Fun with a centrifuge

[Nicholo P]

So I had a go with our centrifuge a few days ago, and let me tell you that it makes the most amazing and clearest consommes I have ever come across. First off was tomato, as demonstrated in the Modernist Cuisine book. I had tomato puree spun at 8,200 RPM. The result was a clear, sweet consomme with a prominent tomato flavour. I then proceeded to make a sauce out of it using xanthan gum and a white roux; a white tomato sauce. The clear liquid on the right is a watermelon consomme.

I can't begin to imagine the possibilities with this centrifuge. Any suggestions? Or anything you are curious to see undergo that process? I was told that the machine is worth $20,000. So under that assumption, I imagine not a lot of people have access to one. So if you are curious to see what a certain ingredient will look like after this process, let me know!

[TheNoodleIncident]

Does the watermelon consomme actually taste like watermelon? If so, that is very cool.

I don't have any great ideas right now, but hopefully someone else will!

[dcarch]

How about a clear carbonated beef stock?

It would be lovely to sip beef "soda" thru a straw with a few ice cubes.

Disgusting? How would you know? :-)

dcarch

[Nicholo P]

The taste is exactly like watermelon, but the experience is quite different. So it takes a while for some people to recognize it. I suppose the lack of pulp and colour make it very interesting. Haha. But yes, it is quite tasty and very refreshing. I can imagine infusing it with a mild hint of mint or basil, or even while balsamic just to add an extra layer of flavour.

As for the beef stock...carbonated consomme sounds interesting, but I don't know how people would receive it. Haha. When I have some beef stock around, I'll give it a go.

[gfweb]

How about a clear carbonated beef stock?

It would be lovely to sip beef "soda" thru a straw with a few ice cubes.

Disgusting? How would you know? :-)

dcarch

How about a beef-tini?

[Broken English]

How about working a classic flavour combination into clear layered jellies, indistinguishable, until you dig in with the spoon. Tomato, basil, mozzarella for instance?

[dcarch]

How about a clear carbonated beef stock?

It would be lovely to sip beef "soda" thru a straw with a few ice cubes.

Disgusting? How would you know? :-)

dcarch

How about a beef-tini?

Yes, add a shot of Beefeater, centrifuge, not shaken. :-)

dcarch

[Nicholo P]

How about working a classic flavour combination into clear layered jellies, indistinguishable, until you dig in with the spoon. Tomato, basil, mozzarella for instance?

Funny, I had a similar idea of serving caprese but with tomato consomme. Your idea takes it even further, and I really like it!

Initial thoughts:

1. Use the brine that usually comes with buffala mozzarella to add volume, as well as ground bits of the mozzarela.

2. infuse basil in the water. Need to find a way to extract the flavour without heat.

3. tomato consomme from above.

4. Thicken the clarified liquids so they don't mix in a shot glass. Alternatively, I could also turn them into gels as you suggested.

My first questions are:

1. since all the liquids would be fairly clear, would it need some color so the person being served the shot would "clue in" on the caprese?

2. How to make it so the olive oil stays at the bottom of the shot. If it's at the top, the oil will be first to come in contact with the tongue, therefore coating the tongue and the flavors of the other liquid would not be as apparent.

Hmmm...I like this. I might tackle the clarification process today. I'll keep everyone posted.

[Nicholo P]

[dcarch]

Now you will need a high vaccum pump.

With the interesting clear liquids that you are getting from various foods. Use the high vaccum to boil down the clear liquid at very low temperature to super concentrate the flavor.

You may even be able to crystalize many liquids.

Imagine chicken broth crystals, clearly interesting substance.

dcarch

Edited September 1, 2011 by dcarch (log)

[gfweb]

Imagine chicken broth crystals, clearly interesting substance.

dcarch

Knorr!

[Chris Hennes]

My first questions are:

1. since all the liquids would be fairly clear, would it need some color so the person being served the shot would "clue in" on the caprese?

2. How to make it so the olive oil stays at the bottom of the shot. If it's at the top, the oil will be first to come in contact with the tongue, therefore coating the tongue and the flavors of the other liquid would not be as apparent.

I'd be inclined to go with completely colorless, clear gels, to specifically play with diner's perceptions. I'm very interested to know if it still tastes like a Caprese salad without the visual cues. And if you use gels instead of just liquids the olive oil should be easy to segregate.

[Kouign Aman]

First round, why not try something that doesnt have the challenges of flavor extraction as well (the mozzarella).

What about beef stew? Beef, carrot, potato, ?tomato? layers.

[Nicholo P]

tomato and basil mixtures spinning as we speak! photos later today.

[Nicholo P]

Now you will need a high vaccum pump.

With the interesting clear liquids that you are getting from various foods. Use the high vaccum to boil down the clear liquid at very low temperature to super concentrate the flavor.

You may even be able to crystalize many liquids.

Imagine chicken broth crystals, clearly interesting substance.

dcarch

I believe we have this equipment as well. I'll have to save that step for next week.

I'm currently waiting for my freeze dried pancetta and blue cheese.

[Nicholo P]

Sorry for the late update. If you're interested in what I did with the tomato consomme, I started a new thread in egullet.

As for the centrifuged basil, the results were far from what I was expecting. Though it had the aroma of basil, the water came out...well, you can take a look at the photo. haha. It's the 2nd one from the right

[Kouign Aman]

Interesting - soluble color instead of suspended solids.

Whatcha gonna do with the red solids? Is it tomato or watermelon?

Does it retain any flavor?

[dcarch]

I wonder what would happen?

Put some dough and yeast and spin it. Will the dough still rise? What will happen to the yeasted dough after spinning? Will it rise much more ? or not at all.

dcarch

[Nicholo P]

Kouign, just to elaborate, there are 2 kinds of tomato pulp that are separated. The one at the bottom is a very dense one, mixed with the seeds. I'm not quite sure what makes up the top layer.

In any case, the top layer has no flavor while the bottom layer has some taste to it. It tastes a bit mineral-like, and there is also a thin white substance on the surface of that bottom layer. You could probably mix it with fresh pasta. But other than color, its resemblance to the tomato flavour is quite low, in my opinion.

[Nicholo P]

I wonder what would happen?

Put some dough and yeast and spin it. Will the dough still rise? What will happen to the yeasted dough after spinning? Will it rise much more ? or not at all.

dcarch

Quite an interesting question. Some initial thoughts:

I think it will have to be spun at a MUCH higher rate to separate the components with various densities because dough is much much more viscous. If I do get the chance to try it out, I'll have to buy centrifuge vials rated for higher RPM. The ones I have are rated for 10,000 rpm max, and cost $120 for 6 vials. Yeah, not cheap!!!!

[dcarch]

I wonder what would happen?

Put some dough and yeast and spin it. Will the dough still rise? What will happen to the yeasted dough after spinning? Will it rise much more ? or not at all.

dcarch

Quite an interesting question. Some initial thoughts:

I think it will have to be spun at a MUCH higher rate to separate the components with various densities because dough is much much more viscous. If I do get the chance to try it out, I'll have to buy centrifuge vials rated for higher RPM. The ones I have are rated for 10,000 rpm max, and cost $120 for 6 vials. Yeah, not cheap!!!!

The idea is not to separate the components.

Once you mix the yeast and dough, the microbes will be digesting the starch and make CO2.

1. Under a great deal of centripetal force, will the microbes work better or not at all.

2. If CO2 is generated, it will be highly compressed, and the dough will not rise. So when the pressure is released, what will happen to the dough?

dcarch

[JHeald]

2. infuse basil in the water. Need to find a way to extract the flavour without heat.

I don't know if anyone has suggested this, but I would recommend using gelatin filtration. I used it to make an amazing tomato consume, and I'm sure it would work with basil. It is very simple, but takes a few days.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/dining/05curi.html?emc=eta1

[Nicholo P]

I've tried using kappa carrageenan filtration, I find that the yield is quite low in general, and also, it just takes too much time. What is curious about the basil water is why it turned brown. Maybe Nathan Myhrvold can drop by and help! hehe.

[Kouign Aman]

Oxidation?

[JHeald]

While I'm not familiar with the exact science of basil turning brown, I think kouign is probably on to something. I notice that cooking basil will often result in brown colors. I would suggest blanching the basil first, the pureeing it really well in the blender. I don't know about basil -you might need to add a little water to the puree, but I feel like I got most of the liquid out of the tomatoes when I used gelatin. Granted, tomatoes have a much higher volume of water in them...