Strawberry & Heirloom Tomato Gaspacho

As we're entering the peak of both strawberry and tomato season here in the northeast, I wanted to created a dish that celebrated the bright, freshness of the produce and used the acidity of the tomatoes to offset the sometimes cloying sweetness of a juicy, ripe strawberry.

I've had a slight obsession lately with Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park and have been drawing inspiration from several of his recipes, breaking down their complexity in an effort to adapt them to everyday dining.  While his version of strawberry gazpacho outlined in his cookbook is a painstaking, multi-hour endeavor, this adaptation, while notably different, can be ready to serve in 45 minutes.

Strawberry-Tomato Gaspacho

Ingredients

·      4 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered 

·      2 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes, diced 

·      1 red bell pepper, cleaned and roughly chopped 

·      1/4 jalapeño, cleaned and roughly chopped 

·      1 vidalia onion, roughly chopped

·      1 shallot, roughly chopped

·      1 garlic clove, smashed

·      2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·      2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 

·      2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

·      5-6 white peppercorns, cracked

·      10-15 tapioca croutons

·      10-15 confit strawberries, halved

·      Italian flat-leaf parsley sprigs 

·      5-6 strips of cured guanciale  

·      Kosher salt to taste

Method

·      In a large mixing bowl, combine berries, tomatoes, peppers, onion, shallot, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, thyme and salt

·      Gently toss all ingredients until well dressed 

·      Allow the mixture to marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes 

·      Combine the mixture in a high speed blender until smooth 

·      Strain through a fine mesh sieve

·      Garnish with confit strawberries, parsley and guanciale 

Croutons

Ingredients

·      2 ½ inch thick slices of tapioca bread

·      1 tablespoon butter

·      1 garlic clove, finely minced

·      2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed

Method

·      In a large skillet, melt butter over low heat

·      Add garlic and thyme leaves, stirring until lightly toasted

·      Slice bread into ½ inch cubes and add to the butter mixture

·      Allow each side of the bread cubes to toast in the butter for 1 minute before turning

·      Once all sides have been toasted, remove the croutons from the pan and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess butter

Confit Strawberries

Ingredients

·      10-15 small to medium sized strawberries, hulled 

·      4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

·      1 tablespoon shallot, finely minced

·      Kosher salt to taste

Method

·      Preheat oven to 250 degrees

·      Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and toss to thoroughly coat 

·      In a shallow baking dish, arrange berries in a single layer

·      Roast for 35-40 minutes or until berries become tender 

·   

Lobster-Tomato Bisque with Chili-Lime Creme Fraiche & Tapioca Croutons

I think everyone should have a few recipes in their repertoire that are truly crafted works of art.  These are items that aren't prepared frequently due to the painstaking labor that goes into creating each component and the level of ingredients sourced for the dish, but when you do take the time to create them, the outcome is truly one to be appreciated.  I save these recipes for specials guests and intimate celebrations where you truly have the opportunity to share a piece of art with someone you care for.  

This recipe is a brain-child of my grandmother's corn chowder recipe married with inspiration drawn from a dish created by James Beard award winning chef, Daniel Humm for his three-Michelin star restaurant, Eleven Madison Park.  By taking the simple, homey roots of a basic chowder recipe and marrying it with elevated technique, the result is a truly spectacular dish that's rooted in simplicity.  

Lobster Stock

Ingredients

·      3 lobster bodies, meat removed

·      6 scallop shells

·      1 carrot, roughly chopped

·      2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

·      1 white onion, roughly chopped

·      1 shallot, roughly chopped

·      2 garlic cloves, smashed

·      2 tablespoons fresh tarragon

·      5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

·      2-3 sage fresh sage leaves

·      5-6 white peppercorns, cracked

·      2 tablespoons tomato paste

·      1 cup white wine

·      1/8 cup Cognac

·      10 cups water

·      Kosher salt to taste

Method

·      In a 300 degree oven, roast the lobster bodies and scallop shells for 30 minutes

·      Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot

·      Cover and simmer over low heat for 7-8 hours, reducing volume by half

·      Strain stock through a fine mesh sieve

     Lobster-Tomato Bisque

Ingredients

·      1 tablespoon butter

·      ¼ cup fennel, finely chopped

·      1 shallot, finely chopped,

·      ¼ cup Valencia onion, finely chopped

·      2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

·      1 garlic clove, finely minced

·      2 tablespoons Cognac

·      1 tablespoon dry vermouth

·      ¾ cup tomato juice, freshly pressed

·      ½ teaspoon saffron

·      1 cup lobster stock

·      ¾ cup corn juice, freshly pressed

·      1 star anise pod

·      2 cardamom pods

·      2 sprigs fresh thyme

·      1 teaspoon fresh tarragon

·      2 tablespoons crème fraiche

·      2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

·      1 tablespoon lime juice

·      Cayenne pepper to taste

·      Kosher salt to taste

Method

·      In a large stock pot, melt butter over low heat and sweat fennel, onion, shallot, ginger and garlic until translucent

·      Deglaze with cognac and reduce until the pan in nearly dry

·      Deglaze with vermouth and again, reduce until the pan is nearly dry

·      Add tomato juice and saffron, gently stirring to incorporate and allow to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes

·      Add lobster stock and corn juice, whisk to incorporate

·      In a sachet of cheesecloth, combine star anise, cardamom, thyme and tarragon, add to the soup mixture and simmer for an additional 15 minutes

·      Remove sachet and strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve

·      Whisk in lime juice, salt and cayenne pepper

·      Whisk together crème fraiche and heavy whipping cream until loose peaks form and gently fold into the soup until well incorporated

Chili-Lime Crème Fraiche

Ingredients

·      4 tablespoons crème fraiche

·      1 tablespoon corn juice, freshly pressed

·      1 teaspoon lime juice

·      ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

·      Kosher salt to taste

Method

·      Whisk all ingredients together until well incorporated

·      Chill until firm

Lobster Meat

Ingredients

·      1 whole live lobster

·      12 oz India Pale Ale

·      8 oz water

·      2 sage leaves

·      3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

·      1 tablespoon kosher salt

·      4 tablespoons clarified butter

·      3-4 sprigs of fresh tarragon

Method

·      In a large stock pot, bring IPA and water to a rolling boil

·      Reduce heat, add herbs and salt

·      Place live lobster in the pot, cover and simmer over medium heat for 7 minutes

·      Remove lobster from the pot, remove claws and knuckles and return them to the pot to simmer for an additional 3 minutes

·      Remove the tail, claws and knuckles from the shell and place in a shallow pan over very low heat with the clarified butter and tarragon

·      Add one tablespoon of the IPA mixture from the stock pot to the clarified butter

·      Continue to cook for 6 minutes, remove and chill lobster meat in a metal bowl submerged in an ice bath

Scallop Meat

Ingredients

·      2 10/20 scallops

·      ½ tablespoon butter

·      1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

·      ½ lime, juiced

·      Kosher salt to taste

Method

·      In a cast iron skillet, melt butter and add the garlic until lightly toasted

·      Halve scallops lengthwise to form 4 thinner discs

·      Lightly salt scallops

·      Sear scallops on each side for 1½ - 2 minutes or until a golden brown crust forms

·      Deglaze with lime juice just before removing the scallops from the pan

·      Dice scallops into ¼ inch pieces

Croutons

Ingredients

·      2 ½ inch thick slices of tapioca bread

·      1 tablespoon butter

·      1 garlic clove, finely minced

·      2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed

Method

·      In a large skillet, melt butter over low heat

·      Add garlic and thyme leaves, stirring until lightly toasted

·      Slice bread into ½ inch cubes and add to the butter mixture

·      Allow each side of the bread cubes to toast in the butter for 1 minute before turning

·      Once all sides have been toasted, remove the croutons from the pan and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess butter

Assembly (single portion)

Ingredients

·      1 oz lobster meat

·      ½ oz scallop meat

·      4 brioche croutons

·      2 teaspoons chili-lime crème fraiche

·      4 oz lobster-corn bisque

·      2 fennel frawns

·      ¼ teaspoon squid ink tobiko  

Method

·      In a shallow soup dish, place lobster and scallop meat in the center surrounded by croutons

·      Add a dollop of the crème fraiche

·      Garnish with fennel frawns and tobiko

·      Serve bisque in a side vessel, pouring tableside for presentation