omelet souffle + a diatribe on molecular gastronomy

Transglutaminase. Carrageenan. Xanthan gum. Isomalt. Calcium gluconate. Any of these sound familiar to you? These aren't part of a chemists laboratory, but staple items in top kitchens that use molecular gastronomy methods. None of these would have been part of the vocabulary of our hunter-gather ancestors, but they may open doors to new and fun ways to play with food.

Molecular gastronomy has been scrutinized by many as unnatural and not part of a healthy diet. As much as I love to sit down to a fancy tasting menu, I have to agree with this sentiment to some extent. Many of the food additives that chefs use in their kitchens have questionable health effects. Carrageenan, for example, can cause intestinal tumors in lab animals and is used on an industrial level to de-ice planes. Then there is the magic of transglutaminase which can glue scrap meat together making it indistinguishable from a prime cut.

These ingredients certainly do seem unnatural, and may pose a problem for those who have intestinal sensitivity issues, such as true celiac and Crohn's disease. Some of these additives do promote inflammation in the gut and may be very detrimental at certain concentrations. That's the problem with this issue, little is known about how much of these food additives can be tolerated. Certainly we wouldn't consume enough carrageenan to de-ice a plane but will the few grams contained in my pine-flavored foam irritate my stomach?

These and other food additives are of particular interest because I like to think of how I could use them to reinvigorate my sugar-free, grain-free diet. Chef Wylie Dufresne used transglutaminase to make pasta from shrimp—now that sounds Paleo-friendly. But can we call these ingredients food? Some of them are derived from natural sources like algae and bacteria. Somehow I don't think that when Michael Pollan said, “eat real food” he was thinking about food additives made from red algae.

Until I can figure out how to make pasta from pure shrimp, I will steer clear of using these additives in my kitchen. My dining adventures in the city will certainly call upon consuming some foams and gels here and there but these instances are seldom. In the meantime we can still play with our food by thinking about how to handle ingredients in unconventional ways. Use the techniques learned from the basics and expand them in new and creative ways. This is part of the philosophy of molecular gastronomy after all.

Let's begin with the simple omelet. Omelets are an easy way to turn eggs into something more exciting. Unfortunately, omelets aren't usually exciting. But if you make an omelet using the same techniques used to make a souffle, then you might have something more extraordinary for breakfast: the omelet souffle. This great idea comes from food scientists Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot of Ideas in Food. It may sound complicated for breakfast, but if you have all the ingredients at the ready, and work quickly, you can whip this up in less than 10 minutes.

Omelet Souffle

an experiment from Ideas in Food

3 eggs

scant ½ cup grated cheese (aged cheeses like cheddar, gouda, gruyere)

2-3 tblsp fresh herbs

1.5 tblsp butter (or oil of your choice)

Separate the eggs—put the yolks in a glass bowl and the whites in another glass bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add a pinch of salt to the yolks and whisk them together. Whip the whites until soft peaks form.

Melt the butter in a 8-inch, oven safe skillet. If you use a larger skillet, like I did, the souffle won't rise quite as dramatically but will still turn out excellent.

Add 1/3 of the whites to the yolks and whisk together. Next, gently fold the yolk mixture into the remaining whites with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and sprinkle all over with cheese. Place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until the souffle has risen and the cheese has browned. Carefully remove the souffle to a plate and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

Black Truffle Eggs

Eggs are a staple in the diet of those who follow a Paleo or Slow (Low) Carb lifestyle. Loading up on protein is important for weight loss. Eggs are a quick and easy source. Down 5 or 6 in the morning to rev up your metabolism. Add more still after your workout to help with muscle repair. You'd be amazed at the egg cartons that accumulate in my recycle bin.

But wait aren't eggs bad for you? Eggs get a bad wrap because of their cholesterol content. However, the research just isn't there to support that eating eggs affects blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol has become one of those demonized terms in popular culture and medicine. This fear exists despite the fact that cholesterol is a necessary molecule for synthesizing hormones, cell membranes, vitamin D, and maintaining nerve health and function. We rely on our livers to regulate cholesterol levels as our body needs it. There is little evidence that high cholesterol diets contribute to cardiovascular disease or similar conditions. That's right high cholesterol has little to do with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This notion is far from new and revolutionary, in fact its starting to become a mainstream idea that I will reference again and again on this blog. To avoid a long diatribe I will direct you to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCBMV6d9HSg&feature=related

With the big push in nutrition and public health to eat 'real food,' it doesn't get more real than eggs. Eggs are loaded with vitamins and minerals that add to their protein benefits. Their fat content is primarily polyunsaturated so it is important to choose omega-3 eggs which are usually from chickens fed flax. Load up on omega-3 eggs for their anti-inflammatory benefit. Just because the carton says vegetarian fed chickens don't assume they were fed flax or omega-3 enriched grain. Be sure to pick ones that specifically say omega-3 or list their content of EPA and DHA on the label.

I like eggs—I really do. But no matter how you cook them or whip them up, eggs can be boring. I'm always trying to think up news ways to keep eggs interesting. Eggs with hot sauce. Eggs fried in truffle butter. Eggs with tomato. Eggs with fresh herbs.

The latest wave of egg innovation in my kitchen is eggs with truffle salt. Hard-boiled eggs get lightly dipped in black truffle salt which makes eating 2 or 3... or 6 much easier to swallow. This flavored salt is tasty! And it has the added bonus of giving me a dose of sea salt in the morning when I really need it.

If you have chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia have you ever checked your blood pressure first thing in the morning? Does it read low? (Mine runs 80/60) This phenomenon is known as orthostatic hypotension. Have you ever felt dizzy upon standing too quickly? This is a similar experience as orthostatic hypotension but often blood pressure can take far longer to normalize. Just a small amount of salt first thing in the morning may give you the tiny bump in blood pressure that will get your head out of the clouds.

The variety of flavored salts is staggering. Explore the many options that Fusion has to offer on their website. Can you imagine espresso flavored salt on your next steak? Or vanilla salt on top of caramels? Ok, that one isn't Paleo but we can cheat right? I want to try them all.