Archive for Culinary School

FFF | January 16, 2011
No comments

Ad Hoc at Home: Herb-crusted Rack of Lamb with Sweet Potato Pave & Broccoli Rabe

For course three of my menu project I really wanted to showcase a special occasion dish, and nothing is more elegant and delicious than a rack of lamb. In this preparation, it is given a sweet, salty, and crunchy crust that elevates the lamb flavor and gives great texture. Served with slightly bitter and spicy sauteed broccoli rabe and creamy scalloped sweet potatoes, cut like paving stones, to give the dish a fresh and comforting balance. Serve with a medium-bodied Bordeaux blend like Chateau Du Tertre 2004.

Herb-crusted Rack of Lamb with Honey Mustard Glaze

Recipes adapted from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 2 frenched 8-bone racks of lamb
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Canola oil
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced rosemary

Instructions

  1. Score the fat covering the lamb in a crosshatch pattern. Season the racks on all sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan lined with foil. Heat some canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until it simmers.  Put 1 rack fat-side-down in the pan and sear until golden brown. Transfer the lamb to the roasting rack, meat-side-up, and repeat with the second rack.
  3. Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl and set aside.  Combine the butter and garlic in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, parsley, and rosemary to combine.
  4. Brush the mustard mixture over the fat and meat (do not coat the underside). Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the racks, pressing gently and patting the crumbs to adhere.
  5. Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
  6. Put the lamb in the oven, with the meat side toward the back, and roast for 30-35 minutes, until the temperature in the center of the meat registers 128-130 degrees.  Let the lamb rest on the rack in a warm place for about 20 minutes for medium-rare.

To serve

Carve each rack into four 2-bone chops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe


Ingredients

  • 4 bunches broccoli rabe
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons finely sliced garlic
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut away and discard the thicker part of the broccoli rabe stems, cutting about 1/2-inch below the smaller, more tender stems. Remove any torn or smaller greens.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season heavily with salt. Setup a cooling rack over a baking sheet and line with paper towels. Prepare an ice bath.
  3. Add half the broccoli rabe to the boiling water and cook until tender but slightly resistant to the tooth. Remove with a skimmer and shock in the ice bath. Drain on cooling rack. Repeat with remaining broccoli rabe.

To serve

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until lightly brown and crisp. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and the broccoli rabe and cook, tossing often, for about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sweet Potato Pavé


Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (three 1-pound potatoes if possible)
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon softened, and 4 tablespoons cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • Canola oil
  • Fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed, skins left on
  • Minced chives

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Pour the cream into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Peel the potatoes. Lay a Japanese mandoline over the bowl of cream and slice the potato lengthwise into very thin slices, letting them drop into the cream. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
  3. Brush a 10-by-6 1/2-by-3-inch high pan with half of the softened butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 5-inch overhang on the two long sides (these will serve as handles.) Brush the parchment with remaining softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Trim potato slices to form a solid even layer in the bottom of the pan and lay them in the direction that works best to fill the pan. Repeat to form a second layer. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue layering in this pattern until all the potatoes are used up. Fold over the sides of the parchment and cover tightly with foil.
  5. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour and 50 minutes, or until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool for 15 minutes. Put a weight on top of the potatoes (cans work well), cool to room temperature, wrap well, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or up to 2 days.

To serve

  1. Lift the pavé out of the pan using the parchment handles, place on a cutting surface and trim the edges. Cut into 16 equal pieces.
  2. Heat some canola oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, thyme and garlic, and cook, basting with the liquid in the pan, until browned on the first side, then carefully turn and brown the opposite side.
  3. Sprinkle with chives and pepper.
Category: Culinary School, Recipes | Tags: , , , , ,
FFF | January 11, 2011
One comment

Ad Hoc at Home: Grilled Asparagus w/ Prosciutto, Poached Egg, & Aged Balsamic

For course two of my menu project, I wanted to follow the rich and creamy texture of Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Keller’s recipe for Grilled Asparagus Salad. The pairing of grilled asparagus with a delicate poached egg and salty prosciutto made for not only a beautiful plate, but a fun spin on the classic pairing of ham and eggs.

Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto, Fried Bread, Poached Egg, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Recipe adapted from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

When grilled, asparagus take on a deep, smokey flavor that pairs perfectly with the richness of a poached egg and saltiness of prosciutto. Fried croutons add nice texture while the acidity of aged balsamic brightens the dish.  This is a great substitute for a traditional salad and makes for a bright and beautiful plate. Serve with a crisp glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2007.


Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 8 eggs
  • 3 bunches pencil-thin asparagus
  • Canola oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 5 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 2 cups fried croutons
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Aged balsamic vinegar
  • Fleur de sel

Instructions

  1. To poach the eggs, bring 6 to 8 inches of water to a boil in a large, deep saucepan. Prepare an ice bath.  Add the vinegar to the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Crack 1 egg into a small cup or ramekin, then add to the center of the pan and simmer gently until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to ice bath.  Repeat for remaining eggs.  The eggs can be poached several hours ahead and stored in ice water in the refrigerator.
  2. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for cooking over medium heat, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat when you are ready to cook the asparagus.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Trim the firmer ends of the asparagus stalks, making sure all of the asparagus are the same length. Spread onto the baking sheet, drizzle with canola oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Grill the asparagus, cooking 2 minutes per side, flipping with a narrow spatula until tender. Remove and keep warm.

To serve

  1. Arrange asparagus and prosciutto on the plate.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Trim any uneven edges from the poached eggs. Lower the eggs into the simmering water to reheat for about 30 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and blot the bottom with a paper towel. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper and add to the plate.
  3. Add a few croutons to the plate, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic, and sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper.
Category: Culinary School, Recipes | Tags: , , , , , ,
FFF | January 9, 2011
No comments

Ad Hoc at Home: Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Students in the Culinary Arts program at FCI are required to complete a menu project as part of the curriculum that showcases an ingredient, concept, culture, or theme of our choice in a four-course meal. We must produce a printed document that features an explanation on why we chose our theme, recipes for each course, wine pairings, photographs, and an example of recipe costing for one of our courses. The guidelines are simple and students are able to showcase their creativity and thoughts on food. I, of course, saw this as an opportunity to share my passion for cooking and writing and wanted to go all out for this project.

The theme I selected was based on the reason I started to cook in the first place: to show my love and appreciation for people through food. Cooking for family and friends is something that brings me great joy, whether a simple meal or a decadent four-course experience. One of my favorite cookbooks of all time is Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller. The book is full of family-style recipes that feature simple but big flavors, comfort food, and some of the most beautiful food photography I’ve ever seen. The idea to prepare dishes from Ad Hoc seemed like the perfect inspiration for my project, and a great excuse to try out some of the recipes I’ve been eyeing for over a year now.

I’m excited to share with you the recipes and photographs that I featured in my menu project and proudly served for my family over the Christmas break. Each course was more delicious than the next and are recipes well worth trying. I won’t receive my grade for another few weeks, but regardless of score, this was a fun exercise that allowed me to do what I love most. Enjoy course one below!

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Recipe adapted from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

The creamy and velvety texture of this soup is warm and inviting, with distinct cauliflower flavor and a hint of curry to balance its richness. Garnished with roasted cauliflower for a nutty bite and a crispy beet chip for crunch, this soup is elegant and satisfying.  While it could stand on its own with a crusty piece of French bread, just a few spoonfuls to start off a meal gives a sense of comfort and excitement for what’s to come. Serve with a glass of sparkling water.


Makes 8 (4 ounce) portions

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)
  • 1/4 teaspoon yellow curry powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup water
  • Canola oil
  • 1 medium red beet
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

For the soup

  1. Remove leaves and core from the cauliflower.  Trim 1 cup of florets to use for garnish.  Coarsely chop the remaining cauliflower into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, leeks, curry, and cauliflower.  Season with salt and cover with a parchment lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender.  Remove and discard the parchment lid.
  3. Pour in the milk, cream, and water, increase heat to medium high, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam from time to time.
  4. Working in batches, transfer the cauliflower mixture to a Vita-Mix or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Puree until smooth and velvety, checking for seasoning and adjusting where needed.  Transfer to a large saucepan and keep warm.

For the garnish

  1. Fill a deep, small pot with canola oil and heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 300 degrees.  While the oil heats, peel the beet and slice into paper-thin rounds. Carefully add a few beet rounds at a time into the hot oil and fry, turning with a slotted spoon as the edges begin to curl. Once crisp, remove and transfer to a paper towel-lined rack and season with salt. Reserve and keep warm in a low oven.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spread reserved cauliflower florets onto a half sheet tray and coat with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden and tender.  Reserve and keep warm in a low oven.

To serve

Reheat the soup.  If it has become too thick, add a little bit of water to thin to desired consistency.  Pour soup into individual serving dishes, top with a floret and beet chip, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with pepper.

Category: Culinary School, Recipes | Tags: , , , , ,
FFF | December 13, 2010
No comments

Roasted Winter Vegetable Risotto

After months of hard work, preparation, and anticipation the time has finally arrived for me to begin working in the kitchen at L’Ecole, the restaurant of the French Culinary Institute (FCI).  The idea of working in a restaurant kitchen always scared me a bit.  Me, working the line, making food to order that people are actually paying for? I always sort of envisioned it as this hectic, crazed experience that requires strength, speed, and an absence of fear, something I would never be cut out for. And after working three dinner shifts I discovered that’s exactly what it’s like.  But here’s the crazy thing—sometime in the last seven months this former human resources director and cooking enthusiast has transformed into a fast, fearless, no nonsense, honest-to-goodness cook.  Is this really me?!

The education I’ve received at FCI has been outstanding, and my readiness and adaptability to work in the kitchen is a true testament to the curriculum and instructors that have been guiding me and my classmates for the last seven months. But I would be remiss not to mention how hard I’ve been working up until now to get myself ready for this next big adventure. I can honestly say I’ve never worked so hard in my life at something, and I’m really proud of what I’m able to do.  But enough about me, my horn, and all that tooting…

The the last two levels of the Culinary Arts program require you to work in a rotation of stations in the kitchen, switching stations every fifth class.  My first assignment is working the entremetier station—responsible for preparing vegetable dishes and nightly specials.  One could argue that I caught a lucky break in starting out here, the dishes aren’t as involved or popular as say, saucier (meat) and poissonner (fish), and my partner and I certainly have a more relaxed pace then some of our other classmates, but we have our own challenges as well.  Most notable is the fact that we have to come up with the nightly vegetable plate—an entree alternative for vegetarians—on our own.  This is one of the few stations where you get to express your creativity as most other stations are responsible for set dishes.

I volunteered to prepare the vegetable plate for Thursday night’s dinner service with the idea of making a roasted cauliflower risotto.  Cauliflower is one of the few vegetables that is in season right now in New York, along with broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnips, onions, and winter squashes.  On the surface these are not the most sexy members of the locavore bunch, but with some nice olive oil, fresh herbs, and the magic of the Maillard reaction, even the humble cauliflower can be delicious, taking on a nutty flavor when roasted.  Risotto seemed like the perfect bed for the roasted vegetables.  Something about the creamy mouthfeel that you get from the starch combined with the slight bite from the al dente rice provides a rich and filling contrast to the vegetables, and gives the diner—whether vegetarian or not—the satisfaction of enjoying an entree sans protein that is as filling as their neighbor’s.

My original plan was to prepare the risotto the traditional way, with butter, onions, and nutty Parmesan cheese, but our new instructor, Chef Nick, suggested adding mascarpone and créme fraiche for an even richer and creamier texture, which of course was sinfully delicious.  He also gave me the idea to add brussels sprout leaves and some roasted butternut squash for added color and flavor, which was a great idea since my original concept would have been a bit beige.  I tossed in some golden raisins reconstituted in white wine for a sweet, acidic balance to all the cream, and we fried sage leaves for an herb garnish.  Not forgetting the importance of contrasting textures, toasted pine nuts were sprinkled on top for crunch.

I could not have been more pleased with the completed dish. The risotto came out creamy and al dente, and the vegetables, unglamorous as they may be, really shined brightly. All the components complimented one another and the feedback from my classmates and chef instructors was positive.  Dinner service went off without a hitch and we had at least 10 orders come through.  It was really exciting to think that 10 different people thought my dish sounded delicious enough to order—and pay for!

This is the perfect example of a winter meal that will comfort you and give you a good excuse to eat vegetables in season.  Like pasta, risotto is an easy dish to get creative with, throw in whatever vegetables, herbs, nuts, and cheeses you have on hand and experiment with flavors.  The recipe below lists approximate measurements, it’s merely a guide, so feel free to go heavy with the things you like and light on the things you aren’t so crazy about.  Once you get the technique for making risotto down the possibilities are endless!

Roasted Winter Vegetable Risotto

Risotto is often regarded as a dish you make only when you have time to guard the stove, but using the restaurant-style technique below you can prepare it in advance and finish when you’re ready to eat, all in a matter of minutes, thus making this a perfect dish to serve at your next dinner party.

Makes 4 (main course) portions

This was a shot of what was left at the end of the night, not quite as pretty as what was served, but you get the idea. Just imagine roasted veg and fried sage on top.

Ingredients

For the risotto

  • Unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
  • White wine
  • Chicken or vegetable stock (you will need roughly 8 cups)
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

For the vegetables

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 1 cup brussels sprout leaves
  • 1 small butternut squash, medium dice
  • olive oil
  • lemon juice
  • Fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

To finish

  • Unsalted butter
  • Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Mascarpone cheese
  • Créme fraiche (substitute with sour cream if you can’t find in your grocer)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • Olive oil
  • Fresh sage leaves
  • Pine nuts, toasted
  • Parmesan cheese, shaved

Directions

For the risotto

  1. Bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep warm on the stove.
  2. Melt a spoonful of butter in a deep saute pan or saucepan over medium heat until it begins to foam; add onions, sprinkle with salt, and saute until onions are translucent, but not browned. Toss rice with onions and butter and toast for a few minutes, making sure all the rice is coated with butter (add more if needed).
  3. Pour in enough white wine to cover the rice half way and deglaze, making sure to stir vigorously and loosen any pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan; let the wine reduce until it’s almost dry.
  4. Add a ladle-full of hot stock and briskly simmer, stirring, until stock has been absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition has been absorbed before adding the next. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want to hold it and finish closer to serving time, stop when the rice is about 75% of the way done, it should still have a crunchy bite and be a little creamy.  Spoon the risotto onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and let cool.  Once cool, transfer into a storage container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the vegetables

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.  Place on a sheet tray and roast in the oven until golden brown and cooked through.  Keep an eye on the cauliflower to ensure it doesn’t burn, it helps if you toss the florets a few times in the middle of roasting to get an even color. Add a little more oil or cover with aluminum foil if they are browning too quickly.
  3. Repeat the same process for the butternut squash.
  4. To remove the leaves from the brussels sprouts, remove the stem and core using a pairing knife, then carefully peel back leaves. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Once boiling, salt heavily until the water tastes like the sea. Drop in brussels sprout leaves and cook until tender, it should only take a few minutes.  When cooked, remove using a slotted spoon and drop directly into the ice water to shock and stop the cooking process, this will help them keep their bright green color.  Strain in a colander and let air dry.

To finish

  1. Place raisins into a heat-safe bowl;bring wine to a boil; remove from heat and pour over raisins. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Strain and discard wine (or save for later use).
  2. Saute sage leaves in olive oil until they are crispy, but not brown. Let drain on a paper towel and reserve for garnish.
  3. Place cooled risotto into a saucepan with a 1/2 a cup of stock over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Continue to add more stock, a little at a time, until the risotto is heated through and has a creamy, but not loose, texture. Stir in butter, raisins, Parmesan cheese, mascarpone, and créme fraiche (it should be creamy and rich). Season to taste. Add cooked vegetables, reserving some for garnish.
  4. To plate, place two spoonfuls of risotto into a hot, shallow bowl, shave a few slices of Parmesan on top, sprinkle with pine nuts and roasted vegetables, and top with a piece of fried sage.
Category: Culinary School, Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , , ,
FFF | November 23, 2010
One comment

Baked Brie Bites with Cranberry Pear Chutney

A classic and always delicious appetizer during the holiday season is baked brie.  A wheel of brie, topped with some sort of fruit and/or nut mixture, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked until golden and gooey.  There is no doubt that you have either seen or tried this at your office Christmas party or neighbor’s holiday open house.  While delicious to look at, functionally its a complete pain.  You have to use a knife to cut through the pastry, allowing the cheese to ooze all over the platter it’s served on, forcing your guests to then scoop up the cheese all the while attempting to get a piece of the pastry to go with it.

When it came time to think of hors d’oeuvres for our fall harvest buffet at FCI I instinctively went to baked brie, but started thinking outside the box to come up with a simpler way to serve it.  My solution? Individual baked brie’s! These Baked Brie Bites allow you to get the best of all three components in one bite, and who doesn’t love a bite-size snack?  The recipe below may seem a bit intimidating at first, but once you get rolling they are really quite simple. Plus, you can make them days in advance to save time on Thanksgiving or keep handy for when an unexpected guest arrives over the holidays.

Baked Brie Bites with Cranberry Pear Chutney

These are scrumptious and addictive. Depending on the size of your guest list you may want to double this recipe, simply use the additional sheet of puff pastry that comes in the package.  To make these in advance, freeze on a sheet tray, and once frozen, place inside an air tight container until ready to bake.

Makes 25

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 wedge brie cheese
  • Cranberry pear chutney (see recipe below)
  • Egg wash (egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Lay the sheet of puff pastry out onto a floured work surface.  Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out the sheet into a 12 inch square.  Using a pizza cutter, cut five lines across and five lines down to make 25 equal sized squares.  Place pastry squares onto the baking sheet.
  3. To assemble the bites, place a cube size piece of brie (just break off with your fingers) in the center of the pastry square. Top with a spoonful of chutney. Repeat for remaining pastry squares.
  4. Brush the edges of the pastry squares with a little bit of egg wash. Fold the corners of the pastry square over the top of the filling and gently twist to close.  Once enclosed, brush the tops of the bites with more egg wash to ensure a golden crust.
  5. Bake the bites in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and puffed.  The bites will open up and expose the filling during baking which is OK (see picture) just keep an eye on them to make sure the filling isn’t leaking out onto the sheet pan.  If that happens, remove from the oven and carefully crimp the edges of the dough to keep in intact.

Cranberry Pear Chutney

This is the go-to cranberry sauce recipe my Mom makes for the holidays.  It’s tart, sweet, and spicy and is such a nice upgrade from boring old cranberry sauce.  This recipe makes more than enough for the Baked Brie Bites and the remaining can be served alongside your turkey at Thanksgiving dinner.  This can be made days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

Makes 4 3/4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
  • 1 (12 0z) package of fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups chopped peeled pears (3 medium pears)
  • 1 cup chopped granny smith apple (1 small)
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries begin to pop.
  3. Stir in pear, apple, and onion, and cook for 20 minutes or until fruit is tender.
  4. Remove from heat, stir in juice.
  5. Cool to room temperature. Discard Cinnamon sticks.
Category: Culinary School, Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , ,
FFF | November 19, 2010
4 comments

Fall Harvest Buffet at FCI

Does it get any better than a buffet? I mean, really?  For many, buffets conjure images of gluttonous patrons lined up for the third time at the sizzler or a low-end Vegas casino, but these people have never been to a buffet put on by a class of FCI students, for if they had, they would sing the praises of extra helpings and stretchy pants.  Every class that goes through the culinary arts program at FCI is tasked with planning and preparing a buffet for the school during level four of our six-level program.  I have been looking forward to my very own buffet since week two and was giddy with anticipation for the last two weeks as my classmates and I prepared for it.

While our chef instructor, the awesome Chef Phil Burgess, is responsible for selecting our theme and final dishes on the menu, we as a class were able to suggest theme ideas and dishes that we would like to work on.  I was over the moon when Chef Phil told us that our group would be doing a fall harvest theme, a theme I had suggested, as it meant putting our own spin on Thanksgiving, my favorite food holiday ever.  After getting together to brainstorm menu ideas and logistics, we set our menu and got to work.  We had two weeks, or six classes, to get everything prepped and prepared for the big night.

Departing from our classic french cooking regimen was a really nice change of pace as it gave us all a chance to express our creativity in the kitchen and test out new flavors and techniques.  The amount of food we prepared was really incredible, and each night it seemed as if we had so much to get done it would never happen, but somehow we hustled and got it all done, and had fun too!  Our buffet was served this past Saturday night and turned out to be a glowing success, if I do say so myself.  Everyone worked together and our finished products looked and tasted great.  As an added bonus, I was able to work side by side with my foodie partner-in-crime Erin from Food and Femininity (we can thank Erin for some of the great pictures below).

Seeing as how Thanksgiving is right around the corner, I wanted to share our menu with you to showcase how we reinterpreted Turkey Day and hopefully inspire you to try something new this year.  I am going to be sharing a select few recipes from our buffet throughout the next week so look forward to how-to’s for things like Baked Brie Bites, Prosciutto Fig & Blue Cheese Triangles, and Chocolate Ganache & Pistachio Cakes.  Of course, if there is something on the menu you would love to get the recipe for please shoot me an email at tokeeffe@funfearlessfoodie.com and I will be happy to share.  Don’t miss the tasty photo gallery below!

Fall Harvest Buffet

Venison Sausage Butternut Squash Purée, Thyme-Roasted Apple Spheres

Pheasant Pâté Pistachio, Ham, Shitake Mushroom

Beet Leaf-Wrapped Terrine of Roasted Squash

Fig, Prosciutto & Roquefort Phyllo Triangles

Baked Brie Bites Caramelized Onions, Cranberry Citrus Compote

Lobster & Potato Hash Canapé Roasted Shitake, Sauce Americaine

Duck Confit & Cashew Pot Stickers

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail Pistou Dipping Sauce

Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese & Beet Salad Orange Mustard Vinaigrette

Deep-Fried Turkey Herb Jus

Cassoulet Pork, Duck, Lamb, White Beans

Roasted Leg of Lamb Red Wine Demi Glace

Roasted Cauliflower Blue Cheese Drizzle

Fennel & Pancetta Ragout

Roasted Carrots & Cipollinis

Brussels Sprout Gratin

Duo of Mashed Potatoes Garlic Confit, Classic Puree

Autumnal Ice Cream Sandwich Bar Sage Ice Cream, Butternut Squash Ice Cream, Salted Caramel Sauce, Maple-Roasted Apple Spheres, Candied Hazelnuts &Walnuts, Brioche Buns

Pistachio Cake Chocolate Ganache, Whipped Cream

Cheese Course Clothbound Cheddar (cow), Chabichou (goat), Epoisses (cow), Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog (goat)

Mulled Cider

Pomegranate Lime Spritzer

Category: Culinary School, Foodie Events, Seasonal | Tags: ,
FFF | October 5, 2010
No comments

Secrets of a Student Chef: The art of mise en place

The makings of Beef Bourguignon

Welcome back for lesson two in my series, Secrets of a Student Chef, where I bring you basic but critical lessons from the kitchens of FCI that you can use to help make you a better home cook.  Now that you know how to read a recipe, it’s time to get cooking.  But before you begin, make sure you practice the organizational technique the french call mise en place.

It’s 7:30 pm, you have guests arriving for dinner in 30 minutes and you’re up to your elbows in pots and pans as you frantically attempt to have your feast of seared scallops and mediterranean risotto on the table in time for your guests arrival.  The problem is, you misread the recipe calling for clarified butter instead of whole butter for the scallops, and as you’re busy Googling how on earth you make clarified butter you forget to add more stock to your risotto and it burns and sticks to the bottom of the pot.  Sound familiar?

So many meals start with the best of intentions, but due to a lack of planning they fail miserably and we are left to assume we are the worst cooks in the world and resort to making reservations instead.  Sure, there are some honest to goodness terrible cooks out there, but for most of us there’s a solution to this problem that is so simple it will change they way you cook forever.  That solution is known as mise en place.

French for “everything in its place”, mise en place is the practice of having everything you need for a recipe prepared and in front of you before you begin to cook or bake.  It’s also the first and most fundamental lesson you learn as a culinary school student.  I’m currently embarking on the journey of becoming a chef and am frequently asked by friends and family if school is hard.  The answer is no, it isn’t hard, but it can be if you’re not prepared.

Whether you’re a chef in training like myself, or a master chef like Daniel Boulud, the practice of mise en place is of critical importance.  If you don’t take the time to prepare yourself and your ingredients in advance, you run the risk of not only forgetting something, but overcooking or burning a dish while you’re busy cutting an onion or measuring flour.  Time is of the essence with cooking and those who can learn the discipline of preparation will see that cooking is not only easy, it’s fun too. These practical mise en place tips are used every day in culinary school and will help you on your path to becoming a better cook.

Read the recipe. This sounds obvious, but so many of us don’t read a recipe all the way through and look over important steps that are critical to the success of a dish.  Read the recipe two to three times and make a note of any advanced preparation needed.  Also, review the ingredient list to ensure you have everything you need in house and highlight the equipment and tools needed.  You can always improvise with tools or ingredients in the event you don’t have what it calls for, but knowing this in advance will make things run smoother.

Quick Tip: Making lists are a great way to keep track of ingredients you have, and those you need to get at the store.  Ziplist.com is a free website that lets you make and store lists, plus view them anytime on your smartphone and check off as you go.

Have a plan. Cooking doesn’t need to take all day as long as you make good use of your time.  Begin with the steps that are going to take the longest, like marinating a protein or letting dough rise, before you start on some of the quicker tasks.  Work backwards and find ways to multitask so you are not rushing everything at the last minute.

Quick tip: Save herbs for the last minute.  Keep their appearance and flavor as fresh as possible by chopping and garnishing right before serving your meal.

Prepare the ingredients. Before you begin cooking, take time to chop all of your vegetables, measure out your liquids and dry ingredients, and place them all into bowls based on when they will be used during the cooking process.  Having all your ingredients prepped will make the execution of your dish a breeze.  All you need to do is toss them in when the time comes and you won’t have to worry about forgetting something along the way.  If you have prep bowls these work great for some of the larger quantities of ingredients, but “mise cups”, or little plastic cups dipping cups if you will, are perfect for small quantities of chopped produce or spices and herbs.

Quick tip: Cupcake liners serve as a great substitute for mise cups and make cleanup a breeze.

Clean as you go. One of the worst parts about cooking is cleaning, but staying on top of your mess while you work makes the cooking process smoother and prevents a huge pile of pots and pans at the end of the night.  As you finish with a bowl or pan, place it in a sink filled with soapy water right away and wash and dry before you move on to the next task.  This also prevents your work station from getting cluttered and ingredients from getting lost.

Quick tip: Keep a garbage bowl at your work station so you can discard scraps and trimmings as you prepare your ingredients.

And finally, slow down. Unless you’re competing in a Quickfire on Top Chef or working the line in a restaurant kitchen, there is no need to run around like a crazy person in your kitchen to get things done.  Working too fast will not only stress you out, it’s dangerous too.  Accidents are more likely to happen when we aren’t paying attention and it’s easier than you think to slice your finger with a knife or burn your hand on a hot pot.  Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for a group, the safety of the chef is number one and people will always wait for a good meal, so take your time and enjoy the ride.

As Chef Thomas Keller says, “the bottom line is this: in order to be a good cook, you have to be aware of everything around you. It’s an ongoing process, one you should take pleasure in.  The more pleasure you take from cooking, the more fun you have in the kitchen, the better your food will be!”

Category: Culinary School, How To, Secrets of a Student Chef | Tags: , ,
FFF | September 27, 2010
No comments

New series: Secrets of a Student Chef

While I’m only 4 months into my 9 month culinary school education at The French Culinary Institute, I have learned what feels like a lifetimes worth of lessons on cooking and how great chefs come to be.  You don’t have to be french, a man, or a samurai with a chef’s knife to have what it takes to make great food, you just have to understand the basic principles of food, practice discipline and organization, and have a love for making people feel good.

I decided that I wanted to find an easy and informative way to share some of the basics that I have learned with all of you so that you can see that cooking doesn’t have to be hard and being a great home chef is within reach.  So starting today, and every Monday to follow for the next twelve weeks, I am going to be bringing you usable lessons from the kitchens of FCI in a series simply titled “Secrets of a Student Chef “.  Upcoming lessons will include topics on knife skills, working with whole chickens, braising, baking, and sauce making just to name a few.  But first, I thought I’d start with the most basic lesson of all: learning how to properly read a recipe.

Original copies of Julia Child's cookbooks, where she put years of hard work formating recipes that would be easy for the home cook to reproduce

In my short time in culinary school, one thing is already clear: some of the most fundamental techniques that all chefs must learn are simpler than you think, and just as useful for amateur food-loving cooks. And lots of these have nothing to do with a knife or a pan — they’re about how you think about cooking.

Before every class begins my fellow students and I must come prepared with hand written recipe cards, copied from our textbooks. At first this seemed incredibly inefficient and tedious. But soon I realized that the extra few minutes I spend writing out the recipe makes the entire cooking process smoother. It forces me to go through the mental motions of preparing the dish in my head, thinking of what ingredients and tools I will need and the order in which the tasks need to be completed. How many times before had I skimmed through a recipe, overlooking details that end up making more work for me later? Or worse, turn my dish into an utter failure?

Re-writing a recipe before you cook isn’t a realistic or required task for everyone, but at the very least you owe it to yourself to really read a recipe before you take on the time, labor, and expense of producing it. Granted, all recipes are not created equal, but whether short, long, complicated, or easy, knowing how to really use it to plan the cooking process and guide you through it is the first step to ensuring your finished product is as tasty as possible. Follow these simple steps before you begin and set yourself up for success.

Selecting the recipe. In today’s internet-driven world we are less likely to find a recipe in a published book or reputable magazine than we are to pull it up online.  Popular food sites like Food Network and Chowhound offer up recipes from well known chef’s and novices alike, also providing a discussion forum for people to share their experiences trying it out.  If you do find a recipe you like online, take a moment to read the reviews and see what others are saying, sometimes small steps can be left out and learning from someone else’s mistake could save you time and trouble.  Food blogs are also a great place to find custom recipes and see photos of the authors experience preparing the dish.  The photos and commentaries food bloggers share are helpful to anyone trying to recreate it at home, but take a good look at the recipe formatting to make sure it’s easy to follow, uses consistent units of measures, and includes a recipe yield.

Determine preparation and cooking time. Knowing how long a dish is going to take to prepare is the first step in determining if the recipe is one you want to make, and one that is most often overlooked. Check the recipe for an estimated preparation and cooking time, and if one isn’t listed, read through the instructions for language relating to marinating, oven baking, resting, etc. Often time estimates are written for ideal conditions — no phone calls from Mom, no kids wanting their snack — so it’s helpful to tack on extra time to give yourself room in case a step takes longer than you anticipated. Ask yourself if you have time for this recipe before you commit to it so you don’t stress yourself out later rushing to get it on the table.

Go through the ingredient list. Whether in a cooking magazine or on your favorite food blog, recipes should start with the list of ingredients required in chronological order based on when they are used during preparation. (This might help you determine whether the recipe is written to a certain level of thoughtfulness, though of course all rules are meant to sometimes be broken!) Go through the list one by one and mark off whether you have the ingredient or need to buy it. Take note of any specific instructions about how an ingredient should be used (room temperature, cold, hot, melted, defrosted, frozen, etc.). Now is the time to decide if you have the budget to prepare the dish based on the ingredients needed, or if you need to substitute a more affordable ingredient.

Check for recipes within a recipe. Some recipes will call for a component that requires a separate recipe listed elsewhere like a marinade, salad dressing, or condiment. Look out for these when reviewing a recipe to determine if you’ll need additional ingredients and cooking time. Often times these can be substituted with store-bought ingredients, but it’s helpful to know this ahead of time.

Highlight action words. Highlight or underline action words in the recipe, this will indicate the tools and equipment required if not already listed at the top of the recipe. This is a good practice to keep so that you don’t find out halfway into cooking that you need a potato ricer and don’t have one. Of course you can make modifications, but it’s much less stressful to know ahead of time then to freak out mid way.

Review measurements. Check the measurements used to make sure they are in a unit you understand and know how to measure. Are the measurements given in volume or weight? In cups and ounces or grams? If you’re unfamiliar with the conversions you can use Google to convert between many different units of measurement of height, weight, and volume among many others. Just enter your desired conversion into the search box and they’ll do the rest. Kitchen reference books like the The New Food Lover’s Companionby Sharon Tyler Herbst, are also helpful to have for uses such as this.

Follow pre-heating instructions. Look for pre-heating instructions in the recipe, if necessary. It’s almost always best to start with a hot oven that is pre-heated and ready to go to ensure accuracy during cooking. This should be one of your first steps when you begin cooking as pre-heating can take up to 15 minutes in most conventional ovens. Also, make sure you verify whether oven temperatures are listed in Celsius or Fahrenheit, a small detail that makes a huge difference.

Keep recipe yield in mind. Recipes are scaled based on a set yield and should be listed at the top or bottom of the recipe. It’s important to keep in mind the number of people you need to serve when reviewing a recipe so you can determine if it needs to be modified. In most cases having more than you need is a plus, but if you’re making something that has an expensive ingredient, say saffron or lobster, you may not want to buy more than you need. If you have to scale a recipe up or down, try to stick with even numbers of servings to keep the math simple and prevent errors.

Think about round two. If you’re going to end up with usable trimmings or extra food when preparing a recipe, consider ways you can use these items a second time to get the most bang for your buck and prevent waste.  If you only need egg yolks, save the whites and use them later to make a meringue or mix with a whole egg to make an omelet.  The stems of herbs like parsley and cilantro are also worth saving and can be tossed in with boiling water when making rice to enhance flavor.  Practicing this habit will not only save you money, it will also inspire you to try new recipes or create your own.

Category: Culinary School, How To, Secrets of a Student Chef | Tags: ,
FFF | September 21, 2010
2 comments

Happy One Year Anniversary FFF!

I can hardly believe it, but it has been ONE WHOLE YEAR since I started Fun Fearless Foodie and I am so thankful to those of you who have been reading about my foodie adventures and supporting me over the last year.  I started this blog at the end of last summer as a result of being sidelined by foot surgery and desperate for a creative outlet to channel my pent up energy. At first it was an innocent hobby and a place to share my kitchen adventures as I experimented with food and recipes, but it quickly turned into a passion that had me wishing it could be my full-time job.

Like a lot of people, I was struggling to find purpose and enjoyment in my day to day work (at the time a HR professional) and was coming to terms with the notion that the rest of my life could very well be stressful and unfulfilling.  I had been dreaming about dropping it all and going to culinary school, going so far as to researching schools, loans, etc. just to toy with the idea but always found a reason to talk myself out of it. I mean who walks away from a good-paying job with the security of a familiar city, friends, and family to take a selfish leap into a new career?  As life would have it, I reached a turning point in my personal life that gave me the opportunity to step outside of myself and think about what I really wanted and what was holding me back from getting it.  It turns out that once I found an answer for every reason not to, making the decision to quit my job, apply to culinary school, and move my life to New York City was the easiest choice I ever made.

If you would have told me a year ago when I started this blog that today I would be living in one of the most exciting cities in the world, attending one of the country’s best culinary schools, interning at the Food Network, meeting incredible chef’s, and living my life as a full-time foodie I would have laughed.  The past four months have been the best of my life and hopefully will only get better.  This blog has given me a purpose and direction in life that has taken me on an incredible journey.  My passion for food and sharing my experiences with others is what keeps me going, I absolutely love to educate people about food and how cooking can be an easy and important part of their life.  Of course I need to turn this passion into a paying career, but as scary as being a student and intern again is, something tells me that my dedication will lead me to good things.

So thank you to those of who you have been reading and following me on this journey, I hope you have learned something new about cooking and a flame, even a small one, has been lighted to get or keep you in the kitchen.  And if I can give any kind of non-cooking related advice it would be to remember that life’s journey is what you make of it. If there is something you’ve always wanted to do, do it.  I know changes like this aren’t easy and sometimes take time, but life is too short to spend it doing something you don’t like.  When you really stop and think about it, the change you’ve always wanted might be easier than you think.

Bon appetit!

Category: Culinary School, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags: ,
FFF | September 16, 2010
5 comments

The Next Food Network Intern

After my short but oh-so-sweet stint working over at the Food Network on Iron Chef America I’ve been itching with excitement to get another opportunity to work with the FN team.  When I departed last month I made sure I told everyone who needed to know that I wanted the chance to interview and test for their official intern program and was stoked when a week later I was greeted with an email inviting me to do just that.  So for the last month i’ve been anxiously awaiting the big day and trying my best to keep the whole thing quiet so that in the event I didn’t get the internship I could avoid the awkward letdown, or at least publicly.  Well friends, I’m excited to announce that the interview went great and I have been offered a 3 month internship at the FN starting in January!

I know this doesn’t make me the Next Food Network Star or anything, but getting an internship at FN is a very cool opportunity and can open a lot of doors down the line in terms of career potential so I plan on taking advantage of it to the fullest.  The whole interview process was more of a practical test than a traditional interview.  When I arrived at the studios last Friday I was given a worksheet with a variety of tasks that I needed to complete, showcasing my knife skills, cooking skills, and practical knowledge of recipe writing and editing.  I won’t reveal my assignments in an effort to maintain the mystery and competitiveness of the process but I will say that my culinary school know-how and the fact that I had worked there before were advantageous.  This simple technique was also handy.

I felt pretty confident throughout the interview, but to make things more nerve-wracking they were also filming an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay in the test kitchen at the same time I was completing my test. Lookout for the back of my head in an upcoming holiday episode!

My internship begins on January 4th, 2011, a great way to kick off the new year.  I will be working at the studios located above Chelsea Market full time for 3 months at the same time I finish up my last 3 months of school at FCI.  It’s going to be a hectic time, but everything I’ve been wanting all at the same time.  I’m not sure what shows and projects I’ll be working on during my stint there, but I will get the chance to rotate throughout different departments, working with the test kitchen, product development, production, and research.  My goal for this whole process is to hone in more on what it is I truly want to do when my “life as a student adventure” ends and make some great connections that will hopefully lead to bigger and better things.

Until then, I’ll be working in my own test kitchen whipping up delicious dishes to share with you here on Fun Fearless Foodie and look forward to a beautiful and bountiful fall in NYC!

Related Posts with Thumbnails
Category: Culinary School, NYC Foodie Adventure | Tags:
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »