit longer than the traditional hour.  Also, without an ice maker on hand we are more apt to indulge in crisp and cool white wine rather than searching for ice or waiting for cubes to freeze.  Also, boat drinks are much more fun when someone else makes them.  In all seriousness, a glass of wine, golden sunlight and sea air need only one more thing.  Jalapenos.  It appears I am riding the jalapeno train again and happily spreading the gospel of the bacon wrapped cheese stuffed jalapeno.  Last night I was in charge of preparing the jalapenos.  I was also in charge of shopping for the jalapenos, bacon and the cream cheese.  I under bought on the cream cheese end.  That is not a good thing, especially if you are trying to get in good with your wife, I went out for chowder while she went out fishing.  Whoops.  And so I sheepishly looked up from the kitchen counter and asked what about cheddar or mozzarella cheese in the rest of the stuffed peppers.  After a short debate we settled on the mozzarella.  And am I glad we did.  The mozzarella added a stringy chewy texture the peppers where the cream cheese provided a creamy tangy counterpoint to the heat.  Having two kinds of cheese, in there own peppers, makes for a truly great cocktail hour.  The Artesa chardonnay also proved to fit the situation just right. 

While I still need to head to Newport to make up for my chowder folly, I think the vast quantities of stuffed peppers helped out just a bit.  I know the rest of those present enjoyed them for all that I was left with was a pile of toothpicks, some empty wine bottles and a stack of used napkins.  Now that is a good cocktail hour and, who's counting?

Tomato and Mozzarella

Tomatoes and mozzarella go together.  Japanese dressing, well not at first thought, though it really ties the already compatible into a gustatory bond.  We made another single tomato terrine, I cannot wait till I have a rainbow of tomatoes on hand to see what colors and flavors we can press together.  Yet, for this first assemblage of ingredients the results were formidable.  In seasoning the tomato fillets we used an aged balsamic vinegar, Tasmanian pepper and salt.  The Tasmanian peppers flavor characteristics imparted the flavor of basil into a tomato which had not even crossed basil's path.

We then rolled out some buffalo mozzarella and cut it into a square.  The rolling of the mozzarella broke down its structure so that is resembled a silken tofu rather than a dense mozzarella.  We then dressed the terrine and the mozzarella with a blend of olive oil, sesame oil, soy-ginger juice and Blis Elixir.  Finally we topped the dish with young dill and parsley leaves.

Upon further contemplation, I believe a variety of tomatoes in the terrine will add to the dish.  Similarly I think a few shaved jalapenos and sliced scallions will really make the tomato and mozzarella flavors pop.  And one other thought on the subject, some beautiful tuna or hamachi would not be all that bad integrated into the dish as a whole.  Of course, for now the dish stands, well digests.

Arugula Soup

Arugula and banana are not much like peas and carrots, yet they match up equally well.  We were working on a late summer soup which would act as a medium to present our grains of scallop.  Arugula is in abundance right now and by coincidence, we happened to have a supply of ripe bananas on hand.  Looking at the bananas and thinking about arugula made me pause and then taste the two together.  The grassy, spicy, and slightly bitter notes of the arugula are tamed by the sweet, almost creamy richness of the banana.  And so the idea of the soup was born.  I decided to roast some of the bananas to caramelize the juice. Next I blanched the arugula. Finally I combined the juice from the roasted banana with the arugula and some roasted banana consomme and pureed them to a light, silky broth. Voilà, we had banana-arugula soup. As you can see by the photo, we paired the soup with the grains of scallop and finished the dish with a few drops of pecan oil. It created an interplay of flavors that washed over the palate changing from sweet to bitter to spicy to nutty over the course of one bite. It was a simple combination that resulted in a complex mouthful of texture and flavors.

Old Bay Mashed Potatoes In Action

The idea of Old Bay mashed potatoes works even better when you eat it.  Instead of getting my hands on Old Bay proper, I went to our spice shelves and assembled a version of Old Bay using a number of spices and blends on hand.  I was quite happy with the results.  I also simplified the process of making the Old Bay flavored potatoes.  We simply cooked the potatoes in water seasoned with salt and the spice blend.  Once the potatoes were cooked we went about our normal procedure for making mashed potatoes.  We used a blend of creme fraiche and heavy cream for our liquid and plenty of butter to make the potatoes decadent. 

We seared the rib eye cap and the bass cheek.  We wrapped the cheek in a sauteed pea tendrils and used a touch of smoked balsamic vinegar to round out the dish.  As for the leftover potatoes, yes I did not eat them all, we may make some gnocchi in the morning.  Of course by morning we may have another idea to try out.

Horseradish Braised Artichokes

One of the questions that we have been asked recently is why are you making everything clear.  My first response is because we can, though looking closer at what we are doing we have a certain number of bases on hand free of impurities and taint which we can then build upon.  While the canvas may not be blank, it is already prepared to start painting upon.

I started with our horseradish-buttermilk consomme.  I have tired of the robotic approach to cooking artichokes.  We have cooked artichokes for years starting with vegetables in an herbal and spiced aromatic oil and then adding white wine, lemon and water.  The herbs may change, the wine may differ, though at days end the artichokes always tasted the same.  They tasted like braised artichokes.  And that is good, because if the artichokes tasted like tuna we would have a problem.  Or would we?  We often pair tuna, good canned tuna, with artichokes.  Why not make a canned tuna broth to marry the flavors from the beginning?  No, we have yet to make the tuna consomme, though as I write, the flavors of tuna salad would be a great cooking medium.  Hmmm.

Alright, I have gone off track again.  Horseradish and artichokes.  Why not?  The earthy flavors blend, the tang and heat work well, the buttermilk adds more tang and mouthfeel to the consomme.  (Also, we have used whipped horseradish as a condiment for artichoke soup, why not bring the two closer together?)   I cleaned the baby artichokes and put them into a pot with the horseradish consomme.  I placed a cartouche on top and turned the flame to low.  I let the artichokes and horseradish cook and in doing so find a balance between them.  When the artichokes were cooked, we let them cool naturally and then let them marinate for a few more days in their cuisson.

We now have a great staple addition to our pantry.  And what becomes of the resulting artichoke-horseradish broth?  Time and inspiration will tell.

Tea Smoked Duck

To be honest I hate grease.  I particularly hate the fact that in cooking grease splatters and then clings to surfaces from stove tops, to ventilation hoods to inside ovens.  I go to great lengths to avoid the creation of grease and the inevitable splattering which in turn means in depth cleaning.  Actually, it may not be that I do not like grease, I just like cleaning less.  In looking at means and methods to cook more cleanly we have come across some exciting dishes and approaches to food.

We had plans to serve a tea smoked duck with a crispy skin for our Chinese inspired dinner.  I had partially broken down the ducks and used the legs for another preparation.  We left the breasts and skin on the ducks and brushed them with a mixture of soy, honey and water and hung them in the walk in to dry.  While the ducks were drying, I began to think about the execution of this dish, particularly the roasting of the duck, the crisping of the skin, the infusion of smoke and the means in which we could serve this dish without overcooking the duck. 

Time to rethink.  Number one, limit the grease factor.  I removed the skin from the duck, blanched it in water and then pressed and dried the skin in a 250 degree oven for about an our.  I had nice crispy seasoned skin without the grease splatter.  Number two, smoke the duck.  We blended rice, sugar and two teas, cinnamon and a black and currant, and placed this mixture into a foil package in our smoker box.  We then cold smoked the duck breasts for about twenty minutes with this aromatic tea smoke.  We then chilled the breasts down and placed them in bags with butter and cooked them for just over an hour.  The result was a tender, smoked and meaty duck with crispy skin and a small amount of grease. 

Well, almost.  I forgot about the sauteed gai lan we were serving with the duck.  We heated the reserved duck fat from rendering the skin in a saute pan and quickly "stir fried" the gai lan.  That darn grease got me.  Oh well, the gai lan was quite tasty cooked in duck fat and well worth the cleaning in the end.  Also, now I have a new project, to saute without splattering grease. 

The final dish was topped with a sauce made with horseradish-buttermilk consomme, soy-ginger juice and butter.  All in all many lessons were learned and the final approach to duck has now been integrated into our repertoire.

Pea Soup for the Soul

We served this soup last night for dinner.  Well, almost this soup.  Today, after thinking more, digesting, we added some pistachio oil.  It turned tasty soup into a bowl of soup you can not put down.  How do I know that?  Aki would not put the bowl down.  The soup had evolved.  A simple addition altered the entire dish.

Everyday I am amazed at what subtle differences can do.  It is the subtle differences which make it worth while.  Would the guests have noted the difference?  I am not sure.  However, if we are not willing to try and improve and polish and find a better way, what are we doing?

Oh yeah, the soup: Sweet pea, made with pressure cooked onion water, morel and elf mushrooms, yellow and green pea shoots and pistachio oil.  I wonder, would a pea and pistachio crisp really unite the dish?  Time will tell.

Hearts of Palm in Bacon Broth

We have wrapped numerous ingredients in bacon.  The initial pairing of bacon with led us to the idea of bacon broth and using it as a cooking medium.  Initially we stuck to cooking meats in the bacon broth.  Well, like many things, that approach was silly and needed to be amended.  As we approach many processes we go with what arrives.  Well, hearts of palm arrived.  Well, we cooked hearts of palm.  We cooked the hearts of palm in the bacon broth for two hours at 83 degrees Celsius.  The broth infused the palm and the palm infused the broth.  Of course now that we have the poached hearts of palm on hand we need to figure out what we are going to do with them.

Chocolate Salad

We have adapted an intense chocolate sorbet recipe which we then spiked with our black pepper puree.  That was the flavor base.  I was also looking for a means to cut and shape chocolate pudding.  We decided to set the base with carrageenan.  In this case we used iota and kappa which blends tenderness with rigidness thus allowing for diced chocolate that is smooth on the palate.

While working with the chocolate I began thinking about what I would want with it.  The chocolate base is intense, a blend of cocoa and chocolate, accented with the spicy floral notes of the pepper puree.  (As an aside, I believe pressure cooking spices may be a new means for us to integrate spice blends into mixtures.  The quality and intensity of the spice is truly captured as an essence.)  The blend of chocolate and spice warranted something of a more delicate accent.  I turned to herbs and vegetables.  As spring is upon us I reached towards young leaves of claytonia and nasturtium blooms.  The claytonia is crisp and juicy and the nasturtium is floral and peppery.  Finally, I wanted to dress the salad.  I blended some olive oil and argan oil for a nutty nature and then a few drops of aged balsamic vinegar.  A sprinkle of fleur de sel seasoned the dish, and we were done.

Portion Size

We were eating lunch at Gordon Ramsay and the dishes prompted a debate on portion size. Some of the food was interesting for the first bite or two, but the size of the portions led to palate fatigue. So the question was whether or not the food would compare more equally to a restaurant like Per Se if the portion sizes were the same. It became a heated debate and in the end we both agreed that small portions allowed food to be more intriguing than larger ones. It's always a better hook to be left wanting more than feeling satiated. So that leaves me to wonder whether small plate restaurants have better food or just better portions...

14 courses--still two too many

Last evening we served our last tasting menu (at Keyah Grande).  We are still here, cooking small dinners for the last guests, New Year's Eve and for friends of the new management team.  Last night was fun.  We were able to work through a number of new dishes, put some improvements on old ones, and find some new inspirations, while serving guests who truly enjoy dining.  We also revisited my Achilles Heel, because I still haven't learned my lesson about the amount of food people can comfortably consume.

The plan was twelve courses.  We have a model for twelve course meals, one which is solid and which can be consumed without over taxing the diner.  The model in its idea form is cataloged in the Twelve Course Notebook on the sidebar.  That is for further reading.  We had twelve courses for the menu yesterday morning, though I had two extra dishes that I wanted to share with our guests.  Aki's theory is that if it doesn't fit then it shouldn't be there. According to her, if you have too many courses then exchange, substitute or tweak to fit, but after twelve you get diminishing returns on what you serve because the diner can't easily consume it. On the other hand, I did not want to miss the opportunity to present a few extra flavors.  The kicker is that guests do reach a saturation point, even with a succession of small dishes.  Last evening was a fine example of that.  At around course ten the guests started getting full.  Two courses would have made the meal's end an easy finish line; 4 courses is still a fair amount of food even at 2-3 bites per course.  There's a fine line between happily satiated and overstuffed. Sure we could have cut a few final dishes, although I believe that would have taken away from the entire menu.  Also, I was not sure when we would have another opportunity to cook for these particular guests.  That is an important factor, wanting to share as much as possible in a finite time period. 

Our guests seemed to truly enjoy and appreciate the meal, the dishes, and what we had to offer.  Yes, they were a bit full, though I am glad we added the extra courses because the two additions stood out to the diners.  I am also learning something else.  While I truly believe in the idea of a twelve course menu, its structure may need to be adjusted.  Looking back I have come to realize that in our next venture we will not feel the pressure to share every dish or idea with a guest at one time because they will be able to come back again and again.  The few real foodies that have made it out here have perhaps suffered from our lack of audience. We're so excited to cook for them that we tend to overdo things just a bit. Off the beaten path is a good thing.  Having no proximity to a path means that only rarely does someone stumble across our doorstep. We're looking for a place off the beaten path, but still easy to find for those who are looking for the experience.

Here is the menu we served last night.  Can you guess which two dishes were the add-ons?

Sourdough Ice Cream
wild arctic char roe, blueberries,
red mustard

Raw Nantucket Bay Scallops
cranberry-horseradish, walnuts,
black pepper

Key West Pink Shrimp Salad
condensed milk dressing, sorrel,
tender cocoa nibs

Sunflower Seed Risotto
perigord truffles, applewood smoked bacon,
jalapeno

Foie Gras Torchon
huckleberry ribbon, violet pop rocks,
yuzu powder

Broiled Japanese Eel
hot foie gras sheet, apple-olive relish,
beaufort cheese

King Salmon
foie gras consomme, morel mushrooms,
red wine

Seared Scallop
prosciutto cavatelli, banyuls vinegar,
artichokes

Turbot
grape-chipotle, fermented black bean-eggplant,
spiced macadamia nuts

Chufa Nut Crusted Lamb Sweetbreads
papaya–caper sauce, pickled chufa nuts,
kaffir lime spinach

Crispy Pork Belly
smoked apple pudding, porcini mushroom marmalade,
shiso

Prime Sirloin
pecorino-edamame mosaic, summer savory,
smoked tomato jam

Morbier
persimmon puree, lemon chanterelles,
olive crumbs

Chocolate Terrine
pistachio, red carpet clover,
vanilla salt

Salt and Pepper Kampachi

We cured some beautiful Kona Kampachi with salt and a blend of peppers: grains of paradise, smoked lampong and long.  The fish took on a silky texture with undertones of the various peppers.  Today we were working on a means of highlighting the fish while balancing its richness.  We paired it with our ginger granules, young shiso and lemon vinegar vinaigrette. 

Tamarind Cavatelli

Yesterday we began our execution of dishes which incorporate tamarind cavatelli.  The little pasta are tasty bites with a nice chew and an intense lingering tamarind flavor.  In working with the pasta we put together a dish of slow cooked pork tenderloin with the tamarind cavatelli, brown butter braised artichokes and rock shrimp.  The dish is tasty, though in retrospect the cavatelli ragout stands quite well on its own.  While we did not serve this dish, it is certainly a fun jumping off point for the uses of tamarind cavatelli and a delicious snack for me.

Parsnip-Kola Nut

The sweet heady aroma of parsnips sparked the idea of adding the musty sweet character of kola nut in order to round out its flavor.  In pairing the parsnip and kola nut we were then drawn to draw upon similar flavors to complete the dish.  We unearthed our smoked Dr. Pepper to accent the kola nut and added a ragout of pickled apple and cucumber which we accented with tart cherries.  The dish was finished with our parsnip crisp.

Kimchee Cracklings and Those Who Got Us There

I used to eat a fair number of cheetos as a kid.  The light crisp texture and the staining orange cheese powder were too addictive to avoid.  Over time I have leaned towards the simple salinity and crispness of potato chips rather then the puffed crunch of cheetos.  Recently I have become interested in the light as air nature of puffed materials.  The spark has come from several sources.  Reiko, Aki’s mom, continues to send a variety of Japanese snacks with intense flavors and light as air texture.  I have read about though not eaten the various puffs/crisps produced by Grant Achatz and team Alinea.  I have also revisited the El Bulli book 1998-2002 which features a number of puffed snacks.  These three have been the key influences in wanting to tackle the notion of puffed fried crisps.  Actually, to me they have become crackling’ varietals.

I had much difficulty in sourcing a base recipe for what I wanted to do.  In retrospect, I have a variety books which had the answer, I was just looking at the problem from the wrong angle.  So, I must thank, Chef Sean Brock  of McCrady’s restaurant, Shola Olunloyo of Studio Kitchen fame andNathan Myhrvold a serious gastronome with a knack for finding enough research to answer almost any question.

With that said, I took the information from these three individuals and was able to work out a base recipe for ramp kimchee cracklings.  Each added some specific insight which enabled me to generate a recipe for my immediate needs.  Now of course I have a huge number of variations to explore from clam chowder to passionfruit.

Here is our recipe:

200g coarse ground tapioca
220g moist ramp kimchee
20g kimchee liquid

Puree the three ingredients in a food processor until a smooth dough is formed.  Divide the dough into two portions and roll into thin cylinders about an inch in diameter.  Place the cylinder on a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with another sheet.  Roll the cylinder out into a flat thin sheet.  The dough should be nearly translucent.  Repeat with the other cylinder.  Steam the dough sheets, still in plastic, in a steamer for fifteen minutes.  We are able to use a hotel pan to make a long steamer so both sheets fit lengthwise on top of each other.  If you have a smaller steamer, cut the sheets into portions that fit in your steamer.  Once the dough is steamed, remove it from the plastic wrap and lay it out on a parchment lined rack on a sheet pan to allow for even airflow.  Place the pan in a 180 degree F oven and allow the dough to dry.  Flip the dough sheets occasionally to allow for even drying.  When the sheets are completely dry and brittle, remove them from the oven and allow to cool.  Break or cut the dough crisps into pieces and then fry in 350 degree F oil.  The crisps will puff quickly and triple in size.  Remove from the oil onto a paper towel lined rack.  Season the crisps lightly with salt.  Enjoy.

Size Does Matter

What is great with one or two bites can certainly become a disastrous wreck with any more than that.  I am not talking about a palate getting bored and tired.  I am simply noting that a dish can be excellent on a micro scale and just lousy on a macro scale.  A case for my insight is a dish from our own repertoire.  I made a litchi jelly candy and set in small molds.  The taste and texture was smooth, silky and melting reminiscent of a true litchi though with less chew.  I felt the litchi jelly would pair nicely with marinated tomatoes and olive oil.  I prepared small spoonfuls of peeled tomatoes, miso tea, olive oil and the litchi jelly and took a bite.  Absolutely delicious.  I felt we needed to serve this dish.  I took a great many peeled tomatoes and covered them in melted litchi jelly.  I set this base mixture in small ramekins, eagerly waiting for the jelly to set so we could try the complete dish.  When the tomato and litchi jelly molds were solidified we turned them out onto a plate and dressed them with olive oil, miso tea, sorrel and marjoram.  We then began eating the dish.  One bite was tasty, two was good, three just OK.  I looked at Aki and she and me and we both nodded.  We cannot serve this.  It literally tells you to stop eating it and that is not good.  While the initial tastes and textures of the litchi jelly and tomato seemed promising as a whole dish we need to rethink its uses.  For now, we can serve the refreshing bite as an element of a dish.

Asparagus and Squid

Our first work with the giant asparagus married the field with the fisherman.  We cleaned up the asparagus and blanched it to cook it through.  We then served the chilled asparagus with grilled squid tentacles, tart cherry and smoked butter crumbs, black lime-licorice puree and the dried squid crisp.

Squid Crisp

210g miso tea
100g liquid glucose
70g dried squid filaments

Cook these ingredients together until the squid becomes translucent.  Puree the mixture in a blender, strain and chill.  Spread on a silpat with a template and then dry in the oven for forty minutes.  You should be able to remove the crisps at this point.  Then place crisps in a dehydrator set at 145 degrees and continue to cook (about three hours) to remove all excess moisture.  We have found do to the increased humidity that the additional time in the dehydrator is essential to creating a great snap in the crisps.