TGRWT#8 White Chocolate and “Caviar”

“White Chocolate and Creme Fraiche Consomme”

Smoked Banana and Caramel “Caviar”,

and Whipped Asiago”

I have been thinking really hard about chadzilla’s combination for the eighth TGRWT of white chocolate and caviar. Since this combination was made famous from Chef Heston  at the Fat Duck I immediatly thought of another very famous dish if not the most famous dish in the world Thomas Kellers ”Oyster and Pearls”. I wanted to do a twist of it with oyster mushrooms or chicken oyster but, in my head I could not make to combination of oyster mushrooms or chicken oysters with the combination of white chocolate. Previously I found the flavor medley of white chocolate and asiago and I rolled with it.

I had already made the white chocolate and creme fraiche consomme and was REALLY pleased with the results. The consomme was best cold so I went from there I dropped the whole “Oyster and Pearls” thing, but I really wanted something smoked. Bananas popped into my head and I thought I really did not have time to consomme the bananas (for the color so, I worked with the problem and made it a great addition). I have smoked bananas before and they were great (this time I used maple wood and was very happy with the results) so, I decided to make the bananas the “caviar”. They were smoked and tossed in a dry caramel then finished with water and cream to make a broth. With the addition of a little fleur de sel the overall flavor was awesome. At first you get the creamy asiago with a cheesy saltyness then the smoked sweet banana then, the creamy texture of the whipped asiago makes you think that the creme fraiche flavor from the consomme came from the creamyness that you got from the sabayon (it was really cool) then it all was finished with a blending of the banana into the white chocolate. Truly a flavor combo to remember. I served this dish as the amuse.