What I've learned thus far from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc is that the man responsible for Per Se and the French Laundry is obsessed with, and uniquely thoughtful about, little details that make big differences. So, for example, his prime rib is torched briefly with propane to ensure caramelization even at 275 degrees. And his potato pancakes (which I think of as hashbrowns) are grated, washed, dried, and then tossed with cornstarch to get the proper internal texture. I loved this technique, and the results, even if I became inpatient and pulled them off before the thick crust I initially wanted.
2 comments:
What do you think of Ad Hoc as a cookbook for a beginner-ish cook?
I think it's very nice, in that it includes a roast chicken dish and a beef dish, which covers all sorts of entertaining right off, with some nice technical tips. Downsides are that it is limited in scope a bit, but you can just buy a broader book later.
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