Comments on: Oysters with Fire Water Gelée

By: nanoo

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By: Daisy

Daisy — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 23:55:03 +0000

Haha! I agree: American oysters *really* like it from behind 🙂

And I totally believe that you were not looking for Horny Goat Weed 🙂

This looks amazing. I love gelées on top of shucked oysters. The last one I had was a chili yuzu one on the late-night Momofuku menu. Now just have to figure out how to do it in the privacy of my own home. From behind of course 🙂

Sorry! Couldn’t resist!

By: Toni Carrell

Toni Carrell — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 10:57:49 +0000

Cuts are always on the left and burns are almost always on the right– reverse that for lefties. Someday we really will have a good sit-down together.

I will ask Zara about Chinmaya. It’s good that you have friends that can help you create truly authentic foods from really different cultures. I have Chinese friends that I can learn from.

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:24:29 +0000

That’s too funny — not the actual acquiring of slicing your hand open on the job — but the phenomenon of scar comparison throughout the cooking profession. Originally I had a close up of my left thumb and palm on this post to illustrate what NOT to do but then thought better of it LOL.

I left my first restaurant position in sf to teach in India when I was around 24 for Chinmaya. Ask your ‘sis’ about it! im sure shell know them. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I love Southern Indian food but I still to this day don’t know how to make most of the dishes. Lately I’ve been reflecting more on the cuisine and with the help of Facebook I’ve been able to get in touch with my students who can help me with recipes.

By: Toni Carrell

Toni Carrell — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:53:33 +0000

They might be offering those as a “loss leader” to sell more of the more expensive fish? I don’t know. They might be more than that now, too, as I haven’t bought them there for a couple of years. Even if they’re now two bucks each, it’s still a pretty good deal. A friend of mine owns a raw bar, but I just can’t bring myself to go in when he’s there because he’ll comp me, and while that’s more than nice, I don’t want to feel like I’m taking advantage. He was my chef the night I cut the hell out of my hand, requiring a dozen or so stitches, while splitting semi-cooked chx. It was the last thing I had left to do before clean up. The ninth hour of my ninth straight day, and looking forward to the RARE three day mid-week “weekend.” I got back from the urgent care place just in time for dinner! Good timing on my part, and the bus boy that drove me didn’t mind, either. 😉 I’ll show you the scar at the base of my left index finger on the thumb side when we meet. My puckery splatter burn scar is really hard to see now, but used to embarrass me a little– mostly because I don’t know when or how I got it and it was right in the middle of the back of my right hand. I think it must have happened when making taro chips, the garnish for pulled pork sandwiches.

Don’t you love comparing scars and other kitchen battle wounds with fellow kitchen warriors? I know I do. I damn near married a wildman of a chef from Colorado– sight unseen– over this scar thing and a shared love of the Ramones, and punk rock in general, not to mention his intention to take the master chef test at the CIA. I really hope he made it, especially after reading Ruhlman’s book about it.

Also, how did you find yourself in India? I have a “little sister” of sorts from India and her Brahman family is from Tamil Nadu. She’s a lawyer now, but when we met online she was just a 15 year-old who was worried about all the things every 15 year old is worried about. Now she’s a confident lawyer who resigned from her job at one of the most prestigious law firms based in Mumbai to go back in school in Europe and is loving her life. (I don’t blame her, she’s a model beautiful, tiny little slip of a woman, fluent in FIVE languages, with every advantage, and a genius to top it all off. Yes, I do live vicariously through her, a little bit.

BTW, I’ll bet this would be a good filling for those puri pani things, if I could ever figure out how to make them!

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:38:38 +0000

Toni!!! I am so glad you’re back!!! Yipparooo! No mountains lions as of late but it’s been to wet and rainy to run through the mountains trails at midnight lol! The granita idea is awesome. Love, love, love that idea. $1 tomales bay oysters is a great deal. They’re more expensive then that AT Tomales Bay and I don’t remember their wholesale prices being that good so eat as many as you can! Some one has an inside deal I’d say. Welcome back!!!

By: Toni Carrell

Toni Carrell — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 10:38:48 +0000

Hey, it’s me, calichef! Long time no read. Sorry about that. I think I’ve read a few that I didn’t say anything about, but I’m going to check after this and try to get caught up. You haven’t been lost on dark paths being stalked by any mountain lions lately, have you? I sure hope not. You scared the crap outta me! But I digress…

This sounds divine, BUT… I wanna make it into granita instead of jello. I just really like the rough, icy juxtaposition with the silky, cool oyster. I was going to ask about using a chinoise instead of the double cheese cloth, but you already answered that question. Also, I think if I make it a granita I’d want it to be as clear as possible. Perhaps even let it stand for a bit and skim the really clear part off the top? I’ll have to think about that for a bit. I sure am CRAVING oysters in the WORST way right now… at 2:30 in the morning, with no fresh oysters in my town until FRIDAY. But, at least the local Mexican butcher carries fresh Tomales Bay oysters on Fridays– FOR A BUCK EACH, no less. It’s nice, really nice to have that resource in such a little town as mine.

OK, off to play catch-up! (Expect belated comments.)

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:09:56 +0000

Het – Another great question! I lived in Tamil Nadu in the city Coimbatore and there are many variations of Rasam throughout Southern India so I don’t want to lead you astray here but,I remember it to be a broth that was served with rice. Sometimes there would be stewed vegetables. I want to say okra mostly and lentils along with chunks of tomatoes and onions and lots of chopped cilantro. Chickpeas might be an interesting addition although not traditional.

I also think this broth goes very well with fish and shellfish almost like a bouillabaise.

By: Het

Het — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 05:29:53 +0000

sorry to be asking more questions about this Rasam broth, but it’s intriguing and I love the idea of tomato and tamarind together. If I was making more of a broth, do you have vegetable suggestions to add to it? I’m not sure what would pair well with this combo.

Thank you for the link about gelatin, I’ve always been afraid to use it after growing up with such “delicacies” as the aspic. Hope the savory jell-o mold rests in peace for a long time to come…

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 01:19:16 +0000

Het – Great questions. If you want to use the rasam as more of a broth then I would make it the same way and strain out the solids but not through cheesecloth. I think a regular chinois or strainer would work. You can add back in veggies after this step and chop cilantro leaves to garnish.

As for the gelatin question, I strongly prefer the gelatin leaves. I know they aren’t always easy to find which is why I put a little Amazon button above, but they are worth having on hand. I find that sometimes powdered gelatin works great and sometimes it doesn’t but that’s probably because I’m not as familiar with it.

David Lebovitz has a great post on the leaves vs the powder and he was a pastry chef so he has a lot of experience with both:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/04/how-to-use-gelatin/

Hope this helps?

By: Het

Het — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:55:47 +0000

This looks delicate, beautiful, and tasty as all of your food does. I have two questions: if I want to use the rasam in a more traditional way do I still strain out all the solids (for a soup)? And for the gelee can I use powdered gelatin instead and how much?

Thanks! Can’t wait to see what other Valentine’s dishes you have in store…

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:06:30 +0000

Karan, Wow! Thanks for the note! It’s so nice to hear from a favorite student from so, so, sooooo long ago. I hope the Rasam recipe meets your approval?!?! And I hope you are thriving…

Chef Kelvin! I’ll trade you cake recipes for Valentine’s ideas any day. Your effort/talent in the kitchen never ceases to amaze me. And I’m happy to hear there is a new lady in your life to impress!!! xoxo

By: Kelvin

Kelvin — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:00:30 +0000

Amy you never cease to amaze me with your postings. Dont know how many times Ive used your ideas to wow people but thank you thank you thank you….now give me more ideas like this because Valentines Day is coming soon and there’s a special lady I would like to Wow (Yeah I know….another one) xoxoxoxox

By: Karan

Karan — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:22:47 +0000

wow Amy..thats really informative and awesome..wud love to do some shucking after having read urs..feeeling hungry reading ur blog already..keep posting 🙂