CITRUS IN EIGHT COURSES
www.playingwithfireandwater.com
In early February of 2012, I invited a group of friends to my home in Connecticut for dinner. I had recently returned from a trip to New York City laden with bags of beautiful citrus. These jewel-like fruits, some of which I had never tasted before, became the inspiration for the dinner. It was not my intention that the citruses would be the focus of each of the eight courses, but the continuous thread that linked them together. Each variety was chosen for their unique aroma and the acidic balance that they would lend to each dish. On these pages, I have documented the citrus dinner with photos and recipes. I hope you enjoy!
on the front cover:
Citrus x microcarpa ‘Calamondin’
Cit Calamondin is believed to have originated in China and introduced to the West from the Philippines, where it is widely cultivated and known as calamansi. The fruits are bite-sized , usually less than 2.5cm/1� in diameter. Their are sweet and the pulp very tart.
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table of contents
course
ARTICHOKE | LIMEQUAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 4-9
course
OYSTER | KIEFFER LIME . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 10-15
course
CARROT | MANDARINQUAT . . . . . . . . . . pages 16-23
course
CHICKEN LIVER | BLOOD ORANGE. . . . . . pages 24-29
course
COD | RANGPUR LIME . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 30-35
course
VEAL | MEYER LEMON . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 36-43
course
BLACK SESAME | YUZU . . . . . . . . . . . pages 44-49
course
CHOCOLATE | BERGAMOT . . . . . . . . . . pages 50-56
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ARTICHOKE LIMEQUAT
The first course, the amuse bouche, consists of a shot of soup and a spoonful of salad, both served at room temperature. The soup departs from a classic veloute in that it contains no cream or yolks, instead it relies on the starch in the vegetables to thicken it, allowing the flavors to remain clean, brightened by the limequat- flavored cooking water. It can be made a day or two in advance, although the acid will have flattened a bit— easily corrected by adding a few drops of limequat juice before serving. The salad offers a mouthful of textures and flavors: earthy, smoky, crisp, creamy. All of the components can be prepared in advance, except for the apple, and mixed together shortly before serving.
Citrus x floridana ʻEustisʼ Limequats are a cross between a key lime and a kumquat, hybridized in 1909. The fruits are round or slightly oval and measure between 2.5-3.8cm /1-1½” high. The skins are sweet and the pulp is very acidic. Substitute 1 part kumquat and 2 parts key lime for juice and zest
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ARTICHOKE BACON
SUNCHOKE CHESTNUT PISTACHIO
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WATER CHESTNUT LIMEQUAT
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ARTICHOKE VELOUTE
SUNCHOKE SALAD
1 liter water 100g limequats 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 bay leaf 5g salt 80g peeled and trimmed artichoke heart, sliced 1/2” thick 40g peeled sunchoke, sliced 1/2” thick 20g whole milk
140g peeled sunchokes 50g chestnuts, roasted until tender, peeled, skinned and cooled 50g green apple, peeled 10g parsley puree from oil (see pg. 43) 25g creme fraiche 12g limequat juice 2g microplaned limequat zest 10g walnut oil salt and pepper 30g smoky bacon, minced, fried until crisp, and drained. 8g chopped pistachios
Bring the water to a boil. Cut the limequats in half, squeeze the juice into the pot, and drop in the rinds. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and salt and boil for 2 minutes. Add the artichoke and sunchoke slices and cook until tender. Remove the cooked vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon to a blender. Add 80g of the cooking water, along with the cooked garlic clove, and the milk to the blender.. Puree until smooth, adding more cooking water to thin, if needed. Reserve re m a i n i n g co o k i n g wate r to co o k sunchokes for salad. Allow soup to cool to room temperature before serving.
Cook sunchokes in artichoke cooking water until tender and allow to cool. Cut sunchokes, chestnuts, and apple into 6mm/ ¼” dice and place in medium bowl.. In a separate bowl whisk together the parsley puree, creme fraiche, limequat juice and zest. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold into the diced vegetables until they are evenly coated. Just before serving, fold in the bacon and pistachios.
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LIMEQUAT CRISPS
CARAMELIZED BABY ARTICHOKES
100g water 60g sugar 8 thin limequat slices, seeds removed
4 baby artichokes 10g butter salt
Place water and sugar in a skillet and boil on hight heat for 4 minutes. Turn heat to low and drop in limequat slices. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove with a fork to a parchment lined baking sheet. Dehydrate at 60C/140F for 4-6 hours or until dry and crisp
Snap off tough outer leaves of artichokes and trim 1/2� off the tips. Peel the stems to expose the hearts and cut each in half lengthwise. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the artichokes and cook gently, covered, turning occasionally. When they are tender, uncover and turn heat up to medium-high. Continue to cook until they are golden brown. Season with salt. Cool to room temperature before serving.
TO PLATE Pour 25g of ARTICHOKE VELOUTE into each shot glass. With scissors, cut a slit in each of the LIMEQUAT CRISPS and hang one on the rims of each glass. Make quenelles with the SUNCHOKE SALAD and drop onto serving spoons. Top each with a CARAMELIZED BABY ARTICHOKE
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OYSTER KIEFFER LIME
The second course features a tempura oyster on a bed of green curry and avocado puree that reads like an aromatic guacamole. Served on the half shell, the hot, crisp oyster contrasts with the cold, creamy guacamole. The powdery topping adds another texture and reinforces the flavor of coconut and kieffer lime that permeates the guacamole. The dry mix for the tempura and the powder can be made days ahead. The green curry paste can be made a week or two in advance and held in the freezer. The recipe makes more than needed for the guacamole, but you’ll be glad to have more on hand to flavor soups, stews, and curries. The curry sauce can also be made the day before, but the avocado should be blended in no more than an hour in advance or it will darken. The oysters can be shucked hours ahead and kept chilled in their liquor, to be cooked just before serving.
Citrus x hystix Kieffer lime, also known as combava, kaffir lime, and makrut lime, originated in Indonesia, and is widely used and grown in southeast Asia. The zest and the leaves possess a musky citrus aroma, and the juice is tart and slightly bitter. Substitute kieffer leaves for the zest and lime juice for the juice.
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OYSTER
AVOCADO
GREEN CURRY
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COCONUT
KIEFFER LIME
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TEMPURA OYSTERS
2g dried shrimp 5g coarse salt 1g kieffer lime zest, cut in strips 1g kieffer lime leaves, torn into small pieces 40g lemongrass (white part only) sliced thinly across the grain 21g cilantro roots, thinly sliced 14g galangal, peeled and sliced thinly across the grain 14g gingerroot, peeled and sliced thinly across the grain 30g shallot, peeled and thinly sliced 20g garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 75g green thai bird chilies, stems removed and thinly sliced
90g flour 15g coconut powder 10g baking powder 15g cornstarch 2g salt .5g ground sichuan peppercorns 200g seltzer water vegetable oil for deep frying 8 oysters, shucked and patted dry, bottom shells washed, dried and set aside Wondra flour for dusting In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients with a whisk. Heat the oil to 190C/375F When ready to cook, whisk the seltzer into the dry mix until smooth. Lightly dust the oysters with Wondra and immediately dip into tempura batter, then drop in hot oil. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes, or until is lightly colored. Serve immediately.
Add the first four ingredients to a stone mortar and with a pestle, pound until reduced to powder. Add kieffer lime zest and leaves, and lemongrass and pound to a paste, Add cilantro roots, galangal, and ginger and pound to a paste. Add shallots and garlic and pound to a paste. Add chilies and pound to a smooth paste. Alternately, ingredients can be processed in food processor (in the same order), but will require constant scraping and pulsing to achieve smooth paste. Unused paste can be frozen for later use.
GREEN CURRY PASTE 3g coriander seeds, toasted 1g cumin seeds, toasted
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GREEN CURRY GUACAMOLE
minute more. Remove lime leaves and allow to cool slightly. Scrape warm curry sauce into a blender and add cilantro and scallion. Blend until smooth and pass through a sieve into a bowl. Chill thoroughly. To serve, remove peel and pit from avocado and press the flesh through a sieve into the bowl of curry sauce. Blend well and season with salt and lime juice, if needed.
396g can of coconut milk 50g GREEN CURRY PASTE 4 kieffer lime leaves 2g palm, or brown sugar 7g fish sauce 4g kieffer lime juice 18g cilantro leaves 25g green scallion tops 1 avocado salt and kieffer lime juice to taste Scoop the thick cream from the top of the opened can of coconut milk into a skillet set over medium heat. Cook the cream for 6-8 minutes until the oil separates and pools on the surface of the reduced cream. Stir in the curry paste and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the remaining coconut milk from the can, the lime leaves, and the sugar. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and cook 1
COCONUT KIEFFER LIME POWDER 6g kieffer lime leaves, crumpled 15g coconut powder .75g salt .20g citric acid Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until leaves are reduced to a powder. Sift through a fine sieve and store powder in an airtight container until ready to serve.
TO PLATE Place an oyster shell on each plate, held level with small stones, rock salt, or seaweed. Drop a dollop of GREEN CURRY GUACAMOLE on each shell and spread to form a bed. Place a TEMPURA OSTER atop and sprinkle each with COCONUT KIEFFER LIME POWDER and top with a sprig of salad burnet, if desired.
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CARROT MANDARINQUAT
The third course celebrates carrots in six distinct preparations: roasted, vinaigrette, nukazuke (a Japanese pickling method that utilizes rice bran as a medium for lactic acid fermentation), in an emulsion that serves as a sauce, in a crispy granola, and their tops transformed into an herbaceous fluid gel. Sweet, earthy beets are repeated in three of the preparations, while curls of goat gouda makes the final element. The vinaigrette carrots and beets and nukazuke carrots should be started the day before, but the nukadoko (the rice bran bed) needs to be prepared at least 3 weeks in advance for proper fermentation. The granola can be prepared days before and kept in an airtight container. The emulsion and fluid gel can be made a day ahead, but the carrots and beets should be roasted as close to service as possible.
Citrus x japonica 驶Nippon始始 Mandarinquats are a cross between satsuma orange and meiwa kumquat, hybridized in the US by the Dept of Agriculture and introduced in 1932. The fruits are oval and slightly larger than a kumquat.. The skins are spongy and sweet and the pulp is tart. Substitute kumquats for juice and zest
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CARROT
BEET
GOAT GOUDA
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MANDARINQUAT
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NUKADOKO
aromatics and bury a leaf of cabbage. that has been torn in two The cabbage is used to activate the lactic acid fermentation in the bed and should be removed, discarded, and replaced every other day for at least a week. Towards the end of the week, taste the cabbage before discarding: when it begins to taste fermented and not just salty, it is ready to use. To make nukazuke, bury fresh raw washed vegetables in the nukadoko bed for 1-2 days. Rinse before consuming. To maintain nukadoko bed indefinitely: stir the bed every day, maintaining room temperature. When nukadoko becomes too wet (liquid collects in bottom of container from vegetable juices), add more toasted bran. After awhile, the level of nukadoko will begin to diminish because of what is left clinging on the vegetables when they are removed. At any time a small batch (1/4-1/2 recipe) can be prepared separately and blended into established bed. Allow a few days for integration before adding vegetables. When you want a break from maintaining the bed, it can rest dormant in the refrigerator.
75g kosher salt 500g water 500g rice bran 4g dried shittakes 4g citrus zest strips 2 small dried thai chilies 1 clove garlic, peeled 2g piece of kombu 8g piece of ginger root, peeled Bring the salt and water to a boil and let cool. Spread the rice bran on a baking sheet in an even layer and toast in a preheated 149C/300F oven until it becomes fragrant and lightly browned, stirring often. Let cool. In a ceramic, glass or plastic container, mix the brine with the bran until it resembles wet sand. Bury the remaining ingredients in the nukadoko and smooth the top, patting it down to compress. Cover loosely and set aside at room temperature (15-27C/ 60-80F) to ferment. Each day, stir the nukadoko, being careful to bury the aromatics and compress. After one week, remove and discard the
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NUKAZUKE CARROTS
minutes, then open foil and roast for 10-15 minutes more, or until tender. Rub the skin off the beets while still warm, then cut each in quarters. Keep the carrots and beets warm until ready to serve.
NUKADOKO 8 orange baby carrots with tops, washed and scrubbed Bury the carrots in the active nukadoko bed for 24 hours. Remove 4-5 hours before serving and let sit at room temperature with the residual bran still clinging to them. Rinse just before serving.
VINAIGRETTE CARROTS AND BEETS 8 white or yellow baby carrots, peeled and tops trimmed and reserved 24 yellow beet slices, cut 3mm/⅛” thick and 2.5cm/1” round 18g minced shallots 2g salt 2g microplaned mandarinquat zest 15g mandarinquat juice 45g olive oil
ROASTED CARROTS AND BEETS 8 purple or red baby carrots, scrubbed and tops trimmed and reserved 4 baby candy cane beets, tops trimmed 36g unsalted butter 2 mandarinquats, sliced 2g salt
Cook the vegetables separately in a pot of boiling salted water until they are just tender, starting with the carrots (cook 6-8 minutes), and then the beets (cook 5-7 minutes). Drain both and add place in a shallow dish. Place the shallots, salt, zest and juice in a bowl and whisk together. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Pour over the vegetables in dish. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
Cut 2 large sheets of foil. Place the carrots on one and the beets on the other. Scatter half of the remaining ingredients on top of the carrots and repeat with the beets. Fold the foil up around each vegetable packet and crimp the seams together to enclose. Place on a baking sheet and put in a preheated 176C/350F. oven. Steam the carrots for 5 minutes enclosed in foil, then open foil and roast for 5 minutes more, or until tender. Steam the beets for 10 -21-
CARROT EMULSION
CARROT AND BEET GRANOLA
10g dried coriander seeds 300g carrot juice 2g microplaned fresh galangal (substitute ginger if not available) 2g salt 40g cold unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces 10g Ultratex 8
12g vegetable oil 200g carrot, shredded through large holes of box grater 200g beets,, shredded through large holes of box grater salt Divide the oil between 2 skillets. Add the carrots to one and the beets to the other. Season both with a pinch of salt and toss to coat with oil. Cover and set over low heat. Sweat the vegetables gently until tender, tossing and adding small amounts of water if needed to keep them from browning. The process should take 15-20 minutes. Spread the cooked vegetables on silpat, keeping them separate so the beets don’t bleed onto the carrots. Dehydrate at 65C/ 150F for 12 hours, breaking up the clumps, until they are dry and crisp. Store granola in an airtight container.
Toast the coriander seeds in a dry skillet over high heat. When they are very dark and fragrant, pour in the carrot juice and continue cooking over high heat until the juice is 1/3 reduced, and 200g remains. Remove from heat and allow to cool to about 43C/110F. Strain into a blender. and add the galangal and salt. Turn the blender on and with the motor running add the cold butter, 1 piece at a time and blend until dissolved. Drop the ultratex into the center of the blender and start the motor slowly, raising up to high speed. Scrape down the sides and repeat. Serve at room temperature.
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CHEESE CURLS
CARROT TOP FLUID GEL
2.5cm/1” thick slice of goat gouda
150g carrot top leaves 300g water 2g salt .5g black pepper 3g agar .5g xanthan
Trim the rind off the top and bottom of the cheese and run a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer along the narrow end to form 16 2.5cm/1” wide x 10cm/4” long ribbons. Curl the cheese ribbons by rolling them from one short end to the other.. Serve at room temperature.
Liquify the leaves, water, salt and pepper in a blender. Strain, measure 280g of liquid and return to rinsed out blender. Add the agar and xanthan and blend briefly. Pour contents into saucepan and set over medium high heat. Bring to a full rolling boil and remove from heat. Set aside and allow to cool and solidify. When solid, cut block of gel into smaller pieces and place in blender. Blend in short spurts until gel is smooth and fluid. Keep chilled until ready to use.
TO PLATE Lay a swath of CARROT EMULSION across each plate. Sprinkle with a band of CARROT AND BEET GRANOLA. In the center of each plate, arrange a NUKAZUKE CARROT, a warm ROASTED CARROT, and a VINAIGRETTE CARROT on top of each other in an asterisk pattern. Prop 2 warm ROASTED BEET quarters against the carrots on opposite sides. Arrange 3 VINAIGRETTE BEET discs over and around the carrots. Tuck 2 CHEESE CURLS between the carrots. Dot the periphery with CARROT TOP FLUID GEL. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the vegetables on each plate. -23-
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CHICKEN LIVER BLOOD ORANGE
The fourth course is a petite version of Heston Blumenthal’s ‘Meat Fruit’, as served in his London restaurant ‘Dinner’, with a few modifications The mock orange consists of chicken liver parfait wrapped in a blood orange gel and served with gingerbread crumbs. It’s a transitional course that tastes luxurious, yet is light enough to segue into the protein courses. The parfait, gel, and gingerbread can all be made days in advance; the parfait molded into spheres, wrapped and kept frozen, the gel kept chilled, and the gingerbread crumbs kept in an airtight container. The parfait spheres can be dipped in the gel the day before, chilled, and brought to room temperature shortly before serving.
Citrus x sinensis ‘Moro” Blood oranges, a mutation of the sweet orange, are characterized by their deeply pigmented flesh and sweet berry-like flavor. Substitute sweet orange for the juice and zest.
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CHICKEN LIVER
GINGERBREAD
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BLOOD ORANGE
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CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT
vide bag. Seal the bag at full vacuum and when the water bath comes to temperature, drop in the bag and cook for 40 minutes. Remove bag from bath and chill for 24 hours The next day, cut the bag open and spoon the parfait into 32-38mm/1 Ÿ- 1 ½� diameter hemisphere molds, preferably silicone, pressing firmly to remove airpockets. Scrape excess parfait from the top so that they are perfectly level and freeze until they are solid. When frozen, unmold 2 of the parfaits and quickly torch the flat surface of one hemisphere just so it is barely melted and immediately press onto flat surface of the other to form a sphere. Quickly wrap in a square of plastic wrap, twisting the ends tightly to force the hemispheres together. Immediately transfer to freezer. Repeat with remaining parfaits. The recipe will make more than 8 spheres, allowing you to choose the most perfect ones for presentation.
160g unsalted butter 60g shallots, finely sliced 2g garlic, finely sliced 2 bay leaves 150g ruby port 50g Sauternes 25g brandy 10g salt 125g eggs 225g chicken livers (trimmed weight), chilled Place the butter, shallots, garlic and bay leaves in a saucepan set over low heat and cook slowly for 20-30 minutes, until the shallots and garlic are translucent and tender, but still pale. Cool to room temperature. While the shallots and garlic cook, reduce the port, wine, and brandy in a pan set over high heat until 25g remain. Cool to room temperature. Whisk the eggs and salt into the reduced and cooled alcohol and scrape the mixture into a sous vide bag, followed by the chicken livers. Remove the bay leaves from the butter mixture and add to bag.. Seal at full vacuum and gently knead the sealed bag to blend ingredients. Cook in a 50C/122F water bath for 20 minutes. Remove the bag and raise the water bath temperature to 65C/150F. Pour the contents of the bag into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and pour into a clean sous
BLOOD ORANGE GEL 22g leaf gelatin 250g blood orange juice 40g liquid glucose saffron threads Soak the gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. -28-
Gently heat the blood orange juice and the glucose. Add a very small pinch of saffron threads and heat for 2 minutes, stirring. Check the color of the juice by dropping a spoonful onto a white plate. Depending on the color of the blood orange juice, it should now be a bright orange. If it is still too red, add another small pinch of saffron and repeat. When desired color is achieved, strain the mixture to remove saffron threads and return to pan. Remove the soften gelatin from the water, squeezing to remove excess water, and add to the pan. Heat gently until dissolved. Allow the gel to come to room temperature to prepare for dipping. MOCK ORANGE CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT SPHERES, frozen BLOOD ORANGE GEL, at room temperature Umwrap a frozen parfait sphere and gently pierce it with the pointed end of a wooden skewer, inserting it 1/3 of the way into the sphere. Dip the frozen sphere into the room temperature gel. Remove and rotate the sphere to evenly distribute the gel on its surface. Repeat 3-4 times to achieve a thick, even coat. Insert the flat end of the skewer into a piece of styrofoam, florist’s oasis, or a container filled
with small pebbles to allow gel to set up for a few minutes. Repeat with remaining spheres, in small batches of 3. Invert spheres onto a tray lined with parchment, not allowing them to touch, and remove skewers. Cover with a dome or inverted bowl and transfer to refrigerator for at least an hour before serving and up to 8 hours in advance.
GINGERBREAD CRUMBS 138g flour 3g baking soda 1.5g each of ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves 46g unsalted butter 55g sugar 27g brown sugar 13g molasses 12g beaten egg In a bowl, combine the flour, baking saoda. and spices. Beat the butter and sugars until lightened. Beat in the molasses, then the egg. Add the dry ingredients and beat until crumbly. Spread out crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 163C/325F for 5 minutes. Stir crumbs and bake 4-6 minutes more until dry and lightly browned. Cool and store in airtight container.
TO PLATE Spread a spoonful of GINGERBREAD CRUMBS on the center of a plate. Center a MOCK ORANGE on the crumbs. With fingertip, gently press the center of orange to indent top and flatten slightly. Insert a citrus, bay, or similar leaf with a short length of stem into the top of each orange. -29-
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COD RANGPUR LIME
The fifth course highlights cod that has been salted to intensify its texture and flavor, paired with bright Iberian flavors. The cod must be started 2 days before serving to allow for salting and soaking. The tomato sauce, olive puree, citrus butter, and braised fennel can be made a day or two in advance, leaving the cooking of the cod and roasting of the potatoes for just before service.
Citrus x limonia ‘Rangpur’ Rangpur lime is thought to be a hybrid of lemon and mandarin orange from India. Although it resembles a mandarin, aromatically it is more like a lime, with fragrant zest and sour flesh. Substitute a blend of tangerine and lime for the juice and zest.
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COD TOMATO RED PEPPER FENNEL GREEN OLIVE FINGERLINGS RANGPUR LIME
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SALT COD
BRAISED FENNEL
8 portions cod loin (85g each) coarse sea salt 100g RANGPUR LIME BUTTER
20g RANGPUR LIME BUTTER 20g pernod 240g fennel bulb, cut in 13mm/.5” dice 1g salt
Spread a 12mm/1/2” thick layer of salt in a dish that will snugly hold the cod in a single layer. Arrange the cod portions on top of the salt, leaving a small space between them. Cover with a 12mm/ 1/2” thick layer of salt. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove cod from salt and rinse well. Place the cod in a large bowl or container and cover with 3 liters/3 quarts of cold water. Refrigerate for 24-30 hours, changing the water 4-5 times. The cod is ready to cook when the soaking water tastes barely salty. When ready, drain and pat the cod portions dry with paper towels. Set the cod on a rack in the refrigerator for an hour to dry. Remove the cod to a shallow dish and cover with the butter, tossing each portion to evenly coat. Place 4 portions of cod in each of two sous vide bags, spreading them out so that they barely touch. Distribute any excess butter into the bags. Vacuum seal the bags and cook in a 58C/ 136F water bath for 15 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Place all of the ingredients in a skillet set over medium low heat. Toss and cover tightly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is very tender. Uncover, raise the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid is evaporated and the fennel is coated in the flavored butterfat. ROASTED FINGERLINGS 16 small fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise 3g olive oil 1g salt 2 grinds black pepper Place the potatoes in a bowl, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss until well coated. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer, cut sides down. Roast in a 176C/350F oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and tender. Serve immediately.
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TOMATO RED PEPPER SAUCE
5g shallot, minced 107g extra virgin olive oil
30g extra virgin olive oil 42g diced onion 9g minced garlic 260g diced red bell pepper 993g ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and diced 1.5g salt 3g pimenton (smoked paprika)
Place the olives, garlic, and shallots in a blender and blend in short spurts, scraping down the sides, until a chunky puree forms. with the motor running, drizzle in the oil through the top to form a smooth puree. Serve at room temperature.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium low heat. Sweat the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the red pepper and sweat 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and salt, raise the heat to medium high, cover pan, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender and the tomatoes begin to break down. Stir in the pimenton and allow to cool slightly. Transfer contents of pan to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pan and keep warm.
RANGPUR LIME BUTTER 180g cold unsalted butter 30g minced shallots 270g rangpur lime juice 100g chardonnay 10g microplaned rangpur lime zest Melt 18g butter in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until lightly browned. Add the juice, raise the heat to high, and reduce by 1/3. Cool to 38C/100F, then scrape the reduction into a blender and blend until smooth. Add half of the remaining cold butter and blend for 2 minutes. Add remaining butter and blend for 3 minutes.
CERIGNOLA PUREE 100g pitted Cerignola olives 5g garlic minced
TO PLATE Spread a thin layer of TOMATO RED PEPPER SAUCE in the center of a plate or shallow bowl. Arrange 4 ROASTED FINGERLING halves on the sauce. Cover each SALT COD portion with a compacted layer of BRAISED FENNEL and place each on top of potatoes. Drop 4 small dollops of RANGPUR LIME BUTTER between the potatoes, followed by a smaller dollop of CERIGNOLA PUREE in its center. Drag the tip of a knife from center to one side. Garnish with fried fennel fronds. -35-
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VEAL MEYER LEMON The sixth course is the last savory course, featuring pan seared sweetbreads and slow cooked veal tenderloin. The tenderloin is cooked in an aromatic stock that contains kefir whey— the liquid left from draining thickened kefir. The whey contains live cultures of bacteria and yeast. If unavailable, substitute yogurt or fresh cheese whey. The other components are roasted scallion curls, braised puntarelle and mushroom sausage that consists of duxelles stuffed into a leek casing. The puntarelle is a type of chicory that forms asparagus-like spears. Substitute small heads of endive if unavailable. The dish is sauced with taleggio aligot, a potato based puree, tart meyer lemon emulsion, and a bright parsley oil Most of the preparation can be done a day in advance: the sweetbreads soaked and trimmed, the tenderloin trimmed and tied, the sausages and aligot completed and reheated for service. The meyer lemon emulsion and parsley oil can be made a few days in advance. .
Citrus x meyeri Discovered in Beijing in 1908 by Frank Meyer. Thought to be either a mandarin/lemon or orange/lemon hybrid with fragrant zest and moderately acidic flesh. Substitute a blend of lemon and orange for the juice and zest.
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VEAL SWEETBREAD TALEGGIO MUSHROOM PARSLEY
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PUNTARELLE MEYER LEMON
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transfer to a preheated 60C/140F oven. Braise for 45 minutes. When ready to serve, remove string and slice veal into 8 medallions.
KEFIR BRAISED VEAL 1.25 kilo veal tenderloin salt and pepper 15g oil 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 large shallot, sliced 90g vermouth 400g veal stock 290g kefir whey (substitute buttermilk if unavailable) 15g meyer lemon zest 5 sprigs thyme 2 bay leaves 5g salt 10 whole black peppercorns
SWEETBREADS 350g veal sweetbreads salt and pepper Wondra flour 18g butter Trim any large pieces of fat and veins from the sweetbreads and separate into 8 equally sized nuggets. Cover them with cold water and soak overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, peel and trim ex t ra n e o u s m e m b ra n e s f ro m t h e sweetbreads and arrange them on a rack set over a plate and allow them to air dry in the refrigerator for at least an hour. J u s t b efo re s e rv i n g , s e a s o n t h e sweetbreads with salt and pepper and a very light dusting of Wondra. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the sweetbreads when the butter foams and begins to brown. Saute for 2 minutes on each side and serve.
Trim and tie the veal tenderloin so that it is an even thickness. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Melt the oil over medium high heat in a large, heavy baking vessel (such as a Le Creuset). When the oil is hot, brown the tenderloin on all sides and remove from pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and shallot and saute until lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients and heat to 60C/140F. Return the veal to the pot and
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MUSHROOM LEEK SAUSAGE
Scrape the contents of the skillet into a food processor along with the mushrooms and process until finely ground to the consistency of couscous, scraping the sides to keep the mixture uniform. Scrape the contents of food processor back into the skillet and set over medium heat, cooking slowly for 10-15 minutes. When it appears that the mushrooms have released all of their juices, raise the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the juices evaporate and the mushrooms begin to sizzle. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cool to room temperature. If sausage stuffer is available, slide a leek casing over the narrow extension tube, taking care to not tear the leek. Feed the filling through until it fills the end of the casing- just enough to release air pocket- then tie filled end with string. Continue feeding until casing is filled. with about 12.5cm/5� of filling. Remove from tube and tie open end with string, then tie center with another string to form 2 sausages. Trim excess casing at both ends. Repeat with remaining casings. If sausage stuffer is not available, fill casings by forcing the filling with thumbs through a funnel fitted into one end of the casing. Sear the sausages in a pan with some oil until heated through. Cut sausages apart and remove strings.
2 long, thin leeks 10g unsalted butter 3g garlic, minced 150g oyster mushrooms, trimmed and brushed clean salt and pepper Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the root ends from the leeks and cut the tops where they begin to separate and turn green. The trimmed leeks should be at least 20cm/8� in length and no thicker than 25mm/1� in diameter. If necessary, peel off the outer layers to make thinner. Drop the leeks into the boiling water and remove after 3 minutes. Using a dishtowel, pull the outer layer of the hot leeks up and over the tops until they're free. If they don't slide off easily, return to the boiling water for another minute or two. Repeat until you have 4 casings of similar diameters.. Set the casings aside in a bowl of cold water while making the filling. Reserve the remains of the leeks for the filling. Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium low heat. Thinly slice 50g of the reserved leeks and add to skillet along with garlic. Cover pan and sweat vegetables until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. -41-
PUNTARELLE
350F oven and bake for 15 minutes., or until wilted and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Pick up a scallion by the root end, holding it between tip of forefinger and thumb. With the other hand wind the scallion around itself on forefinger to form a curl. Slip off of finger onto baking sheet. Repeat with remaining scallions. Cover loosely and keep warm.
5g unsalted butter 8 thumb-sized puntarelle spears 1g salt .3 grinds of pepper 18g white wine. Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium high heat. When it begins to color, add the puntarelle, tossing to coat with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides. Transfer puntarelle to a small baking dish. Deglaze the skillet with the wine and pour over puntarelle. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil and place in a 176C/350F oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until tender crisp. Serve immediately.
MEYER LEMON EMULSION 6g agar .5g xanthan 23g sugar 1g salt 60g water 200g meyer lemon juice 7g meyer lemon zest 10g extra virgin olive oil
SCALLION CURLS 8 large scallions, roots and green tips trimmed olive oil salt pepper
In a saucepan,, whisk together the agar, xanthan., sugar, and salt. Whisk in the water, then the lemon juice. Set over high heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool and thicken. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend for a minute. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil through the top and blend for 2 minutes more.
Lightly coat the scallions with oil and lay them out on a sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in a 176C/ -42-
TALEGGIO ALIGOT
and butter and blend for 2 minutes. Add half of the taleggio and blend for 1 minute. Add the remaining taleggio and blend for 1 minute more or until perfectly smooth. Adjust seasoning. Transfer to a small pan and keep warm until ready to serve.
1 litre water 3g salt 300g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks 6g garlic 8g meyer lemon juice 40g unsalted butter 90g taleggio, after rind has been removed
PARSLEY OIL 65g washed and well-dried flat parsley leaves 250g neutral oil
Place the water, salt and potatoes in a large pot and set over low heat. Cook, controlling the temperature to maintain 60-65C/140-150F for 20 minutes, then turn the heat to high and boil until potatoes are very tender. Drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking water. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer potatoes to a blender, along with 110g of the cooking water. Blend until smooth. Add the garlic, lemon juice
Place the parsley and oil in a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Transfer to a small pan and heat until hot (about 93C/200F). Strain through a coffee filter. The oil will keep in the refrigerator for about a week before it losses flavor. Save the solids in the filter to flavor other dishes.
TO PLATE Drop a large spoonful of TALEGGIO ALIGOT at top of plate and drag to bottom. Place a medallion of KEFIR BRAISED VEAL in center of plate and top with a nugget of SWEETBREAD. Place a MUSHROOM LEEK SAUSAGE against the veal to the left and a SCALLION CURL to the right. Lean a PUNTARELLE spear against the veal near the sausage. Pipe 3 dots of MEYER LEMON EMULSION around the veal. Make a small well in the center of each emulsion dot with a skewer and fill with a few drops of PARSLEY OIL. -43-
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BLACK SESAME YUZU
The seventh course is the first of two sweet courses. Harmonious japanese flavors are featured in the components: black sesame panna cotta, yuzu gelee, sour cherry granita, and bitter almond espuma. The black sesame paste, yuzu, and bitter almond kernels can be puchased online or at asian markets. All of the components can be made the day before, although the espuma should be foamed just before serving.
Citrus cavaleriei Ă— Citrus sunki Yuzu originates from China and is widely cultivated in Japan. It is a cross of Ichang papeda and sour mandarin. The zest is extremely fragrant and the pulp is very acidic. Substitute a blend of grapefruit, lemon and mandarin for the juice and zest.
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BLACK SESAME
SOUR CHERRY
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BITTER ALMOND
YUZU
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BLACK SESAME PANNA COTTA
YUZU GELEE
430g light cream 70g black sesame paste 30g sugar 45g water 9g gelatin 24 pitted sour cherries, macerated in shochu for 24 hours and drained
200g yuzu juice 40g sugar 3g microplaned yuzu zest 52g sake 52g water 9g gelatin Place the yuzu juice, zest, and sugar in a small pan set over low heat. Heat gently, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Place sake and water in a microwave safe dish and sprinkle the gelatin over the top, allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Whisk and heat in microwave for 1 minute until hot. Whisk again until gelatin is completely dissolved. if not, return to microwave for 30 seconds. Add the dissolved gelatin to the yuzu mixture, stirring gently until well blended. Allow to cool until barely warm and pour over cold panna cotta, dividing evenly among the cups. Chill for at least an hour.
Place the cream, paste, and sugar in small pan set over low heat. Heat gently, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and paste is well blended into the cream. Remove from heat. Place water in a microwave safe dish and sprinkle the gelatin over the top, allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Whisk and heat in microwave for 1 minute until hot. Whisk again until gelatin is completely dissolved. if not, return to microwave for 30 seconds. Add the dissolved gelatin to the cream mixture, stirring gently until well blended. Allow to cool slightly. Place 3 macerated cherries in each of 8 cups set on a tray. Divide the panna cotta evenly among the cups. Chill for at least 4 hours.
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BITTER ALMOND ESPUMA
SOUR CHERRY GRANITA
100g bitter almonds kernels 380g water 15g honey pinch salt 3g soy lecithin
250g sour cherry juice, at room temperature 2g gelatin Place 50 g of juice in a microwave safe dish. Sprinkle gelatin over top and let bloom for 5 minutes. Whisk and heat in microwave for 1 minute until hot. Whisk again until gelatin is completely dissolved. if not, return to microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk in the remaining juice and pour mixture into a shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 4-6 hours, until solid.
Place the almonds, water, sugar, and salt in a blender and blend for 2 minutes until smooth. Pass the liquid through a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather and twist the ends of the cheesecloth and squeeze to express all of the milk. Transfer the milk to a deep, wide container. Drop the lecithin in the center. of milk, cover with the blades of an immersion blender and blend until to incorporate lecithin. Chill until service. When ready to serve, foam the milk with immersion blender and scoop out foam with a spoon as it forms.
TO PLATE With the immersion blender, blend the BITTER ALMOND ESPUMA until a thick layer of foam forms on top. Remove the BLACK SESAME PANNA COTTA/YUZU GELEE cups from the refrigerator and the SOUR CHERRY GRANITA from the freezer. Scrape the granita with a fork and place a spoonful on top of the gelee in each cup. Scoop a spoonful of espuma and drop on top of the granita in each cup. Serve immediately.
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CHOCOLATE BERGAMOT
The final course pairs chocolate with bergamot in a variety of textures and temperatures, with pear, chestnut, and bay as supporting flavors. All of the components for this dessert can, and in most cases should, be made in advance. The bergamot pear ice cream and the batter for the hot chocolate cake with liquid center can be made 2-3 days ahead., while the bergamot bay truffles, chocolate meringues, and chestnut caramel can be completed 3-4 days in advance
Citrus bergamia Bergamot is native to southern Italy, were it is still widely grown. It is a cross of sour orange and limetta. The zest is extremely fragrant and the juice is acidic and slightly bitter. The aroma of the zest is distinct and has no substitute, Bergamot oil can be used in place of fresh zest and a blend of lemon and grapefruit juice substituted for the pulp.
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CHOCOLATE
PEAR
CHESTNUT
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BAY
BERGAMOT
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LIQUID HOT CHOCOLATE CAKE
CHOCOLATE MERINGUE
226g unsalted butter 226g dark semisweet chocolate. chopped 4 whole eggs 4 whole egg yolks 105g sugar 10g flour
62g bittersweet chocolate, chopped 82g egg whites, at room temperature 1g cream of tartar 25g sugar 18g egg yolks, at room temperature pinch salt
Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave proof bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir well and return to microwave for 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted and stirred mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Place the eggs, yolks and sugar in the bowl. of an electric mixer. Mix with whisk attachment on high speed for 5-8 minutes until light in color and doubled in volume. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and mix until incorporated. Sprinkle the flour over the top and mix for 1 minute. Generously grease 8 foil muffin tins or silicone molds. Fill each 3/4 full with batter. Chill until ready to bake. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 218C/425F and bake for 7 minutes. Immediately invert and unmold onto serving plates.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler until smooth and fluid. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. In a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and whip to soft peaks. Slowly and gradually add the sugar while whipping to stiff peaks. As soon as the whites are whipped, stir the yolks into the melted chocolate. Fold in about 1/4 of the whipped whites to lighten, then fold in the remainder until white streaks are no longer visible. Pour meringue onto a silpat, spreading in an even layer and dehydrate at 65C/150F for 8-12 hours until crisp and dry. Break the meringue into 24 triangular shards.
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BERGAMOT BAY TRUFFLES
CHESTNUT CARAMEL
220g heavy cream 6g fresh bay leaves, lightly crushed 5g microplaned bergamot zest 220g white chocolate, finely chopped cocoa powder
82g sugar 22g water 65g heavy cream 100g chestnut puree Spread the sugar into an even layer in the bottom of a small saucepan. Pour the water over the center of the sugar. Do not stir. Place the pan over medium high heat and cook for 6-8 minutes, undisturbed, until the large bubbles subside and sugar turns a deep amber color. Immediately remove from heat and carefully add the cream. It will bubble and sputter violently. When the bubbling subsides, stir the caramel. While it is still warm, stir in the chestnut puree. Set aside at room temperature.
Place heavy cream, bay leaves, and zest in a small pan and set over medium low heat and cook until it just breaks a simmer. Remove from heat, cover tightly and set aside for 10 minutes to infuse. Place white chocolate in a bowl. Return pan to a bare simmer and strain cream through a sieve directly over the chocolate. Stir gently for 1 minute, then vigorously until chocolate is completely melted and ganache is smooth. Pour into a shallow bowl and chill for 4-6 hours until firm. Sift cocoa powder onto a sheet of parchment. Drop small, irregularly sized spoonfuls of ganache onto the cocoa powder. Generously sift additional cocoa powder over the pieces of ganache. Roll each piece in surrounding cocoa powder until well coated
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cook for 30 minutes, until the pears are very tender. Remove and discard the zest and vanilla pod. Turn heat up to medium high and sprinkle the sugar over the top of pears. Stir and cook until sugar dissolves and begins to turns pale amber. Remove from heat and stir in the liquid glucose until it melts. Add the half and half to a blender and add the pear mixture. Blend until smooth. Transfer contents of blender to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to incorporate. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturers directions. When frozen, spoon ice cream into 8 flexible molds, Pressing well to release air bubbles. Level tops and freeze solid. Unmold just before serving.
BERGAMOT PEAR ICE CREAM 30g unsalted butter 413g peeled ,cored, and diced ripe pear 11g bergamot zest strips 1/2 vanilla bean 50g water 42g bergamot juice 80g sugar 45g liquid glucose 300g half and half 150g heavy cream 5g microplaned bergamot zest 1g salt 30g bergamot juice Melt the butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the pears and zest strips. Scrape the vanilla bean and add the seeds and pod to the skillet, followed by the water and 42g of juice. Stir well, cover tightly and
TO PLATE With a pastry brush, paint a thick stripe of CHESTNUT CARAMEL down the center of plate. Lay a strip of acetate that is slightly larger than the stripe directly onto the caramel, pressing very lightly. Lift one short end of acetate and pull it off the caramel in a quick smooth motion to create marbled pattern. Invert and unmold a LIQUID HOT CHOCOLATE CAKE along the upper right of caramel as soon as it comes out of the oven. Set down an unmolded BERGAMOT PEAR ICE CREAM along the lower left of caramel. Arrange 3 shards of CHOCOLATE MERINGUE on the plate, followed by 3 BERGAMOT BAY TRUFFLES. Sift confectioners sugar over the cake and garnish with fresh bergamot (Monarda) leaves. Serve immediately. -56-
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