siMple doesn’t mean easy recipes by with daniel genevieve huMM ko

photographs by gabriele stabile

116 Lucky Peach here’s no single phrase to tableside at Eleven Madison Park the plate, it’s as plain as can be: one describe Daniel Humm’s shocks with the celery-ness of the green line, lightly glossed, next to a cooking. His restaurant, celery root and toasted walnuts that creamy white circle. But it’s a visual Eleven Madison Park, sits smell like fall. trick: the round of silky potato hides high on the World’s 50 Best It seems so simple—and that’s a puddle of black-trufe purée, which Restaurants list. It’s racked exactly what Humm wants. For Humm, heightens the straight-from-the- up a clutch of James Beard “simple” does not mean “easy.” He says, ground grassiness of the asparagus. The TAwards and received three stars from “Food is coming a lot more simply to vegetable itself is as rich as meat. (A Michelin. Since he moved to Manhat- me now. Even at twenty, my goal was steam in pork-fortified dashi helps.) tan nine years ago, Humm has cham- to make the food simple, but when Where is Humm headed with all pioned local farmers, redefined his you’re that young, it’s just not possible. this refinement? When will he know cuisine to embrace the city’s native It takes skill.” Now thirty-eight, Humm he’s pared things down to their ideal dishes, and injected energy into the has started stripping his plates of all form? “Maybe you never arrive,” local fine-dining scene. But his influ- extra flourishes. The resulting clean, he says. “Arrive is the wrong word; ences draw from far beyond New modern precision feels, again, decidedly it’s more personal. It’s when you’ve York’s borders. Swiss. Like Roger Federer’s one-handed arrived as who you are, when you’re In some ways, Humm’s food is backhand—an elegant extension of the very comfortable with who you are.” quintessentially Swiss—he hails from old form, extraneous gestures removed That comfort level—confidence, just outside of Zurich. He doesn’t for a more perfect finish. really, built from validation—allows serve traditional Swiss dishes, but his To achieve that perfect "simple" fin- Humm to explore more freely. “Some- food evokes the feeling of stepping ish, he works double time behind the times, when I talk about my ideas, into crisp Alpine air: everything looks, scenes. You can see this most clearly in everyone looks at me like I’m crazy. smells, and tastes a degree or three his vegetable cookery. Take, for exam- But then when they eat it, they think sharper. A Waldorf salad assembled ple, his asparagus in pig’s bladder. On it’s amazing.”

releasing a warm, meaty in which it sits must be Bladders Black- scent. He then whisks away simmering just enough to the bladder and returns heat the broth inside so it INGREDIENTS: Truffle with the asparagus from steams the slightly floppy 10 pigs’ or cows’ bladders within—succulent and balloon into a taut but not or 1 roll fata paper Asparagus meaty, yet still retaining the overfilled sphere. 20 thick asparagus spears freshness of snapping of a Nor is the bladder just for + kosher salt in PIG’S spring stalk and biting into show. While the technique 10 thyme sprigs it raw. works with fata paper, which 2 C TRUFFLE PORK DASHI BLADDER The dish is nothing looks like cellophane but can Makes 10 servings Herb Bundle new, actually: early in his withstand high tempera- ½ bunch celery, sliced classical French training, tures, the resulting dish lacks lengthwise into thirds server sets a cop- Humm learned to cook a the extra dimension of the ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley per pot filled with traditional poularde en original. Still, it’s worth using ½ bunch chervil steaming stock vessie. He just swaps the if you can’t find a good blad- ½ bunch tarragon and an herb bou- traditional Bresse chicken der. They’re hard to come by. 8 C BLADDER BASTING BROTH quet on the table. for asparagus here. Though + Black-Truffle Puree AA chef swoops in to float an he and his chefs make Note: Eleven Madison Park has + Potato Puree inflated pig’s bladder in the the technique look easy, a staf of professional cooks. A liquid, explaining that within it’s not. The bladder can’t big one. And dishwashers, too. this hay-colored balloon are have a hole in it. Even if These recipes are involved, to special equipment: spears of asparagus. Holding it’s flawless, it must be say the least. If you’re going Siphon with carbon-dioxide onto the top of the bladder, continually moistened or it to attempt them, you’ll want chargers he steadily ladles liquid over may dry out and crack. The to make at least 10 servings. Rafia ribbon, for tying the parchment-thin skin, temperature of the broth Have a party. bladders and herb bundles

The PLAnt KingDoM 117 Heat the Bladder Basting 1 T cornstarch Broth and the herb bundle + shaved black trufle (this could in a large, shallow sauce- be trufle peelings; EMP pan over medium-low heat uses about 1 gram’s worth) until steaming. Add a filled 1½ C PORK BROTH bladder, letting it float but + ginger juice holding on to the top. (Work + lime juice with 1 portion/inflated + kosher salt bladder at a time.) Baste + xanthan gum, if needed with liquid continuously until the asparagus and Toast the kombu over dashi are warmed through an open flame until and the bladder inflates 1 it just begins to wilt. slightly, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and (This is when you present soak in a bowl of water for it tableside to wow your 30 minutes. guests then take it back to the kitchen to finish.) Drain and combine the kombu with ¾ Carefully open the 2 cup fresh water in bladder and trans- a small saucepan. Bring to 7 fer the contents to a just under a simmer; do not Place the bladders in plunge the asparagus into the saucepan. Heat gently over let the liquid bubble. Cover, a large bowl, cover ice-water bath. Once cool, medium-low heat until hot, turn of the heat, and steep 1 generously with drain well. about 5 minutes. for 45 minutes. water, and weigh them down with a clean, rust-free wire Place 2 asparagus For each serving, Add the bonito flakes. rack. Refrigerate overnight. spears into each spoon a little Black- Let soak for 12 min- 5 washed and soaked 8 Truffle Puree onto 3 utes and then strain Change the water and bladder, along with 1 thyme a plate. Cover the trufe through a clean cotton nap- soak for another 6 sprig. Divide the Truffle Pork purée with the Potato Puree. kin or cheesecloth set in a 2 hours in the fridge. Dashi evenly among the Lift the plate and gently sieve over a small saucepan. Change the water again, and bladders. Using an empty tap the bottom against a Season to taste with white soak once more for another 6 siphon charged with carbon work surface to flatten soy and bring to a simmer. hours. Rinse the bladders well dioxide, fill each bladder the purées into a single with cold water, inside and about two-thirds of the way, round. The potato should Meanwhile, whisk out, right before using. Alter- and twist the top to form a completely cloak the trufe. together the nately, if using fata paper, cut slightly deflated balloon. Tie Arrange the hot asparagus 4 cornstarch and 2 it into 10 2-foot squares. the top tightly with rafa next to the purées and tablespoons water in a small and trim the ends. (If using spoon the sauce from the bowl to create a slurry. Trim of and discard fata paper, fit the paper pan on top, leaving the Stir the slurry into the the tough woody ends into a narrow bowl, fill with thyme behind. simmering dashi to create a 3 of the asparagus; peel asparagus, thyme, and dashi, sauce-like consistency. Add the bottom 1½ inches of then gather up the sides more cornstarch slurry if each spear. and hold tightly to create a Truffle Pork needed. Add the black trufe narrow opening. Insert the and taste again to see if it Prepare an ice-water siphon through the opening, Dashi needs more soy. bath. Bring a large fill, and tie.) Makes about 2 cups 4 pot of salted water Stir in the Pork ¼ sheet kombu to a boil. Add the aspara- Tie together the Broth. Season with gus and cook until tender, herb bundle ingre- 1 C bonito flakes 5 ginger juice and a + white soy sauce about 4 minutes. Immediately 6 dients with rafa. small amount of lime juice.

118 Lucky Peach Add white soy and salt to the fat into the broth. bones; discard most of the and cook, stirring, until fra- taste. Add more cornstarch fat from the pot. grant and tender. slurry if needed to main- Heat a cast-iron tain a rich consistency. If skillet over high Brown the onion Turn up the heat the fat from the pork broth 4 heat. Add the and celery in the a smidge, add the separates, blend in a tiny garlic, onion, and ginger 2 same pot. Return 2 Madeira and cook, bump of xanthan gum to and cook, turning regularly, the bones to the pot and stirring and scraping, until keep it emulsified. until very charred on all add water to cover, about the pan is almost dry. Add sides, 2–5 minutes. Add to 1¼ gallons. Bring to a boil the trufe juice and reduce the boiling soup, reduce the then reduce the heat to by half. Remove from PORK BROTH heat to a simmer, and cook maintain a simmer. Add the heat and stir in the Makes 1½ cups for 45 minutes. the garlic, parsley, bay remaining ½ tablespoon leaves, thyme, and pepper- butter. Immediately transfer 1½ lbs pork knuckles Drain the broth into a corns. Cook, skimming any to a blender and purée until 1¼ lbs chicken wings large saucepan, press- foam and impurities that very smooth, adding a little 10 oz chicken feet 5 ing all the juices out of rise to the surface, until water if needed to blend. 1 pig’s foot, split the cooked meat. Depending the meat falls of the bones, Season to taste with salt, 1 lb pork belly on the size of your pot, you about 5 hours. trufe oil, and apple vinegar. 1½ heads garlic, should have about 6 cups halved crosswise of liquid. Bring to a boil and Strain the broth Potato ½ small onion, cut in reduce to 1½ cups, about into a clean large Puree ½" thick slices 30 minutes. Season to taste 3 saucepan. Bring to 4 oz ginger, cut in ½" thick with white soy and ginger a boil, then reduce the slices juice. Chill and reserve until heat to maintain a simmer + kosher salt + white soy sauce ready to use. and cook until reduced to 5 oz fingerling potatoes, + ginger juice 8 cups, about 45 min- peeled utes. Chill and reserve until ½ C heavy cream Heat the oven to BLADDER ready to use. 4 T unsalted butter 400°F. Spread the BASTING + brown butter 1 pork knuckles and BLACK- chicken wings in a single BROTH Bring a medium layer on a half-sheet pan. Makes 8 cups TRUFFLE saucepan of salted Roast until deeply browned, PUReE 1 water to a boil. Add about 1 hour. + grapeseed oil the potatoes, reduce the 4 lbs meaty pork neck bones 1½ T cold unsalted butter, heat to maintain a low Place the chicken 1 small white onion, peeled divided simmer, and cook until feet, pig’s foot, and and chopped 2 t sliced shallot tender. Drain and pass the 2 pork belly in a stock- 2 large stalks celery, chopped 1 oz canned black trufle, potatoes through a fine pot. Add the roasted meats 1 small head garlic, halved chopped tamis or food mill. Hold in a and cover with cold water. crosswise 1 T Madeira medium heatproof bowl. Bring to a boil over high ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley 2 T black trufle juice heat and skim away any 3 bay leaves + kosher salt Bring the cream foam and impurities that 4 thyme sprigs + black trufle oil and butter to a rise to the surface, keeping 1 t black peppercorns + late-harvest apple vinegar 2 simmer in a small the fat in the broth. saucepan and gently fold Heat a large stock- Melt 1 tablespoon into the potatoes. Season Boil the soup over pot over high heat and of butter in a large to taste with brown butter high heat for 8 hours, 1 coat with oil. Add the 1 skillet over medium- and salt. The potato purée 3 adding water as it pork bones and sear, turning low heat until foamy. Add should be a thin consist- reduces to keep the meat often to brown them evenly, the shallot and cook, stir- ency—a bit more like covered. It’s important to until deeply caramelized. ring, until translucent but cream of potato soup than boil the soup to emulsify Remove and reserve the not browned. Add the trufe mashed potatoes.

The PLAnt KingDoM 119 Rinse the kombu under cold SMoKED DAIKON running water, then soak it in cold Makes 10 servings 1 water until pliable. Drain, then transfer to a large saucepan with the tea or this dish, Humm reimagines the leaves, vinegar, glucose, white soy, and 8½ time-honored New York spread, cups of water. Bring to a simmer, remove smoked fish and accompaniments from the heat, and let steep for 1 hour. served with bagels, as a collection Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a of vegetable dishes. Small plates clean large saucepan; reserve 1 sheet of Fof carrot pastrami, parsnip salad, pick- kombu. Season the kombu brine to taste led kohlrabi, and trufed radishes stand with salt. in for classic condiments. In place of lox or smoked sturgeon, there’s daikon rad- Cut the daikon into 4-by-6-by-½- ish with all the tight chew and brininess of inch planks. Run a vegetable peeler something out of the Russ & Daughters’ 2 along the corners to round the edges case. To accomplish this, Humm poaches so the planks resemble sturgeon fillets. planks of radish in kombu and white soy combined with smoky Lapsang souchong Bring the kombu brine to a simmer tea. He then blends the kombu into a purée and add the daikon. Adjust the heat to coat the poached radish before smok- 3 to maintain a low simmer and poach ing it. At the restaurant, they double down the daikon until cooked through, about 45 on the smoke, serving the radish under a minutes. Do not boil or reduce the liquid; it cloud in a glass dome. Although the radishes will get too salty. resemble sturgeon fillets, Humm says, “This shouldn’t taste like fish. It should taste like Meanwhile, place the reserved radish. I just want it to look like fish—not kombu sheet in a small saucepan exactly, but enough to make people think, 4 and cover with cold clean water. Oh, wow.” To hammer home the connection, Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to Humm serves the radish with thin, crisp maintain a simmer and cook until the toasts, cucumber “caviar,” and crème fraîche, kombu is completely tender, about 20 which, like their deli equivalents, balance minutes. Transfer the kombu to a blender the smoky savoriness of the main event. and puree until very smooth. Pass through a fine tamis or food mill. INGREDIENTS: 2 sheets kombu Heat a smoker loaded with ⅓ C Lapsang souchong applewood chips to 325°F. Remove tea leaves 5 the daikon from the tea and pat dry. 3½ T rice wine vinegar Brush with the kombu purée and place in ¼ C glucose syrup a single layer in the smoker. Smoke for 45 ⅔ C white soy sauce minutes. + kosher salt 1 large daikon radish, To serve, cut the daikon into trimmed and peeled ¼-inch-thick slices on a steep bias + very thin slices good 6 and serve with the toasts, crème bread, toasted fraîche, and cucumber. At Eleven Madison + crème fraîche Park, they serve the daikon slices on a + peeled, seeded, minced cucumber small wire rack on a pedestal inside a glass dome and fill the dome with smoke. You Special Equipment: can serve them more simply, if you don’t Smoker setup of your choice happen to have a glass dome and smoking and applewood chips gun on hand.

120 Lucky Peach The PLAnt KingDoM 121 122 Lucky Peach ring the Turnip Dashi Heat a broiler or Dried Turnips. Return to a TURNIP IN and Smoked Butter to salamander. Fit a simmer, then remove from Ba simmer in a large, 1 wire rack into a half- heat. Transfer to a large DIFFERENT wide skillet. Add all the tur- sheet pan, and spread the bowl and cover tightly with nips and cook, gently turn- sliced turnips on the rack. plastic wrap. Steep in a TEXTURES ing, until completely glazed, Broil until the turnips begin warm spot for 30 minutes. Makes 10 servings about 5 minutes. Divide to dry out and turn light the turnips among serving golden brown, about 2 Strain the dashi his started out as a dishes, then top with the minutes. Transfer to a large, through a cofee duck salad—a beau- cooking liquid. wide saucepan. 5 filter set in a sieve. tiful all-white com- Season to taste with white position of thin rib- Add the shaved soy, kombu pickling liquid, bons of turnip TURNIP DASHI turnips and enough and salt. Blend with a tiny Tintertwined with duck lardo. Makes about 4½ cups 2 water to cover, about bump of xanthan gum as But Humm wanted it to 8 cups. Bring to a simmer needed to reach a sauce- work for vegetarians as well. 2 large turnips, cut into very and cook for 45 minutes. like consistency. To replace the meat, one of thin slices his cooks pickled and dehy- 4 Tokyo turnips, shaved into Meanwhile, heat the drated turnips to create paper-thin slices pine branch in a large SMoked Butter something that reminded 1 untreated, food-safe pine 3 skillet set over high Humm of sea snails—in a branch heat until the needles begin 3½ oz unsalted butter, cut into good way. In the final dish, 1 t juniper berries, toasted to smoke. 1" cubes diferent preparations of 2 sheets kombu + charcoal turnip are unified in a dashi 4 C SMOKED DRIED TURNIPS After 45 minutes of + applewood chips made with pine branches + white soy sauce simmering, add the foraged by farmer Rick + KOMBU PICKLING LIQUID 4 pine to the turnip Heat a salamander or Bishop. The charred pine— + kosher salt broth along with the juniper broiler. and toasted juniper ber- + xanthan gum berries, kombu, and Smoked 1 ries—add a floral woodsy aroma. You won’t even miss the duck.

INGREDIENTS: 2 C TURNIP DASHI 7 T SMOKED BUTTER + PICKLED DRIED quartered Turnips + White Soy–Marinated Dried Turnips + Pickled Turnip Punches

SPECIAL Equipment: Vacuum sealer, vacuum bag, and immersion circulator Smoker setup and applewood chips Dehydrator

The PLAnt KingDoM 123 Place the butter in a water bath. Once cooled, 1 C Turnip Dashi Bring the pickling single layer in a small retrieve the bag and remove liquid to a boil and 2 ovenproof pan then the turnips from the bag. Combine the turnips, 2 pour over the turnip nestle that into another pan white soy, and 1 cup punches. Let cool to room filled with ice. Slide both onto Heat a smoker loaded 1 water in a vacuum temperature and reserve in the top rack of a cold oven. with applewood chips bag and seal. Cook sous the liquid. 2 to 225°F. Smoke the vide at 185°F/85°C until Line another pan turnips on a rack or perfo- the turnips are soft to the Pickled with foil and spread rated pan for 15 minutes. touch, about 12 minutes. Dried 3 a single layer of Place the bag in an ice- charcoal in it. Place under the Transfer the turnips water bath. Once cool, Quartered salamander or broiler until to a dehydrator retrieve the bag and remove Turnips smoldering. Sprinkle wood 3 and dehydrate at the turnips from the bag. chips on top of the charcoal 165°F/74°C until completely 8 medium turnips, peeled and and place on the bottom rack hard. Alternatively, dry out Transfer the quartered of the cold oven with the and harden the turnips turnips to a 1⅓ C Kombu Pickling butter. Immediately close overnight in a 200°F oven on 2 dehydrator and Liquid the oven door and smoke for a wire rack set in a sheet pan. dehydrate at 165°F/74°C ½ C Turnip Dashi 15 minutes. (If you do not until completely dry but own a three-star restaurant Kombu still slightly pliable, about Combine the turnips, kitchen and have only one Pickling 8 hours. Alternatively, 1 cup of the kombu oven, you could ignite the dehydrate the turnips 1 pickling liquid, and 1 charcoal with a kitchen Liquid overnight in a 200°F oven cup water in a vacuum bag torch, or use a covered kettle Makes about 6 cups on an acetate- or silicone- and seal. Cook sous vide grill as a smoke chamber in lined sheet pan. Transfer at 198°F/92°C until the lieu of your oven.) 3 sheets kombu, rinsed with to a large bowl. turnips just begin to soften, cold water about 25 minutes. Place the Remove the butter 4 C rice wine vinegar Bring the turnip bag in an ice-water bath. from the oven. Stir 1¾ C + 2 T sugar dashi to a simmer Once cool, retrieve the bag 4 well to evenly distrib- ¾ C kosher salt 3 in a small saucepan. and remove the turnips ute the smoke flavor. Cover Season aggressively with from the bag. tightly with plastic wrap Put all the ingredi- white soy. Pour over the and refrigerate until solid. ents in a saucepan, dried turnips and let Transfer the turnips 1 along with 1½ cups stand to rehydrate, about to a dehydrator of water. Bring to a boil, 1 hour. 2 and dehydrate at Smoked Dried stirring to dissolve the salt 165°F/74°C until they and sugar, then remove have the texture of dried Turnips from heat and pour into a Pickled apple slices, about 8 hours. Makes about 4 cups small heatproof bowl. Chill Turnip Alternatively, dehydrate the the liquid over an ice bath, Punches turnips in a 200°F oven on 8 medium turnips, peeled and then strain, discarding the a silicone-lined sheet pan, thinly sliced kombu. about 8 hours. Transfer to a 10 medium turnips, ⅔ C white soy sauce peeled and cut into small bowl. White Soy– ⅓" thick slices Combine the turnips, Bring the turnip 4⅔ C Kombu Pickling Liquid white soy sauce, and Marinated dashi and remaining 1 ²⁄3 cup of water in a Dried Turnips Use a 1¾-inch circu- 3 ¹⁄3 cup pickling liquid vacuum bag and seal. Cook lar cookie cutter to to a simmer in a saucepan. sous vide at 185°F/85°C 10 small turnips, peeled, cut 1 punch out a perfect Pour over the dried turnips until the turnips are soft to into ⅓" thick slices round from each turnip and let stand, turning occa- the touch, about 12 min- 1 C white soy sauce, plus slice. Place the rounds in a sionally, until rehydrated, utes. Place the bag in an ice more to taste large bowl. about 1½ hours.

124 Lucky Peach