(continued)
Ginger Ice Cream
Serves 8
Chef and Owner Nora Pouillon, Restaurant Nora
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3- inch piece of ginger
3 egg yolks
3 cups heavy cream
mint or lemon balm, for garnish
Preparation
Pour the sugar into a small saucepan, add the water, and stir to dissolve. Boil the sugar and water for about 10 minutes or until it registers 220°F on a candy thermometer. Set aside. Do not touch or stir the sugar while it is boiling or sugar crystals may form and crystallize the syrup.
Grate or shred the ginger by hand or in a mini chopper. Put it in a double layer of cheesecloth and squeeze the ginger to make 1 tablespoon or more of juice.
Whip the egg yolks in an electric mixer or by hand with a balloon whip until lemon yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. While the mixer is running, carefully pour the hot sugar syrup along the side of the bowl, avoiding the beaters, which will splatter the syrup. Whip for about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to slow and add the cream and the ginger juice and beat until combined. Refrigerate the ice cream base until cool.
Pour this ginger custard into an ice cream machine and follow manufacturers’ directions for freezing.
Oysters on the half shell with cucumber-radish relish
Chef Stu Stein, Peerless RestaurantWhen serving oysters on the half shell as a first course, allow 6 to 12 oysters per person.
Ingredients
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
4 small radishes, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tbs. cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbs. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tbs. sherry vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
2 dozen Pacific oysters, in their shell
rock salt, for serving
cilantro sprigs for garnish
Preparation
In a medium bowl, combine cucumbers, radishes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, sherry vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
Remove oysters from shell. Discard flat top shells and wash the deep bottom shells and reserve.
To serve: Place an oyster in each of the reserved shells. Set the shells on a bed of rock salt on a serving platter or tray. Top the oysters with some of the relish, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve immediately.
January/February 2005
