Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [55]
Muesli
1 cup spelt flakes, organic preferred, or favorite cereal
1 cup Almond Milk (recipe above)
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 cup mixed field berries or favorite fruit
1 whole orange, cut into segments
1 whole apple, julienne
To make the Muesli: In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Let sit for about 20 minutes until the milk’s flavor soaks into the ingredients.
Caramel Sugar Cages
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
To make the Caramel Sugar Cages: In a small saucepan, add sugar, water, and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Cook without stirring, until sugar turns amber. (To be sure it is boiled to the right stage, attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan without having its end touch the bottom of the pan and cook until the mixture reaches a temperature of 311 degrees F.)
Pour into a 10-ounce microwaveable glass bowl (or large custard cup) and set aside. Use glass bowls of desired size for cages, not larger than the size of serving plates, and spray insides with a nonstick cooking spray. Gently stir caramel with a teaspoon until even in texture. Fill spoon with caramel and drizzle evenly over inside of bowl. Repeat until bowl is covered; set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Work quickly with remaining bowls. If mixture becomes too thick, reheat for a few seconds in the microwave.
Using a sharp knife, clean the top edge of the bowl of any caramel. To remove cage from bowl, place your thumbs on each side of and inside the bowl, pushing in a circular motion until caramel cage releases. Very gently flip out of bowl. Cages can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for a day or two.
NOTE: Based on the size of bowl chosen, you may have more caramel than needed for four cages.
How to Plate: Carefully arrange the Muesli on shallow plates or bowls, add a drizzle of Almond Milk, if desired, and top with the Caramel Sugar Cages.
Marcus Samuelsson with Johan Svensson, Carina Ahlin, and Jimmy Lappalainen
“I try to create interesting flavors and build them to contrast in several different ways. Plant food is a big part of that whether it is through herbs or through greens that are available at various times throughout the year. Respecting ingredients is the most important thing.”
Marcus Samuelsson is the co-founder and chief creative director of Townhouse Restaurant Group, a restaurant management and consulting company with projects in the U.S. and Europe, including New York City’s Aquavit, Ringo, AQ Café, August, and Merkato Fifty Five. He is the author of four successful cookbooks, most recently Soul of New Cuisine: The Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa. He is also the host of The Inner Chef with Marcus Samuelsson on the Discovery Home channel and the recipient of two James Beard Foundation awards—Rising Star Chef (1999) and Best Chef: New York (2003). At the age of thirty-seven, he received numerous accolades in the New York Times, including the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star review, as well as in the Chicago Tribune and Washington Post.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute in Gothenburg, Sweden, Samuelsson apprenticed in Switzerland, Austria, and France before coming to the U.S. In 1995, he was hired as Aquavit’s executive chef, and only four months later, he acquired three stars in the New York Times. He has been celebrated as one of The Great Chefs of America by the Culinary Institute of America, has an honorary doctorate degree from Johnson & Wales University, and is an ambassador for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) and, since 2005, has been Visiting Professor of International Culinary Science at the Umea University of Restaurant and Culinary Arts.
Salsify Noodles with Pickled Fennel
Serves 4
Johan Svensson, Executive Chef, Aquavit, NYC
Salsify
2 pounds