Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 6, Elimination Challenge

4 Servings

For Caesar Dressing:

• 5 eggs
• 2 anchovy filets
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For Brioche:

• 250g bread flour
• 125g butter
• 125g milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 15g yeast
• 25g sugar
• 25g salt

Parmesan Gelée:

• 1 lb parmesan rinds
• 1 L water
• 5g agar agar
• 4 sheets gelatin

For Caesar Roll:

• 1 jicama, sliced into thin sheets
• 1 head romaine heart, thinly sliced (reserve small leaves for garnish)
• 1 jar anchovies

For Caesar Sphere:

• 500g Caesar dressing
• 9g calcium lactate
• 5g sodium alginate
• 1 L water

For Parmesan Tuiles:

• ¼ lb parmesan cheese, grated (reserve some for garnish)

1. For Caesar dressing, cook eggs in water bath (immersion circulator) at 64-degrees C for 1.5 hours. Remove and shock in an ice bath. Once cold, separate the yolks and discard the whites. Blend the yolks with the remaining ingredients.

2. For brioche, heat milk to 90-degrees F. Add yeast to warm milk and let sit until yeast is hydrated. Meanwhile, put dry ingredients in a stand mixer and turn on medium-low. Add butter and incorporate. Add milk with yeast and incorporate. Add yolks and incorporate. Mix for 5 minutes longer. Remove dough from bowl and continue to knead by hand. Grease a bread loaf pan. Shape dough and place in the loaf pan. Leave out at room temperature for 1 hour. Bake at 425-degrees F for 17 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before slicing.

3. For parmesan gelée, place rinds and water in a pot and simmer slowly for 1 hour. Strain rinds and heat liquid until reduced by half. Take the reduced liquid and blend with agar agar. Bring to boil and blend with gelatin. Pour into a container to set.

4. For Caesar roll, lay out the Jicama sheets and place romaine on top. Place a few anchovies on the romaine. Roll up like sushi.

5. For Caesar sphere, blend Caesar dressing with calcium lactate. Blend sodium alginate with water. Drop Caesar mixture into sodium mixture using a tablespoon. Remove the spheres from the bath and rinse in a clean water bath. Store in olive oil until ready to use.

6. For parmesan tuiles, sprinkle a layer of grated parmesan cheese on a plate and microwave for one minute. Peel off from the plate and break into desired shape.

To Serve:

1. Slice and toast brioche. Slice parmesan gelée to same size and place on top of bread. Warm under a broiler. Place on plate.

2. Slice the romaine “sushi” roll and place next to bread. Place Caesar sphere on top of roll.

3. Spoon Caesar emulsion onto plate.

4. Garnish with parmesan tuile, small romaine leaves, and grated parmesan cheese.

5. Add boneless chicken wing or cooked shrimp as an added component if desired.