Lobster salad with Mint oil and petite greens

I started a conversation with my long lost friend on the net, as we were about to say audios amigo, he reminded me that he was going to the farm in arizona which harvested lobsters. That sparked an idea of posting this wonderful recipe that i tried during my stay at arizona. It is not a time consuming process but a simple and easy one that can be done with ease.

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients

Lobster claws 4ea

Extra virgin Olive oil 2.5tsp

White wine 1.5 cup

Salt to taste

Peppercorns whole 1tsp

Thyme 3stems

Shallots chopped 2tsp

Bay leaf 1ea

For the salad:

Basil leaves 1/2cup

Blood beets petite 1/2cup

Lemon zest 1ea

For the Dressing:

Lemon juice 1ea

Mustard 1/2tsp

Blood orange juice 1ea

Extra virgin olive oil 2Tbsp

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mint oil:

Water 3cups

Extra virgin oilve oil 3/4cup

For garinsh:

Apple (thinly sliced) 1ea

Method:

• In a shallow pot pour the put the olive oil saute the shallots put the peppercorns and then add the white wine to this.
• Place the lobster claws in the pan with the liquid and add the bayleaves, thyme add salt, cover it and let in simmer the liquid until it is reduced to 1/4th.
• Break the claw and extract the meat and keep aside.
• In a bowl place the mustard add the olive oil and mix thoroughly, gently add the lemon juice and keep whisking and then add in the blood orange juice similarly, saeason and keep it aside.
• To make the mint oil, pour the water in a shallow pot bring to a boil (have ice bath ready before starting), plunge mint leaves into the boiling water for 25 seconds, and immedietly plundge into the ice bath.
• Remove the mint leaves patt it dry on a paper towel and place it in a blender, add the extra virgin olive oil and blend it thoroughly
• Strain it through a cheese cloth or coffee filter.
• Line a tray with parchment paper and spray it with oil, place the sliced apples on top and place another clean tray flat on top and place it on a hot surface and dry it.
• When it is ready for service toss the greens in the dressing and place it on the plate. Place the extracted claw meat on the plate and drizzle with the dressing.
• Drizzle the mint oil around the salad and garnish with the apple slice.

Avial a Indian dish making waves

Avial goes with rice and also with Indian bread (Chappati)Avial in its true form

When my wife called me to talk about the posts on my blog she was very much enthusiastic in her voice and she told i have a surprise for you. I was eager, to know what was in this surprise for me and here it is the surprise she gave me. My mother and wife, made sure that the photo's were taken of the dish with the accompliments and sent it to me.

Indian dishes, have a unique flavor with the addition to spices that has come down from generations. This is reflected in every households in India. Festivals that are celebrated in India, has its relation to food. It is common throughout the country to have a unique dish that gets its origin in a perticular state or region. Towards the south of India is a state called Kerala, were my parents are from, they bought with them the regions most famous dish avial, when they decided to settle in Bangalore (another state in south India).

Yield 5 portions

Ingredients:

Carrots jardiniere 2 oz

Drumstick jardiniere 2 oz

French beans jardiniere 2 oz

Turnips jardiniere 2 oz

Potato jardiniere 2 oz

Plantain jardiniere 2 oz

Yam jardiniere 2 oz

Eggplant jardiniere 2 oz

Radish jardiniere 2 oz

Curry leaves whole 1/2 oz

Coconut Oil 4 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Water 1 Cup

For the Sauce:

Coconut grated 4 oz (1 ea)

Thai bird chili 2 ea

Cumin Seeds 1/2 oz

Coriender Seeds 1/2 oz

Yoghut 1/2 cup

Method:

• Wash the vegetable thorough and cut them into jardiniere.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, curryleaves, one thai bird chili to the vegetables (except the plantains, beans and potato steam seperately), steam them in a covered pan with the water.
• In a blender add the grated coconut, 1 thai bird chili, cumin seeds, coriender seeds and yoghut and whip it up to a fine puree.
• Remove the half boiled vegetables from the pan and pour the puree and heat it up until it comes to a simmer.
• Add all the vegetables to the puree in the pan and cook it covered for about 8 minutes.
• Once cooked add Coconut oil on the top and place it covered until service.

During service the avial can be garnished with fried curry leaves and grated dry coconut (not in photo)

Dover sole paupiette vin blanc

Dover sole paupiette vin blan

As i had mentioned in my earlier post there is nothing like starting the day with a good breakfast, it is the same with starting a dish with a objective that unique taste and bringing out the true flavors in them. Dover sole needs to be handled gently as it is quite tender when fresh and also once cooked. With a thin flesh the filet can be shaped into a paupiette and also hold stuffining in them. This dish that i would like to present here is served in different ways, but to bring out the uniqueness of this fish i chose this recipe.

Yield: 5 portions

Ingredients

Flounder fillets 2 lb.
Red pepper, Julienne, blanched 1 ea.
Carrot, Julienne, blanched 1.5 oz.
Yellow squash, Julienne 1 oz.
Zucchini, Julienne 1 oz.
Salt and white pepper, ground. as needed
Butter, whole 1/2 oz.
Shallots, minced 1 ea.
White wine 1/2 Cup

Fish fumet 3/4pint.
Fish Veloute 3/4 pint.

Heavy cream 1/2 Cup
Lemon juice, (optional) t.t.
Salt and white pepper, ground. t.t.

For the spinach:

Fresh spinach without stem 1 lb

Mushroom (any) sliced 10 oz

For the fish fumet:

Method:

• Trim sole fillets, portion at 2.5 oz. each (usually 1 ea. fillets). Place fillets skin-side up.Season with salt and white pepper. Place vegetable julienne across thefillet. Roll (or fold) the fillets, (tail to head).
• Briskly butter a shallow pan lightly with whole butter(reserve butter for spinach), sprinkle with shallots evenly.
• Place sole/vegetable rolls on the bed of shallots, add wine and fish fumet.
• Bring liquid to just under a simmer over direct heat. Place a piece of buttered parchment paper just enough to cover the pan for the moisture to be induced into the fillet. Place entire pan in 300-325ºF oven.
• Check the fillet after about 5 minutes, press against the flesh to check for doneness if gives to pressure then it should be done.
• Remove sole and place in warm area.
• Place pan with the liquid (seasoned) over direct heat and reduce by 2/3. Add the veloute, and simmer for 1-2 minutes Add cream, reduce to nappé’(should coat the surface of the spoon), seasoning to taste with salt, white pepper and hint of lemon juice (if needed).
• Strain through fine strainer. Hold until ready to serve.
• In a saute pan add oil, heat the oil add shallots once it is melted add the sliced muhrooms. Once it changes color, add the spinach toss it and season with salt and pepper.
• When ready for service, place the paupiette on the centre of the plate and pour the sauce around it and on the side of the fillet.
• Place the spianch on the side.

Fat facts

In recent years, our knowledge of foods have grown to a great extent. This is being used by people all over the world. The aspects that worry us the most is the fat in the food that we eat. Fat has been considered to be an untouchable, in the past years, but these non-scientific beliefs have taken a new turn. Fat is considered to have a good amount of impact on our brain development according to recent studies. There has been books on diet plans, advertisments have shown there are different pills and treatments out there to take care of the body fat and reducing fat in our body. Fat is considered to be the villain to be avoided at all times. Excess of fat is truly unhealthy due to high risk of coronary disease, obesity and certain types of cancer. Fat coushins all the vital organs, helps in maintaining body temperature.Current dietary advice places an emphasis on the type of fat with regards to the amont that needs to taken. According to the recommended dietry intake the value of fat that is needed per day is about 25-30% of the daily value.

Fat by itself is not a cause of obesity, what people fail to recognize is that the amount of calories consumed per day effects the total balance. Per gram of fat contains 9 calories, whereas 1gram of carbohydrates is 4 calories, hence it is easy to consume high amount of calories in a few bites by eating foods that are high in fat.

Bavarian Cake

A bavarian cream cake is basically vanilla sauce that has it's shape retained by gelatin. The reason that it maintains it's texture and strength is due to the aerated structure. This is derived by measuring out equal proportions of ingredients in terms of weight. The bavarian cream as such can be used for various dessert preperations.

To make the Bavarian cream, we need to whip the cream, mix it with the vanilla sauce. The vanilla sauce should be allowed to cool and should maintain a temperture that is just warm. Any kind of flavoring needs to be added at this point. It is desirable to add extra flavoring as the whipped cream would reduce the final flavor of the product. (It is recommended to have the molds ready before preparation as the bavaraian cream will set soon).

Bavarian Cream:

Gelatin 1oz

Water 8floz

Heavy cream 32floz

Vanilla sauce 32floz

• Have the molds ready before preparation.
• In a bowl immerse the gelatin, until it is bloomed.
• Whip the cream to a soft peak.
• Have the vanilla sauce warm, into the sauce add the bloomed gelatin.
• Blend one third of the vanilla sauce with the whipped cream fold gently (as it is aerated it may loose volume)
• Mix in the remaining vanilla sauce and fold thoroughly.
• Pour the mixture into molds of your choice and refrigerate.

Vanilla sauce:

Egg yolks 12ea

Milk 1quart

Sugar 8oz

Vanilla extract 1/2tsp

• Heat the Milk and sugar with the extract to a boil.
• In another bowl whip the egg yolks thoroughly
• Add 1/4 portion of the mixture gently into the whipped egg yolks and temper it.
• Whisk it thoroughly and then add it back to the mixture and whisk it thoroughly, once it comes to a boil remove from heat and let cool.

Hard Ganache

We have seen those beautiful chocolate coated desserts, as we walk down the streets of New York. The smell of freshly baked breads filling the side walks, it just tempts us to walk in sit down, have a piece of that finely decorated desserts, with a cup of expresso. The clean silvers neatly arranged on the table, just welcoming you to join them to enjoy the freshness. It would be good to know how those shiny neatly coated chocolate desserts are made. The sheen of the chocolate depends on the tempering process. Usually tempering is done on a marble surface with the temperature being monitored. The ideal temperture for tempering dark chocolate is 84-86*F and in the case of white chocolate it would be 82-84*F.

There are different ways by which a dessert can be coated with chocolate and one of them is ganache which in french translates to: an emulsion of chocolate and cream. Ganache may also be made with butter or other liquids in place of cream.

There are two types of ganache (soft and hard).

Soft ganache:

Dark chocolate 1#4oz

Heavy cream 32floz

• Place the dark chocolate in a bowl
• Heat the cream to a simmer
• Pour the hot cream over the cocolate. Allow to stand for 1 minute, stirr until it is mixed thoroughly.
• It can be refrigerated for further use (needs to be melted on a double boiler when it is ready to be used again).

Hard ganache:

Dark chocolate 4#

Heavy cream 32floz

• Place the dark chocolate in a bowl
• Heat the cream to a simmer
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 1 minute, stirr until it is mixed.
• It is recommended to use the hard ganache immedietly (as it hardens quickly)
• Also can be stored in refrigerator for further use (needs to be melted on a double boiler when it ready to be used again).

A simple breakfast

In the past fine dining was based strictly on French cuisine. But with today's international influences especially the spicy and garlicky flavors of thai and mexican food it's getting harder to find the right ingredients. With fusion cooking being a trend, for the demanding public who, have the electronic media to bring in Food network, America's test kitchen, these have changed the palate of the the masses. What is it in for a ordinary man when he/she watches prime time televison feauturing celebrity chefs cooking extravagant dishes, with morecular biology being explained in the background.

It would be a simple breakfast that would bring out the happiness in any laymans eyes. The sight of a plate with two waffles and maple syrup to accompany and sprinkled with powdered sugar, would be just mouth watering. It would be these simple aspects that could be included in the fight to be top chefs that would have a laymans attention towards these shows. Fusion cooking is the end result but it would be the breakfast that would be the begining. I am already hungry for some breakfast.

Sugar Decorations

Sugar decoration

This is a world, filled with fantasies. I would describe a true fantasy is in any form of art. My friend who is a baking and pastry student at the culinary institue of america was exited, when she heard i was going to take photos of her work. I found that nature comes alive in the forms we create, there are different ways to interpret this and she found solice in expressing it with sugar. I was overwhelmed, as i looked at the various creations that they had in store for me when i entered the classroom filled with future pattisiers readily allowing me to take photos of their decorations with sugar.

This is one of the sites that i found would help my picture above:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs2vkjYUaKA&feature=related

Hors d'oeuvre and appetizers

Hors d'oeuvre and appetizers represent an opportunity for the garde manger to pull together all the various skills and preparations of the entire discipline in a hihg impact way. Just as hors d'oeuvre set the tone for a reception or banquet, so can a well-executed appetizer selection on a menu set the tone for the entire dining experience.

Taking this into consideration, there are different kinds of appetizers, among them the Venison terrine is one that I enjoyed the most, not that i have not enjoyed the rest of the work that i do making pate and terrine, it is just that it was the first time i worked with venison and it was quite different in taste, texture and presentation once it was cooked.

Ingredients

Venison shoulder, boneless or leg meat 2#

Fatback 1#

Seasonings

Red wine 2floz

Ground Clove 1/2tsp

Crushed black peppercorns 1Tbsp

TCM (tinted curing mix) 1tsp

Minced onions sauteed and cooled 1oz

Salt 1oz

Ground black pepper 2tsp

Dried cepes or morels, ground 1oz

Eggs 3ea

Heavy cream 6floz

Chopped tarragon 2tsp

Parsley Chopped 1tsp

Garnish

Golden raisins plumped in brandy 2oz

Brandy 4floz

Mushrooms diced sauteed and cooled 4oz

Thinly sliced ham 8ea

• Dice the venison and fatback into 1inch cubes. Marinate them with the combined seasonings and refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare a straight forcemeat by grinding the marnated venison and fatback into a chilled mixing bowl. Mix in the eggs, heavy cream, tarragon, and parsley on medium speed for 1 minute, or until homogeneous. Fold in the garnish ingredients.
• Line a terrine mold with plastic wrap and the ham, leaving an overhang. Pack the forcemeat into the terrine mold and fold over the ham and plastic. Cover the terrine.
• Poach the forcemeat in a 170*F water bath in a 300*F oven to an inernal temperature of 150*F for 60 to 70 mintues.
• Remove the terrine from the water bath and allow it to cool to an internal temperature of 100*F. Let the terrine rest under refrigeration overnight. The terrine is now ready to slice and serve, or wrap and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Cured meat and sausages

As our ancestors became herdsmen and farmers, they developed skills necessary to ensure a relatively steady food supply. This started off with domestication of animals and then raised crops and learned methods to preserve the foods. Foods were brined with seawater and dried on the shores. Curing methods have been tracked back as far as 3000 B.C.
Food preservation skills and the necessary ingredients, including salt, sugar, and spices were greatly valued. The romans bought with them their own recipes and formulas for preserving meats and fishes.
Today we enjoy new methods of preserving our food grains and meats. This is one of the many recipes that i found interesting.

Bavarian Bratwurst

Pork butt (70%lean, 30%fat) 10#

Seasonings

Salt 3.5oz
Black pepper 1.5Tbsp
Ground mace 1tsp
Sugar 2oz
Lemon Zest 1/4tsp
Ground Marjoram 1.5Tbsp

(You will need ice about 6-8oz, 22ft hog casings, rinsed and tied at one end)

• Toss the pork withe combined seasonings.


• Grind the pork butt through a medium plate (grinder), grind fatback through a fine plate


• Add the ice and mix until stickly


• Stuff into hog casings and form links by tying every 6 inches


• Poach to an internal temperature of 145*F


• Prepare the sausage for immediate service by sauteing, grilling, broiling or baking just until hot, or wrap and refrigerate for upto 3 days