I'm a big fan of bold, punchy flavours. When I opened Oblix in London's Shard, the word that was used to describe these flavours was "electric". As the world's major cities bubble away as rich melting pots with diverse cultural influences, we find Sambal, Shatta, Romesco, and Harissa have become familiar household names.
A few years ago while working under a chef who took one of the world's most recognisable Japanese brands global, we began discussing consistency in volume operations. "We need to remove the human element of seasoning" he said, and these words haven't left me since. Everyone's pinch of salt, drizzle of dressing, and crack of pepper are different.
So the answer was to build as much seasoning as possible into dressings, brines, marinades, salsas, and sauces. By controlling the production of these batches with the quantifiable measures of time, weight, and volume measure, we could have a firmer grasp on ensuring that each of the 600 portions of some dishes sold weekly were consistently delivered onto the pass.
In specifics, perhaps instead of seasoning a bowl of vegetables with salt before being tossed with a dressing, the salt is built into that dressing, and added in a measured amount; say, a tablespoon. Brining and salt-curing are great ways to incorporate flavour and seasoning consistently into proteins before cooking. And by taking an approach that puts a strong emphasis on the accuracy of prep (mise-en-place) we future proof against our inconsistencies in labour skill level as well.
Putting the work into developing these flavourful components and building them during the prep shift (or offsite in a centralised production kitchen) also makes for an easier, quicker, more consistent service. Some chefs gravitate toward prep, and have no interest in the fire of service. Others are happy to dance their way through busy service, but the long morning of prep can make it a shattering day to endure. By segregating these two specialised workforces who support each other with diverse skill sets and interests, we achieve a workload which is balanced, and unlock the potential for our teams to serve more guests.
Below is a recipe for an oriental dressing I learned to make from the consistency-obsessed chef I mentioned above. It is equally at home on grilled fish, seared beef, rice, charred hispi cabbage and anywhere punchy, bold flavours are required.
The key to this dressing is to very finely mince/brunoise the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and chillies.
ORIENTAL DRESSING
Ingredients
12g garlic, finely chopped
65g ginger, finely chopped
30g green chilli, finely chopped
7g red chilli, finely chopped
35g lemongrass, finely chopped
190ml lemon juice, fresh squeezed & strained
200ml soya sauce
80ml sesame oil
90ml grapeseed or other neutral oil
45g coriander leaves, finely chopped
Finely chop the garlic, ginger, chillies, and lemongrass. Place into a medium mixing bowl.
Add the soya sauce, oils, and lemon juice.
Ideally, allow the flavours to combine overnight before adding the chopped coriander.
Whether you're a home cook or hospitality professional, flavour bombs such as this are a great way to deliver big flavours consistently, while making your home or restaurant service that much easier.
Other flavour bomb inspiration:
Belazu have an amazing range of punchy sauces and condiments that wake your food up a spoonful at a time: https://belazu.com/
Thomas Straker understands the value of putting the work into the prep and delivering consistent flavour during service via his insta-famous flavoured butters https://www.instagram.com/thomas_straker/
Sat Bains shared thing or two about flavour bombs as well during Covid: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fHXAuJPxE/
There's a tasty solution to every problem. I'd love to help you find yours 👨🍳
-Ryan
Comentarios