Cookbook review: Elements of Taste by Gray Kunz and Peter Kaminsky

Today's cookbook review is not only a good source for great recipes, it's a fantastic reference book you can return to again and again and learn something new each time.  The title should give you a good indication of the book's direction, but don't underestimate it.  

Most of us know the four basic elements of taste - sweet, salty, sour and bitter.  The more eager students are jumping up and down in their seats saying "umami! umami!", referring to the more ambiguous concept that there is a sensation of taste that broadly recognizes that something is "tasty" - it is closely related to salt (while remaining distinct) and is what gives MSG its amazing power.  Well, Grasshopper, you have a bit to learn.  Gray Kunz and Peter Kaminsky will introduce you to fourteen elements of taste - fourteen!  And this is because they felt the original twenty-two they came up with might be a bit much for us to handle.  Sit down, hush up, and get ready to learn something.

Reading this book, you will learn to use language such as "pushing", "pulling", "punctuating", and "platform" as the new categories from which this multitude of taste sensations come from.  You will come away with a greater understanding of why certain foods and flavours are such good friends.  Even if you try to open the book and simply cook a recipe, inevitably you will end up reading a short passage about why the flavours work together, or how certain cooking techniques affect how flavours blend and come together.  This book will help you develop the kind of understanding you need to create memorable dishes.  Most people can follow a recipe, but much fewer have the ability to come up with something new, original, and hit the mark or very close to it on the first try.  Read this book, understand it, and apply it.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

P.S.  This book is a great companion to the Flavour Bible.

Recipe: Smoked salt

Smoked salt brings an amazing effect to the right dish.   Just a sprinkle on a steak fresh off the grill gives it a real outdoorsy feel - even if you grill with propane.  A couple grains on top of a beautifully seared scallop or piece of fish and you just brought a whole new flavour to the plate.  You can use it like regular salt, but I usually keep it just for last garnishes so it doesn't get lost among the other flavours.  To this end, I recommend using Maldon salt - it has big, unmistakable pyramid-shaped crystals that leave no question as to where that taste of smoke came from.  Because the crystals are so big, you only need a few well placed ones to make a big addition to your dish.  Vegetable oil is a very optional addition.  I've used it because oil is a great vehicle for flavour and can boost the smokiness of the salt.  The key is to remember to use only a very small amount - the salt shouldn't be clumpy or appear wet, you should barely even notice it's there.  A good strategy is to keep some salt back, so if you think you may have added a bit too much, you can even things out by adding more salt.

You will need:

Maldon salt

cheesecloth

smoker

vegetable oil (very optional)

Method:

 - start the smoker early (on a cool setting) to get some smoke built up inside

 - line a smoker rack with cheesecloth - a few if you are processing a lot of salt

 - if using oil, put the salt in a bowl, add a TINY bit of oil and mix well

 - put a thin layer of salt on the cheesecloth

 - load the rack (or racks) into the smoker

 - smoke at least an hour - I like two

 - taste test - do this away from the smoker to be truly objective

 - smoke more if needed

 - remove the racks from the smoker and let cool

 - store in airtight containers

 - use as needed

Recipe: Malted souffle pancakes

I was really happy with the souffle pancakes, and was interested in making a variation.  Then I spotted the jar of Horlick's malt powder in the cupboard - perfect!  Since malt is based on wheat and barley, it lends itself to the form without stretching the imagination.  I figured why not use malt vinegar to sour the milk too?  The idea was to substitute a portion of the flour with the malt, but because Horlick's is a drink mix, I thought it might be prudent to add a bit extra to make sure the overall binding power of the dry mix was about the same.  The result was fluffy and delicious, and even tasted a bit nutritious.  It's not like having a malted milk in pancake form, rather the addition of the malted barley really deepened the overall flavour - and no, the malt vinegar didn't make them vinegary or anything like that, but it sure made the baking soda puff up!

You will need:

185ml / 3/4C                    milk

30 ml / 2Tbs                     malt vinegar

185ml / 3/4C                    flour

2                                       eggs

45ml / 3Tbs                      melted butter

125ml / 1/2C                    Horlick's malt drink mix

7.5ml / 1.5tsp                   baking powder

2.5ml / 1/2tsp                   baking soda

30ml / 2Tbs                      sugar

2.5ml / 1/2tsp                   vanilla

1.25ml / 1/4tsp                 kosher salt

Method:

 - bring all ingredients to room temperature

 - add the malt vinegar to the milk and set aside to sour

 - sift the flour, malt mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together

 - separate the eggs

 - melt hte butter and set aside

 - whisk the egg whites to a soft peak, sprinkle in half the sugar and bring to a medium firm peak

 - whisk the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar until pale

 - whisk in the vanilla

 - whisk in the melted butter

 - whisk in the sour milk

 - add the yolk mix to the dry and stir smooth

 - fold in the egg whites

 - fry in a hot skillet

Restaurant review: The Silver Skillet

While we were down in Atlanta, we decided a nice Father's Day treat would be to tuck into a good southern breakfast at a classic roadside diner - enter the Silver Skillet.  It was a cinch to find, standing defiantly tall (one story tall) amongst a sea of towers and new development, just past the I-85 on 14th.

The Silver Skillet has been a foundation in Atlanta for years and has that certain sense of history about it.  From the packed room, they've well earned the loyalty of their customers and don't need to periodically re-invent themselves - the food must speak for itself.  I found myself drawn to a yellowed sign advertising peach cobbler, thinking that if the sign has been there this long, the cobbler must be amazing - but first things first, we came for breakfast.

I had the signature southern breakfast with battered and fried centre-cut pork chops, eggs, grits and gravy.  The eggs came as eggs do, you can't ask for much more than that, but the pork chops really hit the spot with a purpose.  I have to admit, I don't normally do pork chops for breakfast, but it may be time to change my mind - the batter was delicious and crispy, and the pork was tender and juicy.  The grits were tasty and creamy, yet neutral enough to work with either the eggs or a splash of maple syrup depending on your mood.  You know they mean business when the gravy is its own thing - it was rich, thick and wake-you-up peppery - perfect for a breakfast chop.  The Skillet's biscuits almost stole the show - soft, tender and oh so cozy warm.  Where were the jams and butter?  In a napkin under the warm biscuits - considering I get pretty peeved at hard table butter, this small but simple detail really warmed my heart.  Had a taste of the buttermilk pancakes - pretty hard to go wrong there either.  Sadly, I couldn't get around to the cobbler, so it'll have to be next time.  Well done, Skillet, well done.

the southern breakfast

Restaurant review: Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles

We took a trip down south last week - way down, to Atlanta, Georgia.  I was told by my friend Jen that a trip to Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles was inevitable and mandatory.  I wasn't going to fight it - I love fried chicken, I love waffles, how can you go wrong?  I've often been curious about this pairing - while I'm all on board for each one separately, I'd never eaten them at the same time, and felt I should wait for the right opportunity just in case there was some hidden nuance I might miss if I just threw it together myself.

what you came for

Certainly, fried chicken is a passion in the south, and you will rarely be disappointed.  While the restaurant has a full and impressive menu, I had to go for the signature dish, and Gladys did not let me down.  Four hefty and delicious fried legs of chicken and a flawless waffle.  I'm not sure if I was enlightened as to the original purpose of the pairing, but it all came together like magic.  I had to order a corn muffin just because and it was just plain great.  To be honest, I would have liked to camp out a while and work my way through the menu, there was so much that was beyond tempting.  Others at our table had crispy fried catfish (fantastic), jerk and chipotle chicken spring rolls (ridiculous), sauteed corn with jalapenos (drool) and gravy smothered chicken (gaaaaaa).  We were so well fed we officially didn't get to dessert, but I insisted we get a sweet potato cheesecake to go to have later - so glad I did, it was simply great, even out of a box.

smothered chicken, corn and macaroni

The decor is what you might expect, memorabilia and photos from the career of one of soul music's great artists along with shots of some of the more notable visitors over the years.  Our meal was graciously watched over by Stevie Wonder, 50 Cent and George Clinton - not bad company.  

Pay Gladys a visit at 529 Peachtree st. NE, Atlanta, Georgia.  Give her a call at 1-404-874-9393.  Get there early as a line forms fast.

Recipe: Citrus salt - lemon

Specialty salts are a great way to add a lot of "wow" to a dish.  Some are easier to make than others, but making a citrus salt is a really good and easy way to get introduced to the concept.  In this example, I am using lemon and kosher salt, but you can switch both up.  If you switch the citrus fruit, keep in mind the size of the fruit and try to keep the overall amount of the zest the same.  Switching the salt can have a huge effect - the large pyramid shaped crystals in Maldon salt will really change the texture on the tongue, while a coloured salt like a Hawaiian red will have an interesting visual effect.

You will need:

250ml / 1C                     kosher salt
2                                     lemons

Method:

 - set the oven to 150F
 - using a microplane, zest the lemons
 - rub the zest into the salt well with your hands
 - spread the salt out on a baking sheet
 - place the salt in the oven for 30 minutes until completely dry

Recipe: Yogurt poppyseed dressing

Summer isn't often a time you are thinking of creamy salad dressings, but the yogurt and orange in this one makes it so refreshing.  It emulsifies nicely, but stays very light and works well on delicate greens.

You will need:

500ml / 2C                     Greek style yogurt

30ml / 2Tbs                    cream

60ml / 1/4C                    rice vinegar

60ml / 1/4C                    honey

60ml / 1/4C                    concentrated orange juice

5ml / 1tsp                       poppyseeds 

to taste                            kosher salt

as needed                       water

Method:

 - whisk the yogurt, cream and honey together

 - whisk in the vinegar and orange juice

 - add the poppyseeds

 - add water if you want a thinner dressing

 - season with kosher salt

 - use as needed

Recipe: Gomae dressing

When I go out for sushi, I love to get a side order of spinach gomae.  The slightly spicy mix of sesame and soy hits me just right, and my regular spot is generous with the dressing, so I also use it to dip my sushi.  Now that I have a recipe, I make it and use it however I please - despite the fact there is no oil in it, it works really well as a light salad dressing.  Remember to give it a good shake or stir before using it as the solids tend to collect at the bottom of the container.

You will need:

250ml / 1C                       mirin

250ml / 1C                       sake

250ml / 1C                       soy sauce

200ml / 6.8fl oz                sesame seeds

60ml / 1/4C                      wasabi

1 "knuckle"                      fresh ginger

Method:

 - put the mirin and sake in a pot, heat it, ignite it and burn off the alcohol, then cool

 - toast the sesame seeds, then cool

 - blend the sesame seeds fine in a blender

 - grate the ginger on a Microplane

 - put the wasabi, ginger, and sesame seeds in a bowl, then use the soy sauce and a whisk to make a paste

 - gradually whisk in the mirin and sake

 - use as needed

Cookbook review: Sweet Seasons by Richard Leach

This book was very inspirational for me when I was an apprentice, and remains one of my favorite reference book when my imagination needs a shot in the arm.  It's not just the quality of the work within the book, but also Richard Leach's background - I've always identified with his background as it has many similarities with my own.  He started as a regular cook, but pursued pastries on his own in order to be a more well-rounded chef which eventually led to working in the pastry department at Aureole and beyond into his career as one of the top pastry chefs in America and winning the James Beard award in 1997.

I find the look of his dishes are ever so slightly set apart from other pastry chefs in that there is often just that little bit more of a composition on the plate.  The plates resist descending into a mass of confusion, rather they maintain a sense of unity while presenting a lot visually - with some of the balancing acts going on, I expect there is a fair bit of pressure on the servers who handle the delivery to the table.  The complexity seems to reflect Chef Leach's savory background, and it translates very well.  It makes this book a great resource not only for recipes, but plating ideas.

The recipes of course are top notch.  As you would expect from someone at this level, facinating flavour combinations and great garnishes.  The pumpkin praline pie plate actually has an edible lantern on it!  Each dessert is divided into mini-chapters with easy to handle recipes for each of the supporting elements on the plate.  There is also a section in the back with some the basic recipes in a pastry shop along with some helpful technique tips.  The title of the book isn't frivolous either, and the dishes are divided according to the most appropriate time of year for serving - not that you would find many objections serving some of these selections year round.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Recipe: Chocolate banana lava cake

Not all lava cakes are equal, but this one is insanely good.  When I first did this recipe in Hong Kong, I was a bit burnt out on the idea - I had done them countless times in Vancouver and was ready to move on.  It was that subtle hint of banana that turned me.  The original recipe had quite a bit less, and it was already a big hit in our restaurant.  As I made batch after batch, I gradually upped the banana bit by bit, and the cakes just got better.  I stopped once the banana content equaled the chocolate, more or less on principle.  Beyond the progressively improved flavour, by upping the banana, I effectively reduced the overall flour content, which in turn made for a more tender product - I figured if you can have lava cake recipes with only trace amounts of flour, I had a bit of wiggle room to work with.  The cornstarch is an effective variation as well - you maintain a certain level of binding power with an inherently softer product.  You can get pretty aggressive with the molten centre as well - I was using a small hemisphere mold to make balls about the size of a large marble (they weighed in at about 16 grams each), which is pretty substantial when using a 4oz mold.  To help things stay where they should until baking, it is important to partially fill the molds then chill them - as the butter and chocolate set up, they will be able to support the weight of the chocolate centre.  Using the 4oz molds, this recipe would give me 10 - 12 portions and are best if cooked from raw within 3 - 4 days of making them.  We also used tin molds, so if you use ceramic, add a few minutes to the cooking time to allow the heat to work through the ceramic.

You will need:

200g / 7oz                      dark chocolate (70%) - plus more for the molten centres - up to 16g each

200g / 7oz                      bananas

110g / 3.9oz                   pastry flour

110g / 3.9oz                   cornstarch

40g / 1.4oz                     sugar

20g / 0.7oz                     butter - plus more for the cups

6                                     eggs

Method:

 - have your chocolate for the molten centres prepared and set aside

 - butter your molds well and keep refrigerated

 - melt the chocolate

 - puree the banana

 - sift the flour and cornstarch together

 - separate the eggs

 - whip the egg whites to medium peak, then beat in the sugar

 - beat the egg yolks pale

 - beat the butter into the yolks

 - beat in the banana puree

 - stir in the chocolate

 - fold in the whipped whites alternating with the flour and cornstarch blend

 - fill the cups 1/4 to 1/3 full, then chill to firm up the batter

 - add the chocolate for the molten centres and cover with batter

 - refrigerate

 - preheat the oven to 392F / 200C

 - bake 7 - 8 minutes, more if you have ceramic molds or a very big piece of chocolate in the middle

 - invert to unmold, and serve

Recipe: Souffle frittata

saute the garnish

Technically this is a souffle omelette, but honestly the eggs fluff up so much in the cooking that most attempts to fold the omelette don't work out too well (never mind rolling it).  That said, it makes a beautiful light and fluffy frittata.  It also happens to be a good way to stretch a few eggs a long way among more guests as the eggs already have volume by the time they hit the pan.  The trick here is to quickly yet gently mix the egg with the garnish, then leave it to avoid deflating the egg whites.  From there it is temperature control as flipping it can be a bit tricky - start fairly high heat, then turn it down.  If you have a broiler to brown the top a bit even better.

You will need:

4                         eggs

whisk the yolks

as needed           garnish - we used onion, peppers and spicy sausage here

as needed           cheese

to taste               kosher salt

to taste               black pepper

Method:

 - separate the eggs

 - start sauteing your garnish 

 - whisk the yolk with salt and pepper until pale

 - whisk the whites to a medium firm peak

 - fold the whites into the yolks

whisk the whites

 - add the eggs to the pan, stir to mix evenly then leave it

 - turn the heat to medium low and cover with a lid

 - grate the cheese, add to the top, and cover again to melt

 - once the frittata is mostly set, toast a bit under the broiler to brown the cheese

 - cut wedges and serve

fold together

add to the pan and top with cheese