Archive for February, 2010
Shiso Dumpling
Posted by: | CommentsRemember when I mentioned a few posts ago that I was working with shiso? Well, I finally created this simple dish consisting of shiso three ways: Preserved shiso leaves wrapped over jicama rice plated with shiso-infused oil and a drop of umeboshi juice. I plated it with half a single sweet pea and 3 white sesame seeds. The flavors? Distinct. Fresh. Like Spring!
Shiso Dumpling
Preserved Shiso Leaves
Yield: ½ cup
1 cup fresh green shiso leaves
¼ cup Himalayan salt
1. In a clean, sterilized glass jar, pack down the shiso leaves with salt sprinkled between each leaf.
2. Leave well covered in the refrigerator for at least a few days. The leaves will exude moisture and become a rather dark green color.
3. The salted leaves can be rinsed off a bit before using.
Raw Gastronomy II
Posted by: | CommentsGastronomy — [gas-TRON-uh-mee] The art of fine dining; the science of gourmet food and drink.
As with anything you put into your body, you should think about what you consume. They should be things of quality and of interest–because the dining experience is a moment when you’ve stopped all other activities, and it’s a time to collect your thoughts, to be with your friends, and to share ideas. You should put interesting things on the the table, both literally and figuratively–including interesting things to drink.
–Daniel Johnnes, beverage director, Daniel (NYC)
Keeping this in mind, bottled water, tea, elixirs, kombucha, kefir, juices and smoothies aren’t the only kinds of beverage one can consume on its own or to round off a meal. For some raw foodists, drinking a glass of vegan wine on a rare occasion is another option. After all, wine is made from grapes and fermented.
And so, this afternoon at 105degrees Academy as we sampled a cheese plate with a series of wines, we were introduced to the concept of wine pairing with living foods. What to Drink with What you Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page is a book I highly recommend if you’d like to read up on the topic of matching food to drink.
A Pickled Pear
Posted by: | CommentsThis morning we each made our own pickles with ingredients of our own choosing from what was available in the raw pantry. I experimented with pear.
Components for Pickled Pears
Pickled Pear Components in a Bowl
Helen's Pickles
Sunday Supper #5
Posted by: | Comments
Oh, how I LOVE Japanese cuisine! Alissa, a fellow classmate from Level II, showcased her Asian heritage with a delightful Sunday Supper made especially with her Mom in mind. It was important for Alissa to remain authentic in her culinary interpretation as she wanted to impress her mother who’s Japanese. So, it was an honor to be seated with both her parents who drove two hours from Tulsa to show their unwavering support for their lovely daughter as they savored tonight’s meal.
Note: This evening I came to realize that even though Eastern ingredients may be different from those in Western style of cooking, there are similarities in both Japanese and French cuisine in the use of specific stocks, sauces and simple presentation.
Gyoza, Shoyu, Raiyu
Now, isn’t this beautiful?
Sweet Spider Roll, Miso-Marinated Eggplant, Avocado, Cucumber, Crispy Fennel Salad, Sprouts
With kanji characters as part of the third course, Alissa chose “white chocolate” to spell out her name. The defining moment occurred when this dish reached our table and I witnessed the surprised look on her mother’s face. “Look, ALISSA!”, she exclaimed with delight.
Green Tea Mochi, Bubble Tea Pudding, Raspberry Wasabi Truffle
The thought and care that my classmate spent in the stylish preparation of this meal was well worth the wait as evidenced by her parents’ reaction. Each bite presented a modern, raw twist to the traditional kaiseki: Gyoza, shoyu, raiyu, sushi, mochi, green tea, wasabi, and bubble tea. BUBBLE tea! Congratulations, Alissa for a job well done!
Alissa with her parents
Moving Forward
Posted by: | CommentsAway from home, I’m an early riser: 4:00am to be exact, Monday through Friday. While everyone else is sleeping, I get a lot of work done at this opportune hour when everything is calm and quiet around me.
Monday and Tuesday, before committing to our on-the-line station duties, we were shown how to make Coconut Water Kefir.
Making Coconut Water Kefir
In a sterilized glass jar, add live kefir grains to coconut water, stir well using a non-metallic utensil, put a lid on the jar, then let the mixture ferment at room temperature for up to 36 hours. When ready, strain the kefir grains (you can rinse and recycle them for later use when making another batch). If you desire, you can use the kefir as a culture for making lassi, yogurt, or cheese, or you can flavor your kefir drink with mostly any kind of fresh fruit juice for a refreshing “soda” with just the right amount of fizz. We flavored ours with pineapple. Yummy, yummy! To read more about kefir grains, click here.
____0____
Monday was also the start of my run of the Dessert Station with Kelly Dennis, who since 105degrees‘ launch she has managed to create some fabulous treats. For the next three weeks I’ll be working with her in pastry prep and plating. Fortunately, I’ll get to use some of the techniques I acquired while at the French Culinary Institute’s Pastry Program. To name a few, these are the desserts on the 105degrees current Winter Menu:
 Dark Chocolate Budino, Liquid Cacao Truffle, Espresso Gelato |
 White Chocolate-Grapefruit Bavarois, Ginger Almond |
 Raspberries, Vanilla Cream, Chocolate Tart |
 Pear Frangipane with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze |
 Warm Pecan Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream |
 S'mores |
 Strawberries with Fondue |
 Brownie |
 Ice Cream Sampler with Snickerdoodle |
 Citrus Quattro |
 Pomegranate Red Velvet Cake with Lemon Frosting |
 Banana-Cacao Pudding Tart with Caramel |
 Apple Cider Beignets |
 Gianduja Tasting |
Lucky for me, I’ve either sampled, prepped or plated each of these desserts. Needless to say they’re all FABulous, though if I were forced to choose my personal favorite, it would have to be the Apple Cider Beignets. Before I ever tasted these though, my favorite was the Pomegranate Red Velvet Cake. So, now you know when you’re in town and if they’re ever out of one, you can try the other. Needless to say, all of these desserts are FABulous!
___0___
As part of another Level II project, we’ve been assigned to help create the Cafe’s Spring Menu. From a list of titles, I chose to work on “Kyoto Noche”. I came up with something that I’ll have to show you later when the dish is finalized. In the meantime, what I can divulge is that the dish is made, in part, with shiso leaves. Shiso, also known as “perilla” and “beefsteak plant”, is a perennial herb in the mint family that is widely used in Japanese cuisine, especially as a natural colorant in umeboshi.
Chef Helen Castillo with Shiso Leaves
Above photo by Alissa
Towards the middle of the week, Russell James of the UK (who’s in town for several months) showed us the equipment he uses for photographing food. By the way, Russell and I first met at Karen Knowler‘s home in England a couple of years ago, when I flew in from New York City to take one of her courses. Small world, isn’t it? Here I am (back then) with Russell, Karen, and her assistant Katie Foster.
This week ended on a high note working at the pastry station until closing with Kelly.
Valentine’s Day
Posted by: | CommentsAll Level II students, including myself, chipped in to prepare this week’s “Sunday Supper”, which falls on Valentine’s Day. It was decided that the menu would be served as a pre-fixe dinner running all weekend starting tonight. So with just a title of each dish to work from given to us by Matthew Kenney, we each were assigned a component to create from scratch. I made the “caviar” with hijiki (a sea vegetable) as appetizer. Rich in minerals, when eaten over time, hijiki promotes hair growth and is purported to restore gray hair to one’s original color.
Hijiki Caviar
Yield: Approximately 1 cup
1 cup hijiki
2 cups filtered water (for soaking hijiki)
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- In a medium-sized bowl, soak hijiki to rehydrate.
- Rinse hijiki thoroughly with cold water until water runs clear. Drain.
- Transfer hijiki to a cutting board, and using a sharp knife, cut the hijiki into 1/8″ thick pieces to resemble caviar.
- Place cut hijiki into a bowl, add oil, then season with salt. Mix well.
- Transfer into a serving bowl. Enjoy!
Almond Flour Toast, Creme Fraiche, Sea Vegetable Caviar
Baileyana Chardonnay
Red Beet and Chevre Terrine, Lentil Sprouts, Pecan Oil, Parsley Juice
Chateau Roland La Garde
King Oysters, Avocado-Meyer Lemon Puree, Black Peppercorn, Vin Glace
A to Z Riesling
Vanilla Bean Merengue, Raspberries, Ginger
Warm Cacao Dacquoise, Hazelnut Truffle and Citrus Buttercream
Tiamo Prosecco
Almond Flour Toast, Creme Fraiche, Sea Vegetable Caviar
In my lifetime, I’ve been quite fortunate to work among gifted artists during my tenure as a professional actor, singer and dancer on Broadway, and then much later as a exhibited painter while at the Art Students League in New York City. But that was eons ago. Nevertheless, it has taken me years of study and discipline to develop an “eye” for taste and the aesthetics. Fast forward to the present, and I am truly astounded and humbled by the exquisite beauty that my fellow classmate Anjela creates with food. Art truly transcends all forms of expression, as evidenced by her work. This classic beet and goat cheese pairing takes on a whole new meaning with her artful interpretation.
Red Beet and Chevre Terrine, Lentil Sprouts, Pecan Oil, Parsley Juice
The best part of the following entree prepared by another classmate was the black pepper sorbet. Cool!
King Oysters, Avocado-Meyer Lemon Puree, Black Peppercorn, Vin Glace
I sincerely wish you could taste this vanilla bean merengue with raspberry sauce. Candied ginger bits are in the vanilla ice cream. Oh, my Goddess! And then the warm cacao dacquoise and truffle. Wow!
Lucky me, starting next week I get to work with the amazingly gifted pastry chef, Kelly Dennis. Period. End of story!
Vanilla Bean Merengue, Raspberries, Ginger
Warm Cacao Dacquoise, Hazelnut Truffle and Citrus Buttercream
When I opened up a box of fresh mushrooms delivered this morning to the Cafe for my Asia Station mise en place, I found this. Beautiful, isnt’ it? Should I take this as a sign of what’s to come?
Maitake Mushroom
Raw Bento
Posted by: | CommentsAs you’ve probably read in my earlier post, since last week, I’ve been assigned to Station 2 — the “Asian” Station. Today, I ran a “lunch special”, and with ingredients commonly found in Asian cuisine I prepared a raw bento — a Japanese “meal in a box”. Rather than use the traditional and elegant red-lacquered bento box, I created my version of a Makunouchi bento meant to be eaten at table.
The menu:
- Chickpea miso soup with scallions and tofu
- A salad with tomato, marinated broccoli, and cucumber on a bed of Romaine lettuce with a Carrot-Ginger dressing
- Hijiki with carrots
- Spicy Tuber Roll (currently on the 105degrees menu)
- Tomago sushi
- Pickled Ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce
Tomago is a lightly sweetened egg omelette, however, mine is made with raw cashews, Thai coconut meat, Irish moss, agave nectar, and a pinch of sea salt. The yellow color is derived from turmeric powder. The sushi rice is made with jicama, pine nuts, agave nectar, brown rice vinegar, and sea salt.
I served eight of these bento to my fellow classmates and 105degrees staff. Pretty good!
Bento Lunch Special
Rawkstar Dinner with the Mayor
Posted by: | Comments105degrees was quite fortunate in having Mayor Mick Cornett, the current Mayor of Oklahoma City, as its featured Rawkstar guest this month. Mayor Cornett has been on a mission to combat obesity in the nation starting with Oklahomans. What better way to support this community with raw foods! By the way, tonight it was announced that Forbes magazine recently chose 105degrees as one the nation’s 10 best new restaurants. Congratulations Dara and Matthew!
Guest Mayor Mick Cornett
February 11, 2010
Barbecued Kale Chips and Cowboy Caviar
Cherry “Soda”-Cristalino Cava Brut
Cherry Juice, Cherry Bitters, Sparkling Water
Portobello Chili, Cornbread Biscuit
Felton Road Riesling
Fried Mushroom “Steak”, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Braised Greens
Chateau Roland La Garde
Pecan Pie, Caramel Custard, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
King Estate “Vin Glace”
Mayor Mick Cornett with Dara Prentice and Matthew Kenney
Here are the dishes we helped plate for the occasion:
Barbecued Kale Chips
Cowboy Caviar
Cornbread Biscuit
Fried Mushroom "Steak", Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Braised Greens
Pecan Pie, Caramel Custard, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Hazelnut Fudge
Raw Gastronomy
Posted by: | CommentsThe greatest advantage to being a professional raw foods chef is that I get to expand my culinary creativity everyday. In keeping with the latest trends in the food industry, it is no surprise to discover a few techniques that can be applied to gourmet raw foods preparation, namely gastronomy, which provide unexpected contrasts of flavour, temperature and texture. I’ve already used a few of the following for my mise en place at 105degrees.
The Smoking Gun allows you to quickly and easily finish products with natural cool smoke, without adding heat.
Smoking Gun: Handheld Food Smoker
The Anti-Griddle quickly freezes sauces and purees into solid, unique forms — or freezes just the outer surfaces while maintaining a creamy center.
Anti-Griddle
Sous Vide, a French term for “under vacuum”, is a method in which food is vacuum sealed in a polymer pouch and then slow-cooked at a low temperature (115°F) in a water bath that is precisely controlled by a Thermal Circulator.
Thermal Circulator
To further continue this conversation, I brought to my Level II class a Raw Food Conversion Chart I found online and adapted, which outlines food substitutions for a raw food diet. I hope you find it as useful as it has been to me.
Sunday Supper #4
Posted by: | Comments
This afternoon a few of us from class gathered for Sunday Supper at 105degrees. So far, I’ve experienced Italian and Thai, last week a culinary artist’s palette, and this week a meal by Kitchen and Academy Director, Ladan Raissi.
Organic Carrot Soup, Young Thai Yogurt, Sprouted Lentil Cracker
Brazil Nut and Wheatberry Risotto, Fennel Confit, Truffle Oil
Poached Seckel Pear, Hazelnut Mascarpone
