Pork Fat Roasted Heirloom Carrots, Smoked Beet Ash, Cinnamon & Cumin Dusted Basmati Rice Paper, Celery Root Puree, Pea Leaves, Crushed Pistachio, Smoked Sea Salt
The idea behind this dish began when I discovered some beets that had been left for dead, slightly shriveled and soft. They were at the point that they couldn't be eaten raw or roasted and peeled. So seeing as these options were off the table I decided to just burn the shit out of them. I was going to be smoking some meat anyways, so I just tossed the beets in with the wood chips and torched them. I was very pleasantly surprised that the result was a sweet smokiness that really went well with the finished presentation.
After thoroughly incinerating the beets and allowing them to completely cool, I crushed them up with my hands and ran them through my spice grinder to make a fine powder with them. I sprinkled them onto the plate using a cut out piece of cardboard for the line.
The carrots were halfway submerged in melted pork fat and roasted in the oven until completely cooked through. I turned them every 20 minutes to get a nice even caramelization all over. I allowed them to chill before cutting them and reheating them in the pork fat. I finished them with a little smoked sea salt.
I boiled basmati rice with much more water than typically used, cooking the rice beyond the typical point one would cook rice until it resembled a porridge. I pureed the rice and spread it into a thin even sheet on a silpat. I baked the rice at 250 degrees until completely dried out and crisp. I dusted the rice paper with cinnamon and cumin while it was still hot and broke pieces off.
I completed the plating with some crushed pistachios, celery root puree and some fresh micro pea shoots.
After thoroughly incinerating the beets and allowing them to completely cool, I crushed them up with my hands and ran them through my spice grinder to make a fine powder with them. I sprinkled them onto the plate using a cut out piece of cardboard for the line.
The carrots were halfway submerged in melted pork fat and roasted in the oven until completely cooked through. I turned them every 20 minutes to get a nice even caramelization all over. I allowed them to chill before cutting them and reheating them in the pork fat. I finished them with a little smoked sea salt.
I boiled basmati rice with much more water than typically used, cooking the rice beyond the typical point one would cook rice until it resembled a porridge. I pureed the rice and spread it into a thin even sheet on a silpat. I baked the rice at 250 degrees until completely dried out and crisp. I dusted the rice paper with cinnamon and cumin while it was still hot and broke pieces off.
I completed the plating with some crushed pistachios, celery root puree and some fresh micro pea shoots.