Getting started with Molecular gastronomy...

By: Valerie Brockbank  I’ve been a recent convert to molecular gastronomy, where science meets cooking. I have eaten dishes combined with algin, calcic, eines, xantana – yum! I sat in on a cooking demonstration by Chef Woojay Poynter, who has worked at Alinea in Chicago, and now teaches in Portland and Coos Bay, Ore. He produced a sou vide salmon, spherification for “dill caviar”, herb foams and CO 2 grapes. “Molecular gastronomy shouldn’t represent a type of cuisine that only certain chefs can do,” Poynter said. “Understanding what the cooking process does to your food, hopefully, can make everyone a better cook.” Well, I’m planning on experimenting with Merlot Caviar, CO 2 muscat grapes, and powderized brie. I bought a texturizing kit at the show that has twelve little containers of gastronomy magic.

Woojay Poynter’s Dill Caviar

5 grams sodium alginate

4 grams calcium lactate

4 oz fresh dill

1 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp salt

In a blender, blend sodium alginate and 500 grams of water until solution has thickened. Allow to sit for a few hours.

Blanch dill in boiling water for 5 seconds and place in ice water. Drain well and chop coarsely.

In a blender, blend chopped dill, 100 grams water and remaining ingredients until dill is liquified. Check seasonings and strain.

Using a dropper or pipette, drop the dill liquid into the sodium alginate bath to form dill caviar of desired size. Leave in bath from 30 seconds to 1 min (skin will get thicker the longer you leave the caviar spheres in the bath). Rinse carefully under cold water and serve. For larger spheres, freeze dill liquid in ball-shaped ice cube tray, then put frozen balls into sodium alginate bath until liquid defrosts. Rinse and serve.