[HIME]

i just watch a cooking show what unique about is the recipes that he made was fish marinade with vanila, bayleaf and salt.

i never thought that vanila can go with meat and fish what do you guys think about that???

[Suzanne]

One of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's classic recipes is for lobster with vanilla.

I can't think of many meats it might go well with -- maybe pork, maybe chicken breast, but most others would drown out its delicateness -- but I can see it with other seafood, especially scallops. It would really enhance their sweetness.

(BTW: you might want to get a copy of Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. It will really open your eyes to flavor and food combinations.)

[KYHeirloomer]

While not the commonest ingredient, it's really not that all unusual. For instance, in Where Flavor Was Born, half the recipes in the vanilla section use animal protein. There's one, for instance, for Trout with Rum & Vanilla; and another for Curried Duck with Vanilla.

At Oleana, Ana Sortan's award winning restaurant in Boston, a signature dish is Braised Beef Short Ribs with Vanilla-Glazed Carrots.

I'm sure with a little effort I could find many more examples.

[shel]

I vaguely recall a duck dish made with coffee and vanilla in the marinade, or maybe the sauce. Don't know how good it was, but clearly there are a number of recipes floating around that use vanilla with animal protein.

scb

[saffron]

I have a signature dish using vanilla with fish. It's a Shrimp, Roasted Corn, Mango, brunois of sweet pepper, chives and cilantro in a vaniilla bean dressing served in a red pepper tulip as first course. It's a flavor profile that can be found with many Carribbean dishes. Also can be a combo Lobster & Shrimp.
I have also done Scallop Salad with a Sweet Vanilla Chili dressing, an unexpected but amazing pairing.