There have been many times in my life when the Boy has gotten it into his head that he absolutely and most certainly must recreate something he recently tasted in a restaurant or seen in cookbooks.
More often than not his attempts have been successful. I know, because I have eaten them 😛
His most recent success being that of Ferran Adria’s Vichyssoise and Sang-Hoon Degeimbre’s tribute to Charcoal.
You might say, “Lucky you, Miss I-Hua!”
Indeed, luck has got nothing to do with it. You know what they say, “Behind every successful man, is a supportive (and patient) wife” 😛
Whilst he has the vision and strategy, he lacks the temperament and will often lose focus on the task at hand. I have the ability to calm him whenever the panic sets in and reset the course for him.
Together, the world is our oyster!
In this attempt to recreate (‘attempt’ would be a better word, for we could never say we were in league to even come close to the masters of the kitchen), the Boy plated up something so beautiful it nearly broke my heart to eat it.
It was as pretty as an art piece and if it weren’t for the fact that it was food, I would have hung it right up on the wall!
This my friends, is our tribute to Michel Bras’s Le Gargouillou.
Medley of Vegetables, Flowers & Herbs Recipe
(A tribute to Michel Bras’s Le Gargouillou)
Ingredients:
Vegetables:
Carrots
Baby Radishes
Baby Sweet Corn
Yellow Zucchini (cut into 5mm slices)
Baby Spinach Leaves
Cauliflower (florets only)
Radicchio
Coral Lettuce
Rocket Leaves
Yellow Beans
*Feel free to add more vegetables
Herbs & Edible Flowers:
Tarragon Leaves
Snapdragons
Viola
*Feel free to add more edible flowers and herbs
Water
1/4 cup of Salted Butter (cut into smaller chunks)
Salt
Bowl of Ice Water
Paris Mash (to spread across the plate)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (optional)
Procedure:
Wash and clean the vegetables. Cut carrots into various shapes and sizes.
Boil a pot of water with a few pinches of salt added.
Blanch carrots in the pot of water until tender. Remove the carrots with a strainer and shock it in a bowl of ice water. Once cooled, remove from ice water and set aside.
Using the same pot of boiling water, repeat with cauliflower florets, baby radishes, baby sweet corn, yellow zucchini and yellow beans, one at a time.
In a small saucepan, bring 1 Tablespoon of water to simmer over very low heat and whisk in the chunks of butter, one at a time. Careful not to bring it to a boil, as they tend to separate.
“Reheat” the cooked vegetables by coating them with the hot butter emulsion. At this stage, you can cut some of the baby radishes into thin slices.
Start plating your dish by spreading your Paris Mash across the plate.
Place your cooked vegetables around the plate.
Place the other vegetables (baby spinach leaves, radicchio, coral lettuce and rocket leaves), edible flowers and herbs around the plate.
Try to spread the different colours and shapes around.
Finish off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Look at that.
Each flower, each vegetable, each leaf placed individually on the platter with care and precision.
Ain’t that pretty?
I think if we had to do this dish again, I might change the way we cut the carrots and instead make ribbons out of them instead as they would look ‘softer’ on the plate.
So tell me, have you ever made or been anywhere to eat something so pretty?
*jaw drops* Amazing work zeboy!!!
He sure is amazing 🙂
Wow … that is absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you thank you 🙂
too beautiful!! I’ll definitely have a hard time eating that! 😛
I started with the prettiest corner and demolished that 😛
Stunning!
I think you need to hang onto The Boy! 😉
I am I am… married him too.. much too late to back out now 🙂
Ab. Solutely. Stunning.
Hahahaha. Thanks Nic!
This is so beautiful it actually kind of makes me feel a little like crying. And I’m saying that utterly seriously, so don’t laugh at me (or I’ll throw orange chocolate at your head). BRAVO MY LOVES.
You are a dangerous woman with orange chocolate bombs 🙂 We’ve missed you this past week! Wish you were here with us!
Amazing! picture perfect plating.
My wife is pretty and edible…. oh sorry, you meant food. he he
Thanks Dave!
OMG this is so pretty! Even my veggie hating bf will eat this for sure! Trust me I-hua you are SUPER lucky to have a partner who wants to remake yummy dishes hehe 🙂
Lol… he’s lucky to have me to eat them 😛
That looks like something out of a Michelin star restaurant. The paris mash in particular was a nice subtle touch! You’re so lucky 🙂
Also, not sure if you’re still practicing paleo (chanced upon your blog via the paleo cauliflower rice recipe; when a fellow Asian endorses a type of rice, you know it’s legit :D) but could I suggest trying your hand at making paleo mooncakes? The sugar and grain content is craaaazy. Of course, that’s what makes it such a guilty indulgence so maybe it’d be better to leave it as it is 🙂 I’m Singaporean, by the way. 🙂
Paleo mooncakes? Oh my.. I’m not a big fan of mooncakes to start with so for me, it’s easy to cut them out! Hahahaha… but hmmm…. probably stay away from desserts if you’re thinking a strict paleo diet 😛
Wow this looks just stunning. Can I ask where your bought your edible flowers or are you clever enough to grow them?
Hi Cara! I wish we were clever enough to grow the flowers 🙁 We get them from Damian Pike’s stall in Prahran market and also at Leo’s Fine Foods (the Canterbury branch) 🙂
Oh my! Did you watch ‘Step Up to the Plate’ when it was showing during the Melbourne International Film Festival, I-Hua? The opening scene shows Michel Bras making this very dish. So awesome!
No I didn’t!! Waaaa… would it be on youtube? Shall go hunt now!
That looks so pretty, you two are an awesome team indeed… always put in so much effort and it really shows!
It’s a team effort I say! He plates, and I write and eat 🙂 Winning combination, no? 😛
Pretty like a painting.
Just like a Sunrise!
Such a pretty, beautiful looking dish! You really need to get A to go on Masterchef or something 🙂
He wouldn’t be able to make the time limits in any of the challenges 😛
Looking at the beauty my heart say’s not to eat just look at as it is really commendable.