Saffron Poached Pear with Mint Custard

Saffron and pear might seem a strange combination, but it works! A pinch of saffron in the poaching liquid is all that is needed to give it a golden yellow colour. After simmering in the sugared liquid for 20 to 25 minutes, leave the pear to cool in the liquid for half a day. The longer it is left in the liquid, the more intense is the colour.

For the custard sauce, I add a few pods of crushed cardamon and finely chopped fresh mint leaves to give a twist to the flavour. Before serving, dust the pear with caster sugar, and caramelise it with a chef's blowtorch.

Cuttlefish Mouth with Grilled Chilli and Wasabi Sauce

I bought a 2.7kg cuttlefish and it has a mouth the size of a ping pong ball. The only place in the world that people eat squid mouth is in Vietnam. In keeping with my attitude of not wasting food, I decided to vacuum poach it at 65 deg C for 45 min. To my surprise, it has a crunchy texture, akin to that of eating raw geoduck clam. I served it with wasabi soy sauce and skinless baked red chilli.

Ice Filtered Consomme of Pork with Shrimp

This crystal clear consomme has a really intense flavour as a result of ice filtration. It is an amazing technique discovered by German scientist Gerd Kloeck. I learn about the process from Blumenthal's In Search of Perfection cookbook. Several steps are crucial to success. There must be enough gelatin in the stock to make it gel, and it should be frozen only after it has gelled. The stock is then thawed very slowly in the refrigerator over a filter paper or cheesecloth. The thawing may takes up to 36 hours. If it thaws too quickly at warmer temperature, the fat will melt back into oil droplets and fall into the consomme, making it cloudy.

The consomme is served hot, with buna shimeji mushrooms, wolfberries and a poached jumbo shrimp.

Rack of Pork Loin with Coffee and Peach Sauce

I adapted this recipe from the Fat Duck Cookbook. I attempted the pork loin with the rib bone attached, which was not described in the book. The meat was tender and the bone came out clean. But I wished it could be a lot juicier. I used the same SV parameters for pork belly, at 60 deg C for 36 hours. I should have done it for a maximum of 4 hours. Nonetheless, I did managed to get the skin crackling.

For the accompaniment, I have poached nectarines (peach wasn't available) in thick sauce made with peach and apple juice, black coffee, sherry vinegar, mirin and soy sauce. The bitterness of black coffee counters the sweetness of the juices and mirin.

Gambas al Ajillo Negro

Gambas al Ajillo is a classic Spanish cuisine often served as a tapas. It is commonly prepared with prawns sauteed in olive oil, bay leaves, dried chilli and cloves of delectable garlic. Here, I create a variation using black garlic. The soft, mellow molasses-like richness of the black garlic contrasts with the succulent savoury prawns, giving this popular dish a new twist.

For a comparison of both flavours at the same time, I have this black and white garlic version.

Alitas de Pollo sin Hueso

I saw a boneless chicken wing tapas recipe from "A Day at elBulli" and decided to try it. The chicken wing is seasoned with salt, pepper and ginger and slow cooked in a vacuum bag for 18 hrs at 70 deg C. The book recommended 24 hrs at 60 deg C, which I find impossible to have the bones removed without tearing the wing. One end of the bone is trimmed and then carefully removed. The wing is then pan fried in medium heat till it is well browned.

Here, I make a chicken wing bruschetta. The wing is placed over a bed of grilled bell pepper and foccacia. I add a slice of black garlic to give it a 'sweet meets savory' taste.

Black Mussels with Salsa and Chilli

The inspiration for this recipe comes from one of Nobu Matsuhisa's many mussel dishes. The mussels are steamed in small batches so that each one can be quickly removed as soon as the shells open. This retains the juices, and leaves the flesh nice and plump.

For the salsa, I use finely chopped onion, ponzu sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic ginger paste and parsley. This salsa pairs really well with the barely cooked mussels. The red chilli slices give the mussels a spicy zing. The cold arrowroot noodles absorb the flavorful mussel liquor that spills on plate, and add texture to each mouthful.

I make a variation with this flavorful baked skinless red chilli that has been marinated in herb and olive oil for a week. Fresh whole red chilli has to be baked at 75 deg C for 8 hours before the delicate skin and seeds are carefully removed.

This is yet another variation, with melted mozzarella cheese, basil and tomato pesto.

Golden Snapper with Sweet Miso

The roasted aroma from a miso coated fish is mouth-watering. Here, the marinade is a paste made of sweet miso, mirin and wine (I used shaoxing wine instead of sake). The fish fillet is coated with the paste and left in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. It is then wiped off and grilled without oil until the skin is crisp. For the sauce, I reserved a tablespoon of the miso paste and add rice vinegar to taste.