playing with fire and water

black forest

vegetable tartine

tiles of roasted zucchini, summer squash and sweet bell peppers, mortar of eggplant skin puree

Why do we peel eggplants and discard the skin? 

Some say that the skin is bitter and tough. This can be true with the large, dark globe varieties. But I enjoy the taste of bitter, either as the focus of a dish, or as a contrast to other flavors. And it can indeed be tough, especially when cooked with dry heat. But when slowly stewed with roasted garlic and Aleppo pepper, it makes a flavorful and silky puree. 

Taste and texture aside, a compelling reason to rescue eggplant skin from the 

bin is nutrition. A phytonutrient, nasunin, is found in eggplant skin. Nasunin is a 

potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that protects the cell membranes 

in the brain.

Eggplant skin = brain food = greater capacity to think about food. I love closing circles.

Thinking about food is not always an intellectual exercise. Sometimes, it is finding the sublime in the banal.

raclette potato

I have a confession to make:

I am a sucker for babies. They reduce me to a pile of cooing, quivering jelly. When I encounter a neonate, i have to fight the urge to stuff their pudgy cheeks, fists, and feet into my mouth. This may seem bizarre, but I'm willing to bet there are some of you that are nodding in recognition.

This same compulsion applies to baby vegetables (just ask Sid Wainer). These, I recognize, are OK to put in my mouth.

My first vegetable garden was largely dedicated to the cultivation of baby root vegetables. I planted miniature varieties of white turnips, red and yellow beets, cylindrical and round carrots, and red and white pearl onions in neat rows. It was a garden fit for a dollhouse. 

I also planted Yukon Gold potatoes that were intended to be full size, but when I prematurely dug them up, I was delighted to find tiny, marble-size potatoes clinging to the roots. Within minutes, I was in my kitchen, rinsing off the still-wet earth, their skins so thin that the force of the water nearly peeled them away. After a few minutes in boiling, salted water, they went into a saute pan with fruity olive oil, smashed cloves of garlic and sprigs of thyme. Heavenly, they were; creamy inside, crisp and earthy outside. Later that day, I made a simple dinner of roasted baby potatoes with melted raclette cheese, good bread and wine. I will never forget those humble meals; they rekindled my love affair with the potato. 

Nowadays, I seldom grow potatoes, mainly because I don't want to sacrifice the space in my garden required to grow and hill them. At this time of year, I am on the lookout for new crops of spuds that appear at the market and will rummage through bins and baskets, picking out the tiniest specimens. 

The newborn fingerlings that I found, just hours old I was told, were prime for simple preparations. But, of course, I had to play. 

raclette potato

Methocel SGA forms a firm gel when heated and reverts to it's original state (here, a soft puree) as it cools. For best results, allow it to hydrate overnight.

160 g hot potato puree

75 g milk, cream, or buttermilk

15 g butter

salt

100 g water

5 g methocel SGA150

raclette cheese, cut into thin slices.

To make potato puree: Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Drop into boiling, salted water and cook until very tender. Drain and pass through a ricer, tamis or sieve 2-3 times or until a very smooth texture is achieved. This is best made just before proceeding with recipe, while still hot.

Combine hot potato puree with milk, butter, and salt, stirring vigorously until butter melts.

Add methocel to water and blend it in with an immersion blender. Combine gel with potato mixture, stirring until well blended. Cover and chill overnight in refrigerator.

The next day, preheat oven to 250F. Fill molds with potato mixture and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until firm. Remove from oven and unmold onto baking sheet lined with silpat. 

Lay slices of cheese alongside potatoes and return to oven just until cheese softens and begins to spread. 

Peel cheese off silpat and drape over potato. Lift potato and mold the cheese around the bottom, pressing into place.

If desired, the raclette potato can be painted with strongly-brewed, finely-ground coffee. Serve warm.

blackberry rose cashew

blackberry rose sorbet

Blackberries and roses belong to the plant family Rosaceae along with strawberries and raspberries. As the flavor of roses is largely dictated by their aroma, choose highly fragrant varieties such as rugosa or floribunda. Pick the petals in the morning, when they are the most fragrant , and remove the white heels, which tend to be bitter.
250 g (1 1/4 cups) sugar
100 g (4 oz) rose petals
230 g ( 1 cup) water
180 g ( 1/2 cup) agave nectar
350 g ( 1 1/2 cups) blackberry puree
�25 g (2 Tblsps) rosewater
Place sugar and rose petals in a food processor and process until petals are finely ground. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and add the water and agave syrup. Heat gently, just until sugar is melted. Cool to room temperature and stir in the blackberry puree and rosewater. Strain and chill in the refrigerator until cold. Transfer to an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers directions.

blackberry yogurt ravioli

Low methoxyl pectin requires the presence of calcium ions to form gels that are firm and flexible with a bite similar to al dente pasta. Fresh blackberries contain 29 g of calcium per 100 g of fruit, which is sufficient to allow amidated, LM pectin to gel without added calcium. For a gel with jewel-like clarity, the blackberry puree should be strained several times. Freezing/thawing also helps separate the solids.

Greek yogurt

150 g clear blackberry juice
35 g sugar
3 g amidated, LM pectin
Pack yogurt into small, silicone hemisphere molds and freeze just until firm.
Combine the sugar with the pectin in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Place juice in a pan and bring to boil. Add sugar-pectin and stir vigorously 1-2 minutes while cooking to dissolve. Return to boil and remove from heat. Keep a pan of simmering water on the stove to keep the pectin warm and fluid.Drop Tablespoonfuls of hot pectin solution onto a ceramic or glass plate, forming discs, and allow to gel. Set pan in simmering water while proceeding. When discs are firm, unmold yogurt hemispheres and place one on each of the discs. Pour the remaining warm pectin evenly over the yogurt to completely encase. When gelled, cut away the excess gel with a round cutter that is slightly larger than the hemisphere. Chill.

instant cashew cake

Cashew butter can be found in health food stores
or can easily be made from roasted cashews with a high-speed blender. The plumpest, butteriest cashews are from Brazil.
For the recipe and step-by-step illustrations, see the post on instant chocolate cake, replacing the melted chocolate with an equal amount of cashew butter.

passion foam

TAZO's Passion Herbal Infusion is a blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango and passion fruit.
200 g boiling water
1 TAZO Passion tea bag
12 g sugar
2.5 g gelatin
Make an infusion by pouring the boiling water over the tea bag. Allow to infuse for 2 minutes, then remove tea bag. Stir in sugar, then sprinkle gelatin over top and whisk in until dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature. Pour mixture into a deep, wide container. Whip with an immersion blender until a thick layer of foam forms on the surface. To use, skim off the foam with a spoon.

methocel rose

For the recipe and step-by-step illustrations, see the post on roses. Alternately, the methocel film can be cut or formed into shapes when flexible, then baked for a crisp, melting texture.

blackberry cells

Another technique from Ferran Adria. At Madrid Fusion 08, he dropped black raspberries (amoras) into Liquid Nitrogen. The frozen berries easily broke apart into individual cells when struck with a mallet. Although LN is more efficient, this method also works with a conventional freezer. Blackberries are a little trickier to break apart because they still contain the core.

roses

Ah, the rose...

Is there any other flower that has stirred the passion of poets, writers, artists...

...and yes, even cooks?

rose petals fried in almond oil--sweet, crisp, irresistible



a delicate, crisp rose made from Methocel film


Methocel Rose

Place 200 g. water and 90 g. sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cool, stir in 30 g. strained raspberry juice and 1/4 tsp. rosewater. Sprinkle 5 g. of Methocel E15 and  10 g. Ultratex 8 over top of syrup and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to hydrate.
On a smooth sheet of silicone, form two 5" long strips of solution and 10 petals, approximately 1/2" in diameter. With the back of a spoon, spread out the strips to an even thickness and spread the petals to about an inch in diameter. Place in a dehydrator to dry for 4 hours or until a flexible film has formed that can be peeled off of the silicone.

To form the center of the rose, peel off one of the long strips and secure one end by wrapping it around the tip of a toothpick. Peel off a petal and ruffle the base by pinching it between thumb and forefinger. Wrap the base of petal around the base of the rose center on the toothpick, pressing lightly to adhere. Repeat with the next petal, slightly overlapping the first. Continue forming and adding petals in concentric circles, pressing each one to the base, until all of the petals are used. When rose is complete, stick the end of the toothpick into a potato to hold rose upright. Place rose and potato into a 250 F. oven for 8-10 minutes or until petals have hardened and turned crisp. When rose has cooled, remove toothpick by gently twisting it while holding the base of the rose with the other hand. Keep in a tightly sealed, dry container until ready to use.

ceviche

raw/cooked
scallop cooked in acid
melon cooked by compression

scallop ceviche

woven melon
serrano ham
honey ginger granules
daylily
lovage buds

silicone sphere mold

How to make a 2-part spherical mold from Silicone Plastique:

    
 Knead together equal amounts of silicone Part A and Part B until well blended and uniform in color.


      
Apply a thin layer of Release-Dit to surface of sphere. Form a flattened disc from silicone and press sphere into it. Mold silicone around bottom half of sphere, forming a thick rim with 4 corners.

   
Press pieces of a dowel into corners of rim to form dimples that will allow the top part of the mold to interlock with the bottom. Wrap with rubber band to secure silicone to sphere. Allow to cure for one hour.
When cured, unwrap and remove dowels. Apply a thin layer of Release-Dit to upper surface of rim and dimples. Knead together equal amounts of silicone Part A and Part B until well blended and uniform in color. Mold silicone around top half of sphere and rim, pressing firmly. Cut a hole in the top with a straw for filling. Allow to cure for one hour. With a sharp blade, cut a notch through both parts of mold along one side of rim for alignment. Separate mold, remove sphere and wash well. Mold is now ready to use.
Silicone Plastique is food-safe. Filled mold can be frozen or heated up to 400 degrees F.

cake, fashion, and hydrocolloids

Recently, I was asked to make a custom cake, a request that I've not accepted for a long time...too many balls in the air, not enough hands. I used to make wedding cakes on a regular basis and I enjoyed it immensely, until it came time to deliver them. I had a rule in which the only people that were allowed to transport these cakes were:  the one who made it or the one who paid for it . Since the latter was rarely an option, it was often left to me. Gratefully, they all arrived intact at their destination, and on time, but I estimate that I've lost about 5 years off of my lifespan on the winding, hilly roads of Connecticut.

I accepted this request, mainly because the theme intrigued me; it was to reference the recipients' penchant for Gucci shoes.

I learned to sew at about the same time that I learned to cook. I never considered either of these skills as something that I could build a profession on...until I discovered haute couture; the extreme form of fashion. It is often the extremities of things that attract me to it, then allow me to find my own ground within it. After high school, I  headed to NYC to study fashion design at Parsons, long before Tim Gunn & company put it on the reality TV map. I had high expectations, perhaps unrealistic ones. I went there to explore the extreme, but found that they were peddling moderation in the form of ready-to-wear. In the ensuing years, I have found my ground in fashion design, even when I started cooking professionally, and to this day, I maintain parallel careers in fashion and food. I have designed and made many things, from dog collars to wedding gowns, but I have never made a pair of shoes...until now. It is not without irony that my first pair would also be edible.

It was through the extremities of avant guarde cuisine that I first learned of hydrocolloids and other chemicals. I don't deny that I was seduced by their possibilities, but I had questions. First up: "Are they safe to consume?" For answers, I turned to scientific data and independent studies and avoided all information that was tempered by agendas. Satisfied, I moved on to the next question, "What is the point?" Do they contribute to making food better, or are their applications just smoke and mirrors? I reconciled with this by examining the ingredients that I already use in making cakes. Baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, and gelatin are some of the processed additives that are commonly used in baking. The transformative effects that they produce in cake batters and other baked goods are undeniable and have stood the test of time.

The use of rolled fondant to cover cakes is something that I have struggled with. Although it is completely edible, I've never found it particularly good to eat...it brings to mind the centers of the drugstore chocolates that were abandoned after the first hopeful bite. It's only merit is that it provides a pristine and alabaster-smooth surface to apply decoration, acting like the gesso on an artists' canvas. I always point out these pros and cons to my clients when they request a fondant-covered cake. When they insist on it, I try to find the humor when the plates come back to the kitchen with peeled-away strips of fondant, like discarded rinds.

On the occassions when I am required to use fondant, I choose to make it from scratch. My recipe is based on the one found in Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible" and contains gelatin, glucose and glycerine, as well as shortening and confectioners sugar. For this cake, I swapped sodium alginate for the gelatin, remembering that it is sometimes used for the commercial production of this product. While it produced a more pliable and silkier fondant to work with, it didn't make it any more palate-friendly...don't think I'll be joining a fondant fan club anytime soon.

               

 

flower power

             

On more than one occasion, I have been accused of being a hippie.The finger is usually pointed by my children after one of my long-winded dissertations on the importance of recycling, composting, and energy conservation. I do not take offense at being called a hippie, but I remind them that I missed that boat and had I been born earlier, I would have fit right into a culture that protested war with the power of flowers.

Flowers do indeed have power; they evoke emotions, trigger memories, convey language, and stimulate the senses. The latter is usually associated with sight and smell, but flowers also have flavor.

Roses belong to the family Rosaceae which includes raspberries, strawberries, cherries and almonds, and are all aroma with tender,  mildly sweet petals. Violets contain ionone, a flavor compound that is also shared by carrots. Jasmine contains indole, which is also present in liver. Carnations have a distinct spicy clove flavor. Pansies taste grassy, with hints of wintergreen. Hibiscus have an acidic flavor that is reminiscent of cranberries. Daylilies are mildly sweet with melon and pear tones. Chamomile tastes like green apples. In contrast, Nasturtiums are pungent and peppery. Herb flowers usually mimic the flavors found in their leaves, in a milder and sweeter version. Most fruit and vegetable flowers are edible and, in fact, broccoli, cauliflower, and artichokes are actually flowers.

The history of cooking with flowers can be traced back thousands of years. Dandelions were one of the bitter herbs in the Old testament. The oldest surviving cookbook by the Roman Apicius featured a recipe for brains with rose petals. And the Victorians were fond of decorating confections with violets and pansies.

Modern chefs are rediscovering the power of flowers. In Spain, Ferran Adria uses the flavor of flowers prominently in his evolving collections of thought-provoking dishes. In his Papel de Flores, (Flower Paper), he traps begonias, marigolds and herb flowers in cotton candy, or spun sugar, and compresses it to form an edible paper. In another dish, he covers a pistachio salad with caramelized rosemary honey air and up to 14 varieties of flower petals. Quique Dacosta of el Poblet infuses prawn stock with rose petals and texturized rose water in his celebrated Red Denia Prawn dish. Jordi Roca, the pastry chef at El Celler de Can Roca draws inspiration for his desserts from popular perfumes such as Calvin Klein's Eternity  and Lancome's Tresor by isolating the notes and recreating them with flavors on a plate. His Eternity dish is made up of vanilla cream, basil sauce, fresh and frozen mandarin, orange blossoms, maple syrup, and bergamot ice cream. When these components are eaten together, they evoke the scent of the perfume.

With a veritable garden of flowers at our disposal, waiting to be tasted and put to culinary use, is it just a matter of time before the consumption of flowers becomes as common as that of vegetables and herbs? That was a question that I recently posed to a chef/friend, who also happens to be a male. His reply and the ensuing conversation went like this:

"that'll never happen."

"why?"

"real men don't eat flowers"

"that's absurd...try telling that to Adria, Aduriz, Dacosta, and others. Aren't they real men?"

"no...they are culinary gods."

So...according to my chef/friend, only girls and gods eat flowers...that's good enough for me.

spring flower salad
elderflower dressing
almond milk cream

silicone

                   

As a pastry chef, I've relied on molds to give shape to my desserts. I have a large collection which vary in size and shape from the very simple to the ornate and complex. Within the walls of my house, they cover shelves, fill entire cupboards, and lie waiting patiently in boxes. I cannot pick favorites (how can I...many have never been used), but I can tell you that nowadays, the ones that I use most often are made of silicone.

Silicone has revolutionized the way the I bake. Silpats are unparalleled in their ability to release anything that comes in contact with them. The flexibility of silicone molds allow me to form products which are perfectly smooth or deeply cut. The outcropping of new forms and shapes that I find on the market has had me already teetering on the precipice of possibilities.  Finding a product that allows me to make my own molds may have just pushed me over the edge.

I already have a collection of objects set aside to replicate in silicone, but I'm curious...what would you mold?