Archive for February, 2011
In a Pickle: CO2 vs. N2O for Fry Batters – Fried Pickle Recipes
Crispy. Sweet. Sour and a little salty. And…warm?! Yes friends, a good fried pickle is certainly something to love. At Flip Burger Boutique found in Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL, fried pickles are one of the most popular items on the menu. The secret to their success? Chef Andrew Nix of Flip tells all in the Birmingham News blog post, utilizing an iSi Creative Whip to create his vodka-tempura batter. The result is a lighter and crisper fried pickle – no soggy or greasy gherkin found here! While Chef Nix prefers to create his batter with an iSi cream charger, other chefs go for the soda charger. Naturally, we had to test it both ways:
Fairly simple in execution, there are the basic rules to remember: Don’t overmix your tempura batter and keep in mind basic frying 101 rules (keep the heat consistent)!
The results? Yes, there are some differences in the batter, but the differences were subtle. The batch made with the soda charger produced an especially light and airy tempura batter that tasted almost grease-free. However the batch made with the cream charger seemed a bit heavier, producing a grainier, more bread-like texture.
Which do you prefer? Either way, these babies will put a smile on your face. After all, who doesn’t love a good fried pickle?
FLIP BURGER’S FRIED PICKLES RECIPE
Ingredients for tempura batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
1 cup light beer
¾ cup vodka
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon honey
Combine all-purpose flour and rice flour together in mixing bowl and slowly add in liquid ingredients. Pour into a 1-pint iSi Creative Whip and screw on an iSi soda or iSi cream charger. Shake and let stand 10 minutes.
Ingredients for fried pickles:
1 cup bread and butter pickles, sliced thinly (about ¼ inch)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup tempura batter (see recipe above)
1 teaspoon dill, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
Place pickles into mixing bowl, straining first. Toss pickles into all-purpose flour, shake off excess flour and place in clean, mixing bowl. Spray tempura batter lightly on pickles and toss until thoroughly covered. Shake off excess tempura batter and drop into fryer set at 325F. Fry until golden brown and crisp.
To serve:
Once pickles are done, place pickles into clean mixing bowl (you can line it with a paper towel to help absorb excess grease) and season with salt and pepper. Add dill while pickles are still hot.
Post by Bao Ong
Photos courtesy of Tom Henning
Sneak Tasting: International Home + Housewares Show 2011
Will we see you at the International Home + Housewares Show 2011? We’ll be there and we’re so excited! The industry-only event runs March 6 through 8 in Chicago. We’ll be serving sweet and savory bites, including mini Easy-iSi-Cheese Burgers. Our recipe is made with real, aged cheddar cheese and was inspired by our friend, Top Chef All-Star finalist, Richard Blais and his Cheese Wizard recipe. Richard stopped by our booth last year!
This year we’ll be on the lookout for even more celebrity chefs in the house, including Emeril; Iron Chefs Masaharu Morimoto, Cat Cora, Michael Symon, and Marc Forgione; Food Network stars Paula Deen and Guy Fieri; Top Chef Master Rick Bayless; beloved PBS chefs Sara Moulton and Ming Tsai; Australian chef (and one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive!) Curtis Stone – and many more.
We’ve been working on the menu throughout the year, perfecting recipes at work and home, with family and friends, for holidays and every day.
Our Home + Housewares Show 2011 menu includes:
Belgian Waffle Bites with Coffee Whipped Cream
Easy Cheese Sliders
Donut Holes with Mocha Mousse
Coconut Milk Pancakes with Banana Cream
Andouille Sausage & Mash
Angelic Devil’s Food Cake with Cinnamon Cream
Raisin French Toast Sticks with Maple Whip
Tiny Tot Shrimp Po’ Boys with Creole Dressed Slaw
Every item will feature live demos of the Creative Whip, using cream and soda chargers, as well as our Easy Whip, Gourmet Whip, and Fill It injector tips – to stuff those cream puffs.
We hope to see you at the show, but even if you can’t make it let’s meet back here where we’ll share our insider peek during the event and wrap up with more recipes you can make at home!
A Refreshing Valentine’s Day Mocktail
Cranberry Rosemary Mocktail Brings out the Valentine’s Day Romance
There’s the glass of Champagne before the nice dinner and then there’s some chocolate to savor. A toast on Valentine’s Day is in order when you’re spending it with a loved one.
But if you’re pregnant or someone who simply doesn’t (or can’t) drink, worry not! Mocktails are all the craze these days.
The iSi Creative Whip can help you come up with some tasty, fizzy options. Below is a recipe for a refreshing cranberry and rosemary mocktail. But the options are endless. You no longer have to stick to plain water or unhealthy, sugar-laced sodas.
Even better, the new wave of mocktails are just as creative as any cocktail. They can be sweet and herbal or bitter and fruity all at the same time. Cheers!
FIZZY CRANBERRY-ROSEMARY MOCKTAIL
Ingredients for 1 pint Creative Whip
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup cranberry juice
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
In a saucepan, bring water to a light simmer before adding the sugar. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lime juice and a rosemary sprig to infuse the sugar water. Let simmer for one minute and take off heat to cool. Refrigerate until needed. When cool, combine with cranberry juice to taste and pour into a 1 pint Creative Whip. Screw on an iSi soda charger and shake vigorously.
To serve:
Dispense the drink into a glass with ice and garnish with a rosemary sprig. Serve immediately.
Recipe and post by Bao Ong.