LaurentGras

Matsutake

We have matsutake mushrooms at the restaurant now. We are doing a simple preparation that really shows the best of the product. As soon as they are received, they are peeled and the bottom of the stem is trimmed. They are gently cleaned with a wet cloth. We usually split them, then  braise them with butter and sake. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to cook them. To finish, they are cut into tiny slices and put back in the braising liquid to be glazed. Fresh lime zest is grated over them during the plating.

Pho: Dipping Sauce

I just posted about Pho: The Dish, so now some detail on the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce can be served on the side or mixed directly into the bouillon. We combine four components: hot Sriracha chili sauce, Hoisin sauce, pickled red shishito pepper paste, and lime juice. This is a rare occasion where we use finished products rather than trying to make them ourselves from scratch. 

The shishitos are split to remove the seeds, then pickled in a mixture of white rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt. After few day they are mixed with some of the pickling liquid into a paste. The Sriracha is composed of red chili, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. The Hoisin sauce is composed of potato starch, sugar, soy bean, vinegar and salt.

 

Pho: The Dish

Pho, the classic Vietnamese dish, is from the southern part of Vietnam where French and Chinese influences have been the strongest. The bouillon is made out of beef (we use oxtail and chuck) and burned onions and ginger. It is cooked slowly for several hours, and during the last two hours we infuse the spices (star anise, black cardamom, coriander, white pepper, and Saigon cinnamon). The bouillon is strained and clarified to give it clearness and an amber color. The Wagyu is sliced finely and served with fresh herbs (cilantro, culantro, basil, and green onions) and few vegetables (carrot, radish, and jalapeno). 

 

The mise en place.

 

The bouillon. 

 

The dipping sauce is placed first in the plate.

 

The Wagyu slices cover the dipping sauce.

 

Herbs and vegetables are placed over the meat.

 

The hot bouillon is served table side so all the aromas are released and diffused in front of the guest.

 

The wagyu turns pink and start to cook in the hot bouillon in just a few seconds.

Yuzu-Lemon Macaroon

The macaroon shell is flavored with sweetened Meyer lemon zest, both dried and powdered versions, while the filling has an intense yuzu flavor. The yuzu, with it's powerful flavor and high level of acidity, balances the sugar content of the macaroon.

Irish Coffee and Lamb

Lamb tends to have a light and gamy flavor. Even the Colorado lamb loin that we are using needs a hint of another flavor to make it magical. In my family we always cook lamb with a lot of garlic. In the restaurant we are using coffee and Irish whiskey, just for a little change after so many years. Coffee is my morning flavor, but Whiskey not my favorite at night time I love it as a match with chestnut.

We took the idea of the classic Irish coffee as the structure for the flavor profile of the plate. The coffee bean flavors the lamb during the cooking process, and then it is reinforced in the dish with a distilled coffee gel that is liquefied. The whiskey is mixed with milk and cream, stabilized with starch, then mixed into a fluffy texture.  The outsider is the lettuce that bring a freshness to the dish.

Lettuce emulsion

 

Lamb loin

 

Distilled coffee

Fluffy Irish Whiskey, lava salt, lettuce leaf

 

Lamb jus
 
 

Ciabatta, Green Olive

Sponge

500 grams water
500 grams AP flour
2 grams yeast

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and let set for 12 hours in a warm place.

Dough

450 grams AP flour
4 grams yeast
100 grams water
40 grams olive oil
100 grams milk
19 grams salt
3 grams malt powder
400 grams green olives quartered
600 grams sponge

Mix the flour, yeast, malt, water, milk and sponge together for 4 minutes. Add the salt and mix for another 3 minutes. Add the green olive and olive oil and mix for 1 more minute, until the dough feels elastic. Place the dough in a mixing bowl and cover. Let it rest for one hour. Punch down the dough, fold it and let it rest for one hour. Cut the dough and let it proof for 45 minutes. Bake in an over set at 250˚Celsius for 20 minutes.