I have not held a copy of Mugaritz 'A Natural Science of Cooking' (Phaidon Press, 2012) by Andoni Luis Aduriz in my hands yet from excepts I have seen, I feel there is an aesthetic kinship with Noma's creations.
In this first book in English on Mugaritz, his restaurant in Northern Spain, chef Andoni Luis Aduriz shares creative process behind his work as well as 70 recipes including one below.
Fossilized Salsify with briny roe and sea accents of trigolochin maritima
Adapted* from Mugaritz: A Natural Science of Cooking
* This recipe requires advanced techniques, accurate measurements using the metric system, specialist equipment and professional experience to achieve good results.
Serves 4
Ingredients
The Salsify
4 medium-size salsify roots
1 liter mineral water
20g calcium oxide
The Fish Stock
30g carrot
60g onion
4 sprigs parsley
3 liters pints water
1 hake backbone
15ml extra-virgin olive oil
10ml white wine
The Roe
2 liters fish stock
300g fish rose (sole, turbot, or hake)
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
salt
The Hint of the Sea
4 common arrowgrass (Triglochin maritama) shoots (and seeds, if available)
2 liters water
20ml extra-virgin olive oil
salt
Instructions
The Salsify
Wash the salsify roots with water, drain and peel them carefully to remove the skin. Pour the water into a bowl, add the calcium oxide (it is important to add the calcium oxide to the water, not the other way around because this would cause an immediate rise in temperature) and mix the solution with a spoon. Add the salsify roots and keep them immersed for 3 hours. The mixture should be stirred from time to time because the calcium tends to sink to the bottom, making its action less effective. Next, remove the salsify roots. Wash them well in cold water. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven at 140°C (285°F) for 1 hour. Then, remove them from the oven and set them aside in a warm place.
The Fish Stock
Wash and chip the vegetables into large pieces. Place them in a saucepan and add the water and hake backbone. Bring to a boil over high heat. When the water breaks into a boil, turn the heat low and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming the stock from time to time. Next, take off the heat and add the olive oil and wine. Leave the stock to stand for 30 minutes. Skim it again and sieve (strain) it through the damp muslin (cheesecloth). Set it aside but do not refrigerate.
The Roe
Put the fish stock in a saucepan on low heat. Keep the temperature below the boiling point. Add the roe and cook it for 20 minutes. Sieve the roe and place it on a tray covered with paper towels to dry and so the eggs separate. Store the roe in a container, salting it to taste and drizzling generously with olive oil.
The Hint of the Sea
Pick the common arrowgrass shoots and wash them in a solution of cold water and food disinfectant to remove any earth and dust that may be sticking to them.
Put the measured water in a saucepan with salt and bring it to a boil. Blanch the shoots in it for 40 seconds, then remove and immerse them in a bowl of iced water. Drain them, place them on a tray and drizzle them lightly with olive oil.
Presentation & Finishing
Place a salsify root diagonally on a hot flat plate. Let the roe fall to one side and rest a blanched arrowgrass shoot over it. If you have any actual seeds from the plant, add them to give the dish a contrasting texture.
This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in creative process even if cooking is not their primary interest.
(* Recipe from Mugaritz, 'A Natural Science of Cooking' by Andoni Luis Aduriz-Phaidon Press, 2012-reproduced with permission, all rights reserved)
