Bone Marrow

Bone marrow is an affordable luxury, which makes it an easy way to introduce a little decadence into a menu.

I bought eight marrow bones at the farmer's market this Saturday, six of which became Sunday dinner.  I simply roasted them at 450F for 15 minutes after being brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with green salt (salt food processed with parsley, bay leaf, and thyme) on both ends.  The salt forms a crust which helps hold the marrow in the bones when they cook through.

They were served with a parsley leaf salad with shallots and capers and olive-walnut bread toast  brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with green salt.  To finish the toast, I topped them with roasted garlic.  

A vinaigrette of sherry vinegar and olive oil with a half cup of orange juice reduced to one/two tablespoons added a nice citrus component.  I ended up grabbing some lemon wedges to supplement the citrus.

To eat this, I just ran a knife along the edge of the marrow and pulled out a tube of marrow, which I then spread on the bread, mixing with the garlic.  I then topped it with a heap of the parsley salad and added a squeeze of lemon.  It is a divine taste.  

I searched online a bit and it turns out it is a standard sort of dish.  I had in mind balancing the rich fatty marrow with an acidic component.  I also knew that parsley works really well with citrus, so I went that direction.  I knew I was going to use toast, so I thought I would make olive walnut bread to highlight the nutty toast.  The roasted garlic was in the same direction, but thinking that the sweetness roasted garlic introduces would add another balance to the dish.  

Preserved Lemons

Pickles, dried fruits, cured sausages and fish, dried milk have in common that they involve controlled degradation of an original product to create something that can be stored for much longer, often developing pleasing flavors and textures all their own.  Preserving foods is an ancient practice, and very easy to do.  There are a few forms of preservation, like pickling, curing, fermentation, and drying.  People have also been preserving milk by making yogurt, cheese, and the like, all examples of the controlled degradation of the original food to produce something that can be stored much longer under conditions that would cause the original product to spoil.   Drying removes water which makes it difficult for anything to grow.  Dried fruits are a clear example of this, and you've seen peppers, spices, and mushrooms that have gone through this process.  Dried milk is another good example, since it doesn't require refrigeration.  Another form of preservation is fermentation.  Pickles, olives, sauerkraut,  and preserved lemons etc. fall into this category.

I decided to make preserved lemons, to be used at a future date.  To do this, I cut some meyer, eureka, and lisbon lemons into halves and packed them with a 2:1 ratio of salt to sugar.  That is all there is to it.  Time does the rest.  These will sit in their jars to ferment for several weeks.

The idea behind preservation is to deactivate the enzymes in the food while creating an environment unfriendly to sickness-causing microbes.  The preserved lemons are also a fermented product, relying on the slow degradation of the lemon flesh to create an intensely flavored product which can be used anywhere lemons are called for, and more. In the preservation of lemons, the acid, salt, and packing creates an oxygen poor environment, which inhibits bacterial growth while promoting the fermentation of the flesh.  By destroying the living tissue of the food, this makes it unavailable to disease causing bacteria and molds, thus preserved foods can be stored indefinitely.

(The above is based on a quick reading of McGee)

Birthday Dinner

October 28, my birthday.

I used to want to go out to eat or something like that, but now I feel enough confidence in my cooking that I would rather make something for myself and the wife.  By coincidence I received the Bouchon and The French Laundry Cookbook in the mail a couple days before.  This has inspired me to make a few things the past few days, some of which I decided to do for my birthday.  While I cook every day, I think allowing me to make something delicious for others is a great birthday gift.  Nothing gives me more pleasure than offering such an experience to people.

I try to make as much from scratch as I can.  I do that so I can learn techniques and foundations.

For the appetizer I had some homemade lean bread, brushed with a honey-olive oil mixture and sprinkled with Maldon Sea Salt .  The bread is simple to make, requiring that you remember two things.  First, 5:3 ratio of flour to water.  This is the basic structure for the dough.  Adding a teaspoon of active dry yeast per 15-20 ounces of flour gets the bread to rise.  A bit of salt in the dough gives it flavor.  From there, you can make all kinds of variations from olives, roasted garlic, hard herbs, and I've made a chocolate/olive/walnut bread which was deliciously sweet & salty.  Second, you have to remember knead, double, knead, rest, shape, proof, or more simply: rise twice, rest twice. The kneading develops the gluten structure, which traps and holds the water and starch (food for the yeast).  The doubling gets the yeast time to be active.  The second kneading redistributes the yeast to new supply of starch.  Shaping and proofing allow the bread to develop its structure and the air pockets to develop.   It is important to knead enough so that the bread is elastic or you'll have flabby and dense bread rather than a light crumb.  Once you get the hang of it, it won't take you longer than about 30 minutes for the initial mixing, then it is mostly waiting and baking.  The kneading is also a great stress reliever and the results more satisfying, I think. The results will blow away your typical bakery and grocery store bought bread.

With the bread, I made an olivade. Homemade fromage blanc with chopped olives, capers, red onion, chives, tarragon.  Not finding fromage blanc at the grocery store, I decided to make my own.  Turns out it is very easy, and much cheaper to do yourself.  It requires a couple tablespoons of lemon juice, buttermilk, and whole milk.  You can add a bit of heavy cream to make it richer, but it isn't strictly necessary.  Lacking fresh buttermilk, I reconstituted  dried buttermilk I had left from a previous recipe to make a cup.  Mix the buttermilk and lemon juice, then add this to about a liter of milk.  Stir to incorporate and heat gently to 175F.  Stir a couple times, but leave the milk to heat on its own.  Make sure you don't scorch your milk (i.e. watch the temp closely).  Once it reaches 175F, take it off the heat and let the milk rest for 10-15 minutes.  Then carefully strain away the whey, leaving a very soft curd behind.  There you have it.

For the spread, I pitted and finely chopped some kalamata olives, minced some red onion, capers, chives, and tarragon.  Seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, this made a great spread for the bread.  It can also be used with meats, salads, fish, etc.

Next, I made a roasted beet salad.  I thought to add variety by using both gold and red beets here.  Beets were roasted in a foil package at 375F for about an hour to hour and a half with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Then quartered and marinated in a tablespoon or two of olive oil, sherry vinegar, and fresh squeezed orange juice for at least half an hour in the fridge.  I added chopped red onion, chives, and tarragon to finish.  This is a sweet and refreshing salad, very simple, and delicious.

For the main course, I had salmon with leeks.  The salmon was seared on one side until done half way through to produce a crispy skin and render the fat, while leaving the salmon tender. Leeks blanched until fork tender. Beurre blanc. Tender and succulent, the rich taste of salmon balanced well with the leeks.  The skin, with its fatty substrate was absolutely delicious with the tender flesh of the fish and leeks. Beurre blanc was made with a reduction of shallot, bay, and thyme infused in cotes du rhone and champagne vinegar until syrupy.

For dessert, I went simple again.  This is a basic vanilla custard creme caramel.  The caramel is made by melting sugar and water with some glucose (which helps inhibit crystallization of the sugar).  The caramel is then poured into the bottom of a few ramekins and left to cool and harden.  The custard is very easy.  5 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks beaten to smooth in a bowl.  Then, in a sauce pan, 4 cups of milk is mixed with a cup or more of sugar (depending on how sweet you like it).  Flavorings can be added here by incorporating extracts like vanilla, almond, etc., or by infusing mint and so forth.  Bring the milk to below a simmer, just so the sugar dissolves completely.  Then, let the milk cool a bit.   Whisking constantly, slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks.  Strain into a container with a spout so you can pour this into the ramekins.  Set the ramekins in a baking pan with hot water up about 3/4 to 2/3 the sides of the ramekins. Finally, bake at 300F for 30-50 minutes until the custard sets.   You then let the ramekins cool and chill in the fridge for a couple hours, at least.  When you're ready to serve, put the ramekins in a hot water bath for 30 seconds to a minute to loosen the custard.  Run a paring knife around the edge, carefully.  Put a plate upside down on top of the ramekin and invert.  The custard should fall out and, because of the hot water, the caramel will have melted and create a sauce on top.

Basic Knife Skills

Allumette

Every cooking school I've read about and every chef I've seen talk about essential skills of a chef starts with knife skills.  This is an interesting topic to me because it seems obvious at first, but if you consider the whys of this starting point you see how there is much more to it than simply knowing how to chop vegetables.

Allumette -> Small Dice

Of course, making even equal cuts serves two purposes.  First, it allows for even cooking so your food reaches temperature and texture at the same time.  It is a disaster if some of your potatoes are done cooking while other, larger, pieces still have a ways to go.  Second, a good cut is pleasing to the eye, while uneven cuts make a plate look sloppy.  This doesn't mean all cuts need to be platonic, but it does mean that your pieces should be isometric.

Julienne

There is another reason, one that I think is no less important, although it is a subtle point.  Learning to making even cuts trains you to be laser focused on details.  It seems to me that this in particular has profound implications for the rest of your cooking beyond the mechanics of heat application or the aesthetic qualities of your dish.  The attention to detail separates good from great.  The finesse you pick up separates great from legendary.

Julienne -> Brunoise

I think knife skills also send a signal, to superiors and your guests, that you take your craft seriously. Also, it signals that what they are about to eat was prepared with care, and is likely to be good.  Sloppy cuts signal that you're too busy or careless to craft the dish--that what they are getting isn't your best effort.

Batonnet

Dinner 10-22-2011

After what feels like a long break (from the blog, not cooking), I'm back.  You might consider this a preview of the kind of thing I would try to do in the underground restaurant.  We had some people over for dinner last night.  For me this means an opportunity to put what I've been learning to good use.   Each dish really stood on its own.  I think each is visually attractive, and interesting to eat (like cracking through the prosciutto covering on the 1st dish).  That said, what I'm most proud of is that the overall progression of the menu felt coherent.





Poached egg, reduction of chicken stock, dijon mustard, roasted sunchokes, frisee, toasted sunflower seeds, dehydrated prosciutto di parma, cayenne pepper.

This is a fun one to eat. The diner has to crack through the crispy prosciutto to get to the dish, which is fun and dynamic. The crispness also adds a nice dynamic to what is a rich soupy dish with toasty notes, sweetness from the carmelization of the sunchokes, while still remaining earthy in nature. I only heard groans of pleasure from this one.

Pan-seared scallops with crushed fennel seeds, puree of peaches infused with cream, arugla leaf, and mint leaves.

I wanted something simple, not crowded with flavors because these scallops are fresh and cooked to a creamy medium-rare. The fennel really highlights the sweetness of the scallop here and the bitter arugala adds a nice contrast. The peach cream added a sweetly accented richness. A lesson in allowing the central ingredient to really shine.

Zucchini and yellow squash julienne, then tenderized for 20 minutes in salt. Accented with a lemon-lime soaked shallot (they turn a beautiful pink color in the presence of acid), and toasted almonds.

This dish served as a palate cleanser with earthy and sweet/sour notes. The texture of the zucchini and squash is like an al dente pasta. Crunch added with toasted almonds. A visually pleasing and tasty palate cleanser.

Candied roasted hazelnuts, smoked provolone, candied lemon zest, beer gel sheet, pink peppercorns.

The flavors stand individually and work in concert in this one. The beer I used was a Hoegaarden white ale, which has a subtle citrus note accented with the lemon zest. The candied hazelnuts had extra crunch due to their candy shell and were also salted, adding another nice contrast. Supported by smoky provolone. The pink peppercorns really did wonders to highlight the fruity aspects of this dish.

There's also the striking visual element here. I was happy with my efforts on this dish, but I see room for improvement.

Pan seared filet mignon, red wine reduction with reduction of beef stock, black mission figs, braised bok choy.

Tender beef, sweet tender fig = heaven. The bok choy was juicy and still had some crunch. The sauce is rich while retaining the nice subtleties of the bordeaux wine I used. Can't go wrong with this cut of meat, I think....unless you overcook it, which I didn't, so....there.

For dessert, I made eclairs, which I've attempted to make only once before. This was my best effort yet. The eclair shells were just about right hollow, dry, mostly crack-free, and relatively straight and even. The fondant was easy to make, but some practice is needed to get it to the right consistency with water/glucose when it is melted down. Also, the glazing needs more practice. Definitely a reject by professional standards, but I'm happy with it overall. A great achievement for at home, I think.

The eclairs are filled with an almond flavored pastry cream and a coffee flavored pastry cream. Choux and pastry cream recipes generously provided by Chef Francisco Migoya (www.thequenelle.com).

In search of inspiration

I haven't posted in a few days for a few reasons.  Prime among them is my recent struggles with macarons.  Tricky confections to make, indeed.  I've never experienced heartbreak like this in the kitchen before, or for that matter such a thrill from success.   I'll have a post on my efforts with these prized Parisian cookies soon (as well as a posts in the works on spherification, a meditation on variation and simplicity in cooking).

To be honest, I'm not sure where all my efforts will ultimately take me.  The constant questioning and self-criticism makes me wonder if I can really strive for what inspires me and succeed.  Do I have the energy and imagination for the kitchen?  Seems like a calling for the young.  34th birthday coming up.  Maybe subconsciously that's driving this self doubt.  I mean, I read about 24 year-olds working in Michelin starred restaurants and think...what the hell am I thinking?  Am I crazy for wanting to do a stage in a restaurant here?  At my age... 16 hour days of hard labor...yeah right.

Yet, there are small victories.  Silly thought it may sound, I derive great pleasure from handling my knife better and better day after day.  The ability to cut effortlessly, quickly, and unthinkingly is a manifestation, small though it is, of progress.  The tray full of macaron success was a high point.

And then there is the French Laundry.  Unlike others who are doing great work, I am inspired by what goes on there.  A lot of times I see what some people are doing with their art and think...fuck me, I could never do that.  But somehow, one of the greatest evokes the exact opposite.  The simplicity and flawless execution makes me think I can do it.   I guess that's what makes the French Laundry so great in my eyes.  They make it look easy, but the more I learn the more I know, this shit is hard.

Today is another day.  Time to push a little further.  Practice a little more.

Puff Paste wrapped banana, butterscotch sauce, fried apples, dried apricots, coconut ice cream, vanilla salt

The combination of hot/cold in your mouth is fantastic. Add to that the sweet/salty combo and it is already great. Never mind that the flavors work so well together.  Do not try this at home, you may go into convulsions

Dessert tonight. Used some of the remaining puff paste to wrap a banana. Baked @ 425 F. Made caramel sauce (melted sugar + cream). Fried apple slices with sugar and cinnamon. Dried apricots. Quenelles of coconut ice cream. Dash of vanilla salt. Sinful plate.