FOOD
Culinary Arts and Patisserie
Recipes - Culinary Arts and Patisserie |
Week 1: Empanadas, Salsa Verde
This week's assignment: Empanadas with Salsa Verde.
My chef instructor explained, "We're teaching you technique, not recipes. Once you learn the technique, you can make anything you want... you won't need recipes."
I see parallels with my day job, where I help organizations implement adaptive organizational designs. If you learn the technique, you won't need frameworks... you'll move well beyond them, to an understanding of context and application, that leverages a multitude of techniques.
My chef instructor explained, "We're teaching you technique, not recipes. Once you learn the technique, you can make anything you want... you won't need recipes."
I see parallels with my day job, where I help organizations implement adaptive organizational designs. If you learn the technique, you won't need frameworks... you'll move well beyond them, to an understanding of context and application, that leverages a multitude of techniques.
Week 2: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies
The culinary journey continues... today, I baked something I never thought I'd make: chocolate chip cookies and brownies with toasted walnuts. While desserts aren't in my wheelhouse, it does seem an appropriate class assignment for Easter.
Week 3: Muffins, Biscuits, Pancakes
The culinary challenge this week was quick breads: muffins, biscuits, and pancakes.
Sift the dry ingredients for more lift. Keep the batter cold. Use the tips of your fingers to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, which are cooler than your palms and thus will limit how much the batter warms. A little time in the freezer for the dry and liquid ingredients before mixing can help as well. Only mix until combined, being extra careful not to over-mix, or gluten will form.
Oh, and lightly dust your blueberries with flour to keep them from sinking in the finished product.
Sift the dry ingredients for more lift. Keep the batter cold. Use the tips of your fingers to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, which are cooler than your palms and thus will limit how much the batter warms. A little time in the freezer for the dry and liquid ingredients before mixing can help as well. Only mix until combined, being extra careful not to over-mix, or gluten will form.
Oh, and lightly dust your blueberries with flour to keep them from sinking in the finished product.
Week 4: Flatbread
For this week's culinary assignment I made five flatbreads, and capped the event with a pan pizza using an Al Taglio dough at 80% hydration.
As a general rule of thumb: the thinner the crust, the fewer the ingredients. Try to limit your flatbreads to just three toppings.
For the first flatbread, I made salsa verde, then added mozzarella and chicken. The second included home-made pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni. The third utilized pizza sauce, basil goat cheese and artichoke hearts (this was my favorite flavor combination). The fourth and fifth were variations on similar themes, with different types of pepperoni and mozzarella. The pan pizza was crafted with marinara, large slices of fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, and some fresh basil sprinkled on top.
As a general rule of thumb: the thinner the crust, the fewer the ingredients. Try to limit your flatbreads to just three toppings.
For the first flatbread, I made salsa verde, then added mozzarella and chicken. The second included home-made pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni. The third utilized pizza sauce, basil goat cheese and artichoke hearts (this was my favorite flavor combination). The fourth and fifth were variations on similar themes, with different types of pepperoni and mozzarella. The pan pizza was crafted with marinara, large slices of fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, and some fresh basil sprinkled on top.
Week 5: French Bread
The assignment this week was all about shaping French bread. I made a baquette, boule, and batard.
Pro tip: cook the bread with steam for an exceptional crust.
Pro tip: cook the bread with steam for an exceptional crust.
Week 6: Creme Brûlée, Bread Pudding, Caramel Sauce
Desserts aren't really my forte, which had me procrastinating on this week's assignment. As such, I submitted it at the last minute... but wouldn't you know it, it actually came out okay. I made Creme Brûlée, Custard with a caramel sauce, and Bread Pudding topped with caramel sauce.
For a silky smooth custard, run it through a fine mesh strainer before cooking in a water bath.
For a silky smooth custard, run it through a fine mesh strainer before cooking in a water bath.
Week 7: Poached Egg, Over Easy Egg, Sunny Side Up Egg, Soft Boiled Egg, Hard Boiled Egg, Scrambled Egg, Quiche Lorraine
This week was all about egg cookery: sunny-side up, over-easy, scrambled, poached, soft-boiled, hard-boiled, and a Quiche Lorraine.
A few tips...
Don't boil an egg... simmer it. When you peel a "boiled" egg, first cool it in an ice bath, then crack and remove the bottom, insert a spoon between the egg white and the shell, and then lift to separate the shell.
For scrambled eggs, swirl with a rubber spatula, and remove immediately after curds form.
For a poached egg, bring the water to a temperature between 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, add vinegar, then swirl and drop the egg into the center. Once the egg white is no longer translucent, remove with a slotted spoon.
For a Quiche Lorraine... buy a pre-made pie crust.
A few tips...
Don't boil an egg... simmer it. When you peel a "boiled" egg, first cool it in an ice bath, then crack and remove the bottom, insert a spoon between the egg white and the shell, and then lift to separate the shell.
For scrambled eggs, swirl with a rubber spatula, and remove immediately after curds form.
For a poached egg, bring the water to a temperature between 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, add vinegar, then swirl and drop the egg into the center. Once the egg white is no longer translucent, remove with a slotted spoon.
For a Quiche Lorraine... buy a pre-made pie crust.
Week 8: Mayonnaise, Potato Salad, Caesar Salad
This week we made salads and emulsions, which included: vinaigrette, mayonnaise, potato salad, Caesar dressing, and Caesar salad.
Week 9: Vichyssoise, Monte Cristo, Potato Chips
This week the assignment was vichyssoise (a cold soup made from leeks and potatoes), a pan-fried batter-dipped Monte Cristo sandwich, and potato chips.
Week 10: Tomato Raisin Chutney, Mostarda, Pickled Red Onions
Our assignment this time around is a two-parter, starting with some core elements for our Charcuterie board that we will finish next week.
Week 11: Pate de Campagne
For culinary school the last two weeks we prepared preservations and condiments -- including Tomato Raisin Chutney, Dried Fruit Mostarda, Pickled Red Onion, and Pate de Campagne -- which culminated in the Charcuterie board above.
Our chef instructor said the terrine is what separates culinarians from home cooks, as it requires "real technique." Not to mention time, as the process typically spans three days!
Our chef instructor said the terrine is what separates culinarians from home cooks, as it requires "real technique." Not to mention time, as the process typically spans three days!
Week 12: Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab Cakes, Red Pepper Remoulade
Final cook of the term, in which we made appetizers, including Stuffed Mushrooms and Crab Cakes with Remoulade sauce.
Pro tip: when making crab cakes, use lump or super lump crab, and mix gently to avoid breaking the crab apart. This will give you those big, crab-tastic bites.
Pro tip: when making crab cakes, use lump or super lump crab, and mix gently to avoid breaking the crab apart. This will give you those big, crab-tastic bites.