Damn, there are just some days when everything locks up, shuts down and refuses to come out.I think It was Bulowski who said something about, if you have to sit in front of the keyboard for hours and force it, don't do it.
Well, it'd been that kind of run.
Why does it happen? Who the hell knows? Maybe it's terminal grey skies and storms, a lover that doesn't call, a cat that pukes on the floor and you find out by stepping in it, or too many experiments gone bad and and dishes and pans and crap all over the kitchen and and a sticky floor...
And nobody giving a rat's ass. Sometimes a girl is too tired to care about the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. And yes, I love Annie Lennox, ....
I'm thinking school work piled up and it's all ready the close of the quarter and I'm frustrated by their up and down down performances,with very little time to go.Some times practicals go well , but there are days when it's all shit.......Like nothing stuck from one day to the next......hello, memory? What do you not understand......it's all about the formula, then taking your time and watching your temperature. No two ovens are alike. No two ovens are equal. And not all recipes are good for convection ovens, if you don't know how to adjust. And if you don't pay attention to the yield, you are gonna wind up with a result you don't expect. Or want. So damn it, read it, see it in your mind, think it out. Stop running around looking for things you need. Mise en place! Get everything you need first, all the ingredients, the tools, the pans. This ain't a box of Duncan Hines! This is real, from scratch and takes some thought. Don't tell me you can't find "it", when I can go in and put my hand on it without looking and you were just there for something else, in front of it! Puleeeeezzzzeee! Read the recipe first, read the procedure next, gather up everything , then proceed.
Instructors get frustrated too. It's not that I think I'm holy, holy. There's a reason I'm doing it. A need and desire to see people who are spending their money on an education, get the best that can be given. Why would you not want to grasp the concept? There has to be a point where, "just getting a passing grade," is not enough.When you stop thinking,"well I'm not gonna do this full time, it's just a course requirement". This is not a soft business you that you are working towards entering. This is a balls out, dog eat dog industry and if you have any doubts, read a trade rag and see how many open and close in a year. Everything is a requirement! Everything is a weapon in your arsenal of abilities. Everything you learn is one more tactic to insure your advancement in your career. Dessert is the last thing people remember, it finishes the experience,ergo if it sucks.the whole evening is blown.
I knew a place that barely got it's doors open, only to close in 3 months.3MONTHS!!...the planning, the work, the effort, the investment.....down the drain. Snap the fuck out of it!
. Fine, it's not ALL their fault. I, have, unfortunately, that there are discrepancies in some areas. It's as tho some things have not been totally tested before printing the book, or edited with exclusions. If that doesn't mess with you, nothing will. BUT......if you go over everything first, and I do give plenty of time to review, then something should scream "WRONG".......and, call me to you, to look at it....and we'll figure a way to fix it. If you get me after the fact, all we can do is assess what went wrong, scrape it in the trash and begin a new. This is part of the learning process. I learned, you will too. Nobody is born with this. And yes, I expect to study on your own. It's not automatic.You need to do somethings by yourself.
I spent two very long yrs.doing it over and over again, from 10:00 at night till 6:00 in the morning, often alone, getting items ready for opening, to meet the demands. I would start with the yeast breads to allow for rising and proofing times, work some cakes in between, maybe a pie, then as the breads went in to bake, gather ingredients for the quick breads and morning coffee. One item would be left to do which would signal the end. God, it felt like completing a marathon. Everyday. 6-7 days a week.
It takes rigid discipline.........which, I think today, is sadly lacking; sheer will, and a desire to produce the best, your best. If you thought this would be a piece of cake, you were sadly mistaken. It takes sacrifice. And tenacity. You ..karate kid, me...Mr Miagi..........focus, open your mind and senses........be prepared for the unexpected.
And , now for something completely different........
Chocolate Soufflé
3- egg yolks
2 3/4- oz sugar
dash of vanilla or a vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 3/4-oz of all purpose flour
1 cup-milk
1 oz-unsweetened chocolate
2 cups-egg whites (about 6 egg whites)
Set oven at 375 degrees
Butter and sugar 6, 4-5oz soufflé cups
Mix the yolks with half the sugar and vanilla.Add flour, stirring till a smooth paste forms. (If using a bean add to milk while heating in next step)
Heat milk slowly to a boil,careful not to scorch.This is when you add the bean scrapings and pod to steep.Remove pod
Melt chocolate in a small bowl over warm water or in microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring to prevent burning.
Add the yolk mixture to the milk for a 2-3 minutes. Use a whisk to mix. Then use a wooden spatula to stir till the paste no longer sticks to the sides.
Put the paste in an electric mixing bowl and beat, not whip, for 10-15 minutes.Add the chocolate and mix well. Scrape into a bowl to cool
Clean mixing bowl thoroughly and dry.Whip the egg whites with a dash of salt, till meringue-like peaks form, Gradually add remaining sugar and beat till stiff. The whites should not slide if the the bowl is tipped.
Fold the whites into the paste in 1/4 increments till well combined.Spoon into prepared soufflé cups
Bake 15 minutes in a lower 1/3 of oven
Serve with powdered sugar and maybe a Chantilly whipped cream
This will double batch nicely, if you need it.
And then who cares if it rains, the phone doesn't ring, and the dishes don't get washed.................... as for the cat................well you're on your own.
As always,
Cheffy
.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The things we do for love..........
Oh, it's a lot .........Whether as a lover, child, friend, parent, partner, teacher, student or all the thousands of other components we are........eventually we yield to doing something out of love. Desire helps, and at the right moment, a dash of seduction and a pinch of anticipation, because in the end, we want to hear that sigh, see that closing of the eyes in wonder, that utter look of pleasure and a smile for our efforts. We do it for love........whether we're giving it or receiving it.
Some times I hear, "I hate to cook, or bake"........DON'T. It's o.k. If you hate to do it, why subject yourself and others to it? There are cabillion places to, go to or take away or have delivered. There's no shame attached. And hopefully the results are satisfying.You can always buy it, go to a friend who loves to do it, have a glass of wine, sit back and watch.
In cooking, there are people who work at it and then, there are people who love what they do.It shows thru in everything they make.They constantly taste and tease the food to become a piece of themselves that they want to express.
A good friend once told me about a time they ate in my restaurant.Her husband put a bite of the dish I had made in his mouth, stopped, sat back, closed his eyes and sighed. That's what I'm talking about. And it touches me to know that there were others, who felt that.
Don't think for a minute that sometimes I don't get frustrated, go blank, cry or am simply tired..........I am not a machine.
But love is a very compelling force. Some times love just needs to be simple,
uncomplicated,enjoyed......with pleasure.........
Simply Lovely Wellingtons
(2) 6-8 oz beef tenderloins
salt & pepper
1-2 tsp.clarified butter or veg oil
1/2 c fresh spinach
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced shallot
splash of white wine or a squeeze of lemon juice
1-2 oz- foie gras (pate will work fine...found in many stores today in tins or deli sections)
1 oz -shaved truffle peelings....(these can be optional, but...oh my)
2 -6x6 squares of puff pastry......(bless you freezer section)
egg wash
Lay puff pastry out to soften, a roll out to about 3/16".If you think you need more time before shaping, place in refrigerator to stay cold, warm, soft puff is a bear to work with.
With sauté pan over high heat, add butter or oil.
Lightly season the beef with s&p, and sear on all sides to seal meat, these should be very rare inside.If you like your meat more well down, you can let it go longer, remember it WILL be in the oven to finish.
Remove to a plate and let cool. on a lower heat,in remaining juices, add garlic and shallots,cook for a minute or so, add and toss spinach gently in pan till barely wilted. Flash with a little white wine or lemon. This will create a teeny acidic bite.
Top each filet with spinach, a medallion of foie gras and sprinkle with truffles...if using them.
Brush edges of pastry with a little egg wash. Put a filet in the center of each square and bring the corners up as if tying a present and twist them ( separate the four lengths and let them flop over like a bow, or snip and trim, creating a little nipple) Conversely, you can place the beef upside down in the center, holding everything and slipping your fingers out.Wrap the puff around it, pressing gently to seal. Brush with egg wash
Place these on a lightly oiled pan and bake in a 400 degree oven until the pastry is lightly browned.15-20 minutes.
NOTE: If you get distracted or want everything out of the way before dinner........store them in the fridge and bake off when you sit down...
...
Serve with a small puddle of sauce, just enough to touch each bite.
There are several different sauces you can do.....Cabernet Demi-glace, Madeira, Bordelaise,even Bearnaise.The first three come from brown sauce or reductions and use wine and a butter finish, and the Bearny, from Hollandaise, by adding some tarragon. Guess we'll need to do a few sauces, but you're probably good for now. If not, let me know and I'll give you a few. It's easier, to have some stock, brown sauce, or Demi on hand to create great sauces, than you might think.
And if you have a whole lot of love share, get a 4-5 lb beef tenderloin, (invariably less expensive sometimes by $3-$4 per lb), multiply the rest of the ingredients times 5, prepare as listed, roll it up in a full sheet of puff pastry and if there are any pieces of puff available, cut out little leaves and shapes and "glue" them on with egg wash, and when done, slice the "log" and put slabs of Wellington on plates.The colors are glorious to see. The blush of the meat, the earthiness of the green, the glossy gleam of foie gras and golden ring of the pastry.You will look so good, too..........
These aren't just for special times.....rather, they make times special. 'Cause it's about the love........sometimes you gotta.
Cheffy
But love is a very compelling force. Some times love just needs to be simple,
uncomplicated,enjoyed......with pleasure.........
Simply Lovely Wellingtons
(2) 6-8 oz beef tenderloins
salt & pepper
1-2 tsp.clarified butter or veg oil
1/2 c fresh spinach
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced shallot
splash of white wine or a squeeze of lemon juice
1-2 oz- foie gras (pate will work fine...found in many stores today in tins or deli sections)
1 oz -shaved truffle peelings....(these can be optional, but...oh my)
2 -6x6 squares of puff pastry......(bless you freezer section)
egg wash
Lay puff pastry out to soften, a roll out to about 3/16".If you think you need more time before shaping, place in refrigerator to stay cold, warm, soft puff is a bear to work with.
With sauté pan over high heat, add butter or oil.
Lightly season the beef with s&p, and sear on all sides to seal meat, these should be very rare inside.If you like your meat more well down, you can let it go longer, remember it WILL be in the oven to finish.
Remove to a plate and let cool. on a lower heat,in remaining juices, add garlic and shallots,cook for a minute or so, add and toss spinach gently in pan till barely wilted. Flash with a little white wine or lemon. This will create a teeny acidic bite.
Top each filet with spinach, a medallion of foie gras and sprinkle with truffles...if using them.
Brush edges of pastry with a little egg wash. Put a filet in the center of each square and bring the corners up as if tying a present and twist them ( separate the four lengths and let them flop over like a bow, or snip and trim, creating a little nipple) Conversely, you can place the beef upside down in the center, holding everything and slipping your fingers out.Wrap the puff around it, pressing gently to seal. Brush with egg wash
Place these on a lightly oiled pan and bake in a 400 degree oven until the pastry is lightly browned.15-20 minutes.
NOTE: If you get distracted or want everything out of the way before dinner........store them in the fridge and bake off when you sit down...
...
Serve with a small puddle of sauce, just enough to touch each bite.
There are several different sauces you can do.....Cabernet Demi-glace, Madeira, Bordelaise,even Bearnaise.The first three come from brown sauce or reductions and use wine and a butter finish, and the Bearny, from Hollandaise, by adding some tarragon. Guess we'll need to do a few sauces, but you're probably good for now. If not, let me know and I'll give you a few. It's easier, to have some stock, brown sauce, or Demi on hand to create great sauces, than you might think.
And if you have a whole lot of love share, get a 4-5 lb beef tenderloin, (invariably less expensive sometimes by $3-$4 per lb), multiply the rest of the ingredients times 5, prepare as listed, roll it up in a full sheet of puff pastry and if there are any pieces of puff available, cut out little leaves and shapes and "glue" them on with egg wash, and when done, slice the "log" and put slabs of Wellington on plates.The colors are glorious to see. The blush of the meat, the earthiness of the green, the glossy gleam of foie gras and golden ring of the pastry.You will look so good, too..........
These aren't just for special times.....rather, they make times special. 'Cause it's about the love........sometimes you gotta.
Cheffy
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
It's a treat to beat your meat.........
Ha.....thought you knew where this was going, didn't you? No, not that down that road today.This is more along the lines of letting a little aggression out on some pieces of veal. Now I know in todays PC world veal is one of those things that people shy from, but there are some totally humane producers out there. There was a time when it was all about the pristine whiteness of a restrained calf force fed solely on mothers' milk. Now free range happy animals give you happy meat, not as white,but much more delectable. With beautiful results. Check your with local co-op or whole food style market.
When I was a girl, my Father and I had our Friday nights, where I would meet him at his office and we would go to restaurants around town, exploring and tasting and savoring. It gave Mom a break and introduced me to an unknown world of flavors and techniques and styles. It wasn't always about the elaborate, so much as the seductively simple way that these dishes were prepared. Clean, inviting, aromatic... and the flavors!!!!!!! Many of Dad's chef friends would allow me to venture in these here-to-fore secret worlds of mayhem and passions.........heat and love.........'cause they did love what they did...........and I was completely and properly hooked. I a virtual innocent, yearning to absorb all I could.
Was it a man's world? By all means.........we women were not supposed to be able to handle the physical stress, the heat, the demands.....in all, the pressure. But I wanted it, and learned to grow and thrive in it.
Chef was a big man, arms like railroad ties, dark dangerous eyes and a black moustache. I knew he could eat me alive and reduce me to jelly......but ya know, when he smiled at me with those even white teeth, my fears washed away and I let him show me all he could. He took me took me to the butcher block where there was a smooth pinkish veal round, cut it in half, gave me a razor sharp knife and said, "Do as I say and I do". Kindly and gently showing me how to keep my fingers, we sliced off several pieces together and laid them on a plate by the block. And then, after we wrapped and protected the rest......this is what happened.......
Veal Piccata 4-5 ppl....
1 1/2 lb of veal top round, cut into 3 oz portions
2 eggs , beaten
11/2 oz of grated parmigiana cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 oz of flour (as needed)..for the gluten free, use a flour you're comfortable with or dispense with altogether
1-2 oz oil (as needed)..I prefer clarified butter for color and taste......if veg oil is what you have , o.k.....
2 lemons....one cut into quarters to squeeze for juice and 1 to slice into thin rounds for finish
Dry white wine.............if you can't drink it , don't cook with it.....
1 Tbsp chopped shallots
1 fat healthy clove of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 Tbsp of capers
1 Tbsp whole unsalted butter
1-1 1/2 pounds linguine or angel hair pasta...cooked al dente, rinsed till you don't feel the heat and LIGHTLY oiled. Reserve some of the pasta water.
Place the meat between 2 pieces of plastic or wax paper.....this keeps you from tearing the meat and "splatters" from going all over the kitchen.
Pound the portions into 1/4 " thick pieces. You don't need a meat tenderizer gadget if you have a rolling pin or a heavy pan. Gently but firmly from center to edge running your fingertips across the meat to feel the evenness. Employ your senses, in this case the sense of touch. Food speaks it's own language. It's sensuous, it's dirty. You have to get your hands in it, on it, around it, through it...feel it, smell it, taste it,and even sometimes listen to it.
Thoroughly mix the eggs and grated cheese and set aside.
Blot the veal dry with a paper towel, season w/salt and pepper, dip in egg mix and then dredge. Blotting removes excess moisture and helps to create a better sear. And searing seals in the flavor.
Heat pan over medium heat, add olive oil and /or butter, an ounce or two ( you don't need much...1/2" and you're frying... you want color and flavor, not grease)
Add veal and sauté on one side for approx. 2 minutes or slightly golden.....turn and repeat. Remove to a pan with a rack. You may keep it in the oven on the lowest heat to stay warm. If you don't have a rack, a plate with a paper towel will do. Just realize that the side on the paper towel may end up a little soggy.
Toss in shallots and garlic, sauté till soft and "deglaze" with a few oz of white wine.This will sizzle and reduce and then squeeze a quarter or 2 of lemon and taste..add capers..........correct as needed...salt , pepper, wine, lemon juice....Remove from heat, stir in cold butter, sauce will achieve a silkiness.Slide in some lemon circles....IF you want a thicker sauce, add a few oz. of your pasta water to it and reduce.
At this point you can add the pasta to the pan and stir, or place it on the plates, lay the veal medallions down and nap (spoon) it over the dish and place a few of the lemon slices on it.
Some shaved Asiago or Romano would be delightful...........
This is crisp,bright, clean and simple..........uncomplicated
When I was a girl, my Father and I had our Friday nights, where I would meet him at his office and we would go to restaurants around town, exploring and tasting and savoring. It gave Mom a break and introduced me to an unknown world of flavors and techniques and styles. It wasn't always about the elaborate, so much as the seductively simple way that these dishes were prepared. Clean, inviting, aromatic... and the flavors!!!!!!! Many of Dad's chef friends would allow me to venture in these here-to-fore secret worlds of mayhem and passions.........heat and love.........'cause they did love what they did...........and I was completely and properly hooked. I a virtual innocent, yearning to absorb all I could.
Was it a man's world? By all means.........we women were not supposed to be able to handle the physical stress, the heat, the demands.....in all, the pressure. But I wanted it, and learned to grow and thrive in it.
Chef was a big man, arms like railroad ties, dark dangerous eyes and a black moustache. I knew he could eat me alive and reduce me to jelly......but ya know, when he smiled at me with those even white teeth, my fears washed away and I let him show me all he could. He took me took me to the butcher block where there was a smooth pinkish veal round, cut it in half, gave me a razor sharp knife and said, "Do as I say and I do". Kindly and gently showing me how to keep my fingers, we sliced off several pieces together and laid them on a plate by the block. And then, after we wrapped and protected the rest......this is what happened.......
Veal Piccata 4-5 ppl....
1 1/2 lb of veal top round, cut into 3 oz portions
2 eggs , beaten
11/2 oz of grated parmigiana cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 oz of flour (as needed)..for the gluten free, use a flour you're comfortable with or dispense with altogether
1-2 oz oil (as needed)..I prefer clarified butter for color and taste......if veg oil is what you have , o.k.....
2 lemons....one cut into quarters to squeeze for juice and 1 to slice into thin rounds for finish
Dry white wine.............if you can't drink it , don't cook with it.....
1 Tbsp chopped shallots
1 fat healthy clove of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 Tbsp of capers
1 Tbsp whole unsalted butter
1-1 1/2 pounds linguine or angel hair pasta...cooked al dente, rinsed till you don't feel the heat and LIGHTLY oiled. Reserve some of the pasta water.
Place the meat between 2 pieces of plastic or wax paper.....this keeps you from tearing the meat and "splatters" from going all over the kitchen.
Pound the portions into 1/4 " thick pieces. You don't need a meat tenderizer gadget if you have a rolling pin or a heavy pan. Gently but firmly from center to edge running your fingertips across the meat to feel the evenness. Employ your senses, in this case the sense of touch. Food speaks it's own language. It's sensuous, it's dirty. You have to get your hands in it, on it, around it, through it...feel it, smell it, taste it,and even sometimes listen to it.
Thoroughly mix the eggs and grated cheese and set aside.
Blot the veal dry with a paper towel, season w/salt and pepper, dip in egg mix and then dredge. Blotting removes excess moisture and helps to create a better sear. And searing seals in the flavor.
Heat pan over medium heat, add olive oil and /or butter, an ounce or two ( you don't need much...1/2" and you're frying... you want color and flavor, not grease)
Add veal and sauté on one side for approx. 2 minutes or slightly golden.....turn and repeat. Remove to a pan with a rack. You may keep it in the oven on the lowest heat to stay warm. If you don't have a rack, a plate with a paper towel will do. Just realize that the side on the paper towel may end up a little soggy.
Toss in shallots and garlic, sauté till soft and "deglaze" with a few oz of white wine.This will sizzle and reduce and then squeeze a quarter or 2 of lemon and taste..add capers..........correct as needed...salt , pepper, wine, lemon juice....Remove from heat, stir in cold butter, sauce will achieve a silkiness.Slide in some lemon circles....IF you want a thicker sauce, add a few oz. of your pasta water to it and reduce.
At this point you can add the pasta to the pan and stir, or place it on the plates, lay the veal medallions down and nap (spoon) it over the dish and place a few of the lemon slices on it.
Some shaved Asiago or Romano would be delightful...........
This is crisp,bright, clean and simple..........uncomplicated
Saturday, August 7, 2010
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition
For the most part, if it can go, wrong it will. But in all honesty, it doesn't happen as often as one might think. Usually there's quick fix. I am always getting a 911 phone call or message screaming for help. The first thing to do is breathe. Chefs are not gods, we're fallible, we just have a better collection of "what to do" cards in our our decks. And anyone who says they've never resorted to a "quick fix" is a liar. I've been in enough kitchens to to know that there's usually the jar, bottle, box or package to act as an emergency kit when the moment arises.It's gonzo band aid work, but can haul your butt out of the fire in a pinch.
Frankly there are so many companies producing pre-packaged goods for the uninitiated that it's hard to resist squirreling some away. Some suck, some don't. Fresh is best, from scratch is amazing. Some things take a lot of time.but in the end...so worth it, and some things can be done in the blink of an eye. For example, most people will not attempt a Hollandaise from scratch.Even some of my cooks won't do it for fear of breaking it.Or they have been through protracted lessons of water baths, right temperatures, sloooooooow drizzles, etc. Takes them for freaking ever and then....breakage.You don't have to be a saucier with yrs of experience to make it.If you have a food processor, a stick blender, or a regular blender....you can do it.If you don't, you can do a great "mock up" and generally no one knows. It's all in putting the right items together at the right time, in the right order.
Basic Hollandaise: approx. 4 cups..(can be easily cut in half)
........First you will need to clarify some butter.... always a good thing to have at hand and it will keep for a while in the fridge, but you can do it in a snap.Melt the butter and skim off the foam.Do this over a low flame and the solids will will drop to the bottom.Use a fat skimmer (screened) or slotted spoon or a ladle.The remaining butterfat at will be clear.Dump the impurities............
3/4 tsp- of cracked black pepper...fresh ground; in a jar; whole in a bag and crushed; or use a coffee grinder
3 oz.-red wine vinegar..or white, or cider..........experiment on tastes
8 egg yolks
18 oz - clarified butter--warm...if you test it on your wrist and don't feel it, it's warm.We're 98.6 and you don't want to over cook the yolks and curdle them...(p.s.1 yoke holds about 2 oz of butter)
1/2 oz- lemon juice
salt, to taste
dijon mustard,to taste
cayenne- to taste or not
In processor bowl with metal blade...Put yolks and turn on.Add vinegar.and process for a minute or 2.This will create a "cooking" process from the acid in the vinegar and the speed.Slowly add the warm butter in a steady stream.It will start to emulsify and thicken.You'll "hear" it change in consistency as well as see it.
drizzle in lemon juice,add a pinch of salt,a 1/2 tsp of dijon, and for a kick, a sprinkle of cayenne.Stop, taste and adjust your flavors for your needs.
It is essentially ready to serve, but will keep for 2 hrs in a water bath over a LOW heat.
Try it in a blender....not My favorite because thick emulsions tend to "burn" out the motor; stick blender and bowl or cup work well, too.
Once you are comfortable, you can use this basic recipe and do several other variations.
Mousseline....fold in 5 oz of whipped cream so light and airy
Maltese...2 oz. of orange and a little of the zest ( if you have blood oranges you are blessed), a flavor great for fishes
Bearnaise....add some fresh tarragon
Choron....tricky,but worth it...requires 2-3 oz of tomato and can really break the emulsion if added too fast or more than the yolks can handle.......if nervous about this grab your favorite hot sauce and have at it..... has a blushy color that's so pretty.Fabulous with big meats, steak and eggs, potatoes.........anything you like with a "bite"....Oooohhhh... Shrimp and Cheddary Grits.............just saying
Congratulations! You have made your first "Mother Sauce" and can experiment all you like. Buttery and silky and a little goes a long way.
IT BROKE!!!!!!!and they're almost here.............
Shhhhhh....grab your mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon and spices....Put a cup in a bowl, add the other ingredients, in stages, tasting as you go, thin it with a little water, till you achieve the flavor your happy with. Not totally the same and the oil taste may be there a bit ...but......... if you have to.......
SO practice , practice practice......the results are well worth it.
Frankly there are so many companies producing pre-packaged goods for the uninitiated that it's hard to resist squirreling some away. Some suck, some don't. Fresh is best, from scratch is amazing. Some things take a lot of time.but in the end...so worth it, and some things can be done in the blink of an eye. For example, most people will not attempt a Hollandaise from scratch.Even some of my cooks won't do it for fear of breaking it.Or they have been through protracted lessons of water baths, right temperatures, sloooooooow drizzles, etc. Takes them for freaking ever and then....breakage.You don't have to be a saucier with yrs of experience to make it.If you have a food processor, a stick blender, or a regular blender....you can do it.If you don't, you can do a great "mock up" and generally no one knows. It's all in putting the right items together at the right time, in the right order.
Basic Hollandaise: approx. 4 cups..(can be easily cut in half)
........First you will need to clarify some butter.... always a good thing to have at hand and it will keep for a while in the fridge, but you can do it in a snap.Melt the butter and skim off the foam.Do this over a low flame and the solids will will drop to the bottom.Use a fat skimmer (screened) or slotted spoon or a ladle.The remaining butterfat at will be clear.Dump the impurities............
3/4 tsp- of cracked black pepper...fresh ground; in a jar; whole in a bag and crushed; or use a coffee grinder
3 oz.-red wine vinegar..or white, or cider..........experiment on tastes
8 egg yolks
18 oz - clarified butter--warm...if you test it on your wrist and don't feel it, it's warm.We're 98.6 and you don't want to over cook the yolks and curdle them...(p.s.1 yoke holds about 2 oz of butter)
1/2 oz- lemon juice
salt, to taste
dijon mustard,to taste
cayenne- to taste or not
In processor bowl with metal blade...Put yolks and turn on.Add vinegar.and process for a minute or 2.This will create a "cooking" process from the acid in the vinegar and the speed.Slowly add the warm butter in a steady stream.It will start to emulsify and thicken.You'll "hear" it change in consistency as well as see it.
drizzle in lemon juice,add a pinch of salt,a 1/2 tsp of dijon, and for a kick, a sprinkle of cayenne.Stop, taste and adjust your flavors for your needs.
It is essentially ready to serve, but will keep for 2 hrs in a water bath over a LOW heat.
Try it in a blender....not My favorite because thick emulsions tend to "burn" out the motor; stick blender and bowl or cup work well, too.
Once you are comfortable, you can use this basic recipe and do several other variations.
Mousseline....fold in 5 oz of whipped cream so light and airy
Maltese...2 oz. of orange and a little of the zest ( if you have blood oranges you are blessed), a flavor great for fishes
Bearnaise....add some fresh tarragon
Choron....tricky,but worth it...requires 2-3 oz of tomato and can really break the emulsion if added too fast or more than the yolks can handle.......if nervous about this grab your favorite hot sauce and have at it..... has a blushy color that's so pretty.Fabulous with big meats, steak and eggs, potatoes.........anything you like with a "bite"....Oooohhhh... Shrimp and Cheddary Grits.............just saying
Congratulations! You have made your first "Mother Sauce" and can experiment all you like. Buttery and silky and a little goes a long way.
IT BROKE!!!!!!!and they're almost here.............
Shhhhhh....grab your mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon and spices....Put a cup in a bowl, add the other ingredients, in stages, tasting as you go, thin it with a little water, till you achieve the flavor your happy with. Not totally the same and the oil taste may be there a bit ...but......... if you have to.......
SO practice , practice practice......the results are well worth it.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Why why why
Perhaps the most frequently asked question, when people find out who and what I am, is why do I do what I do. The ice breaker answer is generally, because I'm loonier than a tune, insatiably curious and ,tho not yet proven by the psychology field , a bit of a masochist. Let's face it; you gotta be CRAZY to subject yourself to a brutal array of hours and the physical demands of lifting, hauling, toting and barging in close quarters, in extreme temperatures. I have a curious nature that makes me want to try anything, taste anything, learn anything.And lastly, well , when was the last time you let yourself be talked to, like you were worthless, useless, inane or worse had a 5 pound loin of pork thrown at you because the Chef thought it was ruined? And then came back the next day for more.Then, there are the burns, the cuts, the scars, the blood, the salt of your own sweat in yours, eyes blinding you and the screaming that you'll never make it.... And no, never been on Hell's Kitchen, but I've been to hell and back..As a quick divert from "WHY?", I personally don't subscribe to brutality, mental or physical, in a kitchen as a method of "controlling" a kitchen..I have no desire to reduce people to tears, or make them feel inadequate.I want my cooks doing their utmost, being warriors who will hold the line and fight for me, knowing that when when the shit hits the fan, I will be right there with them and lead them threw the fire.Not distracted by doubt and fear of reprisal.
O.K., why?........I love.........
I love the feel of food; the silkiness of a piece of meat sliding thru my fingers as I filet it, the smell of food; it's clean , fresh, vibrant scent, the sound of it; sizzling, bubbling, snapping , sighing. And ,oh, the taste of it.........sweet, salty, hot, spicy. Lastly, the look of a gorgeous plate that makes you want to drink it in before devouring it. It's all pleasure based. I know it ,you know it.
That's why...........I just love it!
O.K., why?........I love.........
I love the feel of food; the silkiness of a piece of meat sliding thru my fingers as I filet it, the smell of food; it's clean , fresh, vibrant scent, the sound of it; sizzling, bubbling, snapping , sighing. And ,oh, the taste of it.........sweet, salty, hot, spicy. Lastly, the look of a gorgeous plate that makes you want to drink it in before devouring it. It's all pleasure based. I know it ,you know it.
That's why...........I just love it!
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