Monkfish & salmon roe salad

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Nikon D200)

Sometimes recipes come out of nowehere. I wanted to have some fish and, depressed by the news on banning Beluga caviar (so I will never taste it in my lifetime), I took some salmon roe. Well, I know it is a cheap replacement, but I still like it. Once home ... I saw the horseradish ... and this dish came out. I like it since the monkfish gives some consistency in the taste below the flavor game of horseradish and the roe. I would expect not everybody to like it, though.

Serves: 4 as a main dish or 8 as a starter
FlexiPoints: 2 or 1

Suggested wine: Sharp flavors in this dish, which makes it not really easy to combine to a wine ... at least for an amateur like me. Something white, light and a little bit sweet ... maybe prosecco?! mmmm

Ingredients:
- 100g salmon caviar
- 300g monkfish filet
- 30ml single cream
- 1 tbsp grated horseradish
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt and pepper as needed

How-to:
1. Whip the cream with the horseradish until foamy. Add the salmon caviar and let marinate for 20’.
2. Slice the monkfish in thin slices with possibly uniform thickness. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Pre-heat a non-stick pan with the oil and quickly cook the fish slices. It will take less than a minute per side.
4. Lay the fish slices on warm serving dishes. Distribute the cream and salmon caviar mix on top. Add some pepper and serve immediately.

Black pudding & gray shrimps burgers

(Photo@TheFoodTraveller.com - Canon PowerShot G2)

What a surprising combination! I would not be fair if I would not say that the inspiring idea of combining dutch shrimps (the gray and little ones) and black pudding came from a visit to Richard Corrighan restaurant in Soho (London) last spring. He uses oysters instead of shrimps. It is a very delicate but yet rich dish. Can be served in mini portions as here done or large burgers as main dish. Try to get black pudding with some cinnamon as this will give the dish a nice extra. Otherwise, add a pinch to it yourself.

Serves: 2 as main course and 8 as a starter
FlexiPoints: 8 or 2

Suggested wines: the wine depends on how spicy the black pudding it. May I dare to suggest a german Riesling from the mosel? I would go for a Dr. Losen due to its minerality.

Ingredients:
- 120g black pudding
- 150g cooked and peeled Dutch shrimps
- 2 brown bread slices
- Butter as needed

How-to:
1. Save 2 tbsp of shrimp for later and mix the rest with the black pudding (skin removed) in a kitchen robot till a good mince is obtained. Refrigerate for 30’.
2. Toast the bread slices till slightly golden on both sides.
3. Use a decoration ring of 2.5 cm diameter to cut out 8 discs from the toasted bread.
4. Take the mix out and make 8 little burgers with the help of the decoration ring so as they can be perfectly placed on the toasted bread.
4. Melt some butter in a hot pan. Add the burgers and the remaining shrimps. Cook well until the burgers are black and the shrimps very crunchy.
5. Serve the burger on top of the little toast with the fried shrimps on the side.

El Bulli's blood orange foam

The iSi gourmet whip ... the simbol of El Bulli, what experts consider the best restaurant on the planet and where booking is difficult, almost imposible. It was a while I was planning to get hold on one of these strange kitchen accessories and try something out.
I admit this wasn't the first foam recipe from El Bulli (1998-2002 book) I tried, but the one by which I was surprised the most. It is perfect for a diet as it has no added sugar. Nevertheless, foaming blood orange juice gave it some sense of sweetness. Incredible. The taste is explosive and the texture ... well in between a cream and a jelly. For sure I will use the iSi more and maybe get a second one to start mixing foams.
Note that the quantities are not exactly the same as the original recipe as was looking for a slightly more consistent texture.

Serves: 10
FlexiPoints: 0*

Suggested wine: -

Ingredients:
- 280ml blood orange pressed juice
- 2 gelatine sheets (2.5g)

How-To:

1. Rinse the gelatin sheets in cold water.
2. Warm up 100ml of juice and melt the gelatin in it. Remove from the heat and add the remaining juice.
3. Pour the liquid in a 0.5 liters foaming canister through a sieve and use one cream charge. Shake well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours on the lower part of the fridge.
4. Serve as soon as the foam is produced out of the canister.