Cuisine Of The Unmentionables
As part of our series of "la Fine Bouche" dinners, we presented a degustation menu under the title of "Cuisine of the Unmentionable" on Tuesday 24 April.While humans eat because hunger is a biological imperative that must be regularly satisfied, what we choose to eat is guided by such things as religious belief, social taboo and, these days, consciousness of dwindling resources. As a result, certain foodstuffs may well be full of nutrition but are held in disdain because of our unfamiliarity with their appearance, taste or textural sensations. If the skill of the cook is employed to deal with the "unmentionable" foodstuff, would the prejudice against the foodstuff dissipate?
The night's menu comprised the following:
Tripe & Lard Pastry; Olive Stuffed with Venison Tongue
Pork tripe and venison tongue were chosen for canapés to invert the usual perception that they are too strong-tasting or heavy for the preliminary courses of a
meal. The tripe was combined with onion and cider vinegar to provide a filling for lard laminated pastry. The tongue was bound with Dijon mustard, stuffed in green olives and then crumbed and deep-fried.
Andouille, Head Cheese, Rock Samphire & Pine Mushroom
The first entrée highlighted some of the difficulties in sourcing produce these days. It was so hard to find the pork chitterling necessary for the andouille (a
poached and smoked sausage) that tripe was substituted and combined with pork belly.
The poached head of the pig making up the head cheese was picked for any edible parts including the palate, ear-drum and brain.
Venison Liver Roll; Sea Cucumber in Pig's Trotter; Braised Bottle Squid
These warm entrees aimed to highlight that textural unfamiliarity could be overcome if foodstuffs are presented in thoughtfully unconventional ways.
A slice of venison liver was wrapped around eggplant custard flavoured with deer velvet mead and baked.
While we do not baulk at eating the whole of certain animals such as oysters, such an unattractive animal as the sea cucumber is often considered disgusting. Juxtaposing a farce of sea cucumber in pig's trotter with bottle squid stuffed with pippi and dried oyster and scallop tresses was meant to make the diner rethink the diner's initial disgust.
Abalone Broth, Crocodile Floss & Crisped Plantain
There does not seem to be that many carnivores that feature regularly in our diets. In this soup course, crocodile was transformed into Chinese style floss as a
condiment along with crisped plantain for a broth of abalone and manzanilla sherry.
Barbequed Venison Organ Meats
Certain organ meats are favoured over others. Sweetbread is considered a delicacy whereas many people are put off by the reek of kidney and the bloodiness of heart. All these organs were
skewered on a rosemary twig so the diner could experience them all at once. They were basted with a spice-infused oil and a condiment of mint and jalapeno chilli helped the process with grilled flaky bread to mop up the juices.
Partridge & its Gizzard in Artichoke
The gizzard or seed processing organ of a bird is not something that many are familiar with. This was incorporated in a sauce accompanying pan-fried partridge with liver and sage.
Marron, Mustard & Stout
A rich tasting crustacean course replaced the usual meat course with which the savoury courses in degustation menus conclude. The purpose was to end on a more comforting note as well. The
delicate head mustard from the marron was mixed with brandy and stout to provide the basting liquid for grilling the marron tail.
Watermelon Jelly
This was intended as a visual joke; Thai basil seeds resemble frog's spawn and the dish had the look of traces of aquatic animal. This sweet course comprised watermelon set with water chestnut starch,
watermelon granita, honeydew melon sorbet and marron glaces mousse.
