Caraway Powder

1/4 cup caraway seed

1 Tbsp celery seed

2 tsp flaky sea salt

1/4 lb unsalted butter

organic tapioca maltodextrin as needed

- lightly toast caraway and celery seed in a skillet 1 minute

- add salt and butter and cook until butter has begun to brown.

- puree in blender and pass through small whole china cap

- in food processor combine strained oil with 1/4 cup maltodextrin at a time until desired consistency
- chill and pass through china cap once more.

Spicy Beet Wasabi Substitute

2 cups mustard oil

beet schmoo (recipe follows)

- puree thoroughly in blender

Beet Schmoo

1 cup water

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp agar agar

3 cups sliced roasted beets

- bring water, honey and salt to a simmer

- whisk in agar agar and stir 2 minutes

- puree everything in blender and allow to cool

Stewed Onions

spanish onions, sliced
salt and white pepper as needed
mixture of 2 parts heavy cream and 1 part half & half as needed
chilled butter as needed

- bring 2 pots of salted water to a boil
- boil sliced onions in one pot for 5 minutes
- drain and rinse onions under cold water
- reboil onions in the second pot for 5 minutes
- drain and rinse under cold water
- add cream mixture to onions just to cover
- season and bring to simmer
- mount with chilled butter to thicken

Peas & Carrots

Peas

3 oz sliced spring bunch vidalia onions
1 oz canola oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
8 oz cooked peas
4 large basil leaves, torn
1 tsp sugar
2 oz water
4 oz water
1/4 cup half & half
1 tsp agar agar

- sweat onion in oil and butter over low to medium heat
- when onion softens add peas, basil and sugar and toss to coat
- add 2 ounces water and allow to cool
- puree with 4 ounces water in blender
- combine pea mixture with half & half in saucepan over high heat
- when mixture simmers, whisk in agar agar and stir constantly 2 minutes
- pass through chinois and set in desired form

Carrots

8 oz peeled, cored and chopped carrot
3 oz sliced spring bunch vidalia onion
1/4 oz peeled, thin-sliced ginger
1 oz canola oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flaked Maldon sea salt
4 oz ginger ale
4 oz ginger ale again
4 oz water
3/4 cup half & half
1 tsp agar agar

- sweat the carrot, onion, ginger and salt in the oil and butter over low to medium heat for 5 minutes.
- add 4 ounces ginger ale and turn heat to high
- reduce until almost dry and repeat with remaining ginger ale
- reduce until almost dry and puree in blender with 4 ounces water
- combine carrot puree with half & half in heavy saucepan
- bring to a simmer and whisk in agar agar
- whisk constantly 2 minutes and pass through chinois
- set in desired form

Spanishy Tomato Stew

4 links (1/2 lb) chorizo, casing removed, cut into oblique
1/4 cup xv olive oil
1 1/2 lb spanish onion, large dice
1/2 tsp saffron steeped in 1/2 cup sherry

4 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded and guts strained and reserved, large dice
2 Tbsp pimenton dulce
salt as needed
1/4 cup sweet cabernet vinegar
picked leaves from 1 bunch parsley

- in large heavy saucepan, lightly brown chorizo in olive oil
- add onion, season with 1 Tbsp salt and cook until softened
- add saffron, sherry and reserved tomato liquid; cook 5 minutes
- add tomatoes, reduce heat to low and cook 1 hour, stirring often
- taste and adjust seasoning with salt
- add pimenton and vinegar; continue to stew 15 minutes
- allow to cool and fold in parsley leaves

Gribiche-like sauce for Tuna Tartare, April, 2009

1 cup rough-chopped scallions
1 cup rough-chopped cornichons
1 cup rough-chopped peeled celery
1 cup rough-chopped hard cooked egg white
1/4 cup minced chervil
1/4 cup microplaned lemon zest
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups xv olive oil
1 cup aioli
1/4 cup whole grain mustard

- process first 4 ingredients in robot coupe
- whisk in remaining ingredients