Le Morel: Morel Ice Cream Sandwich

Welcome to Le Morel

An exquisite dining expereince showcasing the luxurious Morel Mushrooms.  This is quite the posh...i.e expensive item to work with.  However prized the world over by chefs.

• Our meal gets off to a spectacular start with a Morel Raviolo En Broth by our talented Chef Joan.

• The Main Attraction is a tremendous Chard Wrapped Veal Involtini with Morels, Eggs, & Cheese by our crafty Chef Jessica.

As the pastry cook of our fine establishment, I was tasked with making a Morel dessert for you to enjoy.  I thought this would be perfect for our current hot, more like scorching Miami weather.

Morel Mushroom Ice Cream?  What?!  Yeah, exactly what I said.

Ice Cream Base

• Whole Milk 
• Morel Mushrooms
• Smoked Bacon
• Skim Milk Powder
• Egg Yolks
• Cane Sugar

There are a few keys in my mind to really making this work...

• Clean and scrub the fresh morel mushrooms well.
• Roast the morel mushrooms in the oven to intensify flavor.
• Render most of the fat from the bacon.
• Keep the bacon to a minimum.  It should be an accent, not an overpowering force.
• Allow the mushroom and bacon to infuse the milk for at least 24 hours.

This ice cream was made with solid carbon dioxide or Dry Ice.  Dry Ice is colder, (-194 F) than any domestic ice maker can dream of getting.  It is safe to eat.  I use it all the time when making ice cream, sorbet, granitas, etc.  There are some things to keep in mind when working with dry ice.

• Do not allow it to touch your skin, it will burn.
• Has a very short shelf life.
• Use it pretty soon after purchase.
• Keep in a foam cooler.
• It will eventually evaporate.
• Break into very small pellets before service.  Big chunks of dry ice in the ice cream will burn the mouth.

Prepare your Dry Ice concoction at the table.  It's always great theater for your guests.

Chocolate Chili Cookies

This cookie dough was made with 2 different chocolates...

• Semi-sweet
• Chocolate chili

Lindt  makes a fabulous dark chocolate infused with premium chilies.  In my opinion it gave this unusual dessert another surprise layer of flavor.

Finish the course with candied almonds and a rich chocolate sauce.  I wanted to carry through this dessert a few notes of...

• Sweet
• Savory
• Nuttiness

According to our diners...mission accomplished.

Morel Mushroom Ice Cream Sandwich

Morel Mushroom Ice Cream, Chocolate Chili Cookies, & Candied Almonds

Please do drop by and check out the rest of my team...

• Joan from Foodalogue
• Jessica from Bacon & Souffle

I cannot thank them enough for their hard work, classiness, sense of responsibility and overall easy to work with.

Two of the best food bloggers around.

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!

Guest Post Spotlight: The Black Course

Today I welcome one of the two best cooks I have encountered online.  Lori from Taste With The Eyes is an amazing talent.

• Her technique is flawless.
• Her eye for plating is truly inspiring.
• Her use of seasonal ingredients is always on point.
• Her flavor profiles are complex, creative, and harmonious.

Anything else?!

Yeah...her blog layout is bright and easy to read, the writing is concise and the photography is magnificent.  A professional food blog all the way.

However, my personal preference when reading a food blog is focusing on the actual plate of food.  Which has always been my problem with Pretentious Buzz, a site I know Lori likes, that particular site celebrates more photography than food.

When I read, Taste with The Eyes, I get to know a cook to respect.

Enjoy...

I'm thrilled to have the honor of writing a Guest Post for my Floridian blog friend Laz! He is an audacious cook, bold & fearless, and his super-creative plating skills are second to none. Reading his blog is never dull...my post would have to include meat, and heat, and a twist of some sort. I knew since conception that this edgy black course was the one to share on Lazaro Cooks!

the black course: negra modelo beer braised beef short rib with chile de arbol wrapped in a grape leaf with oaxacan black mole sauce black mission figs, shiitake mushrooms crispy grape leaf chip, sesame ash, black sesame seed, cacao nibs

Of the seven courses we served at our fundraiser dinner, the black course is my creative favorite. I looked to Mexican cuisine experts - Chefs Rick Bayless, Patricia Quintana, and Javier Plascencia for inspiration. I learned about making sesame ash while Guest-Chef-for-the Day at Moto Restaurant in Chicago last January and had been wanting to try Chef Homaro Cantu's modernist technique in a dish ever since. What appears to be ash is black sesame seed oil converted into a powder. It serves visual interest as well as a flavor complement to the sesame seed in the mole.

Rick Bayless' Beer Braised Short Ribs with Arbol Chile and Shiitake recipe was our guide for cooking the bone-in organic beef short ribs. The March 2012 issue of Sunset magazine showcased a Short Rib Wrapped in Fig Leaf recipe by Javier Plascencia of Tijuana, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Top Chef Korean Food Challenge in 2011. Sunset's recipe uses store-bought mole which we did try, but were not completely satisfied, so we turned to Patricia Quintana's indispensable classic cookbook The Taste of Mexico for help with the Oaxacan Black Mole.

Plascencia's fig leaf wrap, while edible, is typically only used to encase foods. We replaced the fig leaf with the more tender, fragrant grape leaf and served a crisp grape leaf chip with the dish. Bitter cacao nibs and sweet black mission figs add contrasting textures and play on the flavors in the Oaxacan mole.

Oaxacan Black Mole with Black Mission Figs

Three days before the party I woke up very early, excited to make mole. Called the Bestway Supermercado, "¿A qué hora abren?" "A las siete." Great, I was there at 7 with this shopping list in hand:

• 1 sweet roll (pan dulce)
• 3 oz. raw almonds, skinned
• 3 oz. raw peanuts
• 4 oz. sesame seeds
• 2 plantains
• 2 white onions
• 10 garlic cloves
• 10 chiles chihuacles
• 4 chiles chipotles
• 10 black chiles pasillas
• 1 t. dried anise seed (anis grano)
• 2 T. whole allspice (pimienta dulce)
• 1 t. black peppercorns (pimienta entera)
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 4 tortillas
• 2 qt. chicken broth
• 4 oz. Mexican chocolate (containing cinnamon)
• black mission figs

Chef Quintana uses lard in her recipe. I replaced lard with vegetable oil. First the sweet roll is fried in oil then set aside. In the same pan, the almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds are toasted in a bit of oil. Next the plantain is fried. These are all put into a food processor and blended with enough chicken stock to blend smoothly.

Whole allspice, anise, and black peppercorns are toasted separately then ground in a spice mill. Add the spices to the plantain mixture, then set aside.

Meanwhile, sliced onions and tomatoes are drizzled with oil, salt & pepper, roasted at 425°F until half-way charred. Garlic cloves are then added later so as not to burn. Continue to cook until the onions are nicely charred.

Dried chiles are rinsed twice in water. Since they are sun-dried on the ground, they are dusty and dirty. The chiles are then de-stemmed and seeded (OK to leave a few seeds behind).

The chiles are the roasted briefly, taking care not to burn. They will puff and reconstitute slightly. The chiles are then placed in a large bowl and covered with hot water. After 20 minutes the chile-water is drained and reserved. Blend the chiles and onion mixture in a food processor.

Char tortillas over an open flame. Add the tortillas to the chile mixture with enough of the chile-water to blend smoothly.

Place a bit more oil in a heavy saucepan and add the plantain mixture and fry over low heat until the fat rises to the surface. Stir in the chile mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly. Add chocolate and salt to taste. Add chicken broth to achieve the correct consistency. Lastly, add black mission figs. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to re-heat.

Braised Short Ribs with Arbol Chiles & Shiitakes

We cooked the short ribs the night before the party. And made enough extra for our dinner that night, served with rice and beans. The fundraiser dinner had 16 guests, so all these recipes make enough for 16+. This is now our favorite short rib recipe. Here's why:

• 16 arbol chiles
• 16+ pieces bone-in organic beef short ribs, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 white onions, sliced
• 32+ shiitake caps, whole and de-stemmed
• 4 c. negra modelo beer
• 4 c. beef broth
• 2 heads garlic, cut in half across the center
• fresh thyme springs
• 2 cans fire roasted dice tomatoes in juice

Break the chiles in half, removing the stems. Shake out the seeds. Sauté in hot olive oil until the chiles are dark brown and aromatic. Remove chiles, leaving oil in the pan to brown the meat.

Brown the meat on all sides, taking care not to crowd. We use 3 pans to brown the meat. Remove ribs to a rimmed baking sheet.

Divide the onion and add it to the three oven-proof pots or Dutch ovens. Cook onion until golden, then add the shiitake. Cook for a few more minutes, then add beer and broth.

Add garlic, thyme, and toasted arbol chiles plus salt and pepper.

Nestle the ribs along with their juices into the braising liquid. Cover and cook in a 325°F oven for approx. 2 1/2 hours until the ribs are fork tender. Remove garlic and thyme. Let cool then refrigerate over night.

Grape Leaf Chips

Grape Leaf Chips are surprisingly good! Fan of dolmades will love these crispy flavorful "chips." Brined grape leaves are drained and rinsed, then patted dry. Lay the leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil, making sure to completely cover the leaf with a very light film of oil. Bake at 425°F for only 2 to 3 minutes until the leaves become crispy. Sprinkle lightly with fine sea salt.

Sesame Ash

• 150 g roasted black sesame seed
• 75 g grapeseed oil
• 50 g toasted sesame oil

Roasted black sesame seeds are placed in a blender with the oil and a pinch of salt then pureed to make a black oil. Tapioca maltodextrin is mixed by hand with the black oil until a powder is formed. For finer ash, press the mixture through a sieve.

The Black Course Compostion

Remove bone and excess fat from the short ribs. Let the meat come to room temperature. Drain, rinse, and pat dry the brined grape leaves. Overlap two or three leaves on a work surface. Place the meat and two shiitake caps in the middle of the leaves. Wrap the leaves into a bundle.

Place the bundles seam-side-down in a baking dish. Add a splash of beef broth to the dish. Brush leaves with olive oil. Bake at 325°F until the meat is heated through. Meanwhile, re-heat the mole sauce on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. When ready to serve, remove figs from the mole and slice lengthwise.

Place a grape leaf chip in the center of the plate. Place the hot short rib bundle on top of the chip, seam-side-up. Open the bundle and ladle mole over the meat. Surround the grape leaf with figs, sesame ash, cacao nibs, and black sesame seeds.

This organic meat is super-tender, while the grape leaf - crisp, the mole - complex and spicy, the figs - sweet, the cacao nibs - slightly bitter and mildly chocolate-y, the sesame ash - simultaneously tasty and curious...Our guests were delighted, I hope you are too. Thanks for the invitation Laz!

Please stop by Taste With The Eyes you will not regret it.

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!

Guest Post Spotlight: Spring Greens Stir Fry

For those of you who read this space and are fans of my work, I suggest you connect with me on facebook.  I am infinitely more active there, always posting new dishes and spotlighting some of my favorite cooks.

Lazaro Cooks Facebook

Today I am honored to turn the floor over to one of my favorite cooks, Alisha from The Ardent Epicure.  It is a fantastic blog.  I've been reading this blog for years.

Alisha does magic with veggies.  I've dubbed her "The Veggie Queen." Her recipes are eclectic and expertly put together while the photography is always top notch.

Please do drop by The Ardent Epicure.  You will find a wonderful food blog to follow and make a very sweet new friend.

 Thanks to my good friend for sharing her marvelous talent here with us.

Enjoy...


Hello to all of the Lazaro Cooks readers, my name is Alisha (aka Magic of Spice).  I am the co-author of The Ardent Epicure which I write with my son Adam (aka Truffle Shuffle).

I am very pleased and honored to be invited back to share with you all here by my amazing friend Lazaro. Lazaro’s skill and creativity in the world of food is not only unquestionable, but undeniable. So my friend Laz, again I thank you for not only the invitation, but always your friendship…

Spring Greens Stir-Fry

Today I would like to share with you a simple stir-fry that has a few twists and turns. Basically it has pretty much everything I got my hands on during a trip to the local farmers’ market, then a few goodies that needed to be put to use.

The farmers’ market trips that I make…well quite frequently, sometimes inspire an entire meal. But then like most of you probably, I already have several ingredients hanging around in the fridge wondering just when they will get their turn to shine.

Aside from the eclectic mix of veggies here, I went with more of a Mediterranean style of seasonings. So in essence, this will work with just about anything you have available.

Heirloom Organic Carrots and Purple Asparagus

Above we have our Chrysanthemum Greens…have you ever tried these beauties? They also go by the names shingiku or tong hao. They have just a hint of anise and mustard and work beautifully in any method you would prepare other greens.

The image below is our Kohlrabi-Italian turnip and Baby Bok Choy. Both of these greens have edible leaves as well as bodies. The Kohlrab has a similar texture and flavor profile of broccoli stems.

In this image above the beautiful leafy creatures are known as Tatsoi or Spoon Mustard. The name Spoon Mustard was given as these lovelies have a mild mustard flavor.  The stalks are crunchy and do wonderfully as a raw snack with more mature Tatsoi, and both the leaves as well as stalks are wonderful raw or just slightly wilted in a stir-fry or sauté.

Then there are our Collard Greens, similar to kale in nutritional benefits but with a milder flavor.


And finally these Mizuna Greens, they have pointy green leaves and have a similar flavor to that of arugula, although slightly less peppery.  I find them to be not only a tasty, but attractive addition to salads as well.

What you will need:

For the wild mushroom broth

4-5 ounces dried mushrooms

1/4th cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water

For the stir-fry

2 tablespoons avocado oil, halved

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon raw sugar

1/4 cup wild mushroom broth

1/4th teaspoon cumin

1/4th teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 stem of fresh savory leaves only

1 stem of fresh thyme leaves only

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 baby bok choy, quartered

6 young carrots, quartered then halved, leaves reserved

1 kohlrabi, cut into bite sized pieces, leaves reserved

1 small bunch baby asparagus, trimmed

4 ounces crimini mushrooms

8-10 ounces mixed greens

Let’s get cooking:

For the mushroom broth

Begin by placing your dried mushroom in a bowl of cup, add boiling water and cover. Steep for 5-10 minutes of so, or until you have a fragrant broth.

For the stir-fry

In the meantime, pep all of your vegetable and set aside, placing your greens together and your kohlrabi and carrots together, leaving your mushrooms and baby bok choy separate.

Now prepare your herbs and spices (except sugar), then toss them briefly setting aside in a small bowl.

Heat your wok on a high flame until hot, add half of the avocado oil until very hot. Add sugar and then quickly add the baby bok choy. Caramelize, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Return pan to heat and add remaining oil. Add garlic while continuously moving around the pan until fragrant and slightly translucent, about 1 minute.

Quickly add carrots and kohlrabi, toss a bit until they just start to get a hint of brown. Add the asparagus and continute to toss for another 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms continuing for another minute.

Now add your mushroom broth and herb/seasonings. Continuing to cook on high heat until most of the liquid is absorbed and vegetables are tender but firm.

Now add greens and toss a few moments until wilted…Serve immediately
Serves 4-6

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

Please stop by The Ardent Epicure and follow one of the best blogs on the net.

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!

Guest Post Spotlight: Broccoli Rabe with Beans & Sausage

Today I am stoked to present the second member of our team, Joan from Foodalogue.  I am telling you between Joan, Jessica and myself; we are gonna make morel mushrooms look good!

I was fortunate enough to meet Joan recently.  She's classy, engaging and truly knowledgeable about food.  This is clearly evident in one of her recent offerings..

Salmon and White Asparagus Soup with Caviar Floating Island

Her photography is second to none.  If you appreciate off the charts good photography then this is certainly the site for you.  Joan loves to travel and shares all of her interesting excursions.

All in all, Foodalogue is one of the best and well-rounded food blogs I have encountered.

Enjoy...

Broccoli Rabe with Beans & Sausage



Guest posting is a natural phase of food blogging because that's what the community is all about ... sharing.

It's an honor to be asked to imprint your work on someone's blog because it's their way of saying "I like what you do and I'd like to introduce my readers to you." By accepting the offer, it's your way of saying "ditto, right back at ya".

Olive Oil Poached Barramundi with Insalata Caprese & Balsamic Reduction

Here's a simple Sunday lunch that was a big hit at the crib this weekend...

Barramundi is a wonderfully sustainable fish.  Farm raised in the United States and Australia in fully recirculating systems.  The flesh of the fish is thick and meaty.  I was able to purchase some through my business, however U.S. farm raised Barramundi is readily available on the net.  Find a reputable supplier and have at it.

I decided to use a two-step procedure to cook the fish.  Here's my method...

• Preheat oven to 190 F.
• Remove the fish from the fridge.
• Lightly season with sea salt and allow to sit on a rack to come to room temp.
• In a rectangular baking dish, add enough olive oil to completely cover the pieces of fish (without actually adding the fish at this point), 4 springs thyme, 2 bay leafs, and a few black peppercorns.
• Transfer dish to oven for 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld with the oil.
• Remove dish from oven.
• Add the pieces of fish.
• Poach fish for 25 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the oven to a wire rack.  Allow excess oil to run off.
• Heat equal parts clarified butter and blended oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• QUICKLY SEAR THE SKINNED SIDE OF THE FISH.

This cooking method produces textural contrast...

• Tender moist interior.
• Crusty exterior.

Best of both worlds.

I served the fish with a simple salad of diced plum tomato, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil & a balsamic reduction.

NOTE: When reducing anything, it's better to go low and slow.  Take your time, be patient, reducing at a low temperature takes time but you'll be rewarded with the final product.  Try and reduce something faster at a high temp and you run the risk of burning it.  

Trust me, it happens much faster than you think and once it burns, it's fucked!

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!

Guest Post Spotlight: Burrata Salad

Here's my teammate Jessica from Bacon and Souffle.  I am happy to report that we are deep into creative sessions for our Makeover event.  Our team will be doing it up big in late May.  Do not miss it!

Jessica recently shared with us a flavorful, balanced and bold Mustard Seed Pork Chops Dish.

Again, I am fortunate to be working with Jessica.  I have long been an admirer of her cooking style.  She's a smart, fun & creative cook.  Finally, she loves pork, a big plus in my book.

Make sure you stop by Bacon and Souffle.  Here are some reasons why...

• Fantastic varied range of cuisines
• Top notch photography
• Well written
• Clear, bright, easy to read blog layout.

Enjoy...

Hello, readers of Lazaro Cooks! I'm so happy to be guest posting here again. This time I am even more thrilled because as Laz mentioned in a previous post, we are on the same team for our May 5 Star Makeover! It is going to be mind blowing - just to build some anticipation without giving anything away. Every team is going to be amazing and I am excited to be planning and sharing ideas with a creative mastermind like Lazaro. Taste and inspiration. The two most important things to me when it comes to cooking. Be prepared as we share with you our "menus" in May!

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you one of the best salads I've made. A salad that has sweet cantaloupe with tossed arugula, sliced prosciutto, and fresh burrata. I love the freshness and flavors of this salad. It is the perfect Spring/Summer dish. Enjoy!

Burrata Salad

Ingredients

• For candied pecans (1 cup sugar, 1 cup pecans).
• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp EVOO, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 small sweet cantaloupe
• 10 cups of baby arugula
• 4.5 tsp champagne vinaigrette
• 1/2lb thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 lb fresh burrata
• 1.5 tsp aged balsamic vinegar
•  fleur de sel
• 1/2 cup chopped candied pecans
• 3 tsp vincotto
• 3 tsp of chive oil

Recipe

1. Heat oven to 250F. Combine sugar with 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pecans and simmer on low until tender (15 minutes). Strain pecans and spread them in a single layer on parchment paper. Toast until crisp, about 30 minutes.
2. Whisk vinegar and 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a bowl. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and sugar. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
3. Halve and seed cantaloupe. Cut cantaloupe into wedges then slice cantaloupe. Arrange them among 6 plates.
4. Dress arugula with 4 tsp of vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Toss lightly and arrange them among salad plates.
5. Divide prosciutto among plates and then top prosciutto with fresh burrata. Drizzle 1/4 tsp of balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tsp of olive oil among each of the 6 plates. Top each salad with a pinch of sea salt. Scatter candied pecans over the salads and drizzle each with 1/2 tsp of vincotto and chive oil.

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!

Berkshire Pork Chops with Mozzarella & Yukon Gold Puree

Before we get to this dish...

I have an exciting announcement.  During the months of April/May we have a two month extravaganza for the 5 Star Makeover Event.

Without giving up too much info, what's gonna happen is we broke the group up into teams of 3 for a collaborative project.

Here I will introduce the two creative cooks I have the pleasure of working with.  You'll see them both in the coming weeks here on LC.  Both blogs have many qualities in common I look for in blogs I enjoy reading

• Good food.
• Amazing photography
• Interesting stories
• Wonderful clean blog layouts that are easy to read

Joan from FOODalogue is a classy and engaging lady from South Florida whom I recently had the pleasure of meeting during a fantastic lunch here in Miami.

Jimmy Z's Kitchen & The Wynwood Art District of Miami

Jessica from Bacon and Souffle  is a firecracker.  She's smart, creative and fearless in the kitchen.  Here's some cheesy pork goodness that I am in love with...

Gourmet Pork Shoulder Pizza

Communication and creative sessions with these two amazing ladies has been fantastic.  I can promise that our group's project is going to be pretty fantastic.

Berkshire Pork Chops with Mozzarella & Yukon Gold Puree

About this course...

• Berkshire pork is expensive but worth every cent.  The best pork money can buy.
• Use a high-quality mozzarella and be rewarded in the final product.
• Start the pork chop on very hot pan just to get some good browning on both sides.
• DO NOT OVERCOOK.
• Finish under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese
• If you want my method of making silky smooth potato puree Click Aqui.
• Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh thyme.

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...peace!