Charlie Trotter’s Ginger Melon Soup with Citrus Granite

 

This is a great recipe to test out your new Vitamix 5200. With only two ingredients in the soup, it seems like a no brainer. However, it’s important that you make the citrus granite (which is just a fancy word for ice). The soup, while flavorful, doesn’t stand up on its own. It’s too subtle. 

There is a great documentary on Netflix about the groundbreaking work done by Charlie Trotter - titled “Love, Charlie”; it’s an important survey of how we went from fine dining meaning French to now meaning Fine Dining in America. 

Ginger-Melon Soup

2 small or 1 large honeydew melon, flesh cut into 1-2’ chunks

1/4 C candied ginger, coarsely chopped (see note)

• Purée in blender until smooth
• Strain through a chinois / strainer / cheesecloth 

Citrus Granite

1 grapefruit

2 oranges

2 lemons

1 lime

1/4 C simple syrup

• Juice all the fruit into a metal 8x8 pan (or similar)
• Freeze, scraping the surface with a fork every 10-15 minutes until completely frozen

Assembly

• Place a scoop of granite in center of a shallow bowl
• Carefully pour soup around the granite
• Garnish with mint or citrus zest if desired

Notes: 

• Add a 1/4 C water to the melon if it doesn’t blend right away
• Use 2 T of preserved ginger if you can’t find candied ginger. Mix 1/4 C of julienned ginger into 1/2 C water and  1/2 C sugar. Simmer 10 minutes.  Drain and repeat 2 more times with refreshed water and sugar. 

Adapted from: Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home

VitamIx 5200 - the best kitchen tool I’ve gotten in the past 10 years

 

One of my 4 pillars of good cooking is to invest in effective kitchen tools and to avoid kitchen gadgets. 

Two years ago I bought a Vitamix 5200, and it is one seriously high performing kitchen tool.

When it comes to mid-sized appliances like stand mixers (KitchenAid) and food processors (Cuisinart) there are some well known, time tested clear cut choices. I had a classic Waring blender, which was the go-to blender choice for many decades. 

I wasn’t overwhelmed with the Waring’s performance, but also having an effective stick blender and the fact that I don’t use a blender too often, I saw no need to invest in an expensive Vitamix. Boy did I miss the boat on that one. 

The Vitamix came on to the home cooking scene about ten to fifteen years ago, when this professionally used kitchen machine was discovered by home cooks. The claim was massive power. Since I wasn’t a smoothie junkie and could get by with my existing blenders I didn’t give it much thought. 

But then my wife and I did the Optavia diet (about 100 pounds combined loss, thank you Optavia). That diet included many flavored shake products and it was clear the Waring wasn’t up to the task. In order to better support the diet I splurged on the Vitamix. 

What a revelation. Power is everything. 

For shakes the Vitamix easily destroys ice cubes and the mix into a smooth, creamy, perfect consistency. I’ve since used it for soups and am shocked at how quickly and thoroughly it creates velvety, partly foamy consistencies. Here’s a recap of features and attributes: 

• Simple controls - nothing more than an on/off switch, a variable/fixed speed selector and a knob for varying the speeds. 
• You can fill this machine as much as you want - see the picture above - and it will reduce the entire container without having to open it up and remix / push down the ingredients. 
• The blades are not sharpened like a food processor’s but they somehow chop through solid ingredients and reduce to a very finely chopped size. Herbs, vegetable, any solid is reduced to a super fine, actually minuscule size. I still strain soups through a chinois, but could easily serve many soups unstrained. 
• Leaving the blender to run for just a few seconds after completely mixing ingredients will begin to introduce air into the mixture, creating a creamy, frothy texture. 
• There are many more sophisticated, and more expensive, models available than the 5200 - but this no frills machine should meet virtually every need a serious cook has. 

Because of the power of this blender, I’m finding myself making more soups, especially chilled vegetable soups like this summer pea soup. 

Overall, splurging on the Vitamix is the best $400 I’ve spent on a kitchen tool since I bought the $400 toaster. But that’s another product review. Too bad we don’t eat toast very often anymore. 

Here’s a link to the Vitamix 5200 if you’re interested in purchasing one. 

Gordon Ramsay’s Veal Stock

 

This is a traditional brown veal stock, using bones roasted in high heat. Optionally, it can be reduced by half. Further reduction will result in a true Demi-glacé, which can be used in small amounts or combined with other liquid (wine, water) to create a stock of desired density.  

Gordon Ramsay Veal Stock

 

3 lb veal bones

     -  Roast 1-1.5 hours until browned

     -  Meanwhile……

 

7 T olive oil

1 lg onion, peeled, chopped

2 lg carrots, peeled, chopped

1 celery, chopped

4-5 garlic, unpeeled

     -  Heat until lightly colored

1 T tomato paste

     -  Cook 2 more min high

3/4 C port

3/4 C Madeira

     -  Deglaze

     -  Boil to syrupy consistency

 

Bones

     -  Remove excess oil

     -  Add to pot

5 Qts cold water - to cover

     -  Bring to boil

     -  Skim

 

Bouquet garni (bay, parsley, thyme)

4 oz cremini mushrooms

     -  Add to pot

     -  Simmer up to 6 hours

     -  Remove from heat, rest

     -  Strain

     -  Season lightly

 

Optional - reduce by up to half

 

Store 4-5 days fridge, 3 month freezer

Adapted from: Gordon Ramsay Three Star Chef

Thomas Keller’s White Veal Stock

This veal stock still has the gelatinous, velvety feel of a more traditional veal stock.  But it is even more versatile, as it can be more easily substituted for chicken stock, and done so using almost same liquid measure. If needed, use a little less than called for and add water. 

Thomas Keller White Veal Stock

 

2 lbs veal bones

     -  Bring to simmer over 1-1.5 hours, skimming

     -  Drain then rinse, no filmy feel

 

2 qts cold water

     -  Slowly simmer, skimming

 

1 C leek, 1” pieces

3/4 C onion, 1”

Sprig of parsley

Bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

     -  Simmer 4 hours, skimming

     -  Turn of heat

     -  Rest 10 min

     -  Ladle through Chinois, don’t pour

     -  Discard bottom stock w impurities

     -  Ice bath

 

Store 1-2 days or freeze

Adapted from Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry Cookbook

Veal Stock // Chilled Pea Soup

Veal stock is considered a magic ingredient that separates the enthusiastic home cook from the serious home cook. I agree. I’m not always cooking at a high level, so only make veal stock every few years. But when I do, and see it in the freezer it inspires me to undertake more advanced dishes. 

But you don’t have to attempt something complicated to be advanced. I used a light veal stock recipe from my friend Thomas Keller (ok, I’ve only met him twice, but once he bought my dinner at Per Se). This light stock was perfect in a chilled pea soup, which is potentially a four-ingredient recipe. 

You can make this soup straight up, or add herbs, shallot confit, roasted tomatoes, garlic chips,…..and exotic savory topping you care to. That can take it from wonderful to amazing, but is not required. 

Here’s the recipe, which was inspired by Gordon Ramsay in his cookbook Maze.

Chilled Pea Soup

 

1 medium onion, sliced

Olive oil

     -  Heat oil and sauté onions for 8-10 minutes

1 C stock (veal or chicken)

1 C milk, half&half or cream

     -  Add and bring to a boil

1 lb fresh or high quality frozen peas

     -  Add to liquid and take off the hea

     -  When slightly cooled blend in batches

     -  Strain though a mesh strainer or chinois

     -  Season to taste with S&P

     -  Chill for an hour or more

 

Top with shallot confit, garlic chips, roasted tomato or herbs. Drizzle with olive oil