silverado strawberry tableau

Ingredients

• 100 grams | ½ cup oatmeal stout nuka
• 2 kilograms | 8 cups whole milk

• 775 grams | 3 ¼ cups silicone A
• 775 grams | 3 ¼ cups silicone B
• 16 | unripe strawberries

• 300 grams | 2 cups unripe strawberries
• 400 grams | 4 ⅔ cups oatmeal stout nuka
• 80 grams | ⅓ cup water
• 200 grams | 1 ½ cups chopped white chocolate (35 percent cacao)
• 100 grams | ½ cup sugar
• 220 grams | 1 cup nuka milk
• 100 grams | ½ cup heavy cream
• 24 grams | 12 sheets gold gelatin, bloomed in ice water and wrung
• gently of excess water

1. FOR THE NUKA MILK: Combine the nuka and half of the milk in a blender and mix on low speed until smooth. Strain through a chinois into a bowl and add the remaining milk. Hold at room temperature for later use.
2. FOR THE STRAWBERRY MOLDS: Place the silicone A and silicone B in a disposable pail and stir with a wooden stick to combine. Using a strong, instant-bond glue, secure the strawberries, stem side down, onto a sheet of acetate, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart. Place a sturdy metal frame around the edge of the acetate sheet, surrounding the strawberries. Pour the silicone mixture in a thin ribbon (to avoid air bubbles) into the frame, submerging the strawberries completely. Let stand for 6 hours, until set. Lift off the frame with the 24 strawberry molds and discard the strawberries.
3. FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Bury the unripe strawberries in the nuka in a plastic container and refrigerate for 12 hours. Rinse the nuka from the strawberries under cool running water, transfer to a blender, add the water, and mix on high speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Strain through a chinois into a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and add the chocolate, sugar, nuka milk, cream, and gelatin. Heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until evenly melted, forming a glaze. Remove the chocolate glaze from the heat and pour through a chinois into a sauce gun or a funnel. Fill the strawberry molds with the glaze and let stand for 2 minutes. Flip the molds upside down to remove any excess glaze, then place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Scrape the excess glaze from the exterior of each mold, then apply a second coat of glaze, following the same steps. Store the molds in the freezer.
4. FOR THE FERMENTED STRAWBERRY PUREE: Bury the strawberries in the nuka in a plastic container and refrigerate for 12 hours. Rinse the berries under cool running water, pat dry, and transfer to a blender. Mix on high speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth. Strain through a chinois into a bowl and hold for later use.
5. FOR THE STRAWBERRY SORBET: Combine both strawberry purees in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Combine the trimoline, half of the sugar, and the water in a small saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, stir together the remaining sugar and the sorbet stabilizer in a small bowl. When the trimoline mixture begins to simmer, whisk in the sorbet stabilizer mixture and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and pour through a chinois into the puree mixture. Whisk until well mixed, then stir in the citric acid.
6. Pour into an ice cream machine and run a cycle for about 4 minutes, until the sorbet is dense but not terribly stiff. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Fill the chocolate-coated strawberry molds with the sorbet, cleaning off the surface of the mold to ensure the strawberries have a flat side. Place the completed strawberries in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
7. FOR THE STRAWBERRY CAKE: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Spray a quarter sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a food processor and mix briefly to blend. Combine the nuka milk, strawberry puree, and egg in a bowl and stir to mix well. Add the nuka milk mixture to the food processor and pulse, adding the butter at the same time, until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 2 hours.
8. Place a wire rack on a half sheet pan. Invert the cake onto a cutting board, then turn it top side up. Cut the cake into 8 equal squares. Slice off the top of each square with a bread knife to expose the inside texture of the cake, then arrange the squares on the wire rack. Combine the chocolate, cocoa butter, and titanium dioxide in a double boiler over gently simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, to 120°F (49°C). Strain the chocolate through a chinois and transfer to a chocolate sprayer. Spray the cakes with the chocolate twice and store in the refrigerator.
9. FOR THE STRAWBERRY GEL: Combine the strawberries and gellan base in a blender and mix on high speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Strain through a chinois into a bowl, then transfer to a squeeze bottle and store in the refrigerator.
10. FOR THE DEHYDRATED MILK FOAM: Line a dehydrator tray with a silicone baking mat. Stir together the nuka milk and glucose in a shallow saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and heat to 180°F (82°C). Remove from the heat and froth the milk with an immersion blender. Using a slotted spoon, lift off the top layer of the foam and place it on the mat-lined tray. Dehydrate at 120°F (49°C) for at least 6 hours, until light and crispy.
11. FOR THE AERATED WHITE CHOCOLATE: Combine the chocolate and cocoa butter in a double boiler over gently simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally to melt fully, to 140°F (60°C). Transfer to a siphon canister and charge with 3 nitrous oxide cartridges. Discharge the chocolate into a vacuum storage box, compress on high, and immediately transfer the box to the freezer for about 3 hours, until the chocolate has fully solidified. The aerated white chocolate can be stored in its vacuum storage box at room temperature for up to 1 month.
12. Release the pressure from the box and break the white chocolate into small pieces. Put the freeze-dried strawberries in a spice grinder and pulverize them. Dust a fine layer of strawberry powder over the white chocolate pieces. Store in an airtight container in cool, dry area.
13. FOR THE CRYSTALLIZED STRAWBERRY LEAVES: Line a dehydrator tray with a silicone baking mat. Warm the gelatin in a shallow pan over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat, add the egg whites, and whisk to incorporate. Using a brush, paint a thin layer of the gelatin mixture on both sides of a strawberry leaf, dip the leaf into the coarse sugar to coat evenly, and place on the prepared dehydrator tray. When all of the leaves are coated, dehydrate at 125°F (52°C) for at least 2 hours, until completely dry.
14. FOR THE NUKA MILK GEL: Combine the nuka milk and gellan base in a blender and mix on high speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Strain through a chinois into a bowl, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.
15. TO SERVE: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Place a rack on a sheet pan, and arrange the Silverado Trail strawberries on the rack. Roast for 8 minutes, just until they begin to soften. Let cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Lay a square of the white chocolate-sprayed cake on each of 8 flat plates. Garnish each plate with a few dots of the strawberry gel and the nuka milk gel. Arrange 2 frozen “strawberries” and 1 roasted strawberry on top. Finish with the dehydrated milk foam, aerated white chocolate, crystallized leaves, and strawberry flowers.