Foam on the sea

I'm so happy—I think I've cracked the solution to presenting a stabler foam with my lobster bisque. It could still do with a some refinement, but I think I'm finally understanding the principles of structure.

The whole idea of intense pure flavour in floating lightly on the dish as an evanescent foam appeals to me, it is so appropriate for our sultry Caribbean weather.

This is a lobster and mango salad presentation: whole Maine lobster tails poached lightly in coconut milk, shallots, fennel, celery, ginger and dry vermouth. I eased each fat tail out of its shell, cooled them and sliced them into medallions for the salad. Then I returned the shells to the poaching liquid and continued the stockmaking till the liquid could absorb no more flavour.

The base is the lobster stock from the shells, infused with fresh ginger. I reduced that to half the volume and added some creamy coconut milk and the barest hint of lime. It is as pale as foam on the sea without the addition of saffron threads or tomato!

The first treatment I tried: no stabiliser, just 250 mls of reduction in the ISI whip charged with one nitrous oxide capsule.



The dense mousse-like texture degraded quickly into a more open foam as we served it, as seen below.



For my second try, I used the same base but this time I whirred 1/2 teaspoon of lecithin granules with 250 mls of the base using an stick immersion blender in place of the ISI whip.



The foam that collected on the surface was light, with large frothy open bubbles that remained stable for presentation. I did notice that halfway through consumption, the foam had begun to dissolve back into liquid at the bottom of the martini glasses.


Salade d'homard et sa ècume

This time, I presented the Maine lobster tails as retro-kitsch 1970s avocado cocktail salad.



I may try next time to thicken the reduction a little with a liaision to see if the yolks and cream might give a little more protein structure, and compare that to thickening with a standard roux.

I am having so much fun playing around with this! Next stop—xanthan gum...

Whip It! [whip it good!]

When a problem comes along, you must whip it
Before the cream sits out too long, you must whip it
...ah, Devo. To think I am old enough to remember them...

Rather late in the day for the culinary zeitgeist, nevertheless, contemporaneity be damned... I am having far too much fun making espumas and 'air' with my ISI Gourmet Whip (a lovely thoughtful gift from The Captain, who spotted me gazing yearningly at it in the manner of a lovesick sheep while we were in Sint Maarten).

So much fun, in fact, that I've spritzed my merry way through my original supply of nitrous oxide capsules with alarming rapidity... lobster espuma, chocolate chilli velvet and mango foam are the top three so far (not on the same plate, mind. Well, not yet. Ha). Fortunately, a kind friend brought me back another two boxes of nitrous oxide from Naco in St Thomas—thanks, Admiral!

The kitsch retro packaging makes me even happier than the possession of the actual capsules. Seriously, is this not all sorts of adorable? I am in love with the go-go boots, the 1960s backcombing and best of all... the girl on the package is actually wearing a semblance of the amazing 1965 YSL 'Mondrian' shift dress!

::giggle::

I went speed-shopping yesterday and treated myself to a tin of lecithin granules and a packet of xanthan gum... I'm keen to learn how to stabilise some of my foams now. 
I am loving my fun ride on the late [foam] train... stay tuned for updates and tales of  
s p l a t t e r (o, the horror).

A menu for the end of 2010

The final meal of 2010 for our current charter guests, before we greeted the new year—

:: miso-seared hamachi with a ruby grapefruit and avocado salad dressed in rice wine vinegar and chilli oil, garnished with crisped nori sheet

:: prawns flash-fried dry in the wok with sel gris de Guerande aux cristaux and crushed fragrant Szechuan peppercorns, served on a swirl of butternut squash 'pasta' ribbons and julienned snap peas, drizzled with black rice wine vinegar

:: lobster à trois: classic bisque served with housemade crème fraîche and white truffle oil,  handmade ravioli of lobster seasoned with ginger oil and scallions topped with an espuma  (thanks for the whip-it capsules, Admiral!) of intense lobster & coconut milk reduction infused with saffron and vanilla bean and lemongrass

:: palate cleanser: shotglasses of honeydew melon, mint and jalapeño granita

:: slow-roasted spice-crusted Kurobota pork belly on a sautéed mélange of mougrabieh (pearled couscous), celery dice, chestnuts and Spanish onion, with a tamarind balsamic glaze

:: dark chocolate chilli velvet accompanied by raspberry and Cointreau sorbet and a warm ganache smear
(I forgot to serve the espresso parfait, oh the shame... ah well, The Captain will eat it)

I was especially happy with my lobster trio—although I do think I might dial back a little on the vanilla bean in the espuma reduction next time.

Only a few hasty pics (and not even garnished yet!), because the timing of service was just too tight for me to photograph the finished plates. We are only a two-person crew!

palate cleanser, before garnish

Szechuan prawns, before garnish