Free Modernist Cooking Made Easy by Jason Logsdon Page A

1 teaspoon
    60 grams apple juice, about ¼ cup
    12 grams lemon juice, about 1 tablespoon
    1 teaspoon chopped garlic
    ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
    Salt and pepper
    4 grams agar, 0.75%
    0.5-2.2 grams xanthan gum, optional, 0.1-04%
    Add all of the ingredients except the agar and xanthan gum to a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
    Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust as needed. Once the sauce tastes balanced it is ready to be gelled.
    Sprinkle in the agar and blend well with the immersion blender. Let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes and then pour out into a container for it to set.
    Once the gel has fully set, roughly chop it into cubes and place it a blender or a container that works well with your immersion blender. Blend the gel well until it becomes a thick, smooth sauce. You can add water to thin it out or some xanthan gum to thicken it if needed.
    It can now be used as is or refrigerated for later use. It can be heated up to 80ºC / 175ºF before it will break down.

 
     
    T ERIYAKI S AUCE
    Teriyaki sauce is one of my favorite sauces. This sauce doesn’t take very long to make, besides letting the gel cool.
    Tools Needed
    Agar
    Xanthan gum, optional
    Immersion blender
    Immersion or standing blender
    Chinois, optional
    A scale with small gram measurements
    Ingredients
    80 grams soy sauce, about ⅓ cup
    60 grams hoisin sauce, about ¼ cup
    50 grams brown sugar, about ¼ cup
    100 grams diced pineapple, about ½ cup
    1 fresh red chile, diced
    2 garlic cloves, diced
    1 tablespoon grated ginger
    45 grams rice vinegar, about 3 tablespoons
    1.7 grams agar, 0.5%
    0.3-1.2 grams xanthan gum, optional, 0.1-0.4%
    Add all of the ingredients except the agar and xanthan gum to a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
    Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust as needed. Once the sauce tastes balanced it is ready to be gelled. For a more refined sauce you can strain it with a chinois before gelling it.
    Sprinkle in the agar and blend well with the immersion blender. Let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes and then pour out into a container for it to set.
    Once the gel has fully set roughly chop it into cubes and place it a blender or a container that works well with your immersion blender. Blend the gel well until it becomes a thick, smooth sauce. You can add water to thin it out or some xanthan gum to thicken it if needed.
    It can now be used as is or refrigerated for later use. It can be heated up to 80ºC / 175ºF before it will break down.

 
     
    B ACON- B LUE C HEESE S AUCE

    Smoky bacon and creamy blue cheese is a great pairing. We first infuse cream with bacon and then add blue cheese and iota carrageenan to gel it.
    It’s great as a topping on grilled steaks or even as a dip for vegetables.
    Tools Needed
    Iota carrageenan
    Standing or immersion blender
    Chinois
    A scale with small gram measurements
    Ingredients
    10 strips bacon, cooked and diced
    375 grams heavy cream, about 1½ cups
    Salt and pepper
    125 grams blue cheese, about ½ cup
    1 gram iota carrageenan, 0.2%
    0.5-2 grams xanthan gum, optional, 0.1% - 0.4%
    Pour the cream into a pot and add the bacon. Bring to a simmer and puree with an immersion blender until pureed well. Remove from the heat and let steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
    For a finer texture you can strain the cream through a chinois. Return the cream to the pot, add the iota carrageenan and blend well with an immersion blender. Bring to a simmer. Add the blue cheese and blend until mixed well. Remove from the heat and pour into a container for it to set.
    Let cool at room temperature, or in an ice bath, then place in the refrigerator to finish setting.
    Once fully set cut the gel into cubes and puree with a standing or immersion blender, or food processor until nice and smooth. If needed, you can add some water to thin it, or some xanthan gum to thicken it.
    After it is pureed it is ready to be