As part of the Daring Kitchen, and the Daring Cooks specifically, we got to make skate fish this month, with a bunch of different powders (basically dehydrated foods). I have to give almost all the credit to Jeremy. He made all the fancy powders. He got the Alinea cookbook for Christmas and has yet to use it, so he was very excited to finally give it a try. He basically followed the recipe as it was presented except the parsley powder was just parsley, no cilantro. He plated it as was suggested as well. He rocked the dinner and it was neat. Very different, and very unlike anything I've had before. I mean, we were eating fish with bananas and green beans, along with all the powders of course. And, we only had the two of us, so there were leftovers.
Now what to do with the leftovers... why, make skate fish salad sandwiches!! I thought this was genius of me!! I took the leftover skate fish, and the leftover green beans, added some of the caper powder, parsley powder, lemon powder, a bit of miracle whip and some pepper and made my sandwich filler. Then, this morning I went and got a fresh baguette (I know, a REAL chef would probably have whipped up her own bread, but no time for that!!), and then this afternoon had a picnic lunch at a park in town. And, it was great in a sandwich too. Jeremy refused to try it, but my friend Cindy had it, and said it tasted fine. And, I liked it so much I might have it again for lunch tomorrow!!
So, without further delay, here is what we did...
Skate, Traditional Flavors Powdered - with changes
4 skate wings
* Beurre monte
* 300g fresh green beans
sea salt/kosher salt
1 banana
454g butter - 4 sticks
300g lemons
5g citric acid/vitamin c tablet
150g cilantro
150g parsley
100g dried banana chips
300g spray dried cream powder (or powdered milk)
100g cup minced red onion
200g capers (brined, not oil)
* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small
saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a
time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion
will not break - this is your poaching liquid.
Powders - prepare ahead of time
caper / onion
lemon powder
cilantro/parsley powder
'brown butter' powder
Powders
once dried, all powders should be pulsed in a coffee grinder/spice mill/morter and pestle then
passed through a chinois or fine mesh strainer.
citrus powder
300g lemons
1000g simple syrup
5g citric acid/vitamin c tablet
zest 300g of lemons (10.6 oz), remove the pith from the zest and poach in the simple syrup
three times. dry with paper towels and move to a dehydrating tray. 130 for 12 hours. pulse the
zest in a coffee grinder, pass through chinois, and mix with citric acid/vitamin C powder.
If you do not have a dehydrator, place in microwave for 8 to 10 minutes at medium powder.
Once dried, follow the other instructions.
cilantro/parsley powder
150g cilantro
150g parsley
blanch the parsley in boiling saltwater for 1 second, submerge the leaves in ice water for 3
minutes. Dry on paper towels and place on dehydrator tray. 130 for 12 hours. grind and pass
through chinois.
If you do not have a dehydrator, place in microwave for 30 seconds, turn over leaves and
microwave for another thirty seconds. They should be dry by now, pulse in coffee grinder, pass
through chinois and reserve.
onion powder
100g cup minced red onions
dehydrator - 130 for 12 hours
microwave at medium power for 20 minutes.
pulse in grinder, pass through chinois
Caper powder
200g capers (get the ones packed in brine/vinegar)
run the capers under cold water for two minutes to remove some of the brine.
dry on paper towels and dehydrate for 12 hours at 130 degrees.
microwave instructions are unclear. Dry them as much a possible with paper towels, the
microwave on medium for 1 minute. Check the moisture content and stir them. repeat for 30
second intervals until they are dry. If you use this method, pleas post the time needed to dry
the capers.
Once dry, pulse and sift the powder. Mix it with the onion powder.
Brown Butter powder
100g Dried banana chips (unsweetened if possible - many are coated in honey - the freeze
dried ones would be brilliant)
300g spray dried cream powder
If you cannot find the cream powder, you can substitute Bob's red mill non fat dry milk
powder, or even carnation instant milk powder. The substitutions will alter the flavor a little,
but you will still get the general idea.
preheat the oven to 350 degrees, sift the cream powder into a fine layer on a silpat or on
parchment. bake for 4 minutes, then remove for heat. If it bakes for too long, it will burn. Be
very cautious with all powders in the oven. They all go from browned to burnt in a few
seconds.
grind the banana chips in a coffee grinder and mix with the toasted cream powder. Pass this
through a chinois and reserve.
* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small
saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a
time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion
will not break - this is your poaching liquid.
Skate
Prepare the skate - 50G v shaped cuts are recommended
Bring 100g water, 100g beurre monte, and green bean rounds to a boil over high heat. Cook
until the water has evaporated (about 3 minutes), when the pan is almost dry, remove it from
heat and season with 3g salt
bring 300g water and 300g beurre monte to simmer over medium heat, add skate wings and
simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and flip the wing over and let rest in pan for
two more minutes. Transfer to warming tray lined with parchment and season with 5 grams of
fine sea salt.
Plating
Take the tip of a small spoon and make a small mound of the citrus powder, the onion-caper
powder, and the cilantro parsley-powder. Swirl these around in a hurricane type pattern. I
found that it is easier, and you get finer lines if you lightly shake the plate to flatten out the
mounds, then swirl the spoon through it to get the pattern.
peel the remaining banana into very thick slices (3mm) fan three slices on the plate, place
green beans on top and place skate wing portion on top. On the tall edge, sprinkle the brown
butter powder.
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