IMPOSSIBLE BOX WITH MUSHROOMS
Serves 6
When this course was on the menu, we would dedicate a chef or intern to whittling these “impossible” boxes out of potato, in which the ball appears to be too big to have been placed in the frame. It’s not an easy task. They would have 100 or more boxes to carve, one per customer. And that ball had better not fall out of the box or they’d have to set it aside and start a new one. Meanwhile, the chef is thinking that they’ve never done anything crazier or more crazy making.
That’s the concept behind this dish. It’s about pursuing excellence, every time, all the time. This dish teaches the chef patience and time management. It’s about learning to achieve the impossible. How can we spend hours making a complicated structure that will be eaten in a single moment, while still running an efficient kitchen and business? The impossible box takes on a number of meanings that all disappear when the diner has the pleasure of consuming it.
These painstakingly carved boxes are deep fried and served simply, with a rich sweet potato and chestnut puree, roasted chestnuts, and sautéed “fried chicken” mushrooms that have a rich, meaty flavor that is incredibly satisfying. This is a beautiful vegetarian dish for winter or fall.
IMPOSSIBLE BOX:
3 large russet potatoes, at least 6 inches long
Canola oil for frying
Salt for seasoning
SWEET POTATO–CHESTNUT PUREE:
500 grams sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
500 grams water
5 grams salt
200 grams whole chestnuts
50 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
40 grams light brown sugar
FRIED CHICKEN MUSHROOMS:
200 grams fried chicken mushrooms (see Sources, here)
15 grams olive oil
1 gram salt
1 thyme sprig
20 grams unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
TO FINISH:
Micro tat soi
IMPOSSIBLE BOX:
Peel the potatoes and cut each one in half. Use a paring knife to carve a 2-inch cube out of each piece. Begin to outline the frame of the box by cutting a small incision around the interior of each side. You will be creating a square border approximately ¼-inch wide around the circumference of each cube. Slowly and carefully, begin to deepen the incisions and start to whittle a sphere out of the core of the potato. First remove the interior corners around the center, and then slowly shave off the edges until you have the frame of a box with a sphere inside. Carefully slide your knife between the sphere and the frame to free the ball and make any final adjustments to smooth out the sphere; do not make it small enough to fall out of the box. Repeat 5 more times to make a total of 6 boxes. You can store the finished boxes in a container of cold water. Pat them dry before frying.
Preheat a deep fat fryer or pot of oil on the stove to 300°F.
Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Fry each Impossible Box for 2 minutes and let them drain on the prepared sheet pan. Increase the heat of the oil to 350°F and fry the boxes a second time for 1 minute, until cooked through and a deep golden brown. Add fresh paper towels to the sheet pan and then transfer the cooked boxes to the pan to cool and drain slightly. Season with salt and keep warm in a low oven until ready to plate.
SWEET POTATO–CHESTNUT PUREE:
Put the sweet potatoes, water, and salt in a medium saucepot set over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and set aside at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Use a paring knife to score an X in the bottom of all the chestnuts. Lay them out on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, until the nuts are tender. Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature, at least 15 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle easily.
Squeeze each chestnut to crack the shell and remove the shells and skins. Set aside 100 grams of peeled chestnuts for garnish. Put the cooked sweet potatoes with their liquid, 50 grams of peeled chestnuts, butter, and brown sugar in a blender. Puree for 1 minute, until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and then keep warm in a small saucepot until ready to plate.
FRIED CHICKEN MUSHROOMS:
Use a paring knife to trim the stems of the mushrooms. Put the olive oil in a small sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown, and then add the thyme. Stir gently and remove from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Add the butter, shallot, and garlic to the pan and set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes, until the aromatics are tender and translucent. Return the mushrooms to the pan and toss everything together. Discard the thyme. Transfer the mushrooms to a small saucepot and keep warm until ready to plate.
TO FINISH:
Put 75 grams of Sweet Potato–Chestnut Puree in the center of each plate. Place the tip of a spoon in the center of the puree and drag it across the plate in a line to create a swoosh. Use a Microplane to grate 10 grams of the reserved roasted chestnuts in a line across the puree. Put 25 grams of sautéed Fried Chicken Mushrooms on top of the Sweet Potato–Chestnut Puree. Place the box in the center of the plate. Place 3 pieces of tat soi around the puree to garnish. Repeat with the 5 remaining plates, and serve immediately.
