Trout*
and Vegetable Bubble Tea
By Paul Rogalski - Rouge,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Serves 8
Ingredients for the trout
tea:
3 lbs. raw trout bones and heads,
rinsed under cold water
2 T unsalted butter
2 medium onions, medium diced
4 stalks celery, medium diced
1 medium fennel bulb, medium diced
1 leek white, cut lengthwise, washed, medium diced
2 T ginger, finely chopped
1 lemongrass, cleaned, thinly sliced
1/4 C fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stems, roughly
chopped
6 branches fresh thyme
2 T black peppercorns
1/2 C white wine
2ñ1/2 qts. very cold water
1 t sea salt
Procedures:
Melt butter in heavy 7- to 8-quart stockpot over medium
heat. Add vegetables, lemongrass, parsley, thyme, ginger
and peppercorns. Cook until vegetables become transparent.
Stir frequently to avoid browning.
Place
trout evenly on top of vegetables. Add salt, wine and
enough water to just cover bones.
Bring
stock to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low as
soon as a soft simmer has been achieved. With a soft touch,
remove foam and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Do not
disturb stock by stirring or shaking or it may become
cloudy.
Carefully
siphon or strain stock through a very fine mesh strainer
or cheesecloth into another stockpot or heatproof container.
Agitate bones as little as possible. Season to taste.
Use immediately for best aromatics. Alternatively, place
strained stock in an ice bath until temperature reaches
40∞ F. Refrigerate for further use.
Ingredients
for the vegetable bubbles:
Note: (It is best to make this
in advance).
1
C bell pepper juice, seasoned to taste
1 heaping t agar powder
1 C cucumber juice, seasoned to taste
1 heaping t agar powder
4 qts. canola oil, chilled in deep freeze to -15† F
1/4 C freshly shelled pea pearls
Procedures:
Soften agar in 3 tablespoons room-temperature bell pepper
juice. Heat 1/2 cup of bell pepper juice to a simmer.
Pour agar in simmering bell pepper juice, dissolve completely
and return to a simmer; immediately remove from heat.
Add
remaining room-temperature bell pepper juice and stir
until smooth. Using a large syringe, gather the mixture
and slowly drip into frozen canola oil, allowing pearls
to form. Continue until mixture is finished.
Harvest
pearls with a wire mesh scoop and rinse with cold water.
Refrigerate for future use. Refreeze canola oil and repeat
method with cucumber juice.
To
Serve:
Organize serving glasses or teacups and evenly distribute
vegetable bubbles amongst them. Simmer trout tea, add
shelled peas and cook for 1 minute; remove peas and divide
into serving glasses. Carefully top glasses with the trout
tea and serve immediately.
*Seafood
Watch: recommends farmed rainbow trout from the
U.S.
|