Cooking with "Modernist Cuisine" (Part 3)

[ScottyBoy]

Perfect ratio, it's all about the balance in the sandwich my friend.

I had made the pastrami for the second time with Snake River Farms wagyu brisket but a total failure on documenting it. Everyone snatched it up too fast. The best I've had by far and I think I'll start another batch Monday

[md8232]

I'm going to make the mac & cheese tonight when I get home (to serve with some pulled pork sandwiches and a few other things), so I thought I'd share a tweaked version of the ratios in the book. We found that it was a bit too salty, and I wanted a stronger cheddar component. I also tweaked the techniques a bit.

Whisk & simmer

• 100g water
  
• 75g (wheat) beer
  
• 10g sodium citrate
  
• 4.5g salt
  
• 1.25g iota carrageenan
  

Grate and combine over low heat:

• 140g aged gouda (was 200g)
  
• 145g aged cheddar (was 80g)
  

Stir until melted/emulsified. Pour into container; bring to room temp; freeze. Just before serving, pull it from the freezer and grate/shred 160g.

Boil over high heat:

• 300g water
  
• 100g macaroni
  
• 1g salt [down from 2.4g]
  

Don't drain it. When pasta is al dente, add cheese and heat through until smooth and combined.

I then put it in a Le Creuset au gratin pan, topped it with seasoned breadcrumbs, and let it sit until the broiler for a couple of minutes.

Oh, and, yes, that's dried macaroni, not fresh.

Thanks for this Chris. I finally made the sauce tonight and tomorrow night is Mac & Cheese night. I used Woodchuck Cider with Fontina and a smoked Gouda. There are 2 pucks in the freezer with 2 ounces for snacking. My wife licked the spoon, pan and was eyeing the bit left over for snacking. Very tasty.

Edited July 7, 2012 by md8232 (log)

[ScottyBoy]

Melts well on eggs

[FoodMan]

I just put up a large piece of beef (I used eye of round not tenderloin) to cure last night to make bresaola following the MC recipe proportions (Page 111 in the KM, Cured Beef Tenderloin "Bresaola Style"). I am making the true bresaola version so I will be curing it for 3 weeks and then hanging it for another 2 or so. I've made bresaola before several times following Ruhlman's recipe more or less. This cure sounded very interesting though so I wanted to give it a shot. I am just hoping the amount of ground coffee in the cure won't be too overpowering. Has anyone tried that?

[md8232]

Melts well on eggs

Indeed and a slice on my ham sammich was good too.

[adey73]

Anyone know the difference between Carrageenan in it's different forms and the cheaper brewing additive 'Irish Moss'?

is Irish Moss the same as Kappa Carrageenan?

[paulpegg]

Below is a bit from wikipedia. The commercial grades are extracts from different seaweeds. Irish Moss in your store may not have the specific characteristics that we look for in modernist cooking and I have no idea on the potency it would have. It is used in beer making to remove fine particles that would make the beer cloudy and compounds that affect the taste. Think of it as a filter aid in finishing the beer. There is a recipe for extracting your own carrageenan and you could always experiment with it. The commercial stuff is so cheap that I wouldn't risk much more expensive ingredients in such an exercise.

Carrageenans are large, highly flexible molecules that curl forming helical structures. This gives them the ability to form a variety of different gels at room temperature. They are widely used in the food and other industries as thickening and stabilizing agents. A particular advantage is that they are pseudoplastic—they thin under shear stress and recover their viscosity once the stress is removed. This means that they are easy to pump, but stiffen again afterward.

All carrageenans are high-molecular-weight polysaccharides made up of repeating galactose units and 3,6 anhydrogalactose (3,6-AG), both sulfated and nonsulfated. The units are joined by alternating alpha 1–3 and beta 1–4 glycosidic linkages.

There are three main commercial classes of carrageenan:

• Kappa forms strong, rigid gels in the presence of potassium ions; it reacts with dairy proteins. It is sourced mainly from Kappaphycus alvarezii.^[3]
  
• Iota forms soft gels in the presence of calcium ions. It is produced mainly from Eucheuma denticulatum.^[3]
  
• Lambda does not gel, and is used to thicken dairy products. The most common source is Gigartina from South America.
  

The primary differences that influence the properties of kappa, iota, and lambda carrageenan are the number and position of the ester sulfate groups on the repeating galactose units. Higher levels of ester sulfate lower the solubility temperature of the carrageenan and produce lower strength gels, or contribute to gel inhibition (lambda carrageenan).

Many red algal species produce different types of carrageenans during their developmental history. For instance, the genus Gigartina produces mainly kappa carrageenans during itsgametophytic stage, and lambda carrageenans during its sporophytic stage. See Alternation of generations.

All are soluble in hot water, but, in cold water, only the lambda form (and the sodium salts of the other two) are soluble.

When used in food products, carrageenan has the EU additive E-number E407 or E407a when present as "processed eucheuma seaweed", and is commonly used as an emulsifier.

In parts of Scotland (where it is known as (An) Cairgean in Scottish Gaelic) and Ireland (variety used is Chondrus Crispus known in Irish Gaelic variously as carraigín [little rock], fiadháin [wild stuff], clúimhín cait [cat's puff], mathair an duilisg [mother of seaweeds], ceann donn [red head]), it is known as Carrageen Moss it is boiled in milk and strained, before sugar and other flavourings such as vanilla, cinnamon, brandy, or whisky are added. The end-product is a kind of jelly similar to pannacotta, tapioca, or blancmange.

When iota carrageenan is combined with sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), a synergistic effect is created, allowing for stabilizing and emulsifying not obtained with any other type of carrageenan (kappa/lambda) or with other emulsifiers (mono and diglycerides, etc.). SSL combined with iota carrageenan, is capable of producing emulsions under both hot and cold conditions using either vegetable or animal fat.

[Keith_W]

For those who have made the beet stained eggs - how do you get the colour to stay on the eggs when you rewarm them? This is what the eggs looked like after I peeled them (ignore the two casualties of the peeling process):

I then rewarmed them in cultured butter held at 62C. They came out like this:

As you can see, the beautiful cracked shell pattern has disappeared.

I also made the deep fried cauliflower the same evening. Picture of it here:

It was a real hit. In this image you can also see deep fried enoki mushroom - that is not in the book, but it is awesome all the same.

Edited August 4, 2012 by Keith_W (log)

[nickrey]

For those who have made the beet stained eggs - how do you get the colour to stay on the eggs when you rewarm them? This is what the eggs looked like after I peeled them (ignore the two casualties of the peeling process):

I then rewarmed them in cultured butter held at 62C. They came out like this:

As you can see, the beautiful cracked shell pattern has disappeared.

I also made the deep fried cauliflower the same evening. Picture of it here:

It was a real hit. In this image you can also see deep fried enoki mushroom - that is not in the book, but it is awesome all the same.

Keith,

When I deep fry enoki mushroom, I dehydrate it first. Did you do this or have you tried it and compared with with straight deep fried?

[Keith_W]

Nick, I did not bother dehydrating the mushroom. I put it straight into the deep fryer. It turned out really well. I imagine that if you dehydrate it before deep frying, the mushroom will puff more?

[Broken English]

We serve the eggs at room temp. I haven't tried reheating them. Are you reheating in the shell or after they're peeled? I imagine sous vide in the shell is your best bet.

[Keith_W]

James, I reheated the eggs after they were peeled.

I think it would be very difficult to peel the eggs if they were at 62C. My peeling technique involves submerging the eggs under water, otherwise the risk of destroying the egg is very high. I have seen many chefs don't seem to mind handling hot food with their bare fingers. I could never do that - I can't hold a 62C egg for any length of time, let alone try to peel it.

[nickrey]

Nick, I did not bother dehydrating the mushroom. I put it straight into the deep fryer. It turned out really well. I imagine that if you dehydrate it before deep frying, the mushroom will puff more?

This is what they look like after being dehydrated, looks more puffed as you suggest.

[Merkinz]

Hey all,

I've had the Modernist Cuisine for a few months now and just love it. I haven't cooked alot out of it yet ... apart from the odd BBQ sauce and technique here and there. I've just been reading and enjoying the marvel that it is.

I know the following question has been asked already but I have yet to see a useful response (mainly because it was asked when the book first came out).

I'm just a regular self taught home cook (with limited disposable income) that is wondering: What "Modernist" ingredients should I buy that would get me through a variety of recipes. I emphasize 'variety' because I don't want to spend a heap of money on a kit that will only allow me to do something like, for example: spherication - I imagine that the spherication novelty will wear off for me in my every day cooking.

Down here in New Zealand we have limited access to alot of ingredients but I have noticed a few local stores are starting to stock the Texturas range. I have enough to buy 3 or 4 of their cans and at the moment I was considering:

- Iota (for mac n cheese & other cheese preparations)

- Citras (for mac n cheese & other cheese preparations)

- Trisol (for crispy batters)

... does this seem like a good idea or are other people finding that they are using something else more often?

I also have MCAH on pre-order ... maybe I should wait until that arrives? Your thoughts please

Edited August 13, 2012 by Merkinz (log)

[Keith_W]

Welcome Merkinz!! You should buy:

- Xanthan gum. Don't buy the Texturas brand. This is available in health food shops for $5 for 100gm. The Texturas version costs 10x more, and you only need between 0.5g - 1g at a time.

- Trisol - not available in smaller quantities than that 5kg tub. To use this, you blend between 30-50% by weight with flour (i.e. 100gm flour, add 50gm Trisol). I use it up 100gm at a time, and I don't deep fry that often. The 5kg quantity is enough to last me till I die, and i might die sooner if I did more deep frying. Find a friend and share.

- Carageenans - these are much cheaper than Gellan, but still $30-40 a bottle. You need both. Again, find a friend and share.

- Gellan - quite expensive at $150 a bottle. You won't need much. Over here they only sell it in restaurant quantities. Find a friend.

- Citras - try to find a Citric acid substitute in a health food shop.

[nickrey]

Welcome Merkinz.

As a substitute for Trisol, try Maltodextrin. You can buy it at home brewing supply centres for a fraction of the cost of Trisol. It is not as coarse as Trisol but serves the same purpose and as you will be measuring by weight rather than volume, it doesn't really matter.

[Mjx]

Hey all,

I've had the Modernist Cuisine for a few months now and just love it. I haven't cooked alot out of it yet ... apart from the odd BBQ sauce and technique here and there. I've just been reading and enjoying the marvel that it is.

I know the following question has been asked already but I have yet to see a useful response (mainly because it was asked when the book first came out).

I'm just a regular self taught home cook (with limited disposable income) that is wondering: What "Modernist" ingredients should I buy that would get me through a variety of recipes. I emphasize 'variety' because I don't want to spend a heap of money on a kit that will only allow me to do something like, for example: spherication - I imagine that the spherication novelty will wear off for me in my every day cooking.

Down here in New Zealand we have limited access to alot of ingredients but I have noticed a few local stores are starting to stock the Texturas range. I have enough to buy 3 or 4 of their cans and at the moment I was considering:

- Iota (for mac n cheese & other cheese preparations)

- Citras (for mac n cheese & other cheese preparations)

- Trisol (for crispy batters)

... does this seem like a good idea or are other people finding that they are using something else more often?

I also have MCAH on pre-order ... maybe I should wait until that arrives? Your thoughts please

Since some of the ingredients are difficult to find in small quantities and are quite expensive, you may want to take a look at the WTT/WTB: Sharing Modernist Ingredients topic.

[paulpegg]

http://www.modernistpantry.com sells small quantities of just about everything you might need. They will ship to anyplace in the world. I also bought a digital scale accurate to .01 grams which has been invaluable when measuring some of these items.

I started with all the carageenan's, 160 gellan sheets, soy lecithin powder, maltodextrin, sodium citrate, calcium lactate, sodium alginate, and several gums including locust bean, guar and xanthan. The Agag-Agar I found at a local asian market for $1 a pack. I have used the carageenan's, locust bean and agar the most.

[lesliec]

Hi Merkinz.

Closer to home there's the Melbourne Food Depot. I haven't used them myself (yet) but they have a reasonable range in smaller quantities than Texturas. Getting them through MAF is of course your own problem! The link above is to their 'molecular gastronomy' section, but explore the site - they also have things like N-Acetyl L-Cystiene for the MC burger buns.

It's sometimes possible to get small quantities of (for example) Trisol from a restaurant if you ask nicely, just to see if you like the ingredients enough to spend money on. Try one of the Simon Gault ones (he's the NZ distributor for Texturas) - Euro in Auckland, Shed 5 in Welly. Depends where you are, of course.

I (madly) bought a bucket of Malto. It's enormous!

ETA: As pointed out above, agar and xanthan are easy - just go to a health food shop. Commonsense Organics has worked for me.

Edited August 14, 2012 by lesliec (log)

[Merkinz]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the great response! Exactly the information I was after.

Good to hear what people are using. I'll do some more reading but I think I'll place an order sometime soon. I'll be sure to post my progress as I start cooking.

[Douglas]

Made the pulled mushrooms from book 3 (page 389 or 398 I believe), they were delicious!

[ChrisZ]

Down here in New Zealand we have limited access to alot of ingredients

Hi Merkinz,

Sydney's not too different - there are only a handful of places to go to for specialist ingredients and they charge a ludicrously high price. The price difference between Australia and overseas irritated me so much I decided to do something about it. I ordered 21 different ingredients from overseas, mostly in 2kg lots, bought some food-grade bottles from a local supplier and made my own kits. 2kg works out as 20 x 50g portions, although I was a bit generous when weighing so I ended up with 18 kits and some leftovers. I kept one kit for myself and sold the other 17 on Ebay. It was encouraging to see how quickly they sold, and I made a small profit which essentially covered the cost of my own kit and some of Modernist Cuisine.

If you think there's demand in New Zealand and you have the time, you could do the same thing. Do your homework, take the risk of outlaying some initial money, and the result will be a well-stocked pantry that has paid for itself, and potentially enough profit to buy a few more cookbooks.

Prices and availability have changed since I did it, but to give you an idea - one local supplier sells 10g of gellan for $20. Ignoring postage, you can get 200g of gellan for $30 in the UK. The postage costs more than the product, but if you buy in bulk and minimise your suppliers - or if you have friends overseas who can post you stuff - you can definitely feed a small market niche.

-Chris

[jfrater]

Hey all,

I've had the Modernist Cuisine for a few months now and just love it. I haven't cooked alot out of it yet ... apart from the odd BBQ sauce and technique here and there. I've just been reading and enjoying the marvel that it is.

I know the following question has been asked already but I have yet to see a useful response (mainly because it was asked when the book first came out).

I'm just a regular self taught home cook (with limited disposable income) that is wondering: What "Modernist" ingredients should I buy that would get me through a variety of recipes. I emphasize 'variety' because I don't want to spend a heap of money on a kit that will only allow me to do something like, for example: spherication - I imagine that the spherication novelty will wear off for me in my every day cooking.

Down here in New Zealand we have limited access to alot of ingredients but I have noticed a few local stores are starting to stock the Texturas range. I have enough to buy 3 or 4 of their cans and at the moment I was considering:

- Iota (for mac n cheese & other cheese preparations)

- Citras (for mac n cheese & other cheese preparations)

- Trisol (for crispy batters)

... does this seem like a good idea or are other people finding that they are using something else more often?

I also have MCAH on pre-order ... maybe I should wait until that arrives? Your thoughts please

Hey - are you aware of Souschef.co.nz? They have a lot of texturas stuff: http://www.souschef.co.nz/index.php?route=product/category&path=159_70

[Merkinz]

Down here in New Zealand we have limited access to alot of ingredients

Hi Merkinz,

Sydney's not too different - there are only a handful of places to go to for specialist ingredients and they charge a ludicrously high price. The price difference between Australia and overseas irritated me so much I decided to do something about it. I ordered 21 different ingredients from overseas, mostly in 2kg lots, bought some food-grade bottles from a local supplier and made my own kits. 2kg works out as 20 x 50g portions, although I was a bit generous when weighing so I ended up with 18 kits and some leftovers. I kept one kit for myself and sold the other 17 on Ebay. It was encouraging to see how quickly they sold, and I made a small profit which essentially covered the cost of my own kit and some of Modernist Cuisine.

If you think there's demand in New Zealand and you have the time, you could do the same thing. Do your homework, take the risk of outlaying some initial money, and the result will be a well-stocked pantry that has paid for itself, and potentially enough profit to buy a few more cookbooks.

Prices and availability have changed since I did it, but to give you an idea - one local supplier sells 10g of gellan for $20. Ignoring postage, you can get 200g of gellan for $30 in the UK. The postage costs more than the product, but if you buy in bulk and minimise your suppliers - or if you have friends overseas who can post you stuff - you can definitely feed a small market niche.

-Chris

Hey Chris,

This is a great idea and I had actually contemplated it quite seriously shortly after making my first post here. However I have doubts about the market for this kind of thing in NZ. I was in a high quality, well stocked, independent cooking supplies store the other day and I mentioned the Modernist Cuisine and they had no idea what I was talking about. I've also never seen the book on the shelf in NZ. I'll definitely revisit this idea when MCAH is released. Thanks though, nice to hear someone has successfully done this!

Hey - are you aware of Souschef.co.nz? They have a lot of texturas stuff: http://www.souschef....ory&path=159_70

Yep! I've ordered a couple of things from them already including a massive tub of Trisol!

So I had a crack at the much talked about Mac & Cheese today and thoroughly enjoyed it. However there was no way that the reconstructed cheese was ever going to grate! I ended up cutting it into slices and it worked fine. The results were delicious, and sooooooooooooo smoothe! This is a keeper (though maybe a little less salt next time).

[jfrater]

Has anyone worked on sautéing dried potato flakes as used in one of the variations on pureed potatoes? I had come across a mention of that before getting MC, and my attempt resulted in mostly burnt flakes. I tried again yesterday, noting that the KM says to use equal weights of clarified butter and flakes. My first time around, I used a good bit less butter.

My results were a lot better, but I think I used just a little too much butter. I stirred them in a heavy bottom skillet placed on a heat diffuser. I then let them sit spread on parchment in a warm oven. The flakes remained slightly oily, and never crisped enough to allow them to be powdered with a mortar and pestle.

I suppose I will try crushing the flakes before hand. I also wonder if another fat taken to a higher temperature would work.

Has anyone worked through the technique, and finished with a puree of the flakes?

I have done this - it worked perfectly first time. The potatoes were the most potatoey mashed potatoes I have ever eaten - truly amazing. I was surprised to find that the flakes basically dissolved into the mash so you didn't see any flecks of color. Well worth the effort. I just fried mine in butter to get the desired effect.