Steven Rojas

Ginger, the other root starch

 

Revered around the world for its pungent taste, ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a natural spice that is also widely prized for its medicinal properties. Since ancient times, traditional healers in a diverse array of cultures have used this plant primarily to help settle upset stomachs. Chinese herbalists have relied on ginger as a medicine and flavoring for more than 2,500 years. The early Greeks mixed it into breads (hence the first gingerbread), and North American colonists sipped nausea-quelling ginger beer, the precursor of modern ginger ale. Today, many cultures continue to rely on ginger for controlling nausea and also for reducing inflammation. Ginger is a reed-like plant grown in many parts of the world especially in tropical countries of Jamaica, India and Africa. Ginger contains about 56.0% starch, which means that it is a good source of starch.

Ginger is a great natural preservative, bactericide and meat tenderizer. Test tube studies show that ginger extract is effective in killing salmonella, and other report that ginger extracts inhibit the fungi that produce aflatoxin (Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known), a potent carcinogen. One study at the University of California at Davis Researchers  cooked and then refrigerated pork patties. Some were unspiced, some mildly spiced with ginger, some more strongly spiced. Patties made with ginger stayed fresh as much as a third longer than the unspiced pork. The enzymes in ginger are similar to papain found in papaya, which gently break down proteins and tenderize meat. An enzyme mixture composed of An enzyme mixture composed of cellulolytic and pectinolytic.

We made a ginger custard for a menu Item, So my Sous chef (Will) juiced  5lb. of ginger, We were afraid not to curdle the custard we didn't. But the interesting thing about all this was the remaining ginger starch left in the pot. The feel of the remaining ginger felt like wet corn starch, So what he did is poured a little water in the pot and cooked it, what you see below is a ginger starch thats similar to KUZU starch. We later made the first unrefined stage to ginger ricotta salata, because of Ginger's enzymatic properties we could make cheese!! We'll see...

kin (gold) + me (eye) + dai = kinmedai

       

 

Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper, Alfonsino) has a very distinctive look because of its large eyes and its bright red skin. Kinmedai is a deep sea fish, usually living in the range of 200 to 800 meters (650 to 2700 feet) deep in the ocean. This is the reason why this fish's eyes are enlarged; they are necessary to capture the slightest light at such depths. It grows to about 12 inches in 3 years and can grow to as much as 24 inches. Kinmedai has a long life span which is believed to be as much as 14 years. The season for Kinmedai is in winter, from the end of December to the end of March when the tasty white meat contains a lot of fat. The fish is suitable for almost any types of cooking method such as sashimi, salt grilling, poaching, frying and steaming.

We cure the fillets of Kinmedai with ginger, lemon grass, shiso, mint, black pepper and salt for two hours for a 3lb fish. What you end up with is an aromatic, floral and seasoned fish, the texture of the kinmedai was taut and dense on the outside and soft and moist in the center. Which is perfect for slicing thin for a degustation menu as a first course. The aroma reminded me of sticking your nose in a bag full of picked mint and shiso. We serve it with Compressed asian pears, malic acid and Jasmine oil, Matsutake gellee, miso-Fuyu persimmon,tempura shiso and matsutake vinaigrette.

MIs en Place

It seems as I mature as a chef I still feel like I should do my job of mis en place, besides the other tasks I have as a chef like emailing back which seems very hard for me to do, But always do. I spend most of my free time in the computer or with my assortment of note books (I have 5) that have sketches, measurements, Ingredients, documented ideas, dreams (food related) things Ive seen or heard. It was said to me as a young cook that I ideas are easy find, there everywhere, you just have to have to open your mind CONSTANTLY and they naturally come to you, I just recently completely understood what the chef told me years ago. But what he didn't tell me was that without knowing the basics and the fundamentals you cant open the door of creativity. Also being organized is a key step to creativity for me, knowing where all those Ideas go and what note book you document your Ideas in. Hence mis en Place

Sasaparilla Sphere, Citrus cell salad, Grated Cured Salmon, Sansho Leaf

baby beets, kumquats, rasberries, pistachio, rocket and Methyl Cellulose F50 FG?

Beet and goat cheese napoleon, pickled beet salad with oranges and pistachios. These are all very classic ways everyone is used to having beets as a starter. What we did is simply put them all together as one plate. The beautiful heirloom Beets are simply roasted in salt. The kumquats are cooked in simple syrup and candied. We make the pickled beet liquid gel by reducing beet juice with banyuls vinegar, orange blossom honey, agar agar and gelatin. The pistachio crumble is made with n-zorbit hardened salted caramel and pistachio oil then blitzed. The vinaigrette is made pistachio oil, fig marmalade, and red wine vinegar and Maldon Salt. The raspberry-beet macaroon and kumquat liquid gel

Raspberry-beet Macaroon

220 g reduced fresh Beet juice

1.8 g methylcellulose F50FG

10g egg white powder

10g Verasawhip

8g sugar

40g Raspberry coulis

2.5g gelatin sheets

Kumquat Liquid Gel

1 pound Sweet and tart Kumquats (tis the season)

100g Simple syrup (500g sugar, 500g water)

2g Agar agar

0.8g Sodium citrate

Dissolve agar agar and sodium citrate In hot simple syrup blitz the kumquats then pour hot dissolved simple syrup mixture as its blending Blitz again over an ice bath with a hand blender to achieve a smooth texture.

The missing element is a goat cheese Sphere were trying to perfect I let you know when we do.

http://video.signonsandiego.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=2792383&item_index=5&all=1&sort=pop

‘Tis the Season

The common market name “snow crab” is used not only for the true snow crab, but also for all three species of tanner crab. Snow crab is sold as kani when prepared as sushi.
Known for their rich, sweet flavor, snow and tanner crabs are found in the sub-Arctic, western Atlantic and North Pacific. Like all crabs, snow and tanner crab populations vary from year to year, as the survival of young crabs depends on favorable water and weather conditions.
Most snow crab sold in the U.S. is imported from Canada. The majority of the Canadian snow crab population is well-managed. Snow and tanner crab populations in Alaska began declining in 1997.
Snow and tanner crabs are caught with pots, which allow for undersized crabs and other accidental catch to be released relatively unharmed. North American snow and tanner crab fisheries are well managed, but populations are still recovering, due to previous overfishing. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402E3D6173DF93AA2575BC0A96E958260

  We got in 2 10lb snow crabs from our Japanese fish purveyor, We then make a dungeness crab bisque and turn into coconut red curry soup. Me make our own kani-miso (crab paste from the roe from the snow crab) we add yuzu, white soy and Kombu and marinate it for a week then puree it. The kani-miso gives it a intense crab flavor since we only pour about 3oz we also serve it with puffed tapioca and ceder wrapped claw meat. I love this time of the year for crab.

Lillet

Lillet is a French Aperitif made from a blend of wine, liqueurs, fruits and herbs. It originated in the French village of Podensac and has been made since the late 1800s. Lillet Blanc is made from white wine and is drier than Lillet Rouge .Lillet is a blend of rigorously selected wines and fruit liqueurs, aged in oak vats for around 12 months, during which it is given the same care as the Grands Crus of Bordeaux.Lillet Blanc has a golden color with candied orange, honey, pine resin, lime and fresh mint aromas. Foie Gras and Lillet always had affinity to each other and I always used it with foie. The first time I ever had Foie gras it was served with a chilled glass of Lillet blanc. I recently started using unique liquors and food together as part of the whole dish, like chartreuse foam, chestnuts, truffles and Spätzle. At the Restaurant we serve it in a Lillet gastrique in the bottom of the Chilled Foie Gras pot de Creme and lillet jelly set with High acyl Gellan gum then the surface of the Pot de creme is flamed simular to Heston's Flaming sorbet  http://www.handsofhopedisasterreliefservices.org/b2b/alcohol/1/high_acyl_untransparency_9.html