the ritual of ricotta

There are many rituals that revolve around food. Cooking, in and of itself, can be viewed as a ritual; a purposeful act performed in the same way, at the same time, on a daily basis.
Some recipes become so familiar that they can be executed through the memory of muscles and senses.
That is how I make ricotta.

It never occurred to me that ricotta could be made at home until I tasted a freshly-made batch of newborn curds, still warm and quivering. There was no turning back…I had to learn its’ secret.
As it turned out, it is really very simple.

ricotta

   1 gallon whole milk (preferably raw
      milk)
   1 quart buttermilk

   A thermometer is useful, but not
   necessary, as there are visual
   cues that will let you know when
   to proceed.

Pour the milk and buttermilk into a Dutch oven or stockpot with a heavy bottom. Place over medium-high heat. As the milk heats up, curds will begin to form along the bottom of the pot. It is important that they are not allowed to stick and burn. To prevent this,
gently scrape along the bottom of the pot with a heatproof rubber spatula. Do this slowly and gently, so as not to disturb the formation of curds, every few minutes. When the milk reaches 140-150 degrees F. you will begin to see very small and soft curds form, but the milk will still be white and opaque. When it reaches 160-170 degrees F, the curds will be fully formed and the milk will become whey; a translucent, yellowish liquid. The minute that you see this transformation take place, remove the pot from the heat and add 2 ice cubes. Stir the curds and whey gently and slowly a few more times, then let it sit, undisturbed for 10 minutes. Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it over a pot or bowl into which the whey can freely drain. Ladle the curds into the colander. Let it drain for 5 minutes. If you wish to salt the ricotta, you can do so now by sprinkling up to 2 teaspoons of kosher or sea salt over the curds, and gently folding it in. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate. The ricotta is best when freshly made, but it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When you see how easy it is to make ricotta, you may want to take it a step further and make a fresh cheese, similar to farmer’s cheese, queso blanco, and paneer. Here’s how:

Heat the milk with the buttermilk as for ricotta, but continue to cook after the curds separate from the whey for another 3-5 minutes, or until it reaches 185-190 degrees F. Remove from heat and proceed with the draining and salting as directed above. Scoop curds into ring molds or a container that is perforated on the bottom to allow drainage. Fill the molds so that the curds mound up over the top. Cover with a plate and heavy weight. Transfer to refrigerator and allow the cheese to compress overnight before using.

s’more

chocolate-filled methocel marshmallow
aerated chocolate
graham cream
graham crumbs

methocel marshmallow

230 g water
90 g sugar
4.5 g methylcellulose
1/2 tsp vanilla
confectioners sugar

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Let cool. Add methylcellulose and vanilla. Blend with immersion blender. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until thickened. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat at high speed until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Spread out on a silpat or mold and bake at 300F for 5-8 minutes or until set. Unmold or cut into desired shape. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and apply a blowtorch or place under broiler until browned. Serve hot.

shortcake strawberry

By the time that March rolls in, winter begins to feel like a guest who has overstayed its welcome. There are days when it murmurs its promise of imminent departure, then turns a cold shoulder and digs in deeper.
The anticipation unsettles me.
I cope with this polarity by alternately sowing seeds and baking, The sowing fills me with hope for what is to come, while baking provides comfort during this last vestige of winter.

In unabashed defiance of this in-between season, I’ve made strawberry shortcake.
It started out in a traditional form…you know the one…shortcake biscuit, split in half, filled with macerated sliced strawberries, billows of whipped sweet cream.
It was delicious, but there were leftovers.
And I started thinking about the crumbs on the outside of a Good Humor strawberry shortcake (it’s the best part).
And you know how I like to play…

shortcake strawberry
shortcake
3/4 cups flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tblsps unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1/4 cup heavy cream
cream
1 cup heavy cream, well chilled
2 Tblsps cool water
1 tsp powdered gelatin
1 Tblsp confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups reserved coarse shortcake crumbs
glaze
1 cup strawberry puree
1 tsp powdered gelatin
sugar and/or lemon juice to taste
crumbs
1/2 cup reserved fine shortcake crumbs
1/2 cup crumbled freeze dried strawberries, kept in an airtight container until needed
1/4 cup toasted,unsweetened dessicated coconut

shortcake: Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter bits and blend in thoroughly on med-low speed using the paddle attachment. Add the cream and mix just until the dough comes together in a mass. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet and form into a rough rectangle that is 3/4" thick. Cut the rectangle in half to form 2 squares and separate them, leaving about 1" space in between them. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and turn oven down to 150F. Allow shortcakes to cool completely. Crumble the cooled shortcakes with your hands into pieces about the size of peas. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of coarse crumbs and reserve. Further crumble the remaining coarse crumbs into pieces about the size of rice. Measure out 1/2 cup of these fine crumbs and spread them out on the baking sheet. Return to oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they are dry and crisp, but have not browned. Reserve.
cream: Place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and place in refrigerator to chill. In a small bowl, place the water and sprinkle on the gelatin. Allow to soften for 3 minutes. Whisk and place in the microwave at 5- second intervals until gelatin is dissolved and clear. Whisk well and set aside. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and whip with whisk attachment on high speed until cream stands at soft peaks. Sprinkle the powdered sugar and vanilla over the cream and beat just until incorporated. Pour the dissolved gelatin in the center of the cream all at once and immediately beat until it holds stiff peaks. Immediately fold in coarse shortcake crumbs. Set aside in refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes or until set. Remove from refrigerator and form into large quenelles, using 2 tablespoons, with one rounded end and one pointed. Transfer the quenelles onto a plate lined with plastic wrap. Transfer to the freezer and let set just until outside is firm, but not frozen through, about 10-15 minutes.
glaze: While cream mixture is in the freezer, place the strawberry puree in a bowl. Taste it–if the berries were ripe it should be sweet and well balanced. If not, adjust to your taste. Remove about 2 Tablespoons of puree to a smaller bowl. Sprinkle on the gelatin and let soften for 3 minutes. Whisk and place in the microwave at 5-second intervals until gelatin is dissolved and clear. Whisk again, then pour into remaining puree and whisk well. Transfer this mixture into a tall narrow vessel in which you can completely submerge the quenelles. Remove the quenelles from the freezer. Impale the sharp end of a skewer into the rounded end of a quenelle. Lift off the plate and submerge into the puree until quenelle is well coated. Lift out and replace on plate. Repeat with remaining quenelles. Transfer to refrigerator to set puree.
crumbs: Combine fine shortcake crumbs, freeze dried strawberries, and coconut just before using as the strawberries will become soft within 5-10 minutes after combining.

honeycomb candy

Science was my weakest subject in school. Although I had not yet decided on an occupation, I knew that it would be in a creative field, to which science would be irrelevent. As it stands, I was wrong. Science and creativity are two sides of the coin that is cooking. Modern cooks understand this.
Despite my lack of interest in hypothesis and theories, the experiments captured my attention. One in particular was the effect of carbon dioxide when combining baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with an acid. The voluminous foam that billowed out of the beaker and all over the lab table delighted and fascinated me.
I find myself now, many years later, reliving that experience. This time, the results are edible and delicious.

honeycomb
candy
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbspns water
2 Tbspns honey
1 1/2 tsps
baking
soda

Because the final steps must be executed rapidly, before you start cooking the sugar have ready: a baking sheet that has been well greased or lined with a silpat, a whisk and the premeasured baking soda.
Spread the sugar out in an even layer in the bottom of a large saucepan. Drizzle the water and honey over the sugar and place on a burner over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until it reaches 300F. You will observe the sugar melting, then the syrup forming small, tight bubbles, then the bubbles will become larger and looser and finally, the syrup will begin to take on an amber color. When it reaches 300F., immediately remove it from the heat. Quickly add the baking soda and whisk just until the baking soda is mixed in. In one quick motion, dump the foaming syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Do not spread or disturb, as this will cause it to deflate. Let it stand until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. Break or cut into pieces. Transfer immediately to an airtight container to preserve the crispness.

banana pandan date

Inspired by a new flavor and technique…

pandan panna cotta
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup finely chopped pandan leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 Tablespoon sugar
In a small saucepan, stir together the cream, half and half, and pandan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Cover tightly, then set aside to steep until cool. When cool, strain through a sieve and return infusion back into the saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Whisk in the gelatin, followed by the sugar and place over medium high heat, whisking until mixture is very hot and sugar and gelatin have dissolved. Pour into four 1/3 cup molds and chill until set, 2-4 hours.

date lime molasses
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup diced dates
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon butter
Put water and dates into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover saucepan and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until dates are very soft. Puree mixture in a food processor and press through a fine sieve or tamis. Return to saucepan and stir in remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat until mixture reduces and thickens to the consistency of molasses. Let cool.

sugar crusted banana
3 lbs (7 cups) granulated sugar
3 egg whites
4 ripe, peeled bananas
Mix the egg whites into the sugar until well blended. On a baking sheet, form sugar mixture into 4 separate bases, each about 2’" wider and longer than banana, and about 1/2" thick. Place a banana on top of each base and cover with additional sugar mixture to completely enclose. Press firmly to compact sugar, paying close attention to the seam along the base. Bake in a preheated 275 F oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and set aside to for 15 minutes before opening crust.

to finish
coconut powder (dried coconut cream) found in asian markets or online.
coquitos (baby coconuts) found in hispanic markets or online
Unmold panna cottas by wrapping a hot, wet towel around molds until they release.
Break open the sugar crust by driving the tip of a knife along the edges until it breaks away and banana can be dislodged.
Screen molasses onto plates. Place a chilled panna cotta, sliced warm banana, coconut powder and coquito on each plate.
Serves 4

unBloody Mary

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the cocktail. All too often they are overly sweet or sour. A well-balanced cocktail is quite another matter. Case in point: the Violet Fizz at Tailor, NYC. Even as I ordered it I was leery, but curious. No need, it was light, bright, and perfectly balanced.
Bloody Marys seem to belong in another category altogether. It may be due to their texture that they feel more like a fluid meal…something to sate your appetite, rather than pique it.
On a recent shopping trip, I was surprised to find young lovage tucked in among the herbs, something I have never seen in super markets in my area…surely a good sign. I cannot think about lovage without conjuring up a memory of the late Adelma Simmons "The First Lady of Herbs" at a lecture that I attended years ago at Caprilands Herb Farm. She was nearly 70 at the time, yet spoke passionately and extensively about herbal cultivation, lore and uses. She threw out one tidbit that I have carried with me since, but have never implemented: the use of lovage stalks as straws.
So, there I stood, at the market, with a bunch of lovage in my hand, and it spoke to me, and what it said was "Make me a Bloody Mary!"
When herbs speak, one must listen.

unBloody Mary
potato and salt cod cake
lovage and preserved lemon fluid gel

Gelatin Filtration is a technique that Harold McGee wrote about in an article in the New York Times in which gelatin is combined with a flavored liquid, frozen, and allowed to drain. The gelatin forms a net which traps fat and particles as it thaws, resulting in a clear liquid with pure flavor. This method can be applied to stocks, sauces, or purees and provides an alternative to a Superbag or the egg white raft method which, arguably, draws flavor from the liquid which it clarifies. It is groundbreaking in its simplicity, requires no specialized equipment or ingredients and provides infinite possibilities. The only drawback is that it needs to be planned ahead–its always been a 3 day process for me. You can read more about this and other progressive techniques at the highly innovative Ideas in Food.

Applying gelatin filtration to a Bloody Mary base of seasoned vegetable juice produced a light colored, crystal clear liquid that tasted identical to the base. To give a visual and textural reference back to the original cocktail, I added a sphere made from the base. In order to suspend it, I blended some Xanthan into the clarified liquid.

Spherification is another technique developed at elBulli in 2003 in which sodium alginate is mixed with a liquid base and dropped into a bath of calcium chloride. The alginate reacts with the calcium, forming an orb with a gelatinized membrane surrounding a liquid center, similar to a raw egg yolk. There is also Reverse Spherification, in which a base is combined with calcium in the form of calcium gluconolactate and dropped into an alginate bath. Spherification is now considered passe by some, although I continue to see it come out of cutting edge kitchens, I think largely because it offers a playful delivery of flavor. This process is explained in depth on the Texturas site (elBulli product line) and demonstrated by Martin at Khymos in this videoclip.

unBloody Mary
base
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes                                        lemon juice, to taste
3 stalks celery                                                 jalapeno hot sauce, to taste
1/2 cup lovage leaves                                        salt and pepper
2 scallions                                                       dash Worcestershire

Pass vegetables and herbs through a juicer or liquify in a blender with 1/2 cup of water. Add remaining ingredients, adjust seasoning to taste. Strain through a sieve. Measure out 4 cups of base and transfer to a saucepan, setting the rest aside in a covered container in the refrigerator and reserve for spheres. To the saucepan add 2 tsps. powdered gelatin by sprinkling it over the surface. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk it in over medium high heat until base just begins to simmer and gelatin has completely melted. Remove from heat, let cool and transfer to a bowl and place in freezer overnight or until frozen solid. The next day, line a colander with cheesecloth, pop out the frozen base and place it in the prepared colander, set over a large bowl and transfer to the refrigerator to drain for 24 to 48 hours. When it appears that the base has fully drained, remove colander and discard the solids. When ready to serve, add 1 part vodka to 2 parts of clarified base.

spheres                                                             bath
2 grams sodium alginate                                  2.5 grams calcium chloride
60 grams water                                              500 grams water
140 grams reserved base

spheres– place the water and base in a container with high sides. Sprinkle on the sodium alginate and blend in with an immersion blender. (This can also be done in a high speed mixer). Set aside in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to allow the bubbles formed during blending to dissipate.
bath– combine calcium chloride with water in a bowl and stir until dissolved.
to form spheres– with a rounded spoon, scoop up some alginated base and slowly submerge into bath, tipping spoon to allow sphere to release. When skin has formed, lift sphere out of bath with perforated spoon and transfer to a clear water bath. Use immediately as sphere will continue to react and harden.
Note: because the finished cocktail has little viscosity, the spheres will sink to the bottom of the glass. If you wish to suspend them, blend 1 gram of Xanthan into 500 grams of finished cocktail.

blue cheese demythified

I used to think that blue cheese was an urban legend…

In my youth, a neighborhood kid once told me about a cheese that was blue with mold. It was the kind of conversation that kids have when they want to gross each other out, but he was serious. I refused to believe him … I mean, who would willingly eat moldy cheese? Surely, it belonged in the same category as the bogeyman; a tool used by mothers to threaten their children into compliance.

And I was no stranger to funky cheeses. My parents would load their suitcases with oozing, washed rind stink-bombs on their frequent trips to Portugal. So offensive were they, that every article of clothing had to be aired out and washed, while the suitcase itself was immediately banished to the furthest corner of the attic. Thinking about it now, it’s a wonder that they ever made it past customs.

But, of course, I grew up, developed a palate, and came face to face with the blue veined myth. I can’t say that it was love at first bite, but it grew on me, and I quickly developed a taste for it. In fact, I often crave it.

I am fortunate to have sampled many varieties of blue cheese. I count Fourme d’Ambert, Roquefort and Cabrales among my favorites; each one unique, and possessing it’s own endearing qualities. I like to eat the mellower, milky varieties like Fourme d’Ambert, Maytag, and Gorgonzola with marmelada, the Portuguese equivalent of membrillo, that my mother makes every year from the marmelos (quinces) that she harvests from a tree in her back yard. The stinging Roquefort and fierce Cabrales pairs very nicely with dead- ripe pineapple.

On a recent trip to NYC, I stumbled upon a variety that I was unfamiliar with- Mossend Blue from Bonnieview Farms in Vermont, made from raw milk. It looked so seductive that before I even sampled it, I knew that it would be coming home with me.

Having both marmelada and ripe pineapple on hand, I sampled each separately with the Mossend Blue and was undecided. When I put all 3 flavors together, I was amazed at well they played together; the quince forming a bridge, both linking and supporting the sharpness of the cheese and astringency of the pineapple.

I almost always trust my sense of taste and smell, but when I stumble upon a new combination that surprises me, I seek confirmation. In these instances, I turn to the well designed site FOODPAIRING, but could not find it there. Turning to another source, a database of flavor and scent components, produced 2 hits that confirmed a link to these 3 flavors: 2-heptanone and butyl isobutyrate. I love when that happens.

Mossend Blue
quince paste
pineapple
duck confit
frisee
serrano ham foam
sichuan- pineapple caramel

The Mossend Blue is the star of this dish, but the award for the best supporting role goes to the sichuan- pineapple caramel for its sweet, tangy, spicy taste and fruity, floral aroma.

Sichuan- Pineapple Caramel
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh pineapple juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp freshly ground sichuan pepper

Place the sugar and juice in a large saucepan and cook over medium high heat, skimming off any foam that appears on the surface with a spoon. Continue cooking over medium high heat until the mixture thickens and turns amber. When it reaches the soft ball stage (about 240 F), remove the pan from the stove and quickly stir in the cream using care as the temperature of the cream will cause the hot caramel to sputter and foam. Stir in the sichuan pepper. The cooled caramel can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, if you can resist it for that long.

mascarpone and caramelized milk

Mascarpone is a lovely substance…a thick triple-cream cheese that tastes of sweet cream with a tangy finish. It is far too rich to eat more than a spoonful or two straight up, but it is indispensable as an ingredient. A few spoonfuls stirred into a soup, pasta or risotto will elevate it from good to sublime. It makes an amazingly creamy and rich ice cream, tames the sweetness of caramel, and stabilizes whipped cream.

Mascarpone can easily be made at home from heavy cream (pasteurized produces a better product than ultra pasteurized) and tartaric acid (the primary acid found in wine–can be purchased online or at a wine-making supply store). It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, but it must thicken and drain for 12 hours before it can be used.

Here’s how:

Mascarpone

2 cups heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon tartaric acid

Heat cream in a heavy saucepan to 180 degrees F. over medium-high heat, being careful that it does not scorch. Remove from heat as soon as it comes up to temperature and stir in the tartaric acid. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a glass or plastic container and refrigerate for 2 hours. At this point, it should have thickened significantly. Set a sieve over a bowl and line it with a triple thickness of cheesecloth and pour in mascarpone. Let drain for an additional 10 hours in the refrigerator.

Yesterday, I found myself with a fresh supply of mascarpone and a question that I have been pondering: Could mascarpone be caramelized?
I knew that I could stir in some burnt sugar and cook it down a bit , but I didn’t want to swing it that far into the sweet zone. What I wanted was to maintain the balance of sweet and tart, but deepen the flavor; make it more complex. But if I didn’t add sugar…would it still caramelize? Some would argue that the absence of sugar would instead cause the milk solids to toast (as in browned butter), but heavy cream does contain some sugar (16 grams per cup), so I got busy…

I packed mascarpone into a half pint mason jar, leaving an inch of headroom at the top, then sealed it with a lid and band. I then placed it on a folded towel in a pressure cooker and poured in about 3" of water, sealed the cooker and and brought it up to pressure. Worried about the water level, I decided to check it after 30 minutes. (My paranoia about letting the water bath dry out stems from a dulche de leche incident a few years ago involving a can of sweetened, condensed milk in a saucepan and one distraction too many…I’m still cleaning that mess up.) The water level had gone down about an inch, which I replaced, and it was just starting to take on color. I placed it back in the cooker for another 30 minutes. The color had noticeably deepened and it appeared to have retained its creamy texture, so I decided to stop there. As soon as it had cooled, I popped the lid and there it was…the sweet, nutty, toasty aroma and flavor that I was looking for. I now had a product that was familiar in texture and mouth feel, yet more complex and nuanced in flavor to play with.

Heady with success, I wondered what else could Be caramelized. I put every dairy product that I had on hand into mason jars and processed them in the same way. Here’s the results:

hits deepened color, taste and aroma, unaltered texture

whole milk
processed for 90 minutes

heavy cream
processed for 90 minutes

canned evaporated milk
processed for 90 minutes

misses deepened color, taste and aroma, altered texture

lebne
processed for 60 minutes
(formed soft curds that could be whipped until creamy, but remained slightly grainy)

sour cream
processed for 60 minutes
(formed firm curds; texture could not be restored by whipping)

conclusions It appears that the cultured products curdled under the intense heat/prolonged cooking, while the uncultured ones achieved the desired effect. This is just a rudimentary observation…I wish that I knew more about the science at play here. Regardless, I am happy with the 4 new products that I have here. I am especially excited about the versatility of heavy cream and what it can produce: flans, custards, whipped cream and maybe even butter. Back to ~~work~~ play.

UPDATE: Chemistry professor and author Robert L. Wolke writes in his book What Einstein Told His Cook, "the word caramelization should be reserved for the browning of sugar- any kind of sugar- in the absence of protein. When sugars or starches occur together with proteins as they do in onions, breads, and meats, the browning is mostly due to the Maillard reaction, not caramelization."
So. I guess that I should refer to these products as Maillard milk.

tequila sunrise

Ah, citrus…a ray of sunshine in the bleak of winter.

One of the first elaborate dishes that I recall making with citrus was a terrine in which supremes of various citrus were layered in a mold, ascending in color from dark to light. Each layer was set with its own gelled juice and when sliced, made a stunning presentation. I served it as a dessert then, with white chocolate ice cream and a caramel tuile, but I have since used it as a component to other courses. In fact, I have come to rely on it as a bright, high note to play off of other elements such as lobster or ginger glazed duck.

I’ve been thinking about this terrine lately–how to refine it and simplify its form. When considering the translucency of the citrus slices, tissue paper came to mind. If you are me, when the brain connects food to a non food item, its time to play.

Tissue paper collage was my introduction to color mixing, learning how layering colors produces new colors and design. This concept, applied to food really excites me, because of the added element of taste. Imagine a collage of thin veneers of poached vegetables layered on a plate, each bite a different color and flavor…the mind reels with possibilities. Back to the task at hand…

Keeping the design linear produced an ombre effect. I couldn’t help but think of a Tequila Sunrise, which threw me in a new direction with flavors. Color is always foremost in my mind when designing a dish, and I decided that green was where I wanted to go with this. I auditioned different flavor combinations and chose pumpkin seeds (pepitas), green chili, and cilantro. I knew that texturally, I wanted a rich, creamy element and so I combined the ground pepitas with yogurt (I would have used kefir or labne if I had some on hand) and allowed it to drain overnight to produce a sort of cheese. The green chili and cilantro oil adds a counterpoint of heat and herb.

What to drink with this? Tequila, of course…preferably a smooth, balanced anejo like Chinaco.

Citrus Pave

pave:
thinly sliced supremes of:
blood orange
ruby grapefruit
orange (reserve juice)
white grapefruit (reserve juice)
1/2 tsp gelatin
1 oz tequila
On a sheet of plastic wrap, lay down overlapping slices of citrus starting at the top with the white grapefruit, in shingle-style rows, working down to the blood oranges. Keep in mind that the surface touching the plastic wrap will be the top. Place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. Combine the reserved juices and measure 1/2 cup . Sprinkle the gelatin over and allow to soften. Heat until gelatin dissolves. Stir in tequila and let cool to room temperature. Remove pave from refrigerator and spoon a thin layer of the gelatin over the top of citrus, spreading to completely cover. Chill until set and repeat 2-3 times until you have achieved an even, thin layer that will hold together the slices.

pumpkin seed- yogurt cheese:
1/2 cup yogurt
2 Tbsps finely ground pumpkin seeds
pinch salt
Mix all ingredients together well. Make 4 small cones out of triangles of parchment. Snip the tip to produce a small hole for drainage and suspend them in tall shot glasses so that their tips are not touching the bottom, and fold back the parchment that rises over the glass. This is easier to do if you slit the excess parchment to the rims. Tie a string or rubber band over the excess to secure. Spoon in about 2 Tblsps of yogurt mix into each cone, being careful to not leave air pockets. Move to refrigerator and allow to drain overnight.

serrano-cilantro oil:
Flesh from 2 serrano chilies
1 cup cilantro leaves
pinch salt
3/4 cup avocado oil
Place the chilies,cilantro and salt in a blender or food processor with a little of the oil until finely chopped. Drizzle in the remaining oil with the motor running.

to plate: Cut the pave to desired size. Invert onto plate using the plastic wrap. Unmold cones by peeling away the parchment. Arrange on pave and dot plate with oil.