A Top Chef Thanksgiving: Recipe du Jour

Top Chef Season 6 cheftestant Bryan Voltaggio's Sunchoke and Yukon Gold Vichyssoise with Applewood Smoked Salmon Caviar (appetizer)

INGREDIENTS

6 cups fish fumet
4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup parsnips, diced
½ cup sunchokes, diced
¼ cup leeks, diced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup cucumbers, brunoised
1 oz salmon roe, rinsed in salt water
12 plucks fresh dill
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Fennel pollen

DIRECTIONS

1. Sweat parsnips, sunchokes, and leeks with olive oil in a pot for 15 minutes. Add potatoes and fish fumet. Simmer soup for 30 minutes. Puree in blender and pass through a fine sieve. Season and cool.
2. Smoke salmon roe using a smoking gun with applewood smoking dust.
3. Season brunoised cucumbers with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Finish with fennel pollen.

To Serve:
1. Place a spoonful of cucumbers in a bowl.
2. Top cucumbers with caviar.
3. Carefully pour soup into the bowl without disturbing the roe.
4. Garnish with dill.

© 2009 BRYAN VOLTAGGIO