AVOCADO MOUSSE & CONSOMME

Last time through Garde Manger Meg and I made the consomme so this time I'm hoping to be less involved with building a raft for the broth and more involved with the avocado mousse. Hopefully, Chef Wanda will be back in class...

More on class after and on the jump...

DISH: Clarified Beef Broth With Essence of Celery and Mushrooms, Consommé À L'Essence De Céleri Et Cèpes

RECIPE:

The Clarification
400 G Lean Ground Beef or Turkey, Optional
80 G Leek Greens
40 G Celery, With Leaves
80 G Carrots
200 G Tomatoes
3 Sprigs Chervil
60 G Dried Cèpes, Soaked in Water for 1 Hour & Chopped
Black Peppercorns
8 Egg Whites
Kosher Salt

The Garnish
Celery Root, Cut in Small Macédoine
80 G Fresh or Flash-Frozen Cèpes, Émincés
Celery Stalk, Cut in Small Macédoine
Tender Inner Celery Leaves

Procedure:

If there is no marmite on hand in the kitchens, prepare the marmite the day before and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the fat from the surface and bring the marmite to a boil. Taste the marmite. If the flavor is not rich enough, use the optional ground meat in the recipe. Run the vegetables, herbs, and optional meat through the meat grinder, using the medium die, or place it into the buffalo chopper. The final product should have a coarse texture; be careful not to purée it. Place this mixture into a bowl, add the peppercorns and enough egg whites to coat, and mix very well. Temper the mixture with some warm stock, and then add all of it to the stock and mix well. Place the mixture over a medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Immediately lower to a gentle simmer. During the simmering a raft will form. Be sure no part of the raft sticks to the bottom of the pot. Poke a hole in the center and moisten the raft to help it set. The clarification is just about complete at this point, but the consommé will need to be cooked for 45 minutes to 1 hour for two reasons: to be sure all egg whites are cooked and no foam rises to the surface, and to enrich the flavor of the consommé with meat and aromatic elements.

Strain the liquid carefully through a fine chinois lined with cheesecloth or a damp napkin. Let it stand for 30 minutes, and then remove any remaining fat from the surface by sliding a damp paper towel over the surface. Taste and season with salt. Cook the celery root in lightly salted water. Remove and refresh. Émincez the cèpes, and simmer in the same water. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Place a portion of the consommé in a small russe and poach the macédoine of celery root in it. Strain it out and refresh. Set aside. Simmer the cèpes in the same liquid and remove them and set aside with the two celeries. Return the small portion of consommé to the main consommé. reheat the garnish to order and arrange it attractively in a warm soup bowl, topped with a celery leaf. The hot consommé will be poured over the garnish tableside by the server.

DISH: Sauteed Shrimp With Avocado Mousse And Tomato Coulis, Mousse D'Avocats Aux Crevettes Et Coulis De Tomates

RECIPE:

The Tomato Coulis
40 G Shallots, Chopped
1 Garlic CLove
40 ML Olive Oil
400 G Tomatoes, Mondées
1 Bouquet Garni

The Shrimp
Twenty-four 16/20 Shrimp
50 ML Blended Olive Oil

The Avocado Mousse
3 Ripe Avocados
2 Lemons 40 G Shallots
2 Garlic Cloves
300 ML Heavy Cream
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper, or 1 Tablespoon Tabasco Sauce

Procedure:

TOMATO COULIS Peel and chop the shallots and the clove of garlic and sweat in the olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally, squeeze out the seeds, and chop the flesh coarsely. Add the tomato halves to the shallots and garlic. Add the bouquet garni and stew the mixture until the moisture from the tomatoes has evaporated. Strain the mixture through a coarse chinois. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

SHRIMP Peel the shrimp and remove the veins with a skewer. Heat a sauté pan and add the olive oil. Season the shrimp. Add them to the pan and cook, tossing them, until they turn orange, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Spread the cooked shrimp out on a hotel pan to cool to room temperature.

AVOCADO MOUSSE Peel the avocados, remove the pits, and cut the avocado into small chunks. Put the chunks in a bowl with the avocado pits. (Keeping the flesh of the avocado in contact with the pit prevents it from borwning.) Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice over the avocados. Mince the shallots and garlic and add them to the bowl. Toss the mixture so that avocado chunks are well coated with tlemon juice, garlic, and shallots. Whip the heavy cream over a bowl of ice to medium-stiff peaks. Whip the heavy cream over a bowl of ice to medium-stiff peaks. Press the avodado mixture through a drum sieve into a large stainless steel bowl and fold in the whipped cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Return the avocado pits to the mousse, cover the mousse with plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator over a bowl of ice.

FOR SERVICE Coat the bottom of a cold plate with the tomato coulis. Using two tablespoons dipped in cold water, shape the avocado mousse into quenelles. Place the quenelles on a serving plate of coulis and surround them with three shrimp.

BREAKDOWN: