Food From Thoughts

Treasures Of The Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:40:00 +0000

One of the pride of our restaurant for this month.

Every month the menu changes accordingly to the availability and seasonal ingredients. We want to capture the best flavors possible of the ingredients that are available to us. In our restaurant we always believe that we are not Asian chefs/cooks nor Western chef/cooks. We are not even close to being fusion chef/cooks. We are just using whatever that is available and cook with the ingredients that we think would come together best. So for this month we have all these seafood in hand from Hokkaido to South Australia.

Instead of using them in different dishes why not just use them all in one dish that brings out every character that is in them.

We served all the treasures on a bag of water with sea fennel and Japanese micro leaves in it. So as guests eat the seafood, the seafood wobble as pressure is exerted on them.

TREASURES OF THE SEA

hokkaido scallops // spencer gulf king prawn // jellyfish // sea urchin // hamachi // maguro // grapefruit-rhubarb // rice clusters

Eating Your Macchiato

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:02:00 +0000

Wake Up! Eat Your Macchiato!

ESPRESSO // aniseed milk

Beyond Arborio

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:10:00 +0000

As much as experts argue that the enticingly distinctive creamy texture of risotto is dependent on the types of the rice that is used in the making of it. I think there is never a "right" kind of rice but more of a matter of preference. Depending on what textural characteristics that the artist wants to bring forth. It is like there is never a "right" color for curtains, just the preference and mood that one wants to bring to the room with the colors.

There are several varieties of the risotto rice. But commonly they are medium to short grained, plump and the most significant attribute is that they are packed with amylopectin which contributes to the creamy texture of risotto. The proportion of amylopectin determined the stickiness of the rice hence the creaminess.

In this dish I am using the Michael Jackson of risotto rice the Carnaroli. Carnaroli is widely used in most of Italian regions. It is considered as the king of risotto rice due to its capability to absorb water almost twice of its weight AND it is difficult to overcooked them. So imagine the amount of flavors that one can actually impregnant the rice!

I paired the risotto with veal sweetbreads and thinly sliced grilled matsutake mushroom. Of course crowns of truffle shavings that is place on top to adorned this king. Instead of using chicken stock, I made a mushroom stock. The results are risotto that is luxuriously creamy and delectable with charred pungent earthiness from the matsutake. The sweetbreads are from milk-fed veal that is so creamy and delicate - lightly seared to have that outer caramelized flavor.

At the end of the day, experimenting with types of rice to achieve what you try to bring forth is more important that just reading about it and cooking just because of what you have read.

Next stop Vialone!

Nitro "Popcorn" Base - The Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:59:00 +0000

Here is the recipe for the Nitro "Popcorn" Base:

Note that the trick to do flavor variation is to either infuse the milk with flavors or that essence is used.

Nitro "Popcorn"

500g popcorn (well I used 1 bag of caramel microwave popcorn. You can go AWOL on the popcorn)

480g heavy cream

480g milk

240g sugar

10 large yolks

vanilla salt

Bring milk and cream to a simmer then add in the popped popcorn. Infuse popcorn flavour in cream and milk for 2 hours. Hand blend and strain the popcorn milk into another pot. Bring popcorn milk to boil and make anglaise wih yolk and sugar.

Chill overnight.

Strain into a siphon canister and charged with 2 NO2. Shake well for each charge.

Prepare a bath of liquid nitrogen. Be careful when dealing with liquid nitrogen as it is very cold. Dispense the base into the bath and using a long perforated spoon, roll the content in the bath few times to freeze completely. Take the frozen "popcorn" out of the bath and place in a tray. You can crack the "popcorn" into smaller pieces which resembles popcorn.

*do not directly put the popcorn into your mouth right after it comes out from the bath as this will hurt you - as much as you want to experience Dragon's Breath Popcorn! If it sticks to your tongue or lips, do not pull it by force. Just let it sit there in your mouth and eventually it will melt.

Happy Popping!

Popcorn "Grits"

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:07:00 +0000

I am supposed to be making Dani Garcia's nitro "popcorn" that was simply made with equal parts of oil and flavored water. Then I did an internet search on which if it is possible to make an ice cream base and put them into the siphon whip instead. Garcia's nitro "popcorn" utilizes the fat from the olive oil and when charged with NO2 will create a light foam. Hence when dispensed into a nitro bath makes a crisp on the outside meringue like piece of heaven. So I was thinking ice cream bases have fats too and it is creamier - from milk and cream. So is it possible to use ice cream base and charged it in siphon whip? Adria's recipe call for an added ingredient known as glice (which is obvious because he needs to market his Texturas range). Will the texture be the same without glice?

Fortunately, there are people who actually did a non-glice-added conventional ice cream base and charged it in a siphon whip. I am still doubting the texture.

So curiously I made a base of ice cream that is infused with popcorn flavors. After blending the infused popcorn and milk mixture I strained the milk back into the pot as I am doing an anglaise.

Something caught my attention!

The blended popcorn and milk gave me a thick buttery porridge-like leftover on the chinois. I took a smell and the word "GRITS" hit me! I personally love grits. But this one is decadent with shouts of butter and caramel notes. The little bits and pieces of popcorn makes it interesting as there are few textures in a spoonful.

Sometimes in the kitchen it is really amazing how inspiration can come randomly - whether from the end product, during the process or even right at the beginning. Either ways, it is still awesome!

Brine And Earthy

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:54:00 +0000

A little flavor of the sea and of earthiness. I used Thomas Keller's 7-Yolks Pasta and knead it with squid ink. Results were soft chewy pasta with briny flavors. I made a creamy ragout of bunapi shimeiji which in the beginning doubted it very much. To eat, pull the chopsticks to drop the pasta into the glass and then mix it up. A pasta dish bursting of pure brine, earthiness and is exciting to the palate as the trout roe explodes when chewed on.

To add character to the dish, a little aged parmesan and fresh roma tomatoes

Not So Cordon Bleu

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:04:00 +0000

Have much leftovers of feta cheese and do not want to use it in a salad so ended up making a roulade of chicken that has turkey ham and mushroom. Of course filled with a huge amount of feta cheese.

This dish is along the briny profile. Both the cheese and turkey ham makes it almost unnecessary to salt the chicken. And the mushroom adds a bold contrast to the meat. Moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. I paired it will sautéed watercress that highlights nuttiness.

CHICKEN // feta // turkey // watercress

Salmon Skin Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

After have found ways to puff anything up, I also figure that I am kind of obsessed with making anything-chips. Maybe it is the love for potato chips ever since I am young.

The skin that is air dried is supposed to be fried in hot oil to puffed up but if it is flatten and weighted in between parchment papers on a hot plate - this skin can really turn out to be a thin super crispy treat. I served this as a little snack before the meal. Brushed one side with a little honey-soy glazed then sprinkle a Firestorm seasoning with aonori powder.

And someone actually said it reminds them of the salted fish that they used to have at home only it looks different and unpredictable!

SKINS // umami // firestorm

Nyonya Food Interpreted

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:21:00 +0000

A spring roll of bean sprout kerabu accompanied with fresh crisp romaine on a pool of ginger torch mayonnaise. Marinated prawns with fish sauce and brown sugar then grilled. To tie the dish together - calamansi sorbet.

Smoked Fat & Fish Fat

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:10:00 +0000

I think ethereal is not the word here. I am aware that there are pairings of white fish and bacon comprising of a less flavorful and fatty fish with a big fat bacon wrapped around it to sort of give that fattiness into the fish. Here I used a cod with smoked bacon. Ironically it is delicate with distinctive flavors of both elements. The smoked fat contrast the fishy fat giving the cod more character. A puree of corn and paprika at the bottom and sauté watercress. Something about watercress that just oozes nuttiness when sautéed. I finished the dish with a frozen chervil foam and yes it reminds the palate of butter.

Caramelized White Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:21:00 +0000

I first came across caramelizing white chocolate by Alexander Talbot using a vacuum packing method. Then later on Lebovitz introduces a more conventional method by using the oven. I have tried the vacuum packing method and the oven method - both have very different characters and flavours. Which type to be use, very much is dependant on what dominant flavours are we trying to bring about.

I personally would prefer an oven method because the direct dry heat will actually contribute to the burnt and nutty flavour of the white chocolate. It is sweeter with slight hint of nuts, bursting with burnt goodness and finishing on the palate with a note of butterscotch.

I made an ice cream with the caramelized white chocolate. Results was, decadent and full of characters. What more one could ask in a simple ice cream?

Hard Drive Down

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:13:00 +0000

My hard drive decided to commit suicide. Now, some of my photos are gone with it! I am really crossing my fingers that I could salvage some of the photos - not just photos but tons and tons of data that is inside it. Will be back posting real soon. So sorry guys. :(

Squid With A Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:27:00 +0000

This is my interpretation on a local Malaysian dish known as the "kangkong belacan". Kangkong is a type of vegetable which is also known as the water spinach. The leaves are chewy and long with stems that gives a juicy crunch upon bite due to its high water content.

I only use the leaf in this dish so I made a tempura of the leaves - this gives the crunch only a whole different dimension of crunch. I made a batter from chilled carbonated water with a mixture of tapioca starch and all purpose flour. This is to ensure that the batter when fried will be crumbly yet crispy upon first bite. Then it is fried in hot oil until crispy. After, I coat it in a coating of salted egg and butter. As the yolks set it forms another crust outside the already fried leaves giving that distinct saltiness.

The squid is boiled in lemon broth and then marinated in fish sauce, ginger flower, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, lemongrass, palm sugar, vinegar and seasoning. I made a mayonnaise with a slight hint of orange zest. To finish the dish, I added a little prawn powder and sesame foam.

Chicken, Wasabi, Pumpkin

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:41:00 +0000

A roulade of chicken breast with mushroom, scallions and onions with hints of smoked paprika. Served on top of a wasabi aioli. Love the way the wasabi aioli balances the earthiness of the mushrooms in the chicken and adds a little pungency to the dish and contrast the crispy crumbs. Pumpkin and asparagus slowly braised in broth with kelp.

Unagi, Parma Ham, Chevril

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Made a little something for a friend's birthday party

I think this dish works well with thin crust pizza base - visually and palate wise. Visually it gives the impression that it is an Okonomiyaki until you bite into it and realized that it is pizza bread. A thin crust pizza base does not only gives contrasting texture to the soft tender unagi but also makes the bite interesting.

I spread a thin layer of unagi sauce over the base before I put all the topping on it. And since unagi sauce and unagi is predominantly sweet, I used a parma ham to balance the sweetness and some fresh chervil to uplift the pizza. Mozzarella, just a little and Japanese mayonnaise.

When Ingredients Speak Flavour Language

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:29:00 +0000

I remembered reading Roald Dahl's "The Sound Machine" when I was younger about a man who created the the sound machine. This enabled him to listen to plants and flowers speak. Chefs always listen to their ingredients - not that they are schizophrenic, but simply saying listening to the ingredients means, letting the ingredients come to the its fullest of flavour and using a technique which will let the ingredients "speak" for itself.

This is a simple dish. Nothing elaborate or complicated about it.

This dish is made up of grilled prawns that is lightly dipped in soy sauce, tomato puree, daikon 2 ways - the thin slices are flash pickled in a canister with NO2 making it almost opaque, round ones are braised in kelp and hondashi broth almost same opacity but only different texture, carrots that are sauteed, fresh little greens in simple vinaigrette, a poached egg with fried daikon hair.

Stuffed

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:47:00 +0000

Inspired by the technique that is used to make roulade comes this idea of stuffing the fresh crisp leaves of bok choy. In the beginning I thought doing so will discolour the greens however it does not - which is good news!

Just a little gentle bashing on the leaves to flatten it. I put it between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Then put the stuffing on the leaves and then roll it like how you would roulade. Then steam for 5 minutes. This is not to cook the green but more of like cooking the stuffing that is inside. Well the stuffing inside, can be just about anything.

Here, I stuffed it with mashed potatoes and parmesan as an accompaniment for a seared cod on pumpkin puree. A little fried daikon hair and prawn crumbs to complete the stuffed bok choy. To finish the dish, puffed fish skins. Erm, so cod or stuffed bok choy? Who is the star actually?

COD // bok choy // parmesan-potato

Art of Being Random

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:12:00 +0000

ran-dom (rndm) [adjective] lacking any definite plan or order or purpose; governed by or depending on chance.

And I think being random does not always governed by or depending on chance. I say it is an art. With the help of a friend, somehow random turns out to be really good.

WHITE CHOCOLATE // Pistachio // Passion Fruit // Mocha

Left Over Beef

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Hearty, unconventional and why prawns? Why not?

BEEF // Watermelon // Prawns

"When In Brisbane..."

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:23:00 +0000

A beautiful city during the day and packed with aliveness during the night. Stretches of al fresco dining, espresso bars and cafes in the city - serving both upscaled and down right simple hearty food. I fell in love with this place, of course with the fresh produces and meats here as well!

Brisbane

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:29:00 +0000

On.A.Long.Holiday

A Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:56:00 +0000

Made a mushroom pie. The mushroom filling is prepared thick and creamy. Perfumed with thyme and bay leaves. The creamy thick mushroom against the layers of puffed pastry makes it interesting. A little something sour to cut through all that and contrast the temperature. Christine's Vanilla Pod Raspberry Granita.

Vanilla Cremeux, Matcha, Passion Fruit, Raspberry, Pistachio, Dark Chocolate-Oreo

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:20:00 +0000

Morimoto is my hero. I would say in my earlier works, his dishes and philosophy has always been an inspiration to me. This is an inspiration of his well known sashimi presentation. He would line the ingredients up like uni, tobiko and yamakake in a wooden tray. Served with a small cute teaspoon, guests are then asked to scrap the 3 lines and eat them.

What I did was, to take Morimoto's presentation's idea and turn it into something that you do not scrap the 4 flavours on top and eat them but I wanted to highlight the versatility of vanilla cremeux. Whether you eat it with passion fruit, raspberry, pistachio or dark chocolate. It is awesome. The flavours and texture just worshiping one another. That is harmony!

Vanilla Cremeux, Matcha, Passion Fruit, Raspberry, Pistachio, Dark Chocolate-Oreo

White Chocolate, Mocha, Pistachio

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Made up of pistachio joconde as a base, layers of white chocolate mousse and mocha cremeux.

Finish up with Dark Chocolate-Oreo Soil, Green Tea Sponge.

It is a whole lot of textures and flavours going on in a single-deep dig.

Chicken - Roulade, Mushroom, Potatoes Tortilla, Pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Eugene) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 07:54:00 +0000

In the beginning there was an idea for Wellington then somehow or rather it had turned out to be something like this which do not look like a Wellington.