Having access to a laser cutter has made me think differently about food. Although I’ve lasered more edibles than I care to mention, one of the most successful substances for laser cutting is nori – the seaweed paper used in sushi making. Although nori cuts well, it is extremely delicate and brittle. Inspired by that delicateness, I decided to use the nori as a garnish for duck consommé, a crystal-clear soup made from duck stock. The potato creates a dramatic color contrast and allows the Japanese maze design cut out of nori to sit just above the level of the liquid.
Makes: 8 zen bowls
Total kitchen time: about 6 hours, depending…
Shopping list:
- 8 cups duck consommé, prepared
- 4 russet potatoes, fat and round
- 1 tbsp. rendered duck fat
- 8 laser-cut nori designs of a Japanese maze
Special equipment: laser cutter, 2” biscuit cutter, vacuum sealing machine, sous vide heating immersion circulator
- Slice the potatoes into 1” thick discs. Using the discs that are at least 2” in diameter, cut out 8 rounds with the 2” biscuit cutter.
- Place the potato circles in a vacuum bag and add rendered duck fat. Vacuum seal.
- Cook potatoes in an 85C water bath for 1 hour.
- To serve, place a potato slice in the bottom of a large bowl. Blot the top of the potato with a paper towel to dry the surface. Add 1bout 1 cup of consommé to the bowl. Top with a piece of nori.
If you don’t have access to a laser cutter (a travesty!) you can try cutting shapes using a very sharp hobby knife.
Wicked toy. How does one get access to a laser cutter?
I wish I could reveal my source, but it might jeopardize my access 🙂 For others, I’ve heard about hacking/modding workshops to which you can buy a monthly membership and get access to tools like laser cutters, 3D printers, and other prototyping tools.
No worries. Having a secret laser just makes it that much cooler. I hope it’s in an underground lair underneath a skull-shaped mountain. 😉
The laser makes me jealous. The food makes me hungry! Neat idea!
First of all, this is a great use of the laser cutter. But there is something I NEED to ask you. Why is the term “gastronomy” applied to the manipulation of foods when the prefix “gastr” denotes the STOMACH? The molecular work that is being done by “gastronomers” has nothing to do with the stomach but has to do with the food itself. It irks me a lot and I was wondering if you actually had any idea why this is.
@Allie The term Molecular Gastronomy was coined by Herve This in order to get use of a conference facility that was reserved for scientific conferences. So, in some sense, it was just totally made up instead of being derived by the 6 people in the world who still use Latin on a regular basis 🙂
If it makes you more comfortable, you can switch to the term “Modernist Cuisine”.
“Use a laser cutter.”
“Where can we get one?”
“I can’t tell you.”
FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
wow!!! this is super awesome.. design, art meets food.
You only use potato to create that beautiful orange color?
I find it very interesting.
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No man was ever wise by chance.
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