Rooftop Gourmet

If you were to peek into my fridge, you’d see the typical kitchen staples; milk, eggs, butter, and cheese. Then if you looked on the top shelf, you’d encounter a vast array of tubs and jars filled with not so ordinary ingredients that I impulsively grabbed during trips to the market. You never know what you’re going to find up there. My most recent adventure has been into the world of miso. Miso is amazing and trust me, it’s not like the complimentary, cloudy, dishwater soup that you get at cheap sushi joints, with floating cubes of tofu in it. Miso comes in the form of a thick, flavorful paste used for sauces, stocks, or marinades.

This traditional Japanese seasoning is made by fermenting rice, barley, and soybeans with salt and a special fungus called kojikin. The fermenting process, and the decisions made during this process are very similar to wine making. Hundreds of contributing factors create different tastes and aromas to the final product. I chose a red miso that has been aged for one year in four ton wood vats. The result is an earthier taste with some dried fruit aromas. I dissolved a few tablespoons of the red miso paste into  some white wine and sugar to create my marinade that had a texture of cake batter (you don’t need any salt because the miso paste itself is relatively salty).

Hake is a fish that is very similar to Cod and is native of Ireland. Some say that it followed the immigrants over and is now most abundant off the coasts of Cape Cod. The texture is almost identical but it has a slightly sweeter taste to the flesh.

This fish was the perfect choice to suck up all of the flavors in the marinade in roughly forty-five minutes. While the Hake was enjoying its Miso spa treatment, I started making my extremely phallic, cucumber-horseradish sauce. Fresh horseradish is one of my favorite roots because of its sweet taste that lures you in before it tomahawks you with nasal cleansing heat. Its similar to wasabi, in that it can be eaten raw or more typically grated into a paste (or into an awesome Bloody Mary).

 I peeled and seeded the cucumbers before I tossed them into a food processor with organic Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, and tons of lemon zest. The yogurt loses some of its thickness but turns a beautiful pastel green color.

 I then grated in some of the fresh horseradish, giving it some fire which is quickly cooled down by the cucumber-beautifully balanced. Marinaded meat and fish make it hard to obtain a nice sear, so I decided to broil the fish with some black sesame seeds on top. The extra sugar in the marinade created a sticky crust on the fish, protecting the inside from drying out. I had a dream the other night about this cold salad that I wanted to create, and this was my chance to test it out.

 I thinly diced up three bunches of broccolini (the broccoli with thelong stems resembling asparagus, and the tiny florets) and tossed them in a bowl with some sliced, red jalapeno for some heat. I dressed the raw salad with rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a splash of soy and lemon juice. The combination of flavors were intense… the heat from the jalapeno, and the nutty flavors in the oil and seeds, paired nicely with the bitter, raw broccoli.

 I had plenty leftover to which I added 2 cans of tuna for tuna sandwiches the next day (the sandwich was gold medal worthy, if sandwich making was an Olympic sport). When the fish was ready, I plated it with the cold sauce and cold salad which was a nice contrast in temperature.

 I chose an interesting wine to serve with this meal, with a back label that resembles the top shelf of my refrigerator. The 2008 Clayhouse Adobe White is a blend of seven different grapes; 22% Viognier, 18% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Grenache Blanc, 16% Roussanne, 6% Chardonnay, and 5% Chenin Blanc. That only equals 84% you say…. what is the last 16% of juice in this hodge podge bottle? A grape that is named after Super Mario’s crush. 16% of Princess is the final blending grape that technically is not allowed to be listed on the label because it is not yet an approved varietal by the federal government.

This wine has so much going on, from orange blossom aromas to pumpkin pie spice in the finish. It’s medium in body and has a beautiful golden color to it. Tons of apple and stone fruit fill your mouth, followed by a creamy finish with a hint of residual sugar. The wine reminded me of the miso paste…. rich and concentrated with boatloads of different layers of flavors.

The red miso gave the fish a unique sweet and earthy flavor without over powering it. The hake was still moist and flaky in the center, but every bite  of the crust added a new sensation with a little Asian flair to it. The chilled sauce was refreshing and kept the meal light and healthy. If miso paste is too adventurous for you, at the very least, try this spicy broccolini tuna salad or the Clayhouse Adobe White… the Princess is worth it.

I like to take a certain ingredient and showcase it in different ways depending on the season or mood that I’m in. The other night I wanted to show off the versatility of scallops by making a winter preparation as well as a summer dish. I found these beautiful, fresh sea scallops at my local fish monger that smelled clean and had a pinkish-orange hue to them. Try to avoid buying scallops that are previously frozen because they’ll create all sorts of problems for you if you’re searing them or making ceviche.

I had plenty of time in the kitchen so I concentrated on the tiny details in order to make the presentation look as appealing as possible. You eat with your eyes first and then with your stomach…but the food still has to taste good. I get very annoyed when I’m served a plate in a restaurant where the food is stacked two feet high and has all sorts of bells and whistles on it only to reveal that the actual food taste like garbage.

When it comes down to it though, we are very visual people, and eye catching food is appealing food. Look at the recent popularity of the Food Network and culinary reality shows over the years. People love food, they love looking at food, and they love looking at celebrity chefs that make the food. Food porn has officially swept the nation. I can’t get on an airplane without buying the latest copy of Gourmet, or Bon Appetit because the huge, close up of the sticky short ribs on the cover made my stomach rumble. People even buy cookbooks to look at the pictures with no intention of ever searing a piece of tuna or blanching a vegetable.

Americans know what foie gras and a perfectly poached egg look like but most of them have never tasted it. I admit, I have fallen into the abyss of food porn myself, and I love for my food to look appealing; but my food still tastes great (or else my friends are just being nice).

For my summer preparation, I made a quick ceviche, which is a Peruvian dish that is never actually cooked. There are millions of variations of ceviche but in its simplest state, it is raw seafood that is “cooked”, or marinated in citrus juice. The acid in the citrus changes the enzymes in the protein and gives it the flavor, texture, and consistency of cooked seafood or shellfish….magic! Now depending on where in Latin America you go, there are all sorts of other components of ceviche.

 I chose to stick to the basics, and marinated the scallops (which I sliced thin, so that more surface area would hit the citrus and would be done quicker) in fresh lime juice, with diced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, sliced red onion, salt and pepper.

 This is a classic combination that tastes great because all of the flavors play nicely together. After about 20 minutes in the marinade, you slowly see the transparent scallops firm up and become white. The refreshing pop of the citrus juice wakes you up and the subtle heat stimulates your palate; a perfect snack on a warm summer day (I must have thought I was still in Florida). For my winter preparation, I made a puree of celery root for my seared scallop to rest on. Celery root is the ugly vegetable that you usually walk by and grimace at in the supermarket; it looks like a dirty softball that your dog buried under the shrubs in the backyard three years ago.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Once all of the skin is peeled off, the white inside has a distinct flavor that is extremely memorable yet subtle. I diced the root up and boiled it in milk until it was soft.

I then transferred everything to the blender and pureed everything until it was silky smooth. After I removed the foot from the scallop (the foot helps the muscle attached itself to the shell and it has to be discarded), I seared it in a screaming hot pan to achieve a beautiful, caramelized crust that protects the delicate center. I plated the seared scallop atop the silky, celery root puree and sprinkled it with some red quinoa. I also garnished the shellfish with a wedge of pink grapefruit to balance out the rich, earthy flavors and to add some acidity to the dish. Because I had two, very different dishes, I needed to choose a versatile wine that had some qualities that would enhance each side of my plate.

I chose the 2007 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc from California. The wine is named after an alien aircraft that looked like a giant white cigar, that was seen flying over France’s Chateneuf du Pape region. Sure enough, the wine is a blend of white grapes from that region of France. A mix of Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne make this interesting white scratch your head. It’s medium bodied and has hints of tropical fruit and banana on the nose. On the palate, it’s slightly creamy until the finish kicks in with bursts of pineapple that seems to linger forever. It was very pleasant with both dishes but I preferred it with the seared scallop. The vibrant, bleach-blonde colored juice in the wine glass was visually appealing and made me want another glass.

When the meteorologists were predicting Snowmageddon, I was making plans for the first Iron Chef Dinner Party. Amidst all of the school and work cancellations, I sent out an email to seven friends who live within walking distance to kitchen stadium (my apartment) in case there really was a blizzard and they needed to trudge home. The email was explaining the rules of the dinner party that were based upon one of my favorite television shows, Iron Chef. The reason I love this show so much is because I love food and I’m a competition junkie.

 Every night when I cook, I compete with myself and I do NOT like to lose. I am extremely hard on myself when something doesn’t come out as I had planned, just ask my girlfriend. I didn’t want to single any one of my friends out and make them the challenger because that wouldn’t make for a fun night, so I structured the dinner party so that we would all be on the same team, competing against the food. I, the chairman, picked the secret main ingredient (the protein) that the entire meal was based upon, which the guests had no idea what it was until they walked in my door.

The other seven guests had one job, and that was to each bring one ingredient to the party. This ingredient could be a fruit, vegetable, herb, spice, nut, juice, syrup…anything you could imagine. It was left up to them to go out and decide whether they want to play it safe, or throw me a curve ball. I knew that they were all shopping on their own, but I was still a little nervous that I would have to make a dish with seven knobs of ginger.

 It’s really a crap shoot, and stirs up the anxiety, waiting in an empty kitchen with eight pieces of protein, not knowing what direction the meal is headed. Earlier in the day, after I sent out the email, I went over to Yankee Lobster and grabbed eight fresh pieces of salmon that were thick and firm. I wanted to choose a fish for the secret ingredient and I figured that salmon was the most versatile because it’s slightly heavier and can match well with a wide variety of ingredients and flavors. A light, flaky white fish wouldn’t stand a chance if someone brought me curry powder or anything strong. I was happy with the secret ingredient but still a little nervous because I had no idea what I was going to do with it; if someone brought me cheese, I was screwed.

 I went home to portion out the fish and get the other kitchen staples ready while I waited for the guests to arrive bearing gifts. Soon enough, they walked in one by one carrying their grocery bags and unveiled their mystery ingredients. When we had everything laid out on the counter top, we realized we had one really challenging task at hand. The ingredients that we had to work with were:

Secret Ingredient: Salmon

1) Leeks

2) Sesame Seeds

3) Black Beans

4) Shiitake Mushrooms

5) Pomegranate Juice

6) Plantains

7) Wonton Wrappers

I was adamant about not crowding the plate with loads of ingredients, so we decided on creating two dishes, which each couple would share. This worked out well because in my head, there were two completely different themes to all of these ingredients, one of them being Asian and the other one Caribbean. The plantains and the wonton wrappers threw me for a loop because I had never really worked with plantains and Wonton wrappers had everyone thinking about ravioli.

Plantains have a flavor similar to bananas but they are hard and starchy; that sweet banana flavor comes out through cooking them. After about fifteen minutes of endless conceptualizing, I left the think-tank and began prepping the ingredients, getting pans hot, and preheating the oven. I sprinkled the plantains with coarse sea salt and dried cumin and threw them into the oven to roast. We cleaned the leeks and got them into a pot to braise with butter and stock.

I diced up some shallots and started reducing the pomegranate juice on the back burner while searing some shiitakes on the front burner. The controlled chaos set in and ideas started to come together while cheese and wine was devoured in the background. We decided to julienne the wonton wrappers and flash fry them in some vegetable oil to make for a crispy topping for the salmon. The wrapper dough sizzles and curls as soon as it hits the hot oil. I dusted the crunchy wontons with some salt and dried ginger, and set them aside for plating.

 The food processor made an appearance after the plantains were soft and caramelized because we made a roasted plantain and black bean puree, laced with some cumin and lime juice. This was going to serve as the base for one of our salmon dishes. The other dish was going to be Asian inspired, with sesame salmon on top of braised leeks and shiitake mushrooms.

I seasoned the fish and began pan roasting them which became a problem because I only have four burners. Pots and pans were getting thrown all over the place, competing for flames and oven space.

We lined up the eight plates in a row and began the assembly period once the fish was almost finished. The teamwork kicked in, and the puree was being spread into ring molds, the mushrooms were seared, and the reduction was thickening; it was like I had sixteen hands. I plated the salmon atop the puree and drizzled the thick, syrupy pomegranate reduction over the fish; somewhere Bobby Flay was sweating.

Then we moved on the next dish. We sprinkled the toasted sesame seeds all over the crust of the seared salmon and plated it over the braised leeks that were soft, and buttery. The shiitakes added an earthy quality and the crispy wontons were a great contrast in texture to the moist fish; eat your heart out Morimoto.

For the first time all night, the entire apartment was dead silent. The clang of the pots and pans had stopped, the roar of the oven was humming, and the loud, boisterous chatter had ceased until every plate was licked clean. Three hours prior, each person only knew one thing… what was in their bag, and now they had two beautifully composed dishes in their stomach. This is a great idea for your next dinner party because it brings everyone together, forces them to be creative, and it’s easy on your budget.

“ALLEZ CUISINE!”

What could be more romantic than a big pot of snails??? Those slimy creatures that peek their heads out of dirty shells and eat decaying leaves are actually the perfect Valentines Day feast. Snails and oysters are considered to be an aphrodisiac; a term derived from Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love.

An aphrodisiac is any type of stimulation thought to arouse sexual excitement, which many foods have been known to do based on their appearance, savory taste, or odor. Some of the most common aphrodisiacs are oysters, snails, truffles, chocolate, garlic, and of course, wine.

 Last night I decided to start Valentines Day early and made a baked escargot and oyster gratin. Escargot is a classic French dish of baked snails usually bathing in tons of butter and garlic. If you’ve never tried a snail before, they’re not as chewy as they look. When baked in the gratin they literally melt in your mouth and are high in protein (around 15%), and extremely low in fat (except they’re usually cooked in butter).

 I started off by making a compound butter in the food processor. I diced up tons of garlic and shallot and combined it with softened butter and loads of fresh parsley. This gave the butter a pleasant, light green hue to it which I spread throughout the inside of my new, mini-Le Crusset baking dish.

When I first came across the canned snails and oysters, I admit I was a little creeped out but once I opened them, they weren’t as funky as I had expected.

 It’s important to rinse the snails under cold running water before cooking them to remove any dirt or grit. Once the snails and mollusks were clean, I arranged them in the buttered baking dish with cubes of Gruyere cheese and topped them with a breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture, and a splash of lemon juice.

 Gruyere is a great melting cheese and is great for this dish because underneath the crispy breadcrumb crust, the gooey Gruyere gets nice and stringy.

I threw it into a 400 degree oven and popped a bottle of 2007 Maison William Fevre Chablis “Champs Royaux” from Burgundy, France. This wine is a blend of different Chardonnay grapes from many of Fevre’s terrific growing sites. It’s not a single vineyard wine but it drinks like a Grand Cru for a fraction of the cost. The Chardonnay spends most of its time in stainless steel tanks as opposed to oak barrels, which makes it lighter and more dry compared to those buttery California Chards.

This wine is refreshingly crisp, with loads of minerality and Granny Smith apple flavors.

The chalky, limestone soil is present in the finish along with some honey and herbal notes. This vibrant white is a perfect pairing for the briny snails and slashes through the buttery sauce with elegance. While the gratin was in the oven, I took out some creamy goat cheese and warmed up a French baguette to use as a sponge to clean out the baking dish.

When the Parmesan and breadcrumbs became golden brown, and the snails were bubbling away, it was showtime. We started spooning the little shell-less creatures onto slices of warm bread and the result was euphoric.

 The buttery, garlic sauce was heavenly combined with the cheesy crust. We sat at the table for hours, drinking the fine White Burgundy and dipping our crust into the dish at a snail’s pace.

Moules Frites is the French name for the classic combination of mussels and french fries. Pronounced ‘mools freets’, this pairing has taken on all sorts of adaptations over the years. As the prime mussel harvesting season comes to a close, I decided to make my own version of the dish.

 I picked up two sacks of Maine mussels at Whole Foods and threw them on ice in the back of my car. Remember, when you buy mussels they’re still alive so always keep them chilled and do not seal the plastic bag that they come in or else they will suffocate. To save me some time meticulously cutting russet potatoes into perfect strips for the french fries, I broke out one of my Christmas presents; a French mandolin.

 A mandolin is a guillotine looking contraption that has all sorts of sharp blades and attachments that produces any type of cut, slice, or shape you can possibly imagine. It’s like a grown up version of the Play Doh maker without the rainbows and purple spaghetti.

After watching the video tutorial, I managed to produce about two pounds of perfectly identical french fries without losing a finger. After my huge pot of canola oil came to perfect frying temperature (325 degrees), I started dropping in the potato planks in small batches to prevent sticking.

 Most people are afraid to deep-fry at home but if you get a candy thermometer and monitor the temperature of the oil, it is pretty simple.

 I was going for a Thai inspired version of this dish so when the fries came out of the hot oil, I tossed them in red curry powder and chopped, fresh cilantro.

The mussels needed a quick shave, or de-bearding before they got cooked; mussels have a small “beard” that sticks out of the shell that needs to be removed before you cook them. Simply pinch it and tug it out. Most of my mussels only had a four o’clock shadow and didn’t need much cleaning so I rinsed them under cold water and set them aside so I could build the broth. I started by sauteing some shallots and garlic in olive oil until they were soft. Then I added a heaping tablespoon of red curry paste, lime juice, coconut milk, and fresh basil.

 Once the broth came to a simmer, I added the mussels and put the lid on for them to steam.

 All of these flavors started to come together and filled the air of my apartment; the acidity of the lime juice balanced out the creamy, sweet coconut milk and the heat from the curry paste was tamed by the fresh basil. Once all of the shells had opened, I served the entire meal in the pan I cooked them in with some lime wedges and sliced green onions. Sometimes I just get in the mood to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty when it comes to lobster, peel and eat shrimp, or in this case… a huge bowl of mussels.

The fries were extra crispy on the outside but still cooked perfectly in the middle; delicious when dipped into the coconut milk.

 I chose a crisp, refreshing white wine to pair with this meal because there was just so much flavor going on already. The 2007 Fournier Sauvigion Blanc from the Loire Valley was perfect. Like I mentioned before, whites from this region of France are some of the best valued wines around.

 The great acidity complimented the shellfish and subtle flavors of grapefruit and wet stone lingered on the finish. This is a great inexpensive wine for bivalves or seafood in general, that tastes like an expensive Sancerre. I was fortunate that all of the flavorful broth was sopped up before we broke into the second pound of french fries or else my mussels would be turning into fat.