molecular gastronomy

Have you ever come across the term molecular gastronomy? Would you eat cockles coated with white chocolate? Or garlic and coffee creme brulee? Or dark chocolate petit fours infused with pipe tobacco. These are among the odd-sounding food combinations that have been tried by many chefs around the world experimenting with a scientific approach to cooking and food preparation called molecular gastronomy. Molecular gastronomy is also called "deconstruction food" and whether fad or food genius, it's based on the notion of fooling around with the elements of a traditional dish, challenging palates with altered textures, structures and taste combinations. Soups become sorbets, solids become foam, lollies can be savory and vegetable desserts. 

The term "molecular gastronomy" was coined in 1992 by Nicholas Kurti, an Oxford physicist and gourmet who discovered how to make meringue in a vacuum pump. He founded the biannual cooking conferences at the Ettore Majorana in Sicily, where elite chefs and scientists meet to discuss the physics and chemistry of cooking. For this comes the interest in applying the techniques of food scientists to fine dining - drying, liquefying, gassing, freezing and generally transforming ingredients into surprising new forms and textures while maintaining the flavors. 
Early converts include French two-star chef Pierre Gagnaire, who added scallops with liquorice milk in his menu in 1991. Molecular gastronomy applies the principles of chemistry and physics to cooking - by examining how foods react to different cooking methods and which food combine well on a chemical level. Chefs are able to experiment with new food combinations and methods to create unusual menu with stunning results. 

Breach of Trust <- try this book to find out more about molecular gastronomy!

when food meets fashion

Some interesting stuff i found on the net

cheesy sweet potato & spinach pasta bake

Cheesy Sweet Potato & Spinach Pasta Bake

Recipe:

600 gm                    orange sweet potato (kumara), peeled, thickly sliced

2                             onions, roughly chopped

2 tbs                        olive oil

375gm                     farfalle pasta (bow tie)

250gm                     frozen spinach

375gm                     smooth ricotta

1tbs                         wholegrain mustard

1/4 cup                    thickened cream (60ml)

2x400gm                  diced tomatoes (canned)

125 gm                    grated tasty cheese/mozzarella/goats cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220'c. Combine sweet potato, onions and oil in a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing halfway for 40 minutes or until tender. (fork pokes through easy - not overcooked)
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
3. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then place in a large bowl and combine with pasta, ricotta, mustard, cream and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Arrange roasted sweet potato and onions over the base of a 3L (12-cup) oven proof dish. Top the pasta mixture, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. 

the man that shouldn't go

Masterchef contestant Peter Kritikides hopeful dish kills oyster, sending him home from Masterchef. Peter has been a great contestant since the start of Masterchef. Being one of the top 5 in my list of favorites, Peter do deserve some more time in the Masterchef kitchen. So what happened? Peter was teaming up with Joanne 2 days ago in a pair invention test, the test was to create a vegetarian dish out of goat's cheese for 6 hungry meat eaters! It almost sounded impossible when i saw those 6 dudes walked into the Masterchef kitchen. Oh come on! Builders, construction workers and farmers? Unbelievable! Anyhow, Peter and Joanne's dish was a vegetarian moussaka and the judges commented that "they were trying to hide the vegetables under a hill of cheese" .. how embarrassing. So Peter, Joanne, Callum and Skye went to the pressure test to cook an oyster terrine dish. Four of the contestants have to shuck 4 dozens of oysters, and to avoid any cracked shells. The terrine is made out of braised red onions in red wine, oysters poached in champagne, balsamic dressing and a potato tuile. It is mentioned as one of the hardest dish Masterchef contestants has ever cooked in this competition. How amazing. So Peter's oysters were overcooked, onions were undercooked and dish presentation was poor. What happened Peter?? "It was a doozy and the biggest nightmare of my life,'' Kritikides said of the pressure test. Sad to see another great cook has left the Masterchef kitchen. Good luck Peter in your future undertakings!

my first ever magazine

This is a funny fact, but what you are looking at is the Masterchef magazine which i bought from Coles earlier tonight. This is my FIRST ever self-bought magazine and i cannot believe it myself. This magazine is loaded with informations. Recipes from Masterchef top contestants, the judges themselves, celebrity chefs and reviews from Matt Preston himself. It also has advertisements for new cookbooks, kitchen wares, restaurant reviews and much more. One handy book for a young chef like me i would say. Everything looks so delicious in there!! Well despite the fact that I would be having my exams in 2 days time, I've flipped through the book and saw one of the beef wellington recipes that my girlfriend wanted me to cook couple months ago. I regret not cooking it for her, but baby if you are reading this, don't worry. You will have all the chance to taste my dishes in the future. And so my parents, which i think is dying to taste my new dishes and inventions. So once i'm done with my exams, more pictures and recipes from the book will be posted up. Stay tune. 

chai smoked duck with spicy tamarind sauce

Chai Smoked Duck with Spicy Tamarind Sauce

A delicate duck breast smoked with chai spices and jasmine tea, pan fried to perfection. This is a simple dish yet loved by everyone. Duck breast may be a little bit expensive in Coles and Woolies, but it is worth the try. My guarantee to you that you will love it and so will your partner. 


Recipe:
3 tbsp            chai tea mix
3 tbsp            jasmine tea
3 slices          orange peel
2 cups           dry rice
1 cup             brown sugar
2                   broken star anise
1                   cinnamon stick
3                   cardamom pods


4                   duck breast
                     salt
                     pepper
                     sumac


10tbsp           tamarind paste
1/4                red chili
20gm             palm sugar (to taste)
1                   lime / with zest


Method:

1. Place all smoke ingredients into a bowl, mix thoroughly and put it onto a sheet of aluminium foil. Place another sheet of aluminium foil on top and make it like a bag. 
2. Place the smoke bag into a wok (with cover) and turn on heat. Cover with cover and let it smoke on medium fire. 
3. While it is smoking, prepare your duck. Cut off access fat from the duck skin (while facing meat side up). Marinate it with salt, pepper and sumac and set aside. 
4. Once the smoking wok starts to smoke vigorously, lower heat to medium low and place duck on a wire rack and into the work. Cover and let smoke for 30minutes to 45 minutes. Check the duck every 10 minutes to assure it is not too hot, so you don't cook the duck through the smoking process.
5. Once duck is ready, remove it and place skin side down onto a pan (without oil) and slow pan fry it to burn off the fats.
6. While that is going, make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together and adjust to taste. The sauce should be tangy, spicy and sweet and the same time. It should be balanced. Place the sauce over heat to melt the palm sugar. Once sugar is melted, remove from heat and set to cool. 
7. Check on the duck. Turn skin side up and pan fry the meat side for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and let rest on chopping board. 
8. Slice the duck and serve with some fresh leaves (rocket, spinach) and the tamarind sauce. Bon Apetite!

disappointments ..

This is very disappointing .. I've missed my chance to meet Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris at the Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne 2010. When i realized that the show was on, it was too late for me to get the tickets to meet my two heroes. Blame all the studyin I've been doing for the past week for my Financial Performance exam coming up in 3 days. :-(

Some facts about the duo: The guy on the left is Gary and the one on the right is George. They are both judges and host for Australia's Masterchef program. Watching them everyday on Masterchef is just incredible. Their passion for food, their commitment and talents. Gary & George have been friends for years, they love food in all its glory, can spin a yarn with the best of them and a quirky sense of humor that has made this pair great entertainers. They will be releasing a new book called "Your Place or Mine" when the boys cook up a storm. 

This is one of the books I'm gonna buy later on this year. It will be released on 27th September 2010. Updates on the book will be posted up once the book is in my hands. :D "CHOP CHOP" - Gary.

Piggy feet

Remember those days when your mum use to tell you that pig trotters are bad for your health? It is fatty, it is slimy, but it is irresistible! After years of pig trotters eating, I've always thought that only Asian countries will cook it. But last night after watching Masterchef, I finally realized that pig trotters can be cooked the French way! And for those people that still thinks that pig trotters are bad for your health, read on. 

Facts:  They are rich in collagen! The latest anti-ageing food? That's right, you heard it here first! In New York, the most talked-about new opening of the past couple months has been a Japanese restaurant called Hakata Tonton, where 33 out of 39 dishes contain pig's feet. The owner, Himi Okajima says that, "They are rich in collagen, and it helps your body to retain moisture. Your hair and skin will look better, and it's not just for looking beautiful now. If you begin eating collagen in your thirties, you will look younger in your forties." So the next time before you go for a facial, or plastic surgery for face lift, think of the amount of money you could save by just having pig trotters in your diet. Not a lot of course, always remember the rule of eating. "Not over-eating one same ingredient meal after meal, keep it balanced for a healthier lifestyle." I will post up a recipe of pig trotters soon once i cook it myself. 

Government Support for Aussie Wines Overseas

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke has announced a $429,000 grant from the government's Promoting Australian Produce program for Australia's First Families of Wine (AFFW), a collaboration of high-profile Australian winemakers. The grant is being used to present a series of promotional events in the UK in an effort to bolster Australia's second largest export market for bottled wine-worth almost $489 million a year. 

Recent events in Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and London were timed to coincide with London's International Wine Trade Fair. AAFW was formed last year, a collaboration between twelve family-owned Australian winemakers - Brown Brothers, Campbells Wines, D'Arenberg, De Bortoli Wines, Henschke, Howard Park Wines, McWIlliam's Wines, Tahbilk, Taylor's WInes, Tyrrell's Wines and Yalumba. Australian wine has been hurt severely by the global financial crisis, particularly premium wines, and by an oversupply of grapes, forcing the industry to tighten its belt over recent months. 

Vanilla Caramel Panna Cotta

VANILLA CARAMEL PANNA COTTA

Many of my readers has been asking me for recipes, simple and easy to make at home for your friends and family. A simply delicious and refreshing panna cotta is the best way to start it. Easy to make, simple and tastes great! 

Recipe:

200gm              sugar

1                       vanilla bean

1/4                    nutmeg - grated

2 cups               cream

1                       vanilla bean / 1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 leaves             leaf gelatin / 3 packet powdered gelatin

Method:

1. Vanilla bean to be halved and seeds removed. Put the seeds into the cream and the whole bean as well. Bring it to a simmer on low heat until the cream is hot, but not bubbling. 
2. Place sugar, vanilla bean and nutmeg onto a dry non-stick pan. Heat the mixture until sugar starts to dissolve and turns into caramel. STIR constantly to avoid burning. 
3. Place the gelatin leaves into a bowl of water to soften it. 
4. Once cream is ready and sugar is caramelized (brown color), pour 1 cup of the heated cream into the caramel and stir. Caution as it might bubble vigorously. 
5. Once mixed, pour the mixture into the remaining cream and stir. Squeeze the gelatin from the water to remove access water, and then stir it into the cream mixture. 
6. Remove from stove and leave it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to cool down, stirring constantly. You can do this over a bowl of ice as well, placing the pot on top of ice. 
7. Once the mixture is cooled down to room temperature, pour it into plastic cups. (plastic cups lets you remove the panna cotta easier later on). This recipe serves about 4 cups. 
8. Place into the fridge and let it set for at least 5-6 hours before serving. Serve with raspberry coulis for better presentation and taste!

Raspberry Coulis

200gm                raspberries
80gm                  sugar
50ml                   red wine


Method: Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for at least 1 hour on low heat. Once ready, crush it with a spoon or ladle. Cool down before serving. This can also be spread on bread.