LaurentGras

Tai Snapper, Direct from New Zealand

Twice a week we receive Tai snapper from New Zealand. You might think that buying fish from so far away you might not get a really fresh product, but when you open the box you realize it is really pristine. Today distances do not really matter. This Tai snapper is a sustainable fish and part of the sea bream family. Tai means good fortune in Japanese and it is eaten for celebrations in Japan. The fish is killed using the Ike technique. Ike means quickly, then it rests in a brine to clean it. 

Now we use the Tai snapper in a cooked preparation. The fish is scaled and dressed, then filleted. We remove the skin from the flesh and brine it in a salted water solution to firm the flesh. During service each portion is first steamed to order for a couple of minutes at 85 degrees Celsius. Then it is butter poached at a 60 degrees Celsius until the center of the meat reaches 50 degrees Celsius for medium rare. We season the fish with Murray River salt, then plate it.

 

 

Nopales

We use Nopales from time to time in cold preparations. I definitely like the texture and the freshness of this vegetable. It can remind you a bit of a cucumber, but with a more vigorous character and a greener flavor. The first step is to remove the thick skin by peeling it with a knife. We cut it into a small dice, season it with 1% sea salt the cactus then place it in a sealed jar in a cooler for 24 hours. This allows the salt to penetrate and sweat the natural juices from the plant. It is then rinsed under cold water and drained. The result is a deeper green color and the texture is more gelatinous and crunchy like a fresh pickle. For our last preparation, we seasoned it with pickled ginger and some of the pickling liquid, fresh diced jalapeno and parsley leaves. We finished it with a touch of grapeseed oil and deep-fried dried shrimp on top.

Corn: Hot & Cold

Both of these preparations combine the same ingredients: corn and heavy cream. 

The hot preparation calls for a reduction of cream, shallot and corn, which is blended and strained. Then it is poured into a spherical mold, frozen, and rolled in egg and ground panko. The spheres are deep fried to create an outer shell and while the center remains warm and liquid. 

The cold preparation calls for corn juice and heavy cream, combined and heated to a simmer. A few sheets of gelatin are melted in the hot liquid. It is cooled down and poured into an ISO cannister to be set into a cold ladle then plunged into liquid nitrogen. This creates a shell on the outside, while the center is still fluffy and soft.

Corn kernels are quickly pan fried to garnish both of the preparations. Both are just a bite to start the meal.

 

 
 

 

 

Apricot

  

A velvet skin, melting flesh, sweet and flavorful, the apricot translates summer by its warmness. 

I remember that special time, at our country property in France, when the apricot trees were full of fruit. Climbing up the tree and eating a dozen of them was the treat of the afternoon.  In the French boulangeries, they take a square of croissant dough, spread pastry cream on top then place two apricot halves, one on each side. It is rolled and baked in the afternoon, for the kids when they finish school. I have to admit I ate those more than a few times. 

I also like apricot jam where the fruit is present and the scent of vanilla compliments the flavor. Apricot sorbet is always creamy and doesn't get icy because of the amount of natural pectin in the fruit. This year apricots from California are very good. I've enjoyed them after service just as they are.