LudoBites 4.0: Experiencing the Twilight Zone

On rainy days in elementary school, our teachers would pop in VHS tapes (remember those?) of classic Twilight Zone episodes to keep us kids entertained during recess. Those black & white stories were fascinating and I must admit, a little scary. Not because they show gory details, but the way they leave you hanging with the ending, your imagination was your greatest enemy. 

One especially memorable episode was called "The Eye of the Beholder." It starts out showing a young woman with her head completely bandaged as she was undergoing face surgeries to look normal. Yet failing for the 11th time, she was sent away from society to live with people with the same "condition" outside of city limits. It was then that the camera panned to the "normal" people, who all sported pig snouts, whereas the young woman was the one with the beautiful face. 

It was a powerful episode for me as it got me pondering: what is normal? 

You see, for the longest time, I've been secretly in love with food. Before this blog—before having a reason, so to say, to take photos of food, I've been quite self conscious about outwardly showing my enthusiasm for a wonderful meal. And even now, as I've gotten more comfortable with sharing my love of food and taking countless photos of particular epicurean delights in public, I always saw myself as an oddity.  The eccentric one who stops others from taking their first bite until she got that perfect shot. Yes, I'm that friend.

I've slowly started to own up to my quirks, yet it wasn't tell last night where I felt at home. Thanks to Will from FoodDigger, I was invited amongst other food enthusiasts to preview Chef Ludo's latest incarnation of the much anticipated LudoBites 4.0, housed in Gram & Papa's in downtown. It was there where I got to meet others who equally (if not more so) adore food as much as I do and we spent the night enjoying Ludo's newest creations, discussing the benefits and setbacks of DSLRs for and most of all, walking on air to be meet others who share the same passion. It was an unbelievable evening. 

And the food, it was anything but forgettable. 

1. Tartine with "3 fat textures"

The night started with a warm crusty loaf of baguette studded with crunchy salt crystals and 3 saucers each featuring a different form of fat: clarified butter with chiblis, emulsified brown butter and creamed lard with honey and lavender. Each delicious in its own right, but I kept going back to lard, which was floral, sweet and rich—it's the new butter. 

2. Carrot salad with saffron Anglaise, pickled pearl onions, citrus and mustard powder

Next up was an in depth study of carrots, with the specimen prepared 2 ways: gastrovac'ed and marinated. The gastrovac'ed carrot was curious indeed, for although it tasted fully cooked, it retained the texture of one that was almost raw—it was the best of both worlds. As for the wide ribbons of citrus-marinated carrots, they had a nice zip that paired nicely with the sweeter cooked ones. Because the trio of fresh citrus segments (we were advised to eat it peel & all) added even extra tang, I thought the dish was complete even without the Anglaise.

3. Egg, potato mousseline, lobster and borage flower

Our meal went up exponentially through the roof with this. Whimpers and moans could be heard throughout our table as we tasted the magical combination of butter poached lobster, swimming in a heady broth made from the shells and tomalley, then layered with a soft boiled egg and an avalanche of velvety butter-whipped potato puree. 

If I wasn't in public, I would have literally licked my bowl clean. I almost did in fact... as documented by Elliot from F for Food.

4. Foie gras-croque-monsieur with lemon turnip chutney

Brought back from LudoBites 2.0, this is panini version of Helen of Troy as I can imagine battles fought over this beauty. Impeccably made, it features toasted squid ink bread spread with a creamy cheese and arranged with delicate slices of proscuitto and slabs of dreamy foie gras terrine. Initially, I ate my portion plain, but as I passed the half way point, the tangy lemon turnip relish was invaluable in keeping the richness in check. 

5. Burgundy escargots, garlic flan and green jus

An unique take on the ubiquitous "escargots in garlic butter and parsley," Ludo starts out with a luxurious custard infused with garlic, then he adds a note of freshness with a green jus made with parsley. The dish was than capped with plump saute snails. Fabulous dish, even if it followed an impossible act. 

6. Columbian River king salmon confit, spring cabbage, orange skin & Juniper berries

This was one of those instances where the sum wasn't better than its individual parts. While the salmon was fantastically poached  in a temperature-controlled olive oil bath until perfectly rare, the Juniper and lemon aspic lent a peculiar texture that unfortunately took attention away from the fillet. The limp cabbage side didn't help the case either.

7. Poached Jidori chicken, crispy skin with hazelnuts, garden vegetables and bacon Royale

For the last savory course, we all got to experience Ludo's childhood. He explained roast chicken with cream (Supreme de poulet) is a classic in French homes, particularly in his region, so here he recreated the dish for us. With a twist, of course! 

Like a true scientist, Ludo isolated each component of the dish and re-engineers them to make it the best it could be. Take the chicken breast for example: we all love crispy roasted skin, but to do so often means sacrificing moisture from the meat. Ludo solves the problem by poaching the breast in a roulade for an unadulterated succulent chicken "fillet mignon" if you will. Then for the clincher, the skin is then fried with hazelnuts and crumbled on top of the "fillet." Perfection. 

The best way to eat the dish is to have a bite of the chicken (be sure to get a few fragments of the skin chips—sorry, that did not come out right), a smear of the bacon royale, which is the cream sauce in custard form, and a piece of the fresh leek salad. Repeat as needed.

8. Brie Chantilly Napoleon, honey comb, balsamic, frisee salad

As a note, our meal was paired with exquisite wines, courtesy of Jill from DomaineLA. However, because I am afflicted with ADD (Asian Drinking Disorder), I refrained from most of the pairings until the cheese and dessert course. That's right, even as a one drink wonder, there was no way I was going to miss out on dessert wines. 

So, to accompany the impossibly fabulous cheese plate, Jill poured a flute of the Coteaux du Layon. A sweet white wine, it's made with Chenin blanc grapes that were left on the vines till they are over-ripe, to the point where some have rotted (in Jill's words!) for a complicate, honeyed profile that tasted faintly of St. Germain. 

The sweetness of the wine and the honey comb went exponentially well with the Napoleon of brie. Hand-whipped for a total of 2 hours by Holly of Michelin Project, the brie took on a smooth, buttery texture. It was a dream when paired with the peppery frisee, crunchy toast points and balsamic syrup. My 2nd favorite of the night!

9. Dark Chocolate souffle, black pepper milk chocolate ice cream and chocolate cream

The evening concluded with another study, this time in chocolate. Not unlike the "3 fat textures," the dessert studies the cocoa bean in 3 different temperatures and preparations. The hot element was the airy dark chocolate souffle, with its molten interiors. If that wasn't chocolately enough, there was a saucer of warm bitter chocolate sauce for pouring. Then to complete the trifecta, a milk chocolate ice cream with a real pepper kick. The pepper was critical in this dish from being one-noted as was the smoky Banyuls. 

With that comes the end of the roller coaster ride that was LudoBites 4.0. I can't wait to get back on! Now if I could somehow find a reservation... 

Much thanks to Ludo, Krissy and Sydney for a meal of a lifetime, to FoodDigger for organizing said meal, Jill for the excellent wine pairings and to all my dining partners!

LudoBites 4.0 @

Gram & Papa's

227 E 9th St.

Los Angeles, CA 90015

213.624.7272

How I Came to Roast 50 lbs of Pork Bellies for 200 People

For the better part of March, I had food on my mind. Food enough for 200 people. 

A few weeks ago, an old classmate emailed me out of the blue, asking if I catered (I didn't) and would be interested in cooking for her 25th birthday bash. Chalking it up to ignorance (as they say, ignorance is bliss), I replied immediately and told her while I had never catered, I was up to give it a try. Little did I know how much work and planning goes into it all, yet how rewarding the experience would be. 

Scene 1: A Week Before the Party aka Assembling the Team

The success of the project would ultimately fall upon the team cause god knows I can't do it on my own (as I've learned how much work goes into cooking for a crowd from the Panini-Off) so I started approaching my fellow foodie friends. With a tight budget, it fell upon food lovers who would be into the experience rather than the (non-existent) monetary incentive. I was incredible lucky to have Yulree as my partner-in-crime—she is as cool as a cucumber in times of stress and an awesome cook. Allen and Hannah, also friends of discriminating tastes, were also invaluable as our helpers and kept the team pumped up!

Scene 2: The Menu

Ellen was the ideal client as she left the creation of the menu entirely up to me. I believe the only guidelines was for the food to be "portable and delicious." Score. Keeping the budget in mind, I started out with what I wanted to try out (I found out later it's a cardinal rule not to try new recipes for a catering project, but again, ignorance is bliss!), which was David Chang's pork buns. Tried one of those heavenly morsels during a recent NY trip and couldn't stop pining for it. So yes, I must admit that this project quickly became the vehicle for what I wanted to eat/make. Slowly the concept became clear, the menu was going to be comfort food with a twist.

Brainstorming with Yulree, we settled on five dishes:

1. Popcorn a la Cafe Habana

A play on Mexican grilled corn, we made buttered popcorn and tossed it with cayenne, limon and queso cotija for a street-food inspired snack. 

2. Pao de Queijo:

This was our take on grill cheese with tomato soup. Garlic and Parmesan are the stars here in the Brazilian cheese bread with a fiery Arabiatta dipping sauce.

3. Pork sliders a la Momofuku

Armed with photos from my meal at Momofuku and Chang's cookbook, we recreated signature his buns to the best of our abilities. Happy to report we did a pretty competent job at that.

4. Saute Miso Butter Veggies 

Ramenya and Momofuku inspired, we created a quick stir-fry of baby carrots, haricot verts and asparagus seasoned with butter, shio miso, lots of garlic and Togarashi. 

5. Fully loaded Potato shooter

The taste of a twice baked potato in soup form. Of course, we souped it up (pun fully intended) with a chicken and bacon broth base to make it even more irresistible. 

Scene 3: The Day of Prep and Pork Nipples

The day before the party, I took a day off work to begin prepping. At precisely 8 am and armed with my trusty red Coleman cooler, I went and bought out my town's supply of pork bellies—all 50 lbs of it. With 16 slabs of those bad boys I begin to work on cleaning them and brining them with a dry rub. It was then where I found out pigs were blessed (or cursed) with an overabundance of pork nipples. Ewww. 

After marinating them in my cooler for 6 hours, I began roasting them in my family's oven, 4 of them at a time. Soon my house was enveloped in the distinctive Asian BBQ smell. Yulree came over soon after and we set off in a record-setting speed shopping marathon to get the rest of our ingredients, tools and serving supplies. 

With our groceries in tow, we came back to beauteous display of finished porcine roasts. I couldn't help myself from sampling some crunchy chicharons—the spoils of war. I popped in the next batch and we got started on the potato soup and the bread dough. 

By 11pm, the soup base and the dough was done, so I helped Yulree pack up and we said our goodbyes. At this point, I've still got one more batch to go and thus I continue roasting. The home stretch was toughest since by then, I couldn't bear the smell of pork.  And it was fully permeated into my clothes and home. I also ODed on sampling the crispy skins. When the bellies were all roasted, wrapped and packed into my fridge, I scrubbed myself clean (think Gattaca style) and hit my pillow at 1:30 am before passing out. 

Scene 4: The Big Debut

Woke up at 9 am and got back into prepping, this time for the miso butter—it was a true workout to mix cold butter. After one last shopping trip to get the rest of the perishable ingredients, I sped on over to Solar Studios in Glendale. A studio used for filming and photoshoots, it was a beautiful cavernous space. Equipped with a full kitchen but without an oven, we made do with 3 separate toaster ovens set in different rooms to bake our cheese bread. 

Joined by Allen and Hannah, we got back into prepping and setting up our picnic spread. Note, I even tried to coordinate with my dress—yes, I'm a geek! 

At 8 pm, we stated plating, slowly at first as to keep our display in stock. But then 11p came and we had only served 70 out of 200. That was when we went into robot-assembly-line mode and plated the rest in record time. I think we even surprised ourselves at the speed we were working in. It got a little intense, but we rode it out and finished! We high-fived each other as hard as we could on a job well-done.

2 am: Mission Accomplished!

Scene 5: Gratitude

A colossal thank you to Yulree, Hannah and Allen, without you all, this would have never happened. And to Ellen, for giving me a chance and the opportunity to fulfill my dreams of catering. Also, to PJ of Chatchada for documenting my journey—your photos made the food look like miniatures work of art! 

Until the next time... 

Checkers Downtown: $4 Foie Gras & Caviar

Had an unexpected New York-esque experience tonight, mere blocks from work no less! 

It all started this morning, when my boss forwarded me an email from Checkers promoting FOUR: a special happy hour event which occurs every Thursday where the kitchen creates 4 small dishes for $4 each and 4 mixed cocktails, also for $4 from 4-8p. This week featured champagne, foie gras and caviar—an irresistible combination—so right after work, we make a trek to Grand and 6th street. 

Housed in the subdued gray Hilton Hotel in downtown, Checkers is a elegant dining room with a long and narrow layout, reminiscent of spaces in Manhattan. Shortly after finding seats, our server presented us with the FOUR menu. Since we were there for the whole experience—no dish were to be left behind.

We first started out with a champagne each, mine being the Axle Kiss—a Spanish Cava blended with Disaronno and creme de cassis. My boss went the classic route and ordered the Fellini: a sparkling wine paired with a trio of citrus from Limoncello, orange liqueur and Mandarin orange juice. Both were delicious. 

1. Kurobuta Pork Belly with white bean cassoulet

The first dish, although a solid preparation of the classical French dish, was a bit disjointed. It was a bit like witnessing a couple on their first date. Upon the first taste, it appeared the pork was grilled and roasted on its own while the beans were stewed separately. The two parties seemed hesitant on mingling as they are just starting to get to know each other. It would be highly beneficial to the overall dish if the two components were cooked together for a little while—let them get comfortable so to say... maybe with a glass of bubbly? 

2. Monkfish with roasted brussel sprouts and caviar buerre blanc

The monkfish on the other hand was like a power couple—truly a thing to behold. Crab-like in taste, the monkfish fillet was expertly cooked to perfection and drizzled with a luscious buerre blanc that suspended small briny beads of caviar. The slightly bitter roasted brussels sprouts were key in keeping the dish from getting too heavy and made it interesting. I went through two orders of this as it was just so good. 

3. Foie gras "snow" with lychee and champagne gelee and pine nut brittle

I cringed immediately upon reading this on the menu as it was copied word-by-word from David Chang's signature dish at Momofuku Ko with the exception of the use of champagne instead of riesling in the gelee. (Yes, being the food nerd that I am, I have his cookbook and had read it from cover to cover.)

Still, I was curious so I placed an order and inquired if Chef Todd Allison had worked with Chang. Within minutes, the chef came out and introduced himself. Turns out the culprit was his sous chef as Allison had no idea of who Chang was. We had a pleasant conversation about comfort food (his was roasted chicken—brined of course) and I realized the dish was nothing to get worked up about. After all, this was an opportunity to try Chang's dish without flying cross country. And for only $4 no less. 

The dish was a wonder to taste. The foie melted immediately upon making contact with my tongue, very much like actual snow flakes, albeit much more opulent. The brittle provided an unique counterbalance in sweetness and crunch—although the pieces could be much smaller. The gelee, with a strong presence of champagne vinegar was instrumental in keeping the dish from being too rich. This aptly-made copy fueled my curiosity of Ko... looks like a trip to New York is in order!

4. Pudding Chomeur: maple caramel bread pudding

Described as the "unemployed man's pudding," it was anything but poor. A generous layer of teeth-sticking maple caramel was soaked in a bread pudding that tasted as if it was made of muffins. Tasty, but oh so rich—a dish that is best shared.

Even with the designer knock-off foie, all the dishes tonight were solid and the drinks quite enjoyable. Added to the New York atmosphere and unbelievable prices, you can be sure I'll be back for more. 

Checkers Downtown

535 S. Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90071

213.624.0000

Foodbuzz 24,24,24: James Bond Meets the Toaster Oven

I love dinner parties... that is, I immensely enjoy attending them, but not hosting them. Throwing a party is a whole different ball game. With all planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning and of course, stressing that is inevitably involved, a simple dinner party can quickly turn into a scene from Dante's Inferno. 

Yet, the problem solver inside me is determined to tackle this problem so when my good friend Laura moved into her first apartment (with no roommates—a true grown up apartment!), I started brainstorming for a less stress-filled housewarming party. After an intense session of research (aka surfing the web), the solution appeared, in the form of a toaster oven. Yes. A toaster oven.

It's all thanks to Eric Ripert, the legendary chef behind NY's celebrated Le Bernardin. Some of you may know he starred  in a PBS show called "Avec Eric," where he travels to the source of his culinary inspirations to showcase where great ingredients comes from, but few know of his brief online series called "Get Toasted." With a handful of fresh ingredients, a single toaster oven and a few minutes, Eric produces simple, fast meals—it is pure brilliance... like MacGyver or Q of cooking!

Suddenly, it just all flowed, with the toaster oven as a Q invention, why not make it a James Bond theme affair? A night with James Bond (not Roger Moore, but more of the Daniel Craig variety) and a few close allies, we would channel the high stakes poker game by screening "Casino Royale," shaking up expertly crafted martinis (Vesper) and cooking up sophisticated finger foods while sporting spy-chic wear. Thanks to the good people at Foodbuzz, we were invited to participate in their 24,24,24 event this month, which showcases posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers, highlighting 24 unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period. Yes!

So in true espionage fashion, here is the debriefing.

The mission: 

To create a sharp 6-course menu from Ripert's repertoire that requires little time or clean-up, but of a 4-star caliber quality. Test and rate Ripert's recipes according to taste and ease of preparation. Extra credit given to introduce our hands-off friends to take a more active role in cooking by having them help out with the preparation. 

The Menu:

1. Mission figs wrapped in bacon

2. Quail eggs and smoked salmon toasts

3. Tomatoes Provencal

4. Zucchini Carpaccio with Parmesan and Balsamic

5. Roasted Butterflied Garlic Shrimp

6. Mango foster with rum and vanilla ice cream

Special Gadgetry: 

• 2 toaster ovens

• point-and-shoot camera with holster

The drink: Vesper martini 

"3 measures of Gordon's (we used Tanqueray), one of vodka (Stoli), half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well unitl it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel." —James Bond

Speaking as a non-martini drinker, I find the drink quite enjoyable with its initial dryness which ends with a slight floral note. Careful though as it packs a punch. 

Course 1: Mission Figs wrapped in bacon

The first snafu happened early on in the mission. Unbeknownst to us, figs were not in season (they start coming in at the end of March). When one of our agents called back after scouring several grocery stores with no avail, Plan B was needed. 

We quickly swapped out figs with plump Medjool dates, added parmesan cheese to create AOC's inspired bacon wrapped dates. With the savory bacon crisped by the toaster, contrasted by the sticky, sweet dates and nutty cheese center, course 1 became a major success. 

Bacon wrapped Medjool dates and parmesan (adapted from Ripert's Mission Figs Wrapped in Bacon)

Serves 4

12 Medjool dates, seeded

6 slices bacon, cut in half

12 tiny batons of parmesan

freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat toaster oven to Broil.

2. Stuff each date with a baton of cheese, then wrap them with strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

3. Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the figs are tender.

4. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.

Taste: Can't stop at one!

Prep: Requires many trips to the sink for hand washing after deseeding the dates and wrapping the bacon. 

Course 2: Quail Egg and Smoked Salmon Toasts

A double whammy obstacle here.  Trader Joe's ran out of brioche and we couldn't find quail eggs anywhere in town—it seemed like we couldn't catch a break! A easy fix was at hand however—we replaced the quail eggs with medium eggs (smaller you can find, the better) and the brioche with a medium crumb filone bread. End product? Delicious and no one knew the better. 

Quail Egg and Smoked Salmon Toasts

Serves 4

8 quail eggs (or medium eggs)

8 1/4-inch thick slices brioche (or filone), cut into small rectangles

4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 8 pieces

1/2 teaspoon cut chives (optional)

Special Equipment: 1-inch cookie cutter, paring knife

1. Preheat toaster oven to 450°F.

2. Make holes in the brioche slices with a small cookie cutter or using a small knife. Place on a foil-lined and greased toaster oven tray.

3. Carefully pierce one end of the quail egg with a sharp paring knife and gently peel away the top. Separate the yolk from the white and place the yolk in the hole of the brioche. Repeat with the remaining quail eggs. *When using normal eggs, just crack and separate*

4. Bake for 3 minutes until the brioche is lightly toasted but the yolks should still be runny.

5. Top each toast with a slice of rolled salmon and garnish with chives.

Taste: Very nice, benefited greatly with freshly cracked pepper and a sprinkling of sea salt

Prep: Easy, yet looks impressive. 

Course 3: Tomatoes Provencal

This went through without a hitch. A simple preparation of roasted tomatoes elevated by the subtle lavender fragrance by herbs de Provence and an extra bite with the garlic. The fresh basil chiffonade brought a nice freshness to the entire dish. My friend, who normally abhors cooking said upon tasting she would be willing to recreate this dish at home—a major win for team Toaster!

Tomatoes Provencal

Serves 2

2 tomatoes, sliced into thirds

1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small clove garlic, sliced thin

fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

fresh basil

1. Heat toaster oven to broil.

2. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a toaster oven tray, season with herbes de Provence, salt, pepper, and olive oil and garlic

3. Broil for about 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes are tender and a little caramelized.

4. Serve with fresh basil, making sure to pour the excess oil from the tray over the top.

Taste: Tangy and herby. Would go great on top of mixed greens and homemade garlic croutons for  a quick lunch. 

Prep: So simple anyone can recreate this... with their eyes closed. Ok, maybe not for the slicing part though. 

Course 4: Parmesan Zucchini with Balsamic

This dish was a surprising crowd favorite, which is surprising when we had some major carnivores attending. The genius of this dish is the crystal clear flavors coming from the zucchini. Usually, zucchini's natural taste is covered in dishes as it's usually a accompaniment to a main dish or filler for breads. Yet, when it's simply roasted in good olive oil and paired with a sprinkling of parmesan, you get its true taste, which is light, yet comforting. We made 4 trays since we couldn't get enough of it. 

Parmesan Zucchini with Balsamic

Serves 2

1 large zucchini

1/4 cup olive oil

fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan

aged balsamic vinegar

1. Heat the toaster oven to Broil.

2. Line the toaster oven tray with foil and brush with olive oil.

3. Peel a few slices of the zucchini skin off, trim the ends and slice crosswise into very thin slices.

4. Arrange the zucchini slices on the tray, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil.

5. Bake for 3-4 minutes until just tender.

6. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

7. Arrange roasted zucchini on a platter. Sprinkle parsley and more parmesan on top and drizzle with a little aged balsamic vinegar. 

Taste: The perfect warm spring salad.

Prep: A bit time consuming having to arrange the zucchini slices in a perfect spiral, yet the final presentation paid off at the end, don't you think?

Course 5: Butterflied Garlic Shrimp

My poor fingers and Laura's dining table... the scalding hot (albeit delicious) butter sauce nearly did me in. The prep was benigh enough as we peeled and deveined the shrimps and made the wonderful compound butter with no incident. After they were finished baking though, I nudged the tray and golden magma made contact with my skin. My immediate response was to let go of the tray, which caused the tray of shrimp and its garlicy sauce to Laura's floral table cloth. 

We were able extricate all of the tasty morsels, yet the table cloth was a goner and so were the dish's rich sauce. Fortunately, we had a spare 2nd tray to which we used up all the leftover bread to sop up every last drop of the butter sauce. 

Butterflied Garlic Shrimp

Serves 1

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 small shallot, minced

1/2 tablespoon parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons butter, softened

6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 lemon

1. Heat toaster oven to broil. Line the toaster oven tray with foil.

2. Stir together the garlic, shallot, parsley, soft butter, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

3. Lay shrimp on the foil line tray and generously brush each side with garlic butter.

4. Bake for 3-4 minutes, depending on size until the shrimp just turns opaque.

5. Finish with additional fresh squeezed lemon juice. (optional)

Taste: Shrimp scampi taken to new heights. 

Prep: The most involved out of all the dishes, yet worth all the extra steps. Beware of the butter magma. 

Course 6: Caramelized Mango with Rum

We ended the night with bang with the caramelized mango with rum. I've always loved desserts with temperature differences and this did not disappoint. The sweet mango gets a turbo boost, not unlike Bond's Aston Martin, with the deep flavors of rum, and a caramelized sugar crust. My accomplices and I actually let it go for an extra minute too long because of a fierce photoshoot. The end product was a bit more caramelized from Ripert's recipe, but the burnt top added a favorable coffee undertone. 

Caramelized Mango with Rum

Serves 2

1 mango

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon brown sugar 

1/4 cup dark rum

Vanilla ice cream (or a flavor of your choice)

1. Peel the mango and cut into ¾  inch thick slices.

2. Heat toaster oven to broil. Line the toaster oven tray with foil.

3. Lay mango slices on the tray and brush soft butter evenly over the mango.

4. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top and broil for about 5 minutes or until soft.

5. To serve, place mango slices in shallow bowl, drizzle with rum and top with a scoop of ice cream (to avoid flare up, do not put rum in the toaster oven)

Taste: Wonderful. The simple recipe got me thinking of  all the different variations possible... such as figs, peaches, bananas, apple. Might have to bust out the toaster oven soon!

Prep: Can't get simpler than this. The hardest part for us was scooping the ice cream.

Mission Accomplished. Thanks for reading!

Caramelized Soy and Garlic Shrimp

I intensely dislike getting my hands dirty. 

Food that are meant to be eaten with hands, such as fried chicken, burgers, pizzas, etc., I eat with a knife and fork. In fact, while I suffered through 2 years of braces (a modern day torture device), I secretly relished the excuse it gave me to eat sans bare hands. I would say, "oh, I would eat this sandwich with my hands if I could... but you know, I gotta be careful with these braces. Yeah, dentist orders... so lame." Even now, although I've been braces-free for years, I still tell my dining companions I've been "conditioned" by braces to justify my eccentric eating habits. 

My strong preference against eating with hands started early. It was Play-doh that did me in. After a particularly robust arts and crafts session, I looked down at my fingers and saw the bits of doh stuck underneath my nails... And then there was that lingering noxious smell... Cringing just thinking about it. 

It affected me so much I remember skipping out on a fun class project in 4th grade. It was near Thanksgiving and my teacher surprised us with a recipe for Indian fried bread (not sure how authentic it is). I had no problem measuring out the precise amounts of flour, water and salt, but once we got to the mixing portion part of the program, I promptly batted my lashes at a nearby boy and asked him sweetly to help me out. 

Since then, I'm able to mix my own dough on my own, thank you very much. But, I jump at the chance whenever I could use a wooden spoon or another heaven-sent mixing instrument. During meals, I use my fork and knife whenever possible and I'm also particularly apt in using chopsticks to cut food down to size. 

Yet, there is one dish I'm willing to get my hands dirty for. Literally. Loosely translated to "Soy Sauce Shrimp Emperor," it's a homely Cantonese dish that is essentially plump shrimp, saute in their shells and glazed with a soy-garlic sauce (not unlike Kyo-chon's). My parents would make it whenever they saw a particularly fresh catch at the street market... which was quite often since we lived in Hong Kong. 

Since my parents were immune to my charm, they would set the plate piled high with glazed shrimp and start making their way through it—forcing me to fend for myself. Fearing the sauce would stain my fingers, I avoided the dish and opting to eat my rice plain instead. But the dish's fragrant garlic scent lured me in and I gingerly reached for one and I haven't looked back since. Yes, it's messy, but oh so finger-lickingly good. Salty, garlicky and with a just a hint of caramel, it is a fitting match for the free-swimming crustacean. 

Provided, the dish didn't cure me of my "condition," but I'd always make an exception to use my hands for the glazed shrimp. The best part is that it's incredibly easy to make. All you need is a few minutes, fresh shrimp, some light soy, black pepper, sugar and garlic. And if you like it tangy, a lemon. That's it. 

Just remember to wash your hands afterwards.

Caramelized Soy and Garlic Shrimp

1 pound shrimp (heads and shells intact)

2 tablespoon canola oil

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup light soy

1 teaspoon sugar

Black Pepper

1 lemon

1 stalk of green onion

1. Go out and buy a pound of the freshest shrimp you can find with their heads and shell intact. I get mine from the neighborhood Hong Kong Supermarket. Soak them in cool salted water for 30 mins or so to let them clean themselves out since we won't be deveining them. Drain and dry them thoroughly. 

2. Heat a wok or a skillet over high heat till it's smoking hot. Then, add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil with a high smoking point (this is not the time for EVOO)—canola or vegetable oil work great. 

3. When you see the oil ripple, you're ready to add the shrimp. *Note, make sure the shrimp are dry, unless you enjoy 3rd degree burns. Spread them in a even layer and let them brown on one side, around 2 mins. 

4. In the meanwhile, grate 3 big cloves of garlic over the shrimp. I prefer grating over to chopping them since it saves time, plus it really crushes the garlic's membranes which in turn releases more flavor. Lift one shrimp and check for color, when it's golden brown, flip them all over.

5. Once they're all flipped, add a 1/4 cup of light soy. My go-to is Lee Kum Kee's "Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood" as it's is more delicate and nuanced than regular soy. Lately, I've also been experimenting with Kikkoman's "Ponzu Lime" after receiving a bottle through Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. It's got a zesty flavor that goes particularly well with seafood. 

6. Next, add a teaspoon of sugar and start stirring. With the high heat and the addition of sugar, the soy will take on a nutty, caramelized taste that is unparalleled and thicken to a glaze that will coat the shrimp.

7. When the shrimp are cooked and glazed, turn off the heat and add a fresh grinding of black pepper to taste (I like it with a kick). Next, zest half of the lemon over and combine well. 

8. Serve with a wedge of lemon, a sprinkling of sliced green onions and enjoy!