March 29, 2012

Eggs, cream and more eggs and cream!  Today was all about custards, puddings, and mousses. We learned about the base for each and how to change the flavors.  Chef Janine Sciarappa shared her recipes and knowledge with us.

There are three types of puddings:
-starched thickened
-baked
-steamed

There are two types of custards:
-stirred - stirring while cooking and remains pourable
-baked - not stirred and sets up firm

A custard is a liquid set by coagulated egg protein.
- 1 egg to 1 cup liquid (milk, cream), 2 T sugar
- if you add more eggs will be richer - for every egg you must add 2 T of sugar

Mousse is a soft creamy dessert made fluffy by adding whipped egg whites or whipped cream
- base of custard sauce/curd + whipped cream/egg whites

Important to note, use pasteurized egg whites when not cooking them.

Tips:
-never add vanilla while on stove bc will evaporate
-don't add chocolate directly over heat, the bottom will burn

Chocolate Pots de Creme

Coconut Lime Panna Cotta

Chocolate Malt Panna Cotta

Torta di Ricotta

Chocolate Mousse

Rasberry Clafouti

March 28, 2012

Between going to a pigs farm and cooking Indian, I am exhausted! The pig farm was fascinating and it was so nice to see animals treated well and cared for. The owners of Brambly Farm, a family business, are  extremely dedicated to their animals and their well being.  Even though they raise the pigs for meat, they do not slaughter them and their philosophy is to treat them well and give them a good life before they are at the weight and age to be killed.  They are fed wholesome foods and not scraps and the owners stay with the mothers when they give birth and help new mothers with feeding.  They do not kill the runts but embrace them and they keep the piglets with their mothers.

If you are interested in purchasing a whole pig to eat please reach out to brambly farms if you are a restaurant or individual.

http://www.bramblyfarms.com/

After the pigs farm Chef Thomas John taught us the basics of Indian food.  We cooked tandoori chicken, rice pilaf, flat bread and shrimp curry.  The most important thing about cooking good Indian food is to not over do the spices, cream and butter.  Make sure you can taste all the ingredients. The issue with Americanized Indian food is that you do not know what you are eating and its sweet and creamy for America's taste preference.  Explore cloves, mustard seeds, mace, coriander but remember a little goes a long way and do not hide the flavors.

Tips:
-always cook spices - raw spices are not good
-try using yogurt in recipes, marinades to give a tangy creamy flavor and feel
-1 lb whole wheat flour, 1 T oil and water gives you the base dough for flat bread.  Roll into rounds and cook in dry skillet over high heat

March 27, 2012

Chinese, Asian fusion, day with chef Jonathan Donoghue of Blue Ginger - a great teacher.  It was the first day we all worked with Asian flavors, sesame seed oil, sweetened soy sauce, sweet and sour peppers, rice wine vinegar, ginger, scallions and the list goes on.  Everything we made from scallion pancakes to shrimp shumai was simple, but time consuming - prep wise. A great day over all and a lot of tips given.  Let the dumpling pinching competition begin!!


Tips:
-Always use a hot hot wok - spread all the veggies and goodies out, the wok allows for an even and hot surface area.
-To saute dumplings use canola oil - get the pan hot, color slightly the bottom (when making the dumplings flatten the bottom), then add water and cover to steam until all water is evaporated, crisp up
-steaming dumplings is simple! 
- to freeze dumplings, boil them in water, dry them, and then freeze them or refrigerate them
-scallion pancakes can last in refrigerator for 2 weeks uncooked
-corn starch is used abundantly in Chinese recipes as a thickening agent - dredge your chicken in corn starch and then cook!
-cut your butter into slivers, freeze and then dice - use frozen butter when making shrimp mouse or any filler for dumplings with butter.  The frozen butter creates pockets of goodness
-use only the greens of scallions when serving raw or slightly cooked, use white parts when cooking scallions

Hot water dough used to make wontons and scallion pancakes

Shrimp Shumai

Chicken Lo Mein

Crispy Scallion Pancakes

Chicken Asian slaw

Pork pot stickers

March 26, 2012

Finally another baking day!  Janine Sciarappa was the Chef/Professor for the day.  She definitely makes baking look simple and the day is always fun and sweet!  Today's class was about making a "panade," (pate a choux)  pastry creams and crepes.  The simple doughs can have endless possibilities and it was great to see how one dough can turn into three different foods.  Baking is very precise and Janine does a great job showing you when the dough is right and when you can stop whisking the pastry cream!

Tips:
-panade - dough that is cooked twice - used to make profiteroles and eclairs
-when your eclairs or profiteroles are done, they should feel light and not weighted down
-don't over mix ganache
-pastry cream needs a lot of elbow grease- whisk the eggs to get them to be whitish in color and flow like a ribbon
-crepes - do the shake and turn dance...and if you get a whole fill it in with more batter!
-savory ideas - dill, smoked salmon mousse, eggplant puree with red peppers, cheese mixture, pesto and bacon endless, Asian slaw or bbq pork or carrot puree!!
-All of these recipes can be made using different flavoring ingredients
-layer the crepes with ham and cheese and jam (Monte cristo)
-layer of creme fresh (sp), smoked salmon and chives, ....

Cake made out of crepes - Recipe by Janine Sciarappa

Profiteroles

Bacon, Thyme, Gruyere

March 22, 2012

What an exhausting yet fun day.  We had a market basket day in which we were given lobster, chicken, beets, asparagus and new potatoes to make an appetizer and entree with.  We had two days to think about what to prepare, but there are so many options that it is overwhelming!  Do I do Asian, Italian, French or fusion. What is my theme? What do I want to express?

With timeline, recipes and sketches of my plates in hand I entered the kitchen and came in on time!

I opted to make
-Chilled Asparagus soup with Lobster and cracked pepper crackers.
-the asparagus soup was clean and simple, stock, asparagus, cream, salt pepper, onion, lemon sour cream/heavy cream = creme fresh (sp)
- Feta stuffed Chicken breast on top of a bead of spring vegetables with kale chips

I should have stuffed the chicken by making a slit and not stuffing under the skin - i usually do the other way when I use skinless -oops should have done what I originally thought!

Tips:
-when cooking under pressure or for any occasion - BE ORGANIZED
-write out a timeline, know what you need ingredients wise and equipment wise and know what temperatures your oven needs to be and when.

My soup began melting from the heat and the wait 

March 21, 2012

A photogenic day! We spent the morning with Nina Gallant, a food photographer and her food stylist.  They taught us some secrets about shooting ice cream, framing the scene and how to use natural light and place light.  It is amazing that in a tiny studio, gourmet foods and beautiful photographs can be made. We all got our chance to set up a shoot and take some photos.

Later in the day, Chef Michael Leviton, showed us the difference between blanching, roasting and steaming.  A day of understanding how cooking techniques influence flavor and texture.

Tips:
-Slow whole roasted potatoes at 350 degrees - won't have crispy skin, but will be smooth and fluffy in center
-quartered potatoes at 500 degree - crispy exterior and soft interior but not as silky as the slow roast
-peeling asparagus will remove the bitter flavor
-roasting asparagus makes it sweeter than blanching it
-if blanching then must shock it in ice bath immediately! want green food to stay green.
-Caesar salad - Dijon, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, anchovies, parm
-dressings - 3 or 4 parts oil to 1 part acid

looking good

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