Pork Skin Cannoli v1.0

This is v1.0 due to the impromptu-ness of the dish. I didn't use a cannoli tube or a traditional ricotta-based filling. I figured I'd start at the deep end and swim my way up to the surface of a complete dish. The filling I tried here is a yuca (or cassava) mousse. I added cinnamon, cumin and nutmeg to bridge the sweet/savory gap. Yuca is a funny substance, I must say. The starch contained gives it this undeniable gumminess that doesn't quite equate to the "fluff" you're supposed to get from a mousse.

Well, not quite a dish. This is 1 out of 4, so far, of my amuse-bouche series. I've already posted all but one at this point. They are as follows:

Oreo

Caesar Salad

Cannoli

Cantaloupe

Sounds like a strange yet normal selection of food. However, the oreo is made from zucchini, the Caesar Salad has no dressing, the cannoli is not a pastry and the cantaloupe will taste more than it looks. (Wow, I really should've worded this to be more appealing). Trust me! They're meant to be one bite and they will taste good.

Now I'm off to the pastry supply store and/or Italian market to fetch me some real cannoli supplies and try this again!

Oreo

Zucchini . White Cheddar . Cocoa

now all I need is some milk...

Chicago En Ti

Returning from Chicago there are reflections to be had. Not only on the river, but above it as well. Throughout the city there is this glow of sophisticated progression and metropolitan intelligence with less pretension of known coastal corners. The best way to experience this city's progressive offerings is through it's dining. Any gastrobsessive (yes, that's me trying REALLY hard not to use the word "foodie") like myself, might agree that Chicago is the latest U.S. culinary epicenter. From veterans like Charlie Trotter, Rick Tramonto & Rick Bayless to future veterans and whiz kids: Grant Achatz, Homaru Cantu, Laurent Gras and Paul Kahan/Mike Sheerin (tip of the iceberg, folks). You wonder if the coastal city's are taking their environment and agriculture for granted. (I know Miami doesn't need another goddamn steak house). With this said, you can imagine me & Christina's excitement descending into O'Hare airport. With a William Eggleston exhibit at the Art Institute to top it all off, there was a luxurious time to be had in Chicago. Due to the wedding in Arlington Heights we attended, fun was shared amongst friends and family, not to mention running into my friend Dana, the crowd thickened. It ended in a fine cocktail bar, that actually carried the pretension that was missing from the rest of the city. Let me wrap it up, here's a breakdown of restaurants to visit when in Chicago, period. (Don't just let the wind carry you)

Alinea

Moto

L2O

Blackbird (also visit their sister restaurants: Avec and The Publican, oh and the pretentious yet delicious cocktail bar mentioned earlier: The Violet Hour)

The Gage

Avenues (at the Peninsula Hotel)

Topolobampo

Tru

Charlie Trotter's

Also, from the makers of Alinea, a new restaurant and cocktail bar. Here's the trailer...yes, trailer. Next Restaurant

I know there are establishments left out, I'm just too excited. Keepin' an eye out for cheap tickets and the lottery.

Caesar Salad v1.0

I looked over romaine for a long time. Even in my arugula post from last year I literally said "fuck romaine".

But it's been haunting me lately.

There has constantly been a bubbling craving for those romaine hearts. I always enjoyed how juicy and crunchy they were and the way they bring the Caesar dressing together.

Here I isolated the heart from all other parts of the lettuce, then I separated all the ingredients involved in a Caesar dressing and made powders out of them. This way the "water" from the heart liquifies all of the dried ingredients to end in what tastes like a Caesar salad.

This is v1.0 because it can taste better. Look better. The idea is for this to be an amuse-bouche with enough punch to feel like you spent the last 20 minutes eating a Caesar salad.

Caesar Salad v1.0

Anchovy Powder

Pat anchovies as dry as possible

Deep fry in canola oil @ 350ºF until completely crispy

Strain and pat dry on paper towels

Grind fried anchovies in a coffee grinder to a fine powder, scraping down the sides as needed.

Garlic Powder

Peel garlic clove and slice as thinly as possible

Deep fry in canola oil @ 300ºF until there are no more bubbles around garlic slices (about 10+ min)

Strain and pat dry on paper towels.

Grind fried garlic in a coffee grinder to a fine powder, scraping down the sides as needed.

Egg Yolk Powder

Hard boil one egg.

Separate whites from yolk, keeping yolk intact.

Set aside whites and save for another use

Put whole yolk in a container in the freezer for at least 1/2 an hour (or until frozen)

Romaine Lettuce Hearts

Break off a whole leaf of lettuce, with stem attached

Cut off top, leafy portion, leaving just the white portion of lettuce

Trim the ends, leaving just the heart intact

cut into 3-4 equal sized small portions

To Finish

Toast bread crumbs in oven or over a dry pan until lightly toasted

Put about 3/4 tbsp. lemon juice in a bowl

While whisking, slowly add olive oil in a steady stream until fully incorporated

Whisk in salt and pepper

Coat romaine hearts in olive oil dressing

Put one coated lettuce heart on small plate

Sprinkle garlic and anchovy powders equally ( a small amount, these are very powerful concentrated flavors) onto hearts

Take egg yolk out of freezer

Using a small, fine grater, grate egg yolk over romaine hearts

Grate parmesan cheese over hearts

Sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs

wow...

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Underdog Ingredient

Some food gets a bad rep. Some get no rep at all. Zucchini tends to fall in the latter category and on the categorical ladder, it's usually at the bottom (not to mention alphabetically as well). There's no underdog like zucchini. I bought some this weekend in hopes to let zucchini shine and have a leading role for once. It's won for supporting roles in ratatouille, pupusas and mücver. It almost won for tempura, but has often been defeated by carrot and sweet potato.

Here, I've fried slices of said squash in bacon fat that was rendered from the finely ground bacon trailing the back of the dish. Sandwiched between slices of extra sharp white cheddar, it sits atop a sauce made from brown butter, lemon, burnt onion stock, rosemary and cocoa. I love the way the zucchini crisps up, soaks in the fat and has a Maillard crust.

What other unsung produce is out there? Cuts of meat, fruits, vegetables, herbs. Maybe the future of cuisine lies in bringing forth the ingredients behind the scenes.

Veal . Cocoa . Zucchini . Cippolini . Fennel . Corn . Parmesan
Crispy Veal Leg . Pickled Fennel + Fronds . Parmesan
Cocoa-Braised Cippolini's
Zucchini & Corn with Black Pepper & Rosemary

soaking tripe for dessert

The Deception Exception

I love to play with the eye. It can most often be our biggest deceiver in expectations. We have also trained ourselves to rely on it way too much. The dining experience would be a lot different if the diner were blindfolded, or even had their dinner presented to them with no menu and no description as to what they are eating. Being comfortable with familiarity only makes sense, but why not trust a chef? Omakase in Japanese restaurants translates to "it's up to you" (the "you" referring to the chef). Most likely, we wouldn't be able to understand the chef composing on the spot, so we just accept and hopefully enjoy.

The dish above is a very simple setting of watermelon radish with arugula tossed in olive oil and fig white balsamic. I love how the radish, thinly sliced, resembles a well-marbled piece of high quality beef. It'd be great to make a carpaccio of said radish with kobe or wagyu looking identical and never being sure of which you're going to bite in to. Surprise is an element of progression in contemporary cuisine. Let us never be prepared.

Chorizo Stock

This should bode well in cooking mollusks, poaching fish and adding to a basic pomodoro (which is currently simmering). I love extracting those spicy, smoky, meaty flavors to enhance seafood and vegetables that can handle it. Just thinking about the way clams pair greatly with bacon and how lovely this would bring familiar flavors in toying with paella. I hope to use it a lot very soon!