http://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/default.aspxen-gbThu, 9 Jul 2009 16:41:58 GMThttp://www.teletext.co.uk/images/Logo64x64.gifhttp://www.teletext.co.ukBy Sarah O&#39;Meara - Any other man who used a thermal probe to check his lemon tarts would draw worried glances.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/entertainment/food/~4/kAOmrS4Rx-g" height="1" width="1"/>
But Heston Blumenthal's love of experimentation has done for cooking what Apple did for music.

Blumenthal is revered for glazing his strawberries in an electric sandwich maker, poaching pears in the dishwasher and giving his customers iPods filled with music to accompany their dinners.

The man behind three-starred Michelin restaurant The Fat Duck has transformed our perceptions of how we make food.

Yet after a decade of experimentation, Blumenthal seems a little baffled that more cooks aren't reaching for the liquid nitrogen when serving ice cream.

In an attempt to encourage more innovation among amateur chefs, he's leading a nationwide competition to find the next great kitchen invention.

]]>32cb56d0a11116e44303be6b48ba1240http://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/entertainment/food/~3/kAOmrS4Rx-g/Reinventing+the+meal.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/32cb56d0a11116e44303be6b48ba1240/Reinventing+the+meal.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/32cb56d0a11116e44303be6b48ba1240/Reinventing+the+meal.aspx<b>Ingredients (Serves 6)<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/entertainment/food/~4/k_KEPVztbgs" height="1" width="1"/>Ingredients (Serves 6)
For the poached pears:
500ml mead
1 lemon, orange zest (reserve the lemon)
5 peppercorns
1g whole mace
1 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick, split
1 vanilla bean split in half lengthwise
40g honey
3 ripe pears
Salt

Method:
In a saucepan, combine the mead, zests, peppercorns, mace, star anise, cinnamon stick, split vanilla bean and honey and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer for 20 minutes to evaporate off the alcohol. Then allow to cool. Strain the mixture and reserve the liquid.

Peel the pears. Soak a brand-new green scouring sponge in cold water and use to smooth the surface of the pears.

Method (cont):
Cut the pears lengthwise and remove the core. Place in a Foodsaver bag and add the mead infusion.

Place into the dishwasher and run on the highest temperature setting.

Once the water in the dishwasher has fully heated and is running the cycle, check the pears after 20 minutes. Look for the pears to soften through and absorb the liquid and cool completely.

For the vinaigrette:
1tbsp English mustard
Reserved lemon
400ml grapeseed oil

Method:
Cut open the bags of cooked pears and drain the liquid into a bowl. Measure out 200ml of the liquid. Add the mustard and whisk with lemon juice. Begin whisking in the grapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve with a hazelnut and stilton salad.

]]>672be28b11819690638a8b344132ce2dhttp://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/entertainment/food/~3/k_KEPVztbgs/Dishwasher-poached+pearsmead.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/672be28b11819690638a8b344132ce2d/Dishwasher-poached+pearsmead.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/672be28b11819690638a8b344132ce2d/Dishwasher-poached+pearsmead.aspx<b>Ingredients (Serves 4)</b><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/entertainment/food/~4/hcCY_H6hx1M" height="1" width="1"/>Ingredients (Serves 4)
1tbsp grapeseed oil
50g butter
75g smoked bacon
275g thinly-sliced shallot
15g thinly-sliced garlic (3 cloves)
700g button mushrooms, quartered
200ml dry white wine
800g chicken bouillon
3 bay leaves
8 sprigs of thyme
200ml single cream
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Method:
Heat the grapeseed oil and butter. Add the bacon and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bacon, drain and save to garnish. Add the shallots to the pan,
then garlic, mushrooms, bay and thyme.

Deglaze with the white wine and reduce. Add the chicken bouillon, bring to a simmer, add the cream. Pour the soup through a juicer. Combine the liquid and pulp in the juicer and pour through again. Re-heat and season.

]]>010c58999dee9ea83283d955cc3ab55chttp://feeds.teletext.co.uk/~r/entertainment/food/~3/hcCY_H6hx1M/Cappuccino+of+mushroom+veloute.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/010c58999dee9ea83283d955cc3ab55c/Cappuccino+of+mushroom+veloute.aspxhttp://www.teletext.co.uk/lifestyle/food/010c58999dee9ea83283d955cc3ab55c/Cappuccino+of+mushroom+veloute.aspx