Mushroom Mousse with Chickpea Fries
vegan mushroom mousse with gluten-free chickpea fries and a pear and fennel compote
vegan mushroom mousse with gluten-free chickpea fries and a pear and fennel compote
popcorn ice cream, cherry coke curd, chocolate rocks, caramel powder
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Inspired by memories at the movies with my mom and the extraordinary creativity of Chef Michael Voltaggio, I created this dessert as an homage to my childhood and Michael’s ability to surprise and delight through food.
After much research, it became clear one of the reasons I love Michael’s imaginative approach to cooking is because it often evokes a fond memory and produces a smile. It is something I aspire to do through my own cooking. As I was exploring ideas, no matter which direction I went, everything always came back to childhood. After all it’s where I began my cooking career in my Easy-Bake Oven.
I could almost taste the flavors while reminiscing about going to the movies with my mom — the buttered popcorn and Milk Duds, the Cherry Coke and Junior Mints; they all reminded me of her. Finding a way to elevate them into a fine dining dessert that emulated Michael Voltaggio’s style was the biggest challenge for me.
Beginning with popcorn, I researched all the various ways it could be integrated into a dessert and landed on ice cream. I love desserts that balance sweet and savory and that connected with Michael’s desserts as well. I knew chocolate was going to be a part of the dish and tried numerous ideas for how to incorporate it, including making my own homemade Milk Duds. Turns out candy making is not in my genes. After rounds and rounds of not getting anywhere refined enough for such a sophisticated dish, I reread several of Michael’s recipes and realized a powder may be my answer. His were often made with liquid nitrogen, but since that is a bit harder to come by I decided to go an easier route using N-Zorbit M tapioca maltodextrin. I quickly turned everything I could find into a powder including salted caramel that immediately melted away in my mouth. It was magic.
That discovery lead me to other ideas using molecular gastronomy for the chocolate, including a 40 second iSi microwave cake and peppermint aerated rocks. The most playful and unexpected part of the chocolate rocks includes my integration of another childhood favorite, carbonated candy, a.k.a. Pop Rocks. Not only do they create an immediate bursting surprise, recalling popcorn popping, but also the effervescence of a soda as they finish cracking in your mouth. And all of this fun speaks to how Michael adds in unexpected elements in his own dishes.
Working with agar, I created a delicious Cherry Coke fluid gel, however I could not figure out an elegant way to incorporate it visually without overpowering the dish or underplaying its deliciousness. Again, reading through Michael’s cookbook, I found another way to present the same flavors in a luscious but poppy curd. Adding a few sheets of gelatin gave it some structure allowing me to cut it out with a ring mold, furthering my pursuit to design a beautiful dessert. Lastly I found a handsome, simple dark grey plate to present my movie-inspired dessert, an important component in every Michael Voltaggio dish.
There was quite an evolution over several months for the dish and also for myself. While at times frustrating, ultimately it was really special to create something that reminds me of my mom. I’m excited to be able to share it with you. I hope you enjoy the show!
2
servings30
hours3
hours480 g Heavy Cream
245 g Whole Milk
1 bag Buttered Microwave Popcorn
6 Egg Yolks
151 g Sugar
2 Oranges
1 Lime
1 Lemon
1 g Cinnamon
1 g Nutmeg
2 Star Anise Pods, Crushed
1 g Dried Lavender
5 g Fresh Ginger
4 g Citric Acid
5 g Vanilla Bean Paste
2 g Coriander Seed, Crushed
225 g Cherries, Fresh or Frozen
50 g Sugar
25 g Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
4 g Almond Extract
2 Large Egg Yolks, Room Temperature
1 Large Whole Egg, Room Temperature
3 Sheets Gold Gelatin Leaves
28 g Salted Butter
150 g Dark Chocolate
150 g Milk Chocolate
30 g Raw Cacao
1 g Peppermint Essence
25 g Carbonated Candy
200 g Sugar
3 g Salt
120 g Double Cream
85 g Unsalted Butter
40% N-Zorbit M
95 g Whole Milk
55 g Vegetable Oil
35 g Dutch Cocoa Powder
5 g Kosher Salt
1 g Freeze Dried Cherries