Steemit Iron Chef #11 - Bell Pepper Appetizer Plate

A Mysterious Egg, Crudités, Bell Pepper Dip Wrapped in a Crispy Bell Pepper Cylinder and Bell Pepper Crackers

We are on week 11 of Steemit Iron Chef and there's another flurry of beautiful entries centering on a designated theme. This week it's the bell pepper, a beautiful and versatile vegetable that comes in the most vibrant of colors.

So what's an egg doing on a bell pepper appetizer plate? Well, it's not an egg; it just resembles one.

The Mysterious Egg

I used frozen reverse spherification to make the "egg yolk". It is mainly made of yellow bell pepper juice atop a thick and creamy coconut gazpacho then served in an eggshell .

I've covered spherification before but if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below. Below are links to my previous posts on molecular gastronomy and spherification:
Beetroot Sphere
Strawberry Coulis Spheres 1
Strawberry Coulis Spheres 2
Molecular Mixology with Chef Zachary

The 'Egg Yolk' - Yellow Bell Pepper Sphere

Here's the yellow bell pepper sphere in the sodium alginate bath.

The surface gels in the bath forming a skin that encapsulates the liquid.

The 'Egg White' - Coconut Gazpacho

Below are the main ingredients.

A closer look at the 'egg', that is, yellow bell pepper sphere over coconut gazpacho.

Crudités

A bundle of bell pepper strips and other veggies on the rightmost in the photo below

Bell Pepper Dip

I made a dip of roasted green red bell pepper. Since I still had some potatoes left from last week's competition, I boiled it and added it to the dip to give it some mass and a flavor different from bell peppers. This dip goes well with the crudités.

Crispy Bell Pepper Cylinder

This is such a delight. Although it serves as a vessel for the dip, it could have been the star of the plate. It's a delicate, thin cracker that scores points on taste and texture. There's no mistaking the taste of roasted garlicky peppers with a hint of rosemary and a slight sweetness that harmonizes perfectly with the roasted veggies. Then when you bite into it, it's crispy and brittle but also melts in your mouth. No kidding, it really does. I kept snacking on them!

The ingredients to make the purée

Spread then bake.

Voila!

Bell Pepper Crackers

This is where the other crunch is happening. The crackers round out the plate and can be eaten by itself or with the Bell Pepper Dip above.

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A Mysterious Egg, Bell Pepper Crackers, Crudités and Bell Pepper Dip Wrapped in a Crispy Bell Pepper Cylinder

Bell Pepper Sphere in Coconut Gazpacho (make a day in advance)

Ingredients

1 yellow bell pepper
50 grams vegetable broth
Salt to taste
1.25 grams calcium lactate
7.5 grams sodium alginate
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1500 grams cold distilled water

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)
2 1/2 - 3 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
Salt

Directions

For the 'egg yolk'

Cut bell pepper into big chunks. Put in food processor together with broth. Season with salt to taste. Strain using a fine mesh strainer. Measure 125 gms of the liquid. If you have less than this amount, measure 1% of calcium lactate. Add the calcium lactate to the bell pepper mixture. Use an immersion blender to combine all ingredients (approximately 2 minutes). Let sit for 30 minutes. Skim bubbles that have risen to the surface. Pour into small hemisphere mold. Freeze overnight.

Combine sodium alginate and sugar. Pour the distilled water in a high-speed blender and blend. When a vortex is formed, gradually add the sodium alginate mixture into the vortex. Continue to blend for ~2 minutes. Pour into a container and cover. Store the sodium alginate bath in the fridge overnight to allow the bubbles to rise to the surface and pop.

Heat sodium alginate bath until it reaches 125^oF. In a separate bowl, pour water. This is the water bath.

Drop a frozen bell pepper hemisphere into the sodium alginate bath. Gently swirl in the bath for ~2 minutes. As the skin forms, it will lose the hemisphere shape and will transform to spheres.
Take the spheres from the sodium alginate bath and slowly lower into the water bath.
The bell pepper spheres' skin is permeable so do not leave them in the water bath as it will water down your sphere. Serve immediately or if spheres will not be served immediately, transfer them into a liquid or juice (can be the same flavor liquid) that would infuse the right flavors into the sphere.

For the 'egg white'

Sauté garlic and ginger in a little bit of oil. Add coconut milk and broth. Season with fish sauce and salt. Chill.

Bell Pepper Crackers

Ingredients

1 small yellow bell pepper
3 pieces dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons flaxseed
Fresh oregano leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Use dehydrator or if using oven, preheat oven to 105^oF.

Soak the dried tomatoes in water for about 15 minutes. Slice the bell pepper into big chunks then put in food processor. Add tomatoes and oregano. Process until blended. Season with salt and pepper.

If using an oven, put a silicone mat on a cookie sheet. Spread mixture evenly and thinly on the silicone mat. Cook for 5 - 7 hours or until dry.

Crudités

Ingredients

Assorted veggies

Directions

Slice veggies into thin strips.

Bell Pepper Dip

Ingredients

1 small potato, boiled
1/2 green bell pepper, roasted
1/2 cup yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a food processor, put potato, roasted bell pepper and yogurt. Process until creamy. If mixture is too thick, add more cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Crispy Bell Pepper Cylinder

Ingredients

5 bell peppers
1/2 cup olive oil
1 sprig rosemary
3 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon liquid glucose

Directions

Preheat oven to 350^oF.
Cut the bell peppers into big chunks. Peel garlic. Put the bell peppers, garlic and rosemary in a big bowl. Sprinkle salt. Drizzle olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender and roasted.

Toss the rosemary sprig. Put the roasted peppers in a blender and purée.

Preheat oven to 185^oF.

Make a syrup with the sugar and water by heating up the mixture on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture has slightly thickened.

Add syrup, liquid glucose and lemon to the blender and continue to purée until well blended. Season with salt to taste.

Line a cookie sheet with silicone mat. Spread purée evenly and thinly on the silicone mat. Place in oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours.

Cut into strips and shape as desired while hot.

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Bon Appetit!

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