Green Curry Fried Chicken with Smoked Oyster Aioli - green coriander

Method

• Special equipment: food smoker, such as Polyscience Smoking Gun, sous-vide circulator, dehydrator
• For the marinade: Toast the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, grains of paradise, black peppercorns, pink peppercorns, green peppercorns, fennel seeds, mace, cinnamon, cloves and star anise in a dry skillet until fragrant, being careful to not burn.
• Blend the toasted spices in a spice grinder.
• In a blender or food processor, blend the spices, onions, ginger, spinach, cilantro, garlic, tamari, salt and chiles until smooth.
• Add the grapeseed oil and blend until emulsified.
• Marinate the chicken in the green curry for 1 hour.
• Add the buttermilk and marinade for 1 more hour.
• For the aioli: Shuck the oysters carefully, reserving their liquor.
• Strain the liquor through a coffee filter.
• Use the strained liquor to rinse the oysters and remove any sediment or bits of shell.
• Strain the liquor one more time, and pour over the cleaned oysters.
• Place the eggs, garlic and oysters into a tall, round container.
• Add a quarter of the oil and, using an immersion blender, blend until emulsified.
• Then slowly add the remaining oil while continuously blending to maintain the emulsion and blend until smooth.
• Transfer the aioli to a wide storage container and cover with plastic wrap to ensure the container will trap the smoke.
• Place the container over an ice bath.
• Use a food smoker with the applewood and alfalfa dusk to fill the container with smoke.
• Allow the smoke to infuse until it completely dissipates.
• Taste and smoke again if you would like a more pronounced smoke flavor.
• Reserve the aioli in a container over an ice bath and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• For the custard: Sprinkle the yolks with the salt and lightly mix with a whisk.
• Place the yolks into a vacuum-sealed bag and compress under full pressure.
• Cook in a circulator at 65 degrees C (149 degrees F) for 1 hour.
• Alternatively, cook the custard in a double boiler set over low heat stirring with a rubber spatula.
• Chill the mixture in an ice bath until completely cooled.
• Pass the custard through a fine mesh strainer.
• It should have a thick, smooth texture.
• Reserve in a squeeze bottle or piping bag.
• For the sea urchin powder: Gently wipe the seaweed with a damp towel and cook it in 1 liter of filtered water at 70 degrees C (158 degrees F) for 1 hour.
• Strain the seaweed and add the salt to the cooking liquid, mixing until the salt dissolves.
• Chill the mixture over an ice bath until completely cool.
• Use the mixture to brine the sea urchin for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sea urchin from the brine and blend with the mirin.
• Place the mixture in a dehydrator programmed to the medium setting.
• When the sea urchin is completely dry, blend in a spice mill.
• For the fried chicken: Fill a cast-iron skillet with about 3 inches of grapeseed oil and some schmaltz if using.
• Heat the skillet until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
• Strain the chicken from the buttermilk and dust in the flour.
• Fry the chicken until golden, turning as necessary, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Season the fried chicken with the sal de gusano and sea urchin powder.
• Dot the fried chicken with egg yolk custard and place a few coriander blossoms and fennel fronds on top.
• Serve over the smoked oyster aioli.