RTechChef's Kitchen

2012-07-03T09:41:00.001-07:00

I know I've been lagging on updates but I wanted to give everyone a look at what I've been participating in. I've been training to do a Century Bike ride (122 miles to be exact) in Las Vegas to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (http://www.lls.org/). I'm part of their Team In Training fundraising group and I am trying to help fundraise for the charity.

I hope everyone will help me participate with the group by donating. Every penny counts and I can use your support. Please donate at: www.TNTCancer.com to help Blow Up Cancer!

High School Mentoring/Competition

2012-05-02T14:55:00.002-07:00

So part of my absence from my blog has been partly due to the fact that I've been helping mentor 5 high school students to compete in a national competition this week. A reporter came in and wrote this nice little blurb! Needless to say, I'm happy to be a part of this event and think it is even more awesome to be in print now!

The Article:

Cooking Under Fire

valley students prep for cooking comp

From the outside it looks like an ordinary high school classroom door. But when you step inside you can hear clamor of pots, the crisp slicing of vegetables, and the bustling boil of a kitchen under the pressure of time. Professional chefs gather around their protégés, turning Francis Polytechnic Senior High School’s class kitchen into a pressure cooker for five students.

The five will compete against each other Saturday, May 5, at the Long Beach Hyatt. One will go on to a bigger competition in Houston, Texas, representing Poly, and the city of Long Beach, to compete nationally against several other cities across the US.

In his white chef’s garb, sophomore Jose Garcia, takes his time hovering over a water-spotted metal table, intently placing the finishing touches on a gourmet “Strawberry Field” salad. Dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette and accented with a crumbly type of cheese, the tuft of greens seem to pop off the pristine white plate. The dish looks more like an artist’s creation than a first course.

“I feel like this is my stepping stone for my new career because this is was what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Jose said. “[I’m] Excited because this is my first time [competing]. I really want to do it because it’s not for winning but for having the experience and enjoying myself.”

Saturday’s judges will have to put Jose’s Strawberry Fields against four other equally decorative first courses, including 11^th grader Karina Yepez’ dish. Karina will present an Asian cuisine-style of diced carrots, red and green peppers brilliantly placed on 3 large endive leaves. Like bright green boats of flavor, the dish has a timeless, zen-like quality reminiscent of a leaves floating down a creek.

The theme of her dish seems to fit her cooking style. She usually goes with the flow when she cooks at home, freely mixing ingredients from the family fridge to create dishes her family enjoys – like chicken and bacon, or whatever’s there, she said.

“I’m glad I’m in it,” she said of the competition. “I just need to improve a little better.”

Jose and Karina are among the students being mentored by a dedicated group of professional chefs and educators behind the program in the days running up to the event. Executive Chef and mentor Christopher Haydostian, along with other volunteers from Sodexo and professional food educators , have spent the last few weeks putting in extra hours after school with the help of the Keep Youth Doing Something afterschool program staff.

“It’s phenomenal to see people that are younger and have the ability to take on this program. They come in…on their own time after school to learn this and do this,” Haydostian said. “They’re dedicated to do it.”

The executive chef goes on to sternly mentor the students, being as tough on them as the 2-and-a-half hour time limit the students will have to prepare 3 plates of an appetizer salad and 3 plates of a main course. It seems like plenty of time but the executive chef assures the students they will have to use their time wisely. As one other executive Sodexo chef put it, come competition day, “the clock will be your worst enemy”.

As the students prepare all week for the competition, Food and Learning will follow the students in a multi-part series as they prepare and go on to the next level of the competition. The competition is hosted by several groups including Hyatt Hotels; the Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO); and the food service company Sodexo with KYDS, Inc.

Semi Homemade Chocolate & Strawberry Bundt Cake

2012-05-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

So there seems to be some issues with my past posts.....they never showed up! So here I go beginning to catch up on all my lost content....

I ended having to make/bring a dessert for a little dinner party we were invited to. Not having a lot of time, I went with the Semi-Homemade route. To make a simple dessert from the grocery store and dress it up to look like MONEY, this is all you need to do:

1ea Fudge Bundt Cake

1pkg Organic Strawberries

1can Aero-Whipped Cream

I dusted off my vintage cake stand and ended with my final creation!

To make this just wash and slice your strawberries. I then made a layer around the cake on the stand. Use only the middle slices. This will make it look more uniform and keep it as a flat layer. The end pieces were used to encompass the bundt circle in the middle. Then fill the bundt hole with the remaining strawberries. Done! Just have some whipped cream (or in my case areo-whip) ready to go for service. Enjoy!

Instagram = InstaFoodgasim

2012-04-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

With the new release of Instagram for Android phones, I felt the need to jump on the band wagon! So if you're a current Instagram user, be sure to follow me. My user name can be found as RTechChef. By following, you'll be able to keep up to date on my current visual food misadventures as well.

Some of my Instagram work (Pictures from a party for 200 I just did):

Here are the Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, from the post below, all plattered up.

This is a Cheese & Berry Platter. We had 3 more like this.

Picture of some Spanikopita we made (we made a total of 400 pcs).

In this picture you can see some of the Mini-Quesadillas for the party. They are filled with Papaya, Jalapeno, Pepperjack Cheese, and Black Beans.

Now if your bummed that you don't have Instagram access on your phone. Don't worry! There's a site for that! Just follow me on my web-base Instagram site here: RTechChef's Instagram Site

Thank You for reading and spending your time on my blog!

Fruit Tarts . . . YUM!

2012-04-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

Well, with graduation coming up, I have nothing but party after party to cook for. Here are some Instagram pictures of some simple Fruit Tarts we made today. The base is your basic tart shell filled with pastry cream and then garnished with various fruit & berries. We used blueberries, black berries, mandarin oranges, raspberries, & kiwi. When then glazed the tops with apricot glace. That seals in the freshness, preserves the color, and gives it a little shiny bling! If you want to make them at home and don't have access to apricot glace, just get some apricot jam and heat it up. It's the same thing!

This is the Full Platter we made. 40 Individual Fruit Tarts with a little Fruit Bouquet.

And of course, leaving nothing to waste...we packaged up the rest and put them out for sale in our cafe. Note: These to-go containers are made from potato starch and are 100% biodegradable! How cool is that? I love earthware!

Fruit Tarts - Chef Approved!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2012-04-05T13:44:00.006-07:00

Often times people ask me, "Do you make anything fancy?" Granted, I'm a Chef of an Art College and people tend to think of me as the Lunch Lady behind the cafeteria line. However, I'm not that girl. I happen to run a restaurant quality Cafe at one of the top Art & Design colleges in the country. That being said, I figured I'd show some of my work as of late.

I have a party today (04-05-2012) for 200+ people that required some Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. So I decided to give them 4 versions of the classic.

Here you can see them all done....over 300 pieces

I did Dark Chocolate & Dark Chocolate with White Chocolate Stripes

And the reverse, of White Chocolate and White Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Stripes

Here's what they look like up close

Not to shabby for a Lunch Lady if you ask me.

Here is what the process looks like....via Instagram!

Follow me on Instagram for more pictures like this! - RTechChef

Tuesday night pasta

2012-04-05T13:21:00.001-07:00

So this past Tuesday (04-03-2012) I had to made some dinner for the wife and I. We had nothing but left-overs to get rid of. That being said, much like the world of Italians, I decided to make my own version of a "Tuesday Night Pasta." For those who haven't heard, there is a dish called Sunday Night Pasta. A common chain restaurant group has this as a daily menu item, Grand Lux Cafe. This traditional pasta dish was originally the common Sunday night feast in many Italian homes. It was literally the left overs from the week and thrown together into a pasta meal. So every Sunday, Italians would be eating "Sunday Night Pasta" which varied every week depending on the left overs of the week. This has grown in popularity and quickly became a staple on many restaurant menus. It traditionally consists of a protein (meat), various vegetables, and a sauce of sorts. Mix that with whatever pasta you have laying around in your pantry and your set!

Onto my Tuesday Night Pasta dish...

So my left overs consisted of the following:

1 Tomato

3 Cloves Garlic

1 Shallot

1 Onion

1 Head of Broccoli

1 Costco Chicken

Pasta for 2

As you can see, we used the breast of the chicken when we first got it. Which was quite delicious. If you're looking for a great way to save money and make a couple of dinners, Costco Chicken is the way to go! Eat it the 1st night, then use the leftovers in a dish just like this! Now, Back onto the making of the meal...

Get your chicken and Shred off some bite size pieces.

Here's what you'll end up with.

Mind you, I still have more chicken on the bird, so I'll be able to make a 3rd meal with this $8 bird! Figure $8 for 3 meals for two people...you do the math and tell me how that isn't better than McDonald's and their crappy $1 menu. Healthy eating at a cheap price! Just what I'm all about!

Next I went ahead and prep'd all the ingredients. As you can see, I already diced the tomatoes, garlic, shallot, onions, and broke the broccoli up into bite size pieces. I then blanched the broccoli. That way it's already partially cooked and ready to go when I add it to my pasta. (This was happening while I was cutting up the other veg). You also want to pre-cook your pasta before. To do that, just follow the directions on the bag.

If you have no idea what blanching is, here is a quick explanation on how to:

Boiling pot of water, add 1 Tablespoon of Salt. Add your vegetable. Let it boil in the water for about 2-3 minutes. Strain the water out and add the vegetable into an ice water bath (water and ice). Once cooled, remove the vegetable and you have completed Blanching your first vegetable!

Next, I got a hot pan and added some EVOO to it. I then added the onion & Shallots. Saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. You can also see the Blanched Broccoli in this picture.

I added the garlic next and sauteed for 30seconds-1minute. You want to add the next ingredient (chicken) once you can smell the garlic. If you keep cooking, you could burn the garlic and this will impart a bitter taste to your dish and = no bueno food!

After cooking the veggies and chicken together, I added the Broccoli

Again, cook a couple of minutes, then add tomatoes

This should be all of your ingredients used up now.

Now comes the fun part...making the sauce. I had no tomato sauce or any ready-to-use pasta sauces laying around. Nor did I have white wine, so I had to fall back to my third option for quicky sauces....a chicken & lemon butter sauce. Now you will need chicken stock to do this sauce. If you don't have a can of Swanson's or any other brand chicken stock around then this is something you need in your pantry of goodies....Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base!

I have the chicken, beef, and vegetable base in my fridge at all times! It's all natural and not salty like the bouillon cubes and packets of powder you find everyone else use. This is also a very healthy alternative. To make the stock, just follow the directions. Me being the crazy chef that I am, I just added a Tablespoon of base to my pasta. Mixed it up and then added some hot pasta water.

Mix it all up and make sure the base is fully dissolved. Give it a taste and adjust your season (salt & pepper). Then add the juice of 1 lemon. That will give it a nice little kick. And now the best part of the dish....add some butter!

I added a little more than 1/2 a stick of butter. That's about 3oz of butter. Now turn the heat to med and mix the pasta until the butter melts and incorporates into your sauce. Give it a last taste for seasoning and then add your pasta.

Toss it all together and turn off the heat. Give it a quick final taste for seasoning (you may need to add more lemon juice, butter, salt or pepper). Now Dish Up!

I finished our plates with some grated parm cheese and of course a sprig of parsley for the final garnish.

Keep in mind you can make this dish with anything you have in your pantry and fridge. Just left over veggies cooked together, a simple sauce, add some pasta, and Bam! Dinner is served!

Tuesday Night Pasta - Chef Approved!

More about my Chef Demo @ Art Center

2012-04-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to get some love on the Art Center Blog. Here is the little article the put up about myself and the event.

http://blogs.artcenter.edu/dottedline/2012/03/29/ecocouncil-throws-a-spring-food-garden-party-to-introduce-art-centers-new-executive-chef/

Zankou Chicken - Gotta get your Chicken & Garlic fix!

2012-04-02T16:11:00.001-07:00

So Friday's are our date night for the wife and I. So this Friday, we decided to hit up one of our old stomping grounds. Zankou Chicken! I've been coming here for the past 8 years at least! They have grown from a small spot in Hollywood to a larger chain now expanded in Glendale, Burbank, and the surrounding areas! The location we attend now is the Glendale Location.

We roll here mainly because it's close to home.

When we come here, it's hard to try anything different than our "usual" fare. So following suit, I order my Chicken Tarna and my wife gets her 1/4 Chicken (dark meat) which ends up being a leg & thigh combo.
After a few minutes of waiting, our meal is ready!

You can see our meals are full meals filled with our meat, a little salad with pickled radish and tomato, hummus, and some other yummy dip/sauce. There is also some warm pita bread served on the side.

Here is what my meal looked like...pure yumminess!

I LOVE dipping the chicken in the hummus and "sauce" then just chow on that with some pita bread in hand. It's really nice because the chicken is carved off a vertical spit. The only issue is if there are not a lot of people, the chicken tends to dry out on the spit and you get the outside shavings of the chicken. This ends up making the chicken taste like chicken jerky. So make sure you ask or look for the fresh chicken, or you'll be disappointed.

I can't really comment on the 1/4 Chicken plate since I didn't eat it, but my wife loves it and always comments on how moist and tasty it is. Of course, much like all great meals I eat....this tends to be the aftermath!

Saveur Best Food Blog - VOTE FOR ME!!!!!

2012-03-29T18:46:00.002-07:00

I just found out about the Saveur Magazine Best Blog competition. I know I'm far behind the competition to get in on the map, but I figured, what the heck! I'll give it a shot! So if you love me and the blog, help vote for me for Best Cooking Blog!

You can nominate my site here:

http://www.saveur.com/food-blog-awards/index.jsp

You can also nominate me for any other category. But I'd figure I'd best fit in the Best Cooking segment. Thanks for your support!

Mexicali Taco & Co. - Chef Approved!

2012-03-29T18:43:00.001-07:00

Well, today I was invited by owners/founder Javier Fregoso and Esdras Ochoa to come by their new brick and mortar store location in Los Angeles. I unfortunately never had a chance to try their famous food from their original taco stand, but have been told nothing has changed except for the location. Going off the recommendations of friends and yelp, my wife and I ordered a sampling of the best Mexicali had to offer. We ended up with a carne asada taco, pollo taco, vampiro, cachetada, and zuperman! Now if your wondering about the names and what the heck they are, check out the description on their menu for more info!

Here is what our lunch looked like:

Here is a close-up of the Zuperman

Full of LOVE!

This was awesome in flavor and I love that you can season it however you want with their choice of salsas, pico de gallo, Avocado salsa (Guacamole), pickled onions, and more! The only criticisms I would have is, this is a little awkward to eat. The tortillas are purposely cooked to be soft and tender. That being said, it's hard to cut through it. And you can try to hold it like a sandwich or torta, but be careful everything doesn't fall out of the bottom. But I can say this, once you figure out your routine to eat the Zuperman, you won't be disappointed.

This is the Cachetada and Vamipro (left and right respectively). The cachetada was super good. I could easily polish off 3 of them. If your not in the mood for a taco, grab yourself a Cachetada with Chorizo. This was recommended to me, and I don't regret 1 bit of listening to the advise. The vampiro also lives up to the Internet fame! It's subtle at first but once you get a hint of that garlic sauce, your in hog-heaven! That's a recipe I'm sure to try to "borrow" (along with various others!).

We were also treated with a FULL SIZE Coca-Cola import from Mexico. I really appreciated the full 1L size as opposed to the 12oz size you see the little taco trucks driving around sell.

I know there are a bunch of taco lovers out there, so we got one Chicken (pollo) and one Beef (Carne Asada). We also tried them on different shells. The corn and flour. Again, it was great that the food is simple in plating and presentation and that allows you to dress it your way. The meat was full of flavor and has that nice little char on it to give you the extra layer of flavor. All the dishes were served with a side on Pinto Beans that were equally as awesome to the rest of our meal. So good in fact I was tempted to drink the liquid. A word of caution however, with the green onions, I found it best to cut those up. When adding them to the taco and trying to take a bite, your fighting with the onion and trying to make it not pull out. This is a great meal but definitely a hands on cuisine.

In the end, much like all great meals, this is the aftermath I encounter! Empty plates, full bellies, and a big sigh of relief to have survived another great meal! In this picture you can see a specialty drink Javier introduced me to. It's a sort of agua fresca that has a similar taste to a combination of a Thai iced-tea and horchata. This has a lot of spice flavors reminiscent of horchata, but the rice flavor is not there. That's because I was told this is made from a grain similar to barley. So if you have a chance, ask for this drink! It was a pleasant surprise and a new item to try that's now off my list. My only regret is I have no idea the name of it. Just ask for the Barley Agua Fresca that Chef Christopher had and I'm sure they'll know what I'm talking about! :)

My outing to Mexicali Tacos & Co. was nothing short of amazing. It is no wonder they were voted BEST TACOS of Los Angeles for 2011 (by Taco Madness). In fact they are in the top 4 running AGAIN for 2012. So, take it from me, if you can't make it down there right now VOTE ANYWAYS! You won't be disappointed. Help these true underdogs earn the reputation they deserve to have the Best Tacos in Los Angeles for 2012!

Vote for Mexicali Taco & Co. here:

http://www.lataco.com/taco/taco-madness-2012

To end this post.....Mexicali Taco & Co. - Chef Approved!

Pan Seared Salmon with Brown Rice

2012-03-27T14:58:00.002-07:00

Here's dinner from the other night that I made with my wife.

We started with about 1.5 pounds of Salmon. I cut it down and took 2 portions for dinner and froze the rest for a later day. My wife picked it up at Costco for a great price (about $17.00 if I remember right).

This was a simple to prepare and HEALTHY dish (if you want to add more calories continue to read at the bottom of this post).

To cook the fish:
Salt & Pepper to BOTH sides of the fish
Get a hot pan and add Oil (I use home-made infused rosemary evoo)
Once hot add your fish fillet (See my Technique: Saute for more cooking styles)
I leave the fish on the side to cook for about 3-5 minutes. You want a nice crust to form.
Then flip the fish over and finish cooking for another 2 minutes.
*Time to cook will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.
The key to a great pan-seared salmon is NOT to overcook the poor guy. He's already dead, no need to do it twice to the poor fish.

For the Brown Rice: Follow your bags directions to make.

Plating was simple...good 'ol Dixie came through to make it easy to look pretty:

This is the simple and Healthy version of a Pan-Seared Salmon over Brown Rice.

[MORE CALORIES] If you want to make it a little richer and a bit more flavor, you can make a Lemon-Butter Sauce to pour on top. To make the sauce do the following:

In a pan add:

2cups White Wine

1 Lemon - Juice only)

Add 1 Clove Garlic

Reduce liquid to about 1/4cup

Remove garlic

Turn off heat and add COLD butter

Butter amount is 1 stick or 4oz or 1/4 pound of butter

* Cut the butter into smaller cubes to melt faster

Pour over Salmon and ENJOY!

Techniques: Sauté

2012-03-27T08:49:00.001-07:00

A lot of people ask me about certain techniques of how to cook properly. I figured i'd start writing a few articles/posts about proper cooking techniques. To kick it off, here is how you are supposed to properly Sauté.

The dictionary defines Sauté as such:

Sauté – [soʊˈteɪ - soh-tey] :
adjective
1. cooked or browned in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.
verb (used with object)
2. to cook in a small amount of fat; pan-fry.

The literal translation of sauté is “to jump.” This is a technique that is a relatively easy concept but is often executed poorly. I often have to demonstrate this technique to my cooks. When sautéing always remember there are 3 simple principles to follow:

· Always use high heat

· Use a small amount of fat

· Keep the product moving

To Sauté, follow this process:

1. Heat the pan until it is extremely hot

2. Heat the fat to just the smoking point

3. Add the product and cook quickly (tossing in the pan – jumping the product)

The end result of sautéing is the caramelization of the product. Caramelization is the process of the products surface sugars browning, which often occurs around 310^oF-338^oF. This process is also thought as the Maillard Reaction. However, the process of caramelization and the Maillard Reaction are different. The key differentiator is the addition of an amino acid during the Maillard Reaction (ie caramel). That I can cover in a later article. In short, when sautéing, always remember the simple rules: Hot Pan, Hot Oil, Jump the Product. Happy Cooking!

Canter's Deli - My Feast...

2012-03-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

I have a group of friends that we usually go out monthly to meet up and hang out. We always try to pick a new place or an oldy but goody place. This month we took a trip to my FAVORITE Delicatessen, Canter's on Fairfax in Hollywood/Los Angeles. For those who don't know...this is THE place in all of LA. They are open year round and 24/7. It's also a hotspot for celebrities and socialites alike. Mind you, I've tried all the popular places in LA and have found Canter's to be my favorite. I am open to new places if you think there is something better out there, let me know your favorite Deli!

Now for the food!

I started with some Potato Pancakes:

They are light and crispy and served with classic Sour Cream and Apple Sauce.

My wife started with the classic Matzo Ball Soup:

This ROCKS! And I love it when they are served with house-made Bagel chips. If you get there to late they often run out of bagel chips and serve you regular crackers. Make sure you ask for the Bagel Chips if you can!

My wife and I shared the apps amongst us and the table. Then we were quickly greeted with our Entrees. I'm a sucker for a great sandwich and I have a hard time trying something else. I always go with my favorite, the Dedicated Fresser. It's a a simple Corned Beef & Pastrami piled high on fresh Rye bread. I opt for some Russian Dressing on the side. It's just how I roll. They also serve some Cole Slaw and Potato Salad on the side.

Our table followed suit and ended up having a Feast! They also ordered some Onion Rings and French Fries to share.

There's it nothing else to say except....it was AWESOMEly GOOD! I think the Aftermath picture says it all....

Mind you I was done at this point. I would be lucky if I could get rolled out of this place with the amount of food I just ate. But, not only is Canter's an awesome Deli, it's also a fantastic bakery. They have some great danishes, biscotti, and my absolute favorite, Apple Strudel. So of course, we can't pass up dessert. And the table followed suit.

After having a glass of water, I quickly cleared enough space to fit a little more food. And within minutes of declaring I'm "DONE" I end up with a plate that looks like this....

If there is a cherry to place on top of this meal...that would have been it! A great meal with great company. My only regret is the diet I have to start in order to survive the massive amount of food I consumed.

For any food critique on this meal it would be the following. The bread is super soft and a nice firm crust. Sometimes however, you will get a piece of bread that has gaping holes in it. This happened to one of my fellow eaters. Other than that, depending on your preference, ask for all the mustards they have. They have over 5 different varieties, but they only gave us 2 at first until we asked for them all. Another note is, ask for the apple strudel to get warmed up. It just tastes that much more yummier!

Ask A Chef....

2012-03-26T11:44:00.001-07:00

I wanted to post this posting to give all my readers the ability to "Ask A Chef." I may not be the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but I have always loved sharing my passion and answering any questions I can. So feel free to ask away! Ever wonder how not to cry when cutting onions? (The answer is use a sharp knife) Wonder how you can get the perfect Medium Steak? (Use a thermometer and remove from the heat once it hits 135F degrees) Or Why do chefs wear funny looking shoes? (Clogs are very comfy) Etc.

So Ask Away!

Dona Maria - Dinner in La Canada

2012-03-25T18:43:00.001-07:00

So I was told about a little Mexican Restaurant called Dona Maria in La Canada. The recommended dish was the Enchilada Yucatan. And if you know me, how could I turn down a killer enchilada? So I of course took the challenge with my wife. We both ordered it. This is what it looked like:

And here was our meal...

Everything was good. From the picture you can see we got complimentary salsa. Their house salsa was a mix of a pico de gallo and traditional tomato salsa. This was really fresh and had great flavor. One thing that caught me by surprise was the amount or fresh jalapeno in the salsa. The cuts are mixed in size and ended up having some larger pieces. Need less to say, one bite caught me by surprise and I teared up. I'm convinced there may have been a stray habanero in the batch. The second salsa they brought us (the more orange one in the picture) was their house made habanero salsa. And it lives up to its name. Nice, fresh, and with a great kick to the pants! I tried both and had both on my enchiladas.

Now for the meal. Everything tasted great. This is what we ended up with our plates looking like:

Now if you want a professional opinion on the meal continue reading. If not then enjoy Dona Maria and grab yourself an enchilada and some fresh chips and salsa.

Disclaimer
This is mearly my opinion and my point of view from a professional chef perspective with regards to proper cooking techniques and flavoring. Take everything I say like a grain of salt. You can tell I enjoy the dishes because I eat them and post them in a positive light. This is just some notes for those who want to know what I feel, as a professional in the industry, see.

The rice had nice flavor but was overcooked. This is very common because they make rice in large batches and hold it during service. As fir the beans, they too had good flavor but lacked a bit in the seasoning department. There wasn't a build up of depth of flavor. It was more in your face and left no after thoughts or tastes. Now for the main dish...the enchiladas. They were stuffed with cheese and carnitas. I was impressed with the fact that the carnitas were almost cooked properly. I personally like it when they shred the pork a bit more rather than have larger chunks in the enchiladas. This makes it a bit hard if u get a larger chunk of pork. I like to enjoy smaller bites to get the full flavor. Another issue that could have helped is if they slow roasted the pork a bit more and in a flavored liquid. The pork was a bit dry and you can easily tell by the larger chunks. It was wasn't as soft as it could have been if it was properly roasted. Over all the enchilada was built properly but dry. There was a lacking of cheese. I like my enchiladas to have enough cheese in every bite and when I cut into it I like the strings to show me what they got. The tortilla was also dry, due to the lack of sauce for it. A nice added touch was they brought roasted peppers to the table. We received 2 roasted jalapenos and a yellow pepper. Also a slice of lemon. They are close to what you would find on the street but lacked the overly strong salt flavor I like. The peppers were also light roasted. They were still a little to firm. I'm pretty sure they drop them in the fryer to get it going and that's it. Again, a common trick we use in the restaurants. They also had a big kick at the top. Aside from that, the service was merely so so. It was a busy night and we waited a good 5-8 minutes for menus. Also a bit on refills of water and chips/salsa. Overall I would rate the food as a 6 and service a 5.

2012-03-23T17:50:00.002-07:00

So I ended up doing a Chef Demo today for the EcoCouncil at Art Center College of Design. I spoke about the sustainability programs we have happening at Art Center and how Sodexo cares about the impact we make on the environment. The idea behind my demo was to showcase an item that could be grown in the Art Center garden and what they could do with it in the kitchen. Something other than just boiling them to death and adding butter. I ended up with the following dish. This is a simple recipe that can used to create a unique appetizer or tray passed delight.

English Pea Puree on Garlic Toast Points & Garnished with Feta Cheese & Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients:

English Peas (I used Local, Sustainable, & Organic)
Garlic
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Red Pepper Flake
Feta Cheese
Garlic Toast Point (Recipe to follow)
Roasted Red Pepper (Canned is ok)
Parsley (Curly or Italian Flat leaf is ok)
Lemons for Lemon Juice (Amount varies by taste)
S&P
Water

Equipment:

Food Processor
Pot
Strainer
Spatula

Prep:

-Clean your English Peas – Meaning remove the Peas from the Pod
-Remove Garlic Clove and take off stem and skin
-Crumble Feta Cheese
-Make Roasted Peppers (unless you are using canned) & Small Dice
-Mince Parsley
-Squeeze lemons for juice
-Make Garlic Toast Points

Procedure:
-Blanch English Peas – Add to bowling water with a little salt. Cook for 2-4 minutes until tender with a little bit of a bite to them.
-Remove peas from pot and strain out water.
-Run Pea under cold running water or “Shock” them in an ice-water bath (Ice with water)
-Once cool, set aside
-Add peas to Food Processor
-Add cloves of garlic (I used about 5 for 2cups of peas; I like garlic!)
-Add some salt and pepper
-Add Red Pepper Flakes (I like it spicy so I added about 1T for 2cups of peas)
-Add a little lemon juice (bout 1T)
-Add Water (about 2T)
-Add Oil (about 2T)
-Turn on Food processor and turn it into puree
-Adjust consistency by adding water and oil. Oil will make it a little creamier and water to loosen it up.
-Turn off Processor and taste
-Use Spatula to wipe down sides and reincorporate it back to the mass of puree
-Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, red pepper flake, garlic, and lemon juice
-Continue to process the puree
-Turn off and taste. It should be a smooth texture with body

Assembly:
-Get your toast point
-Add a dollop of Puree on top
-Add Crumbled Feta Cheese
-Add fine diced Roasted Red Pepper
-Add chopped parsley

-DONE! Eat and Enjoy!!!!

Final Product should look like this:

Some information about English Peas (Found on other Internet sites):

Seasons/Availability
A peak season in spring, English Peas are available year round with sporadic gaps in availability throughout the year.

Current Facts
Peas like beans are divided into two categories: those with edible pods or inedible pods. The pea we are familiar with, also known as the English pea, green pea, and garden pea, has an inedible pod. Most commercial peas are called English peas or garden peas. Today, of all the green peas grown, only five per cent come to the market fresh, more than half is canned, and the remainder is frozen.

Description/Taste
English peas have a large grass-green, pod enclosing its round, sweet peas. The pods grown on vines and are not palatable, but the peas inside may be eaten fresh, cooked or dried.

Nutritional Value
As a fresh vegetable source of protein, English peas are second only to lima beans. A three-fourths cup serving contains about 100 calories and more protein than a tablespoon of peanut butter or a whole egg, and less than one-half gram of fat.

Applications
Fresh English peas are sweet and tender enough to be eaten raw but may also be prepared cooked. Blanch fresh peas briefly, then drain and process with cilantro, garlic and parmesan into a spread for sandwiches or dip. Blanch and drain fresh peas the mash with a fork, stir in chopped mint and grated pecorino then spread on crostini. Toss fresh peas with baby lettuce, vinaigrette, radishes, chopped walnuts and goat cheese for a spring salad. Cook diced onion, potato and peas in vegetable stock, then puree into soup and serve topped with fresh mint. To store, wrap unwashed pea pods in a perforated plastic bag and refrigerate. For optimum quality and taste, use English peas within two to three days of purchase. Shelled English peas may be frozen, but they will lose their crisp texture.

Geography/History
Green peas are also known as English peas because of the many varieties developed in England. Dried peas have been used as a food since ancient times. Archaeologists found dried peas in Egyptian tombs, but not until the sixteenth century were tender varieties developed to be eaten fresh. Louis XIV and his courtiers discovered the joy of eating young fresh peas in the seventeenth century. An Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel, performed famous plant breeding experiments in the second half of the nineteenth sentry and used peas as his basis. His work with pea plants is perceived as the foundation of modern genetics.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	339 kJ (81 kcal)
Carbohydrates	14.5 g
- Sugars	5.7 g
- Dietary fibre	5.1 g
Fat	0.4 g
Protein	5.4 g
Vitamin A equiv.	38 μg (5%)
- beta-carotene	449 μg (4%)
- lutein and zeaxanthin	2593 μg
Thiamine (vit. B₁)	0.3 mg (26%)
Riboflavin (vit. B₂)	0.1 mg (8%)
Niacin (vit. B₃)	2.1 mg (14%)
Pantothenic acid (B₅)	0.1 mg (2%)
Vitamin B₆	0.2 mg (15%)
Folate (vit. B₉)	65 μg (16%)
Vitamin C	40.0 mg (48%)
Calcium	25.0 mg (3%)
Iron	1.5 mg (12%)
Magnesium	33.0 mg (9%)
Phosphorus	108 mg (15%)
Potassium	244 mg (5%)
Zinc	1.2 mg (13%

Garlic Toast Points:

Prep:

-Slice a French or sourdough baguette into 1/3”-1/2” slices
-Brush with melted butter
-Sprinkle some salt on top
-Sprinkle some granulated garlic on top
-Sprinkle some minced parsley on top

Procedure:
-Lay toast points on a cookie tray
-Bake at 350F for approx. 5-8 minutes (until golden brown)
-Taste (Should feel and taste like a crouton)
-ENJOY!

2012-03-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I had some Elders from my church come over last night and they had requested a home-made dinner. So, I decided to have a little Italian food. I ended up making my take on Shrimp Scampi. For reference here is what I used to feed 4 people:

2 pounds 21-25 Peeled and Devein'd Shrimp
1 Pound of Penne Pasta
8oz of Fresh Spinach
5 Cloves of garlic (good sized)
1 Med. Shallot
3 5x6 tomatoes (the round ones on the vine)
2 small onions
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
As Needed Rosemary Infused Olive Oil
1/2 ounce of basil
1/2 bottle of white wine (Chardonnay)
1/2 pound of butter (YUMMY!)
2 lemons (juice only-no seeds)
garnished with 1 sprig of Italian Parsley

All of these ingredients can be found at Albertsons and Fresh & Easy. That's where I collected it all. Approximate costs for this dinner was about $40. Which is only $10 per person to make. If that sounds high, I sold this dish at my restaurants for $24.95. So, to make this at home you can save yourself 60% per person!

For the procedure I did the following:

Prep:
Dice Onions
Mince Garlic & Shallot
Med Dice Tomatoes
Mince Basil
Rough chop the spinach
Defrost Shrimp and Marinade (See below)
Cook pasta Al Dente (of it you like it soft, overcook it)

Cooking:
-Get a hot Pan, add some oil (i used Rosemary oil, you can use EVOO if you don't have any infused oil) add shrimp and saute to about 50%-60% cooked (roughly 1 minute per side)
-Season (S&P)
-Remove shrimp from the pan, drain excess liquid
-Add more oil and saute the onion till translucent (about 2-4 minutes) then add shallot (saute 1 more minute) and then garlic (saute 1 more minute)
-Add tomatoes and cook for another 1-2 minutes
-Add spinach and toss all together
-Season (S&P)
-Add white wine to deglaze pan
-Add juice of 1 lemon
-Reduce liquid to 1/2 way
*It should be a little liquidy at this point
-Add 1 stick of butter (in a 1 pound box of butter, you get 4 4oz stick of butter. So add 1 4oz stick)
*Make sure you cut the butter in to 1/2" strips length-wise. This will make it melt faster
-Add shrimp
-Add pre-cooked pasta
-Toss all together and add remaining stick of butter (sliced again length-wise)
-Add basil
-Adjust seasoning with Salt & Pepper as needed
-Add remaining lemon juice if acid is not high enough
-Plate pasta on the bottom with the shrimp
-Grab a couple (3 pcs is good) and stack in the center of plate/bowl
-Garnish with Sprig of Parsley
-EAT & ENJOY!!!

This is what you should end up with:

2012-03-21T13:16:00.001-07:00

What good is Blogging if I can't share some love....here is a recipe I love to make:

Hoisin-Marinated Chicken

Adapted from Blue Ginger by Ming Tsai

2-cups Hoisin Sauce

4-tablespoon Sambal Oelek

2-bunches Scallions (Green Onion) – Green & White Parts Chopped

1-cup                     Dry Red Wine
.5-cup                   Fine Chopped Garlic
.5-cup                   Fine Chopped Ginger
2-teaspoon         Black Pepper (ground)
4-ea                       Chicken Breast
A/N                        Salt

1- Mix Hoisin, Sambal, Scallion, Wine, Garlic, Ginger & Pepper in a bowl and Mix.

2- Add chicken.

3- Mix chicken around in Marinade

4- Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate at least 4 hours (Better overnight)

5- Grill & Enjoy! (Cook to min. 165-degree-F internal cooking temperature)

2012-03-21T12:19:00.001-07:00

More lava cake love!

2012-03-21T12:08:00.002-07:00

And if Sweet Potato Fries aren't bada$$ enough....How about some Sweet Potato TOTS!!!

Of Course, Art Center Style as well.

2012-03-21T11:22:00.001-07:00

For those who don't know...I'm currently the Executive Chef at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. For this account, I created a special burger for them. I call it the Art Center Burger. This is a 1/3 Pound All Beef Angus Patty with Thick-Sliced Gouda Cheese, Grilled Onions, Tomato, and Shredded Lettuce on top of a Hawaiian Sweet Bun glazed in a Roasted Garlic Aioli. I serve it with a side of Sweet Potato Fries "Art Center Style" which is tossed with Honey and Cinnamon.

2012-03-21T10:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture from a dessert I made last week for some VIPs of mine...

It's a Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice-Cream and Hot Fudge. Garnished with an Almond Florentine Cookie and Strawberries. My idea was to treat the cake as a mountain top that was snow covered and the cookie was to act as the sun setting over it. My interpretation of what it would look like in Hawaii.

2012-03-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my NEW Blog Site! I figured since I've been posting up about food on my Facebook Page...I might as well dedicate a location JUST FOR FOOD! I'll be posting my culinary adventures here. Everything from the food I create, the Recipes I love, and the places I eat! I think Wolfgang Puck said it best, "Live, Love, Eat!" Words to live by!