To begin with I need to locate some Old Bay. I think the kids have some in the lower kitchen. After I get my hands on it the dish should come together. I have been fretting, yes I fret and often, over the combination of the striped bass cheek and the roasted rib eye cap. I needed something to unite them, a reason for them to come together. The concept of surf and turf is fine though without some underlying reasonable approach the concept is trite at best. I was not in the mood for trite and needed solid footing to stand on.
Today was hot, really hot. We stopped by a local fish market, (give or take a two plus hour drive) and signs for soft shell crabs had me thinking of the ocean which led to crab boils and oysters which led to Old Bay mayonnaise which I used to make at Park Avenue Cafe which in turn bounced about in my brain and surfaced as the idea of Old Bay mashed potatoes. These potatoes will be made with a base of Old Bay reduction, onions, vermouth and Old Bay will be cooked down together and then folded into mashed potatoes. These will then be enriched with some butter and creme fraiche. The base will be put through a tammis and I, no we will have Old Bay mashed potatoes to serve with roasted rib eye cap and crispy striped bass cheek. A quick saute of pea tendrils should round out the dish.
We shall taste the results soon.
