Per Amore...a simple menu for my love...or your love

Ok...Love is in the air people say. Even I believed it, till I found it out that it can be for everyone else, not me. But does that stop me from writing up a new menu for someone' love, after all, when it has got to be all about aphrodisiacs.
Whenever, I think of aphrodisiacs, I can only think of Oysters & Lobsters[since, they have high amount of zinc, compared to other foods] and more of them.And they are perfect before making love with your significant other. Anyways, let me present my small menu, before I utter another word in ode to aphrodisiacs.

Amuse Bouche

(invariably some freshly shucked oysters with mignonette dressing)

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Beetroot Carpaccio

Lemon dressing, hazelnuts & bocconcini

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Risotto alle rose rosse e fragole

Risotto of red roses & strawberries

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Rouget ala Marseillaise

Red Mullet, fondant potatoes, Bouillabaisse sauce

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Predessert

Bacon & Coffee creme brulee

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Le Vacherin

 Blueberry & White chocolate parfait, marinated strawberries

Foie gras --The rich's offal

"Chef, what is that?", I asked the chef who was doing his plating for "Filetto di Manzo alla Rossini", when I was in Ritz Carlton, Dubai, my first employment overseas.
"That is foie gras", he replied while putting it on top of toasted apricot brioche.
Yes, that was the first time, I saw foie gras being cooked. Prior to it, I had only theoretical knowledge of what foie gras is. In simple terms it is "fattened liver"(of duck and goose) by feeding more and more. Romans are said to have force fed geese with dried figs, and prior to that Egyptians force fed birds. However, it was not until Roman period that foie gras itself became the reason for force feeding birds(the other reasons people cite is to make the meat taste sweet).
In the meantime, after the fall of Roman empire, the practice vanished, however, Jews retained the tradition who were looking for a cooking medium, since lard is prohibited. The only fat they could use except olive oil & sesame oil was poultry fat & they kept the tradition of force feeding birds in order to get the fat from them.However, this practice was abolished since 19th century. But the question is...since when it became a french delicacy??
Since foie gras is derived from only two types of birds--goose & duck, the prices are high, & both of them tastes different. Duck foie gras has a little gamey taste, musky flavour with a subtle bitter taste. However, goose foie gras has more pronounce taste, smoother, less gamey and more delicate flavour.

Well, foie gras is full of fat & it always tastes good..the number one reason I love to eat foie gras. I have some severe medical complications which has resulted in a number of dietary restrictions...cannot each too much red meat, offals are no-no for me. Well, I am not a fan of offals--I still remember when my mom used to put liver of mutton while cooking mutton curry, explaining it to be healthy & I would judiciously take it off from my plate. But when it comes to foie gras, I cannot say "No". It is always "yes...yes" for me.
Generally foie gras is served in two forms--hot & cold. In hot form, nothing is as delicious as simple pan fried foie gras. All you need is a simple seasoning(I like to season mine with a pinch of fleur de sel & some crushed pepper) or you go to some exotic seasonings like five spice etc. Put it on top of brioche(I put it on walnut brioche), pain d'epice(loosely, known as the gingerbread)or even some toasted baguette. Anymore accompaniments??Well..many, but choose them effectively. Generally accompaniments should be a little sweet-sour combinations. For example, glazed berries, orange zest confit, reduction of port wine with grape juice, fig chutney or can be simply caramelised (green)apples, pears, onion marmalade etc.
Foie gras in its cold form are many--it can be mousse, it can be terrine, it can be cured in a towel or "au torchon" as you will call in French.

                                                Now, that is Foie gras au torchon with raspberry coulis & fig jam

               And this is, well, Pan fried foie gras with walnut brioche, confit orange zest & red onion marmalade










People raise questions about the way duck and goose are force fed, inhumanely. I have no voice--against or for it. And you will know the rates are high since out of one goose/duck you will get only 1 foie gras & not two. And that it takes months for them to achieve that enormous size of liver[can weigh upto 2 pounds or even more]& the slaughter takes place generally during christmas(So whenever you have it, it reminds you of christmas isn't it??). The addition of foie gras to anything makes it a little luxurious. For example, Rossini style tenderloin steak or "Tournedos ala Rossini", where the beefsteak is topped with a piece of foie gras & some shaved truffle or even Daniel Boulud's burger in bistro moderne, where burger is topped with a piece of foie gras or putting a pan fried foie gras on top of scallops or lobster, for some "surf-n-turf" as Thomas Keller would do.
So to enjoy some little luxury at home, I bought 3 livers...one liver for pan fried foie gras & the rest two for making terrine & enjoy it with some homemade brioche.
But did you try foie gras creme brulee??or Foie gras ice-cream?Yes, I had creme brulee, but I am waiting for that day, when I will have foie gras ice-cream & that too of goose foie gras.
For the time being...Bon Appetit!! :)

Sunday off..and cooking at home

Perhaps my most popular topic, "Sunday offs" and then some home cooking is back again. Well, Sundays are very special to me since my childhood--firstly, it being the weekly holiday[despite Saturday has been a holiday as well, before I started working in hospitality] & secondly, the mutton curry--a must have on a sunday lunch, albeit with steamed rice.
The evenings were mostly reserved for going out, having dinner in some restaurants and then back home!!
So whenever, I get off on Sundays, I just feel I am going to enjoy the international weekend[and not the regional weekend, which comprises of Friday+Saturday]. Its been a while, that I didn't do a proper cooking at home--a set menu, a loving gesture that I mostly do to myself and then I cooked, I ate and I digested all.
So the menu was

Cream of Artichoke soup

Truffle oil, Pork Tartine

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Panfried Salmon

White Asparagus, Polenta, Orange emulsion and gremolata foam

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Chocolate poached pears

Mixed berry soup, pear sorbet

Well...that was the menu for previous sunday!!!However, I will share only one recipe out of all these, one that of main course...

Panfried Salmon

White Asparagus, Polenta, Orange emulsion and gremolata foam

Ingredients:

For the Salmon

Salmon-180 gm filet, preferably from the belly part, with the skin on

Seasoning-As required

Olive Oil-20 ml

Butter, chilled-25 gm

Fleur de sel-1 pinch

For the orange emulsion

Orange-1 no

Star anise-1 no

Honey- 1 tsp

Fish stock- 30 ml

Seasoning- as required

Olive Oil-20 ml

Butter, chilled-10 gm

For the Polenta

Quick cooking polenta-20 gm

Milk-100 ml

Water- if required

Butter- 10 gm

Parmesan, grated- 10 gm

Salt- As required

For the White Asparagus

White Asparagus tips-3 nos.

Butter- 10 gm

Seasoning- As required

For the gremolata foam

Parsley-1/2 bunch

Lime-1 no

Garlic-2 cloves

Soy Lecithin/"Lecite" by Texturas-1 pinch

Salt-1/2 tsp

Water-500 ml

Method:

For the Gremolata Foam

1.Chop up the parsley, zest the lemon & take the juice out of it, chop the garlic & add all in the water, with some salt. Bring it to boil & simmer for 20 minutes and then let it infuse for further 15 minutes. 

2.Strain the mixture, reserve the water, adjust the salt & blend in the lecithin. Keep warm

For the Polenta

1. Cook the polenta in milk, add salt till its no more grainy. Add water if milk is not enough. Finish off with butter, parmesan & let it cool down enough, to cut into a square.

For the Orange emulsion

1.Zest & juice the orange & simmer with star anise, honey, fish stock & salt. Once it is a little syrupy, strain & add in the Olive Oil & keep aside.

For the White Asparagus

1. Peel, blanch the asparagus in salt water. Drain & refresh in ice-cold water & drain again. Reserve until ready for cooking

Final Cooking:

Season the salmon. In a hot pan, add oil & once the oil is hot, put in the salmon, skin side down & cook for 3-4 minutes. In the meanwhile, cut the polenta in a square block[same size of that the salmon] & heat in the oven. Finish the orange emulsion--bring it to boil & add in the block of chilled butter & mix fast. Heat butter in a pan & when it is lightly browned add in the asparagus & season.

Once salmon is cooked on one side, turn on the other side, add the butter in the pan and baste the fish with the melted butter from the pan--cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Plating:

First arrange the white asparagus on the plate & put the polenta on top. Rest the salmon on top of polenta & drizzle the sauce around. Use a handheld blender to make the foam & put some foam around the fish & on the sides of the fish. Sprinkle the fleur de sel on top of the salmon.

Bon Appetit!!

Year 2011: Re-visited

I still have clear memories of January 1st 2011....I was leaving for home around 2:30am in the morning after work & went home, amidst the traffic congestion in Sheikh Zayed Road with my colleagues--it took about an hour to reach home...then sleep & then ...work!!
When I got up in the morning, I was a little terrified since the previous evening was uncontrollably busy..around 129 covers--my boss & myself ran the show. I was afraid that January 1st wud be busy as well, but thank god---it was not!!
In days to come, I went home on vacation, i.e. to Kolkata but for 20 days, which seemed very long to me. At last, I could enjoy the winter in Kolkata & good, sound sleep...no more alarm, no one to disturb me neither, I need to get ready for work.
However, I was getting tired in the same place for almost 12-13 months in the same position and when I asked if the department has any plan for my career development[what I meant "am I going to get any promotion??", I guess it was overdue] & my question was just nulled by an answer, "Nothing before 2012". So, its time to move on I guess, and then started a period of search, job search. Ok, dont get me wrong--I love my job, but the company stopped loving me.So why shall I love the company who stopped to think about me[or it is just delinquent!!!]?
Anyways, days passed as I was looking for a change in company--I was not confident enough to secure a chef de partie position, since I need to learn a lot in the kitchen, than merely apply for a supervisor position, and however, in days to come I had two options, one of them offering a chef de partie but low salary in Seychelles and another one offering same position but with more remuneration and benefits, i.e. Hyatt. Well, I chose Hyatt---its like getting back to the old girlfriend, with who you broke up few years before. When I put down my papers in the company, many people were quite surprised that I was about to leave--it was a big decision for me, but I had no options left. In 2 hours, they were planning to promote me, however, I didn't work with them anymore--accepting the promotion means staying there & work with them--I was reluctant to do so. Days passed and came my last day...with a fond farewell & tears in my ears---yes I was moved!!Yes, I left Ritz Carlton, Dubai with a heavy heart...

I started my new life, new place, new people & altogether new kitchen, new way of working. This is what happens whenever you start in a place--no matter how experience you are, you need to act like a stupid for some days to learn and know how things work there. There are some people who you will always like at work & who you will never like just because they are idiots.And it just happens with me everywhere I go.

But yes, I enjoy my work in Hyatt, despite the long days & hours, but every moment is challenging when it is busy--I guess that was good. In my former place, I was getting lazy due to less pressure at work thus it was becoming easy life.
 I joined the main kitchen, I was being transferred to the french kitchen--cooking and serving fine French food--contemporary & classics & in my repertoire just knowledge absorption--skills, cooking, concepts & a lot of things.

When I look back at 2010 & then at 2011-I find 2011 was way ahead better than 2010---year 2010 was a year of frustrations,depressions and all sorts of negative. 2011 gave me a lot of opportunities to learn and see new things...new people, new friends.But its been a while that I am in Dubai--and it has become boring now. I remember how desperate I was to leave Dubai & this year, I hope I'll leave Dubai & try for some other countries[I am not thinking of getting back to India--to work!!].But I am looking forward to 2012---Is there any surprise in store for me??I leave that to God, let Him reveal everything in His own time!!

Menu for this christmas

The best time of the year is here...December & the festivals throughout this month..mostly, Christmas followed by the new year. I remember my father used to buy those mock christmas tree for christmas every year & then we'd decorate it up with those colored balls, Santa Claus & once it went to extreme...he bought hays and straws & it resembled like the place where Christ was actually born. Mostly, it would end with a cake or may be a dinner outside, however, as I started growing and learnt cooking, I tried to do it at home itself. The lunch was mostly a roast--chicken or a lamb leg[I am not a fan of turkey!!] followed by some dessert...
Last year, I was too busy to cook something for christmas, however, I hope, this year, I do something special, a special treat to myself & whoever wants to sit down & join me for the 6 course menu[FYI...please u need to share the cost with me!!!] & here it is...

Caponata on Brioche

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Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Truffle Cream

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Fish & Lentils

Sea bream meuniere style, braised Puy Lentils and confit cherry tomatoes

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Prosciutto di Parma wrapped Quail with its own Jus

Foie gras,  Pureed potato & artichokes

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Millefeuille de Fromage

Creamed Brie, Figs & Apple Chutney, Filo Pastry

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Degustation de Citrus

Glazed Lemon Tart, Orange Panna Cotta & Lime -Almond cake

Fall....and some new *fishes*

Its been a while, that I didn't write in my blog, when I was addressing to my priorities--work and then relax. Also, I didn't write any new menu, though, I had numerous preparation of pork belly, pork steak & beef at home-which were quite simple in nature--one being Braised pork belly in apple-prune puree, blue potato chip, succotash, celeriac puree & an apple crisp. For beef it was just rib eye[a cut that I love to eat, especially I enjoy the fat in the rib-eye, which makes the cut more tender & juicy] with peppercorns or in french as you may say, "Steak au poivre" with gratin potatoes & pepper sauce.

This time, I am being a little fishy, since I enjoy fish a lot, specially when it is fresh

Filet de bar poele ala Marseillaise

Panfried baby seabass, saffron mashed potatoes, clams-mussels ala provencale, white asparagus and sauce bouillabaisse

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Rouget ala Nicoise

Grilled red mullet nicoise style & provencal vegetables

Filet de Bar poele ala Marseillaise

Concept: Bar, i.e. sea bass is panfried and served in Marseille style[south of France, home to the king of all soups, Bouillabaisse]. The accompaniments are being mashed potatoes with the hint of saffron, clams-mussels ala provencale--i.e. cooked with some tomatoes & their own juices. Sauce bouillabaisse is the reduction of bouillabaisse soup & further thickened with the addition of some rouille. It is a wonderful marriage of flavours & all pretty much go well together. Especially the sweet sauce & the subtly butter white asparagus.The recipe is given below:-
Ingredients:[For one portion]
Seabass filet- 160 gm
Seasoning-to taste
Olive Oil-20 ml
Butter, cold-20 gm
For the sauce
Prepared bouillabaisse-100 ml
Rouille-1 tsp
Seasoning as required
For the clams & mussels provencale
Littleneck/Manila clams-4 nos.
Fresh mussels-3 nos
Prepared Tomato sauce- 50 ml
zest of 1/2 lemon, seasoning as required
For the saffron potato mash
Russet potato-100 gm, boiled & sieved
Milk-30 ml
Saffron-1/2 pinch
Butter-25 gm, chilled
Seasoning- as required
For the white asparagus
Fresh white asparagus tips- 3nos.
Butter-10 gm
Seasoning- to taste
Method:
For the Clams & mussels provencale
Open the clams & mussels separately. Reserve the juices & remove the shells. Keep the mussel & clam meat separately. Heat the juices with the tomato sauce till half & heat the seafood meat in the sauce & keep warm
For the Sauce
Heat the bouillabaisse till half[dont burn]& keep warm. When ready to plate, add the rouille.
For the saffron mashed potatoes
Blend the potatoes with hot milk, butter & saffron. Season & keep hot.
For the Asparagus
Peel & blanch the tips in salted water. Strain & saute in cold butter. Season & keep hot
For the Fish
Make few slits on the skinside & season. Saute in a pan with olive oil, till crispy on one side. After three minutes, cook on the other side & add in the cold butter & keep on basting the fish, for two minutes & rest in the pan.
Assembling/Arranging on the plate

Put the mashed potato on one corner of the plate & put the clams-mussels on top with the sauce. On another corner put the white asparagus & rest the fish on top. Drizzle the sauce around

***

Rouget ala Nicoise

Concept: One day I was just going through a book, "Le Repertoire de la cuisine", which precisely describes the famed french classics from starters[you call it "Hors d'oeuvres" in French, by the way!!] till the savories. In the fish section, which describes the french classics on Fishes, I was just looking at the red mullet, a fish that is readily available here & present it with a twist. One recipe that enthralled me was "Rouget ala Nicoise", which is from Nice, south of france again. The recipe mentions of including chopped tomato, tossed in butter, decorate with anchovy fillets and black olives. Give it a twist???Turn the tomato into a sauce, as you'd do & blend with anchovy fillets. For the olives???Well, make some slits on the fish & stuff with slivers of black olives...how does that sound? Well, for the vegetables, I wanted to go for Ratatouille, another Nicoise vegetable stew & butter fondant potato for starch.
The fish itself is of course, who mostly lives on crustaceans...here is the recipe.

Ingredients:[For 1 person]
For the Fish
Red Mullet-1 whole, around 300 gm
Seasoning-As required
Black olives- 2 pieces
Oil-20 ml
Butter-10 gm, cold
For the sauce Nicoise
Peeled chopped tomatoes- 100 gm
Canned anchovies in oil-2 fillets
Garlic-1/2 clove
Butter- 20 gm
Seasoning- As required
For the ratatouille
Shallots-1/2, very small dices
Garlic-1/2 cloves, finely chopped
Fennel, Carrot, Zuchhini[Green], Bell Peppers[Yellow & Red],Eggplant all small dices-10 gm
Olive Oil-30 ml
Tomato Paste-1 tsp
Chiffonade of Basil-of two leaves
Seasoning- As required
For the Butter Fondant potato
Potato-1 big, peeled and then trimmed to make into a square shape
Butter-30 gm
Chicken stock-50 ml
Dried Thyme-1 pinch
Seasoning-As required
Method:
For the Butter Fondant Potato
Make the oven ready at 180 Deg C
In a hot pan add in the butter & when melted, add the potato, with the thyme. Nicely brown on all sides[Don't burn] & and then add in the chicken stock & seasoning. Put the pan in the oven for about 12-15 minutes. Check the doneness-if ready, keep it hot or else, continue to cook, until the potato is fork tender.
For the Nicoise Sauce
Saute the garlic in butter & when lightly colored add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until almost dry, add in
the anchovy fillets  & then blend till smooth. Adjust the seasoning & keep hot.
For the Ratatouille
In a hot pan, individually fry all the vegetables, except onion & garlic, till nicely colored. Take another pan & saute the onion, garlic till lightly colored & then add in the fried vegetables. Add the tomato paste & cook until vegetables are soft--moisten with a little water, if required. Add the basil chiffonade & season. Keep hot.
For the fish
Scale, gut [reserve the liver] & fillet the fish. Season both the fillets[one fish will fetch you two fillets] & make slits on the fish & stuff with slivers of olives. Saute in a hot pan with olive oil, first with skin side down for 1.5 minute & then on the other side for 1 min, whilst basting it with butter, cook the mullet liver in the same pan. Once cooked, allow to rest in the same pan, while you mix in the liver with the sauce.
Assembling for the plate:
Rest the fish on the spool of the sauce & put the ratatouille around the fish. Put the potato on one end & drizzle some more sauce around. You may garnish with zest of a lemon.

And for the time being, Bon Appetit, but check out soon..for some more tantalising recipes...from my kitchen.

Cheese...milk's another leap towards mortality....

"A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be over sophisticated. Yet it remains, cheese, milk’s leap toward immortality.” - Clifton Fadiman(May 15, 1904 - June 20, 1999)
My childhood was gone through some fancy sandwiches, albeit with some processed cheese, thanks to Amul, still a giant producer of dairy products in India. When it first came up with the idea of "processed cheese", yes, everyone was amused. Even I forced my mother[who has always been tough to my wants & needs]to buy some for me & taste how does it taste like. First taste, creamy, secondary taste, a little salty[but still ok for a palate, who used to hate salt, once upon a time]& the tertiary tastes of creamier texture. Often, it was being grated for my sandwiches[cheese slices were still not produced then!!!], which were often had with loads & loads of ketchup...or have it as it is....
Despite, loving it initially, I started loathing cheese in the meantime, till I got admitted myself to hospitality institute & started cooking with cheese. Thankfully, Kolkata started shedding its much outdated outlook[perhaps, it is still carried over now..in spite of the globalisation everywhere] with more and more supermarkets having a dedicated dairy section, including some imported cheese--prime ones being parmiggiano reggiano, gouda, emmenthal, cheddar, boursin & some other cheeses.

Back those days, since my fascination has always been to cook the one & only Italian cuisine, I treated myself by buying a chunk of grana padano[a reasonable alternative to expensive Parmiggiano Reggiano, parmesan cheese otherwise] & use it judiciously over my pasta dishes, or while making some mushroom risotto...at home...whilst, when I joined hotels, as a professional, for the sake of tasting, I tasted a dozens of cheese or perhaps more than that. Coming to Dubai, again it is a blessing in disguise, as here I have tasted cheeses, which I can never taste in India.
I will not tell you there are how many cheeses & how many types of cheeses in this planet, neither, how they are made. My first attempt for using cheese as dessert was using Danish Blue cheese for making some pannacotta at home--the Italian dessert with a little twist--with pineapple & blue cheese & nutmeg foam on top. The combination to you may be weird, but it is really interesting combination---it was sweet vs. salty. Thereafter, playing with cheeses for making canapes, or sometimes, adding them to meat--mortadella for example & come up with some interesting canapes[there were critics to it also!!!]..
There are some of my favorites, with some combinations, that I will always serve to my friends, guests alike...and they are..
Brie de Meaux, goes well with apples, pears, figs & of course green grapes
Taleggio, excellent with pears, figs
Camembert-serve it same like you do with brie
Gorgonzola..a classical combination is walnut & pears, also pineapple
Goat cheese--with olive oil[???], berries, mango jam
Mozzarella--beetroot [if you are having for salad or as it is...it goes well with roasted beetroot]
Cheddar--onion marmalade
Parmesan--crackers, cantaloupe
[Note:Almost all cheeses can be served with crackers or pane carasau, the Sardinian specialty crackers. Fruits as indicated, can be served in various forms, like compote, stewed or even carpaccio. Roasting the beetroot, actually intensifies the flavours]

I always feel that it is a luxury, to have some cheeses at the end of your meal, especially if the menu is european..a couple of well-ripened cheese, and a bottle of wine...and there you go. But for heaven's sake..never ever, have cheese with water!!!
And finally if you didn't know, the vegetarians of India swear by it, Paneer, like the firm ricotta is India's version of cottage cheese!!!