Archive for October, 2008
It has been a busy week with group bookings and large tables. Tables of over 10 diners are normally given a set menu, groups larger than 10 who want to eat “a la carte” have to be split up in to various tables (less than 10 persons and 30 minutes apart).
The reason for this is that it helps both the Service and Kitchen teams to ensure that the all our diners receive the very best service and products that we can offer.
This week we have been working with seasonal produce.
Baby Shiitake with Sweet Potato and Sesame “Crumble”.
This is a very mellow dish. The fresh Shiitake are packed with flavour, and are simply sauteed in Smoked Butter. The puree has a lightly sweet flavour, and the Sesame Crumble has a wonderful texture.
We have also used some Sweet Potato to make some Crackers, as well as some desserts. One of the best ways to enjoy them is to throw them in to an oven and let them cook in their skins….hmmmm, nice… :)
We also made some Turnip Cakes, based on a Chinese recipe.
We added some Iberian Ham to the cake and served it with some reduced Balsamic Vinegar and dots of homemade Sriracha style Chilli Sauce.
Salmon Tartare with Tofu Guacamole and Tapioca Pearls.
Avocado and Tofu are a good mix. Both have a lovely velvety texture. The sauce is a Soy and Yuzu Juice based one with some Wakame Seaweed with Sesame Oil and Seeds. The dish is presented “as is” and needs to be mixed before eating. The Tapioca Pearls lend an interesting texture.
***
Anyway folks…. its that time of year again. ;)
The next post will be in about three weeks time, when I have returned from my trip to New York and Florida. :)
I want to thank all those who sent emails recommending places to visit, eat, and sleep.
As they say….. “Have a nice day”
;)
Small Pumpkin and Rosemary Parcels have been doing the rounds in the hotel. They are delightfully petite and savoury.
Versatile Won Ton wrappers are filled with a mixture of Pureed Pumpkin, Garlic, Chives, Rosemary and other herbs.
Like many Won Ton dumplings, they can either be fried, steamed or boiled. We prefer the former, which gives them a nice crunch.
They are served with a tangy sweet chilli sauce and some fresh leaves.
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When I think about Cucumbers, they remind me of Summer, and a good “Tum” (Laotian Spicy Salad).
We also put them to other uses such as fillings for Fresh Vietnamese Style Rolls, or use them as garnishes for our staff dinners (with Larbs).
We grow our own Cucumbers, which magically sprout from their vines on a special frame that we built using bamboo sticks. If you leave them for too long they will ripen (yes, most Cucumbers are sold and eaten when they are green and unripe), and ripe fruit (yep, its a fruit) can taste bitter, just think of Bitter Gourd, they are from the same family.
Below is our chilled Cucumber and Coconut Soup.
Very velvety and refreshing, it is garnished with diced Cucumber flesh mixed with seasonings and herbs and a good splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
We thought about making a “Gelatina” at first, but after tasting, we decided that the chilled soup version was better.
During our experiments we also added Truffle Oil, but we found the flavour to be too overpowering and detracting from the subtle aroma of the Coconut.
Over the past few weeks we have been getting our menues and special dishes ideas ready for the festive period, that’s right, hotels and restaurants plan ahead!
There will be some interesting dishes to taste in the next coming weeks or so… ;)
Over the past few months we have been asked to contribute to the US based publication Lao Roots Magazine.
The magazine is a quarterly publication featuring interviews and segments about Lao people, their communities, celebrations, jobs, religion, travel and other stories.
It was great to read about Laotian Actors, Singers, Dancers, Producers, Athletes, Fashion Designers, and a whole host of other professions. It was also heart warming to read about peoples journeys from Laos to their adopted homelands.
The magazine has something for everyone.
Seeing as we are cooks, we featured in their “In the Kitchen” section as well as a long segment titled “Cool Gigs”.
Our recipe for Som Pak Calumbee, or Fermented Cabbage.
Our recipe for Nhem (Nham), one of our favourite dishes.
Howdy. Yep, that´s right. Later this month I will be taking my annual holiday and have chosen to visit the USA.
I will be in New York and Florida from the 23rd October until the 8th November 2008.
My agenda is pretty much open, so if anyone has any ideas of places to eat or go, please let me know.
:)
And if anyone wants to meet up and have a beer (or two), just drop me a line at
laocook@gmail.com
:)
We have an obsession with Crackers. :)
Ever since we started making our own Prawn Crackers or Shrimp Crackers, we have been using various ingredients including Octopus, King Crab, King Prawn and Saffron, Lobster and Kaffir Lime etc…
Now seeing that Autumn has truly arrived, we are getting loads of Pumpkin deliveries.
Our Pumpkins have been grown in various local allotments, along with other vegetables such as Aubergines (Eggplants), Baby Tomatoes, Onions etc…
When a few crates of Pumpkins arrived to our kitchens, various dishes were cooked up including Purees, Soups, Spanish “Cocidos” and “Sankaya” Desserts.
However, a few days ago when we served up some King Crab Crackers as a pre-dinner snack, one couple sent them back to the kitchen because they were vegetarians. :(
Now, there is no need to hide my feeling about vegetarians (grrrrr), but it got me thinking. ;)
Why not make some Vegetarian Crackers? :idea:
After a few attempts, we realised that the best results came from steaming the fruit (yes, it is a fruit, regardless of what some people may say ;) ), before mixing it with the flour and less water than we normally would.
The first few attempts showed us that we needed to season the mixture a little more than usual. (We base all our Cracker Recipes on our original King Prawn Cracker Recipe (500g Prawn, 500g Tapioca Flour, Salt, Sugar and White Pepper)).
After many, and I mean many attempts, we also realised that we had to allow the steamed fruit to cool before mixing with the flour, before adding the boiling water.
The addition of extra white pepper really made a difference in the finished product.
In their dried state they look like hard brittle chips, however, when thrown in to 180º C sunflower oil, a beautiful transformation occurs.
A Crumpet is a British savoury bread which has a wonderful dense spongy texture. In our version we decided to add some Golden Enoki Mushrooms.
The nutty flavour of the Enoki goes well with the buttery flavour of the Crumpet. The bread is best grilled before serving, which gives it a slight crunch, before giving in to the springiness underneath.
For the topping we blended some Tofu with Miso and a dash of Sesame Oil.
I first remember seeing Pitaya´s or Dragon Fruits on a cart being dragged along the (then) dusty roads of Vientiane by an elderly lady.
She would stop every 50 metres or so and ring a small bell, signalling to the Lao housewives that she had fruits to sell. Her long cart would hold wonderful exotic fruits including Mangoes, Magosteens, Longans etc..
By far the prettiest was the Pitaya. They grow on Cactus like trees, and the wonderful name “Dragon Fruit” stems from Chinese origin (fire dragon fruit).
Those that have tasted them before will tell how sweet the flesh is, surrounding the 100´s of small seeds similar to Kiwi seeds, though crunchier.
So you can imagine how surprised and happy I was to see this fruit again, and how eager I was to use it in the kitchen, but another surprise awaited me…
All the Pitaya´s I had eaten and seen Laos and Thailand had white flesh, and when I cut open the ones in our kitchen I was greeted with this vibrant glistening redness.