TGRWT #7 Entry: Caramalized Cauliflower and Cocoa

"They Go Really Well Together" (or TGRWT as it also abbreviated) is a food blogging event started by Martin Lersch of khymos.org.  The event's challenge is to create a dish that typically pairs two (though sometimes more) ingredients not usually seen together. And to be clear, these aren't random ingredients -- they have chemical compounds in common, and should (at least in theory) go well together in a recipe.  For this episode of TGRWT, graciously hosted by Papin at Flavor Alchemy, the challenge is:

1) to prepare a dish that combines caramelized cauliflower and cocoa. You can either use an existing recipe (if there is any) or come up with your own. You may use other ingredients; make a savory or sweet dish; use a lot or a little cocoa. It is your recipe, have fun. 2) Take a picture of the dish and write an entry in your blog by November 1st with TGRWT #7 in the title. Readers will be particularly interested in how the flavor pairing worked out, so make an attempt at describing the taste and aroma and whether you liked it or not.

There was just something about this challenge that got to me.  Certainly, I love to cook with chocolate.  Perhaps, it was the seeming unlikeliness of the pairing that draws me in.  But what to make and how to incorporate it believably in a dish?  Khymos has an example recipe for a simple caramelized cauliflower and a cocoa jelly, which while interesting, didn't get me any further down the road.  The one recurring thought I did have was of drinking chocolate with flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg, which made me think of a cocoa/wine braised lamb shank recipe I have.  The original recipe was out of Gourmet or Bon Appetit (I will research this.  Always acknowledge your sources. UPDATED: September, 2002 Bon Appetit.  Here is the URL: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/107081)  I have adapted and refined the recipe a bit: I added the xanthan gum and also the cocoa, inspired by the distinct cocoa note the braising liquid generates.  Additionally, the original recipe didn't skim the reduced liquid or filter with different seives. 

And since caulflower is used by low-carb eaters as a replacement for potaoes, why not make a mashed cauliflower preparation as a base for the lamb and the wonderful cocoa sauce that would result?

 

Cocoa/Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 lamb shanks
  
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 large carrot, chopped
  
• 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
  
• 2 cinnamon sticks
  
• 2 small bay leaves
  
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
  
• 2 tablespoons gin
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  
• 1 750-ml bottle merlot
  
• 28 ounces brown chicken stock
  
• 2 tablespoons Penzey's Dutch cocoa powder
  
• 1/4     teaspoon xanthan gum
  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof pot (wide enough to hold lamb in single layer) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb on all sides with salt and pepper. Add lamb to pot and sauté until brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer lamb to plate.
   
2. Add celery, onion, carrot, garlic, cinnamon, bay, thyme and gin to pot. Sauté until vegetables brown, about 20 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add wine and all stock; boil until liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, skimming any foam from pan.  Add cocoa, whisking it until incorporated.  Return lamb to pot, arranging in single layer; add any accumulated juices.
   
3. Place lamb in oven and cook covered until tender, turning occasionally, between 2 - 3 1/2 hours. Transfer lamb to plate and hold. Defat braising liquid. Strain liquid through series of fine mesh sieves.   Add xanthan gum and reduce to nice sauce consistency.  Adjust seasoning.
   

Mashed Caramelized Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 2 heads cauliflower, cut off stalk and sliced in 3/4" slices
• for drizzling: olive oil
• to taste: sea salt
• 8 oz heavy cream
• 3 oz extra virgin olive oil
• to taste: salt
• to taste: black pepper

Method

1. Heat oven to 350ºF.  Put sliced cauliflower on sheet pans lined with parchment.  Drizzle olive oil on cauliflower and lightly salt.  Put cauliflower in oven, cooking for 15 minutes, flipping, then cooking for 15 minutes more.
   
2. Let cauliflower cool a bit, then robot coupe briefly.  With blade running, slowly add and emulsify cream, then oil.
   
3. Plate with mashed caramelized cauliflower at base, with lamb and then sauce over top.
   

The verdict?

The lamb was perfect.  The braising liquid is so rich, it almost automatically ensures a successful result. Low and slow, how can you go wrong?  Nailed.  Individual muscle groups fall off beautifully, fork-tender to the touch.  A+

The sauce kicked righteous ass, too.  Rich, almost like a meaty chocolate bar.  Kinda classic and kinda Aztec.  A

The cauliflower?  Ahhh.  I'd definitely take it a different direction.  They really weren't that good.  I wanted them to be.  But they weren't. And don't take that to mean that there isn't promise in them.  As mentioned elsewhere, if you smell caramelizing cauliflower at the right time, it reminds you deeply of cocoa.  The power in caramelized cauliflower lies in the whole product.  Either do it thick, say like 3/4", and properly caremelized, or make nice, slender slices that can be deepfried or baked into chips.  D

So, ok, enough about my personal assessment of the dish -- plusses and deltas?

PLUSSES:
+ I have no doubt  that caramelized cauliflower and cocoa work together; the main question is "How best?"
+ The braising liquid is beautiful.  Lamb shanks can handle a powerful braise and this one steps up to the plate.

DELTAS:
+ I wouldn't mash the cauliflower again.  Either cut into 3/4" slices and caramelize properly, or make nice, slender slices that can be deepfried or baked into chips.  I think cauliflower chips with cocoa would be really interesting.
+ Next time, garnishes.  The dish in the picture isn't an entirely thought-out dish; rather, it answers the question posed by the challenge.  It was about flavors.  As such, it is entirely concerned with the intersection of cocoa and caramelized cauliflower.  There is much room to explore here; this could be a really pretty plate once it gets out of the earth tone palette.

UPDATE 11/9/2007: I updated the recipe to correct an ingredient. I noticed that the braise was calling for veal stock. I guess I fat-fingered the ingredient when putting it into MacGourmet. The actual ingredient should be brown chicken stock. I love brown veal stock, but I think this dish would have been over the top and unbalanced with veal stock.

Comments

[papin]

Cocoa and meat was the challenge of TGRWT #5. I have since become a fan of chocolate and meat, and I find myself adding a pinch of cocoa every so often to meat. I will have to try your sauce.

[tartaredotorg]

Papin, I hope you do try it. I reviewed the past TGRWTs and was disappointed upon realizing I had missed the chocolate and meat competition. I think that, at least for lamb and beef, chocolate is a natural. I do a mean chocolate/cumin beef short rib that would have been my entry.