Deconstruction, Whimsy, and Riffs

The French philosopher Jacques Derrida introduced the term "deconstruction" in his 1967 work Of Grammatology. In the most simplistic terms, deconstruction is a kind of criticism that involves breaking a text into its component parts and influences, and examining those components to establish context and meaning for the original text.

You might ask why I mention this in a food blog. Well, the concept of deconstruction spread from literary criticism to various other fields and disciplines, including the culinary. In cooking, deconstruction has come to mean taking classic dishes and preparations and reinterpreting them in different ways, maintaining the fundamental flavor profile while updating and elevating said classic.

I'm having some friends over for dinner tonight, and while I was thinking about menus, a character on TV mentioned "franks and beans". Franks and beans - they're a simple comfort food from my high school days, and probably from many of yours. But, they weren't complex, and certainly not fit for company.

DECONSTRUCTION!

So...how do you take franks and beans and turn it into a big-boy dish worthy of serving to friends? I've decided to inject a bit of whimsy into the mix, creating what is (hopefully) a great blending of flavors that captures the essence of simple dishes.

The Concept

I've decided to create a modern riff on franks and beans, AND the classic sausage with sauerkraut. Components - bratwurst poached in Guinness, then seared on the grill, baked beans made with molasses and poaching liquid, a "sauerkraut" made with red and Napa cabbages, grated Gala apples, and grated fennel with a brown sugar and apple cider vinegar reduction, and a mustard, horseradish and baked bean purée.

This takes the basic flavor profiles of franks and beans, and sausage and 'kraut, but updates it with additional flavors, different techniques, and new spins. It's risky - I once tried a deconstructed BLT risotto that didn't work so well. But it's all about being bold!

Results to follow!