Day 46 - Pages 245 - 248 - Ko Kimchi Consommé, Pork Belly, Oysters, & Napa Cabbage

Today, chefs are experimenting with consommés using the gelatin technique developed by Harold McGee. The Momofuku consommé uses the traditional egg white raft method
to make a clear, flavorful soup that ties together Chang's reinterpretation of the Korean bo ssäm. In this dish, the kimchi becomes a consommé that was somewhat difficult but incredibly fun to make.

First, I whipped egg whites and folded in some lean ground pork and chopped onions.

Then I pureed a cup of week-old kimchi

 
and added it to 2 cups of ramen broth and water. I placed the egg white mixture on top of the broth and simmered it, lightly stirring and basting the whites to keep them moist.

After about 30 minutes, particles in the broth migrated up to the egg whites and formed a semi-solid mass - the raft. I removed the raft and filtered the broth and any remaining bits through two layers of cheesecloth. The elixir was clear, slightly tinged with red from the chiles, and the perfect essence of kimchi.

Next, I roasted the pork belly. By now, I'd done a few times so it was pretty easy.

I cut a triangle into the base of each cabbage leaf to remove the tough, white part and then blanched the leaves in boiling water for a few seconds.

I drove up to Tomales Bay Oyster Company and picked up some of their extra smalls. When got home, I shucked the oysters carefully preserving the liquor in the shells and heated scalene triangle slices of pork belly over a hot grill.

I plated all the elements and poured some of the warmed consommé up to the rim of the oyster shell. I was really happy to see it all come together and it was indescribably delicious.