This one's for the bread heads! We talk sourdough baguettes and why you need to bake at a higher temperature than traditional breads, and I give Tmorrision feedback on his sourdough boule. I answer a question on double hydration sourdoughs, and how soy lecithin can be used to enhance your breads that contain fat. We finish the conversation troubleshooting large holes in the interior crumb of a bread.
Tomato Vierge is a simple yet flavorful emulsion of tomatoes, aromatics and oil. It is most notably missing egg, which makes this preparation much lighter then it's sister sauce, aioli.
If you've ever eaten dinner at Stella, you probably recognize the picture above. Our chocolate truffles have turned into an "accidental" signature dish. Brought out to every table as the check is presented, this truffle recipe itself is solid if not simple; why mess with a good thing?
A sweet summer emulsion that we used for a grilled quail and peach salad dish.
A refreshing and simple summer dish to be served at the height of melon season.
This kaffir lime aioli was originally developed as a dressing for our Thai inspired french fries served at Stella. I love kaffir lime because it just permeates with tropical fruit and citrus. This aioli will work great for just about anything you'd use a citrus aioli for, just taken to the next level.
This Melon-Mint "Pesto" was originally developed for a summer short rib dish that was served with seared watermelon and pickled rind. It was a fun play on fruit and beef, and people really enjoyed the preparation. To be completely honest though, this sauce was so specific to this dish, I'm not sure I would ever put it with anything else or even make it again for that matter.
This sauce was originally developed for a summer salmon dish that was paired with some slow roasted vegetables. Garlic-thyme emulsion goes well with fish, roasted vegetables and poultry such as chicken breast and squab.
Ionic spherification was first introduced by Ferran Adrià of El Bulli. They would serve a beautiful apple "caviar" in a caviar tin, which at that time was absolutely mind-blowing. Because the overall technique is fairly simply, "faux caviar" quickly became many-a-cook's first foray into hydrocolloids and modern cuisine (also commonly referred to as "molecular gastronomy").
This dessert sauce is a nothing more then a super rich mocha that's emulsified with butter for some extra flavor and sheen. It's served with our cinnamon sugar beignets to complete our "coffee & doughnuts" dessert.
Agar is a gelling agent derived from red algae that is commonly used in Asian cuisine, modern kitchens, and as a substitution for gelatin in vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Welcome to our gelatin resource page, we're you'll find everything you ever wanted to know about gelatin, and probably much more. Warning, the lecture videos listed below are extremely geeky and not for the faint of heart. But if you want to have a firm grasp on the properties of gelatin gels and how to use them, then this three part video series is for you. I've also included a gelatin infographic for your referencing pleasure.
If you're serious about being a great cook and producing a consistent product, brining is a technique you should not only use, but need to understand in intimate detail. Brining can be a complex subject, which is why this extensive resource page was created.
Tapioca Maltodextrin is a light weight bulking agent derived from tapioca starch that has no perceptible flavor. When mixed with fat, it has the ability to absorb it, transforming the fat into a powder like substance. Further adding to the "dehydrated fat illusion," the maltodextrin disappears almost immediately when it comes into contact with a small amount of moisture. This sensation most notably occurs when a dehydrated fat is placed in one's mouth; the saliva dissolves the maltodextrin leaving behind only the fat, which gives the impression that it's "rehydrating" back to its original form.
A traditional beurre blanc is a finicky sauce that can easily break, especially if it's not made to order and served immediately. This video will teach you how to stabalize a beurre blanc by using a blender and xanthan gum. This approach will allow you to make the beurre blanc in advance and hold it warm until you're ready to serve.
