Here is a dish that Chef K and I put together for an Easter Seals dinner last night.
Black cod (maple brined, maple smoked, then SV), caramelized onion gel (Chef K has been playing with the Modernist Cuisine pressure cooker method with different types of onions), kabocha pickles, popcorn butter (made with 4:1 cream to butter ratio heated then into an iSi), dill, salty kettle corn, cracked black sesame, butter-fried wheat toast. Though some of these flavors are easily autumn themed, the rest of the elements invoke feelings of campfires and heavy fall cooking... in a light manner. One of my favorite elements is the cracked black sesame. I found a grinder like this one many years back in an Asian market (this was before you could just buy any damn thing on the internet). Cracking the toasted seeds right before serving releases their amazing aroma... reminiscent of hog cracklings. Sometimes the simplest things have the most presence.
This was an auctioned dinner from an Easter Seals event organized by Chef Michael Gilligan of the Rusty Pelican, who also contributed a course (The Pelican is temporarily closed for renovations, but is scheduled to reopen mid November). Jorge Montes of Chef George Catering created a gorgonzola soufflé and also brought along some truffled mushroom empanadas which were incredible. Jouvens Jean of SAWA contributed a dish of braised shortrib, tostones, and brie. All in all another night of good times and fun with local chefs.
