A Bore No More

We think of vanilla as a flavoring for ice cream, custard and other sweet desserts. But that has changed of late as many chefs have discovered its power to enhance savory dishes. My introduction to this concept occurred while helping chef Ludovic Lefebvre (now at Bastide) with a cookbook, to be published early next year. One day, he poached lobster in vanilla butter. When he told me what he was doing, I thought he was insane. But there was method to his madness--the dish was wonderful. Now he’s making a potato gratin with vanilla and pineapple for his customers.

The word “vanilla” has long been a synonym for all that is bland and lacking in spice. This is somewhat ironic once you’ve experienced vanilla in its full redolence, which is powerfully evocative.

Perhaps vanilla acquired a reputation as a bore when consumers began using alcohol-based extracts made from inferior vanilla beans. The synthetic flavor of these products hardly compares with that of a fresh vanilla bean. But their prevalence has as much to do with cost as anything else. Vanilla beans generally trail saffron and cardamom as the pantry’s luxury items, though they seem to be closing the gap. As of this writing, a single bean ordered from the Penzeys Spices website (www.penzeys.com) is $3.19, and 4 ounces of single-strength extract made from Madagascar “Bourbon Islands” vanilla beans is $13.49.

Vanilla, which is indigenous to Mexico, was believed by the Aztecs to be an aphrodisiac, a notion that eventually made its way to Europe. A 1762 German study concluded that vanilla extract cured impotence. The Viagra of the 18th century? Maybe not, but I’ve observed a certain generation of country women who dabbed a bit of extract behind their ears to attract men. Out in the boonies, this was as close to Chanel No. 5 as you could get.

Vanilla is indeed perfume. It’s probably worth noting, though, that any talk of a “fresh” vanilla bean is a misnomer because the pods are subjected to a laborious months-long cure that leaves them looking like withered, blackened fingers. They are actually a member of the orchid family and, for the purpose of commercial harvesting, must be artificially pollinated.

Different varieties of vanilla conjure notably different effects. In my travels, I have had lobster bisque infused with Tahitian vanilla, which is a culinary sleight of hand--inhaling it, you expect it to be sweet, but instead this is more of an olfactory sensation. And I’ve had Hama Hama oysters with champagne and Bourbon vanilla granita, which complements the bivalves’ hidden sweetness. All of this goes to show that vanilla can indeed dance, and it doesn’t have to wait until dessert.

But let’s keep it simple. A salad dressed with a lemon-vanilla vinaigrette is a fine introduction for the home cook.

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Butter Lettuce and Lollo Rossa Salad

With Meyer Lemon-Madagascar Vanilla Vinaigrette

Serves 4 to 6

Vinaigrette:

2 Meyer lemons, juiced

3/4 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon mashed anchovy filet

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Stir together the lemon juice, vanilla, Dijon mustard, anchovy and shallot until smooth. Slowly whisk in the two oils. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: One regular lemon and one tangerine may be substituted for two Meyer lemons.

Salad:

1 head butter lettuce

1 head Lollo Rossa lettuce

(both washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces)

2 tangerines, cut into segments with the membranes removed

2 tablespoons shelled and toasted pistachio nuts

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic chives or regular chives

Note: Substitute frisee or red leaf lettuce if Lollo Rossa is not available.

Toss the lettuce in a large serving bowl and drizzle with several tablespoons of vinaigrette to coat leaves. Arrange the tangerine segments on top and sprinkle on the pistachio nuts, Parmesan cheese and chives. Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

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Martin Booe last wrote for the magazine about buying a home-theater system.