Perrymecium

This Sunday I’m cooking a special healthy Family Dinner, with a salmon theme. I expect it to be one of the better meals I’ve made for these occasions. It’s all about Japanese cooking with a very modern American twist. As usual, the dessert has nothing to do with the meal itself, it’s just following my love for chocolate and cheesecake.

Sake-Steamed Sockeye Salmon With Sake Butter

Yield: 4 servings

For the Fish:
1 stalk lemongrass, split lengthwise
2 cups sake
2 cups water
10 1/8-inch-thick, coin-shaped slices fresh unpeeled ginger, smashed with the side of a knife
2 star anise
Peel of 1 scrubbed orange
4 (6-ounce each) skinless sockeye-salmon fillets, preferably center-cut
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons peeled and julienned fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced shallots
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, divided, cut into large dice
½ cup plus 1 teaspoon high-quality dry sake
1 tablespoon heavy cream
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
Salt

• Set up a steamer. Use a large saucepan or a wok with a Chinese bamboo steamer set over it. (If using a metal steamer, lightly grease the steaming basket.)

• Bruise the lemongrass with the back of a knife to help release the aromatics. Cut lemongrass in half crosswise. Place the lemongrass, sake, water, ginger, star anise and orange peel in the bottom of the steamer. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, sweat the ginger and shallots in 1 tablespoon butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the high-quality sake, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce by two-thirds, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream, bring to a boil and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add the pieces of cold butter, bit by bit, whisking constantly. The butter will emulsify, creating a thick, creamy sauce. Whisk in the last 2 to 3 pieces of butter with the pan off the heat. (The sauce will be very thick but will loosen up once the remaining liquids are added.) When all the butter has been incorporated, whisk in the remaining sake and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt. Cover and leave in a warm spot but off the heat.

• Season both sides of the salmon fillets generously with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon fillets (skinned-side down) in the steamer basket. If the fillets include the thinner flaps by the belly area or the tail, fold the thin pieces under so the pieces are about the same thickness. Cover with the lid. Steam until the salmon is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

• Place a fillet on each of 4 plates. Spoon some sake butter over each portion. Garnish with a lime wedge

Hamachi With Grapefruit and Avocado

Yield: 4 small servings

4 sections ruby red grapefruit, all traces of peel and pith removed
4 slices ripe avocado
4 slices very-fresh raw hamachi or kampachi fish
4 thin julienned pieces fresh ginger
Yuzu kosho (this chili paste with citrus zest is optional)
2 1/2 teaspoons ponzu sauce
1/2 teaspoon grapeseed oil
Shaved black truffle or truffle oil (optional)

• On each small serving plate, layer in order, from bottom to top, the grapefruit, avocado, fish, a piece of ginger and a dot of yuzu kosho, if using.

• Mix together the ponzu sauce and grapeseed oil and drizzle a few drops of the mixture over each serving, followed by the truffle, if using. Serve immediately.

Aromatic Steamed Rice

Yield: About 5 cups

2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
1 stalk lemongrass
2 cups cold water
3 1/8-inch-thick coins of unpeeled fresh ginger, smashed with the side of a knife
3 star anise
Zest from 1 scrubbed orange (preferably large, wide strips cut with a vegetable peeler)

• Place raw rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain well.

• Smash the lemongrass stalk with the back of a knife; slice it thinly crosswise. Wrap it in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie in a bundle with kitchen twine.

• In a medium pot, combine the rice and water. Add the cheesecloth bundle to the pot, scatter the ginger, star anise, and zest over the top and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer gently until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the lemongrass and other aromatics, fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.

Sautéed Mushroom Salad

Yield: 4 servings

1 small head Romaine Lettuce, cut into bite size pieces, washed and dried well (about 6 cups)
8 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 to 3 tablespoons Ponzu dressing (see recipe below)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 small portobello mushroom, cut into 1/8-inch slices
2 eringi mushrooms (available at Asian markets, also known as eryngii or king oyster mushroom)
4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 bunch enoki mushrooms, bottom trimmed and broken into small clumps
4 button mushrooms, stems trimmed, and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sake
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Place the romaine lettuce and tomatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with the ponzu dressing, toss to coat and set aside.

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the mushrooms and garlic by handfuls, starting with the Portobello and eringi mushrooms. When the mushrooms wilt down slightly, add the shiitake and enoki mushrooms, tossing with tongs. Cook until the mushrooms are tender , about 5 minutes total.

• Add soy sauce, sake and butter. Toss to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

• To serve, divide the lettuce and tomatoes between 4 plates. Top with the mushrooms and serve immediately.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Cheesecake base:
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon cocoa

Cheesecake filling:
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small
2 1/2 cups cream cheese
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Sauce:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dark corn syrup

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• To make the base, process the graham crackers to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.

• Put a kettle on to boil.

• Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.

• Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.

• Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.

• Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just boiled water to come about half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.

• Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.

• To make the chocolate sauce: very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and pour it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate.

I had a special Family Dinner last night. It was my first time really preparing meat and the first time really making a meal themed to a person, so I wanted to do a good job.

The egg drop soup turned out really well. It’s a simple recipe but it worked quite nicely. I was very pleased with it and I might make more of it.

As far as the duck, the preparation and the cooking of the duck itself turned out quite well, much better than I expected. I didn’t have any dry sherry, so I substituted some sake and grape juice. It didn’t seem to make a big difference. A couple things that went wrong: I bought dumpling skins instead of Chinese pancakes and that turned out to be a mistake. The skins got way too crispy from frying and were pretty dry. It was suggested that next time I use flour tortillas, which is a good idea. I also botched the carving of the duck a little bit. I started off by stabbing the duck and a lot of the juice came out, but thankfully not that much because the meat was still moist and tasty.

Thanks to Irene for making dessert, an apple tort.  It was quite good and I was very impressed with the amount of work she put in.  Rack her.

I’ve been a little too busy to update the blog, so I’m doing a lot of catching up today before my first final. I took a swing at climbing the peak of Chinese cooking, because Irene came back from her summer break in LA. It was a good move and turned out quite well.

Chinese Egg Drop Soup

Yields: 8 servings

8 c. chicken broth
3 tsp. salt
Dash of white pepper
2 med. green onion (with top), chopped
3 eggs, slightly beaten

• Heat chicken broth, salt and white pepper to boiling in 2 quart saucepan.
• Stir green onion into eggs.
• Pour egg mixture slowly into broth, stirring constantly with fork until egg forms shreds.

Peking Duck

1 (5 lb) duck
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
10 scallion
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Chinese pancakes

• Cut off duck wings at second joint, remove excess fat and skin, rinse and dry well.
• Insert chopstick thru neck opening and force along the wing bone under the skin until it protrudes slightly at the second joint.
• Push other end along other wing so that you end up with a duck that has its arms straight out like a crucifix.
• Tie a string on to the middle so you can hold the duck and hang it up.
• Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a wok.Add maltose or honey and stir to dissolve.
• Add sherry and vinegar.
• Make a slurry out of the cornstarch and add to wok.
• When liquid returns to a boil, dip the duck into liquid and spoon liquid over duck.
• Repeat until duck is thoroughly moistened.
• Repeat dunking once more.
• Hang duck by string in a cool airy place with a bowl underneath to catch drips.
• Leave for 4-6 hours until skin is dry and taught.
• Put roasting pan on lower oven rack and fill with 2-3 inches of water.
• Oil rack above pan.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Remove chopstick and string.
• Put duck on oiled rack in center of oven breast side up.
• Cook 30 minutes.
• Turn duck breast down for 45 minutes.
• Turn breast up for 30 minutes or until skin is dark brown.
• While duck is cooking make scallion brushes.
• Trim roots,cut off most of green part, leaving a 3 inch piece.
• Make several 1 inch lengthwise slits in each end of scallion, put in ice water for 20 minutes, drain and refrigerate.
• Carve duck and separate meat and skin.
• Mix hoisin with sesame oil and 1 tbl water.
• To serve: use scallion brushes to wipe hoisin mixture on to pancakes, add duck skin and meat and scallion, fold one end over and roll up.

This was a good but not great Family Dinner. It was one of the first times that I really threw myself out of my own element and tried something completely new.

The day started out optimistically because I pre-cooked the chocolate mousse and the citrus marinade. That chocolate mousse was a monstrous success, and I now consider it one of the specialties in my repertoire, right next to creme brulee and medium-rare steaks. The citrus marinade also came out quite well, which is a great thing because good sauces are the key to French cooking.

When it came down to crunch time, I started making some pretty sloppy mistakes. I was in a rush and frantically trying to think of a brilliant solution for poaching 5 lbs of chicken in one go, so I forgot to salt and pepper the breasts. That ended up being a costly mistake because the chicken tasted very bland, but everyone improvised and dipped it in the citrus marinade so it wasn’t too bad.

The butter searing of the tuna also turned out to be a huge pain in the ass because it turns out butter only stays hot enough to sear tuna but able to avoid a burned taste for a very short window of time. I actually abandoned the searing because the butter was burned and it smelled pretty bad. Thank God for fried shallots and citrus marinade because the people who got shafted with just tuna sashimi didn’t even seem to notice.

Finally, I was so glad that the cooking was finally over that I left the puffs in the oven for about ten minutes too long. The result was skin that was too crispy and the inside got mushy. Weirdly enough, people LIKED that and the potato puffs were far and away the star of the show. People even ate the burned ones that I was planning on throwing away.

Sorry to say, but the puffs and the chocolate mousse were eaten too quickly for me to get a good picture of them.

This Sunday I’m planning another Family Dinner, which will be special because Aki is coming back to town. Fortunately, she’s been in London so expectations won’t be terribly high. The theme for this week could also be “starter French cooking”, because the meals are slightly French but neither the materials nor the techniques are terribly difficult for an American amateur. Other than that, the feature entrees are the chicken of land and sea.

Chicken Poached in Buttermilk

Yields: 4 servings

1 quart buttermilk
4 large sprigs fresh thyme
4 (7 to 8 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, preferably pasture-raised
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Meyer lemon, or regular lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon crème fraîche
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 head frisée lettuce, trimmed, washed and dried well

• Place the buttermilk and thyme in a casserole, preferably cast iron, that’s large enough to hold all of the chicken in a single flat layer without overlapping.

• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the breasts so they are covered in the buttermilk. Heat the chicken slowly over medium heat until the buttermilk is shimmering and almost simmering. It should not be boiling, but too hot to stick your finger in (about 170 degrees). Cook slowly, adjusting the heat as necessary.

• Rotate the chicken and turn it over now and again so it cooks evenly until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes from the time it almost simmers. Chicken should be soft but have some resistance when pressed.

• Remove the breasts from the buttermilk and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside to rest.

• Mix the lemon juice and crème fraiche in a small bowl until well combined. Add the oil and honey and mix vigorously.

• Put frisée in a medium bowl, drizzle liberally with the lemon vinaigrette mixture, about 2 to 3 tablespoons, and toss to coat well. Adjust dressing to taste.

• Slice chicken thinly and transfer each breast to a plate. Divide the salad evenly between the plates, arranging on top of each breast. Serve immediately.

Tuna L’Occidental

Yield: 10 servings

2 pounds yellowfin tuna, #1 grade or “sashimi-quality”
1 pound unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
10 shallots, peeled
3 cups canola oil
¼ pound mixed microgreens
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fleur de sel
Citrus marinade

Yield: 1 cup

1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
½-inch ginger, peeled
1 whole shallot, peeled
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 ounces white wine

• Combine coriander seeds and wine in a small saucepan and simmer until all of the wine has evaporated.

• Zest the citrus into a bowl, no pith.

• Peel and segment the citrus, adding all the juice and the segments to the zest.

• Thinly slice the ginger, shallots and garlic, and place in bowl with the citrus.

• Add the coriander seeds and any liquid, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.

• Let everything marinate for about 24 hours. Strain and reserve the liquid.

Potato Puffs

Yield: 60 puffs

2 1/4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Vegetable oil, for frying

Today was family dinner with the seafood themed recipes that I posted a couple days ago. It was actually a lot less trouble than I thought, although as usual I started way too late.

The hardest part was the dessert. Mixing chocolate is a lot of trouble, especially when you’re melting it from chips. I also made a slight mistake by stuffing the cakes with way too much chocolate in the middle, which ended up melting a good portion of the cake surrounding it. So really the whole thing turned out to be more of a bad creme brulee, with a stiff top to a very chocolate-y liquid underneath.

The miso soup was also a little bit of a pain, only because it required chopping so many vegetables. Thanks to Justin and Christie for being team players and helping me. It was a little scary because it looked like there were more veggies than water at first, but of course the vegetables shrank drastically when boiled and softened. It turned out incredibly well, especially the effect of putting raw salmon at the bottom of the bowl and letting the poured in hot soup cook it. That makes the fish really tasty and ensures a freshly cooked texture.

The bass was no problem at all. The reduction was a bit weird and I think I botched it a little. I would recommend that you double the number of halved grape tomatoes, and throw them in last so that they don’t cook very much. I noticed that the slightly crunchy tomatoes were much more pleasant than the soft ones, as a contrast to the texture of the fish. Still, I was quite pleased with the results.

Guests: Justin
Mystery Guest: Christie
Materials cost: $70

I’ve decided that I’d like to mix up Family Dinner and make some finer offerings. That means taking more risks and cooking foods that are a bit more difficult to make. I decided to start by taking a swing at seafood and trying some rarities that few people have ever eaten before.

This week’s meal is also the first three-course meal I’ve tried. Normally Family Dinner is just a main course and maybe some salad or soup. But because this is seafood, I want to try making a little bit more. The serving sizes probably won’t be enormous anyways. Note that I’m also trying to incorporate a lot more vegetables. I’m trying to eat a bit healthier. Also note the limited cooking time, which is nice and convenient. On the menu is salmon miso soup, sea bass in lemon sauce, and king crab legs (no recipe, it’s just boiling).

Dessert is molten chocolate cake. So much for eating healthy.

Salmon Miso Soup

Yield: 4 servings (8 cups)
Preparation time: 7 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

1 waxy potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 shiitake mushroom, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch slice
1 small onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
1/8 head Napa cabbage, bottom trimmed, cut into 1/2 inch slices (about 3 cups)
1/2-3/4 cup white miso
2 to 3 tablespoons sake
8 oz skinless, boneless salmon filet, rinsed and cut into bite sizes
1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias

• Place the potatoes, mushrooms, onions, carrots, cabbage and miso into a large pot and add 6 cups of cold water. Add the sake and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the miso.

• Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatos and carrots are tender, 6 to 8 more minutes.

• Divide salmon between four bowls, ladle the hot soup and vegetables over the salmon (the heat of the soup cooks the salmon) and top with chopped scallions. Serve immediately.

Sea Bass With Lemon Sauce

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 10 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 (4 to 5 ounces each) boneless black sea bass filets, skin on
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, large ones cut into quarters
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. While the pan is heating, rub the fish with garlic, then season with salt and pepper on both sides.

• Place filets into the pan, skin side down, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook until the skin is golden on the first side and the fish has turned opaque halfway up the sides. Turn the filets over and continue to cook until lightly golden on the second side. Transfer fish to a plate and keep warm.

• Add the tomatoes and capers to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sake, soy sauce and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cook until reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter.

• To serve, divide the fish, skin side up, between four warm plates and spoon the tomatoes, capers and sauce on top. Serve immediately.

Molten Chocolate Cake Served With Cilantro Crème Chantilly

Yield: 6 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

For the cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing the ramekins
1 cup plus 6 teaspoons (about 6 ounces) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, divided
4 eggs
5 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease six 8-ounce ramekins with some butter, arrange on a baking sheet, and set aside.

• Melt the remaining butter and 1 cup of the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth, remove from heat and set aside.

• Beat the eggs, egg yolks and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl on high speed until very thick and fluffy and peaks form when the beater is removed from the mixture, 8 to 10 minutes. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Sift the flour over the batter and gently fold in.

• Spoon the batter into ramekins until half full. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chopped chocolate into each ramekin, then top each evenly with the remaining batter. Bake for 15 minutes (cakes will still be slightly jiggly) and then let cool slightly.

For the crème:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

• While the cakes are baking, whip the cream in a medium bowl on high speed until soft peaks just form, about 1 minute. Add the cilantro and confectioners’ sugar and stir gently until just combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve.

• To serve: Dust cakes with confectioners’ sugar and put each ramekin on a separate plate. Serve with the bowl of crème.