Such incomprehensible to ordinary people cooking methods, such as exposure to liquid nitrogen, freezing with dry ice and the use of rotary evaporators seem cosmic, but they are the basis of molecular cuisine.
Pick your recipe
The transformation of the process of cooking into art can be safely attributed to such a modern direction as molecular cuisine. Gastronomic tastes change, and culinary fashion dictates restaurants and chefs new rules of the game, where the real chemistry dominates. The fact that molecular recipes have conquered the world and become mainstream is evidenced by the annual ratings, putting in the first place the eminent maestros of this industry - Ferrand Adria and Heston Blumenthal.
Molecular cuisine looks at least unusual, which often leads all restaurant guests to resentment. The order of their submission may completely violate accepted traditions. When ordering sets, foodies can get up to 30 different compositions with the most extraordinary combinations and embodiment. For conservatives, this approach to the kitchen is still not understood. According to classical chefs and many culinary specialists, molecular cuisine is not only a waste of time, but also your money.
The founders of molecular cuisine see it as a new technological stage in the development of modern cooking, which chemists have touched on to create. Cooks became interested in what chemical processes take place in their pots and how they can be controlled. The most advanced in this regard were the English chef of Fat Duck restaurant Heston Blumenthal and the Spanish maestro Ferran Adria, working in the elBulli restaurant. The creators themselves do not like to use the term "molecular cuisine", explaining this by the fact that the main purpose of their work is to create better dishes, and it does not matter what technical means were involved in this process.
Fascinating fog of liquid nitrogen
Due to its absolute safety and instant evaporation of liquid nitrogen, it is convenient to use it to freeze molecular cuisine right on a plate before serving. The most popular lime mousse with the aroma of green tea, reminiscent of a light dessert of ice cream and meringue with a taste of citrus freshness. The huge advantage of this masterpiece is the absolute absence of fat. Despite the fact that liquid nitrogen became the property of molecular chefs a decade ago, this method was discovered back in the 19th century for the preparation of ice cream.
Carbon dioxide ice
Unlike a conventional freezer, dry ice can evenly freeze dishes and is cheaper than liquid nitrogen. In traditional cuisine, concentrated carbon dioxide is used in sparkling water and champagne. The haze remaining from the heating of dry ice affects the taste buds and allows you to create any atmosphere for a meal.
Foamy magic
The professional name of the foam masterpiece is "espuma", and it should be able to cook all self-respecting chefs of molecular cuisine. As a result of complex manipulations, a fragrant essence with a minimum content of fats and calories is obtained, and the taste of the product is preserved in its pure form. Espuma is enthusiastically made from meat, various fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts.
One of the most popular molecular cuisine recipes was the simple and favorite childhood taste of Borodino bread with aromatic vegetable oil and salt, which was served as an air mousse directly on a spoon. Since sauces can be considered the basis of classical French cuisine, Espums have become an evolutionary find for creating a new generation of light, delicate and weightless sauce.
Digestion of substances in a centrifuge
The separation of solid and liquid constituents of the product can be seen not only in the molecular kitchen, but also in the creation of tomato paste without heat treatment, varying the fat content of milk and the industrial separation of honey from honeycombs. Each of the resulting substances, including foam, can be used in the recipe. Separation of fat from products gives them a lighter form and a rich taste.
The wonders of the sous-vide vacuum bath
A feature of the water bath method is the long cooking time of dishes that are closed in tight vacuum packaging. In this case, the languishing temperature does not exceed 60 degrees and can stretch for three days. This approach was invented in the 19th century, it allowed to concentrate the taste and make the texture more dense and juicy. Molecular cuisine restaurants especially buy water baths with thermostats for these purposes.
Absolute Fermentation
With the help of special transglutaminase enzymes, protein structures from different parts merge. It is in this way that the famous crab sticks, consisting of the processed fish substance surimi, soba noodles, are born, and in medicine, blood coagulates under the influence of these enzymes. Fermentation products are absolutely safe and act only as a catalyst or natural glue. This resulted in soy and fish sauce, and in the molecular cuisine - the famous half mackerel sandwich.
Obtaining concentrate from a rotary evaporator
Heat treatment with classical evaporation can radically change the aromas of fresh products, so the use of a rotary evaporator to obtain a concentrate was a breakthrough in the molecular kitchen. A distinctive feature of this evaporation method is the use of cold water in combination with low pressure and the rotation of a liquid-filled vessel. So it turns out a precious concentrate of essential oils of a wide variety of delicacies and fresh herbs.
