Discussion
Anyone experimented much with Espumas or savoury foams?
On a whim I decided to order myself an Isi Profi nitrous oxide-powered whipped cream dispenser, with a view to having a play with foams etc.
From what I gather, the cold ones are pretty easy - just add lecithin or gelatine to a well strained liquid and let it set in the canister in the fridge and you're good to go.
Alternatively, anything with a high cream content will foam without the addition of a stabiliser, but you're just making flavoured whipped cream, really.
It's the hot ones I'm more stumped by. For example, I sometimes do a lobster and crab ravioli dish with a lightly creamed sauce made out of the shells/stock - it would be nice to do the sauce as a foam as well, but short of whacking it full of cream I don't know how to stabilise it.
I'd thought about reserving some used potato boiling water, which must be packed with starch, and using that as the base of the stock, or perhaps the addition of something to get the fat content up (butter/oil).
Any general advice or specific recipes most gratefully recieved.
On a whim I decided to order myself an Isi Profi nitrous oxide-powered whipped cream dispenser, with a view to having a play with foams etc.
From what I gather, the cold ones are pretty easy - just add lecithin or gelatine to a well strained liquid and let it set in the canister in the fridge and you're good to go.
Alternatively, anything with a high cream content will foam without the addition of a stabiliser, but you're just making flavoured whipped cream, really.
It's the hot ones I'm more stumped by. For example, I sometimes do a lobster and crab ravioli dish with a lightly creamed sauce made out of the shells/stock - it would be nice to do the sauce as a foam as well, but short of whacking it full of cream I don't know how to stabilise it.
I'd thought about reserving some used potato boiling water, which must be packed with starch, and using that as the base of the stock, or perhaps the addition of something to get the fat content up (butter/oil).
Any general advice or specific recipes most gratefully recieved.
have a very very good read though here
http://www.scottishchefsconference.co.uk/2008/reci...
chap was the head chef at the vineyard at Stockcross when it had a very good reputation for food
http://www.scottishchefsconference.co.uk/2008/reci...
chap was the head chef at the vineyard at Stockcross when it had a very good reputation for food
Excellent - some good info in there. I didn't think gelatine would work when hot...every day's a schoolday!
BTW - John Campbell is an absolute legend. Heston worked under him for years and you can see lots of the ideas of the molecular gastronomy stuff that Heston has now made famous in JC's "Formulas for Flavour" book.
BTW - John Campbell is an absolute legend. Heston worked under him for years and you can see lots of the ideas of the molecular gastronomy stuff that Heston has now made famous in JC's "Formulas for Flavour" book.
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