Rotovapped Fruit Salad

The last few things I put up here were ripped straight from random cookbooks. And I was planning on doing the same - I had ideas of making Volt's squid ramen (I still do), a rendition of the Alinea chocolate mat, or something else from the mountain of cookbooks floating around my apartment. But then, I also wanted to play with my rotovap... and try keep things legal while I was at it. So I thought of a raw green apple syrup. And then I thought, lots of apple stuff! It kind of evolved into a fruit salad after I picked up one of everything at whole foods yesterday...

Blood Orange Powder
2 blood oranges, segmented
100g fructose
50g dry ice, crushed lightly

Roll the orange segments in fructose and dehydrate for 24hrs.

I probably could have used a microwave here, but I was afraid the sugar might burn - blood oranges are just so good that I'd hate to waste even one! Also, don't worry about the rinds. That part didn't work out this time around.

Blend the dried orange segments with dry ice in a coffee grinder until a light, fluffy powder is formed. Reserve in an airtight container with a silica packet. If the powder hardens, blend again with some additional dry ice just before service. 

Compressed Pineapple with Habanero Syrup
200g pineapple, small dice (do a good job on this)
100g sugar
100g water
3g habanero
2g peppermint essential oil

Bring the sugar and water to a simmer. After the sugar has dissolved, add the peppermint oil and habanero to the mixture and simmer for a few minutes to infuse. Blend and strain. 

Vacuum pack the syrup and pineapple to infuse. Reserve.

Melon Sorbet
400g cantaloupe
100g sugar
100g water
50g lime juice
2g lime zest
2g salt
dry ice, ground in a coffee grinder, as needed

I really had no plans to make a sorbet - especially because it seems like no deconstruction is complete without one. Then at some point, I decided I needed an apple chip and because everything else was kind of flat on the plate, I needed something with some height for it rest on (don't worry, the apple chip is coming).

Combine all of the ingredients except for the dry ice and blend until smooth. Place in a mixer and run on medium speed. Slowly add in ground dry ice until the mixture is set. Reserve. 

Liquid nitrogen works best here, but usually the LN2 store is closed by the time i get home from work, so dry ice will work in a pinch (don't worry, it's not going to come out carbonated). I'm just waiting for the day I get a pacojet. And a blast freezer. Maybe it'll be a while.

Apple Chips and Deep Fried Apple Balls
1 or 2 green apples, cored
canola oil, as needed

Use a melon baller and make as many apple balls as needed. Then, use a mandolin and slice raw apple circles. Deep fry the circles at 320F for two minutes until deeply golden, drain on paper towels and freeze for two minutes to finish crisping. Reserve. 

Deep fry the apple balls for 2 minutes at 380F until deeply golden and drain on paper towels. Reserve.

Now for the reason I'm doing all of this in the first place - the raw apple syrup. Below, I take lots of steps to remove the pulp + prevent oxidation of the apples before moving on to reducing it into a syrup via rotovap.

Raw Apple Syrup
500g cored and peeled apples
250g water
1.5g agar agar
lemon juice, as needed

As you peel and core the apples, soak them in lemon juice to prevent oxidation. once all of the apples are prepared this way, vacuum pack.

Crush the apples using as awesome a rolling pin as you can find.

Disperse agar into the water and bring to a boil. While whisking constantly, hydrate the agar and let the mixture simmer for two minutes. Blend the mixture into the crushed apples and chill until set. 

Gently agitate the mixture and strain through cheesecloth, squeezing lightly.

Transfer 200g strained apple juice to a rotovap and while pulling maximum vacuum, evaporate water from the mixture at ~90F until the contents of the starting flask are at a glace-like consistency. Reserve. 

 

To Complete
habanero infused pineapple and syrup
blood orange powder
apple balls
apple chip
melon sorbet
raw apple syrup
micro daikon
thyme

Streak both the habanero and raw apple syrup across the plate. Form the sorbet into a quenelle and rest the apple chip on its side. Arrange the remaining ingredients around the plate and dust an uncovered area with the blood orange power.

Even though this has to be the most microscopic plate of food ever, I would definitely make it again. The raw apple syrup is so intense and raw and acidic and powerful and amazing! The pineapple has just enough heat and pungency to make it really interesting, but not overwhelming. Even the chip and less crisp apple ball add a lot to the party. The contrast between the warm apple and cold, ultra refreshing sorbet is simply phenomenal. Then out of nowhere, you bite into a burst of thyme and everything is new again. Slowly, the blood orange powder mixes in with the duo of syrups and adds a powerful sweet/acidic bite that is as intensely orange as you could imagine.