Modernist Cuisine at Home

Dr. Nathan Myhrvold is chief executive officer and a founder of Intellectual Ventures, a firm dedicated to creating and investing in inventions. In addition to stimulating the invention of others, Myhrvold is himself an active inventor, with nearly 250 patents issued or pending—including several related to food technology. Before founding his invention company, Myhrvold was the first chief technology officer at Microsoft. He established Microsoft Research, and during his tenure he oversaw many advanced technology projects. He left Microsoft in 1999 to pursue several interests, including a lifelong interest in cooking and food science.Myhrvold competed on a team that won first place in several categories at the 1991 World Championship of Barbecue, including first prize in the special pasta category for a recipe that Myhrvold developed on the day of the contest.After working for two years as a stagier at Seattle’s top French restaurant, Rover’s, Myhrvold completed culinary training with renowned chef Anne Willan at the Ecole De La Varenne. In addition, he has worked as Chief Gastronomic Officer for Zagat Survey, publisher of the popular Zagat restaurant guidebooks. Through his many visits to the world’s top restaurants, Myhrvold has become personally acquainted with many of the leading Modernist chefs and the science-inspired cooking techniques they have pioneered.Myhrvold is himself an accomplished practitioner of Modernist cuisine. He has contributed original research on cooking sous vide to online culinary forums, and his sous vide techniques have been covered in the New York Times Magazine, Wired, and PBS’s “Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie” television series.Myhrvold’s formal education includes degrees in mathematics, geophysics, and space physics from UCLA, and PhDs in mathematical economics and theoretical physics from Princeton University. In his post-doctoral work at Cambridge University, Myhrvold worked on quantum theories of gravity with the renowned cosmologist Stephen Hawking.Maxime Bilet received a BA in creative writing, literature, and visual arts from Skidmore College. Bilet then graduated with highest honors from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. He completed a stage at Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar and was quickly hired to the head chef position there by Jack Lamb. Moving to London, he accepted a stage with Heston Blumenthal’s development team at The Fat Duck. Just prior to joining the culinary team as head chef for recipe research and development at The Cooking Lab, Bilet trained as sous chef to open the London branch of Auberge de L’Ile. In 2011, Bilet was named to Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list in the category of Food and Wine.

Modernist Cuisine at Home is destined to change the way we cook—and the way we use recipes. For all of us who cook regularly, this book opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It is full of insights that encourage us to try something new, and that teach us something on every single page.-Martha StewartModernist Cuisine at Home offers useful techniques and solutions that expand our abilities, and it provides us with a practiced and thorough understanding of why things happen the way they do. Most importantly, it ignites a curiosity within and compels us to ask ourselves not “What should we make for dinner?” but rather, “What can we make for dinner?”-Thomas Keller

• PART ONE : STOCKING THEMODERNIST KITCHENChapter 1: Countertop ToolsInvaluable Modern ToolsDigital ScalesDigital ThermometersSilicone Mats and MoldsMicroplanesBlendersMixers and FrothersIce-Cream MakersBlowtorchesJaccardsInjectorsSieves and StrainersWhipping SiphonsJuicersDehydratorsChapter 2: Conventional Cooking GearStovesPots and PansPressure CookersConventional OvensCombi OvensMicrowave OvensGrillsChapter 3: Sous Vide Cooking GearFour Simple StepsGetting the Air OutCooking Sous VideChapter 4: Modern IngredientsUncommon IngredientsNot Your Parents’ SupermarketWalk on the Wild SideUnusual Fruits and VegetablesForaged FoodsPART TWO: RECIPESChapter 5: Composing and PlatingTexturesFlavor CombinationsPlate-Up TechniquesMenusTimingChapter 6: BasicsStocksPressure-Cooked White Chicken StockBrown Beef StockSous Vide Fish StockSous Vide Vegetable StockCorn StockMushroom JusRedeye GravyBrown Chicken JusRed Wine SauceHome Jus GrasSaucesPan GravyFluid GelCommon Problems When Thickening and GellingPressure-Cooked GravyPistachio PestoPesto VariationsMughal Curry SauceCurry Sauce VariationsSous Vide HollandaiseBasic MayonnaiseMayonnaise VariationsNot-So-Secret Special SauceKetchupSalsa VerdeMarinaraMarinara VariationsStrawberry MarinaraThai Sweet, Sour, and Savory GlazeOils and FatsSous Vide Lemon Herb OilHouse VinaigretteSpiced Chili OilMontpelier ButterStovetop Carotene ButterPressure-Cooked Shellfish ButterPressure-Rendered Chicken FatCondimentsGrilled ApplesaucePressure-Cooked Pickled Mustard SeedsGarlic ConfitPressure-Cooked Caramelized OnionsTomato ConfitTomato LeatherPickled VegetablesVacuum-Infused CeleryBriningBasic Brine for PoultrySweet Brine for MeatFish BrineMarinadeMarinade VariationsSpice MixesSpecial Curry SpiceChaat MasalaFish Spice MixPain d’Epices PowderChili Spice MixBasic Meat RubChapter 7: Breakfast EggsEgg TexturesFrench Scrambled EggsOmelet FillingsSteamed OmeletStriped Mushroom OmeletMushroom PureeCream of Mushroom VariationShiitake MarmaladeEggs Sunny-Side UpChapter 8: Salads and Cold SoupsRaspberry GazpachoFruit MinestroneSous Vide VichyssoiseOnion SlawEngineering a Great SaladGreen SaladPressure-Cooked Quinoa Salad with CauliflowerPressure-Cooked Chickpea SaladSous Vide Tuna ConfitPressure-Cooked Lentil SaladChapter 9: Pressure-Cooked Vegetable SoupsCaramelized Carrot SoupCaramelized Vegetable Soup VariationsPressure-Cooked Vegetable JusPressure-Cooked VegetablesPressure-Cooked BarleyVegetable Soup Plate-Up and PresentationChapter 10: SteakSous Vide SteakLow-Temp Oven SteakSous Vide Steak in a CoolerCreamed SpinachGrilled SteakGrilled Pork ChopLamb SkewersChapter 11: Cheeseburger and Milk ShakeModernist Hamburger PattyWhite Sandwich BreadUltrafrothy Milk ShakeCheeseburger AssemblyMeatloaf SandwichChapter 12: CarnitasPressure-Cooked CarnitasCarnitas VariationsCrispy Pork ChicharrónRefried Bean FoamPressure-Cooked Spiced Black BeansPressure-Cooked Pork Belly AdoboChapter 13: Short RibsSous Vide Short RibsPotato PureePork Belly B.L.T.Lamb CurryChapter 14: Roast ChickenHome Roast ChickenRoast Chicken VariationsBaked Chicken with OnionsSous Vide ChickenSous Vide Turkey LegsSous Vide Turkey BreastChapter 15: Chicken WingsSous Vide Buffalo WingsCrispy Chicken Wings, Korean-StyleCrispy Fried Chicken WingsBoneless Yakitori WingsTsukuneSkewer VariationsBuffalo SauceHoney Mustard SauceYakitori SauceKorean Wing SauceBlue Cheese SauceChinese Garlic Chili CondimentChapter 16: Chicken Noodle SoupAromatic Chicken BrothAromatic Broth and Soup VariationsFresh NoodlesDressed Noodle VariationsPressure-Cooked Carrots and LeeksChicken Noodle SoupChapter 17: SalmonFragrant Sous Vide SalmonCrispy Fish SkinSelecting SalmonChapter 18: ShellfishLobster RollPoached Lobster VariationMussels MarinièreClams in Chowder SauceSous Vide Braised SnailsChapter 19: PizzaNeapolitan Pizza DoughRustic Pizza DoughPoolishNo-Knead Pizza DoughPizza MargheritaOven-Fried PizzaPizza ToppingsChapter 20: Mac and CheeseMac and CheeseCheese VariationsBaked Mac and Cheese“Fat-Free” Mac and CheeseCheese CrumblePerfect Melting Cheese SliceGrilled Cheese SandwichesChapter 21: Risotto and PaellaParcooked Vegetable RisottoPressure-Cooked Paella del BoscoRisotto and Paella VariationsChapter 22: CornmealPressure-Cooked PolentaShrimp and GritsFresh Corn TamaleHush Puppy VariationChapter 23: Dishes for the MicrowaveMicrowave Eggplant ParmesanSichuan Bok ChoyBok Choy VariationsMicrowaved Trout with Scallions and GingerMicrowaved Fish VariationsMicrowaved Beef JerkyCrispy Beef StrandsCrispy Beef and Shallot SaladMicrowave-Fried HerbsInstant Chocolate CakeInstant Cake VariationsChapter 24: Custards and PiesCoffee Crème BrûléeVanilla Panna CottaLemon PossetSous Vide Lemon CurdSous Vide Crème AnglaisePistachio GelatoGelato VariationsShort and Flaky Pastry DoughSous Vide Pastry Cream