The Charitable Chef

Smoked Salmon Hash with Poached Eggs and Piment d'Espelette Hollandaise Sauce

2011-12-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Boulder, Co, I enjoyed an awesome Smoked Salmon Hash for breakfast. This is my version of Smoked Salmon Hash, utilizing one of my favorite ingredients Piment d'Espelette Powder which is from the Basque region of Southern France. You can buy Piment d'Espelette on Amazon. Add a fresh green salad to this and you have a delicious dinner or brunch.

Smoked Salmon Hash with Poached Eggs and Piment d'Espelette Hollandaise Sauce
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Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

10 ea. Small Red New Potatoes, cut in 1/8ths
1/2-1 tsp. Clarified Butter
1 ea. Red Bell Pepper, dés
1 ea. Sweet Onion, ciseler
1 ea. Large Shallot, ciseler
1 ea. Jalapeno Chiles, ciseler
3 ea. Green Onions, sifflet
Zest of 1 Meyer Lemon
Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon
8 oz. Hot Smoked Salmon
2 tsp. Fresh Dill, hacher
1 tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
1 tbsp. Coarse Grain Mustard
1/2 tsp. Piment d'Espelette
1 tsp. capers, drained
Salt, TT
Freshly Ground White Pepper, TT
1/4 tsp. Hot Water
2 ea. Egg Yolks
4 oz. Clarified Butter, melted
Salt, TT
Lemon Juice, TT
Piment d'Espelette, TT
4 ea. Eggs
Water for Poaching Eggs
1 tbsp. White Wine Vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large sauteuse over medium-high heat add clarified butter and sauté red potatoes until crisp and golden brown. Remove from pan and add sweet onion, sauté until onions start to caramelize, add jalapeño, shallots and green onion, reduce heat and suer.
2. Season with salt TT and freshly ground white pepper TT.
3. Mix the salmon with lemon zest and juice, dill, horseradish, mustard, capers, and Piment d'Espelette.
4. Add potatoes back to sauteuse along with salmon mix and heat through on low heat.
5. In a medium sauce pan heat water until almost simmering. Take 1/4 tsp. hot water and add to mixing bowl with 2 egg yolks. Place the bowl over the sauce pan and whisk eggs until thick, and the whisk leaves traces in the mixture when lifted. Remove bowl from sauce pan and gradually whisk in the clarified butter. Season with salt TT, lemon juice, and Piment d'Espelette. The finished sauce should be pourable.
6. Add white wine vinegar to barely simmering water in sauce pan and poach eggs.
7. Place Salmon Hash on plate, top with 2 poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

Notes:

Smokey Spanish Paprika can be substituted for the Piment d'Espelette in the hash. Substitute cayenne pepper for the Piment d'Espelette in the hollandaise sauce.

TT = to taste

French Terms used in the above recipe:

dés (Day) - cut into small regular squares
ciseler (SEE zuh lay) - to finely chop or mince, a manner of of finely cutting onions, shallots and garlic
sifflet (SEE flay) - to cut at an angle or slice on a bias
hacher (AH shay) - to chop very finely with a knife
suer (SOO ay) - To gently cook vegetables in a little fat without coloring them in order to bring out their flavor

A sauteuse is a slope-sided sauté pan

Cheers

International Cuisines

2011-11-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

Pastry and Baking is done, and now we get to explore international cuisines. We are covering food from the Middle East and Northern Africa to India and Southeast Asia. Living in a global world, it is essential for culinary professionals to have an understanding of international techniques and food combinations. We have a terrific Chef Instructor, Chef Jorge Luis Castaneda, who immigrated to the US from Cuba.

Lectures cover information about different seasonings, grains, pastas, noodles and spices used around the world. Salt was discussed on day one.

Salt is probably one of the first seasonings used in food, and also one of the most important ones used in cooking. Early trade routes between the Middle East and North Africa were called the “salt route.” Salt is used for seasoning and preserving food; it helps as a binder, is a texture aid, helps with color development and can be used for fermentation control.

Some of my personal favorites are Hawaiian Sea Salt, Himalayan Salt, and Fleur de Sel. Fleur de Sel, which means “flower of salt” is used as a finishing salt or garnish on food prior to serving.

I really enjoy using salt with sweet ingredients to help augment flavors. We made ice cream in our Pastry and Baking class. My creation, a salted, habanero infused, chocolate ice cream – it was delicious. I used Hawaiian sea salt in the ice cream.

This is a super simple brownie recipe that we made in my Pastry and Baking class. I sprinkled Hawaiian sea salt on top of the batter prior to baking. Be careful not to use too much salt if you decide to try this, you want the salt to enhance, not dominate the chocolate flavor.

Brownies

Ingredients

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

6 oz. unsalted butter

6 oz. eggs

12 oz. of sugar

1.4 tsp. of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. of bread flour

4 oz. chopped nuts (optional)

Hawaiian sea salt (optional) or another salt of your choice

Mixing

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Mix the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla together until well blended, but do not whip. Whipping to a foam creates more leavening, resulting in a more crumbly, less fudgy brownie.

Blend in the chocolate mixture.

Sift the flour and fold in.

Fold in the nuts if using.

Panning

Butter a 8” round cake pan and line with parchment paper and pour in batter. If desired, after panning, sprinkle batter with salt, or add an additional 2 oz. of chopped nuts.

Baking

325° Fahrenheit for 45 – 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies.

If you would like a gluten free brownie, try The World’s Greatest Gluten Free Brownies, courtesy of my good friend Catherine Ebeling from www.simplesmartnutrition.com.

World’s Greatest Gluten Free Brownies

Ingredients

1 80% cacao chocolate bar or 1 cup Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup organic grass fed butter

2/3 c. brown rice flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. real vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 pecan, walnuts, or macadamia nuts, chopped coarsely

Directions

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat till melted.

Cool a bit. Remove and beat in sugar, eggs, and dry ingredients.

Pour into 8" x 8" glass dish and let stand for about 20-30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Cool before cutting, If desired, dust with confectioner's sugar.

Bon Appetit

Shaking and Baking

2011-10-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well not exactly shaking, but I am baking. Foundations III is done and I am one week into Pastry and Baking. While this is not my long-term focus, it is important to learn the fundamentals of baking. In this course we are learning the basic methods for producing a variety of breads, desserts and pastries.

With baking you have to be precise with your measurements. Unlike most home recipes for baking, all of the scaling is done by weight in commercial establishments. This is a much more accurate way to scale your ingredients.

Some of the fundamentals that we have been learning are the Muffin Method, the Biscuit Method, the Creaming Method and the 12 steps in yeast dough production. Sounds more like some kind of dance class than a baking class.

We have been learning about the different types of leavening products, chemical, biological and natural. Weapons of mass destruction? No, a way of incorporating gas into baked products for volume, shape and texture. Common chemical leavening agents are baking soda and baking power. Did you know that baking powder is made up of baking soda, cream of tartar and cornstarch? Yeast is a biological leavening agent. Natural or mechanical leavening agents that incorporate air into a batter are creaming and foaming. Creaming is the process of beating fat and sugar together to incorporate air. Foaming is the process of beating eggs, with or without sugar to incorporate air. Steam is also an important leavening agent.

This past week we made blueberry muffins, savory cheddar cheese biscuits, peanut butter cookies, brownies, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls and baguettes. My biggest challenge, I seldom eat desserts, pastries or bread. So I have been giving away food to friends, neighbors and Loaves and Fishes, an organization that helps feed senior citizens.

There is so much food that could be donated to people in need, I am trying to organize a way to collect food from Le Cordon Bleu and distribute it throughout the local community. It is heart wrenching knowing that there are people who could use the food that gets discarded every day at school.

Stay tuned for some dessert and bread recipes.

Cheers

Are You Feeling Peachy?

2011-09-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

I love salads anytime of the year, but summer always provides us with a wonderful bounty of fruits and vegetables. This is a super simple salad utilizing fresh peaches and tomatoes.

Heirloom Tomato and Ripe Peach Salad

Body of Salad:

1 pound heirloom tomatoes, cut in ½ if small or ½ inch wedges if medium or large

3/4 pound fresh peaches, cut into ½ inch wedges

4 medium shallots, emincer

1 tablespoon fresh mint, hacher

8 – 10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

6 ounces Marcona almonds, roasted and salted

6 ounces chévre cheese, crumbled

salt to taste

Dressing:

2 pieces garlic, ciseler

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix the red wine vinegar and garlic in a small bowl, slowly drizzle the olive oil while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette.

Combine body of salad in a large bowl and toss with dressing just prior to service.

Serves 4 - 6

One of the greatest contributions the French have given to the culinary world is to codify and formalize what has been done for centuries. The French have extensive terminology, giving a name to a technique as opposed to a description. It is a common language and understanding that exists in professional kitchens throughout the world. For this reason, I am going to start introducing classic French terms in the recipes with the French phonetic pronunciation and definition at the end of each recipe. I will eventually put together a glossary of terms as a reference.

Today’s French lesson includes:

Emincer (AY man say), to cut into thin slices.

Hacher (AH shay), to chop very finely and evenly with a knife

Chiffonade (SHEE foh nad), leafy vegetables or herbs that have been rolled together and then sliced crosswise into thins strips.

Ciseler (SEE zuh lay), to finely chop or mince, a manner of finely cutting onions, shallots, and garlic.

Be sure to check out the related cooking videos to learn how to hacher and chiffonade.

Bon Appétit

What Class Is Your Chicken In?

2011-09-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

When buying chicken did you ever wonder why one chicken might be called a fryer, a roaster or have another classification altogether? There are several classes of domestic poultry. Age and maturity determines the different classifications as well as the cooking technique you need to use. Rock Cornish game hens, broilers and fryers are young tender chickens with smooth skin that are suitable for frying, broiling or sautéing. Roasters and capons are larger chickens that can be roasted. Hens and roosters are older chickens with tough flesh that need to be simmered or braised to make them tender.

The following table describes the different classes and characteristics of domestic poultry.

Class	Description	Age	Weight
Rock Cornish game hen	Special breed of young chicken, very tender	5 weeks or less	¾ - 2 pounds
Broiler or fryer	Young chicken, either sex, tender flesh, smooth skin	6 - 12 weeks	Broiler: - 1 ½ - 2 ½ pounds Fryer – 2 ½ - 3 ½ pounds
Roaster	Young chicken, either sex, tender flesh, smooth skin	3 – 5 months	3 ½ - 5 pounds
Capon	Castrated male, tender flesh and well flavored, large breast	8 months or less	5 – 8 pounds
Hen	Mature female, coarse skin, tough flesh	Over 10 months	3 ½ - 6 pounds
Rooster	Mature male, coarse skin, tough, dark meat	Over 10 months	4 – 6 pounds

Happy cooking!

Olympics for Food?

2011-08-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I am in my second week of Foundations III and feel extremely fortunate and excited to have my current Chef Instructor, Chef Franz Popperl. He was born in Austria and has been cooking since 1965. Prior to immigrating to the US, he spent time as a chef in Austria, Germany and France. Chef Franz was part of the Culinary Team USA that competed in the World Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt, Germany in 1992. Along with incredible credentials, Chef Franz also has a terrific sense of humor. On the first day of class as he was emphasizing how much more important it is to learn and understand techniques than it is to know a recipe. When you understand technique, you don’t need recipes. He also said that we have to get use to cooking without measuring. Chef Franz said we should know what a ½ cup, a whole cup, a “C” cup and a “D” cup feels like in our hand. Yes he does make class entertaining.

While we continue advancing our technique and understanding cooking methods, we are also learning more about fabricating poultry and beef and filleting seafood. I am learning about the primal cuts of beef and pork, the various market forms of seafood, and the differences between round fish and flat fish. Essential things for me to know since proteins are one of your biggest expenses in the food industry.

In my current class, I really enjoy the ability to be more creative. Food presentation is emphasized and Chef Franz encourages innovation. One of our dishes the other day was Turkey Scaloppini served with a Mushroom Sauce, Croquettes Potato and a Green Salad. In my group (which has a total of four people including myself) we decided to make our Croquette into a pyramid to give our plate some interest and height. Chef Franz applauded our ingenuity, but explained the classical forms of Croquettes are corks, spheres and rectangles. Plus Croquettes are breaded before you put them in hot oil to get a beautiful even golden brown, and with the pyramid shape the point on the pyramid was darker than the rest of our Croquette. The rectangle would be a classical Croquette and would have given us the height we were trying to achieve on our plate. It is learning details like this that I greatly appreciate.

I love learning and having the privilege of being taught by a world-class Chef. A lot more to discover on this journey but I am sure Chef Franz will keep it interesting.

Cheers

Alien Vegetable Discovered at Whole Foods

2011-08-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

Recently we had to review an unusual vegetable or starch for Foundations II. If I was not looking for something atypical it is quite possible that when I saw this bizarre, alien looking vegetable, Broccoli Romanesco, at Whole Foods Market, I would have kept on walking. But luckily, I had the opportunity to introduce myself to a wonderful and delicious new treat.

Broccoli Romanesco is also known as Cauliflower Romanesco in North America. The French call it Chou Romanesco, which translates into Romanesco Cabbage, but it hardly resembles a vegetable from the cabbage family. The Italians call it Broccolo Romanesco. Botanists, trace it’s origins back to 15^th century Italy where it resulted from selective breeding by Italian Farmers. It has gained popularity throughout the world, and can now be found in stores and restaurants in North America.

Raw, the Romanesco reminded me of cauliflower. It can be cooked in a similar fashion to cauliflower or broccoli. So, you can simmer, roast, sauté or steam the Romanesco.

I simmered mine in salted water for about 3 to 4 minutes until it was just al dente, and then tossed it with some butter and Himalayan Salt. It tasted similar to a mild, sweet broccoli with a nutty flavor. Next, I sautéed some shallots in butter with the Romanesco that had been quickly blanched, sautéing until the shallots were crisp and the Romanesco was al dente. This was absolutely delicious. Romanesco can make a tasty side dish on it’s own, but I can also see it being a superb addition to pasta.

So the next time you are looking for something different to serve, try some Broccoli Romanesco and let me know what you think.

Cheers

Ready to Thai One On?

2011-08-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

Recently we had to review a restaurant for class. I chose a Thai restaurant in Portland, and to see if you qualify for a dinner compliments of The Charitable Chef please contact me.

The Red Onion Thai Cuisine is located in the trendy Nob Hill area of Portland, Oregon at 1123 NW 23^rd Avenue. It is the third Portland area restaurant of Chef Dang Boonyakamol who was born in Thailand.

Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately and pleasantly greeted by my host and server. The decor is pleasant, simple and inviting with accents of Thai art. My server was extremely helpful and informative in offering suggestions from the many Thai dishes found on the menu. I felt the menu was well balanced with a blend of tasty appetizers, traditional Thai entrees and vegetarian options.

The meal started with the Gai Hor Bai Toey appetizer, a delicious deep fried marinated chicken that has been wrapped in pandanus leaves and served with their special house sauce. The chicken was moist and the sauce was slightly sweet with mild heat. This was followed by an entrée of Chu Chee Catfish, which is listed as one of the spicier dishes on the menu. The catfish was expertly fried crisp, served with asparagus and green beans that were al dente, and accompanied with their Chu Chee chili paste. I found the different textures of the catfish and vegetables delightful and the chili sauce while spicy, enhanced the overall dish without taking center stage.

Both the appetizer and entree were well presented on the plate. The portion size was adequate, but I would have loved more, and they were served immediately after preparation, so the temperature of the food was hot.

The Red Onion should be on everyone’s list that enjoys Thai food. They have managed to combine excellent food, courteous and helpful service with reasonable prices. Starters range from $4.00 to $8.00 and entrees are $10.00 to $14.00. This is a Thai restaurant that I will absolutely visit again.

Reservations are not required and they serve lunches Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, dinner from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm Monday through Thursday, Friday’s dinner is from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm, Saturday’s hours are Noon to 9:30 pm and Sunday’s hours are Noon to 9:00 pm. They take all major credit cards and you can find free parking on the surrounding streets. You can visit their website at www.redonionportland.com or you can reach them by phone at 503-208-3634.

Cheers

What the Kale??

2011-07-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

It has been difficult finding time to write even a short post on my blog. If anyone thinks that going to culinary college involves just showing up to class for a leisurely fun filled day of cooking, you will be in for an enormous shock. We average at least 2 or more hours of homework each day, plus preparing prep sheets, time management sheets and writing out the recipes for the next day. After an hour of lecture and demo by Chef Winter, we have 2 hours to prepare our food. Usually we are fixing four items. Today we made fresh pasta, Alfredo sauce, Pesto, and a cheese filling that went into either tortellini or ravioli. Once prepared, the food has to be plated and presented for evaluation. It is a demanding schedule, but that is what makes Le Cordon Bleu one of the better culinary colleges in the world.

We have been learning about the different kinds of soups -- clear; thick and specialty soups. We made a Consommé Brunoise, a New England Clam Chowder, French Onion and Dubarry (made with cauliflower). Vegetable cookery, legumes, grains and pasta followed our segment on soup.

Class is not about learning recipes, but understanding and learning the principles and methods behind the recipes. We also have to learn the science of the food we are cooking to successfully use these principles.

One of the soups demonstrated by Chef Winter was Caldo Verdi, which is popular in Portuguese cuisine. It is a simple soup to make and a great way to incorporate kale in your diet.

Caldo Verde Soup

½ oz. of olive oil

3 oz. of onion, ciseler (cut into a small dice)

1 clove of garlic, hacher (chop very finely with a knife)

1 lb. of Russet potatoes, peeled and émincer (thinly slice

32 oz. of water

6 oz. of spicy sausage

8 oz. of Kale, de-ribbed then cut chiffonade

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, simmer the onions until soft and translucent. Do not brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the water and potatoes, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Be careful to only simmer the potatoes. In a sauté pan, cook the sausage until most of the fat has been rendered, and cut or break apart into small pieces. Once the potatoes are tender, slightly mash them in the saucepan, add the sausage and kale and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and enjoy.

Bon appétit!

What To Do With 30 Gallons of Brown Beef Stock

2011-07-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, week one of Foundations II is done, and I am actually happy to have a weekend off from school. Not because I do not like what I am learning, but because I need a break from the high intensity pace that is a part of this class. On day one, we made over 30 gallons of Brown Beef Stock. Day two through four we made 4 mother sauces and 6 small sauces.

So what are the Mother Sauces? Bechamel, Tomato Sacue, Hollandise, Veloute, and Espanganole. The Mother Sauces form the basis of almost every sauce you will find in the culinary world.

The pace of this class is intense. A typical day starts at 6:45 AM when we are allowed into the classroom. We have 15 minutes to set up our station for the day. This consists of getting all of the equipment at our station that is needed to prepare the day’s recipes. Then we have to line up for our uniform inspection and our personal inspection (showered, shaved, hair in a net if needed, shoes shined, no ring tongues, jewelry etc.). From 7:00 to 8:00 Chef Winter has a demo on the items that will be prepared in class. For the next 2 hours, we have to prepare the recipes for the day. Then we have 30 minutes to clean pots, pans, utensils, cutting boards, stove tops, the walk-in cooler, floors, walls, and take out the garbage and recycling. If we are not done in the 30 minutes, everyone is docked 1 point for the day.

If you have ever seen the TV show Chopped, you get an idea of the pace and time limit that we are under for those 2 hours. Day 3 of class we had had to prepare two Mother Sauces, a Velouté (stock made from Veal, Chicken or Fish Stock with a blond roux) and a Bechemel (white roux combined with milk), and two small sauces, a Mornay Sauce from it’s Mother Sauce Bechemel, and a Allemande sauce made from it’s Mother Sauce Velouté. Was I stressed and were my classmates stressed? At least for me, this was an extremely stressful day and I am sure the majority of my classmates felt the same way.

After four days, I am becoming more accustomed to the pace. Even starting to enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes with being this busy, it could become addictive.

So what to do with 30+ gallons of Brown Beef Stock? Well, we will be using it for everything from sauces to soups, so we should have plenty to eat in the coming weeks.

Cheers

Stocks You Will Never Trade

2011-06-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Class does not resume until July 5^th, but I am already busy with homework for Foundations II – reading and filling out blank recipe forms -- sometimes converting to the yield that will be prepared in class. This is a hands-on course that will build on the techniques and skills I learned in Culinary Foundations I. Classical knife cuts as well as French culinary cuisine terminology will be expounded upon. The proper use of commercial equipment, understanding measurements, formulas and recipe conversions are part of our curriculum. We will be learning stocks, mother sauces, soups, vegetables, grains, egg cookery, speed and accuracy.

On day 1 we will be preparing a Brown Stock made from veal bones, and getting our mise en place (everything in it’s place) for Espagnole Sauce on day 2. Also on day 2 we will prepare a Fish Fumet and a Chicken Stock.

Stocks are typically clear, thin liquids flavored by soluble substances extracted from poultry, fish, meat, and their bones and from vegetables and seasoning. Our stocks will serve as the foundation for many dishes including soups and sauces.

So the journey continues, as I will be learning more basics, more “musical scales”, with the goal of creating culinary art.

Cheers

So what next?

2011-06-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the end of Foundations I. Six intense weeks and I loved every minute. I will definitely miss Chef Ron. He is a superb instructor and has the unique ability to combine teaching with a sense of humor, albeit twisted at times, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much.

Foundations II starts on July 5^th. We had an introduction to this class from our next instructor, Chef Dianne Winter on Wednesday. I hear that she is an excellent teacher. For me the most exciting part of this class, is that we will be cooking every day. And as Chef Ron said, you will never go hungry in Foundations II.

I was honored this week when Chef Ron wrote a letter of recommendation for me to be a Student Ambassador. Helping out the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College and my fellow students is a great privilege and something that I will really enjoy.

Having a couple of days to inhale, I will be posting some recipes that were demonstrated by Chef Ron. With the posted recipes, I will link instructional videos that are pertinent to the recipe. Also, I will list the specific Classic Technique that we are using with these recipes -- something to help keep this information deeply embedded in my memory.

Can’t wait for Foundations II!

Cheers

Am I a Better Cook?

2011-06-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

Only 6 more days of Foundations I. The first 5 weeks of school have flown by. As I reflect back, I asked myself, so am I a better cook than when I started, and secondly, is Le Cordon Bleu, going to help me achieve my long term goals?

The answer to the second question is easy; Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College provides a fabulous, albeit intense education for anyone looking to make a career in the food service industry. With over 100 years, Le Cordon Bleu provides a solid foundation in Gastronomy, and gives you the credentials to compete in an extremely demanding environment.

The answer to the first question is a bit complicated. My knife skills are much better, definitely important if you are planning to cook professionally, I have learned 7 classic French cooking techniques, necessary so you can properly cook any food that you are presented. I know how to convert a recipe that serves 4 people, 6-ounce portions, to a recipe that will feed a group of 150, 8-ounce portions. I understand what you need to do to protect your customers from food-born illnesses that could result from your mishandling of food. And I have a new found appreciation for the role the French have made to the culinary world.

So yes, I am a better cook, but I still have a long journey ahead. Like any art from you have to learn the basics first so you can build from there. Foundations I has taught me a lot of the fundamentals. I have been learning the music scales so I can play beautiful music later. I have learned a common language that can be shared and understood in any professional kitchen.

Foundations II, which starts after the Fourth of July, will be where I start building on these fundamentals. This is where I expect an immense jump in my ability to create culinary art.

Cheers!

Do We Eat First With Our Eyes?

2011-06-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had an introduction to plating food. What Chef Ron called, “letting us play in the sandbox.” Items in our sandbox included:

Julienne zucchini, red peppers, yellow squash, and green peppers

Brunoise (small dice that is 3 mm square) red peppers

Demilune turnips – shaped like a crescent moon

Rice

Grilled chicken breasts

Turned zucchini - a classic turned vegetable has seven sides and is evenly pointed at both ends. The French term for the method of turning vegetables is tournés

Then we got to play. Trying to create a visually appealing meal. Using our plates as the canvas and the food as our paint, we started creating our masterpieces. Well not yet a Rembrandt, at least for me, it was fun, and a great introduction to the importance of presentation. When you work hard to make a great meal, why not spend some time learning how to display it? After all, we do eat first with our eyes.

There is a great lesson on The Basics of Plating at the Roubxe Online Cooking School. I partnered with Rouxbe to give you a free, full-access, no-videos-barred, 14-day pass to their site. Check out the lesson on plating and you will be presenting food like a pro.

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Cheers!

Why The Charitable Chef?

2011-06-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

I have been asked, why The Charitable Chef? Cooking for a cause has roots that go back many years and are tied to one of my closest and most cherished friends, Woody. He has been a business partner, friend and mentor. I have learned a lot from Woody -- integrity, generosity, being true to your word, the meaning of being focused, hard work, loyalty, the keys to raising children (and he has 7 extraordinary examples), the importance of being positive and friendship. A few years ago, Woody was diagnosed with ALS. He still maintains an incredible attitude and outlook, always being an example. His indelible stamp on my life will forever be appreciated and will continue to influence how I conduct my personal and professional affairs.

In an attempt to show my gratitude for the significance of Woody to me, a little over a year ago, I decided that I was going to pursue something that I truly love to do, cooking, but do it in a way that helps charitable causes. After transitioning from student to owning my own private chef and catering business, I will donate a portion of my net profits primarily to ALS research.

Woody recently said in an email, “it’s ironic that I can’t eat one bite of food and it turns out that food will play such an important role in your life”. While food is and will continue to be significant, it is more essential knowing that my passion will be serving others.

Cheers!

School Life

2011-05-29T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that I just finished my first two weeks of school. It has gone by quickly, but I absolutely love every minute. Each day starts off with us having to line up for Chef Ron to inspect our chef uniform, it must be pressed, our cravat has to be properly tied, we have to have our apron on with 2 side towels, the men must be clean shaven or if you have a facial hair it has to be neatly trimmed, and if we do not meet the standards set by Le Cordon Bleu, you will be sent home. The standards are strict, but they are designed to get us ready to work in a professional environment.

With every class, I never set there thinking I can’t wait for this to end. I am totally focused, trying to absorb everything I can while in class as well with my daily homework assignments. A lot of our training is practicing different knife cuts and getting better with our precision and speed, part of how we are graded. In addition to working on practical skills, we have reading assignments, a book report and a research paper that are part of our Foundations I syllabus. I am reading Michael Pollan’s book the Omnivore’s Dilemma and my research paper will examine grass-fed beef to see if it is more pathogen resistant than grain-fed beef. I will let you know what I find out in a future post.

So what is different about going to college now vs. college after high school? I am pursuing a passion, a love for food, wine and cooking, so there is a definite purpose to each day. Whereas, coming out of high school, I really did not know what I wanted do with my life. Now I am better organized, more efficient with my time, I have better study habits, and I am always looking for ways to maximize my experience. School is about 4 hours a day, 5 days a week and I would be happy if I had school 8 hours a day. I joined two clubs Les Alimenteurs (a catering club) and Les Sauciers Sevants (where we work on classical and contemporary sauces paired with proteins) and I just put in an application to be a Student Ambassador. All of these activities give you opportunities to work with and learn from other Chefs at Le Cordon Bleu, and they look good on your resume.

Friday Chef Ron prepared a Fish Fumet and we learned about the difference between a fumet and a stock. A fumet has more flavor than a stock. We covered vegetable, white and brown stocks. Next week we start on the Mother Sauces, have a Math Exam and we continue to practice for an upcoming Knife Skill Exam on Day 16. A lot of plates in the air, but I would not have it any other way.

Cheers!

Are Knife Skills Important?

2011-05-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

So what is the big deal about using a knife properly and learning how to julienne, chiffonade, emincer, ciseler, etc., etc.? Good knife skills allow you to be more efficient, they allow you to cut precisely so foods cook evenly, and ultimately they help make cooking more enjoyable. In class, we take knife skills one-step further by learning how to make food more visually appealing using classic vegetable cuts -- something I keep practicing and practicing and practicing. While speed is not necessary for the home cook, it is essential if we are going to survive in a professional environment. Speed and precision is part of how we are graded in my current Foundations I Class. The ability to present food more artistically also means, as Chef Ron says, “you get to charge more.”

To help you improve your cooking skills, I partnered with Rouxbe Online Cooking School, the world's first-ever online cooking school. As part of their affiliate program, I am able to give you a free, full-access, no-videos-barred, 14-day pass to their site. All you have to do is go to the Rouxbe Online Cooking School and redeem the 14-day Gift Membership. After the trial, you can join for as little as $29.95 per month; however, there is no obligation. It's awesome! Check it out at

Rouxbe Online Cooking School

This is an example of one of their cooking lessons, Handling a Chef’s Knife.

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Hope you enjoy!

Cheers!

What is French Cooking?

2011-05-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

French cuisine often invokes images of rich foods and heavy sauces. In reality and in practice, it represents a centuries-old tradition of respecting the ingredients in a dish and highlighting their quality and flavor. French cuisine is not only respected for its dishes but the generations of chefs who are responsible for the codification of techniques that are recognized in kitchens everywhere. This is why you can work in a kitchen where no one speaks the same language, but if the chefs have been classically trained, there will be a common nomenclature that everyone understands.

In response to Paul’s question, “is there really more than one way to peel a potato?” Whether it is with a knife or peeler, the only way to peel a potato that I know of is fast.

I did learn a new way to peel an onion, the French way. Rather than cut the onion in half, which is what I normally do, you start by using a small knife to cut the top off. You then remove the root end by inserting the point of the knife at an angle pointed toward the center of the onion and cut in a circular motion cutting a cone-shape at the root end. Lightly score along the latitude of the onion, then loosen the skin using the point of the knife and pull the skin away. This is the technique required in class.

In future posts, I will include recipes from items we prepare. One recipe that I will be sharing is Jalapeno Glazed Grilled Peaches Over Vanilla Ice Cream. Not something we made, but a recipe of Chef Ron’s. Sounds delicious, I just want to try it first. And like any recipe, let them serve as inspiration, and allow your creativity to make it your own.

Cheers!

Knife Cuts and Feces

2011-05-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

If I had any thoughts of being skilled with a knife, they went out the window today. We spent time on 2 potato cuts, Allumette (AH loo met), cutting the potato in 3 mm square match sticks and Paille (PIE ya), cutting the potato in 2 mm square match sticks. This was followed by practicing some classic cuts on a turnip, brunoise (BROON wahz) 3mm squares and brunoisette 1 mm squares. As Chef Ron said, practice, practice, practice. At least I have the potato peeling mastered.

More food safety today. Viruses are the leading cause of food-borne illness. People carry viruses in their feces so be sure the person that handled your food the last time you were out to dinner washed their hands. I think I will eat at home tonight.

Cheers!

Getting Ready for School

2011-05-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

Turning the clock back to this weekend, I found myself shopping for school supplies, not for my son Keenan but for myself. No longer was I the one making recommendations but it was Keenan. Dad, “you don’t want this 3-ring binder, these are the dividers you should buy, you want this paper” and on it went. I know they say that at some point our children might be taking care of us, but I was not expecting it to happen this early. Keenan’s advice was great, and each day I am well prepared for taking notes or filing handouts. Thank you Keenan!

Today we found out how to peel a potato. I was thinking is there anyone here that does not know how to do this, until I watched one of my classmates struggle, even after Chef Ron’s demonstration. I guess we all need to start somewhere. We then proceeded to make Potato Pont Neuf, 1 centimeter thick sticks, one of the classic potato cuts. Not remembering any of my 4 years of French, I found a great site to help with all of these French terms:

http://quizlet.com/5145172/knife-cuts-flash-cards

Time to pull out the knife and start practicing.

Cheers!

The Start of a New Journey

2011-05-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

This morning I started my Culinary Arts Program at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College - the journey has begun. Chef Ron Costa is the instructor for my current classes, Culinary Foundations I and Food Safety and Sanitation. A former chef at Pebble Beach, Chef Ron has a self-deprecating sense of humor and nothing is sacred to him.

A good part of the class was spent going over everything from having good hygiene, brush your teeth, shave, shower, etc. to the proper way to wear the Le Cordon Bleu uniform. Amazing that you would have to tell adults to brush your teeth before coming to class.

Our first assignment is learning about the History and Evolution of French Cuisine, the kitchen brigade (kitchen organization based on Auguste Escoffier’s hierarchical system for members of the kitchen) and on classic potato cuts. Tomorrow we pull out our knives and practice butchering potatoes.

It is wonderful learning about the history of French Cuisine and I really am looking forward to honing (pun intended) my knife skills.

Not sure how often I will blog, or if anyone will ever read this, but I want to have a diary as I become The Charitable Chef.