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Roasted Apricots and Basil Foam, Balsamic Reduction served with
Apricot Madeleines
and a Salt & Pepper Tuile
Yield: 40 servings
1 Basil Foam, see recipe
1 Salt and Pepper Tuile, see recipe
Balsamic Reduction
2 cups balsamic vinegar, of Modena
Madeleines
Madeleine molds, oil spray
7 ounces unsalted butter
4 large eggs
2 vanilla beans
About 1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups dry measure all-purpose flour
4 oranges, freshly squeezed
10 orange zest, freshly grated
7 ounces fresh apricots, unpeeled, diced
Pan-Roasted Apricots
20 whole fresh apricots
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1¼ cups granulated sugar
6 turns of a pepper mill, coarse-grind, freshly ground black pepper,
for each 8 halves
Prepare the Basil Foam and the Salt and Pepper Tuiles according
to recipes.
For the balsamic reduction, place the balsamic vinegar in a shallow
saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let reduce, uncovered
until only 1 to 2 tablespoons of a thick syrup remain. Cool and
reserve.
For the apricot madeleines, preheat a convection oven to 350°F
(275°F for a conventional oven). Prepare madeleine molds by
spraying with non-stick spray of choice and dust with almond flour.
Place eggs, sugar, seeds from the scraped vanilla beans and orange
zest in the bowl of a standing mixer. Beat on high with a whip attachment
until light colored and thick (blanchir).
Change from a whip to a paddle attachment on mixer. Melt the butter.
Add flour. Paddle on low to thoroughly combine with wet ingredients.
Add the melted butter. Fold in diced apricots. Fill the molds leaving
some room to allow cakes to rise into a rounded shape. (Chef Shelton
uses flexible silicon dome-shaped molds with a volume capacity of
1½ ounces each at the Ryland Inn). Place filled molds on a baking
sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes (depending on size of molds) until
risen and test done by springing back when light pressure is applied
to tops. Remove from oven and turn out immediately. Cool on wire
racks.
For roasted apricots, heat a sauté pan large enough to fit
the amount of apricots you are preparing in one layer. Use additional
pans, if necessary. Add butter and sugar to pan, allow them to foam
together. Add the apricots, cut side down and half the black pepper.
Turn and add pepper to second side. Let the apricots caramelize
in the pan. Reduce the heat. Let cook slowly until deeply golden
and softened without losing the integral shape of the fruits. Total
cooking time about 5 minutes depending on ripeness of fruits.
To serve, on a round plate draw a cross of 2 intersecting lines
on the plate with the Balsamic Syrup. Place one roasted apricot
half (cut side down) and 2 apricot madeleines, in that order from
left to right on the horizontal line going across the plate. Stand
a Salt and Pepper Tuile between the madeleines. Pump a mound of
Basil Foam to the right.
Basil Foam
Yield: 50 servings
Herb whiff
2 bunches basil leaves, washed of silt
3 1/3 cups spring water, divided
8 pieces gelatin sheets, 1.4 ounces powdered unflavored gelatin
4½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
Cold spring water with ice for ice bath
Soak the gelatin in cold water if using sheets, or use 1/3 cup of
the spring water, to soften powdered gelatin. When softened drain
and wick off moisture from gelatin sheets.
Bring the spring water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the basil
leaves for 30 seconds. Shock and drain the basil leaves, carefully
reserving all the blanching liquid, stirring in the granulated sugar
until dissolved.
Transfer blanching liquid to a deep container that can be partly
submerged in a deep bowl of cold water with ample ice to bring the
temperature of the boiling water down sharply and quickly. Shock
until it reaches (90°F). Add softened gelatin. Stir to dissolve.
Continue to shock until chilled (about 70°F).
When basil is cold, transfer to blender and purée until smooth,
adding enough cold infused liquid to facilitate blending into a
smooth purée. Strain through a fine sieve so that some flecks
of basil are visible in finished product. Combine basil purée
and cooled basil-infused water in a stainless steel siphon canister.
Turn to seal tightly. Load with two CO2 cartridges. Maintain under
refrigeration between uses.
Salt and Pepper Tuiles
Yield: 50 servings
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2½ oranges, juiced
1 orange zest
Scant ½ cup all-purpose flour
Coarse sel-gris Brittany sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
to taste
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare several baking sheets by lining
with silpat (silicon non-stick mats).
Combine all ingredients together. Stir well to create uniform, thick
and sticky dough. Chill half hour.
Pipe with a plain tip 1-inch drops or use a melon baller to make
small balls of approximately ¾ teaspoon each, or shape by hand and
smooth by rolling between the palms of your hands. (Keep dough cold
while filling sheets. Before baking, each 10 tuiles should weigh
1.5 ounces. Makes about 4 dozen tuiles. Dough keeps well if frozen.
Pack in airtight container and defrost before using.) Place at least
2-3 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Tuiles will spread
considerably during baking.
Scatter pieces of sel-gris onto the surface of the unbaked tuiles,
then crack a generous amount of coarsely ground, freshly black pepper
over tops. Bake 4-5 minutes in preheated oven until beginning to
caramelize. Rotate sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway
through baking. Watch carefully as cookies spread thin and will
continue to brown after removal from oven.
Remove from sheets with a metal spatula while still warm. Tuiles
may be molded into different shapes, but will become crisp and brittle
upon cooling.
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