There are two things that always get a bartender noticed, the sound of a blender mixing up daiquiris and the muddling action of a mojito. Soon, patrons are lining up for drinks and the bartender’s arm gets a workout from all the muddled mint. Let’s give back to our bartenders. Close the door, crank up the juice and give their muddled arms a rest.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 3 minutes

Required Equipment:
The Sonicprep™ by PolyScience

Ingredients:
10 Mint Leaves, plus 4 for garnish
1 Lime
4oz. Simple Syrup
6 oz. White Rum
16 oz. Club Soda

Step 1:
Combine all ingredients, except club soda, in beaker.

Step 2:
Process with The Sonicprep™ for 60 seconds with the Output Control set to 10 and Duty Cycle set to Constant.

Step 3:
Strain through a Hawthorne Strainer over ice.

Step 4:
Top off with 4 oz. club soda and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Required Equipment:
The Sonicprep™ by PolyScience

Ingredients:
3:1 Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar

Step 1:
Combine oil and vinegar in beaker.

Step 2:
Process with The Sonicprep™ for 3 minutes at full power on the Output Control and Duty Cycle set to Constant.

Step 3:
Check for thorough homogenization. If additional processing is required, process until fully incorporated. Store up to 3 weeks.

Ingredients for the 1 L iSi Gourmet Whip:
150 g Potato purée
3 Egg whites (approx. 75 g)
50 ml Sour cream
Salt
Pepper

To garnish:
50 g Trout caviar
50 g Bittersweet chocolate 70 % cocoa

Preparation:
Whisk 100 g of cooked, strained potatoes with 250 g butter and 250 ml of warm milk with an egg beater; add a pinch of salt and nutmeg. Room temperature – strain the warm potato purée and egg whites through the iSi sieve pour into the 1 L iSi Gourmet Whip using the funnel. Then screw on 2 iSi cream chargers and shake vigorously. Allow to cool for 3 hours.

Mix the sour cream and season with salt and pepper.

Grate the bittersweet chocolate into dust using the fine micro-plain and freeze.

Place 8 blini – the potato/egg white mixture – (approx. 3 cm in diameter) on to the Anti-Griddle™ and let freeze, turn and freeze on the other side.

The blini should still be somewhat creamy in the middle.

Serving suggestion:
Place 2 blini on a plate, put the caviar in a spoon with a dab of sour cream on top and dust with the bittersweet chocolate. Garnish with starflowers.

Recipe from Heinz Hanner, Restaurant Hanner, www.hanner.cc

Balsamic Infused Watermelon Salad with Feta, Thyme and Heirloom Tomatoes

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Watermelon, 3 Pieces sliced 1″ batons / 2.5 cm, seeds removed.
1 Large Heirloom Tomato, sliced.
2-3 Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half.

Watermelon Brine:
1/2 oz. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
1/2 oz. Water

Garnish:
1 oz. Crumbled Feta Cheese
Thyme Leaves and Flowers
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 oz. Aged Balsamic Vinegar, reduced to syrup consistency
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Step 1:
Place sliced and seeded watermelon into vacuum bag along with brine ingredients.

Step 2:
Place vacuum bag into chamber vacuum sealer and pull a full, 100% vacuum on the fruit.

Step 3:
Remove watermelon from vacuum bag and arrange on plate with feta, tomatoes, thyme, olive oil, balsamic reduction, Maldon and black pepper. 

Think beyond salads. A smoked vinaigrette can be used in a multitude of dishes. This tangy and sweet dressing gets a punch of smoke that pairs so perfectly with spinach. Smoke this vinaigrette in a mixing bowl or “go naked” by simply smoking the spinach raw. Smoked, raw spinach is a delightful addition to any salad.

Serves 4

Prep time, 20 minutes
For the Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 shallot, finely minced
10 ounces fresh baby spinach, cleaned and larger stems removed
1 quart strawberries – cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Applewood Smoking Gun™ Wood Chips

Step 1:
Combine vinaigrette ingredients in mixing bowl. Whisk to incorporate.

Step 2:
Cover the top of the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and smoke with the PolyScience Smoking Gun™ for five minutes. Add enough smoke to form a thick cloud under the plastic wrap. After five minutes, release smoke and whisk to reincorporate smoke flavor.

Step 3:
Toss spinach with vinaigrette. Divide into four salad bowls.

Step 4:
Top with sliced strawberries and slivered almonds.