What New Ingredients Are You Trying Out?

[Chris Amirault]

I thought it would be interesting for us to share the new ingredients we're trying out in our kitchens. Of course, some will be familiar staples, and we may split off discussions that delve into a particular ingredient in depth. But it would be interesting to see what items are new to whom around the Society.

I'll start. Last night I tried sunchokes, or Jerusalem artichokes, for the first time. They're knobby little things about the size of a fingerling potato; unlike fingerling potatoes, however, you have to peel the buggers.

After cooking them SV at 85C for about 90m with carrots and celery root, I added them to a beef daube. I picked up the "artichoke" notes now and then, especially right out of the SV bag, but no one else did, suggesting that this effect was produced as much by marketing and price tag as by flavor. Even with that bit of nutty crunch, I'm not sure they added much, kind of somewhere in the potato/jicama/parsnip zone, with little of the character of any of those alone.

So, given that lukewarm response and my nicked up hands from peeling, I'm not sure I'll bask in the glow of sunchokes again.

[plum tart]

Sunchokes are indeed a pain to peel. For years I made a recipe of Jacques Pepin's which combined chicken and jerusalem artichokes in a cream sauce. It is a kind of braise. You don't peel the artichokes. This method draws out the nutty flavour of the sunchokes and is very tasty. I haven't made it recently because of it is rich but I used to make it at least once or twice a year.

I have not found any other recipe that works quite so well as this one.

[dcarch]

I don't peel sunchokes. The skin is very thin, and doesn't effect the taste.

I peel sunchokes when I invite friends. It is easy to use a stainless steel wool to rub the skin off.

My new ingredient is black garlic.

dcarch

[Chris Amirault]

What have you been doing with the black garlic?

[Anna N]

.....

I'll start. Last night I tried sunchokes, or Jerusalem artichokes, for the first time. They're knobby little things about the size of a fingerling potato; unlike fingerling potatoes, however, you have to peel the buggers.

....

So did you or any of the other diners have any digestive issues? I've heard that they can be a bit of an issue for some people.

[Chris Amirault]

Egad. Now that you mention it, I had a bit of a stomach ache that I couldn't attribute to anything last night....

[DanM]

Jerusalem Artichokes are great, as long as you don't mind the "tempest wind" caused by the inulin.

I recently found a sources for kosher certified Mexican Chocolate. I want to make a nice mole from it when time and other factors permit.

Peanut flour is another ingredient I am playing with, but I have not found much use for outside of smoothies.

Dan

[boondocker]

We have a couple pounds of sea beans and finger limes I may play with for the amuse bouche this week

[dcarch]

What have you been doing with the black garlic?

Here is one, sous vide chuck steak with black garlic sauce.

Black garlic sauce: Black garlic, balsamic, EVOO.

dcarch

[Big Mike]

I'm chasing down veal bones this weekend to make brown stock so I can ultimately make demi-glace. Tougher to find than you might think, I'll be calling several butchers tomorrow to locate some.

[Mjx]

Egad. Now that you mention it, I had a bit of a stomach ache that I couldn't attribute to anything last night....

Check out read McGee's essay on the 'windroot' in The Curious Cook

The newest ingredient I've been playing with is citric acid.

I know this stuff is used by the bucketload for all sorts of commercial applications, but I decided to get a packet of the granules when I wanted an actual flavour to echo the citrus aroma provided by the lime zest in some lime and clove truffles I was making. I didn't want to use citrus juice, since I've been less than thrilled by the results when I've tried this (the mixing of the flavours seemed murky and harsh), and felt that working a little citric acid into the cooled ganache had possibilities.

I sprinkled the citric acid sparingly over the ganache once it had cooled (citric acid is not particularly soluable in cold fat), then sliced and rolled it so that it was incorporated into the truffles.

The end result was tiny, tart 'sparks' in the ganache, which worked with, while remaining distinct from the chocolate phase.

Now I'm considering how else this approach could be used.

[Mjx]

Here is one, sous vide chuck steak with black garlic sauce.

Black garlic sauce: Black garlic, balsamic, EVOO.

dcarch

That looks amazing, and sounds tasty too (unlike the liquorice sauce that I momentarily mistook it for, and that I once encountered in a Danish restaurant--in a savoury dish, no less--that prided itself on being innovative :sigh: )

[Chris Amirault]

dcarch, how did you make that sauce?

Big Mike, you're going to fall in love with those veal bones....

[Big Mike]

Here is one, sous vide chuck steak with black garlic sauce.

Half related question: what temp and cooking duration did you use for the steak?

[mkayahara]

We have a couple pounds of sea beans and finger limes I may play with for the amuse bouche this week

I'm jealous! Both of those are ingredients that I'd love to get my hands on.

I'd also love to be able to experiment with fresh yuzu, but the only place I've seen them was charging $5.95 per fruit.

[dcarch]

dcarch, how did you make that sauce?

In a small coffee grinder.

The sauce is delicious as well as dramatic:

Here is one, sous vide chuck steak with black garlic sauce.

Half related question: what temp and cooking duration did you use for the steak?

Cooked at 139.5 degrees F for 24 hours

dcarch

[Peter the eater]

I'd also love to be able to experiment with fresh yuzu, but the only place I've seen them was charging $5.95 per fruit.

Fresh yuzu is completely unavailable here. All I can find is yuzu vinegar and yuzu tea from a jar.

[Shel_B]

Cherimoya:

Had one at my GF's house and the taste/texture was fascinating. Toots said that it was a somewhat over ripe fruit, and that one closer to ideal ripeness would be much nicer. Discovered that they're grown locally - in California - so getting them should not be too difficult.

Any preparation suggestions?

RE: Black garlic Never heard of that. Is it a true garlic? How does it taste compared to regular garlic? USA grown?

Thanks!

[andiesenji]

For the past year I have been exploring the various ways of using the wattleseed I ordered and a couple of other ingredients from "down under" that were sent to me by a friend, from the same source. (the Lemon Myrtle sprinkle and ground Pepperberry)

I have tried all but one of the wattleseed recipes on Vic Cherikoff's list (skipped the pavlova) as well as using it in cookies, quick breads, hot and cold drinks and in a gelatin that I think turned out pretty good but I can't find my notes and may not be able to duplicate it.

The Pepperberry is potent - I love chiles and am fairly used to hot foods but this seems to come from a different direction, so to speak, and the heat is different from that produced by capsaicin.

I haven't yet done much with the Lemon Myrtle sprinkle. I did try adding it to tea and to ice cream, which were both very good but that is about it. I keep forgetting it is there. (possible senior moments )

I also got some of the Tazmanian Mountain pepper, a native plant, from another vendor and have been finding many uses for it. Vic Cherikoff has it listed as Alpine pepper and it is ground.

I prefer whole spices, whenever possible so ordered it from Salt-Traders.com and have been extremely pleased with it. It has an amazing range of flavors - especially on fruits, however I made some cookies that are usually made with black pepper - actually just a simple shortbread cookie - and they are very good but were taken to a new level with the mountain pepper.

Ah, black garlic is wonderful. I must confess that I mostly just eat it like candy but have also tossed it into salads, mixed with rice or couscous and floated some in bean soup but I have not tried sauces.

Edited January 13, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[mkayahara]

I'd also love to be able to experiment with fresh yuzu, but the only place I've seen them was charging $5.95 per fruit.

Fresh yuzu is completely unavailable here. All I can find is yuzu vinegar and yuzu tea from a jar.

You need to talk to the folks at Pete's Frootique. I'm sure they'd bring some in for you! Of course, you'd probably end up paying even more than $5.95.

[dcarch]

RE: Black garlic Never heard of that. Is it a true garlic? How does it taste compared to regular garlic? USA grown?

Thanks!

Black garlic is made from regular garlic, with nothing added, no salt, no sugar, no nothing. It transforms into something that's magical. Completely unlike regular garlic.

It's is not cheap. I make my own black garlic because I use a lot of it.

dcarch

[Shel_B]

Black garlic is made from regular garlic, with nothing added, no salt, no sugar, no nothing. It transforms into something that's magical. Completely unlike regular garlic.

It's is not cheap. I make my own black garlic because I use a lot of it.

dcarch

How is it made?

Thanks!

Edited January 13, 2011 by Shel_B (log)

[andiesenji]

Black garlic is made from regular garlic, with nothing added, no salt, no sugar, no nothing. It transforms into something that's magical. Completely unlike regular garlic.

It's is not cheap. I make my own black garlic because I use a lot of it.

dcarch

How is it made?

Thanks!

I would also like to know because it is very expensive and not always available where I shop.

[davidkeay]

Does the black garlic seem any better or worse at emulsifying things than normal garlic? I'd think the fact that it's a little softer (and therefore can become more of a paste) might be an advantage!

[Peter the eater]

I'd also love to be able to experiment with fresh yuzu, but the only place I've seen them was charging $5.95 per fruit.

Fresh yuzu is completely unavailable here. All I can find is yuzu vinegar and yuzu tea from a jar.

You need to talk to the folks at Pete's Frootique. I'm sure they'd bring some in for you! Of course, you'd probably end up paying even more than $5.95.

I did, and they don't. Pete's Frootique has never carried fresh yuzu. Sad but true.