Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Deconstructed fruit and yogurt recipe

Editors' note: This recipe accompanies "The avant-garde kitchen" (page 20) of the Summer issue of Chef Educator Today.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
"Caviar" of fruit purée and yogurt on granola
Chef Jim McGuinness

1,000 g. water
50 g. sugar
5 g. sodium alginate
7 g. calcium lactate
225 g. fruit purée
225 g. yogurt
zest of half a lemon
Granola (recipe follows)

Method (1) Bring the water to a boil with the sugar. Place 800 g. of the water/sugar mix in to a blender. Reserve the remaining 100 g. simple syrup for the fruit and yogurt preps. With the blender running, gradually sprinkle in the sodium alginate. Strain the mix through a chinois, and add the remaining water/sugar solution. Let the mix rest for 30 minutes to settle and clear. (2) For the fruit, heat 50 g. simple syrup, and add the calcium lactate. Stir into the fruit purée. (3) For the yogurt, mix together remaining 50 g. simple syrup with yogurt and lemon zest. (4) To make caviar, simply take tablespoons of the fruit and yogurt mixture, and tip into the prepared alginate bath. Let them "cook" for 1-2 minutes before removing, then rinse in room-temperature water. The spheres can be held for service in simple syrup, juice or diluted purée. (5) To serve, plate fruit and yogurt caviar on top of Granola, and serve with a sauce if desired.

Granola
140 g. rolled oats
100 g. almonds, coarsely chopped
50 g. walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. salt
50 g. apple butter
40 g. maple syrup
1/2 T. walnut oil

Method (1) Combine all the ingredients to coat. (2) Bake on a sheet pan at 350°F, stirring occasionally until golden and toasted. Cool before using.