Day 49: Alsace France

As I mentioned earlier, French cuisine varies region to region. They target their recipes based on availability of products in each region. 

Tarte aux Pommes de Terre 

This is a tart filled with hard boiled eggs, bacon and potatoes. It is a hearty tart that is eaten as part of a savory meal.  This was our first introduction to rolling dough so it was a really cool lesson.

Spaetzle 

We made Spaetzle paired with Sauteed Trout. Spaetzle is a fun dish to make, and my chef's favorite. It is a basic combination of ingredients such as yogurt, milk, flour and a few others, and then poured through a strainer into frying oil. The process of pouring it through the strainer allows little 'spaetzles' to form, basically making small pasta nibs. 

Chourcroute Garni

This dish is a combination of sauerkraut, sausage, every 'wurst' that exists, pork and potatoes. While reading the recipe I thought it straight up sounded gross. However, the combination of all of these meats with the sauerkraut cancelled out the pungent flavors leaving it extremely tasty. It is a really wholesome dish, and shows the german influence on certain regional french cuisine.  

Day 48: France!

Welcome to French cuisine! I have never been all that interested in French food but after cooking through its many regions I have a strong appreciation for French food. Although looked at as heavy and fattening, they focus on fresh, tasty products that are used chosen for their availability in each region. 

Cotes de Porc Normande

This dish is a pork chop topped with apples, giving it a nice balance between sweet and savory.

Souffles d' Alencon en Timbales

In english this is called a 're-inflatable cheese souffles with a mushroom duxelle'. In my language it was 'eat me' because as soon as  I took my first bite I could not stop. It is a light and fluffy soufflé topped with mushrooms and heavy cream.

Homard a l'Americaine with a Riz en Couronne

This is a lobster sauce that is placed into a ring of molded rice pilaf. While you all know I hate killing lobsters, this dish was so delicious that I am trying to look past it. The molded rice makes a really nice presentation and goes really well with the rich lobster sauce.

Salad of Duck Confit with Red Cabbage, Chestnuts, and Watercress

This dish looks simple to make, but it actually is a two day process. The key aspects of this dish are the roasted nuts, cabbage vinaigrette (which is a lot better then it sounds) and duck confit, the money maker. Duck confit needs to marinate over night in salt and herbs. It is then cooked in additional duck fat until tender. We then took the skin and made 'cracklings' which are pure pieces of crispy, heavenly fat. It is one of the most flavorful meat dishes I have ever had, but of course it is because it is fat+oil+more fat. Once all pulled together the flavorful meat tastes great on a bed of lettuce with a sweet vinaigrette and sweet nuts all mixed together. Topping it with cracklings gives it an extra crush and texture. 

Day 46 and 47: Plating 3 and 4

Day 3 of plating we made some really gourmet dishes. We started by making a Duck Roullade. Roullade is the french word for 'roll'. We rolled the duck around a piece of foie gras and spinach. We plated it with a fennel sauce, and some vegetables. Very serious.

Above are vegetable timbales, another one of my favorite dishes. It is made of roasted zucchini, Chinese eggplant, tomatoes and yellow zucchini. Then a puree of goat cheese and herbs is placed between each layer of vegetable. These are baked together making a really amazing dish. We also made little crisps out of a cheese based paste, which is a little added bonus on any dish. 

Roasted Poussin with Wasabi Mousseline Potato 

First we roasted Poussin which is a baby chicken. Then we made Wasabi Mousseline Potato which is a very smooth, almost mash, but more mouse-like consistency. We used the pan sauces to draw on the plate and make it look pretty. This was so good!

Last up we made braised short ribs over polenta with roasted tomato. I love anything braised, especially when its short ribs, even more when its on top of polenta. 

Day 45: Plating 2

We continued practicing plating today. These days are really awesome because we are making really complex recipes, and then focusing as much time on the presentation. I personally made the foie gras pudding which was extremely complex, and extremely delicious. It contains foie gras, croutons, and a ton of other ingredients to give it a pudding like consistency.

Rabbit legs with a foie gras pudding and a black currant sauce.

Sauteed steak in a pan sauce

Sauteed salmon with a citrus vinaigrette salad

(this one is my favorite of the day) 

Day 44: Plating Begins

On day 44 we began mod 3. Mod 3 starts with learning how to plate. We were taught the importance of color, texture, balance, and white space when placing food on the plate. Our new Chef, Karen is amazing at plating and taught us so much on day one. We began by making tuna carpaccio served with micro-greens, horseradish mayo and fried capers. I warn you now, I am more creative than artistic so no judgements on the first few days. 

Below is a sauteed scallop with turnip puree, a potato disk and fried leeks. 

Last piece for plating was sauteed sole over a warm vinaigrette salad. 

Day 43: Deli

Today we were basically a deli. We mass produced sandwiches, each of which were amazing. As I have mentioned before, the class is geared for 15 people. Since we only have 5 people we get 3x the amount of food we need. Today was particularly ridiculous since we each made 3 types of sandwiches, and we made 6+ of each sandwich type. 

I was in charge of making the Reuben, egg salad, and salmon BLT. In addition we had chicken burgers (freshly made), turkey clubs, croque monsieur and deviled ham and cheese. These sandwiches in my eyes seem very simple. When you are on the other end making them, there are a lot more moving parts then I ever realized. Between cooking the meats, to toasting the bread, and slicing the veggies, there is a lot of work that goes into a sandwich. All of the prep was worth the wait because we created a full spread of delicious sandwiches. 

Day 42: Breakfast Part II

Today we made breakfast breads! This included pancakes, waffles, french toast (wow I just got hungry), crepes, granola, and oatmeal. Today was a ton of fun! We started by making each batter and then cooking the pancakes and french toast on the grill. The trick to having the best french toast around is using nutmeg! I am a huge nutmeg fan, and having it on your french toast is delicious.

Next up we made crepes. In order to make these, you need a teeny tiny pan, and a very small amount of batter. After swirling the batter around to coat the pan, you form a very thin layer and flip. We then rolled each crepe off and filled it with different fillings. We made one with goat cheese and herbs, the other with caramelized apples. Both were amazing!!

Oatmeal was pretty self explanatory, but the money maker was the granola we made. First we toasted up lots of different oats and grains. Then we coated it with sugar, honey and a few other ingredients. Lastly we tossed in some dried fruit such as cranberries and mango. We mushed everything together on a sheet tray and let it rest for an hour, until hard. Then we chopped it all up and had the best granola ever! Aside from egg day, this was the only other day we ate something that made sense to eat at 10am, therefore we ate it all up. 

Day 41: Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

The next two days are breakfast cookery. Since brunch has become a huge phenomenon, especially in NYC, it is important to learn these techniques. We were given around 10 trays of eggs and put to work. We made every type of egg that I have ever heard of- scrambled, omelet, fried, over easy, sunny side up, hard boiled, soft boiled, eggs Benedict, and poached eggs. I usually stick to scrambled or omelets so I took advantage of all that we were cooking and taste tested all of the different types. Lets just say that I haven't had eggs since this day of class. Below is a picture of two out of 10 of the eggs we each prepared:

Now we all know that I am not very strong. However, since I started school, in combination with the heavy lifting I do daily while working at Eataly, I have gotten pretty strong. It just so happened that I realized this the day we were cracking 100 eggs.  I continuously cracked eggs so hard that they broke all over the table. Keep in mind, I have never in my life broken an egg wrong so I found it hysterical that of all days, I was too 'strong'. I understand why some people wouldn't classify this as a way to measure your strength, but I honestly believe this was the day that proved I had gotten stronger.

Day 40: Falafel

Today we made legumes! I am not a huge fan of beans, but with legumes came falafel!! It also worked out that I got to make the falafel recipe!

First off I pureed all of the ingredients in a blender. During this time, canola oil was being heated up in a huge pot. Once it hit the appropriate temperature I brought over the mixture and used a melon scooper to drop little balls of falafel mixture into the oil. They deep fried until golden brown and were then left to drain. After making around 50 falafel balls, I made a tahini sauces out of yogurt, tahini paste, and lemon juice. Now that everything was made we assembled pita pockets with sliced onion, lettuce, tomatoes, a few falafel balls and tahini.

For those Mamoun's fans out there, I am confident to say that this falafel is close competition!! Next time I cook Middle Eastern fare, this will be on the menu! 

Day 38: Puree, Souffles, Timbales

The next class we learned about advanced vegetable preparation. We learned how to take basic vegetables and turn them into presentable side dishes that compliment a dish.

Carrot timbales: These are pureed carrots placed into a mold. They look kind of silly but on a plated meal they will look good next to a fancy piece of protein.

Broccoli Souffle: A very light, fluffy side dish. Souffles need to be cooked at the perfect temperature, for the perfect amount of time to work. At that point they pop up and look like they do below!

Potato Gratin-This was by far my favorite and I had to walk away before eating the whole tray. It is sliced potatoes mixed with heavy cream and milk then topped with Parmesan cheese and Gruyere cheese. They are cooked in the oven and then placed under a broiler to give it a crispy final touch. 

In addition to these three dishes we made regular mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, and glazed carrot and turnip torne. A torne is a special shape that you cut the vegetable into. It is extremely difficult and needs a lot of practice. So much practice that I have had to cut up tournes on the couch while my friends were over hanging out. It is an 8ish sided, oval shape that you cut into things such as potatoes and carrots. It seems like we are on a break from practicing tournes so I can finally give my hands a rest, phew. 

Day 37: Spa Day

This lesson was geared to teach us about super healthy cooking. Our chef told us a story about a woman coming to eat at Le Cirque and ordering poached fish. Although this was not on the menu, they were instructed to make it per her request. He was still in his early years working the grill, but volunteered to make the poached fish, earning himself a promotion. Dietary restraints, on top of particular people, lead to this spa style cooking being offered on many modern menus. Although they may limit some delicious things, these methods will be really helpful especially with the evolution of food and diet in today's food culture.

 Most of these dishes were very flavorful for being so light in fat content. We began by making Paupiettes of Sole. This is sole rolled up with a leek fondue tucked into the center. It is then shallow poached, and finished in the oven. A pan sauce is added to accompany the fish, giving it a lot of flavor, yet still very healthy (just revisited the recipe and saw there is cream and butter, oops) !

Next we poached a whole fish in what is called a court bouillon. This is a flavorful liquid that the fish is submerged and cooked in. We then paired the fish with an emulsion sauce-saffron aioli- to contrast the flavors. I am not a huge aioli fan but this was really delicious. So delicious that our chef ripped off a piece of the baguette on the counter and started dipping away.

His name is David, after David Trahan 

Poached Salmon with a side of cauliflower 

For the vegetable portion, we steamed whole artichokes and paired it with a vinaigrette. I added minced rosemary to the vinaigrette since I am a huge rosemary fan, giving it an extra hint of flavor.

Day 36-It's Steamy In Here

We learned how to steam during lesson 36. I love steaming mussels so I had a firm understanding on how to steam mussels and clams prior to class. However, we learned some new techniques that I have never heard of. We made a Papillote of salmon. This is when you basically wrap a bag around the fish that is accompanied by vegetables. You place it in an oven, and it steams it self up. It is generally served in the paper at the table so the guest can inhale the flavor when the 'bag' is sliced open.

We also made steamed Chinese Striped Bass with Vegetables and Sticky rice. Talk about delicious. The bass was marinated in garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. In order to steam this, we used a 3 tier steamer. Each tier held one item, either the fish, veggies, or rice, and sat elevated on top of boiling water. The steam soaks into each layer, cooking all 3 layers through. The rice was my favorite part because it was the bottom layer. All of the juices from the veggies, and fish dripped down giving it a ton of flavor, and sticky rice is as much a food group to me as prosciutto and pizza are.

Clams with Saffron and Tomatoes

Parmesan crisps that accompanied the clams:

Papillote of Salmon

Steamed Chinese Striped Bass with Vegetables and Sticky Rice

Mussels Steamed in White Wine

 

Eataly!!

I got a job at Eataly!!!! For those of you who don't know what Eataly is, it is the new Mario Batali and Joe+Lidia Bastianich Italian marketplace. It sells specialty foods, has numerous restaurants, and a cooking school. It reminds me of a cleaner, more Americanized version of the mercado in Florence, Italy that I used to frequent when I studied abroad there.  I have been dreaming about getting a job at Eataly since I first heard about it coming to New York, and have been receiving google alerts daily letting me know about job opportunities.  All of the job ads requested a lot of experience so I planned to wait until I graduated to apply. In the mean time I stumbled upon a recruiter at our school's career fair who was looking to hire culinary students.

Soon after the fair I was hired into the fresh pasta department to do sales. Getting the position was a culinary dream come true. The market had only been open a few weeks and I had already been there 8 times, so getting paid to be somewhere I loved was just unreal to me. Now back to the job-- we have a huge selection of fresh, flat and filled pastas that are made daily by the production team that stands behind me. I then sell the pasta to people who come by.  I have the opportunity to recommend sauces, cooking instructions, and dish ideas to guests that come to buy pasta. I am convinced there is a sign somewhere that says we are giving away free pasta because people flock to our department in masses.

Until I graduate, I am not eligible to work in the back of the house, however this turned out in my favor. My boss has amazing experience and has been teaching me a ton about food, even if I don't get to cook at work. I am also getting to interact with the 10000s of people that come into the store daily and share my food knowledge with them.  It is by far the most fun job I have had yet, and I am already learning so much about the food industry.  The last little perk is that I have unlimited access to prosciutto, which to anyone that knows me, you now understand why I love my job so much.

I am working everyday except Monday and Saturday from 2-8, come stop by!!! 

Day 34 and 35: Stewing

Stewing is great because it is basically a 1 pot meal. You can combine meat, vegetables, and the sauce all in one pot and feed an army. On the other hand, stews tend to have heavy flavors so these are dishes that I either loved, or could handle never eating again..sorry chef.


Provencale Lamb Stew-

Blanquette of Veal:

Ratatouille:

Chicken Stewed in Red Wine

Chicken Tagine with Couscous

Braised Rabbit Legs with Red Onions, Prosciutto and Broccoli Rabe 

Stewed Korean Short Ribs

The winners go to Korean Short Ribs and chicken stewed in red wine. Surprisingly enough the rabbit was another favorite!

Day 32 and 33: Braising

The 2 days of braising were two of my favorites. First reason is because we made my favorite dish to date. This was the braised chicken thighs with mushroom and balsamic vinegar. A dish that will be repeated time and time again in my kitchen.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Balsamic Vinegar-The flavors were heavy on the vinegar and mushrooms, and the meat was so tender it melted in your mouth.

Braised Red Cabbage 

Braised Lamb Shanks with juniper and rosemary

Second reason I loved braising was that all of the food you see below was made by just 3 people. Two of my classmates were out and since we already have a record breaking small class of 5 people there was a second where I thought we weren't going to make all of our dishes. Instead our chef pushed us along resulting in the spread below. With so much leftover I headed uptown to my dads office where my dad, brother, a few coworkers and I had a grand feast:

My tall classmates Juan and Anissa that help me reach all of the high equipment 

Osso Bucco-this is a bonus meal because it is both the osso bucco meat, as well as bone marrow

Whole Fish Braised-2 huge red snappers that I so boldly pulled the intestines out of: 

Braised Beef Cheeks-We had a long debate about which cheeks these were exactly. We concluded that we should ignore the imagination and just eat because they were so delicious:

Braised Fennel Wrapped in Bacon-anything wrapped in bacon is good, so fennel lovers or not, this was great: