Day 19: A Delicate Rose

I'm writing this as I break into my first Apple-Walnut Rose. It is delicious. And probably the most fragile thing I've ever made.

It's supposed to be shaped like a rose, but I don't think I quite hit the mark. Partially because of my general lack of floral knowledge, and partially (mostly) because I have never worked with phyllo pastry dough before. I can't imagine working with that stuff regularly. It was easy to cut...with a knife or with my hands pulling it out of the package. And then, after I used my clever little paint-brush to cover the sheets with butter, they were slightly harder to tear while I was wrapping the walnut cream into them in a rose shape. Patrick claims that "The presentation is so striking that your guests will think you studied pastry making in Austria". I don't think I'll have to deal with that problem, though.

As I was talking to my dad while assembling the roses, he came upon a point that Julie saw during her week two. He mentioned that a good side effect of the Coley/O'Connell Project is that I'm learning not just how to make recipes, but also some general ways to use certain ingredients. Patrick's book isn't set up to be a series of cooking lessons quite like Mastering the Art of French Cooking is, but I am definitely learning how Patrick uses certain ingredients to achieve certain effects. In this one, I improvised a little with exactly how I was brushing the butter since it was taking me so long to assemble the roses. I'm also acquiring a good amount of kitchen-wares. Perhaps I won't need all of it in the future, but I think most of it will be fairly useful.

The Asparagus Aftermath

At some point between pureeing the boiling hot mixture on my stove, pouring it into the strainer, deciding not to strain it because I like little vegetable chunks in my soup (plus, it was pretty liquidy already), and moving some of the kitchen implements into the already overflowing sink; I realized that the state of my stove area would probably make Linda Blair have some flashbacks. It wasn't horrible, but there was a lot of green.

However, the soup did turn out soupy, and asparagusy (even if I didn't have quite the right amount of asparagus in it). After the pureeing, when I had it on low heat and was attempting to season it with salt and pepper (I don't yet have the taste for how much and what seasoning to use), I was really worried that this project was going to stop right where it started. That is to say, it really didn't taste good at all. However, I think I reached some kind of tipping point with the salt and pepper where the soup became at least edible.

Then, I whipped up the lemon cream.

Since discovering how to whip cream a couple months ago for KK's birthday, I have been looking for an excuse to do it. I just think it's really cool.

This lemon cream is really cool. All you do is take some whipping cream, add some lemon juice (1 Tblsp) and some lemon zest, and a pinch of sugar; then whip away. It isn't sweet, but it isn't sour. On it's own, it tastes very interesting, and I had to control myself from sucking it down just to experience the lemon taste with the creamy texture. With the soup, it makes the dish.

Patrick said to serve the soup warm in an individual bowl (I suppose not everyone has the little sipping cups) with a dallop of lemon cream. The cream melted into the soup, though I could still see the separation. And it was one of those things where I couldn't taste either separate ingredient, but their hybrid was pretty good--not perfect, and not great, but pretty good for a first try and much better than what I was expecting earlier in the process.

We'll see what BigKip has to say about it. He's my co-worker who is unwittingly being voluntold to be my taster and critic to some of the things I bring in for lunch. Pray for him.

Day 1: Puree of Fresh Asparagus Soup with Lemon Cream

Okay, the stage is set.

Knives sharpened, counter tops cleaned, pantry full, and my "King of the Hill" apron in place. My kitchen looks peaceful, unaware that the chicken stock mess and banana bread explosions of last night (Day 0) were merely softening blows preparing it for tonight's culinary warfare.

I have a loaf of banana bread baking just in case this turns into disaster. I know the banana bread will turn out right, my mom taught me years ago...hopefully.

Tonight, we look at a creative solution to asparagus. It's served in a small sipping glass before meals at The Inn at Little Washington and I thought it would be an appropriate dish with which to start this experiment. Also, it tastes really good.

Here goes nothing...