Saturday, July 2, 2011
Playing Personal Chef in California
As we all anxiously await the arrival of my twin nephews, Clark and Alex, I've been playing the personal Chef to the parents-to-be. It's been a wonderful experience. So far I've made Milanese with a Mushroom Cream Sauce, Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes, Watermelon Salad with a Dijon Vinaigrette, Sauteed Green Beans for dinner Wednesday and Thursday; Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast on Thursday; Waffles with Strawberries and Whipped Cream for breakfast on Friday; and Pan-seared Steak with a butter wine sauce for dinner on Friday. For breakfast this morning I'm gonna make omelettes, and for dinner I'm gonna make a Pasta dish with Italian Sausage and Spinach. I love that I'm able to cook for fun and not for school, and cooking for my family is even better. I'm here for another week, so I'm sure I'll be able to come up with some other culinary creations.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sage and Anjou Pear Truffle Ravioli
Sage and Anjou Pear Truffle Ravioli with Pear Beurre Blanc, Baby Bella, and Shredded Chicken
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Ravioli Pasta:
1 cup Semolina Flour
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
¼ Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Extra Virgin Truffle Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil can be substituted)
2 Eggs, large
2 Tbsp Water
Filling:
2 Anjou Pears, Ripe
4 oz Mascarpone Cheese
4 oz Pecorino Cheese, Shredded
4 oz Fontina Cheese, Shredded
4 oz Gruyère Cheese, Shredded
1 Tbsp Fresh Sage, Minced
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
Pear Beurre Blanc, Shredded Chicken, and Baby Bella:
1 cup Pinot Grigio (or and Dry White Wine)
1 Shallot (Lg), minced
¼ lb Butter, softened
½ cup Pear Nectar
TT Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
8 oz Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced
½ cup Shredded Chicken, cooked
Garnish:
2 Tbsp Fresh Sage, minced
Procedure:
Ravioli Pasta:
1. Sift together flours & salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together eggs, olive oil & water.
3. Form the sifted flour mixture into a mound on a flat surface, then form a well in the center.
4. Pour ½ of the egg mixture into the well, begin mixing with 2 fingers while supporting the mound of flour with your other hand. When egg begins to incorporate add the remaining egg mixture.
5. When all egg mixture is incorporated, knead dough 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, dusting surface with semolina flour as needed to keep from sticking.
6. Form dough into a ball & tightly wrap with plastic wrap.
7. Let dough rest in refrigerator for 2 hours.
8. Make filling while dough is resting.
9. Cut dough into 2 pieces & roll into thin strips using semolina flour for dusting.
10. Roll pasta to 1/16 inch thick then place small dollops of filling spaced apart enough so you’re able to close & completely seal each piece.
11. Whisk together 1 egg & 2 tbsp of water for egg wash.
12. Using a pastry brush lightly brush egg wash on outer edge & in between each ravioli. This is the glue that will seal each ravioli.
13. Fold over the outer half of pasta & seal each ravioli making sure there is no air trapped inside with filling, press edges down for a tight seal.
14. Cut strips into individual raviolis.
15. Can be frozen until ready to use.
16. When ready to cook place ravioli into a pot of rapidly boiling water 4 to 6 minutes until tender but still firm.
17. Drain & rinse ravioli, gently toss ravioli with Pear Beurre Blanc. Place in serving dish, garnish with Sage.
Filling:
1. Peel pears, remove seed & dice.
2. Heat olive oil in sauté pan, add pears, sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften slightly (approx. 2 minutes), remove from heat & chill down.
3. Once pears have chilled down combine pears with cheeses, sage, and salt & pepper.
Pear Beurre Blanc, Shredded Chicken, and Baby Bella:
1. Combine the Pinot Grigio and minced shallot in sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, reduce by half, add pear nectar and reduce by half again. Reduce heat and whisk in butter in small pieces until it thickens. Season with salt & pepper.
2. In a sauté pan heat olive oil and sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked shredded chicken to mushrooms and sauté together for 1 – 2 minutes until chicken is heated through. Combine Pear Beurre Blanc sauce with chicken and mushrooms
Serves 4
Ravioli Pasta:
1 cup Semolina Flour
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
¼ Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Extra Virgin Truffle Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil can be substituted)
2 Eggs, large
2 Tbsp Water
Filling:
2 Anjou Pears, Ripe
4 oz Mascarpone Cheese
4 oz Pecorino Cheese, Shredded
4 oz Fontina Cheese, Shredded
4 oz Gruyère Cheese, Shredded
1 Tbsp Fresh Sage, Minced
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
Pear Beurre Blanc, Shredded Chicken, and Baby Bella:
1 cup Pinot Grigio (or and Dry White Wine)
1 Shallot (Lg), minced
¼ lb Butter, softened
½ cup Pear Nectar
TT Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
8 oz Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced
½ cup Shredded Chicken, cooked
Garnish:
2 Tbsp Fresh Sage, minced
Procedure:
Ravioli Pasta:
1. Sift together flours & salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together eggs, olive oil & water.
3. Form the sifted flour mixture into a mound on a flat surface, then form a well in the center.
4. Pour ½ of the egg mixture into the well, begin mixing with 2 fingers while supporting the mound of flour with your other hand. When egg begins to incorporate add the remaining egg mixture.
5. When all egg mixture is incorporated, knead dough 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, dusting surface with semolina flour as needed to keep from sticking.
6. Form dough into a ball & tightly wrap with plastic wrap.
7. Let dough rest in refrigerator for 2 hours.
8. Make filling while dough is resting.
9. Cut dough into 2 pieces & roll into thin strips using semolina flour for dusting.
10. Roll pasta to 1/16 inch thick then place small dollops of filling spaced apart enough so you’re able to close & completely seal each piece.
11. Whisk together 1 egg & 2 tbsp of water for egg wash.
12. Using a pastry brush lightly brush egg wash on outer edge & in between each ravioli. This is the glue that will seal each ravioli.
13. Fold over the outer half of pasta & seal each ravioli making sure there is no air trapped inside with filling, press edges down for a tight seal.
14. Cut strips into individual raviolis.
15. Can be frozen until ready to use.
16. When ready to cook place ravioli into a pot of rapidly boiling water 4 to 6 minutes until tender but still firm.
17. Drain & rinse ravioli, gently toss ravioli with Pear Beurre Blanc. Place in serving dish, garnish with Sage.
Filling:
1. Peel pears, remove seed & dice.
2. Heat olive oil in sauté pan, add pears, sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften slightly (approx. 2 minutes), remove from heat & chill down.
3. Once pears have chilled down combine pears with cheeses, sage, and salt & pepper.
Pear Beurre Blanc, Shredded Chicken, and Baby Bella:
1. Combine the Pinot Grigio and minced shallot in sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, reduce by half, add pear nectar and reduce by half again. Reduce heat and whisk in butter in small pieces until it thickens. Season with salt & pepper.
2. In a sauté pan heat olive oil and sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked shredded chicken to mushrooms and sauté together for 1 – 2 minutes until chicken is heated through. Combine Pear Beurre Blanc sauce with chicken and mushrooms
My Restaurant Concept
My restaurant would be situated in a historic building in the Historic District of a City, preferably near the water and of the Victorian era. I would like to keep as much of the original architecture as possible, or would have the new architecture as close to that Historical period as possible. The walls will be exposed brick and there will be hardwood flooring. The décor will be a little Steampunk (Steampunk via Wikipedia) in nature. Instead of white tablecloths and napkins, I will have black.
I would like the atmosphere to be casual to formal. It would also be a full service restaurant with a large bar area. My target market would be tourist and pedestrian traffic, most likely in the 20 – 65 age range, but it would not be exclusively that age range. I would be open for lunch and dinner, with lunch being a more casual affair, so there will be a break between lunch and dinner service in order to set up for dinner service. The bar and, weather permitting, the patio area will remain open and available during this time for service. The number of tables I have will greatly depend on the square footage of the historic building. I would like to have at least 26 tables in the main dining room and possibly 10-15 tables out on the patio, as well as complimentary water bowls for guests with dogs who would like to sit out in the patio area. There will be no tables in the bar area other than the bar itself. I would like to have about 15-20 barstools, if possible. From the bar area, guests will be able to see “The Vault” (the wine vault), where our wines will be held in temperature controlled environment.
The stars of my menu will be my extensive wine list, and the fresh ingredients in my entrees. I want to use as much of the “Farm to Table” market as possible. I would like to put as much in to the local community as possible. Any “leftovers” will be donated to local shelters, and I will provide a 15 – 25% discount to military and law enforcement. 15% for Active Duty Military and 25% for uniformed law enforcement. My lunch menu will be in the $12-$20 price range, while my dinner menu will be in the $15-$40 price range. Fresh local ingredients are the key here and so my prices will reflect that I’m buying locally and importing little.
My restaurant concept might not be new, but I would like to provide my guests with an exceptional dining experience from my very well trained wait-staff.
I would like the atmosphere to be casual to formal. It would also be a full service restaurant with a large bar area. My target market would be tourist and pedestrian traffic, most likely in the 20 – 65 age range, but it would not be exclusively that age range. I would be open for lunch and dinner, with lunch being a more casual affair, so there will be a break between lunch and dinner service in order to set up for dinner service. The bar and, weather permitting, the patio area will remain open and available during this time for service. The number of tables I have will greatly depend on the square footage of the historic building. I would like to have at least 26 tables in the main dining room and possibly 10-15 tables out on the patio, as well as complimentary water bowls for guests with dogs who would like to sit out in the patio area. There will be no tables in the bar area other than the bar itself. I would like to have about 15-20 barstools, if possible. From the bar area, guests will be able to see “The Vault” (the wine vault), where our wines will be held in temperature controlled environment.
The stars of my menu will be my extensive wine list, and the fresh ingredients in my entrees. I want to use as much of the “Farm to Table” market as possible. I would like to put as much in to the local community as possible. Any “leftovers” will be donated to local shelters, and I will provide a 15 – 25% discount to military and law enforcement. 15% for Active Duty Military and 25% for uniformed law enforcement. My lunch menu will be in the $12-$20 price range, while my dinner menu will be in the $15-$40 price range. Fresh local ingredients are the key here and so my prices will reflect that I’m buying locally and importing little.
My restaurant concept might not be new, but I would like to provide my guests with an exceptional dining experience from my very well trained wait-staff.
It's been a year..... Well almost
Wow. I'm amazed that's it's been almost a year since my last post. And honestly enough a lot has happened in this past year. So here's a recap......
Spring Term 2010
Latin Cuisine:
I had a great time and learned a lot. Made some new friends too. We studied all over Latin America, but I think my favorite region would be Caribbean Cuisine. I love the tropical fruits and seafoods that are staples throughout caribbean cuisine. One thing I learned is how to make about a million different varieities of ceviche. Every country seems to have it's own version or two. It was fun leanring and trying new things. Chef Robinson really let us go out side the box and make our own variations on many of the recipes we were assigned. The important part was that we understood the concept and fundamentals of each dish.
American Cuisine:
Another class I really enjoyed. The US was broken down into 8 regions and each week was a different region. Everything was delisious and felt very much like comfort food. But if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be creol cuisine.
Summer Term 2010
Cost Control:
Not a production class, and by far my least favorite of all my classes taken at AiW. It was an excel based class so I did fairly well. We had a final project in which we had to:
Plan a Menu
Inventory
Item Spec Sheet
Standardized Recipe for each menu item
Cost out each recipe
Menu Analysis
The project wasn't hard just time consuming.
Product ID:
This was sort of a production class. We learned about different products like spices and salts, meats, vegetables, and pretty much everything food wise that someone would encounter in a kitchen. It was a great class. We didn't have recipes so we could pretty much do whatever we wanted. I had rabbit for the first time in this class, and I gotta say..... I loved it.
Gastronomy:
This history and study of food. Such an awesome class. I would take it again if I could. Lots of reading, but hey it's a history class. So far my favorite class taken. I learned so much about the way food has influenced culture and culture has infulenced food. It's all really facinating.
Fall Term 2010:
Food and Beverage Operation:
This was my wine tasting class. I know so much about wine I even amazed myself. I loved this class and I'm thinking about taking other wine related classes.
Management by Menu:
This class was all about Menu design, Restaurant Cencept and kitchen layout. A fun class because it was with Chef Logan, but I'm not sure it really needed to be a whole 10 week course, but it was fun coming up with a restaurant concept. I chose a Victorian era themed restaurant called Pinkertons. It was gonna be very steampunk in nature. I'll be sure to post the concept.
Asian Cuisine:
Not at all what I was expecting. But still lots of fun. I learned how to make many of my favorite Asian dishes and desserts. I wish that we did more Japanese and Korean dishes, but I've got the book, so I can always do them at home. The one region I wasn't expecting was India. I've even made some Indian dishes at home, much to Tim's delight.
Winter Term 2011:
Introduction to Baking and Pastry:
I decided to take it easy this term and only take one class. It was a lot of fun and very frustrated. I feel that I would have been better of by myself than in a group. I did all the work anyway. My favorite part of this class was making all the breads. I think I might actually take the Artisan Bread class offered in the summer. I enjoyed making all the various sweets, but I didn't much like eating them. All that sugar, just made me sick.
Other Cuilinary Adventures:
In September, a friend (at the time), Tim and I went to Lima, Peru for 10 days for the Gastronomy fair there called Mistura. It was a lot of fun, but also sucked. I made a new friend, but also lost a friend in the process. In hindsight, I'm not sure if it was worth the trip.
I've also entered in two competitions. The first one was the school's Tapas competition that entered in with my friend Maria. We took 3rd place. The other competition I've entered in is the USA Pears Competition. It's a national recipe competition. I'll post the recipe and picture soon.
Well I guess that's it for now. Stay tuned.....more posts to follow.
Spring Term 2010
Latin Cuisine:
I had a great time and learned a lot. Made some new friends too. We studied all over Latin America, but I think my favorite region would be Caribbean Cuisine. I love the tropical fruits and seafoods that are staples throughout caribbean cuisine. One thing I learned is how to make about a million different varieities of ceviche. Every country seems to have it's own version or two. It was fun leanring and trying new things. Chef Robinson really let us go out side the box and make our own variations on many of the recipes we were assigned. The important part was that we understood the concept and fundamentals of each dish.
American Cuisine:
Another class I really enjoyed. The US was broken down into 8 regions and each week was a different region. Everything was delisious and felt very much like comfort food. But if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be creol cuisine.
Summer Term 2010
Cost Control:
Not a production class, and by far my least favorite of all my classes taken at AiW. It was an excel based class so I did fairly well. We had a final project in which we had to:
Plan a Menu
Inventory
Item Spec Sheet
Standardized Recipe for each menu item
Cost out each recipe
Menu Analysis
The project wasn't hard just time consuming.
Product ID:
This was sort of a production class. We learned about different products like spices and salts, meats, vegetables, and pretty much everything food wise that someone would encounter in a kitchen. It was a great class. We didn't have recipes so we could pretty much do whatever we wanted. I had rabbit for the first time in this class, and I gotta say..... I loved it.
Gastronomy:
This history and study of food. Such an awesome class. I would take it again if I could. Lots of reading, but hey it's a history class. So far my favorite class taken. I learned so much about the way food has influenced culture and culture has infulenced food. It's all really facinating.
Fall Term 2010:
Food and Beverage Operation:
This was my wine tasting class. I know so much about wine I even amazed myself. I loved this class and I'm thinking about taking other wine related classes.
Management by Menu:
This class was all about Menu design, Restaurant Cencept and kitchen layout. A fun class because it was with Chef Logan, but I'm not sure it really needed to be a whole 10 week course, but it was fun coming up with a restaurant concept. I chose a Victorian era themed restaurant called Pinkertons. It was gonna be very steampunk in nature. I'll be sure to post the concept.
Asian Cuisine:
Not at all what I was expecting. But still lots of fun. I learned how to make many of my favorite Asian dishes and desserts. I wish that we did more Japanese and Korean dishes, but I've got the book, so I can always do them at home. The one region I wasn't expecting was India. I've even made some Indian dishes at home, much to Tim's delight.
Winter Term 2011:
Introduction to Baking and Pastry:
I decided to take it easy this term and only take one class. It was a lot of fun and very frustrated. I feel that I would have been better of by myself than in a group. I did all the work anyway. My favorite part of this class was making all the breads. I think I might actually take the Artisan Bread class offered in the summer. I enjoyed making all the various sweets, but I didn't much like eating them. All that sugar, just made me sick.
Other Cuilinary Adventures:
In September, a friend (at the time), Tim and I went to Lima, Peru for 10 days for the Gastronomy fair there called Mistura. It was a lot of fun, but also sucked. I made a new friend, but also lost a friend in the process. In hindsight, I'm not sure if it was worth the trip.
I've also entered in two competitions. The first one was the school's Tapas competition that entered in with my friend Maria. We took 3rd place. The other competition I've entered in is the USA Pears Competition. It's a national recipe competition. I'll post the recipe and picture soon.
Well I guess that's it for now. Stay tuned.....more posts to follow.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Spring Term 2010
So this term I'm taking Latin Cuisine and American Cuisine. I'm very much looking forward to them. Keep reading and you'll see how they go...... Wish me luck.
CL117 - Latin Cuisine (Tuesday Night)
This course emphasizes both the influences and ingredients that create the unique character of selected Latin cuisines. Students prepare, taste, serve, and evaluate traditional, regional dishes of Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean Islands. Importance is placed on ingredients, flavor profiles, preparations, and techniques representative of these cuisines.
CL128 - American Cuisine (Wednesday and Thrusday Nights)
The course reinforces the knowledge and skill learned in the preceding classes and helps students build confidence in the techniques of basic cookery. The development of knife skills is accented. Students explore the use of indigenous ingredients in the preparation of traditional and contemporary American specialties. The concepts of mise en place, timelines, plate presentation, and teamwork in a production setting are introduced and accentuated. Timing and organization skills are emphasized.
CL117 - Latin Cuisine (Tuesday Night)
This course emphasizes both the influences and ingredients that create the unique character of selected Latin cuisines. Students prepare, taste, serve, and evaluate traditional, regional dishes of Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean Islands. Importance is placed on ingredients, flavor profiles, preparations, and techniques representative of these cuisines.
CL128 - American Cuisine (Wednesday and Thrusday Nights)
The course reinforces the knowledge and skill learned in the preceding classes and helps students build confidence in the techniques of basic cookery. The development of knife skills is accented. Students explore the use of indigenous ingredients in the preparation of traditional and contemporary American specialties. The concepts of mise en place, timelines, plate presentation, and teamwork in a production setting are introduced and accentuated. Timing and organization skills are emphasized.
Week 10: The Final
Personal Observations: I was very nervous going into the exam and second guessed myself often. It was really nice to have Danny as a partner to keep me together. Everything in production when pretty smoothly and we were really able to get everything done in our allotted time, and even had some to spare.
The next day we had our Knife Cuts exam and well that was awful. I thought I had done a lot better this go round than I did at the midterm, but that was certainly not the case. My mind drew a complete blank when it came to the dimensions.
Chef comments: Chef said everything was really good. The only critique was that the soup was a little peppery and he took points off for that.
The next day we had our Knife Cuts exam and well that was awful. I thought I had done a lot better this go round than I did at the midterm, but that was certainly not the case. My mind drew a complete blank when it came to the dimensions.
Chef comments: Chef said everything was really good. The only critique was that the soup was a little peppery and he took points off for that.
Week 9: Eggs and Brunch
Personal Observations: Week 9 is actually week 11 due to the week of classes we missed because of the snow storm. I’m not a huge fan of eggs in general, but I still need to learn how to make perfect eggs.
The Quiche Lorraine was much too custardy for my taste and I didn’t like it.
The Rosti Potatoes and the Potatoes Anna were fairly easy to make and had a great presentation.
The Crepes were pretty easy to make. I added a little orange zest to give it a little bit of flavor.
Chef comments: Chef said that everything had good texture, flavor and consistency. Chef said I had the best Crepes out of the entire class.
The Quiche Lorraine was much too custardy for my taste and I didn’t like it.
The Rosti Potatoes and the Potatoes Anna were fairly easy to make and had a great presentation.
The Crepes were pretty easy to make. I added a little orange zest to give it a little bit of flavor.
Chef comments: Chef said that everything had good texture, flavor and consistency. Chef said I had the best Crepes out of the entire class.
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