Episode 54: Sauces & Emulsions

Lentil Foam
Butternut Squash Sauce
Champagne & Cavier Sauce for Oysters
Game Red Wine & Bitter Chocolate Grande Jus
Pinto Bean Agnolotti w/ Curry Emulsion

LENTIL FOAM
 5 ounces lentils, soaked (150 grams)
16 fluid ounces dark chicken stock (500 millilitres)
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 fluid ounce olive oil (2 tablespoons)
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon thyme leaves
truffle oil to taste
salt and pepper
3 fluid ounces cream, whipped (80 millilitres)

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

In a medium pot heat the oil and sweat the shallot and garlic. Do not allow it to brown. Then add the lentils, thyme and stock and simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are cooked. With a hand blender puree the sauce until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and back into a pot removing the skins of the lentils. Add salt, pepper and truffle oil to taste. Just before serving, add the whipped cream and froth with a hand blender before serving.

Yield: 12 servings
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BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUCE
6 ounces butternut squash, peeled and diced (180 grams)
1 shallot, finely diced
1 fluid ounce olive oil (2 tablespoons)
16 fluid ounces chicken stock (500 millilitres)
3 fluid ounces cream, whipped (80 millilitres)
nutmeg
salt and pepper
maple syrup

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

In a medium pot, heat the oil and sweat the shallots. They must not brown. Add the squash and the stock and simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is fully cooked through. With the hand blender, puree the sauce until smooth, pass it through a fine sieve and return the liquid to a pot. Add the maple syrup, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Add the whipped cream and froth with a hand blender before serving.

Yield: 12 servings
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CHAMPAGNE AND CAVIAR SAUCE FOR OYSTERS
2 cups fish stock reduced to a fumet (500 millilitres reduced to 200 millilitres)
1 cup champagne (250 millilitres)
1 cup 35% cream (250 millilitres)
1 shallot finely diced
1 teaspoon butter (5 millilitres)
8 large oysters (shucked and retain juice)
4 large egg yolks
2 fluid ounces reserved oyster sauce (60 millilitres)
Chopped tarragon

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

Sauté the shallots in the butter. Do not allow them to brown. Add the champagne to the pan and reduce by 2/3 of its volume. Add the fumet. Reduce again to a glaze, (approx half the volume, or until the liquid coats the back of a wooden spoon) and add the cream. Bring the liquid to a boil, season and strain through a fine sieve. Put it to one side.

Put the egg yolks and oyster juice in a bowl and set the liquid over a pan of hot water. Whisk vigorously over a medium heat for two to three minutes and incorporate as much as possible. The finished Sabayon should form a ribbon when falling from the whisk. Fold the champagne sauce into the Sabayon and chopped tarragon and season. Coat each oyster in the shell and glaze under broiler and serve hot.

Garnish with caviar.

Yield: 4 servings
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GAME RED WINE AND BITTER CHOCOLATE GRANDE JUS
4 cups venison stock (1 litre)
1 cup Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon red wine (250 millilitres)
1 cup of Port (250 millilitres)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 stick of cinnamon
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons crushed juniper berries (90 millilitres)
1 cup small cut mirepoix
Splash of olive oil
1 very ripe tomato deseeded, roughly chopped
Squeeze of orange juice
2 cloves garlic
2 ounces butter (60 grams)
1 ¼ ounces bittersweet chocolate (40 grams)

Preparation time is 20 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

In a medium size pot, sauté the mirepoix, diced tomato and garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Add the juniper berries, fresh thyme, bay leaf and the cinnamon stick. Deglaze the pan with red and port wine and reduce the liquid by half its volume. Add 4 cups of rich venison stock, season with salt and pepper and add a squeeze of orange juice. Continue to simmer gently and reduce by half again. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, and just before serving, add the butter and melt in the chocolate.

Serve with roast loin of venison or caribou.

Yield: 6 servings
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PINTO BEAN AGNOLOTTI WITH CURRY EMULSION

Fresh Pasta Dough **see pasta episode

Pinto Bean Filling
2 to 3 pounds pinto beans (1 to 1.5 kilograms)
3/4 cup fresh sourdough bread crumbs (70 grams)
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons mascarpone (60 millilitres and 10 millilitres)
2 teaspoons sage (10 millilitres)
2 teaspoons thyme (10 millilitres)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
7 ounces pasta Dough (210 grams)

Filling Preparation time is 4 hours if using fresh beans + 1 day to soak & 2 days to chill

If using canned beans preparation time is 1 hour + 2 days to chill

Ease of preparation is moderate

Curry Emulsion
2 teaspoons curry powder (10 millilitres)
2 tablespoons chopped scallions (10 millilitres)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable stock, chicken stock or water (175 millilitres plus 30 millilitres)
1/4 cup heavy cream (60 millilitres)
1/4 cup crème fraîche (60 millilitres)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks (4 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Emulsion Preparation time is 1 hour
Ease of preparation is easy

Additional Ingredients
Eighteen 1-inch-long pieces ramps or scallions, blanched, chilled in ice water, drained, and dried

Eighteen 1-inch pieces garlic sprouts or garlic chives, blanched, chilled in ice water, drained, and dried

Directions For the Pinto Bean Filling:
You can use canned beans in which case drain them and dry them.

If you choose to use fresh pinto beans, sort them removing any rocks. Soak them overnight. They will plump up to about twice their original size. Rinse the beans and they are ready for cooking. Cover them with fresh water and bring them to a boil for a few minute. Then reduce and allow them to simmer until they are tender – about 50 minutes or so. To prevent skins from bursting, simmer gently and stir as little as possible. You need 1 1/2 cups beans for the filling; reserve any extra beans for another use. When they are done, drain the beans, and spread on paper towels to drain thoroughly and cool.

Place the beans in a food processor with the sourdough breadcrumbs. Blend until they come together and form a ball. Add the mascarpone and process again until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste with salt. You will have 1 to 1 1/4 cups of filling (enough to fill 48 agnolotti). Refrigerate the mixture until it is cool, or for up to 2 days.

Roll out the pasta dough and fill the agnolotti. You should have approximately 48 agnolotti.

Directions for Emulsion
For the curry emulsion, toast the curry powder in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is fragrant. Stir in the scallions and heat for another minute. Add the 3/4 cup stock, the cream and crème fraîche, bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Swirl in the butter. When the butter is melted, transfer the sauce to a blender. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons stock and blend for 30 seconds to emulsify the mixture. Season with salt and pepper and strain into a wide pan.

Meanwhile, cook the agnolotti in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water for between 4 and 5 minutes.

Drain the agnolotti, add the agnolotti and ramps to the curry emulsion, and toss over low heat to coat with sauce. Divide the agnolotti and ramps among six serving dishes and garnish the top of each with 3 garlic sprouts. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings.
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Recipes courtesy of Chef Michael Bonacini of Toronto’s Oliver Bonacini Restaurants, including ‘Canoe’; ‘Auberge du Pommier’; ‘Biff’s’; ‘Jump Café’; & ‘Steakfrites’