Langoustines

Also known as the Norway Lobster. A denizen of colder waters which you may have encountered under the Italian name of scampi.

It's quite delicious grilled, and in the spirit of Halloween, be sure to eat the salty succulent meat near the head and the eyes.

Don't be un Americain, as they say in France.

Food Deconstruction

Well, it's trendy and all but is it any good?

The CC having consumed a "deconstructed burger" at a cocktail party (mini-bun, meat, tomato, onion on a toothpick like a mini-kebab) and a "deconstructed gazpacho" at a fancy restaurant in San Francisco can say, "Yes, provided it's well thought out."

In fact, the CC was so impressed by the above "deconstructed gazpacho" that he spent a whole day making a "traditional gazpacho" and the "deconstructed version" side by side.

Just for the record, the scary quotes ("") are de rigeur. There's a difference between deconstruction, deconstruction, and "deconstruction" (insert literary theory joke here; or is that "literary theory"?)

Which brings us to a food riddle:

Q: Why is Derrida like a piece of wilted lettuce?

A: Because they are both wrinkled and rank-led.

(Get it?)

Anyway, back to the gazpachos. They were made a few months ago but in the spirit of exuberant discovery, and in the fading memory of a vanished summer, the CC will post the recipes soon.

Nero di seppia

Nectar of the gods assuming they like an iodized salty flavor. Rich, intense, over-the-top, and unforgettable.

For the record, this is not squid ink. Seppia is cuttlefish; squid would be calamari. They are quite different.

The CC has just sourced this after two weeks of trying in New York (which is borderline unthinkable) so there may be recipes forthcoming.

Strange Succulent Snacks

The CC is quite fond of these.

First up, we have tiny dried crabs in a faintly sugary glaze. You can just pop these like peanuts.

Dried Whole Crabs

Next up is dried shredded squid. Wonderfully chewy like jerky except it's tastier. Great with a beer or three.

Dried Squid

Sicilian Pasta with Broccoli

This is a sensational recipe marrying classic Italian technique with North African influences. A complete hit especially after a hard day's work.

In case you're wondering, the anchovies are critical.

A couple of points of note:

You should unambiguously see the medieval influence by the presence of the raisins. You can also see the influence of the New World via the tomato. Of course, the North African influence should be obvious.

Ingredients

1 large onion (finely diced)
4 anchovies
1/4 cup raisins
1/8 cup pine nuts
1 large broccoli (cut into small florets)
2 tbsp tomato paste (homemade)
1 large pinch saffron
salt and pepper
olive oil

shaved pecorino (or parmigiano-reggiano)

1 cup penne.

Recipe

Fry the onion at a medium-low heat until soffrito. Add the anchovies and fry for about another minute. Add the tomato paste, fry for a bit, and add some water along with the raisins and pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the broccoli and cook until slightly under done. The saffron should go in towards the very end otherwise its delicate fragrance will disappear.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta slightly under al dente, and add it to the sauce. Heat, and serve.

The pasta should be thoroughly covered with the delicate saffron sauce, and will be tinged golden because of it.

Shave a modest amount of cheese over each serving. The dish has a really delicate taste where all flavors are key partners so be careful not to overwhelm.

Harmony is key!

French Classical Sauces

Escoffier may list hundreds but there are only 23.

W
O
W/S
O/W
S/W
(O + S)/W
(W/S)/W
O + (W/S)
(G + O)/W
(G + O + S)/W
(O + (W/S))/W
(S + (W/S))/W
((W + S)/O)/S
(O + S + (W/S))/W
((W/S) + (S ⊂ W))/W
(O + (W/S)/W)/S
((O + (W/S))/W)/S
(O/W) + ((G + O)/W)
(O + (W/S) + (S ⊂ W))/W
(S + (W/S) + (S ⊂ W))/W
(((W/S) + (S ⊂ W))/W)/S
(O + S +(W/S) + (S ⊂ W))/W
(O + S +((G + O)/W))/W

Key (letters): O = oil, W = water, G = gas, S = solid
Key (operators): + = mixed into, / = dispersed into, ⊂ = included into

For example, both broth or vinegar are just W, and butter is (W/O)/S.

Note that in a given formula, the multiple W's and S'es may be different.

This is the work of the magnificent Hervé This, co-inventor of the field of molecular gastronomy.

See if you can come up with examples of the above sauces, fellow gastronauts!

Garnish

When the CC looks back on Wall St. in his anec-dotage, he will be pondering one eternal question:

Who, in their right mind, would garnish a bowl of cut fruits with parsley?

Comparing Parsi Cookbooks

Well, a few months ago, the CC was cooking traditional dhan-saak (recipe to follow) for some friends, and had the opportunity to actually sit down and compare all his Parsi cookbooks.

There were three in all.

A tiny book by Bapsi Nariman, a recent one by Niloufer Ichaporia-King, and two books published in India by Katy Dalal.

Right off the bat, the CC noticed that Katy Dalal's books are written for other Parsis so you can only understand it if you already know how to do it, or have eaten it before. There is no hope for a beginner here.

Niloufer Ichaporia's is excellent but she has lived in the US way too long starting at a time where things were not easily available. Now that they are trivially available everywhere, she has not actually gone back to the originals. The recipes are top-notch, and the explanation of technique is impeccable but why substitute when you don't need to?

For example, she excludes vaal from the dhan-saak recipe. The CC considers it utterly crucial. While the CC agrees that the soul of dhan-saak comes from the masoor, the sweetness comes from the vaal so to get that effect, she adds sweet potatoes but starch has very little place in a meat-lentil dish.

No matter what she thinks, balsamic vinegar is not a substitute for tamarind + sugar. It just isn't. No one would ever confuse the different tartnesses of lemon, lime, vinegar, and tamarind. They are just too different. And fine vinegars taste nothing like the much cruder coconut vinegar necessary for certain Indian dishes.

She only states the importance of masoor in a traditional Parsi household in a throwaway sentence or two on page 302. If you were someone who already knew what masoor was, you'd probably just miss the sentence. The CC only found it because he went looking for that sentence, and that particular cultural interpretation.

The other two state it upfront.

Many Parsis will simply not eat a meal without a side helping of masoor, and they have tons of creative ways of cooking it to avoid boredom. Virtually every culture or sub-culture has a signature dish, and it behooves a good cook to know cultural details of this nature.

Bapsi Nariman, on the other hand, gives the recipe straight. No messing around, very minimalist but he takes other short-cuts which are not right. For example, it is important that the meat and vegetables be cooked separately, and then combined. The CC knows why his short-cut would work in India but it won't work here because you have fattier meat.

Oddly enough, Ichaporia's masalas are much more detailed and authentic, and "correct". However, she makes them in industrial sizes. Anything that starts with 1/4 cup of cumin is doomed. You'll never use that up in this lifetime.

But they are absolutely amazing and delicious!

The CC also hopes her readers know that if you toast cloves, cumin and poppy seeds, you need three rounds of roasting because if you toss them all in, the poppy seeds will burn. (It's a simple size thing.)

So what's a beginner to do?

Use Ichaporia but cross-check with Nariman. Adopt her techniques for the spices but check his basic ingredients first.

Vaal

Also known as "split lablab beans". They have a unique sweetish taste, and silky texture.

The CC was known to compose odes to this bean at a very young age.

Gingered Cauliflower

One of the CC's favorite "home" recipes. Particularly good when served with parathas.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower (cut into florets)
5-6" ginger
4-5 Thai green chillies (substitute with serranos.)
1 tbsp roasted cumin (ground into a powder)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp garam masala
oil
salt to taste

Recipe

Grind the ginger and green chillies into a paste. (This is where food processors rock! Just try and use the minimum amount of water to get a paste with some texture.)

Fry some oil. Fry the ginger paste. Toss in the spices, and the cauliflower. Sautée for a while. Add some water, and let it cook until done.

Sometimes the CC adds fresh beans.

Oddly enough, this is one of the few cauliflower recipes that does not work with broccoli.

Orange Cauliflower

Bounty from the Farmers' Market!