Molecular gastronomy (not the after-effect of eating too many black bean, spicy sausage and cheese nachos) is a scientific discipline that studies the physical and chemical processes that occur while cooking. Wonder what it tastes like? Find out in this seven-part series.
Last week's baby food nightmare of avocado chantilly was not just another molecular atrocity, it was an assault on America, or at the very least, American cooking. Thankfully, in recent news, Italy has banned the ingredients necessary to make the foams, fusions and textures found in molecular gastronomy. Vive la Italy!
In this second to last recipe, salmon dices and eggs, dill flavoured (ahem, flavored) milk with almonds, the Frenchies at Cuisine Innovation have stopped trying to make anything even sound palatable. Once again, the printing is in light orange, perhaps to try and hide the fact that by simply reading the recipe, you know it's going to be awful. If this is what passes for food in France, make sure to pack your suitcase with hot dogs and apple pie.
Recipe 4: Salmon Dices and Eggs, Dill Flavoured Milk With Almonds
How does thickening work? According to the brochure from Cuisine Innovation, xanthum gum, allows the thickening of juices without having to heat them, or suspend herbs or other products.
Or, to translate: The milk gets thicker.
Tools and Ingredients:
Uncooked salmon, salmon eggs ($22 for 7 oz. - forget it), milk, dill leaves, and roasted sliced almonds.
The Process and Outcome:
The xanthum gum did the trick when it came to thickening the milk (20 cl of it - thanks Cuisine Innovation for another metric meltdown). The unfortunate parts were A: The sickening visual of pouring the milk and dill mixture over diced, uncooked salmon and B: Tasting the outcome. Semi-thick dill milk over raw salmon tastes exactly like what you would think semi-thick dill milk over raw salmon tastes like: Ass.
FoodLab 2010 Report Card: Salmon Dices and Eggs, Dill Flavoured Milk With Almonds Food Grade: E Science Grade: B
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