I'm continuing to work on flavor and plating concepts while I'm on break. There's a lot of layering going on here: wine poached Argentinean red shrimp with gooseberry beurre blanc, wild rice with leeks and garlic, gooseberry-wine reduction, fried leek strips, and thyme-sauteed fennel with bell pepper and asparagus. I wanted to use my cape gooseberries with some New Zealand Sauvignon blanc -- known for it's distinctive gooseberry notes -- to make a dish with vibrant and diverse flavors. I also found some Argentinean red shrimp, which have some interesting lobster-like flavors, so I had a lot to play with. First, I pureed gooseberries with my wine, strained out the remaining solids, and set that to reduce slowly. Then, I sauteed some leeks in olive oil, added some garlic, and set my rice to cook with vegetable stock, bay leaves, and a star anise pod. I julienned the peppers, fennel, and asparagus, then pan seared them al dente with thyme and a splash of wine. I poached the shrimp in wine, then removed them and used the liquid with my gooseberry reduction and butter to make a beurre blanc. Finally, I plated the cooked rice, followed by a cascade of the vegetables, then topped them with the fried leeks. I added the shrimp, beurre blanc, and a few drops of gooseberry reduction, and the plate was ready for it's close up. All in all, the dish came together beautifully. The earthy rice and leeks two ways really grounded the vibrant gooseberries. The butter in the beurre blanc highlighted the lobster notes in the shrimp, and the veggies really brought the two halves of the plate together with their flavors, textures, and colors. #shrimp #buerreblanc #gooseberry #sauvignonblanc #wildrice #fennel #dinner #culinaryschool #foodporn https://www.instagram.com/p/Bumu1ikgxqS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4fuztxmqnn29
