Torched - a new foodie word
"the simple concept of caramelizing a light sprinkling of sugar has possibilities way beyond crème brûlée, and your kitchen torch can be used in lots of surprising ways." The View from Great Island
Today we had reunion lunch with several of the people my husband worked with when we first came to Australia. As it was lunch he chose an entrée dish of 'torched' salmon fillets. He was a bit disappointed because, in spite of the word 'torched' which to everyone around implied hot - the dish was actually cold. So I guess it was really just a mismatch of expectation and delivery.
However, I did not remember having seen the word 'torched' on a menu before and wondered whether this was a new variation on charred, burnt, toasted and other similar words. So I thought I would do a quickie on 'torched'. But of course, what I had forgotten was the kitchen blowtorch. It simply describes food that has been treated to a blast or two from a blowtorch.
I suppose it is new though, because in the past a blowtorch has most generally been used in the making of crème brulée. And indeed I do have a blowtorch myself - an Aldi one I confess - though it does work. I don't use it much because it makes me slightly nervous. But obviously - give a foodie a new tool or a new idea and they will run wild. Witness the above, Life Savers Gummies candy on half a marshmallow - huge fun for kids as the article says - though make sure they are well supervised. It's pretty spectacular though isn't it? It came from a website called Cooking Light - an interesting title considering that lots of the suggestions involved sugar - like the above. Though there was also an interesting tomato and an interesting egg. Here are two more - scorched olives and peanut butter on banana.
I thought this site had the most interesting, if way out and really not very usable ideas, but fun and different, but there are lots more sites out there with lots of other ideas.
Returning to my husband's salmon - here is a version of 'torched' salmon, in which the salmon was cooked and finished off later with the blowtorch. This one is plated on top of a pesto kind of sauce. My husband's was somewhat plainer and accompanies by a small salad - but then it was an entrée.
So there you have it. Torched may not mean what you think it does. So ask a few questions before you commit.
And why do we think that something that looks ever so slightly burnt is appetizing?
