OIL SPILL
Serves 6
This dish stretches the imagination. We had a private event for some oil executives and I thought it would be a good idea to give them something so twisted that they could only have fun with it. We take pride in creating a course tailored to a specific group.
This may look sinister, with its sign proclaiming an oil spill, but it’s actually a light and balanced dish. Lightly seared hamachi swims in an inky ocean water broth. Paprika and nori-flavored beer batter “coral” lends a savory crunch. The “Styrofoam” packing peanuts are seasoned with Old Bay, and the edible plastic is coated in nori powder. It’s the essence of the ocean presented in a way that’s meant to make you stop and think after you enjoy it.
Oil is obsolete. We’re not going to use it much longer for energy. So you might as well make a dish to commemorate all that oil did—it built everything around you.
Note: Conventional biodegradable packing peanuts are made with cornstarch and are digestible. However, they are not manufactured in food-safe conditions and have no nutritional value.
“OCEAN WATER”:
150 grams shallots, sliced
75 grams leeks, white parts only
25 grams garlic
150 grams white wine
300 grams hamachi bones
3 grams coriander seeds
150 grams lemon slices
1000 grams water
“STYROFOAM” PACKING PEANUTS:
20 biodegradable packing peanuts
10 grams vegetable oil
5 grams Old Bay
NORI POWDER:
5 grams nori
CORAL:
Canola oil for frying
300 grams soda water
100 grams all-purpose flour
18 grams (1 large) egg yolk
3 grams baking powder
2 grams salt
5 grams paprika
5 grams Nori Powder
HAMACHI:
300 grams hamachi fillet
Salt for seasoning
10 grams canola oil
25 grams unsalted butter
Lemon wedge
TO FINISH:
6 grams squid ink
15 grams fennel tops
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Edible paper for printing (see Sources, here)
Printer and ink for edible printing (see Sources, here)
Handheld steamer (optional)
“OCEAN WATER”:
Put the shallots, leeks, and garlic in a stockpot set over low to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hamachi bones, coriander seeds, lemon slices, and water, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for 1 hour. Use a spider to scoop out the vegetables and bones and then strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the fish stock until ready to serve. The Ocean Water may be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
“STYROFOAM” PACKING PEANUTS
Put the packing peanuts in a medium mixing bowl. Drizzle the oil around the outer edges of the bowl. Toss the peanuts in the oil to coat. Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning over the peanuts and toss to coat evenly. Store in an airtight container until ready to plate.
EDIBLE PLASTIC:
Lay the edible plastic on top of a piece of parchment paper. Brush it lightly with boiling water. Sprinkle the paprika and salt over the edible plastic. Place another piece of parchment on top of the plastic and press the seasoning into the plastic. Remove the parchment and cut the plastic into small pieces. Store in an airtight container until ready to plate.
NORI POWDER:
Put the nori in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Reserve in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to plate.
CORAL:
Preheat a deep fat fryer or pot of oil on the stove to 325°F.
Combine the soda water, flour, egg yolk, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Divide the batter into 2 bowls. Stir the paprika into 1 bowl and the Nori Powder into the other, to dye the 2 batches of batter red and green. Transfer to 2 separate squeeze bottles.
Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Working with 1 bottle at a time, squeeze the batter into the oil in squiggly lines. The shapes will begin to resemble sea coral. Fry for 1 minute and then transfer to the prepared sheet pan to drain and cool. Repeat with the second color. Keep in a warm, dry place until ready to plate.
HAMACHI:
Cut the hamachi into 6 equal portions and season with salt. Put the canola oil in a large sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of fish for 1 minute, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip the fish, add the butter to the pan, and use a large spoon to baste the fish with the hot butter for 30 seconds. Transfer the fish to a warm plate and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Keep warm until ready to serve.
EDIBLE PAPER:
Use edible ink to print an oil barrel or sign reading “OIL SLICK” on edible paper and cut it into 4-by-3-inch rectangles. Lay the rectangles picture side down on sheets of parchment paper. Steam the paper with a handheld steamer or brush the back of the paper lightly with boiling water to soften the top layer and make it sticky. Use a small strainer to dust the Nori Powder on the back of the paper. Put another sheet of parchment on top of the seasoned paper and set a cutting board on top of the parchment to press the paper. Once the paper is dry, after 20 to 30 minutes, use a paper cutter or sharp knife to cut out the pictures into individual bites. Reserve in an airtight container until ready to plate.
TO FINISH:
Put 125 grams of Ocean Water in a small saucepot set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and keep hot. Put 1 gram of squid ink in the center of 6 large bowls. Put 3 pieces each of red and green Coral in each bowl. Put 3 “Styrofoam” Packing Peanuts and 2 pieces of seasoned Edible Plastic in each bowl. Put 1 piece of Hamachi inside each bowl, seared side up. Add 3 plushes of fennel tops to resemble seaweed. Pour 20 grams of hot Ocean Water over the squid ink in each bowl to create an oil slick. Add the Edible Paper and serve.
