Oyster, ginger, salmon roe, beer

Here's another recipe from Alinea.  I made some modifications such as replacing trout roe with salmon roe because it's much easier to find.  This is probably one of the easiest recipes I've done from this cookbook and  my favorite so far.  Grant Achatz is a genius and I hope to one day be able to go to his restaurant Alinea in Chicago.  His food creations know no bounds and he's one of my food idols.  Until then I'm stuck with my interpretations of his food.

8 Oysters
Rinse well
Shuck oysters and liquid into a bowl nestled in iced and reserve in fridge

Ginger Gelee
62g ginger peeled
250g water
50g sugar
1g salt
2 gelatin sheets

Slice ginger very thinly with mandolin.  In small sauce pan bring water, sugar, and salt to a boil.  Add ginger slices and remove from heat.  Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.  Immerse gelatin sheets in ice water for 5 minutes,  Strain ginger through chinois and discard ginger.  Gather gelatin and squeeze out excess water.  Stir gelatin into warm ginger until dissolved.  Pour into container and refrigerate until set.

Beer froth
1 bottle Alagash white ale (or similar beer)
50 g sugar
3g soy lecithin

In medium sauce pan bring beer and sugar to a simmer and skim away foam.  Add lecithin and stir to combine thoroughly.

To assemble and serve:
1 scallion
25g salmon roe

Using a sharp knife, slice green part of scallion on slight bias as thinly as possible.  Using immersion blender, blend beer until it has head of froth.  Allow to rest for about 2 minutes before plating and serving.

Spoon in a good size scoop of ginger gelee into bottom of glass.  Spoon 2 oysters, 5 slices of scallion, and salmon roe atop of gelee.  Top with beer froth.

This was a definite winner.  The ginger gelee itself was worth the efforts of this dish.  This was my first gelee and it has given me lots of other ideas for using other gelees in other dishes.  It's kind of like ginger jello and it really captures the essence of ginger and compliments the other components very nicely.  The beer froth really works with the oyster and the saltiness of the salmon roe contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the beer and oyster.