Cremini Carpaccio Recipes

TOMATO CARPACCIO

Steps:

• Place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process for 15 seconds. Combine the olive and canola oils in a glass measuring cup. With the food processor running, slowly pour the oils in a thin stream down the feed tube, as you would to make mayonnaise. Add the grated Parmesan and pulse to combine. The mixture will be thin enough to drizzle on the tomatoes.
• Pour a puddle of dressing in the middle of 4 dinner plates. Core the tomatoes and slice crosswise with a serrated knife about 3/8 inch thick. Arrange overlapping slices of tomatoes decoratively on the plates. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and drizzle more dressing onto the tomatoes with a tablespoon. Sprinkle with the capers, basil, shaved Parmesan, and pepper. Serve at room temperature with a pitcher of extra dressing on the side.

PORCINI CARPACCIO

Steps:

• Arrange the mushroom slices on a large platter. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and add lemon juice to taste. Top with a light coating of shaved Parmesan.

ROASTED PINEAPPLE CARPACCIO

Steps:

• For the Pineapple: Peel the pineapple and leave whole. In a saute pan, melt the butter and add the brown sugar and vanilla beans. Cook to caramelize the sugar; then place the pineapple in and cook on all sides until brown. Add some water to the pan and continue cooking, turning the pineapple with tongs and basting occasionally until cooked through to the core. It may take 1 hour or more. Chill, then slice thin on an electric slicer set on #12 or slice thinly by hand.
• For the Coconut Cilantro Dressing: Whisk the ingredients together and chill.
• For the Macadamia Nut Brittle: In a saucepan, boil the sugar and water together to make a caramel. Test the color of the caramel on a white plate--you're looking for a topaz color. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter with a wooden spoon then stir in the nuts. Pour onto a silicone baking mat and let cool. Chop and keep in an airtight container.
• For the Crystallized Cilantro Leaves: Place egg white in a small bowl and whisk it slightly to break it up a bit. Dip the individual leaves in the egg white and wipe them off on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess. Dip into granulated sugar on both sides. Let dry.
• For the Coconut Butter Cookies: In a mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the butter until very light and fluffy, warming the bottom of the bowl with a torch if needed. Add the sugar and continue whipping; then add the rum and vanilla and mix. Toss together the coconut, flour, and salt; then add to the butter mixture and mix until blended.
• Butter a small sheet pan and line it with plastic all the way up the sides. Spread the dough evenly into the pan, cover it with plastic and freeze. Cut into 2-inch strips and roll in flour. Wrap and freeze or cut into 1/8-inch bars and place on parchment lined sheet pan. Bake in a preheated 250 degree F. oven until crisp but barely any color, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• To make the Coconut Strips: Heat a whole coconut over a gas flame to slightly char all sides. Wrap it in a tea towel and whack it on the floor to break it open. Carefully pry the meat from the shell in as whole pieces as possible. With a vegetable peeler, peel off thin strips of the fresh coconut meat to end up with curves of fresh coconut. Store in simple syrup, chilled to cover.
• To serve the dish: Place 5 to 7 slices of pineapple on a plate in a flower pattern, with 1 in the center, surrounded by the others. Brush the surface of all the slices with the coconut cilantro dressing. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and warm it in the microwave oven for about 1 minute. Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and macadamia nut brittle.
• Place a quenelle of lime sherbet in the middle and drape coconut shavings in an X over the sherbet. Place 2 crystallized cilantro leaves on top. Serve with a side of coconut shortbread cookies using colorful origami paper under the cookies and stacking them in a criss-cross tower, like bruscetta with the carpaccio.

BEEF CARPACCIO

Steps:

• Chill 8 serving plates. Place meat in freezer about 10 minutes.
• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and reserve.
• Slice cold beef across grain into 1/8-inch slices. Then place each slice, one at a time, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and, using the smooth side of a meat pounder, flatten by gently pounding and pressing back and forth. Work from center out. Keep turning to flatten it evenly to about 1/16 inch. (You should spend about a minute on each slice.)
• Entirely cover each chilled plate with thin slices of beef. (At this stage, you can cover with plastic wrap and reserve in refrigerator for several hours.) Carefully spoon reserved dressing over meat to evenly cover. Garnish with Parmesan strips and chives, and serve immediately.

MUSHROOM CARPACCIO

Steps:

• Using a mandoline slicer or very sharp knife, slice the mushrooms as thinly as possible and arrange them in a single layer on a large serving platter. Scatter the arugula evenly over the top.
• Just before serving, squeeze the juice of the lemon over the arugula and very lightly drizzle with some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and using a vegetable peeler, shave thin strips of Parmesan evenly over the top. Serve immediately.

FARRO WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place the farro in a bowl, and pour on enough hot water to cover by an inch. Let soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a large Pyrex measuring cup or bowl, and pour in 2 cups boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes.
• Drain the mushrooms through a strainer set over a bowl and lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer, then rinse in several changes of water to remove grit. Chop coarsely if the pieces are large and set aside. Add the broth from the mushrooms to the stock. You should have 6 cups (add water if necessary). Place in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt to taste.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften and sweat. Add salt to taste, the garlic and rosemary. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender, about five minutes. Add the farro and reconstituted dried mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the grains of farro are separate and beginning to crackle, about two minutes. Stir in the wine and cook, stirring until the wine has been absorbed. Add all but about 1 cup of the stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 50 minutes or until the farro is tender; some of the grains will be beginning to splay. Remove the lid, and stir vigorously from time to time. Taste and adjust seasoning. There should be some liquid remaining in the pot but not too much. If the farro is submerged in stock, raise the heat and cook until there is just enough to moisten the grains, like a sauce. If there is not, stir in the remaining stock. If not serving right away, cover and let stand. Just before serving, bring back to a simmer, add the Parmesan, parsley and pepper, and stir together. Remove from the heat and serve.