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Eat Like Ralph -- all you need is wait-staff... A Lesson in Monochromaticity If that is even a word... One of the very important and necessary lessons that one can learn in the kitchen is how to produce a plate that not only tastes good, but looks good too; it's part of what presentation is all about. And looking good includes color on the plate -- I don't mean the color of the plate... I mean the colors of the food on the plate! Have you ever noticed that sometimes the plate is as boring as a rainy day? The grilled and beige-colored pork chops for instance, have been paired with brown gravy, brown rice and broccoli that has become olive-brown from over-cooking? As an example, I love fish and eggs for breakfast (first enjoyed at the Wagon Wheel in Carmel, CA). I had this idea long ago to try Eggs Benedict -- Mexican style -- served over polenta instead of on an English muffin. I had just made a super batch of Polenta, so it seemed like now was a great time to make the breakfast! It turned out incredibly well in flavor, but because of little though about it beforehand, the result was totally blah in the color department... What could have been done to improve the presentation? Well, let's get started and then take a look!
1) Poaching the fish would have been better than sautéing it. The resulting color would have been white instead of brown, and I could have chopped the cilantro and sprinkled it over the fish -- the green flecks would have been much better, in contrast to the sauce and polenta. 2) I could easily have added a ring of bright red pepper or a few chopped pimientos for additional contrast -- reds are a great color on the plate! 3) Even though it was "only" breakfast (a weekend one though, when I had the time to make it), certainly a spear or two of bright green asparagus or broccoli -- al dente, of course -- in between the fish and egg, would really have helped. Even a wedge of lime would have added some bright green to the plate. 4) Leave the cumin out of the Hollandaise. The bright yellow of the sauce could have been complimented by a slice of orange and also have made a big difference in the warmth of the plate. Other possibilities exist; the key though, is to think color and contrast. Think red (tomato, red pepper, pimiento), orange (as in slice of, or even carrots), yellow (lemon wedge, yellow squash), green (parsley, cilantro or even... even black (olives). These additions are generally inexpensive and can bring great joy and appeal to a plate. Also consider where the food items are placed: arrangement can add much to the appeal of a plate. Presentation can make a huge difference, even at home in your own kitchen. I certainly hope that my examples here have given you some insight and a few ideas for your next meal. It may take a bit of thought and time, but the results are really satisfying. Save some money and Eat Like Ralph, and Bon Appetite!
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This
breakfast is really pretty simple and easy to throw together, especially
when some of the ingredients have been done ahead of time... I had
already made the polenta two days earlier and I wanted to use it while it
was still fresh; all I had to do was cut two wedges of it (I thought the
shape would look nice on the plate) and sauté them for some crispness on the
outside. I also had some Hollandaise from the evening before, so I
added cumin to give it a bit of a Mexican twist.
The
fish I would normally have poached... for some reason I decided to sauté it,
too. I guess I thought it was easier (part of the problem: the "easy"
way often leads to difficulties...) The only real issue is timing the
poached eggs; otherwise, just re-heat the Hollandaise; add a splash of water
is thinning is needed. Slide the poached egg onto the polenta and top
with the cumin Hollandaise. add the twin pieces of fish, a generous
helping of refried's and voila... the problem becomes immediately evident.
Except for the addition of a sprig of cilantro, the theme is overwhelmingly
brown: the polenta, the sauce and the fish, all in almost perfect
monochromatic harmony, and certainly less appetizing than one would prefer.
Even though the flavor was excellent, what could I have changed to make the
plate more appealing? Here are a few possibilities:
