Friday 10 May 2013

Ep 7: Sorbet: Tarts & Barquettes


Meat meet.

Eight ate.

 

Plasma, hearts, spleen:

A deep red ribbon

Whirring in his blender.

Extruding from his grinder.

Laid upon his table

Mesmerizing guests.


That bad Hannibal! He really knows how to keep a food stylist running. Now he’s having a whole bunch of friends for dinner – and that’s not counting the guests.

In the production meeting, we discuss the massive food scenes: Freezing Frenzy - Hannibal stashing his ill-gotten groceries in his Sub-Zero mini-morgue; Frying Frenzy - Hannibal cooking for a huge party: Feeding Frenzy - Hannibal presenting a lavish dinner for eight. The organ tally is mounting. I'll need organs going into the freezer, out of the freezer, onto the chopping block, through the grinder, into the ovens and onto the dinner table. More meat every way all day.

Layout of platters proposed for the dining room table

At the abattoir, my boxes of carefully culled “hero” organs are ready. Also, a pail of pig’s blood which I need for a scene where Hannibal separates blood in a centrifuge so he can use the clear plasma in a tomato broth. My guy at the plant tells me pig’s blood is not used for food much these days, but it’s more in demand by non-food industries. His company ships barrels of it all over the world to make iron supplements. Then he tells me something I can hardly believe: many slaughterhouses sell their blood to cigarette companies to put into the filters. Something about the high protein binding qualities of hemoglobin make it excellent at trapping toxins, keeping the poisons from getting into smokers’ lungs. I shake my head. Why not just eat bacon? Smoky and delicious.

Every head cheese should have a cucumber tiara studded with radishes - in the foreground, wild boar pate and king and shiitake mushrooms

I just get my offal beauties vacuum-pack for the freezer insert shots when I find out - of course, there is a last-minute change in the shooting schedule. We are shooting the dinner scene in two days! I need more organs!!!! There’s no time to requisition them from the abbatoir. I have go to the ethnic butchers and work with what’s on the racks.

I stop in at the Italian butcher who has gut, heart and liver but is horrified by my request for lung and spleen and rushes me out of his shop like I’m Rosemary’s Baby’s godmother or something. My humiliation is complete in Chinatown, where I ask for lungs, heart and liver in mangled Cantonese. “Gee yeoh…gee whang lei…gee sie,” I sing-song which sends the men at the meat counter into spasms of laughter. They are killing themselves guffawing and gasping for air as I pound my chest like Celine Dione trying to communicate “lung”.  They supply me with some of the body parts on my list and I move on, hoping to find more and better specimens elsewhere. Thank goodness for the Sino-East-West Indian shops out in the suburbs where they display everything in rows of styro trays.

Heart Tartare in vol-au-vents - a great suggestion by Robyn Stern from Jose Andres ThinkFoodGroup

Shoot day is a killer with nine food scenes. One of my assistants, Kristen Eppich, goes on-camera as a cook’s helper in the big kitchen scene. My 1st assistant, Ettie Benjamin and I stay in the trenches and handle the food prep. Our prep tables are covered in bloodied cutting boards, wads of plastic wrap, mixing bowls and pots and pans. Emerging from this mass -- a headcheese the size of a volleyball wearing a cucumber tiara, platters of galantine, liver en gelée, blood sausages, carpaccio, sopressatta and wild boar pate. Not a leafy green in sight. The director wants a meat-only dinner. And you and I and millions of viewers know what kind of meat. There are only eight people in the world who don’t -  and they are applauding Hannibal as the credits roll.

The dinner scene: A hand (and a leg and a lung) for Dr Lecter         photo: Brooke Palmer/NBC

I had to pvr Hannibal this week so I could throw octopus at the tv while I watched the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (I just happened to have about 20 lbs of octopus on hand for a scene I’m prepping for Dr Cabbie, the movie I’m working on right now.)  So I will view it on the weekend. This gives me time to whip up a tray of canapés to snack on while I watch it with friends. Here are a couple of recipes adapted from  Hannibal’s dinner so you can do the same:

Brain and Tartare Canapés

Here are two fillings for puff pastry tartlets. You will need 24 mini pastry shells which you can buy ready-to-use or frozen and ready-to-bake. If neither are available, buy blocks of frozen puff pastry and prepare as described below.

Tomato Brain Barquettes

Tomato Brains are the discovery of Molecular Gastronomy master, Adria Ferran and brought to my attention by Jose Andrés, our brilliant culinary advisor. They are a lesson in seeing the unusual in the ordinary. If you gently tear away the flesh from a tomato, you will reveal the seed jelly clusters which shimmer within every tomato like handfuls of ruby cabochons – or the brains of tiny Martians, depending on how your mind works. He suggested stuffing them in pastry shells for our grand banquet. I’ve added a schmeer of tapenade to add a bit of zing. 

12                barquettes or tartlet shells

3 to 4            large ripe plum tomatoes
2 Tbsp          prepared tapenade or chopped Nicoise or Kalamata olive
                     freshly ground pepper and sea salt
                     chervil, parsley or chive


1. Cut off the top ½ inch of the stem end of a tomato. Leaving the seed jelly clusters intact, gently tear away the tomato flesh to reveal a wedge-shaped cluster of seeds. Slide the tip of a sharp paring knife under the seed cluster to release it from the core of the tomato. Carefully set aside on a plate. Repeat until you have 12 to 16 clusters.
2. Spread 1/2 tsp of tapenade in the bottom of 12 of the prepared pastry shells, Slide one or two tomato brains in to shell. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with a leaf of chervil, parsley or lengths of chive.

Lobotomizing tomatoes for your pastry shells

Beef Tartare Tarts

For the Dinner For Eight, Hannibal served Heart Tartare. The recipe here is for Beef Tartare although if you want to add more flavor, texture and frisson to your canapé tray, instead of beef, substitute fresh veal heart, trimmed of fat and tendons and chopped very finely. For the half-hearted, use a mixture of ground sirloin and minced heart.

12                    barquettes or tartlet shells

4 Tbsp             good quality olive oil
1 Tbsp             finely diced cornichon pickle
1 Tbsp             Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp             Worcestershire sauce
8 oz                 beef sirloin, ground OR heart, very finely minced
4 Tbsp             minced shallots
1 tsp                orange zest
freshly ground pepper and sea salt
            capers
                        truffle oil (optional)

1. In a large mxing bowl, combine olive oil, pickle, mustard and Worcestershire. Add beef, shallots and zest. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Set aside in fridge until ready to serve.
2. Just before serving, fill 12 pastry shells with beef mixture. Mound remaining mixture in the centre of serving dish and surround with filled tarts. Drizzle with truffle oil and garnish generously with capers.


To make 24 Pastry Shells:

1 – 14 oz pkg            frozen puff pastry
¼ cup                        melted butter, optional

1. Thaw dough according to instructions. Pre-heat oven to 400°. On floured board, roll half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness into a rectangle that is about 9 x 7 inches . Press into small barquette tins or shape shells as follows: Cut dough into rounds using a 2-inch cookie cutter. Using a 1-inch round cutter, press an impression in the middle of each 2-inch round. The impression should be as deep as possible without cutting through the dough. Prick inside round with fork tines. Repeat with remaining dough.
2. Place rounds on baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool as you prepare fillings below.
3. Prepare the rounds for filling by pulling out a few layers of the center round from each, leaving a 1/4-inch wall around the outer circumference of each shell, thus forming a well for the fillings.
4. Brush shells with butter for flavor, if desired.

Post Script

A lot of you have been asking about the High Life Eggs from the Episode Formerly-Known-As-4 which was pulled from broadcast and only available on line. I’ll post the recipe and details in a couple of days.

Also, details about a Hannibal Dinner that is being held at a pop-up June 18.

Next week: Girlfriend Sausage in Saffron Rice 

44 comments:

  1. You, ma'am, are an artist. I love being uncomfortable with how delicious everything looks on the show!

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    Replies
    1. Uncomfort food! It could be the start of a new culinary trend. You've given me some food for thought - thanks!

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  2. Amazing work on this episode; I'm a staunch vegetarian and I still thought it looked incredibly appetizing. Your behind-the-scenes stories are always so entertaining -- thank you for sharing them with us.

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    Replies
    1. A lot of the meat - when I fake it for the camera - is made out of gluten, vegetable or cereal. Not in this episode, though. Everything was meat and there was so much of it. Thanks for viewing!

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    2. Oh neat! It's funny, I was reading the other comments about repulsion/attraction, and that aspect didn't even occur to me because I assumed the repulsion element of what I felt was to do with the fact that I thought meat looked even remotely appetizing. But nope, seems like that was intentional too -- so congratulations, you and Hannibal manipulated my emotions even more than I was aware of!

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  3. I sincerely hope you take this as a compliment (as it is meant.) I am amazed at how insanely beautiful every platter and plate of food is on Hannibal, while at the same time also looking completely sickening and vile. Does that make sense? I hope that's what you're going for, because it's working perfectly!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the fascination of repulsion-attraction is exactly what I'm going for - thanks for seeing that. I think that is the essence of Hannibal's personae and I want his food to be an expression of that.

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  4. Your work is absolutely gorgeous!

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    Replies
    1. Your compliment is absolutely appreciated!

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  5. Your food is so beautiful and after this week's episode my roommate and I went into quiet, fond raptures over the amazing duck heart tartare we had at Toronto's Black Hoof. (If you get a chance, do try to check it out!)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the dining tip! I will definitely check it out. Here's a Toronto dining tip for you - The Cookbook Store is planning a pop-up Hannibal Dinner June 18. It's going to be a tasting menu prepared by Matt Kantor who did pop-ups for El Bulli when they were in Toronto. He'll be making dishes like brain ravioli, white asparagus with smoked tongue, chocolate-blood ice cream...

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    2. Oh my goodness, thank you! I'll be sure to go.

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    3. You had my interest. Now you have my attention! Big fan of your work in Toronto.

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    4. Thanks Sean. We are so proud of our crew in Toronto.

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  6. Amazing work on the show! very fascinating how you convey the viewers that those food are from people's body parts. I really want to try to make the baked stuffed heart--actually I just contacted my butcher to order some veal hearts. Maybe the recipe will be on here at some point?

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  7. Enjoy the stuffed heart! I just used a moist dressing with soft bread bits, lots of bacon and butter, mushrooms, onions, herbs and covered the hearts with slices of pancetta before roasting. A red wine duxelles from the lamb tongue recipe (episode 5) would be good with that - just use more wine and stock to make it into a sauce. Or something a little tart and fruity like the plum-berry sauce (from the foie gras recipe episode 4).

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    Replies
    1. It was amazing!! the sauce and flavor profile worked really great with the heart. thank you. I am sure I got a bunch of people hooked on the show after the dinner

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    2. That's fantastic -- you will be forever thought of as the host with the most heart!

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    3. Hey, DoubleTeE, if you took any photos of the hearts you made, I'd love to post them on a new page I'm compiling of Hannibal food that readers/viewers have made from my recipes or from their own. Send to janicepon8@gmail.com

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  8. Your dinner spread looked sumptuous! Hope your next shoot isn't such a wild chase around the city!

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    Replies
    1. There's no rest for the cook of the wicked!

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  9. I love your work! Coming back week after week to get a behind-the-scenes look at the meals on the show is awesome AND informative. PS, any word on the High Life Eggs recipe?

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    Replies
    1. Yes! Sooner than later. I have a scan of the original 18th century recipe in Spanish which I will post as well. I know I keep saying I'll post the recipe and it keeps falling off the bottom of my to-do list. But it's coming! I was thinking of testing a version using duck eggs - my new favorite thing.

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  10. Hi Janice, I tried your recipe and cooked a feast of episode 7! The pork heart and tomato roses was a great hit. And galantine is also a good choice. I love your work. How can I show your some pictures of my feast work,

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    1. I'm working how to do this. Some suggest Tumblr but I think I'll try to set up a gallery on this blog. If you email your photos to

      Janicepoon8@gmail.com

      I'll post them on this blog so everyone can share and enjoy.

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  11. Hi Janice, loving the work on Hannibal! My husband and I are huge fans of your show, and it's all because of your beautiful food! You're an inspiration :)

    I was wondering if we could get your recipe for wild boar pate? I can't find an adequate one online - yours looks so smooth and unadulterated! I'd adapt a recipe but I'm a pate newbie.

    Keep up the awesome work!
    -Salvatore

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    Replies
    1. That wild boar pate is from Sanagan's in Kensington in Toronto. I forwarded your request and compliments to them and will post the recipe as soon as he sends it. My own country terrine is a rough one - I'm guessing double-grinding the pork and adding breadcrumbs to the mixture would make a smoother texture.

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  12. Hi Janice, I love your work on Hannibal and I really love this blog!
    Soon I'll make the baked stuffed heart, do you have any suggestions/advice that will help me?
    Thank you for your amazing work.
    -Chiara

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  13. Great Blog! Was there any brain in this meal? I don't see it in your notes, and although we see him handling the brains earlier in the episode when he's preparing for the dinner party, I don't think I see it on the table. Any thoughts on when/where the brain was used?

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    1. We didn't use brains - they were requested but we couldn't get them in time for the shoot. I think what you saw was Hannibal making Head cheese from snouts and ears and other yummilicious stuff.

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  14. This scene. Oh my gosh. But the camera doesn't have time to linger on each dish the way I wish it would, so I love coming to your blog and getting my fix. Had to try my hand at my own Hannibal banquet, posted here: http://roemfo.blogspot.ie/2014/07/the-hannibal-special-stuffed-roast.html

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  15. Hi Colin- It took me a year to read your blog - no one could ever accuse you of skimping on detail - but it was so much fun to read and I applaud your work and the variety of recipes and the authenticity of your photography. Anyway, I really enjoyed your Heart and Kidney banquet. Thanks for sending me the link!

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    1. Thank you so much Janice. I actually feel kinda guilty for wasting your time, that recipe was practically a novel! Really, I just wanted to try my hand at cooking something inspired by the incredible work you do on the show. I'm so happy that season 3 is here! Looking forward to seeing what Hannibal cooks up :)

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    2. I love the attitude you have to cooking and it was fun to read your blog where each recipe is like a conversation, not a science project.

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    3. Food has got to be the most tireless conversation. Everyone in the world has conversations about what's for dinner. Of course, once you start having conversations WITH what's for dinner... then you've got something in common with Dr. Lecter.

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  16. I think I missed something. I've been looking over for the recipe for the skewered heart and tomato roses, but have been unable to find it to recreate the dish. Is there a specific reference anyone recommends?

    I do plan to do the pork spleens (from the pop-up party) as soon as I have my next dinner party.

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  17. Is it easy to become restaurant chef? No! You just need to know some reasons why tarts crack and ways that you could avoid that from happening:
    1. over whisking the ingredients – try to whisk your ingredients as minimal possible, using low speed with your mixer
    2. high temperature – cheesecakes are better to be baked at a lower temperature so know your oven
    3. over baked – they are cooked when you gently shake the pan and the cheesecakes wiggle a bit, with the center looking as if it’s not fully set

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    ReplyDelete
  19. "Is it easy to become restaurant chef? No! You just need to know some reasons why tarts crack and ways that you could avoid that from happening:
    1. over whisking the ingredients – try to whisk your ingredients as minimal possible, using low speed with your mixer
    2. high temperature – cheesecakes are better to be baked at a lower temperature so know your oven
    3. over baked – they are cooked when you gently shake the pan and the cheesecakes wiggle a bit, with the center looking as if it’s not fully set"

    ReplyDelete
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