IDEAS IN FOOD

Transformations

2010-07-30T08:44:47-04:00

The process of cooking is about controlling and shaping. We start with ideas and apply them to ingredients which then must be tasted and tested. Without impeccable ingredients ideas are only as good as paper they are scrawled upon. Our role is to control and guide the transformation of these ideas to the ingredients.

Powdered Lemongrass

2010-07-29T07:37:02-04:00

The powdering of lemongrass in our liquid nitrogen class was revelatory. The aromatics were incredible and it sparked a free flowing conversation and the ensuing applications of powdered aromatics as tissanes for savory, sweet and cocktail applications. The powdered lemongrass or other ingredient is put into a strainer and then the product to be enhanced or accented is poured through the strainer. The results are intense, immediate and delicious. This certainly changes our game plan in a number of applications.

A Different Angle

2010-07-27T07:27:46-04:00

In the past I have had trouble cooking a larger portion of short ribs into the pressure cooker without ending up with an excessive amount of braising liquid. Some might wonder what exactly is an excessive amount of braising liquid? When there is too much liquid in the pressure cooker before we begin, we end up diluting both the broth and the flavor of the meat being cooked. Sure, we can reduce the broth afterwards, but that is a waste of time, energy and flavor. Reducing liquids both concentrate flavor and changes it; and not always for the better.

Aki took the reigns on our short rib issue because she was tired of me "messing them up" again and again. Instead of packing the meat into the pot, she stood the ribs upright and then filled in the voids with aromatics. Finally she poured a blend of red wine and soy sauce about a quarter of the way up the ribs. I kept telling her that there was no way we were going to have enough liquid to properly cook the ribs but she tuned me out. (She's good at that.) When the meat was finished cooking (45 minutes at high pressure)and the pressure had dissipated naturally, the tender ribs were resting in there well seasoned liquid with a fine layer of fat on top. Aki just smiled as I happily acknowledged her success. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith, or in this case, have someone else do it for you.

Combinations

2010-07-26T12:01:00-04:00

It is wonderful to be in Cambridge. It has been too long since we were up here and it is a brand new experience seeing Tony's new digs. We arrived yesterday and were happily thrown into brunch service. It was hard work but we happily warmed some seats and devoured delicious food.

After brunch, we set up shop and started preparing for our classes and the dinner on Thursday. Pop on in if you are in the neighborhood.

Avocado and Tomato

2010-07-26T07:00:52-04:00

The prominent ingredients of this dish are the sliced tomatoes and avocados. However, it is the addition of the smoked capers which truly elevates and points up the flavors. There salty, briny smokiness paired with all the other components is simple and unforced deliciousness. It is not easy to refrain from the addition of more and thankfully we did.

Carbonated Young Coconut Water

2010-07-24T20:06:54-04:00

We were working with young coconuts at the same time we were playing with carbonated cocktails. One thing led to another and the result was carbonated coconut water, fresh from the shell. The effervescence really carries the aroma of the coconut, like sea breeze on a tropical island. While this is just a glass of carbonated coconut water the pathway is now clearly defined and we are excited about creating and consuming our upcoming discoveries.

Smoked Capers

2010-07-23T19:02:47-04:00

Wish you could taste these.

Guess you're going have to get your smoker fired up.

Braised Beef Fat

2010-07-23T07:33:06-04:00

When we prepare rib eye steaks we are always trimming and shaping the end result. For a long time we rendered the large hunk of fat and meat, which runs on the top of a rib eye along the bone, to make fat for cooking and cracklings for sauce. The other day when we were cleaning up a half a rib eye primal, we noticed that this hunk of fat looked remarkably like Mangalista pork belly in its marbling and meat blend. We decided to cut the meat off in one chunk, season it and slow cook for 24 hours at 70°C, the way we cook our beef cheeks. The result was a piece of beef fat which could then be sliced and sauteed like pork belly or foie gras. The fat caramelizes the same way it does on the outside of a roast and the interior is tender and bursting with flavor in your mouth. My first portion was about 60 grams in size when I started cooking and it rendered some fat in the cooking process.

I really enjoyed the flavors of the fat, but consuming it straight from the pan after lunch left me feeling a bit off. Five years ago I could easily have ingested a hunk of roasted fat with no repercussions. Times have changed and so have I. So, is this a useful preparation? Yes. We just need to do some fine tuning and figure out how much is the perfect portion for a specific need. One avenue we are looking at is dicing the fat and frying it like bacon lardons. Or slicing it like bacon to recreate that crusty skin on the top of the roast. Imagine that in a sandwich. Time and tasting will decided where we take this. (and don't think our smoker won't see some action in these tests)