There is nothing more I love to eat than head-on shrimp and Sauce Américaine. As you can see, this dish is very similar to Gambas with Fennel, almost identical, just missing two components with the addition of fennel blossoms, to give the fennel cream a little more of the fennel taste!
Here are Gambas, with a Fennel Cream, Fennel Blossoms, Saltwort, and a Sauce Américaine Foam.
This was one of the last morsels of food that I created before my tenure was up at Degustation. My watermelon “sushi” amuse bouche was on the tasting menu for awhile then and spring was turning into summer so it was the perfect time to change the amuse.
It took me a few tries to perfect this little bite! I experimented with the salinity of the cure, the time of the cure, and the thickness of the potato chip. I really hope I wrote down the recipe because I’d want to do this in the future, whenever I have my own place.
Anyway, here was the new amuse: Lemon Verbena cured Arctic Char, Salmon Roe, Potato Chips, Paddlefish Caviar, and Chive Batons.
I’m not a truffle fanatic, I don’t go crazy for truffles. I don’t put truffles on things just for the sake of it. Sometimes when you buy truffles, they may smell like truffles but the taste isn’t there.
Anyway, the truffle in this pasta was superb. I was given a tiny knob of an already shaved truffle and was asked to make something delicious out of it. This is what I made: Housemade Fettuccine with Maitake Mushrooms in a Truffle-Thyme Cream Sauce, Shaved Black Truffle to garnish.
To the average person, this seems like a breakfast/brunch/lunch item, and it is. In many tasting menus, egg is a popular course to put on towards the start of the tasting.
So here is a Sous Vide Poached Egg, Asparagus, Smoked Speck, Crispy Shallots, Grain Mustard Dressing, and Micro Parsley.
I love making pesto, other than the classic pesto. According to a NYTimes article from 2015, the large consumption of pine nuts is damaging the environment. The rising global demand for pesto has prompted unsustainable nut harvests in many regions, such as Russia and Korea. Is it worth it? No, I don’t think so. As for the basil component of pesto, although I do love a freshly-made classic pesto “alla Genovese”, it’s been-there-done-that for me. I enjoy making other pestos, substituting other greens, such as broccoli rabe or stinging nettle or even nasturtium, and substituting other nuts, such as almonds, cashews, pistachios, and even walnuts! It’s better for the environment and also, it’s cheaper too. Pine nuts are ridiculously expensive!
Here is Lobster Knuckle and Claw with Heirloom Tomatoes, a Broccoli Rabe Pesto, and Micro Thai Basil.
When you think of avocado toast, do you think of those basic white girl Instagrams? Because I do, and whenever someone mentions avocado toast, you can hear how much I keep my loathing in silence.
Anyway, this is my version around that (annoying) fad: Avocado on Filone Toast with Burrata, Espelette, Crispy Quinoa and Radish Sprouts. And I only made this because I had avocado and burrata in excess.
Remember this? This is exactly the same thing, but in a different format of plating!
Sorry that I haven’t been blogging. I started a new job in December and I have been very busy and tired.
I love this dish so much. It has many of my favorite things all in one plate. There are Gambas, which are Head-On Prawns, with a Fennel Purée, Fennel Chips, Charred Corn, Saltwort, and a Sauce Américaine Foam.
Is it clear to you that I love the flavor profile of romesco yet?
Romesco is a nut and red pepper-based sauce that originated from Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The fishermen in this area made this sauce to be eaten with fish.
Here is Seared Octopus with Romesco, Persian Cucumbers, Crispy Potatoes, and Micro Celery.
The best clam sandwich that I had was when I went to Cape Cod in the summer of 2016. Fresh clams were shucked, the bellies were separated from the strips, and the bellies were deep-fried. I don’t remember the sauce in the hot-dog bun but all I can remember is that it was the freshest, most succulent, juicy seafood sandwich that I have ever placed in my mouth.
This clam sandwich that I made is nowhere close to the clam belly sandwich that I had in Cape Cod – but it was pretty damn delicious.
This Clam Sandwich was made with Mini Baguettes and I made a Green Goddess sauce and mixed it with lots of fresh Tarragon, Crème Fraîche, Lemon Juice, and Espelette Pepper.
